Viaggio At the Park
401 W Fullerton Pkwy, Chicago, IL, 60614
Viaggio At the Park Menu
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Address :
401 W Fullerton Pkwy
Chicago, IL, 60614 - Phone (773) 747-3333
- Website https://www.viaggiochicago.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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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
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
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.
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Nancy D.
Good food. Good atmosphere. I picked this place because of the rave reviews. My mom asked to go to a good Italian restaurant for her birthday, so I decided on this place. Service was a little slow, but it was very relaxed and gave us time to chat. I was comfortable in a t-shirt with a hoodie and jeans, which is something I look for because I like great food without having to get dressed up. Only four stars though because even though I called in advance, and was reassured they would bring out a surprise dessert for my mother's birthday, it didn't happen. After I mentioned it though, they took her dessert, that she ordered, off the bill. My dad had specifically asked that I call ahead and set up something to surprise my mom, and I felt I let him, along with my mom, down. When we got back to my place, I got a small scoop of ice cream, covered it with whipped cream, and stuck candles in it so she could at least blow them out. My dad was very pleased with his veal, and my mom got a Marsala dish that she said was amazing. The Caesar salad actually had an anchovie in it, so it appears they at least make things from scratch there. Props for that. Overall, a good experience. I would go back. It's a solid place. I'm not sure what all the one and two star people are whining about.
(4)Elaine M.
The husband and I came here the other night after a taking a class on Italian style wines made in California. It only seemed appropriate to have Italian food after that. This place was close by and had great reviews so we decided to give it a try. It was pretty early on a Saturday night (about 5:30) and we had no reservation but we were able to be seated right away. The place was fairly empty when we arrived, except for a large table with a family celebrating Grandma's birthday. The place was full by the time we departed. We began our meal by sharing an order of the stacked eggplant. It was excellent and I would come here again just have it. The portion was large and certainly needed to be shared, two huge stacks of eggplant, tomato, mozzarella and arugula. With the waiters recommendation I had the chicken Marsala. This was also excellent and I would highly recommend it. Here is the reason for four stars though instead of five - the pasta. The husband ordered the spaghetti bolognese and it was mediocre. Not really sure how everything else was so great and the pasta was not. The pasta was a bit over cooked and limp and the sauce not particularly flavorful. Certainly a disappointment. In the end I would return and just stay clear of the pasta.
(4)Rupsa R.
This is our first time here. And the experience is horrible. There were fruit flies flying on the table. And that's gross!! The waiters are rude. It took them a good 10 minutes to acknowledge our presence after we were seated. I ordered the brick chicken recommended by our server. The chicken was dry, overly salted and partly burnt. When I told the server that the food was salty. He "reluctantly" asked if I wanted to change it. I courteously said no and he was like "okay"!! My husband ordered a preparation with Perch and there were several bones in the fish!! Bones in fish and that too in a restaurant like this??!! Overall extremely disappointed with service and the food!! The only good thing about the place is their rosemary garlic infused olive oil!!
(1)Beverly M.
Italian Done Right.. They make you feel like family when you walk through the door.. With pictures of the "Great's", Dino/Sinatra/Bennett around on the walls, their songs you know by heart playing softly in the background, Perfect ...As to the food, Quality meats, they make their own sauage..Sauces you can tell the love and detail to flavor layering with the first bite..And some of the best calamari I have had in a long time... We started with a Beef Carpaccio, filet mignon rare tender surrounded with peppers and capers. I followed it up with Veal Oscar tender with just the right amount of crab and a hollandaise sauce right on point...My husband asked the chef for Linguine, red sauce with shrimp/calamari/scallops, he just loved it...We split the bread pudding, and had plenty to take home for a midnight snack...Very Happy to have you in the park... When you go ask for Danny,attentive and provided excellent recommendations....
(5)Keith H.
Great food and excellent service. This place was recommended by a friend and the food and service exceeded all expectations.
(5)Ben G.
This place really has it all. A good outdoor patio and a great ambiance inside. This is my favorite Italian restaurant I've ever been to. The owner was very nice. The waiter could not have been better. The food was simply exceptional. The bread was also perfect. Go there and you won't be disappointed!
(5)Rosemary S.
Had to go back this last trip to Chicago. Awesome service and let me tell you about the meatball salad; there are no words to describe.....
(5)Jen K.
They squeezed us in at 645 on a Saturday night which was awesome. The service after that was a little slow (took a while to take our drink and app order, didn't tell us the specials they had until after they took our app order, and then we sat after we ate our app for a good 20 min before they took our food order). The food we got (veal oscar and pepper steak, which was on special) were both AMAZING. Got the beef carpaccio for an app and it was good, although I wouldn't say worth the price, and I wish we knew about the mussel special beforehand because we would have ordered that. I'll definitely go back when we have more time to sit and relax... so probably when it gets nicer out because they have a great patio.
(4)Jeremy W.
This place is great! The complimentary olive-oil infused peppers before the meal are fantastic. The entrees are all great especially the Branzino, Brick Chicken, and Veal Marsala. Service is always great and the owner walks around to check on everything. Recently, they have added a great pianist who really adds to the pleasant atmosphere. Also, if you want to sit at the bar---Kristin the bartender is second to none. You will not get a better Italian restaurant experience anywhere!
(5)D S.
Everything was delicious! Servings were generous and the service great! At our table we ordered Baked Manicotti Florintine, pasta with oil and garlic, Eggplant Parmesan, Lasagne, and Eight Finger Cavatelli. Everyone loved their meal.
(5)Jacqueline R.
What a true amazing experience! Delicious food and great service! The meatball salad is a must try!!! Yum!!!
(5)Paula C.
This place is terrific! Cozy atmosphere, delicious food, very personable owner and, as a surprise, opera/classical singers who sing a couple tunes at 8 and 9 on Friday and Saturday nights....loved everything about it!
(5)Jessica R.
Great service, below average food. I had the filet - it was very dry and overlooked. My fiancée had the lake perch - had quite a few bones.
(2)Frank B.
The food has to be mentioned as the best thing about this place, which is unfair to the staff. A gentleman of a matradee leads a personable, professional staff in a perfect dining experience. My favorite is stopping in for a pure blessing and an appetizer at the bar: (The dirty martini) - It's so good that I don't even like martini's and I crave one of theirs once a week. Not to mention the gal bar tending is always fun to catch up with.
(5)Grace C.
Meatball salad. Get it. Food here is a 4, however their customer service from staff and management bumps it up to a 5. Food was great. I got the salmon entree~ it was delish. But once again, I came here mainly for their meatball salad. I'd recommend getting that for sure if you are dining at this restaurant. I'd go back for that.
(5)Danny W.
If it was cloudy with a chance of these meatballs I'd want it to rain every single day! The rave reviews of these puppies don't even do them justice. They're like a Kuma's burger and a Gibson's steak made a baby and that baby was beat with a delicious stick it's whole childhood then grew up to be served next to perfectly cooked pasta. Order them with the vodka sauce and it will ruin almost all other Italian places around town for you. Other highlights are the complimentary sauteed peppers they serve as an appetizer and the spicy seafood pasta that's littered with shrimp, mussels, and calamari. This place really is as good as it's reviews suggest and I've only explored a small portion of the menu. Service is stellar and all the staff has that old school Italian attitude that ensures authenticity and a great night out. If you've never been to either Viaggio than you're taste buds should be mad at you.
(5)Wei H.
So I lived right next to this restaurant. I don't know how I managed to walk by twice a day without ever trying it. A friend's birthday was the perfect opportunity to end that nonsense and ever since, I have been wanting to go back. The ambiance is lovely. Unpretentious Italian with class. I feel bad for the people that got seated at the table right by the entrance though. That's some not so smart floor plan. Can I just say those sauteed peppers are heavenly? They are the best things ever. I am pretty sure I ate them all so before apps and entrees were served, I was half full already. They are drenched in EVOO (Rachel Ray copyrighted) and so flavorful that I will be willing to pay for them. They really should sell them in jars. For appetizer, we got the salmon on bruschetta. Salmon is slightly smoked and in good portions. The crostini has the right amount of crisp. Too many herbs for my taste but I think they help balance out the fishiness. Entrees are of humongous portions for a rather affordable price at Lincoln Park. The special seafood (lobster tail, scallops, shrimp I think) risotto I got is insanely rich and overly moist. Coupled with the fact that I ate all the sauteed peppers and bread, I could not eat more than a few spoonfuls of this. It still tasted really good the next day after 10 minutes in the oven. My friends got the simple pasta with red sauce - very very nicely done, perfectly cooked and sauce very flavorful and complex - and the veal - very tender juicy and well seasoned. In the middle of the meal, all of a sudden we heard opera singing. We thought it was coming from the central sound system but then it just started getting louder and louder. Turns out it was a real person singing! It added so much unexpected but much appreciated fun to our dining experience. At the end of the meal we also got a complimentary tiramisu for our friend's birthday. There isn't a dessert menu so you'd better listen up when your waiter recites the dessert items for you. Outdoor seating is limited and awkwardly situated between two apartment buildings so be prepared to be stared at by hungry people coming home from work while you devour those yummy meatballs.
(5)Kristen B.
Best Italian meal around! Everything on the menu is delicious, especially the lasagna! Service is great too! We love bringing my parents to Viaggio because of it's great food, amazing staff, and pleasant atmosphere. We'll be back again and again!
(5)Sarah R.
Amazing. I had the Eggplant Parmesan & it came with a side of tortellini. Food was great & the portions for my dish were very generous. The moscato d'asti was great too. The restaurant is a short walk through the park to the beach front as well :)
(5)diann s.
One of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago, Eight Finger Cavatelli dish is amazing! Service is excellent, it is obvious the the owner takes pride in his restaurant. Outdoor seating available and piano bar on select nights. We will be back!
(5)Ada H.
Not as awesome as I expected. I live across the street from this place. Literally at the building on the other side of Fullerton. I noticed that it opened, but never felt inclined to stop in. Then one day I was on Yelp looking for something near by and noticed all the stars next to this listing. So I tried it out. I had the acclaimed meatball salad and Penne at the Park. The meatball was really good. The penne was good. I just don't feel like it's 5 stars OMG type of food. However the parmesan that they provide with the bread and olive oil was really good. Good enough that it stands out in my mind and I felt the need to tell you about it. We came on a Wednesday night so all wines were half off. My friend and I chose a bottle of the moscato. It was the best Moscato I've ever had and a great deal for half off. Not sure I'd pay $40 for it on a regular night though. The main reason that I'm giving this 3 starts and not 4 was the service. The Maitre D' was a super sweet older gentleman who was welcoming and kind. The people who brought our food and refilled our water were very pleasant. Our server ruined everything. He was just dismissive and sarcastic. I asked him if he had a favorite pasta dish and he said "well everyone's palate is different." I'm not dumb. I know this. I asked him to tell me what he likes and this is how he responds? I realize it may be a redundant question but it's part of his job to make recommendations or at least give me additional information about the food. This is just how I feel. He just generally rubbed me the wrong way. I will return to give them another try. But I'll definitely not sit in that guy's section.
(3)Victoria P.
The food was excellent! The service was great! My boyfriend and I had a really great time for my birthday dinner. Not expensive!
(5)Andrea H.
I cannot rave enough about Viaggio's at the Park. The food is excellent and portions generous. I encourage you to go for the specials, because they are always top notch. Pastas are delicious and made in house. My fiancé and I shared the Chicken Sinatra for Two platter on our first visit, which is basically a giant platter of chicken vesuvio, sausage, potatoes and veggies...basically half the menu. All was great, could def feed 3-4 with an appetizer and salads! Even better--the stuffed veal special over fettuccine with cacciatore sauce last night! Atmosphere is great at Viaggio's, perfect for date night or an intimate gathering with friends. The place is well decorated (the ceiling may be my favorite feature). Service is another plus...very attentive, which is difficult to find in Chicago! They even remembered my fiancé and I from 2 1/2 months prior when we walked in for our second visit. Bonus: There is a tenor who sings during prime times on the weekend and definitely adds to the ambiance and experience.
(5)Mister M.
What a perfect restaurant Viaggio's is . This time my table had a real bacchanal. Perfectly prepared fried calamari-huge order, enough for the whole table. Other apps were the legendary Meatball Salad and the Pesto Infused Burrata Cheese served with crusty toast and perfectly roasted cherry tomatoes- this was a real winner I had a glass of the Montepulciano which was extraordinary for a house wine. Our main dishes were Sausage and peppers-as good as always, Lasagna with bolognese-extremely rich and satisfying and Veal Piccata-perfectly prepared and very high quality-crisp on the outside, moist and tender veal on the inside. Smothered in a lemon sauce with Pine Nuts-a nice touch. I wanted to order the Spumoni Bomb for dessert, but there was simply no room. Another great meal had by all. The professional service was equal to restaurants that cost twice as much as Viaggio's i will go to Viaggio's whenever I am in the Lincoln Park area.
(5)Joe R.
Nice little Italian place. I started off with an Argentinian Malbec and a wedge salad. Wine was great, wedge salad was ok, onions were very strong and it had a lot of tomatoes. Good for some, not me. The lasagna was delicious, it had a very creamy flavor that I liked. Overall top shelf!
(5)Rits M.
While the food here is good, I felt like I was in an older restaurant, for older people. While that wasnt the case, there were some younger people there, don't think of it as hip and chic. This is a solid restaurant to bring mum to, and have a lunch/dinner with family. We had the meatball salad- it was good and a solid option. Then we had the trio special- pork, NY strip and something else which escapes me. Again, good solid food, well cooked. Ask the waiter for a wine recommendation and they usually give you a good one.
(3)Joe O.
This is probably the 2nd best Italian place I've eaten at. Everything was great! 100% customer Service! Great Food! The owner/manager and waiter were gentlemen and if I lived in Chicago I would be there all the time, that is for sure! There drinks were very tastey and not over-priced. The salad was nothing special, but nothing to bat an eye at. I had the Branzino which was very nicely prepared! The best thing was the Sicilian Postacio Ice Cream for Dessert! It was incredible! Overall it was a great experience! I would recommend this place to anybody who lives in Chi-town or visitors. This place is definitely a winner!
(5)Daisy D.
This one is kind of hard to review; came here over the weekend (Saturday) for our anniversary dinner. The food was great! Fresh pasta and great lamb chops were on point.... but the service was real slow... Not sure if they were short staffed for the night? Either way, we agreed the food outweighed the service. So we'd probably go back for the food and hope for a better waiter. Would also love to take advantage of their out door seating.
(4)Katy K.
I made reservations for an early evening Saturday dinner for my boyfriends birthday. When talking to the host, I mentioned it was my boyfriends birthday and he told me they give a piece of tiramisu out for birthdays. The host was great and reassured me on my reservation. We arrive, ordered the stacked eggplant as an app. I honestly didn't think it was anything special. My boyfriend ordered the New York Italiano and I had the veal oscar. Both were WONDERFUL. The food was above average but our waiter wasn't really enthusiastic and I honestly believe it's because my boyfriend and I are in our early twenties he perhaps thought we wouldn't tip well regardless of the service. He also didn't bring out the tiramisu which got me irritated. I told my boyfriend about it and considered saying something because we already got the check until the manager brought it out to us and saved the day. The server saw us with the dessert and definitely looked confused as to why we had it. Kind of ruined the surprise. Good food but not good enough to get me to go back.
(3)Ashley R.
This restaurant is the epitome of traditional Italian cuisine. With high decorated ceilings, wonderful service, and delicious pasta, we will be coming back soon! There was even an opera singer during our meal. Highly recommend!
(5)Rick T.
The best Italian restaurant in Chicago has opened a second location on Fullerton, across from Lincoln Park. I walked in and received the famously warm welcome that I came to expect at the original location. Owner Sam was at the host stand, accompanied by his bigger-than-life right hand man, Skip. This is the kind of place where you will be greeted like an old friend. Sam and his team have brought every element of the original location's big personality, big taste experience to LP. You feel the love from the moment you sit down. Most Italian spots get you started with warm bread, olive oil, and maybe some parmesan cheese. Viaggio's table warmer is bread, chunks of delicious parmesan on an olive oil bed, with a half-head of baked garlic and three kinds of olives. You can see where this meal is going! For my first trip to the new location, I started with the legendary "meatball salad." It is every bit as delicious as I remember. Main course? Rigattoni with vodka sauce and sausage. Thick, delicious vodka sauce coated every perfectly-cooked noodle. Outstanding! Sam invited me in back to take a look at the huge kitchen that he built fromt he ground up--literally. It stretches for a good 25 yards beyond the dining room. One thing I noticed back of the house: the behind-the-scenes team is on its game every bit as much as the people out front. You can see their dedication in everything they do. Now, I didn't mention it to Sam on my debut visit, but I *do* wish that he would bring his delicious Sunday Pork Gravy entree to the new location. Although, my waistline would strongly disagree. The interior seats about 50, with another 10 tables or so set around a fountain on the patio.... a perfect spot to wind down your day or kick off your night. Welcome to the neighborhood, Sam, Skip, Nick, Matt, and the entire Viaggio family!
(5)Summer F.
The food was fantastic, and yes the meatballs are as good as my mother's. The service was also great, almost to the point where I was wondering if our 3 servers were just bored they came over so many times. One piece of advice, although everyone was really nice to our kids, I would not say this was a good place for kids, just to "nice". Although the meatballs and salad was a great food choice for them since normally at italian restaurants they just just fill up on bread, this "appetizer" came out quickly and at least provided the other food groups.
(5)Ted P.
I have been to this location multiple times and I think it is the best bang for your buck Italian place in Chicago. The food is incredible and very healthy portions. Everything from the bread at the beginning to the best carrot cake I have ever had is just phenomenal. I have had the Fettuccine and the Creamy Tomato sauces on pastas and both are incredible. The Veal Oscar is absolutely amazing, as is the Bruschetta and Grilled Seafood appetizers. I have yet to have a bad meal here and have taken multiple people here for dinner and everyone loves this place. The best thing on the menu is the Lake Perch and every time I come here I tell myself to try something new and I just cannot stray away from that. Hands down the best perch I have ever had. The ambiance is intimate and when they have the opera singer walking around singing it makes it an A+ date spot. The owner is extremely personable and always very thoughtful, including giving my family and I multiple free desserts last time I was in there. I moved away from the area but still go far out of my way to get a dynamite meal here that is reasonably priced. Highly recommended!
(5)Stephen O.
This is my new "neighborhood restaurant". This is a comfy Italian restaurant with a killer menu. Our server, Louis, was great. When we dined they had a special featuring mussels in white wine that was tremendous. They also had a Burrata infused with pesto and served with crostini and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and pesto that was perfect. Our entrees were White fish filet with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans and a charbroiled pork chop finished in the oven with olive oil, roasted peppers, garlic and some chilies--served with roasted potatoes and spinach. It was a special and excellent. The menu is full of great pasta dishes as well as chicken, veal and seafood. Tiramisu to die for and Limoncello to finish. We got a special treat when the sound of a young man singing Italian standards and music from West Side Story drifted to the patio. He was amazing. He lives in the neighborhood and sometimes comes in to sing--his name is Brandon James and he is a finalist on the current America's Got Talent.
(5)Seth W.
I went here a couple weeks ago with my Mom when she was in town. Service was top-notch: the waiter was very knowledgable, recommending a wine pairing and helping my mom choose a salad. I got the Italian-Style New York Strip, which was cooked exactly as I ordered it and covered in a delicious, tangy sauce that was spicy but still allowed you to taste the meat. Better yet, we got there at 9:45, and even though the restaurant closed at 11:00 and I wanted a steak, they didn't hurry us, didn't bat an eye at our orders, and were very gracious even though we were the last ones in the restaurant. All in all a great experience. The one thing I would say is that the atmosphere was a bit louder and brighter than I expected, given Yelp's classification of the ambiance as "romantic". This wouldn't be my first choice for a romantic, Italian date--it might be a better choice for dinner with co-workers or clients.
(5)Elizabeth T.
It's over priced for the quality of food. The salad had a lot of dead slimy lettuce in it. The simple ravioli dish you could get in any restaurant had acidic watery sauce. The salmon was over cooked. The service was reasonable. I wouldn't pay that kind of money for that kind of food ever again.
(1)Michael K.
The meatball salad is incredible. The meatballs melt in your mouth. Staff couldn't be better- come here or you're missing out on a top 5 restaurant in Chicago.
(5)Jen O.
A group of friends and I went there last weekend for by birthday. Our server was amazing - very attentive while understanding that this was a celebration of friends. We did the herb infused mozzarella appetizer and it was AMAZING. We also had the lobster ravioli which was divine. Because they knew it was my birthday they also came out with a slice of tiramisu with a candle in it and had the whole restaurant sing to me. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Michelle P.
Loved this place and will definitely be back. Food and service was great! Ordered the filet and it was delicious. Carrot cake for dessert was also amazing! This place is a hidden gem in Lincoln Park.
(5)Evan A.
Very nice ambiance and good service. Food was solid. Definitely worth going. Nice owner too. I'll go back.
(4)Don R.
Like it's sister restaurant on the west side, this is some of the best Italian the a city that has many excellent Italian resotaurants. We start the night with a bottle of some excellent white wine suggested by our waiter and shared the meatball salad. This is a signature dish at both locations and can be beat anywhere. Who would of thought two meatball, a little marinara on top of at bed of lettuce with an excellent italian dress could be this good. It is. My wife an I shared the Dover Sole special which was superb. The waiter boned this huge portion at the table, a side of butter and almonds accompanied the fish. Done to perfection and melted in your mouth as a good Dover Sole should. The atmosphere in the summer here is wounderful. The patio overlooks Linclon Park. What more could you ask for in a great restaurant.
(5)Benjamin D.
Four and a half. This place was invented for having the "perfect date" so take your girlfriend and I promise she will love it. The space and food are excellent, the service is great and the tenor who sings for a few minutes at 8PM and 9 PM (on the weekends) is a nice little touch too. We ordered the following: Eggplant Stack (Unreal) Meatball Salad (great) Linguini With Clams (fantastic and amazing as a left-over on the stove top the next day) Eight-Finger Cavatelli with added sausage (perfect sauce but next time i'll switch the pasta to penne because the portions on everything are massive and the Cavatelli is super heavy) The Tiramisu (wow just wow) and one cannoli (best filling i've ever had in one). I also got to speak with the owner for a few minutes while we waited for the valet to pull up our car and he was super friendly. I would highly recommend Viaggo's for you next date night.
(5)Ritu R.
4.75 for Italian comfort food. Not a 5 only bc they don't have a cocktail menu and weren't able to do any non alcoholic concoctions. Superb service. Mushroom and scampi apps were very good! Entrees are large. Good leftovers! We had and loved: Branzino (special) - creamy decadent deliciousness. Eggplant parm w side of tortellini in a cream sauce - so so wow Ravioli special - delish Side of meatballs -omg Tiramisu was extra creamy and perfect. Highly recommended! This location and the west loop live up to the reviews. Food was a 5!!
(4)Chi G.
Between the delicious food and excellent service, you just can't find a better choice for Italian food in the area. Beautiful patio and friendly staff. Don't miss out on experiencing this neighborhood gem!
(5)Jan E.
Adored this restaurant. The meatballs! The (random) meatball salad! The amazing Dover sole! The canoli! (Oh, my - the canoli.) It was love with perfect service. Go. Now.
(5)Joyce C.
We live a couple of buildings down and have been here several times. The food is very good Italian (esp the Eggplant) and they have some nice contemporary specials and apps (pesto-injected burrata with roasted tomatoes was ridiculously good; complimentary roasted peppers and fresh warm bread also fantastic). The patio is outstanding--definitely try to eat out there on a good day. I don't love the interior, it is low-ceilinged and makes me feel like I'm in someone's rehabbed garage. Service has been excellent at each visit, and the owner/manager always comes by to say hi and check on the food. My only concerns are that it seems overpriced for the food by about 40%, and (and this is a big one) they put a ton of RAW garlic hunks in their sauces. Who does that? At least it's in big pieces so you can pull it out, but you always miss some. People! Sautee your garlic!
(4)Will M.
Delicious food and excellent service. I had the special (I think it was called Diablo something) - it was a spicy seafood pasta. Just the right amount of spice for me. A lot of flavors in the dish. The waiter was very good at identifying when we didn't want to be bothered and when to check in on us.
(5)Madonna W.
Best meatballs in Chicago!
(5)Ben B.
Wow! I came here for a celebratory dinner and I had no idea I'd be celebrating the meal. When I was there, the special was basically chicken parmigiana, but made with filet mignon instead of chicken. Oh, damn, that was good! I don't see it on their normal menu, so maybe it's not a regular thing. Chicago has no shortage of great Italian restaurants, but I believe this should be counted among them. Update: I returned and the food was just as good as I remembered. Upon Joelle P's recommendation, I tried the meatballs. You *must* get the meatballs. They come as a side to your pasta, and there are two, about the size of your fist. So... freaking... good. I actually preferred them to my penne with bolognese. Next time, I'm just ordering meatballs. I also loved the eight finger cavatelli. It's a really soft, long noodle pasta. Think jumbo-fat spaghetti. I'm also not a huge fan of the layout of the place. I prefer a darker, cozier environment. This is a little more... I dunno... upscale. Better for a small group of friends than a pair of lovers. Also, they often have an opera singer stroll out and start singing at the top of her lungs. I suppose they think it adds "class," but it grinds all conversation to a dead halt and it's a miracle all the wine glasses don't shatter. I wish they'd 86 her. Still, this place is quickly rising among my ranks of favorite Chicago restaurants!
(4)Gary K.
Outstanding friendly and very attentive service, and the lightly breaded sauté perch (highly recommend) with a lite lemon cream sauce with green beans & garlic mashed potatoes was delicious. Lively crowd enjoying the live music and Chicago Blackhawk's hockey game in the bar area. The special meatball salad, Italian bread with olive oil & grated parmesan cheese, baked clams appetizer, sweet peppers, Burrata cheese appetizer, and Veal Oscar (veal sauté with chunks of crab & hollandaise sauce) & asparagus were also scrumptious. From large salads to pasta to veal dishes available.... extensive traditional Italian menu with some unique menu options.
(5)Anya D.
I came here as "Dads Choice" for restaurant week with the idea to try something totally new. We ended up ordering off the regular menu because the items were just too good to pass up. We started off with the fried calamari -- crispy, fresh, delicious way to start our meal. For dinner I had the special of scallops over linguini with a lemon white wine sauce. Holy f-ing scallops. Those had to have been some of the best, most fresh, most tender and perfectly cooked scallops I have ever had. My dad had the linguini with freshly shucked clams and he loved it as well. The service was great, the owner was friendly and welcoming and our waiter suggested a perfectly paired wine for our dishes that complimented everything. The crowd does run a little on the older side, but that just means its nice and quite and homey. A great hidden gem and I cant wait to go back.
(5)Jay R.
Molto Bene!!! The search has ended I have found my new go to Italian restaurant!! Viaggio offers great food, service and a entertaining place to enjoy a evening. Once seated we were served warm bread, olive oil and roasted peppers which served as some good nibblers to enjoy while we had a cocktail and perused the menu. For apps we started with the grilled seafood plate which included shrimp,calamari and octopus it was cooked perfectly and came with a lick the plate clean worthy dressing. We also had the buffalo mozzarella and roasted tomato app, I am not sure of the exact name but it was a special for the day, and it was special. The lobe of mozzarella was creaming and tasting as good as I had when I was in Italy. The small cherry tomatoes where roasted until almost bursting and had a little char on the skins. The dish came with toasted bread to put it all on and a pesto type sauce, it was one of the best dishes I have had in a while. For a entree I had the chicken saltimbocca which came out looking a bit like chicken parm with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, I asked the waiter if this was the veal saltimbocca and he said no that's not on the menu but we can make it for you( I thought I had ordered veal but guess I had ordered chicken.. opps good martinis where the real issue). That being said the dish was fantastic a different preparation then the classic but very good and I could still taste the sage and prosciutto thru the tomato sauce. The dish was large enough to share 2 big boneless chicken breasts that's normally served with mashed potatoes but they subbed pasta for me with no questions. The menu as a whole is great everything looks tasty and it is hard to decide what to eat. Everyone in our party loved their food. Best Italian I have had in a long while. Now here is the funny part about the evening, I felt a bit like I was in the middle of a reality TV show. The host and waiters were super friendly over the top nice and all real characters. The crowd that night was a funny mix including older people you might find retired in Miami, tall model looking women in slinky dresses and a lot of Asian groups. I guess I expected more of a typical Lincoln Park looking crowd. We sat outside and watched everyone parade in and out, then a women in a multicolored sequins skin tight dress shows goes inside and starts singing opera. She sings a while then sits down and eats with her date. After a while she gets up sings again then takes off, it was all very entertaining, fun and a bit odd in a good way. We ate on the patio and the atmosphere was pure city. The patio area is bordered by a attractive rod iron fence with plexiglass to block the sound from the street. It works great you see the cars cruising by but the noise is minimal for such a busy area. Looking up you see towering buildings you are in a canyon of, its a unique and comfortable place to eat. The inside dining area seemed a little loud but might be something you get use to after your ears adjust and you have a glass of wine. Service was great and the prices are fair for what you get. The dishes are all pretty big so share a dish and a app and 2 people can dine pretty economically. I don't know if it's like this every night but I feel like we got a show with dinner. It was fun watching all the interesting customers, employees and all while being in a cool outdoor space with the hustle and bustle of the city going on around us. Show or no show the food is good enough to make Viaggio a great choice for classic Italian.
(5)Diane F.
The food was delicious..especially, the meatball salad, the service impeccable and friendly, and the piano player added to a very enjoyable dining experience..I would highly recommend Viaggio on the Park.
(5)Lele W.
My husband and I had dinner at Viaggio last Saturday. I chose it based on its proximity to the Greenhouse Theater, where we had tickets for a show later that evening, and the Yelp reviews. We had a *great* experience. I don't know why that one individual dinged it for not having a "fine restaurant" ambience; I don't think they promote themselves as a competitor to Spiaggia. We thought it had a great, neighborhood-y vibe in a nice, old building - very casual and comfortable. We live in River North and our usual, go-to Italian place is Volare (Grand & St. Clair). Although that's a more cozy environment, it's also very popular with the tourist crowd (no surprise given it's location); it was nice to be out of that mix for a change. Can't say enough about our server, Eddie; he was engaging, he was helpful (great call on the Dover sole special - "enough for both of you - maybe get a half-order of pasta on the side"), and he made sure we got out on time to make our theater date. And the food lived up to the service - perfectly prepared sole (de-boned tableside by Eddie) with almond-butter on the side, green beans and garlic mashed potatoes. Yum! (Oh yes, and I am also a big fan of the garlic-and-rosemary olive oil that they serve with the bread.) We will definitely be back (especially now that my husband has discovered the wonders of Divvy).
(4)Angela T.
Great place with really good service and fantastic food! We went on a Friday night and was happily surprised with a live opera singer who sang a few songs--so fun! Intimate setting and can get quite loud, but definitely worth the visit.
(4)Adam J.
I've been to this restaurant close to 10 times now and absolutely love it. My favorite 3 appetizers are the meatball salad, eggplant stack, and delicious traditional sausage and peppers. For dinner I LOVE the chicken Marsala, 10 finger cavatelli, and the Bronzino fish. This is a cute little Italian gem in the heart of LP. I find the drinks to be very generous portions and love the new mugs they use to serve Moscow mule's! I recently tried their cheesecake trio, it was delicious The host, Dave, is a very nice guy and plays the part of a sincere friendly host/owner. All in all viaggio at the park consistently turns out a delicious Italian meal and mgmt cares about their patrons.
(5)Daniel R.
Charming little place just off Clark. Had the tortellini special and bread pudding. Both excellent. Service was great. Only thing keeping it from a 5 was the atmosphere which is a little old school for me, but traditionalists will love.
(4)Fadia k.
the food here is delicious. the bread, olive oil and peppers were a great start to the meal. I did the fedelini with arrabiata sauce and asked them to add shrimp. the sauce was extremely fresh and flavorful. my husband had the chicken parmesan with a side of cheese tortellini alfredo. the cheese tortellini alfredo was sooo good! our service was great and there was also an opera singer who was really talented and super sweet. The only let down was the actual space and setup of the restaurant.
(5)Ilya K.
Wow this place certainly disappointed any and all expectations. Lets sum it up: 1. 1st impression: host was dressed as if he was a janitor 2. environment is not cozy at all, its not a fine restaurant feel. All the reviews say this is one of the best in the city? Id say its one of the worst. 3. service was VERY subpar. Server did not introduce himeself. 4. Wine bottle was not sampled before the wine was served. 5. lingini with clams had absolutely no sauce and was super bland, also one of the WORST in the city. 6. final bill came like they wanted us out asap. I felt super rushed. I am debating giving it 1 star. There has to be least 50 italian restaurants in the city better than this.
(2)Peter F.
This place was terrible and it couldn't have been just a single night. You first realize when you walk in on a Friday night and the place is dead - then the menu comes and they make veal and chicken 8 different ways, sauces all ready to go. The veal ragu with pappardelle(which sounds great) was beef broth and noodles with veal, it tasts like beef broth raw from the container, truly disappointing when so many other italian restaurants do this wonderfully throughout the city. The salads were massively dressed and unnaturally wilted but this stuff comes when no one frequents the place and food stockpiles - who serves wilted mixed greens? Crap restaurants. My wife ordered eggplant parmesan and it came out american style, meaning 1 pound of cheese, non-existent eggplant and a sauce that a day later we are trying to figure out the ingredients, its the oddest tasting italian food ever and we're italian and have been to every italian restaurant in the chicago and beyond. I wouldn't even have written this review were it not for me logging in and seeing so many 4 stars on other reviews. I get the feeling these people haven't a clue - PLUS it extremely expensive for the quality. Well, I can go on and on about the staff but even the 4 stars said the staff sucks - they are worse than that but please don't waste your time to find out - this place will be closed by next summer, IMO, you go there once and not a soul ever returns, guaranteed. Don't order the wine, although they have numerous nice bottles the food is abysmal so just go somewhere else and enjoy yourself. Ask and I will give you great Italian recommendations around the same vicinity. Oh, Oh, the 'decor' and 'woodwork' - someone spent 15 minutes decorating and putting up drywall and trim, floor looks like its been there for 20 years and you know, the wait staff agrees. Thank god I can laugh at this the next day...
(1)Barb L.
My girls took me to Viaggio at the Park for my bachelorette party dinner, and I loved it! The moment we stepped through the door, we were treated like family. The staff, host, and owner/managers were so much fun and joked with us the entire time. For dinner, we only ordered a variety of appetizers, which was perfect for our group of girls, but the desserts were amazing (: Our favorites were definitely the spumoni and chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Overall, I would definitely recommend Viaggio at the Park because of the familial environment and delicious desserts. However, I am interested to see if there's a difference in the level of service when I come back with my fiance compared to our bachelorette party group (;
(5)Seth M.
Viaggio at the Park has brought everything they were doing right and then some over to Lincoln Park. If you are craving GREAT Italian food look no further than Viaggio. From the food to the service, to the environment you are getting a 5 star experience. When you sit down you are provided complimentary bread as well as a little platter with fresh chunk parmigiana, olives, and roasted garlic. It is awesome!! (especially the garlic, yum!). Our order for the night: Appetizers: Beef Carpaccio, Eggplant Stack, and Meatball Salad Entrees: Brick Chicken, Branzino, Talapia Fra Diavlo, and Chicken Marsala Dessert: Cream Puffs We started with the Beef Carpaccio we were not disappointed. I have had carpaccio and steak tartar all over this city and this might be some of the best. They use top quality filet and serve it with parmigana, onions, and peppercorns. The steak is tender and flavorful and complimented well by the little additions to the plate. If you've never had the eggplant stack, its incredible. Chef Vic layers thin slices of fried eggplant with fresh buffalo mozzarella and thick slices of tomato before topping it off with arugula, balsamic, and shaved parm. It is delicious and a dish that still stands out in a meal of 5 star plates. It may be a crime to come to Viaggio and not get the Meatball Salad. And yes if you've never had it I know what your thinking...who puts meatballs in a salad. Chef Vic does, and I thank him for it. First, I could make a very strong case that these are the best meatballs in Chicago. They are a mixture of beef, pork, and veal and manage to be both light and filling at the same time. When you put those meatballs over a nice salad with a little dressing and mix it with the 'red gravy', we are talking a supremely delicious dish. Something you remember and come back for. For my entree I had the brick chicken. I am the type of person who rarely orders chicken at restaurants because I figure...hey I can make this at home. That is far from true with this dish. They take a whole chicken and de-bone it before cooking it with a hot brick that somehow creates the crispiest skin with moist, juicy chicken. If that wasn't good enough the sauce on it just takes this dish to the next level. I promise you will not be disappointed. Everyone else loved their dishes as well. The chicken marsala was without question the best I've ever had. The branzino and talapia were both cooked to perfection. Even though we were stuffed we had to get an order of cream puffs which were very very good. Viaggio is the type of place where you feel like family if its your 1st time coming or your 20th. You are guaranteed a consistently good meal with great service every time, which is why I keep coming back.
(5)Greg C.
The service, excellent and the food was outstanding. The Brick Chicken is a signature dish and deserves to be. Best ever.
(5)Brad L.
If anyplace truly defines "hidden gem" in Lincoln Park, this is it. Italian with a master chef's touch, a very menschy owner operator, superb service and authentic Ratpack vibe without too much gooniness, IYKWIM. tonight I had the shrimp Diavlo with squid ink linguine that was incredible, better than the similar preparation at Osteria del Teatro in South Beach, and if you know that joint those are strong words indeed. Bar staff is as charming and real as one could ask, and Kristen in particular lent a sympathetic ear when I needed one, a trait that can elevate an unusually tasty bar meal into a poignant evening i will always remember.
(5)Kendall D.
Tucked away on Fullerton and Clark on the first floor of an old Lincoln Park building, this restaurant is elegant yet casual at the same time. We had early reservations with my boyfriends family and when we arrived, we were some of the only people in the restaurant. I made our reservation for two on accident, when in reality we had six, and the waitress seemed flustered by my mistake...however, like I said, the restaurant was essentially empty at this time. Just as I was about to get annoyed by her curt reaction, her supervisor swept in and assured us it was no problem, offering us a round table a few steps away. We were very impressed with how friendly and hospitable our servers were, and took advantage of their well-informed suggestions. We started with the special, which was pesto-injected mozzarella served with cherry tomatoes and crostinis. FABULOUS. The meals themselves were not overwhelmingly delicious, but they were very good and I would certainly recommend this place to anyone seeking a nice Italian restaurant in the Lincoln Park area.
(4)Diane M.
This was a true find. I knew this restaurant had opened in a Lincoln Park building, but just hadn't taken the time to stop in. I finally stopped in the night of the Olympics Opening Ceremonies and sat at the bar. The bartender was WONDERFUL -- her service couldn't have been better. She turned both televisions over to the Opening Ceremonies. The owner/manager came over to speak to me and welcome me to the restaurant for my first visit. The food was delicious and the wine incredible. I ordered a delicious bottle of red wine (wish I could remember the name) and it was so good, I even had another glass. The bartender set me up with a beautiful place setting at the bar and I felt like I was being spoiled. And to top it off, they had an opera singer (I think he was from the Voice) performing in the restaurant. All in all, a fabulous experience and I will be back.
(4)Cristina W.
I can not say enough good things about Viaggio's! I was in Chicago this weekend visiting friends and had a craving for delicious Italian food. We chose Viaggio's based on location and yelp reviews. Thank you, Yelp, for a great suggestion! Our reservation was for 5, but after bring seated at a 7 top table, we discovered that our fifth party would not be able to join. We had only ordered drinks at this tine, and not wanting to take up a big table with only 4 people on a busy Saturday night, we approached the hostess desk and volunteered to be moved to a smaller table. The hostess and Manager (maybe owner??) said not to worry and stay where we are. We ordered our meals and shortly before they arrived the Manager approached our table to request that we move. A much larger party came in unexpectedly and he apologized profusely. He offered to buy us desserts, which was completely unnecessary!! Many other restaurants would not have let us sit down with an incomplete party. Many other restaurants would have been annoyed that only 4 showed up. Many other restaurants would have had us move and not offer a thing to keep us happy. I am from Atlanta, and am accustomed to southern hospitality, but Viaggio's took things up a notch!! I recommend this restaurant highly based on the excellent service and wonderful food. We will return!
(5)Larry R.
We were in Chicago for an affair for the weekend from Tucson . Used yelp to help us find the right Italian restaurant . After looking at a lot of reviews we chose viaggios at the park. Just like the reviews said. Greeted at the door with a great welcoming from one of the owners. The lady who sat us couldn't be nicer. We sat at a table in the bar area. As soon as we sat down they brought the olive oil peppers and bread. Our food server Kristen came over with a warm welcome and no pressure . We ordered a salad and split the eggplant parmigiana . More than enough food along with two reasonably priced glasses if wine. Must be a locals place because everyone seemed to know each other and hug. Next time I'm in Chicago this restaurant will see me again.
(5)Callan M.
huge portions and the lemoncello is homemade!
(4)Dr. J.
3 and 1/2 stars! Based on all the rave YELP reviews, we were super excited for our first visit to Viaggio at the Park. When we entered the darling restaurant, we were greeted warmly by the maitre d'. Started our evening with a great bottle of wine with wonderful warm bread along with a dish of really delicious peppers. When we each had one small slice of bread, a person from the waitstaff removed our bread plates while we we talking within our group - even though we all would have enjoyed more bread with the whole plate of peppers still on our table. A bit later, another person from the waitstaff brought out the amazing Eggplant Stack appetizer - a REAL winner! (But we still had no plates!) It took several minutes before we could flag someone down to bring us more PLATES (But still no bread!!) Dinner was enjoyed by all at the table although my linguini with clams was very gritty. No one offered fresh pepper or grated parm when our food was served. Our waiter and maitre d' brought out a lovely birthday tiramisu that was truly AMAZING and sang to our birthday girl at the table. I think we will have to give this place another try (maybe on a day that is not so rainy!).
(3)Anne L.
Food is amazing. I had the filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and rigatoni and vodka sauce. My husband had veal Oscar which he said was fantastic. The owners were very attentive on our special occasion and gave us free dessert. The only complaint was that the server was a little slow.
(4)Jim B.
Fantastic Bar service (Kristen) and the best fried calamari I've had. Crisp, crisp, crisp - not oily, and even stayed crisp as it cooled. And the meatball salad is pretty great, too! Love the location - you've gotta try this place!!
(5)C B.
We returned to Viaggio this past Friday for another consistently great meal. The eight finger cavatelli are the best in the city and there are always interesting appetizers and specials to try something new. The hidden gem is the perfect martini mixed by Bartender Kristen. Don't hesitate to have a cocktail at the bar before sitting down to a great meal with impeccable service.
(5)Snowdrops C.
This Italian restaurant was ok. Perhaps I had much higher expectation given its rating on Yelp. The serving portion was huge. The food was ok - but not that special. It was not that pricey at all.
(3)Adrian E.
Ok here's my review. Being from California, being Italian, and living in San Francisco, this place is a little different than what I'm used to. Italian American cuisine is definitely different than Italian cuisine and is also different than California Italian Cuisine. Giving the dated menu and presentation... if this establishment was in San Francisco, I would give it a 3-3.5 stars. I'm not saying Chicago has bad food or anything, because the food in Chicago is ABSOLUTELY amazing; but what this place lacks in is definitely creativity. WITH ALL THIS SAID: The food is really good! It's just a dated menu. Veal Milanese with Green beans and mashed potatoes with an ice cream scooper. I mean... green beans? really? And why was my mashed potatoes served to me in an ice cream scooper? That's like my high school cafeteria. We got the Veal, bone in and it was really tasty with green bean and mash potatoes fiasco aside. The person I went with had the Veal Ragu and it was very good. The Parmesan and roasted garlic they serve at the beginning are definitely positives too. What was really good though was the dessert. The day we went we had this great bread pudding. It wasn't the best one, but it reminded me of my Aunt Louise who's from Solopaca. She makes a very similar Bread Pudding. I will say I do love the service here to. The servers were so nice, we almost couldn't have a conversation because they kept coming to make sure everything was great. Even the owner came by and was telling the difficulties of opening the second restaurant. While this type of service can be annoying, I found it to be absolutely wonderful. You want to see owners and staff that really care that their customers are getting the best experience possible. If they update the menu into a little bit more modern I'd give it five stars, but I was content with my meal. Please just for god sakes don't serve my mash potatoes with an ice cream scooper again. :)
(4)Laura G.
Been to both locations---like many of the previous reviews, I have to reiterate how amazing the meatball salad is! A MUST GET. Also love the eggplant stack---delicious, yet light with the breaded eggplant. We really enjoyed the brick chicken, as well as the vodka sauce. Not a trendy spot-but awesome classic italian with great service! highly recommended!
(4)tiffany s.
oh B.S. my fiance insisted so we went. It is, after all just two blocks from our house. I have read the other reviews of this place. Give me a break !!!! The best Italian restaurant in Chicago..... my foot. Not even close. The only thing I can say is Seth, Rick, Kayee, and Beverly must be on the payroll. I will agree that the pasta sauce is good. But the Calamari came cold and greasy. The meat balls are tasty, the pasta is not very tasty. So all the taste came from the sauce. The service is good but the prices for the somewhat ordinary Italian food are also very good ... I mean HIGH.
(1)Michael C.
This place is GREAT!!! Everything is top-notch...from the service to the decor to the food! I love Italian food(my favorite cuisine) and the chef at Viaggio is amazing!! I promise you that you will not find better meatballs anywhere! I have been here many times and have ordered almost everything on the menu. I absolutely love everything that comes out of their kitchen!! And if you have a taste for something that you don't see on the menu...just ask your server...If they have it in their kitchen they will make it for you. No kidding! If you are looking for a delicious meal in a comfortable setting look no further. Viaggio is the real deal!!
(5)Michael S.
I can't add too much more to what has already been said, except that we ended up eating at the bar last night and we had an amazing dinner too! Table choices weren't looking great for our reservation time, so while we were at the bar having a pre-dinner cocktail we just decided to stay put. Bartender was amazing, introduced herself, set up our linens, and was on hand for suggestions. My partner ordered off the Restaurant Week menu, I ordered off the regular menu. Everything was outstanding, meatball salad was especially good and you could see it was a big seller as every table had one...I suggest sharing it with your table. I cannot wait to go back, this will definitely be a hangout for me! Well done, food and staff are top notch!
(5)Tony W.
Not bad, but very average Italian food. Service is very slow, but nice.
(2)Robert S.
The reviews sounded great, but I was concerned that it was so easy to get a reservation and then to be able make a last minute time change. I asked myself, how good can it be? I was right. It wasn't good. It was awesome. Dover Sole special was out of this world; de-boned table side. Everything was good, including the service. Great tiramisu. Topped off with a perfect cup of coffee; the way it aught to be.
(4)A S.
We've been wanting to come here since its opening this summer due to the rave reviews on Viaggio in West Loop (same owner). Well, this one does not let down. I had sea bass. It was incredible and it came on top of al dente angel hair. The place looks kind of like a hotel lobby, although it is absolutely a decent neighborhood place. Parking was easy - park on Clark Street if you don't want to valet it. Great food. Great service. Overall, recommended!
(5)Dan S.
Way too expensive. $30 for chicken? The food here is decent but not worth the price. I will stick to the meatball salad in the future as the rest of the menu is not worth the price.
(3)Katie M.
I ate dinner at Viaggio at the Park last night with my parents and my husband. As soon as we walked in we we were greeted by a very pleasant coat checker. When we were seated at our table, one of the owners immediately greeted us with a smile. All the staff was very pleasant and welcoming. Not only was the staff fantastic, but the food was even better. We had the meatball salad and the beef carpaccio which were both great. For my entree, I had the Branzino and it was amazing. It was a huge serving and I had enough to take home for another meal. My husband had the tortellini which was one of the specials and it was also great. My dad had the veal special and it was to die for. My mom had the Eggplant Parmesan and it was one of the best I had ever had. The desserts were also delicious. My dad is from the south and he chose the bread pudding and said it was the best He ever head. I had the lava cake which was awesome. My husband had the apple tart which was perfect for the season. We also had the pumpkin cheesecake which went great with our meal. It was overall an amazing experience and I can't wait to go back.
(5)Joelle P.
Anthony Bourdain said, "Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life." There is quite a bit of explanation after that opening sentence but he basically mused that if your company or atmosphere is particularly amazing, food tastes "a hell of a lot better" than it really is. Well, I completely agree. That being said, even if I had dined with my arch nemesis, I would still have been in love with those meatballs, the pasta, the meatballs, the seafood, the meatballs, the waiter, the meatballs, the owner, the meatballs, and the general attitude and atmosphere of the place. Oh yeah, and the meatballs. For starters, (I assume it was) the owner was every fantasy I've had about an Italian lover realized - that hair, his dress, his speech...I could go on and on - and he was probably in his 50s...what can I say, I appreciate older men, especially one with an accent. And watching him interact with the patrons sitting at the bar made me feel privy to something special...like I was living in a film set. And our waiter was such a doll. I kept thinking the whole night, "Is his accent real?," "Do people really talk like this in Chicago?," "How does his hair look that good?," "I should move to the north if this is how guys talk...it's so cute!" ...I'm from the south - I only hear southern drawl and twang. In all seriousness though, he tops the better waiters in recent memory, particularly with his recommendations and engaging personality. To top it all off, since I am in no way slighting my company despite that intro, I was even luckier that evening because the hilarious conversation with my dining partner equally matched the greatness of this restaurant. Win - win!
(5)Jenna G.
We had a stellar experience at Viaggio at the Park. We dined there on Valentine's Day, and they definitely performed at a level that we cannot wait to go back! Here's the breakdown: Service: The service was really what won us over. Everything from the valet workers, to the bussers, to our waiter - EVERYONE was just incredible. We were visited by the manager, who dropped off some hershey's kisses at the end of our meal. It was the perfect touch to a wonderful evening. And as a bonus, all the ladies received long-stemmed roses for the night. Food: We split the meatballs for an appetizer, and had the dover sole and scallop/lobster risotto for our main dishes. We ended the evening with tiramisu. The portions were very plentiful - we certainly did not leave hungry!! The food was very good - next time I'm going to try one of their basic Italian pasta dishes to see how it fairs. The sole and risotto were both specials, so that ran our tab up quite a bit, and our total for the food and 1 glass of wine came to about $150. But had we ordered regular dishes off the menu, it would have probably come closer to $90-$100. Ambiance: Towards the end of our meal, we were serenaded by a wonderful opera singer, and from what I understand, this is a regular occurrence and not just something for Valentine's Day. We dressed casually and felt very comfortable. But had we wore cocktail attire we would have felt fine as well. It definitely is an in-between kind of feel. Overall: Overall, the food the good/great, but the service brought what might have been a 4 star review up to a 5 star review. We can't wait to go back and try some other dishes!
(5)D A.
Really unique place where a singer comes out and sings Italian opera. The food was really good, but the service was slow. It is nice that you are not rushed though. A nice date night place.
(4)Kayee I.
I thought I've had good Italian food in Chicago ... and yes, they were good. But Viaggio at the Park is ah-maze-ing, so I'm sad that I've never been to the Madison Street location before and am just experiencing Viaggio for the first time tonight. I've obviously been missing out, and have a lot of catching up to do here! The dining room atmosphere is clean and friendly with prints of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and the likes memorialized on the walls. Staff treat customers like family--everyone is so warmly welcomed the moment you step through those doors. The menu is extensive, but Chef/Uncle Vic pulls off every appetizer, entree and dessert with precision and delicacy. The meatballs with romaine lettuce appetizer is simply delicious, and the crispy fried calamari is so light and fresh that each bite absolutely melts in your mouth. The Veal Oscar medallions are flavorful and tender, the Branzino (sea bass) is crisp and moist at the same time, and the desserts of passion fruit cheesecake and bread pudding are decadent. Viaggio's bread pudding is simply better than the half dozen different kinds of bread pudding I've ever tasted in New Orleans. To top it off, I understand that Viaggio's makes their own pasta (must. try. next. time). There was also plenty of lemoncello to be shared. While new, I think this restaurant is already a fantastic addition to the Lincoln Park area and gives me a fantastic reason to venture out this way. Also great, local celebrity sightings.
(5)Erin G.
Excellent. Great service. Everyone we encountered was friendly, attentive, and seemed to genuinely care we were enjoying things. The 8 finger pasts was amazing...as was everything we ate. Recommend 100% and definitely will be back.
(5)Luke R.
I had the penne at the park and my girlfriend got the filet. Both were excellent along with the service. Parking was not very convenient. We found out there was valet when we walked in, but you don't see it driving by. Other than the parking, I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Avi H.
Great food! Get the Branzino!!!
(5)Kelz M.
I can't believe it's taken me this long to try Viaggio At The Park! What a neighborhood treasue! My friend and I stopped in for dinner the other night and, while I tend to avoid Italian restaurants (they're everywhere and I'm over it), I'm so glad I tried this one! The restaurant is warm and cozy - it feels more like you're walking in to have dinner at a friend's house than a commercial eatery. The manager was welcoming in a familiary, "don't I know you?" friendly (but not overbearing) manner, and our server was quick, friendly without being obtrusive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. Speaking of the menu, everything was absolutely delicious!! We had the Oysters Rockefeller (very rich), Eggplant Parmesan (my friend loved it), Brick Chicken (unbelievably juicy without being fatty), and the Spumoni (served in a chocolate shell). All to the tune of $79 - not bad at all! Plus, there were enough leftovers that we had two, complete meals each! Fabulous food and solid value for a great dining experience - you won't regret giving this place a try!
(5)Roger B.
Food and service were great. Highly recommend the meatball salad. Only downside, this was probably the nosiest restaurant I have ever been at.
(4)Rebecca R.
Went here on a Friday night with a friend. Walked in around 8:30 pm without a reservation but they were able to seat us right away. I'd recommend making a reservation beforehand as the place isn't huge.... We shared the burrata cheese appetizer which was delicious! They serve you bread and roasted peppers for free which was a nice change (never had peppers before). For my entree I got the Chicken Saltimbocca. The portion was huge and after the appetizer I couldn't finish it all. The chicken was on the salty side, probably from the prosciutto but it was a little too heavily salted for my taste. The pasta that came with it in the garlic herb and wine sauce was PERFECT though. I coudl have ate a whole bowl of it! Overall a nice restaurant and ambiance. Great for a date. I'll be back!
(4)Anna P.
Delicious food. Great service. There was some random italian man who kept standing up and singing opera which was nice. Only complaint is that its rather small so it can get quite loud rather quickly.
(4)Rosie S.
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(3)Gabriela B.
The food and seating area looked great. However, I felt uncomfortable because of some of the staff. I felt that they treated my partner and I differently because of race. They were unattentive and made us feel like we didn't belong. They were very accommodating to the rest of the patrons. I don't think I will return or recommend this place to anyone. That is quite unfortunate considering the food was good.
(1)Rachel S.
Had dinner here last night - my group had a reservation but they weren't able to seat us on time, so we were offered a round of drinks on the house. Bartender and server were both very friendly and helpful. The food was great, as mentioned in many of the other reviews - one of my personal favorites was the tiramisu!
(5)B B.
Thought we'd try this place out while they were part of Restaurant Week 2013. It was a great experience. The atmosphere was very "Frank Sinatra meets Chicago Mafia" and well fitting. They had an extensive menu and the dishes were great. Chicken Marsala was spot on. The only annoying this was the entry doors with the odd coat check girl that just didn't fit in. Never really understood that whole scenario. Also, be prepared to spend some $ here.
(4)Paula C.
This place is terrific! Cozy atmosphere, delicious food, very personable owner and, as a surprise, opera/classical singers who sing a couple tunes at 8 and 9 on Friday and Saturday nights....loved everything about it!
(5)Jessica R.
Great service, below average food. I had the filet - it was very dry and overlooked. My fiancée had the lake perch - had quite a few bones.
(2)Lele W.
My husband and I had dinner at Viaggio last Saturday. I chose it based on its proximity to the Greenhouse Theater, where we had tickets for a show later that evening, and the Yelp reviews. We had a *great* experience. I don't know why that one individual dinged it for not having a "fine restaurant" ambience; I don't think they promote themselves as a competitor to Spiaggia. We thought it had a great, neighborhood-y vibe in a nice, old building - very casual and comfortable. We live in River North and our usual, go-to Italian place is Volare (Grand & St. Clair). Although that's a more cozy environment, it's also very popular with the tourist crowd (no surprise given it's location); it was nice to be out of that mix for a change. Can't say enough about our server, Eddie; he was engaging, he was helpful (great call on the Dover sole special - "enough for both of you - maybe get a half-order of pasta on the side"), and he made sure we got out on time to make our theater date. And the food lived up to the service - perfectly prepared sole (de-boned tableside by Eddie) with almond-butter on the side, green beans and garlic mashed potatoes. Yum! (Oh yes, and I am also a big fan of the garlic-and-rosemary olive oil that they serve with the bread.) We will definitely be back (especially now that my husband has discovered the wonders of Divvy).
(4)Angela T.
Great place with really good service and fantastic food! We went on a Friday night and was happily surprised with a live opera singer who sang a few songs--so fun! Intimate setting and can get quite loud, but definitely worth the visit.
(4)Adam J.
I've been to this restaurant close to 10 times now and absolutely love it. My favorite 3 appetizers are the meatball salad, eggplant stack, and delicious traditional sausage and peppers. For dinner I LOVE the chicken Marsala, 10 finger cavatelli, and the Bronzino fish. This is a cute little Italian gem in the heart of LP. I find the drinks to be very generous portions and love the new mugs they use to serve Moscow mule's! I recently tried their cheesecake trio, it was delicious The host, Dave, is a very nice guy and plays the part of a sincere friendly host/owner. All in all viaggio at the park consistently turns out a delicious Italian meal and mgmt cares about their patrons.
(5)Daniel R.
Charming little place just off Clark. Had the tortellini special and bread pudding. Both excellent. Service was great. Only thing keeping it from a 5 was the atmosphere which is a little old school for me, but traditionalists will love.
(4)Fadia k.
the food here is delicious. the bread, olive oil and peppers were a great start to the meal. I did the fedelini with arrabiata sauce and asked them to add shrimp. the sauce was extremely fresh and flavorful. my husband had the chicken parmesan with a side of cheese tortellini alfredo. the cheese tortellini alfredo was sooo good! our service was great and there was also an opera singer who was really talented and super sweet. The only let down was the actual space and setup of the restaurant.
(5)Kelz M.
I can't believe it's taken me this long to try Viaggio At The Park! What a neighborhood treasue! My friend and I stopped in for dinner the other night and, while I tend to avoid Italian restaurants (they're everywhere and I'm over it), I'm so glad I tried this one! The restaurant is warm and cozy - it feels more like you're walking in to have dinner at a friend's house than a commercial eatery. The manager was welcoming in a familiary, "don't I know you?" friendly (but not overbearing) manner, and our server was quick, friendly without being obtrusive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. Speaking of the menu, everything was absolutely delicious!! We had the Oysters Rockefeller (very rich), Eggplant Parmesan (my friend loved it), Brick Chicken (unbelievably juicy without being fatty), and the Spumoni (served in a chocolate shell). All to the tune of $79 - not bad at all! Plus, there were enough leftovers that we had two, complete meals each! Fabulous food and solid value for a great dining experience - you won't regret giving this place a try!
(5)Roger B.
Food and service were great. Highly recommend the meatball salad. Only downside, this was probably the nosiest restaurant I have ever been at.
(4)Rebecca R.
Went here on a Friday night with a friend. Walked in around 8:30 pm without a reservation but they were able to seat us right away. I'd recommend making a reservation beforehand as the place isn't huge.... We shared the burrata cheese appetizer which was delicious! They serve you bread and roasted peppers for free which was a nice change (never had peppers before). For my entree I got the Chicken Saltimbocca. The portion was huge and after the appetizer I couldn't finish it all. The chicken was on the salty side, probably from the prosciutto but it was a little too heavily salted for my taste. The pasta that came with it in the garlic herb and wine sauce was PERFECT though. I coudl have ate a whole bowl of it! Overall a nice restaurant and ambiance. Great for a date. I'll be back!
(4)Anna P.
Delicious food. Great service. There was some random italian man who kept standing up and singing opera which was nice. Only complaint is that its rather small so it can get quite loud rather quickly.
(4)Rosie S.
.
(3)Gabriela B.
The food and seating area looked great. However, I felt uncomfortable because of some of the staff. I felt that they treated my partner and I differently because of race. They were unattentive and made us feel like we didn't belong. They were very accommodating to the rest of the patrons. I don't think I will return or recommend this place to anyone. That is quite unfortunate considering the food was good.
(1)Rachel S.
Had dinner here last night - my group had a reservation but they weren't able to seat us on time, so we were offered a round of drinks on the house. Bartender and server were both very friendly and helpful. The food was great, as mentioned in many of the other reviews - one of my personal favorites was the tiramisu!
(5)Seth W.
I went here a couple weeks ago with my Mom when she was in town. Service was top-notch: the waiter was very knowledgable, recommending a wine pairing and helping my mom choose a salad. I got the Italian-Style New York Strip, which was cooked exactly as I ordered it and covered in a delicious, tangy sauce that was spicy but still allowed you to taste the meat. Better yet, we got there at 9:45, and even though the restaurant closed at 11:00 and I wanted a steak, they didn't hurry us, didn't bat an eye at our orders, and were very gracious even though we were the last ones in the restaurant. All in all a great experience. The one thing I would say is that the atmosphere was a bit louder and brighter than I expected, given Yelp's classification of the ambiance as "romantic". This wouldn't be my first choice for a romantic, Italian date--it might be a better choice for dinner with co-workers or clients.
(5)Elizabeth T.
It's over priced for the quality of food. The salad had a lot of dead slimy lettuce in it. The simple ravioli dish you could get in any restaurant had acidic watery sauce. The salmon was over cooked. The service was reasonable. I wouldn't pay that kind of money for that kind of food ever again.
(1)Michael K.
The meatball salad is incredible. The meatballs melt in your mouth. Staff couldn't be better- come here or you're missing out on a top 5 restaurant in Chicago.
(5)Jen O.
A group of friends and I went there last weekend for by birthday. Our server was amazing - very attentive while understanding that this was a celebration of friends. We did the herb infused mozzarella appetizer and it was AMAZING. We also had the lobster ravioli which was divine. Because they knew it was my birthday they also came out with a slice of tiramisu with a candle in it and had the whole restaurant sing to me. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Michelle P.
Loved this place and will definitely be back. Food and service was great! Ordered the filet and it was delicious. Carrot cake for dessert was also amazing! This place is a hidden gem in Lincoln Park.
(5)Evan A.
Very nice ambiance and good service. Food was solid. Definitely worth going. Nice owner too. I'll go back.
(4)Don R.
Like it's sister restaurant on the west side, this is some of the best Italian the a city that has many excellent Italian resotaurants. We start the night with a bottle of some excellent white wine suggested by our waiter and shared the meatball salad. This is a signature dish at both locations and can be beat anywhere. Who would of thought two meatball, a little marinara on top of at bed of lettuce with an excellent italian dress could be this good. It is. My wife an I shared the Dover Sole special which was superb. The waiter boned this huge portion at the table, a side of butter and almonds accompanied the fish. Done to perfection and melted in your mouth as a good Dover Sole should. The atmosphere in the summer here is wounderful. The patio overlooks Linclon Park. What more could you ask for in a great restaurant.
(5)D A.
Really unique place where a singer comes out and sings Italian opera. The food was really good, but the service was slow. It is nice that you are not rushed though. A nice date night place.
(4)Seth M.
Viaggio at the Park has brought everything they were doing right and then some over to Lincoln Park. If you are craving GREAT Italian food look no further than Viaggio. From the food to the service, to the environment you are getting a 5 star experience. When you sit down you are provided complimentary bread as well as a little platter with fresh chunk parmigiana, olives, and roasted garlic. It is awesome!! (especially the garlic, yum!). Our order for the night: Appetizers: Beef Carpaccio, Eggplant Stack, and Meatball Salad Entrees: Brick Chicken, Branzino, Talapia Fra Diavlo, and Chicken Marsala Dessert: Cream Puffs We started with the Beef Carpaccio we were not disappointed. I have had carpaccio and steak tartar all over this city and this might be some of the best. They use top quality filet and serve it with parmigana, onions, and peppercorns. The steak is tender and flavorful and complimented well by the little additions to the plate. If you've never had the eggplant stack, its incredible. Chef Vic layers thin slices of fried eggplant with fresh buffalo mozzarella and thick slices of tomato before topping it off with arugula, balsamic, and shaved parm. It is delicious and a dish that still stands out in a meal of 5 star plates. It may be a crime to come to Viaggio and not get the Meatball Salad. And yes if you've never had it I know what your thinking...who puts meatballs in a salad. Chef Vic does, and I thank him for it. First, I could make a very strong case that these are the best meatballs in Chicago. They are a mixture of beef, pork, and veal and manage to be both light and filling at the same time. When you put those meatballs over a nice salad with a little dressing and mix it with the 'red gravy', we are talking a supremely delicious dish. Something you remember and come back for. For my entree I had the brick chicken. I am the type of person who rarely orders chicken at restaurants because I figure...hey I can make this at home. That is far from true with this dish. They take a whole chicken and de-bone it before cooking it with a hot brick that somehow creates the crispiest skin with moist, juicy chicken. If that wasn't good enough the sauce on it just takes this dish to the next level. I promise you will not be disappointed. Everyone else loved their dishes as well. The chicken marsala was without question the best I've ever had. The branzino and talapia were both cooked to perfection. Even though we were stuffed we had to get an order of cream puffs which were very very good. Viaggio is the type of place where you feel like family if its your 1st time coming or your 20th. You are guaranteed a consistently good meal with great service every time, which is why I keep coming back.
(5)Megan G.
We went with a group of four .The food was amazing. We had the Burrata cheese special appetizer and each got wonderful entrees. My only complaint is that the service was a little bit slow. It took about 35 minutes for them to get our order. The food was so great however that we will go back for sure.
(4)Theresa P.
Service excellent and friendly, FOOD DELICIOUS!!! It is worth turning the corner just a little off of Clark onto Fullerton for this fine Italian food!!!! My shrimp risotto was fantastic!
(5)Kayee I.
I thought I've had good Italian food in Chicago ... and yes, they were good. But Viaggio at the Park is ah-maze-ing, so I'm sad that I've never been to the Madison Street location before and am just experiencing Viaggio for the first time tonight. I've obviously been missing out, and have a lot of catching up to do here! The dining room atmosphere is clean and friendly with prints of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and the likes memorialized on the walls. Staff treat customers like family--everyone is so warmly welcomed the moment you step through those doors. The menu is extensive, but Chef/Uncle Vic pulls off every appetizer, entree and dessert with precision and delicacy. The meatballs with romaine lettuce appetizer is simply delicious, and the crispy fried calamari is so light and fresh that each bite absolutely melts in your mouth. The Veal Oscar medallions are flavorful and tender, the Branzino (sea bass) is crisp and moist at the same time, and the desserts of passion fruit cheesecake and bread pudding are decadent. Viaggio's bread pudding is simply better than the half dozen different kinds of bread pudding I've ever tasted in New Orleans. To top it off, I understand that Viaggio's makes their own pasta (must. try. next. time). There was also plenty of lemoncello to be shared. While new, I think this restaurant is already a fantastic addition to the Lincoln Park area and gives me a fantastic reason to venture out this way. Also great, local celebrity sightings.
(5)Erin G.
Excellent. Great service. Everyone we encountered was friendly, attentive, and seemed to genuinely care we were enjoying things. The 8 finger pasts was amazing...as was everything we ate. Recommend 100% and definitely will be back.
(5)Luke R.
I had the penne at the park and my girlfriend got the filet. Both were excellent along with the service. Parking was not very convenient. We found out there was valet when we walked in, but you don't see it driving by. Other than the parking, I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Avi H.
Great food! Get the Branzino!!!
(5)Kendall D.
Tucked away on Fullerton and Clark on the first floor of an old Lincoln Park building, this restaurant is elegant yet casual at the same time. We had early reservations with my boyfriends family and when we arrived, we were some of the only people in the restaurant. I made our reservation for two on accident, when in reality we had six, and the waitress seemed flustered by my mistake...however, like I said, the restaurant was essentially empty at this time. Just as I was about to get annoyed by her curt reaction, her supervisor swept in and assured us it was no problem, offering us a round table a few steps away. We were very impressed with how friendly and hospitable our servers were, and took advantage of their well-informed suggestions. We started with the special, which was pesto-injected mozzarella served with cherry tomatoes and crostinis. FABULOUS. The meals themselves were not overwhelmingly delicious, but they were very good and I would certainly recommend this place to anyone seeking a nice Italian restaurant in the Lincoln Park area.
(4)Diane M.
This was a true find. I knew this restaurant had opened in a Lincoln Park building, but just hadn't taken the time to stop in. I finally stopped in the night of the Olympics Opening Ceremonies and sat at the bar. The bartender was WONDERFUL -- her service couldn't have been better. She turned both televisions over to the Opening Ceremonies. The owner/manager came over to speak to me and welcome me to the restaurant for my first visit. The food was delicious and the wine incredible. I ordered a delicious bottle of red wine (wish I could remember the name) and it was so good, I even had another glass. The bartender set me up with a beautiful place setting at the bar and I felt like I was being spoiled. And to top it off, they had an opera singer (I think he was from the Voice) performing in the restaurant. All in all, a fabulous experience and I will be back.
(4)Cristina W.
I can not say enough good things about Viaggio's! I was in Chicago this weekend visiting friends and had a craving for delicious Italian food. We chose Viaggio's based on location and yelp reviews. Thank you, Yelp, for a great suggestion! Our reservation was for 5, but after bring seated at a 7 top table, we discovered that our fifth party would not be able to join. We had only ordered drinks at this tine, and not wanting to take up a big table with only 4 people on a busy Saturday night, we approached the hostess desk and volunteered to be moved to a smaller table. The hostess and Manager (maybe owner??) said not to worry and stay where we are. We ordered our meals and shortly before they arrived the Manager approached our table to request that we move. A much larger party came in unexpectedly and he apologized profusely. He offered to buy us desserts, which was completely unnecessary!! Many other restaurants would not have let us sit down with an incomplete party. Many other restaurants would have been annoyed that only 4 showed up. Many other restaurants would have had us move and not offer a thing to keep us happy. I am from Atlanta, and am accustomed to southern hospitality, but Viaggio's took things up a notch!! I recommend this restaurant highly based on the excellent service and wonderful food. We will return!
(5)Ilya K.
Wow this place certainly disappointed any and all expectations. Lets sum it up: 1. 1st impression: host was dressed as if he was a janitor 2. environment is not cozy at all, its not a fine restaurant feel. All the reviews say this is one of the best in the city? Id say its one of the worst. 3. service was VERY subpar. Server did not introduce himeself. 4. Wine bottle was not sampled before the wine was served. 5. lingini with clams had absolutely no sauce and was super bland, also one of the WORST in the city. 6. final bill came like they wanted us out asap. I felt super rushed. I am debating giving it 1 star. There has to be least 50 italian restaurants in the city better than this.
(2)Peter F.
This place was terrible and it couldn't have been just a single night. You first realize when you walk in on a Friday night and the place is dead - then the menu comes and they make veal and chicken 8 different ways, sauces all ready to go. The veal ragu with pappardelle(which sounds great) was beef broth and noodles with veal, it tasts like beef broth raw from the container, truly disappointing when so many other italian restaurants do this wonderfully throughout the city. The salads were massively dressed and unnaturally wilted but this stuff comes when no one frequents the place and food stockpiles - who serves wilted mixed greens? Crap restaurants. My wife ordered eggplant parmesan and it came out american style, meaning 1 pound of cheese, non-existent eggplant and a sauce that a day later we are trying to figure out the ingredients, its the oddest tasting italian food ever and we're italian and have been to every italian restaurant in the chicago and beyond. I wouldn't even have written this review were it not for me logging in and seeing so many 4 stars on other reviews. I get the feeling these people haven't a clue - PLUS it extremely expensive for the quality. Well, I can go on and on about the staff but even the 4 stars said the staff sucks - they are worse than that but please don't waste your time to find out - this place will be closed by next summer, IMO, you go there once and not a soul ever returns, guaranteed. Don't order the wine, although they have numerous nice bottles the food is abysmal so just go somewhere else and enjoy yourself. Ask and I will give you great Italian recommendations around the same vicinity. Oh, Oh, the 'decor' and 'woodwork' - someone spent 15 minutes decorating and putting up drywall and trim, floor looks like its been there for 20 years and you know, the wait staff agrees. Thank god I can laugh at this the next day...
(1)Barb L.
My girls took me to Viaggio at the Park for my bachelorette party dinner, and I loved it! The moment we stepped through the door, we were treated like family. The staff, host, and owner/managers were so much fun and joked with us the entire time. For dinner, we only ordered a variety of appetizers, which was perfect for our group of girls, but the desserts were amazing (: Our favorites were definitely the spumoni and chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Overall, I would definitely recommend Viaggio at the Park because of the familial environment and delicious desserts. However, I am interested to see if there's a difference in the level of service when I come back with my fiance compared to our bachelorette party group (;
(5)Larry R.
We were in Chicago for an affair for the weekend from Tucson . Used yelp to help us find the right Italian restaurant . After looking at a lot of reviews we chose viaggios at the park. Just like the reviews said. Greeted at the door with a great welcoming from one of the owners. The lady who sat us couldn't be nicer. We sat at a table in the bar area. As soon as we sat down they brought the olive oil peppers and bread. Our food server Kristen came over with a warm welcome and no pressure . We ordered a salad and split the eggplant parmigiana . More than enough food along with two reasonably priced glasses if wine. Must be a locals place because everyone seemed to know each other and hug. Next time I'm in Chicago this restaurant will see me again.
(5)Callan M.
huge portions and the lemoncello is homemade!
(4)Dr. J.
3 and 1/2 stars! Based on all the rave YELP reviews, we were super excited for our first visit to Viaggio at the Park. When we entered the darling restaurant, we were greeted warmly by the maitre d'. Started our evening with a great bottle of wine with wonderful warm bread along with a dish of really delicious peppers. When we each had one small slice of bread, a person from the waitstaff removed our bread plates while we we talking within our group - even though we all would have enjoyed more bread with the whole plate of peppers still on our table. A bit later, another person from the waitstaff brought out the amazing Eggplant Stack appetizer - a REAL winner! (But we still had no plates!) It took several minutes before we could flag someone down to bring us more PLATES (But still no bread!!) Dinner was enjoyed by all at the table although my linguini with clams was very gritty. No one offered fresh pepper or grated parm when our food was served. Our waiter and maitre d' brought out a lovely birthday tiramisu that was truly AMAZING and sang to our birthday girl at the table. I think we will have to give this place another try (maybe on a day that is not so rainy!).
(3)Anne L.
Food is amazing. I had the filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and rigatoni and vodka sauce. My husband had veal Oscar which he said was fantastic. The owners were very attentive on our special occasion and gave us free dessert. The only complaint was that the server was a little slow.
(4)Jim B.
Fantastic Bar service (Kristen) and the best fried calamari I've had. Crisp, crisp, crisp - not oily, and even stayed crisp as it cooled. And the meatball salad is pretty great, too! Love the location - you've gotta try this place!!
(5)C B.
We returned to Viaggio this past Friday for another consistently great meal. The eight finger cavatelli are the best in the city and there are always interesting appetizers and specials to try something new. The hidden gem is the perfect martini mixed by Bartender Kristen. Don't hesitate to have a cocktail at the bar before sitting down to a great meal with impeccable service.
(5)Snowdrops C.
This Italian restaurant was ok. Perhaps I had much higher expectation given its rating on Yelp. The serving portion was huge. The food was ok - but not that special. It was not that pricey at all.
(3)Greg C.
The service, excellent and the food was outstanding. The Brick Chicken is a signature dish and deserves to be. Best ever.
(5)Brad L.
If anyplace truly defines "hidden gem" in Lincoln Park, this is it. Italian with a master chef's touch, a very menschy owner operator, superb service and authentic Ratpack vibe without too much gooniness, IYKWIM. tonight I had the shrimp Diavlo with squid ink linguine that was incredible, better than the similar preparation at Osteria del Teatro in South Beach, and if you know that joint those are strong words indeed. Bar staff is as charming and real as one could ask, and Kristen in particular lent a sympathetic ear when I needed one, a trait that can elevate an unusually tasty bar meal into a poignant evening i will always remember.
(5)Adrian E.
Ok here's my review. Being from California, being Italian, and living in San Francisco, this place is a little different than what I'm used to. Italian American cuisine is definitely different than Italian cuisine and is also different than California Italian Cuisine. Giving the dated menu and presentation... if this establishment was in San Francisco, I would give it a 3-3.5 stars. I'm not saying Chicago has bad food or anything, because the food in Chicago is ABSOLUTELY amazing; but what this place lacks in is definitely creativity. WITH ALL THIS SAID: The food is really good! It's just a dated menu. Veal Milanese with Green beans and mashed potatoes with an ice cream scooper. I mean... green beans? really? And why was my mashed potatoes served to me in an ice cream scooper? That's like my high school cafeteria. We got the Veal, bone in and it was really tasty with green bean and mash potatoes fiasco aside. The person I went with had the Veal Ragu and it was very good. The Parmesan and roasted garlic they serve at the beginning are definitely positives too. What was really good though was the dessert. The day we went we had this great bread pudding. It wasn't the best one, but it reminded me of my Aunt Louise who's from Solopaca. She makes a very similar Bread Pudding. I will say I do love the service here to. The servers were so nice, we almost couldn't have a conversation because they kept coming to make sure everything was great. Even the owner came by and was telling the difficulties of opening the second restaurant. While this type of service can be annoying, I found it to be absolutely wonderful. You want to see owners and staff that really care that their customers are getting the best experience possible. If they update the menu into a little bit more modern I'd give it five stars, but I was content with my meal. Please just for god sakes don't serve my mash potatoes with an ice cream scooper again. :)
(4)Grace C.
Meatball salad. Get it. Food here is a 4, however their customer service from staff and management bumps it up to a 5. Food was great. I got the salmon entree~ it was delish. But once again, I came here mainly for their meatball salad. I'd recommend getting that for sure if you are dining at this restaurant. I'd go back for that.
(5)Frank B.
The food has to be mentioned as the best thing about this place, which is unfair to the staff. A gentleman of a matradee leads a personable, professional staff in a perfect dining experience. My favorite is stopping in for a pure blessing and an appetizer at the bar: (The dirty martini) - It's so good that I don't even like martini's and I crave one of theirs once a week. Not to mention the gal bar tending is always fun to catch up with.
(5)Mister M.
What a perfect restaurant Viaggio's is . This time my table had a real bacchanal. Perfectly prepared fried calamari-huge order, enough for the whole table. Other apps were the legendary Meatball Salad and the Pesto Infused Burrata Cheese served with crusty toast and perfectly roasted cherry tomatoes- this was a real winner I had a glass of the Montepulciano which was extraordinary for a house wine. Our main dishes were Sausage and peppers-as good as always, Lasagna with bolognese-extremely rich and satisfying and Veal Piccata-perfectly prepared and very high quality-crisp on the outside, moist and tender veal on the inside. Smothered in a lemon sauce with Pine Nuts-a nice touch. I wanted to order the Spumoni Bomb for dessert, but there was simply no room. Another great meal had by all. The professional service was equal to restaurants that cost twice as much as Viaggio's i will go to Viaggio's whenever I am in the Lincoln Park area.
(5)Joe R.
Nice little Italian place. I started off with an Argentinian Malbec and a wedge salad. Wine was great, wedge salad was ok, onions were very strong and it had a lot of tomatoes. Good for some, not me. The lasagna was delicious, it had a very creamy flavor that I liked. Overall top shelf!
(5)Rits M.
While the food here is good, I felt like I was in an older restaurant, for older people. While that wasnt the case, there were some younger people there, don't think of it as hip and chic. This is a solid restaurant to bring mum to, and have a lunch/dinner with family. We had the meatball salad- it was good and a solid option. Then we had the trio special- pork, NY strip and something else which escapes me. Again, good solid food, well cooked. Ask the waiter for a wine recommendation and they usually give you a good one.
(3)Andrea H.
I cannot rave enough about Viaggio's at the Park. The food is excellent and portions generous. I encourage you to go for the specials, because they are always top notch. Pastas are delicious and made in house. My fiancé and I shared the Chicken Sinatra for Two platter on our first visit, which is basically a giant platter of chicken vesuvio, sausage, potatoes and veggies...basically half the menu. All was great, could def feed 3-4 with an appetizer and salads! Even better--the stuffed veal special over fettuccine with cacciatore sauce last night! Atmosphere is great at Viaggio's, perfect for date night or an intimate gathering with friends. The place is well decorated (the ceiling may be my favorite feature). Service is another plus...very attentive, which is difficult to find in Chicago! They even remembered my fiancé and I from 2 1/2 months prior when we walked in for our second visit. Bonus: There is a tenor who sings during prime times on the weekend and definitely adds to the ambiance and experience.
(5)Joe O.
This is probably the 2nd best Italian place I've eaten at. Everything was great! 100% customer Service! Great Food! The owner/manager and waiter were gentlemen and if I lived in Chicago I would be there all the time, that is for sure! There drinks were very tastey and not over-priced. The salad was nothing special, but nothing to bat an eye at. I had the Branzino which was very nicely prepared! The best thing was the Sicilian Postacio Ice Cream for Dessert! It was incredible! Overall it was a great experience! I would recommend this place to anybody who lives in Chi-town or visitors. This place is definitely a winner!
(5)Nancy D.
Good food. Good atmosphere. I picked this place because of the rave reviews. My mom asked to go to a good Italian restaurant for her birthday, so I decided on this place. Service was a little slow, but it was very relaxed and gave us time to chat. I was comfortable in a t-shirt with a hoodie and jeans, which is something I look for because I like great food without having to get dressed up. Only four stars though because even though I called in advance, and was reassured they would bring out a surprise dessert for my mother's birthday, it didn't happen. After I mentioned it though, they took her dessert, that she ordered, off the bill. My dad had specifically asked that I call ahead and set up something to surprise my mom, and I felt I let him, along with my mom, down. When we got back to my place, I got a small scoop of ice cream, covered it with whipped cream, and stuck candles in it so she could at least blow them out. My dad was very pleased with his veal, and my mom got a Marsala dish that she said was amazing. The Caesar salad actually had an anchovie in it, so it appears they at least make things from scratch there. Props for that. Overall, a good experience. I would go back. It's a solid place. I'm not sure what all the one and two star people are whining about.
(4)Elaine M.
The husband and I came here the other night after a taking a class on Italian style wines made in California. It only seemed appropriate to have Italian food after that. This place was close by and had great reviews so we decided to give it a try. It was pretty early on a Saturday night (about 5:30) and we had no reservation but we were able to be seated right away. The place was fairly empty when we arrived, except for a large table with a family celebrating Grandma's birthday. The place was full by the time we departed. We began our meal by sharing an order of the stacked eggplant. It was excellent and I would come here again just have it. The portion was large and certainly needed to be shared, two huge stacks of eggplant, tomato, mozzarella and arugula. With the waiters recommendation I had the chicken Marsala. This was also excellent and I would highly recommend it. Here is the reason for four stars though instead of five - the pasta. The husband ordered the spaghetti bolognese and it was mediocre. Not really sure how everything else was so great and the pasta was not. The pasta was a bit over cooked and limp and the sauce not particularly flavorful. Certainly a disappointment. In the end I would return and just stay clear of the pasta.
(4)Rupsa R.
This is our first time here. And the experience is horrible. There were fruit flies flying on the table. And that's gross!! The waiters are rude. It took them a good 10 minutes to acknowledge our presence after we were seated. I ordered the brick chicken recommended by our server. The chicken was dry, overly salted and partly burnt. When I told the server that the food was salty. He "reluctantly" asked if I wanted to change it. I courteously said no and he was like "okay"!! My husband ordered a preparation with Perch and there were several bones in the fish!! Bones in fish and that too in a restaurant like this??!! Overall extremely disappointed with service and the food!! The only good thing about the place is their rosemary garlic infused olive oil!!
(1)Daisy D.
This one is kind of hard to review; came here over the weekend (Saturday) for our anniversary dinner. The food was great! Fresh pasta and great lamb chops were on point.... but the service was real slow... Not sure if they were short staffed for the night? Either way, we agreed the food outweighed the service. So we'd probably go back for the food and hope for a better waiter. Would also love to take advantage of their out door seating.
(4)diann s.
One of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago, Eight Finger Cavatelli dish is amazing! Service is excellent, it is obvious the the owner takes pride in his restaurant. Outdoor seating available and piano bar on select nights. We will be back!
(5)Jeremy W.
This place is great! The complimentary olive-oil infused peppers before the meal are fantastic. The entrees are all great especially the Branzino, Brick Chicken, and Veal Marsala. Service is always great and the owner walks around to check on everything. Recently, they have added a great pianist who really adds to the pleasant atmosphere. Also, if you want to sit at the bar---Kristin the bartender is second to none. You will not get a better Italian restaurant experience anywhere!
(5)Wei H.
So I lived right next to this restaurant. I don't know how I managed to walk by twice a day without ever trying it. A friend's birthday was the perfect opportunity to end that nonsense and ever since, I have been wanting to go back. The ambiance is lovely. Unpretentious Italian with class. I feel bad for the people that got seated at the table right by the entrance though. That's some not so smart floor plan. Can I just say those sauteed peppers are heavenly? They are the best things ever. I am pretty sure I ate them all so before apps and entrees were served, I was half full already. They are drenched in EVOO (Rachel Ray copyrighted) and so flavorful that I will be willing to pay for them. They really should sell them in jars. For appetizer, we got the salmon on bruschetta. Salmon is slightly smoked and in good portions. The crostini has the right amount of crisp. Too many herbs for my taste but I think they help balance out the fishiness. Entrees are of humongous portions for a rather affordable price at Lincoln Park. The special seafood (lobster tail, scallops, shrimp I think) risotto I got is insanely rich and overly moist. Coupled with the fact that I ate all the sauteed peppers and bread, I could not eat more than a few spoonfuls of this. It still tasted really good the next day after 10 minutes in the oven. My friends got the simple pasta with red sauce - very very nicely done, perfectly cooked and sauce very flavorful and complex - and the veal - very tender juicy and well seasoned. In the middle of the meal, all of a sudden we heard opera singing. We thought it was coming from the central sound system but then it just started getting louder and louder. Turns out it was a real person singing! It added so much unexpected but much appreciated fun to our dining experience. At the end of the meal we also got a complimentary tiramisu for our friend's birthday. There isn't a dessert menu so you'd better listen up when your waiter recites the dessert items for you. Outdoor seating is limited and awkwardly situated between two apartment buildings so be prepared to be stared at by hungry people coming home from work while you devour those yummy meatballs.
(5)Kristen B.
Best Italian meal around! Everything on the menu is delicious, especially the lasagna! Service is great too! We love bringing my parents to Viaggio because of it's great food, amazing staff, and pleasant atmosphere. We'll be back again and again!
(5)Sarah R.
Amazing. I had the Eggplant Parmesan & it came with a side of tortellini. Food was great & the portions for my dish were very generous. The moscato d'asti was great too. The restaurant is a short walk through the park to the beach front as well :)
(5)D S.
Everything was delicious! Servings were generous and the service great! At our table we ordered Baked Manicotti Florintine, pasta with oil and garlic, Eggplant Parmesan, Lasagne, and Eight Finger Cavatelli. Everyone loved their meal.
(5)Diane F.
The food was delicious..especially, the meatball salad, the service impeccable and friendly, and the piano player added to a very enjoyable dining experience..I would highly recommend Viaggio on the Park.
(5)Rosemary S.
Had to go back this last trip to Chicago. Awesome service and let me tell you about the meatball salad; there are no words to describe.....
(5)Katy K.
I made reservations for an early evening Saturday dinner for my boyfriends birthday. When talking to the host, I mentioned it was my boyfriends birthday and he told me they give a piece of tiramisu out for birthdays. The host was great and reassured me on my reservation. We arrive, ordered the stacked eggplant as an app. I honestly didn't think it was anything special. My boyfriend ordered the New York Italiano and I had the veal oscar. Both were WONDERFUL. The food was above average but our waiter wasn't really enthusiastic and I honestly believe it's because my boyfriend and I are in our early twenties he perhaps thought we wouldn't tip well regardless of the service. He also didn't bring out the tiramisu which got me irritated. I told my boyfriend about it and considered saying something because we already got the check until the manager brought it out to us and saved the day. The server saw us with the dessert and definitely looked confused as to why we had it. Kind of ruined the surprise. Good food but not good enough to get me to go back.
(3)Ashley R.
This restaurant is the epitome of traditional Italian cuisine. With high decorated ceilings, wonderful service, and delicious pasta, we will be coming back soon! There was even an opera singer during our meal. Highly recommend!
(5)Ada H.
Not as awesome as I expected. I live across the street from this place. Literally at the building on the other side of Fullerton. I noticed that it opened, but never felt inclined to stop in. Then one day I was on Yelp looking for something near by and noticed all the stars next to this listing. So I tried it out. I had the acclaimed meatball salad and Penne at the Park. The meatball was really good. The penne was good. I just don't feel like it's 5 stars OMG type of food. However the parmesan that they provide with the bread and olive oil was really good. Good enough that it stands out in my mind and I felt the need to tell you about it. We came on a Wednesday night so all wines were half off. My friend and I chose a bottle of the moscato. It was the best Moscato I've ever had and a great deal for half off. Not sure I'd pay $40 for it on a regular night though. The main reason that I'm giving this 3 starts and not 4 was the service. The Maitre D' was a super sweet older gentleman who was welcoming and kind. The people who brought our food and refilled our water were very pleasant. Our server ruined everything. He was just dismissive and sarcastic. I asked him if he had a favorite pasta dish and he said "well everyone's palate is different." I'm not dumb. I know this. I asked him to tell me what he likes and this is how he responds? I realize it may be a redundant question but it's part of his job to make recommendations or at least give me additional information about the food. This is just how I feel. He just generally rubbed me the wrong way. I will return to give them another try. But I'll definitely not sit in that guy's section.
(3)Victoria P.
The food was excellent! The service was great! My boyfriend and I had a really great time for my birthday dinner. Not expensive!
(5)Rick T.
The best Italian restaurant in Chicago has opened a second location on Fullerton, across from Lincoln Park. I walked in and received the famously warm welcome that I came to expect at the original location. Owner Sam was at the host stand, accompanied by his bigger-than-life right hand man, Skip. This is the kind of place where you will be greeted like an old friend. Sam and his team have brought every element of the original location's big personality, big taste experience to LP. You feel the love from the moment you sit down. Most Italian spots get you started with warm bread, olive oil, and maybe some parmesan cheese. Viaggio's table warmer is bread, chunks of delicious parmesan on an olive oil bed, with a half-head of baked garlic and three kinds of olives. You can see where this meal is going! For my first trip to the new location, I started with the legendary "meatball salad." It is every bit as delicious as I remember. Main course? Rigattoni with vodka sauce and sausage. Thick, delicious vodka sauce coated every perfectly-cooked noodle. Outstanding! Sam invited me in back to take a look at the huge kitchen that he built fromt he ground up--literally. It stretches for a good 25 yards beyond the dining room. One thing I noticed back of the house: the behind-the-scenes team is on its game every bit as much as the people out front. You can see their dedication in everything they do. Now, I didn't mention it to Sam on my debut visit, but I *do* wish that he would bring his delicious Sunday Pork Gravy entree to the new location. Although, my waistline would strongly disagree. The interior seats about 50, with another 10 tables or so set around a fountain on the patio.... a perfect spot to wind down your day or kick off your night. Welcome to the neighborhood, Sam, Skip, Nick, Matt, and the entire Viaggio family!
(5)Michael S.
Great place to eat but poor acoustics due to the room dimensions. Food and service are great otherwise. Nice location too just off LSD.
(4)Ben G.
This place really has it all. A good outdoor patio and a great ambiance inside. This is my favorite Italian restaurant I've ever been to. The owner was very nice. The waiter could not have been better. The food was simply exceptional. The bread was also perfect. Go there and you won't be disappointed!
(5)Danny W.
If it was cloudy with a chance of these meatballs I'd want it to rain every single day! The rave reviews of these puppies don't even do them justice. They're like a Kuma's burger and a Gibson's steak made a baby and that baby was beat with a delicious stick it's whole childhood then grew up to be served next to perfectly cooked pasta. Order them with the vodka sauce and it will ruin almost all other Italian places around town for you. Other highlights are the complimentary sauteed peppers they serve as an appetizer and the spicy seafood pasta that's littered with shrimp, mussels, and calamari. This place really is as good as it's reviews suggest and I've only explored a small portion of the menu. Service is stellar and all the staff has that old school Italian attitude that ensures authenticity and a great night out. If you've never been to either Viaggio than you're taste buds should be mad at you.
(5)Joelle P.
Anthony Bourdain said, "Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life." There is quite a bit of explanation after that opening sentence but he basically mused that if your company or atmosphere is particularly amazing, food tastes "a hell of a lot better" than it really is. Well, I completely agree. That being said, even if I had dined with my arch nemesis, I would still have been in love with those meatballs, the pasta, the meatballs, the seafood, the meatballs, the waiter, the meatballs, the owner, the meatballs, and the general attitude and atmosphere of the place. Oh yeah, and the meatballs. For starters, (I assume it was) the owner was every fantasy I've had about an Italian lover realized - that hair, his dress, his speech...I could go on and on - and he was probably in his 50s...what can I say, I appreciate older men, especially one with an accent. And watching him interact with the patrons sitting at the bar made me feel privy to something special...like I was living in a film set. And our waiter was such a doll. I kept thinking the whole night, "Is his accent real?," "Do people really talk like this in Chicago?," "How does his hair look that good?," "I should move to the north if this is how guys talk...it's so cute!" ...I'm from the south - I only hear southern drawl and twang. In all seriousness though, he tops the better waiters in recent memory, particularly with his recommendations and engaging personality. To top it all off, since I am in no way slighting my company despite that intro, I was even luckier that evening because the hilarious conversation with my dining partner equally matched the greatness of this restaurant. Win - win!
(5)Jenna G.
We had a stellar experience at Viaggio at the Park. We dined there on Valentine's Day, and they definitely performed at a level that we cannot wait to go back! Here's the breakdown: Service: The service was really what won us over. Everything from the valet workers, to the bussers, to our waiter - EVERYONE was just incredible. We were visited by the manager, who dropped off some hershey's kisses at the end of our meal. It was the perfect touch to a wonderful evening. And as a bonus, all the ladies received long-stemmed roses for the night. Food: We split the meatballs for an appetizer, and had the dover sole and scallop/lobster risotto for our main dishes. We ended the evening with tiramisu. The portions were very plentiful - we certainly did not leave hungry!! The food was very good - next time I'm going to try one of their basic Italian pasta dishes to see how it fairs. The sole and risotto were both specials, so that ran our tab up quite a bit, and our total for the food and 1 glass of wine came to about $150. But had we ordered regular dishes off the menu, it would have probably come closer to $90-$100. Ambiance: Towards the end of our meal, we were serenaded by a wonderful opera singer, and from what I understand, this is a regular occurrence and not just something for Valentine's Day. We dressed casually and felt very comfortable. But had we wore cocktail attire we would have felt fine as well. It definitely is an in-between kind of feel. Overall: Overall, the food the good/great, but the service brought what might have been a 4 star review up to a 5 star review. We can't wait to go back and try some other dishes!
(5)Benjamin D.
Four and a half. This place was invented for having the "perfect date" so take your girlfriend and I promise she will love it. The space and food are excellent, the service is great and the tenor who sings for a few minutes at 8PM and 9 PM (on the weekends) is a nice little touch too. We ordered the following: Eggplant Stack (Unreal) Meatball Salad (great) Linguini With Clams (fantastic and amazing as a left-over on the stove top the next day) Eight-Finger Cavatelli with added sausage (perfect sauce but next time i'll switch the pasta to penne because the portions on everything are massive and the Cavatelli is super heavy) The Tiramisu (wow just wow) and one cannoli (best filling i've ever had in one). I also got to speak with the owner for a few minutes while we waited for the valet to pull up our car and he was super friendly. I would highly recommend Viaggo's for you next date night.
(5)Ritu R.
4.75 for Italian comfort food. Not a 5 only bc they don't have a cocktail menu and weren't able to do any non alcoholic concoctions. Superb service. Mushroom and scampi apps were very good! Entrees are large. Good leftovers! We had and loved: Branzino (special) - creamy decadent deliciousness. Eggplant parm w side of tortellini in a cream sauce - so so wow Ravioli special - delish Side of meatballs -omg Tiramisu was extra creamy and perfect. Highly recommended! This location and the west loop live up to the reviews. Food was a 5!!
(4)Chi G.
Between the delicious food and excellent service, you just can't find a better choice for Italian food in the area. Beautiful patio and friendly staff. Don't miss out on experiencing this neighborhood gem!
(5)Jan E.
Adored this restaurant. The meatballs! The (random) meatball salad! The amazing Dover sole! The canoli! (Oh, my - the canoli.) It was love with perfect service. Go. Now.
(5)Joyce C.
We live a couple of buildings down and have been here several times. The food is very good Italian (esp the Eggplant) and they have some nice contemporary specials and apps (pesto-injected burrata with roasted tomatoes was ridiculously good; complimentary roasted peppers and fresh warm bread also fantastic). The patio is outstanding--definitely try to eat out there on a good day. I don't love the interior, it is low-ceilinged and makes me feel like I'm in someone's rehabbed garage. Service has been excellent at each visit, and the owner/manager always comes by to say hi and check on the food. My only concerns are that it seems overpriced for the food by about 40%, and (and this is a big one) they put a ton of RAW garlic hunks in their sauces. Who does that? At least it's in big pieces so you can pull it out, but you always miss some. People! Sautee your garlic!
(4)Will M.
Delicious food and excellent service. I had the special (I think it was called Diablo something) - it was a spicy seafood pasta. Just the right amount of spice for me. A lot of flavors in the dish. The waiter was very good at identifying when we didn't want to be bothered and when to check in on us.
(5)Madonna W.
Best meatballs in Chicago!
(5)Ben B.
Wow! I came here for a celebratory dinner and I had no idea I'd be celebrating the meal. When I was there, the special was basically chicken parmigiana, but made with filet mignon instead of chicken. Oh, damn, that was good! I don't see it on their normal menu, so maybe it's not a regular thing. Chicago has no shortage of great Italian restaurants, but I believe this should be counted among them. Update: I returned and the food was just as good as I remembered. Upon Joelle P's recommendation, I tried the meatballs. You *must* get the meatballs. They come as a side to your pasta, and there are two, about the size of your fist. So... freaking... good. I actually preferred them to my penne with bolognese. Next time, I'm just ordering meatballs. I also loved the eight finger cavatelli. It's a really soft, long noodle pasta. Think jumbo-fat spaghetti. I'm also not a huge fan of the layout of the place. I prefer a darker, cozier environment. This is a little more... I dunno... upscale. Better for a small group of friends than a pair of lovers. Also, they often have an opera singer stroll out and start singing at the top of her lungs. I suppose they think it adds "class," but it grinds all conversation to a dead halt and it's a miracle all the wine glasses don't shatter. I wish they'd 86 her. Still, this place is quickly rising among my ranks of favorite Chicago restaurants!
(4)Gary K.
Outstanding friendly and very attentive service, and the lightly breaded sauté perch (highly recommend) with a lite lemon cream sauce with green beans & garlic mashed potatoes was delicious. Lively crowd enjoying the live music and Chicago Blackhawk's hockey game in the bar area. The special meatball salad, Italian bread with olive oil & grated parmesan cheese, baked clams appetizer, sweet peppers, Burrata cheese appetizer, and Veal Oscar (veal sauté with chunks of crab & hollandaise sauce) & asparagus were also scrumptious. From large salads to pasta to veal dishes available.... extensive traditional Italian menu with some unique menu options.
(5)Anya D.
I came here as "Dads Choice" for restaurant week with the idea to try something totally new. We ended up ordering off the regular menu because the items were just too good to pass up. We started off with the fried calamari -- crispy, fresh, delicious way to start our meal. For dinner I had the special of scallops over linguini with a lemon white wine sauce. Holy f-ing scallops. Those had to have been some of the best, most fresh, most tender and perfectly cooked scallops I have ever had. My dad had the linguini with freshly shucked clams and he loved it as well. The service was great, the owner was friendly and welcoming and our waiter suggested a perfectly paired wine for our dishes that complimented everything. The crowd does run a little on the older side, but that just means its nice and quite and homey. A great hidden gem and I cant wait to go back.
(5)Jay R.
Molto Bene!!! The search has ended I have found my new go to Italian restaurant!! Viaggio offers great food, service and a entertaining place to enjoy a evening. Once seated we were served warm bread, olive oil and roasted peppers which served as some good nibblers to enjoy while we had a cocktail and perused the menu. For apps we started with the grilled seafood plate which included shrimp,calamari and octopus it was cooked perfectly and came with a lick the plate clean worthy dressing. We also had the buffalo mozzarella and roasted tomato app, I am not sure of the exact name but it was a special for the day, and it was special. The lobe of mozzarella was creaming and tasting as good as I had when I was in Italy. The small cherry tomatoes where roasted until almost bursting and had a little char on the skins. The dish came with toasted bread to put it all on and a pesto type sauce, it was one of the best dishes I have had in a while. For a entree I had the chicken saltimbocca which came out looking a bit like chicken parm with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, I asked the waiter if this was the veal saltimbocca and he said no that's not on the menu but we can make it for you( I thought I had ordered veal but guess I had ordered chicken.. opps good martinis where the real issue). That being said the dish was fantastic a different preparation then the classic but very good and I could still taste the sage and prosciutto thru the tomato sauce. The dish was large enough to share 2 big boneless chicken breasts that's normally served with mashed potatoes but they subbed pasta for me with no questions. The menu as a whole is great everything looks tasty and it is hard to decide what to eat. Everyone in our party loved their food. Best Italian I have had in a long while. Now here is the funny part about the evening, I felt a bit like I was in the middle of a reality TV show. The host and waiters were super friendly over the top nice and all real characters. The crowd that night was a funny mix including older people you might find retired in Miami, tall model looking women in slinky dresses and a lot of Asian groups. I guess I expected more of a typical Lincoln Park looking crowd. We sat outside and watched everyone parade in and out, then a women in a multicolored sequins skin tight dress shows goes inside and starts singing opera. She sings a while then sits down and eats with her date. After a while she gets up sings again then takes off, it was all very entertaining, fun and a bit odd in a good way. We ate on the patio and the atmosphere was pure city. The patio area is bordered by a attractive rod iron fence with plexiglass to block the sound from the street. It works great you see the cars cruising by but the noise is minimal for such a busy area. Looking up you see towering buildings you are in a canyon of, its a unique and comfortable place to eat. The inside dining area seemed a little loud but might be something you get use to after your ears adjust and you have a glass of wine. Service was great and the prices are fair for what you get. The dishes are all pretty big so share a dish and a app and 2 people can dine pretty economically. I don't know if it's like this every night but I feel like we got a show with dinner. It was fun watching all the interesting customers, employees and all while being in a cool outdoor space with the hustle and bustle of the city going on around us. Show or no show the food is good enough to make Viaggio a great choice for classic Italian.
(5)Jen K.
They squeezed us in at 645 on a Saturday night which was awesome. The service after that was a little slow (took a while to take our drink and app order, didn't tell us the specials they had until after they took our app order, and then we sat after we ate our app for a good 20 min before they took our food order). The food we got (veal oscar and pepper steak, which was on special) were both AMAZING. Got the beef carpaccio for an app and it was good, although I wouldn't say worth the price, and I wish we knew about the mussel special beforehand because we would have ordered that. I'll definitely go back when we have more time to sit and relax... so probably when it gets nicer out because they have a great patio.
(4)Jacqueline R.
What a true amazing experience! Delicious food and great service! The meatball salad is a must try!!! Yum!!!
(5)Laura G.
Been to both locations---like many of the previous reviews, I have to reiterate how amazing the meatball salad is! A MUST GET. Also love the eggplant stack---delicious, yet light with the breaded eggplant. We really enjoyed the brick chicken, as well as the vodka sauce. Not a trendy spot-but awesome classic italian with great service! highly recommended!
(4)tiffany s.
oh B.S. my fiance insisted so we went. It is, after all just two blocks from our house. I have read the other reviews of this place. Give me a break !!!! The best Italian restaurant in Chicago..... my foot. Not even close. The only thing I can say is Seth, Rick, Kayee, and Beverly must be on the payroll. I will agree that the pasta sauce is good. But the Calamari came cold and greasy. The meat balls are tasty, the pasta is not very tasty. So all the taste came from the sauce. The service is good but the prices for the somewhat ordinary Italian food are also very good ... I mean HIGH.
(1)Michael C.
This place is GREAT!!! Everything is top-notch...from the service to the decor to the food! I love Italian food(my favorite cuisine) and the chef at Viaggio is amazing!! I promise you that you will not find better meatballs anywhere! I have been here many times and have ordered almost everything on the menu. I absolutely love everything that comes out of their kitchen!! And if you have a taste for something that you don't see on the menu...just ask your server...If they have it in their kitchen they will make it for you. No kidding! If you are looking for a delicious meal in a comfortable setting look no further. Viaggio is the real deal!!
(5)Michael S.
I can't add too much more to what has already been said, except that we ended up eating at the bar last night and we had an amazing dinner too! Table choices weren't looking great for our reservation time, so while we were at the bar having a pre-dinner cocktail we just decided to stay put. Bartender was amazing, introduced herself, set up our linens, and was on hand for suggestions. My partner ordered off the Restaurant Week menu, I ordered off the regular menu. Everything was outstanding, meatball salad was especially good and you could see it was a big seller as every table had one...I suggest sharing it with your table. I cannot wait to go back, this will definitely be a hangout for me! Well done, food and staff are top notch!
(5)Tony W.
Not bad, but very average Italian food. Service is very slow, but nice.
(2)Robert S.
The reviews sounded great, but I was concerned that it was so easy to get a reservation and then to be able make a last minute time change. I asked myself, how good can it be? I was right. It wasn't good. It was awesome. Dover Sole special was out of this world; de-boned table side. Everything was good, including the service. Great tiramisu. Topped off with a perfect cup of coffee; the way it aught to be.
(4)A S.
We've been wanting to come here since its opening this summer due to the rave reviews on Viaggio in West Loop (same owner). Well, this one does not let down. I had sea bass. It was incredible and it came on top of al dente angel hair. The place looks kind of like a hotel lobby, although it is absolutely a decent neighborhood place. Parking was easy - park on Clark Street if you don't want to valet it. Great food. Great service. Overall, recommended!
(5)Dan S.
Way too expensive. $30 for chicken? The food here is decent but not worth the price. I will stick to the meatball salad in the future as the rest of the menu is not worth the price.
(3)Katie M.
I ate dinner at Viaggio at the Park last night with my parents and my husband. As soon as we walked in we we were greeted by a very pleasant coat checker. When we were seated at our table, one of the owners immediately greeted us with a smile. All the staff was very pleasant and welcoming. Not only was the staff fantastic, but the food was even better. We had the meatball salad and the beef carpaccio which were both great. For my entree, I had the Branzino and it was amazing. It was a huge serving and I had enough to take home for another meal. My husband had the tortellini which was one of the specials and it was also great. My dad had the veal special and it was to die for. My mom had the Eggplant Parmesan and it was one of the best I had ever had. The desserts were also delicious. My dad is from the south and he chose the bread pudding and said it was the best He ever head. I had the lava cake which was awesome. My husband had the apple tart which was perfect for the season. We also had the pumpkin cheesecake which went great with our meal. It was overall an amazing experience and I can't wait to go back.
(5)B B.
Thought we'd try this place out while they were part of Restaurant Week 2013. It was a great experience. The atmosphere was very "Frank Sinatra meets Chicago Mafia" and well fitting. They had an extensive menu and the dishes were great. Chicken Marsala was spot on. The only annoying this was the entry doors with the odd coat check girl that just didn't fit in. Never really understood that whole scenario. Also, be prepared to spend some $ here.
(4)Summer F.
The food was fantastic, and yes the meatballs are as good as my mother's. The service was also great, almost to the point where I was wondering if our 3 servers were just bored they came over so many times. One piece of advice, although everyone was really nice to our kids, I would not say this was a good place for kids, just to "nice". Although the meatballs and salad was a great food choice for them since normally at italian restaurants they just just fill up on bread, this "appetizer" came out quickly and at least provided the other food groups.
(5)Ted P.
I have been to this location multiple times and I think it is the best bang for your buck Italian place in Chicago. The food is incredible and very healthy portions. Everything from the bread at the beginning to the best carrot cake I have ever had is just phenomenal. I have had the Fettuccine and the Creamy Tomato sauces on pastas and both are incredible. The Veal Oscar is absolutely amazing, as is the Bruschetta and Grilled Seafood appetizers. I have yet to have a bad meal here and have taken multiple people here for dinner and everyone loves this place. The best thing on the menu is the Lake Perch and every time I come here I tell myself to try something new and I just cannot stray away from that. Hands down the best perch I have ever had. The ambiance is intimate and when they have the opera singer walking around singing it makes it an A+ date spot. The owner is extremely personable and always very thoughtful, including giving my family and I multiple free desserts last time I was in there. I moved away from the area but still go far out of my way to get a dynamite meal here that is reasonably priced. Highly recommended!
(5)Stephen O.
This is my new "neighborhood restaurant". This is a comfy Italian restaurant with a killer menu. Our server, Louis, was great. When we dined they had a special featuring mussels in white wine that was tremendous. They also had a Burrata infused with pesto and served with crostini and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and pesto that was perfect. Our entrees were White fish filet with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans and a charbroiled pork chop finished in the oven with olive oil, roasted peppers, garlic and some chilies--served with roasted potatoes and spinach. It was a special and excellent. The menu is full of great pasta dishes as well as chicken, veal and seafood. Tiramisu to die for and Limoncello to finish. We got a special treat when the sound of a young man singing Italian standards and music from West Side Story drifted to the patio. He was amazing. He lives in the neighborhood and sometimes comes in to sing--his name is Brandon James and he is a finalist on the current America's Got Talent.
(5)Beverly M.
Italian Done Right.. They make you feel like family when you walk through the door.. With pictures of the "Great's", Dino/Sinatra/Bennett around on the walls, their songs you know by heart playing softly in the background, Perfect ...As to the food, Quality meats, they make their own sauage..Sauces you can tell the love and detail to flavor layering with the first bite..And some of the best calamari I have had in a long time... We started with a Beef Carpaccio, filet mignon rare tender surrounded with peppers and capers. I followed it up with Veal Oscar tender with just the right amount of crab and a hollandaise sauce right on point...My husband asked the chef for Linguine, red sauce with shrimp/calamari/scallops, he just loved it...We split the bread pudding, and had plenty to take home for a midnight snack...Very Happy to have you in the park... When you go ask for Danny,attentive and provided excellent recommendations....
(5)Keith H.
Great food and excellent service. This place was recommended by a friend and the food and service exceeded all expectations.
(5)Megan G.
We went with a group of four .The food was amazing. We had the Burrata cheese special appetizer and each got wonderful entrees. My only complaint is that the service was a little bit slow. It took about 35 minutes for them to get our order. The food was so great however that we will go back for sure.
(4)D A.
Really unique place where a singer comes out and sings Italian opera. The food was really good, but the service was slow. It is nice that you are not rushed though. A nice date night place.
(4)Seth M.
Viaggio at the Park has brought everything they were doing right and then some over to Lincoln Park. If you are craving GREAT Italian food look no further than Viaggio. From the food to the service, to the environment you are getting a 5 star experience. When you sit down you are provided complimentary bread as well as a little platter with fresh chunk parmigiana, olives, and roasted garlic. It is awesome!! (especially the garlic, yum!). Our order for the night: Appetizers: Beef Carpaccio, Eggplant Stack, and Meatball Salad Entrees: Brick Chicken, Branzino, Talapia Fra Diavlo, and Chicken Marsala Dessert: Cream Puffs We started with the Beef Carpaccio we were not disappointed. I have had carpaccio and steak tartar all over this city and this might be some of the best. They use top quality filet and serve it with parmigana, onions, and peppercorns. The steak is tender and flavorful and complimented well by the little additions to the plate. If you've never had the eggplant stack, its incredible. Chef Vic layers thin slices of fried eggplant with fresh buffalo mozzarella and thick slices of tomato before topping it off with arugula, balsamic, and shaved parm. It is delicious and a dish that still stands out in a meal of 5 star plates. It may be a crime to come to Viaggio and not get the Meatball Salad. And yes if you've never had it I know what your thinking...who puts meatballs in a salad. Chef Vic does, and I thank him for it. First, I could make a very strong case that these are the best meatballs in Chicago. They are a mixture of beef, pork, and veal and manage to be both light and filling at the same time. When you put those meatballs over a nice salad with a little dressing and mix it with the 'red gravy', we are talking a supremely delicious dish. Something you remember and come back for. For my entree I had the brick chicken. I am the type of person who rarely orders chicken at restaurants because I figure...hey I can make this at home. That is far from true with this dish. They take a whole chicken and de-bone it before cooking it with a hot brick that somehow creates the crispiest skin with moist, juicy chicken. If that wasn't good enough the sauce on it just takes this dish to the next level. I promise you will not be disappointed. Everyone else loved their dishes as well. The chicken marsala was without question the best I've ever had. The branzino and talapia were both cooked to perfection. Even though we were stuffed we had to get an order of cream puffs which were very very good. Viaggio is the type of place where you feel like family if its your 1st time coming or your 20th. You are guaranteed a consistently good meal with great service every time, which is why I keep coming back.
(5)Megan G.
We went with a group of four .The food was amazing. We had the Burrata cheese special appetizer and each got wonderful entrees. My only complaint is that the service was a little bit slow. It took about 35 minutes for them to get our order. The food was so great however that we will go back for sure.
(4)Theresa P.
Service excellent and friendly, FOOD DELICIOUS!!! It is worth turning the corner just a little off of Clark onto Fullerton for this fine Italian food!!!! My shrimp risotto was fantastic!
(5)Kayee I.
I thought I've had good Italian food in Chicago ... and yes, they were good. But Viaggio at the Park is ah-maze-ing, so I'm sad that I've never been to the Madison Street location before and am just experiencing Viaggio for the first time tonight. I've obviously been missing out, and have a lot of catching up to do here! The dining room atmosphere is clean and friendly with prints of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and the likes memorialized on the walls. Staff treat customers like family--everyone is so warmly welcomed the moment you step through those doors. The menu is extensive, but Chef/Uncle Vic pulls off every appetizer, entree and dessert with precision and delicacy. The meatballs with romaine lettuce appetizer is simply delicious, and the crispy fried calamari is so light and fresh that each bite absolutely melts in your mouth. The Veal Oscar medallions are flavorful and tender, the Branzino (sea bass) is crisp and moist at the same time, and the desserts of passion fruit cheesecake and bread pudding are decadent. Viaggio's bread pudding is simply better than the half dozen different kinds of bread pudding I've ever tasted in New Orleans. To top it off, I understand that Viaggio's makes their own pasta (must. try. next. time). There was also plenty of lemoncello to be shared. While new, I think this restaurant is already a fantastic addition to the Lincoln Park area and gives me a fantastic reason to venture out this way. Also great, local celebrity sightings.
(5)Erin G.
Excellent. Great service. Everyone we encountered was friendly, attentive, and seemed to genuinely care we were enjoying things. The 8 finger pasts was amazing...as was everything we ate. Recommend 100% and definitely will be back.
(5)Luke R.
I had the penne at the park and my girlfriend got the filet. Both were excellent along with the service. Parking was not very convenient. We found out there was valet when we walked in, but you don't see it driving by. Other than the parking, I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Avi H.
Great food! Get the Branzino!!!
(5)Kendall D.
Tucked away on Fullerton and Clark on the first floor of an old Lincoln Park building, this restaurant is elegant yet casual at the same time. We had early reservations with my boyfriends family and when we arrived, we were some of the only people in the restaurant. I made our reservation for two on accident, when in reality we had six, and the waitress seemed flustered by my mistake...however, like I said, the restaurant was essentially empty at this time. Just as I was about to get annoyed by her curt reaction, her supervisor swept in and assured us it was no problem, offering us a round table a few steps away. We were very impressed with how friendly and hospitable our servers were, and took advantage of their well-informed suggestions. We started with the special, which was pesto-injected mozzarella served with cherry tomatoes and crostinis. FABULOUS. The meals themselves were not overwhelmingly delicious, but they were very good and I would certainly recommend this place to anyone seeking a nice Italian restaurant in the Lincoln Park area.
(4)Diane M.
This was a true find. I knew this restaurant had opened in a Lincoln Park building, but just hadn't taken the time to stop in. I finally stopped in the night of the Olympics Opening Ceremonies and sat at the bar. The bartender was WONDERFUL -- her service couldn't have been better. She turned both televisions over to the Opening Ceremonies. The owner/manager came over to speak to me and welcome me to the restaurant for my first visit. The food was delicious and the wine incredible. I ordered a delicious bottle of red wine (wish I could remember the name) and it was so good, I even had another glass. The bartender set me up with a beautiful place setting at the bar and I felt like I was being spoiled. And to top it off, they had an opera singer (I think he was from the Voice) performing in the restaurant. All in all, a fabulous experience and I will be back.
(4)Cristina W.
I can not say enough good things about Viaggio's! I was in Chicago this weekend visiting friends and had a craving for delicious Italian food. We chose Viaggio's based on location and yelp reviews. Thank you, Yelp, for a great suggestion! Our reservation was for 5, but after bring seated at a 7 top table, we discovered that our fifth party would not be able to join. We had only ordered drinks at this tine, and not wanting to take up a big table with only 4 people on a busy Saturday night, we approached the hostess desk and volunteered to be moved to a smaller table. The hostess and Manager (maybe owner??) said not to worry and stay where we are. We ordered our meals and shortly before they arrived the Manager approached our table to request that we move. A much larger party came in unexpectedly and he apologized profusely. He offered to buy us desserts, which was completely unnecessary!! Many other restaurants would not have let us sit down with an incomplete party. Many other restaurants would have been annoyed that only 4 showed up. Many other restaurants would have had us move and not offer a thing to keep us happy. I am from Atlanta, and am accustomed to southern hospitality, but Viaggio's took things up a notch!! I recommend this restaurant highly based on the excellent service and wonderful food. We will return!
(5)Ilya K.
Wow this place certainly disappointed any and all expectations. Lets sum it up: 1. 1st impression: host was dressed as if he was a janitor 2. environment is not cozy at all, its not a fine restaurant feel. All the reviews say this is one of the best in the city? Id say its one of the worst. 3. service was VERY subpar. Server did not introduce himeself. 4. Wine bottle was not sampled before the wine was served. 5. lingini with clams had absolutely no sauce and was super bland, also one of the WORST in the city. 6. final bill came like they wanted us out asap. I felt super rushed. I am debating giving it 1 star. There has to be least 50 italian restaurants in the city better than this.
(2)Peter F.
This place was terrible and it couldn't have been just a single night. You first realize when you walk in on a Friday night and the place is dead - then the menu comes and they make veal and chicken 8 different ways, sauces all ready to go. The veal ragu with pappardelle(which sounds great) was beef broth and noodles with veal, it tasts like beef broth raw from the container, truly disappointing when so many other italian restaurants do this wonderfully throughout the city. The salads were massively dressed and unnaturally wilted but this stuff comes when no one frequents the place and food stockpiles - who serves wilted mixed greens? Crap restaurants. My wife ordered eggplant parmesan and it came out american style, meaning 1 pound of cheese, non-existent eggplant and a sauce that a day later we are trying to figure out the ingredients, its the oddest tasting italian food ever and we're italian and have been to every italian restaurant in the chicago and beyond. I wouldn't even have written this review were it not for me logging in and seeing so many 4 stars on other reviews. I get the feeling these people haven't a clue - PLUS it extremely expensive for the quality. Well, I can go on and on about the staff but even the 4 stars said the staff sucks - they are worse than that but please don't waste your time to find out - this place will be closed by next summer, IMO, you go there once and not a soul ever returns, guaranteed. Don't order the wine, although they have numerous nice bottles the food is abysmal so just go somewhere else and enjoy yourself. Ask and I will give you great Italian recommendations around the same vicinity. Oh, Oh, the 'decor' and 'woodwork' - someone spent 15 minutes decorating and putting up drywall and trim, floor looks like its been there for 20 years and you know, the wait staff agrees. Thank god I can laugh at this the next day...
(1)Barb L.
My girls took me to Viaggio at the Park for my bachelorette party dinner, and I loved it! The moment we stepped through the door, we were treated like family. The staff, host, and owner/managers were so much fun and joked with us the entire time. For dinner, we only ordered a variety of appetizers, which was perfect for our group of girls, but the desserts were amazing (: Our favorites were definitely the spumoni and chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Overall, I would definitely recommend Viaggio at the Park because of the familial environment and delicious desserts. However, I am interested to see if there's a difference in the level of service when I come back with my fiance compared to our bachelorette party group (;
(5)Larry R.
We were in Chicago for an affair for the weekend from Tucson . Used yelp to help us find the right Italian restaurant . After looking at a lot of reviews we chose viaggios at the park. Just like the reviews said. Greeted at the door with a great welcoming from one of the owners. The lady who sat us couldn't be nicer. We sat at a table in the bar area. As soon as we sat down they brought the olive oil peppers and bread. Our food server Kristen came over with a warm welcome and no pressure . We ordered a salad and split the eggplant parmigiana . More than enough food along with two reasonably priced glasses if wine. Must be a locals place because everyone seemed to know each other and hug. Next time I'm in Chicago this restaurant will see me again.
(5)Callan M.
huge portions and the lemoncello is homemade!
(4)Dr. J.
3 and 1/2 stars! Based on all the rave YELP reviews, we were super excited for our first visit to Viaggio at the Park. When we entered the darling restaurant, we were greeted warmly by the maitre d'. Started our evening with a great bottle of wine with wonderful warm bread along with a dish of really delicious peppers. When we each had one small slice of bread, a person from the waitstaff removed our bread plates while we we talking within our group - even though we all would have enjoyed more bread with the whole plate of peppers still on our table. A bit later, another person from the waitstaff brought out the amazing Eggplant Stack appetizer - a REAL winner! (But we still had no plates!) It took several minutes before we could flag someone down to bring us more PLATES (But still no bread!!) Dinner was enjoyed by all at the table although my linguini with clams was very gritty. No one offered fresh pepper or grated parm when our food was served. Our waiter and maitre d' brought out a lovely birthday tiramisu that was truly AMAZING and sang to our birthday girl at the table. I think we will have to give this place another try (maybe on a day that is not so rainy!).
(3)Anne L.
Food is amazing. I had the filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and rigatoni and vodka sauce. My husband had veal Oscar which he said was fantastic. The owners were very attentive on our special occasion and gave us free dessert. The only complaint was that the server was a little slow.
(4)Jim B.
Fantastic Bar service (Kristen) and the best fried calamari I've had. Crisp, crisp, crisp - not oily, and even stayed crisp as it cooled. And the meatball salad is pretty great, too! Love the location - you've gotta try this place!!
(5)C B.
We returned to Viaggio this past Friday for another consistently great meal. The eight finger cavatelli are the best in the city and there are always interesting appetizers and specials to try something new. The hidden gem is the perfect martini mixed by Bartender Kristen. Don't hesitate to have a cocktail at the bar before sitting down to a great meal with impeccable service.
(5)Snowdrops C.
This Italian restaurant was ok. Perhaps I had much higher expectation given its rating on Yelp. The serving portion was huge. The food was ok - but not that special. It was not that pricey at all.
(3)Greg C.
The service, excellent and the food was outstanding. The Brick Chicken is a signature dish and deserves to be. Best ever.
(5)Brad L.
If anyplace truly defines "hidden gem" in Lincoln Park, this is it. Italian with a master chef's touch, a very menschy owner operator, superb service and authentic Ratpack vibe without too much gooniness, IYKWIM. tonight I had the shrimp Diavlo with squid ink linguine that was incredible, better than the similar preparation at Osteria del Teatro in South Beach, and if you know that joint those are strong words indeed. Bar staff is as charming and real as one could ask, and Kristen in particular lent a sympathetic ear when I needed one, a trait that can elevate an unusually tasty bar meal into a poignant evening i will always remember.
(5)Adrian E.
Ok here's my review. Being from California, being Italian, and living in San Francisco, this place is a little different than what I'm used to. Italian American cuisine is definitely different than Italian cuisine and is also different than California Italian Cuisine. Giving the dated menu and presentation... if this establishment was in San Francisco, I would give it a 3-3.5 stars. I'm not saying Chicago has bad food or anything, because the food in Chicago is ABSOLUTELY amazing; but what this place lacks in is definitely creativity. WITH ALL THIS SAID: The food is really good! It's just a dated menu. Veal Milanese with Green beans and mashed potatoes with an ice cream scooper. I mean... green beans? really? And why was my mashed potatoes served to me in an ice cream scooper? That's like my high school cafeteria. We got the Veal, bone in and it was really tasty with green bean and mash potatoes fiasco aside. The person I went with had the Veal Ragu and it was very good. The Parmesan and roasted garlic they serve at the beginning are definitely positives too. What was really good though was the dessert. The day we went we had this great bread pudding. It wasn't the best one, but it reminded me of my Aunt Louise who's from Solopaca. She makes a very similar Bread Pudding. I will say I do love the service here to. The servers were so nice, we almost couldn't have a conversation because they kept coming to make sure everything was great. Even the owner came by and was telling the difficulties of opening the second restaurant. While this type of service can be annoying, I found it to be absolutely wonderful. You want to see owners and staff that really care that their customers are getting the best experience possible. If they update the menu into a little bit more modern I'd give it five stars, but I was content with my meal. Please just for god sakes don't serve my mash potatoes with an ice cream scooper again. :)
(4)Laura G.
Been to both locations---like many of the previous reviews, I have to reiterate how amazing the meatball salad is! A MUST GET. Also love the eggplant stack---delicious, yet light with the breaded eggplant. We really enjoyed the brick chicken, as well as the vodka sauce. Not a trendy spot-but awesome classic italian with great service! highly recommended!
(4)tiffany s.
oh B.S. my fiance insisted so we went. It is, after all just two blocks from our house. I have read the other reviews of this place. Give me a break !!!! The best Italian restaurant in Chicago..... my foot. Not even close. The only thing I can say is Seth, Rick, Kayee, and Beverly must be on the payroll. I will agree that the pasta sauce is good. But the Calamari came cold and greasy. The meat balls are tasty, the pasta is not very tasty. So all the taste came from the sauce. The service is good but the prices for the somewhat ordinary Italian food are also very good ... I mean HIGH.
(1)Michael C.
This place is GREAT!!! Everything is top-notch...from the service to the decor to the food! I love Italian food(my favorite cuisine) and the chef at Viaggio is amazing!! I promise you that you will not find better meatballs anywhere! I have been here many times and have ordered almost everything on the menu. I absolutely love everything that comes out of their kitchen!! And if you have a taste for something that you don't see on the menu...just ask your server...If they have it in their kitchen they will make it for you. No kidding! If you are looking for a delicious meal in a comfortable setting look no further. Viaggio is the real deal!!
(5)Michael S.
I can't add too much more to what has already been said, except that we ended up eating at the bar last night and we had an amazing dinner too! Table choices weren't looking great for our reservation time, so while we were at the bar having a pre-dinner cocktail we just decided to stay put. Bartender was amazing, introduced herself, set up our linens, and was on hand for suggestions. My partner ordered off the Restaurant Week menu, I ordered off the regular menu. Everything was outstanding, meatball salad was especially good and you could see it was a big seller as every table had one...I suggest sharing it with your table. I cannot wait to go back, this will definitely be a hangout for me! Well done, food and staff are top notch!
(5)Tony W.
Not bad, but very average Italian food. Service is very slow, but nice.
(2)Robert S.
The reviews sounded great, but I was concerned that it was so easy to get a reservation and then to be able make a last minute time change. I asked myself, how good can it be? I was right. It wasn't good. It was awesome. Dover Sole special was out of this world; de-boned table side. Everything was good, including the service. Great tiramisu. Topped off with a perfect cup of coffee; the way it aught to be.
(4)A S.
We've been wanting to come here since its opening this summer due to the rave reviews on Viaggio in West Loop (same owner). Well, this one does not let down. I had sea bass. It was incredible and it came on top of al dente angel hair. The place looks kind of like a hotel lobby, although it is absolutely a decent neighborhood place. Parking was easy - park on Clark Street if you don't want to valet it. Great food. Great service. Overall, recommended!
(5)Dan S.
Way too expensive. $30 for chicken? The food here is decent but not worth the price. I will stick to the meatball salad in the future as the rest of the menu is not worth the price.
(3)Katie M.
I ate dinner at Viaggio at the Park last night with my parents and my husband. As soon as we walked in we we were greeted by a very pleasant coat checker. When we were seated at our table, one of the owners immediately greeted us with a smile. All the staff was very pleasant and welcoming. Not only was the staff fantastic, but the food was even better. We had the meatball salad and the beef carpaccio which were both great. For my entree, I had the Branzino and it was amazing. It was a huge serving and I had enough to take home for another meal. My husband had the tortellini which was one of the specials and it was also great. My dad had the veal special and it was to die for. My mom had the Eggplant Parmesan and it was one of the best I had ever had. The desserts were also delicious. My dad is from the south and he chose the bread pudding and said it was the best He ever head. I had the lava cake which was awesome. My husband had the apple tart which was perfect for the season. We also had the pumpkin cheesecake which went great with our meal. It was overall an amazing experience and I can't wait to go back.
(5)B B.
Thought we'd try this place out while they were part of Restaurant Week 2013. It was a great experience. The atmosphere was very "Frank Sinatra meets Chicago Mafia" and well fitting. They had an extensive menu and the dishes were great. Chicken Marsala was spot on. The only annoying this was the entry doors with the odd coat check girl that just didn't fit in. Never really understood that whole scenario. Also, be prepared to spend some $ here.
(4)Summer F.
The food was fantastic, and yes the meatballs are as good as my mother's. The service was also great, almost to the point where I was wondering if our 3 servers were just bored they came over so many times. One piece of advice, although everyone was really nice to our kids, I would not say this was a good place for kids, just to "nice". Although the meatballs and salad was a great food choice for them since normally at italian restaurants they just just fill up on bread, this "appetizer" came out quickly and at least provided the other food groups.
(5)Ted P.
I have been to this location multiple times and I think it is the best bang for your buck Italian place in Chicago. The food is incredible and very healthy portions. Everything from the bread at the beginning to the best carrot cake I have ever had is just phenomenal. I have had the Fettuccine and the Creamy Tomato sauces on pastas and both are incredible. The Veal Oscar is absolutely amazing, as is the Bruschetta and Grilled Seafood appetizers. I have yet to have a bad meal here and have taken multiple people here for dinner and everyone loves this place. The best thing on the menu is the Lake Perch and every time I come here I tell myself to try something new and I just cannot stray away from that. Hands down the best perch I have ever had. The ambiance is intimate and when they have the opera singer walking around singing it makes it an A+ date spot. The owner is extremely personable and always very thoughtful, including giving my family and I multiple free desserts last time I was in there. I moved away from the area but still go far out of my way to get a dynamite meal here that is reasonably priced. Highly recommended!
(5)Stephen O.
This is my new "neighborhood restaurant". This is a comfy Italian restaurant with a killer menu. Our server, Louis, was great. When we dined they had a special featuring mussels in white wine that was tremendous. They also had a Burrata infused with pesto and served with crostini and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and pesto that was perfect. Our entrees were White fish filet with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans and a charbroiled pork chop finished in the oven with olive oil, roasted peppers, garlic and some chilies--served with roasted potatoes and spinach. It was a special and excellent. The menu is full of great pasta dishes as well as chicken, veal and seafood. Tiramisu to die for and Limoncello to finish. We got a special treat when the sound of a young man singing Italian standards and music from West Side Story drifted to the patio. He was amazing. He lives in the neighborhood and sometimes comes in to sing--his name is Brandon James and he is a finalist on the current America's Got Talent.
(5)Beverly M.
Italian Done Right.. They make you feel like family when you walk through the door.. With pictures of the "Great's", Dino/Sinatra/Bennett around on the walls, their songs you know by heart playing softly in the background, Perfect ...As to the food, Quality meats, they make their own sauage..Sauces you can tell the love and detail to flavor layering with the first bite..And some of the best calamari I have had in a long time... We started with a Beef Carpaccio, filet mignon rare tender surrounded with peppers and capers. I followed it up with Veal Oscar tender with just the right amount of crab and a hollandaise sauce right on point...My husband asked the chef for Linguine, red sauce with shrimp/calamari/scallops, he just loved it...We split the bread pudding, and had plenty to take home for a midnight snack...Very Happy to have you in the park... When you go ask for Danny,attentive and provided excellent recommendations....
(5)Keith H.
Great food and excellent service. This place was recommended by a friend and the food and service exceeded all expectations.
(5)Mister M.
What a perfect restaurant Viaggio's is . This time my table had a real bacchanal. Perfectly prepared fried calamari-huge order, enough for the whole table. Other apps were the legendary Meatball Salad and the Pesto Infused Burrata Cheese served with crusty toast and perfectly roasted cherry tomatoes- this was a real winner I had a glass of the Montepulciano which was extraordinary for a house wine. Our main dishes were Sausage and peppers-as good as always, Lasagna with bolognese-extremely rich and satisfying and Veal Piccata-perfectly prepared and very high quality-crisp on the outside, moist and tender veal on the inside. Smothered in a lemon sauce with Pine Nuts-a nice touch. I wanted to order the Spumoni Bomb for dessert, but there was simply no room. Another great meal had by all. The professional service was equal to restaurants that cost twice as much as Viaggio's i will go to Viaggio's whenever I am in the Lincoln Park area.
(5)Joe R.
Nice little Italian place. I started off with an Argentinian Malbec and a wedge salad. Wine was great, wedge salad was ok, onions were very strong and it had a lot of tomatoes. Good for some, not me. The lasagna was delicious, it had a very creamy flavor that I liked. Overall top shelf!
(5)Rits M.
While the food here is good, I felt like I was in an older restaurant, for older people. While that wasnt the case, there were some younger people there, don't think of it as hip and chic. This is a solid restaurant to bring mum to, and have a lunch/dinner with family. We had the meatball salad- it was good and a solid option. Then we had the trio special- pork, NY strip and something else which escapes me. Again, good solid food, well cooked. Ask the waiter for a wine recommendation and they usually give you a good one.
(3)Andrea H.
I cannot rave enough about Viaggio's at the Park. The food is excellent and portions generous. I encourage you to go for the specials, because they are always top notch. Pastas are delicious and made in house. My fiancé and I shared the Chicken Sinatra for Two platter on our first visit, which is basically a giant platter of chicken vesuvio, sausage, potatoes and veggies...basically half the menu. All was great, could def feed 3-4 with an appetizer and salads! Even better--the stuffed veal special over fettuccine with cacciatore sauce last night! Atmosphere is great at Viaggio's, perfect for date night or an intimate gathering with friends. The place is well decorated (the ceiling may be my favorite feature). Service is another plus...very attentive, which is difficult to find in Chicago! They even remembered my fiancé and I from 2 1/2 months prior when we walked in for our second visit. Bonus: There is a tenor who sings during prime times on the weekend and definitely adds to the ambiance and experience.
(5)Joe O.
This is probably the 2nd best Italian place I've eaten at. Everything was great! 100% customer Service! Great Food! The owner/manager and waiter were gentlemen and if I lived in Chicago I would be there all the time, that is for sure! There drinks were very tastey and not over-priced. The salad was nothing special, but nothing to bat an eye at. I had the Branzino which was very nicely prepared! The best thing was the Sicilian Postacio Ice Cream for Dessert! It was incredible! Overall it was a great experience! I would recommend this place to anybody who lives in Chi-town or visitors. This place is definitely a winner!
(5)Nancy D.
Good food. Good atmosphere. I picked this place because of the rave reviews. My mom asked to go to a good Italian restaurant for her birthday, so I decided on this place. Service was a little slow, but it was very relaxed and gave us time to chat. I was comfortable in a t-shirt with a hoodie and jeans, which is something I look for because I like great food without having to get dressed up. Only four stars though because even though I called in advance, and was reassured they would bring out a surprise dessert for my mother's birthday, it didn't happen. After I mentioned it though, they took her dessert, that she ordered, off the bill. My dad had specifically asked that I call ahead and set up something to surprise my mom, and I felt I let him, along with my mom, down. When we got back to my place, I got a small scoop of ice cream, covered it with whipped cream, and stuck candles in it so she could at least blow them out. My dad was very pleased with his veal, and my mom got a Marsala dish that she said was amazing. The Caesar salad actually had an anchovie in it, so it appears they at least make things from scratch there. Props for that. Overall, a good experience. I would go back. It's a solid place. I'm not sure what all the one and two star people are whining about.
(4)Elaine M.
The husband and I came here the other night after a taking a class on Italian style wines made in California. It only seemed appropriate to have Italian food after that. This place was close by and had great reviews so we decided to give it a try. It was pretty early on a Saturday night (about 5:30) and we had no reservation but we were able to be seated right away. The place was fairly empty when we arrived, except for a large table with a family celebrating Grandma's birthday. The place was full by the time we departed. We began our meal by sharing an order of the stacked eggplant. It was excellent and I would come here again just have it. The portion was large and certainly needed to be shared, two huge stacks of eggplant, tomato, mozzarella and arugula. With the waiters recommendation I had the chicken Marsala. This was also excellent and I would highly recommend it. Here is the reason for four stars though instead of five - the pasta. The husband ordered the spaghetti bolognese and it was mediocre. Not really sure how everything else was so great and the pasta was not. The pasta was a bit over cooked and limp and the sauce not particularly flavorful. Certainly a disappointment. In the end I would return and just stay clear of the pasta.
(4)Rupsa R.
This is our first time here. And the experience is horrible. There were fruit flies flying on the table. And that's gross!! The waiters are rude. It took them a good 10 minutes to acknowledge our presence after we were seated. I ordered the brick chicken recommended by our server. The chicken was dry, overly salted and partly burnt. When I told the server that the food was salty. He "reluctantly" asked if I wanted to change it. I courteously said no and he was like "okay"!! My husband ordered a preparation with Perch and there were several bones in the fish!! Bones in fish and that too in a restaurant like this??!! Overall extremely disappointed with service and the food!! The only good thing about the place is their rosemary garlic infused olive oil!!
(1)Daisy D.
This one is kind of hard to review; came here over the weekend (Saturday) for our anniversary dinner. The food was great! Fresh pasta and great lamb chops were on point.... but the service was real slow... Not sure if they were short staffed for the night? Either way, we agreed the food outweighed the service. So we'd probably go back for the food and hope for a better waiter. Would also love to take advantage of their out door seating.
(4)Jeremy W.
This place is great! The complimentary olive-oil infused peppers before the meal are fantastic. The entrees are all great especially the Branzino, Brick Chicken, and Veal Marsala. Service is always great and the owner walks around to check on everything. Recently, they have added a great pianist who really adds to the pleasant atmosphere. Also, if you want to sit at the bar---Kristin the bartender is second to none. You will not get a better Italian restaurant experience anywhere!
(5)D S.
Everything was delicious! Servings were generous and the service great! At our table we ordered Baked Manicotti Florintine, pasta with oil and garlic, Eggplant Parmesan, Lasagne, and Eight Finger Cavatelli. Everyone loved their meal.
(5)Wei H.
So I lived right next to this restaurant. I don't know how I managed to walk by twice a day without ever trying it. A friend's birthday was the perfect opportunity to end that nonsense and ever since, I have been wanting to go back. The ambiance is lovely. Unpretentious Italian with class. I feel bad for the people that got seated at the table right by the entrance though. That's some not so smart floor plan. Can I just say those sauteed peppers are heavenly? They are the best things ever. I am pretty sure I ate them all so before apps and entrees were served, I was half full already. They are drenched in EVOO (Rachel Ray copyrighted) and so flavorful that I will be willing to pay for them. They really should sell them in jars. For appetizer, we got the salmon on bruschetta. Salmon is slightly smoked and in good portions. The crostini has the right amount of crisp. Too many herbs for my taste but I think they help balance out the fishiness. Entrees are of humongous portions for a rather affordable price at Lincoln Park. The special seafood (lobster tail, scallops, shrimp I think) risotto I got is insanely rich and overly moist. Coupled with the fact that I ate all the sauteed peppers and bread, I could not eat more than a few spoonfuls of this. It still tasted really good the next day after 10 minutes in the oven. My friends got the simple pasta with red sauce - very very nicely done, perfectly cooked and sauce very flavorful and complex - and the veal - very tender juicy and well seasoned. In the middle of the meal, all of a sudden we heard opera singing. We thought it was coming from the central sound system but then it just started getting louder and louder. Turns out it was a real person singing! It added so much unexpected but much appreciated fun to our dining experience. At the end of the meal we also got a complimentary tiramisu for our friend's birthday. There isn't a dessert menu so you'd better listen up when your waiter recites the dessert items for you. Outdoor seating is limited and awkwardly situated between two apartment buildings so be prepared to be stared at by hungry people coming home from work while you devour those yummy meatballs.
(5)Kristen B.
Best Italian meal around! Everything on the menu is delicious, especially the lasagna! Service is great too! We love bringing my parents to Viaggio because of it's great food, amazing staff, and pleasant atmosphere. We'll be back again and again!
(5)Sarah R.
Amazing. I had the Eggplant Parmesan & it came with a side of tortellini. Food was great & the portions for my dish were very generous. The moscato d'asti was great too. The restaurant is a short walk through the park to the beach front as well :)
(5)diann s.
One of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago, Eight Finger Cavatelli dish is amazing! Service is excellent, it is obvious the the owner takes pride in his restaurant. Outdoor seating available and piano bar on select nights. We will be back!
(5)Katy K.
I made reservations for an early evening Saturday dinner for my boyfriends birthday. When talking to the host, I mentioned it was my boyfriends birthday and he told me they give a piece of tiramisu out for birthdays. The host was great and reassured me on my reservation. We arrive, ordered the stacked eggplant as an app. I honestly didn't think it was anything special. My boyfriend ordered the New York Italiano and I had the veal oscar. Both were WONDERFUL. The food was above average but our waiter wasn't really enthusiastic and I honestly believe it's because my boyfriend and I are in our early twenties he perhaps thought we wouldn't tip well regardless of the service. He also didn't bring out the tiramisu which got me irritated. I told my boyfriend about it and considered saying something because we already got the check until the manager brought it out to us and saved the day. The server saw us with the dessert and definitely looked confused as to why we had it. Kind of ruined the surprise. Good food but not good enough to get me to go back.
(3)Ashley R.
This restaurant is the epitome of traditional Italian cuisine. With high decorated ceilings, wonderful service, and delicious pasta, we will be coming back soon! There was even an opera singer during our meal. Highly recommend!
(5)Ada H.
Not as awesome as I expected. I live across the street from this place. Literally at the building on the other side of Fullerton. I noticed that it opened, but never felt inclined to stop in. Then one day I was on Yelp looking for something near by and noticed all the stars next to this listing. So I tried it out. I had the acclaimed meatball salad and Penne at the Park. The meatball was really good. The penne was good. I just don't feel like it's 5 stars OMG type of food. However the parmesan that they provide with the bread and olive oil was really good. Good enough that it stands out in my mind and I felt the need to tell you about it. We came on a Wednesday night so all wines were half off. My friend and I chose a bottle of the moscato. It was the best Moscato I've ever had and a great deal for half off. Not sure I'd pay $40 for it on a regular night though. The main reason that I'm giving this 3 starts and not 4 was the service. The Maitre D' was a super sweet older gentleman who was welcoming and kind. The people who brought our food and refilled our water were very pleasant. Our server ruined everything. He was just dismissive and sarcastic. I asked him if he had a favorite pasta dish and he said "well everyone's palate is different." I'm not dumb. I know this. I asked him to tell me what he likes and this is how he responds? I realize it may be a redundant question but it's part of his job to make recommendations or at least give me additional information about the food. This is just how I feel. He just generally rubbed me the wrong way. I will return to give them another try. But I'll definitely not sit in that guy's section.
(3)Victoria P.
The food was excellent! The service was great! My boyfriend and I had a really great time for my birthday dinner. Not expensive!
(5)Rick T.
The best Italian restaurant in Chicago has opened a second location on Fullerton, across from Lincoln Park. I walked in and received the famously warm welcome that I came to expect at the original location. Owner Sam was at the host stand, accompanied by his bigger-than-life right hand man, Skip. This is the kind of place where you will be greeted like an old friend. Sam and his team have brought every element of the original location's big personality, big taste experience to LP. You feel the love from the moment you sit down. Most Italian spots get you started with warm bread, olive oil, and maybe some parmesan cheese. Viaggio's table warmer is bread, chunks of delicious parmesan on an olive oil bed, with a half-head of baked garlic and three kinds of olives. You can see where this meal is going! For my first trip to the new location, I started with the legendary "meatball salad." It is every bit as delicious as I remember. Main course? Rigattoni with vodka sauce and sausage. Thick, delicious vodka sauce coated every perfectly-cooked noodle. Outstanding! Sam invited me in back to take a look at the huge kitchen that he built fromt he ground up--literally. It stretches for a good 25 yards beyond the dining room. One thing I noticed back of the house: the behind-the-scenes team is on its game every bit as much as the people out front. You can see their dedication in everything they do. Now, I didn't mention it to Sam on my debut visit, but I *do* wish that he would bring his delicious Sunday Pork Gravy entree to the new location. Although, my waistline would strongly disagree. The interior seats about 50, with another 10 tables or so set around a fountain on the patio.... a perfect spot to wind down your day or kick off your night. Welcome to the neighborhood, Sam, Skip, Nick, Matt, and the entire Viaggio family!
(5)Michael S.
Great place to eat but poor acoustics due to the room dimensions. Food and service are great otherwise. Nice location too just off LSD.
(4)Ben G.
This place really has it all. A good outdoor patio and a great ambiance inside. This is my favorite Italian restaurant I've ever been to. The owner was very nice. The waiter could not have been better. The food was simply exceptional. The bread was also perfect. Go there and you won't be disappointed!
(5)Danny W.
If it was cloudy with a chance of these meatballs I'd want it to rain every single day! The rave reviews of these puppies don't even do them justice. They're like a Kuma's burger and a Gibson's steak made a baby and that baby was beat with a delicious stick it's whole childhood then grew up to be served next to perfectly cooked pasta. Order them with the vodka sauce and it will ruin almost all other Italian places around town for you. Other highlights are the complimentary sauteed peppers they serve as an appetizer and the spicy seafood pasta that's littered with shrimp, mussels, and calamari. This place really is as good as it's reviews suggest and I've only explored a small portion of the menu. Service is stellar and all the staff has that old school Italian attitude that ensures authenticity and a great night out. If you've never been to either Viaggio than you're taste buds should be mad at you.
(5)Joelle P.
Anthony Bourdain said, "Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life." There is quite a bit of explanation after that opening sentence but he basically mused that if your company or atmosphere is particularly amazing, food tastes "a hell of a lot better" than it really is. Well, I completely agree. That being said, even if I had dined with my arch nemesis, I would still have been in love with those meatballs, the pasta, the meatballs, the seafood, the meatballs, the waiter, the meatballs, the owner, the meatballs, and the general attitude and atmosphere of the place. Oh yeah, and the meatballs. For starters, (I assume it was) the owner was every fantasy I've had about an Italian lover realized - that hair, his dress, his speech...I could go on and on - and he was probably in his 50s...what can I say, I appreciate older men, especially one with an accent. And watching him interact with the patrons sitting at the bar made me feel privy to something special...like I was living in a film set. And our waiter was such a doll. I kept thinking the whole night, "Is his accent real?," "Do people really talk like this in Chicago?," "How does his hair look that good?," "I should move to the north if this is how guys talk...it's so cute!" ...I'm from the south - I only hear southern drawl and twang. In all seriousness though, he tops the better waiters in recent memory, particularly with his recommendations and engaging personality. To top it all off, since I am in no way slighting my company despite that intro, I was even luckier that evening because the hilarious conversation with my dining partner equally matched the greatness of this restaurant. Win - win!
(5)Jenna G.
We had a stellar experience at Viaggio at the Park. We dined there on Valentine's Day, and they definitely performed at a level that we cannot wait to go back! Here's the breakdown: Service: The service was really what won us over. Everything from the valet workers, to the bussers, to our waiter - EVERYONE was just incredible. We were visited by the manager, who dropped off some hershey's kisses at the end of our meal. It was the perfect touch to a wonderful evening. And as a bonus, all the ladies received long-stemmed roses for the night. Food: We split the meatballs for an appetizer, and had the dover sole and scallop/lobster risotto for our main dishes. We ended the evening with tiramisu. The portions were very plentiful - we certainly did not leave hungry!! The food was very good - next time I'm going to try one of their basic Italian pasta dishes to see how it fairs. The sole and risotto were both specials, so that ran our tab up quite a bit, and our total for the food and 1 glass of wine came to about $150. But had we ordered regular dishes off the menu, it would have probably come closer to $90-$100. Ambiance: Towards the end of our meal, we were serenaded by a wonderful opera singer, and from what I understand, this is a regular occurrence and not just something for Valentine's Day. We dressed casually and felt very comfortable. But had we wore cocktail attire we would have felt fine as well. It definitely is an in-between kind of feel. Overall: Overall, the food the good/great, but the service brought what might have been a 4 star review up to a 5 star review. We can't wait to go back and try some other dishes!
(5)Benjamin D.
Four and a half. This place was invented for having the "perfect date" so take your girlfriend and I promise she will love it. The space and food are excellent, the service is great and the tenor who sings for a few minutes at 8PM and 9 PM (on the weekends) is a nice little touch too. We ordered the following: Eggplant Stack (Unreal) Meatball Salad (great) Linguini With Clams (fantastic and amazing as a left-over on the stove top the next day) Eight-Finger Cavatelli with added sausage (perfect sauce but next time i'll switch the pasta to penne because the portions on everything are massive and the Cavatelli is super heavy) The Tiramisu (wow just wow) and one cannoli (best filling i've ever had in one). I also got to speak with the owner for a few minutes while we waited for the valet to pull up our car and he was super friendly. I would highly recommend Viaggo's for you next date night.
(5)Ritu R.
4.75 for Italian comfort food. Not a 5 only bc they don't have a cocktail menu and weren't able to do any non alcoholic concoctions. Superb service. Mushroom and scampi apps were very good! Entrees are large. Good leftovers! We had and loved: Branzino (special) - creamy decadent deliciousness. Eggplant parm w side of tortellini in a cream sauce - so so wow Ravioli special - delish Side of meatballs -omg Tiramisu was extra creamy and perfect. Highly recommended! This location and the west loop live up to the reviews. Food was a 5!!
(4)Chi G.
Between the delicious food and excellent service, you just can't find a better choice for Italian food in the area. Beautiful patio and friendly staff. Don't miss out on experiencing this neighborhood gem!
(5)Jan E.
Adored this restaurant. The meatballs! The (random) meatball salad! The amazing Dover sole! The canoli! (Oh, my - the canoli.) It was love with perfect service. Go. Now.
(5)Joyce C.
We live a couple of buildings down and have been here several times. The food is very good Italian (esp the Eggplant) and they have some nice contemporary specials and apps (pesto-injected burrata with roasted tomatoes was ridiculously good; complimentary roasted peppers and fresh warm bread also fantastic). The patio is outstanding--definitely try to eat out there on a good day. I don't love the interior, it is low-ceilinged and makes me feel like I'm in someone's rehabbed garage. Service has been excellent at each visit, and the owner/manager always comes by to say hi and check on the food. My only concerns are that it seems overpriced for the food by about 40%, and (and this is a big one) they put a ton of RAW garlic hunks in their sauces. Who does that? At least it's in big pieces so you can pull it out, but you always miss some. People! Sautee your garlic!
(4)Will M.
Delicious food and excellent service. I had the special (I think it was called Diablo something) - it was a spicy seafood pasta. Just the right amount of spice for me. A lot of flavors in the dish. The waiter was very good at identifying when we didn't want to be bothered and when to check in on us.
(5)Madonna W.
Best meatballs in Chicago!
(5)Ben B.
Wow! I came here for a celebratory dinner and I had no idea I'd be celebrating the meal. When I was there, the special was basically chicken parmigiana, but made with filet mignon instead of chicken. Oh, damn, that was good! I don't see it on their normal menu, so maybe it's not a regular thing. Chicago has no shortage of great Italian restaurants, but I believe this should be counted among them. Update: I returned and the food was just as good as I remembered. Upon Joelle P's recommendation, I tried the meatballs. You *must* get the meatballs. They come as a side to your pasta, and there are two, about the size of your fist. So... freaking... good. I actually preferred them to my penne with bolognese. Next time, I'm just ordering meatballs. I also loved the eight finger cavatelli. It's a really soft, long noodle pasta. Think jumbo-fat spaghetti. I'm also not a huge fan of the layout of the place. I prefer a darker, cozier environment. This is a little more... I dunno... upscale. Better for a small group of friends than a pair of lovers. Also, they often have an opera singer stroll out and start singing at the top of her lungs. I suppose they think it adds "class," but it grinds all conversation to a dead halt and it's a miracle all the wine glasses don't shatter. I wish they'd 86 her. Still, this place is quickly rising among my ranks of favorite Chicago restaurants!
(4)Gary K.
Outstanding friendly and very attentive service, and the lightly breaded sauté perch (highly recommend) with a lite lemon cream sauce with green beans & garlic mashed potatoes was delicious. Lively crowd enjoying the live music and Chicago Blackhawk's hockey game in the bar area. The special meatball salad, Italian bread with olive oil & grated parmesan cheese, baked clams appetizer, sweet peppers, Burrata cheese appetizer, and Veal Oscar (veal sauté with chunks of crab & hollandaise sauce) & asparagus were also scrumptious. From large salads to pasta to veal dishes available.... extensive traditional Italian menu with some unique menu options.
(5)Anya D.
I came here as "Dads Choice" for restaurant week with the idea to try something totally new. We ended up ordering off the regular menu because the items were just too good to pass up. We started off with the fried calamari -- crispy, fresh, delicious way to start our meal. For dinner I had the special of scallops over linguini with a lemon white wine sauce. Holy f-ing scallops. Those had to have been some of the best, most fresh, most tender and perfectly cooked scallops I have ever had. My dad had the linguini with freshly shucked clams and he loved it as well. The service was great, the owner was friendly and welcoming and our waiter suggested a perfectly paired wine for our dishes that complimented everything. The crowd does run a little on the older side, but that just means its nice and quite and homey. A great hidden gem and I cant wait to go back.
(5)Jay R.
Molto Bene!!! The search has ended I have found my new go to Italian restaurant!! Viaggio offers great food, service and a entertaining place to enjoy a evening. Once seated we were served warm bread, olive oil and roasted peppers which served as some good nibblers to enjoy while we had a cocktail and perused the menu. For apps we started with the grilled seafood plate which included shrimp,calamari and octopus it was cooked perfectly and came with a lick the plate clean worthy dressing. We also had the buffalo mozzarella and roasted tomato app, I am not sure of the exact name but it was a special for the day, and it was special. The lobe of mozzarella was creaming and tasting as good as I had when I was in Italy. The small cherry tomatoes where roasted until almost bursting and had a little char on the skins. The dish came with toasted bread to put it all on and a pesto type sauce, it was one of the best dishes I have had in a while. For a entree I had the chicken saltimbocca which came out looking a bit like chicken parm with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, I asked the waiter if this was the veal saltimbocca and he said no that's not on the menu but we can make it for you( I thought I had ordered veal but guess I had ordered chicken.. opps good martinis where the real issue). That being said the dish was fantastic a different preparation then the classic but very good and I could still taste the sage and prosciutto thru the tomato sauce. The dish was large enough to share 2 big boneless chicken breasts that's normally served with mashed potatoes but they subbed pasta for me with no questions. The menu as a whole is great everything looks tasty and it is hard to decide what to eat. Everyone in our party loved their food. Best Italian I have had in a long while. Now here is the funny part about the evening, I felt a bit like I was in the middle of a reality TV show. The host and waiters were super friendly over the top nice and all real characters. The crowd that night was a funny mix including older people you might find retired in Miami, tall model looking women in slinky dresses and a lot of Asian groups. I guess I expected more of a typical Lincoln Park looking crowd. We sat outside and watched everyone parade in and out, then a women in a multicolored sequins skin tight dress shows goes inside and starts singing opera. She sings a while then sits down and eats with her date. After a while she gets up sings again then takes off, it was all very entertaining, fun and a bit odd in a good way. We ate on the patio and the atmosphere was pure city. The patio area is bordered by a attractive rod iron fence with plexiglass to block the sound from the street. It works great you see the cars cruising by but the noise is minimal for such a busy area. Looking up you see towering buildings you are in a canyon of, its a unique and comfortable place to eat. The inside dining area seemed a little loud but might be something you get use to after your ears adjust and you have a glass of wine. Service was great and the prices are fair for what you get. The dishes are all pretty big so share a dish and a app and 2 people can dine pretty economically. I don't know if it's like this every night but I feel like we got a show with dinner. It was fun watching all the interesting customers, employees and all while being in a cool outdoor space with the hustle and bustle of the city going on around us. Show or no show the food is good enough to make Viaggio a great choice for classic Italian.
(5)Diane F.
The food was delicious..especially, the meatball salad, the service impeccable and friendly, and the piano player added to a very enjoyable dining experience..I would highly recommend Viaggio on the Park.
(5)Rosemary S.
Had to go back this last trip to Chicago. Awesome service and let me tell you about the meatball salad; there are no words to describe.....
(5)Jen K.
They squeezed us in at 645 on a Saturday night which was awesome. The service after that was a little slow (took a while to take our drink and app order, didn't tell us the specials they had until after they took our app order, and then we sat after we ate our app for a good 20 min before they took our food order). The food we got (veal oscar and pepper steak, which was on special) were both AMAZING. Got the beef carpaccio for an app and it was good, although I wouldn't say worth the price, and I wish we knew about the mussel special beforehand because we would have ordered that. I'll definitely go back when we have more time to sit and relax... so probably when it gets nicer out because they have a great patio.
(4)Jacqueline R.
What a true amazing experience! Delicious food and great service! The meatball salad is a must try!!! Yum!!!
(5)Paula C.
This place is terrific! Cozy atmosphere, delicious food, very personable owner and, as a surprise, opera/classical singers who sing a couple tunes at 8 and 9 on Friday and Saturday nights....loved everything about it!
(5)Jessica R.
Great service, below average food. I had the filet - it was very dry and overlooked. My fiancée had the lake perch - had quite a few bones.
(2)Frank B.
The food has to be mentioned as the best thing about this place, which is unfair to the staff. A gentleman of a matradee leads a personable, professional staff in a perfect dining experience. My favorite is stopping in for a pure blessing and an appetizer at the bar: (The dirty martini) - It's so good that I don't even like martini's and I crave one of theirs once a week. Not to mention the gal bar tending is always fun to catch up with.
(5)Grace C.
Meatball salad. Get it. Food here is a 4, however their customer service from staff and management bumps it up to a 5. Food was great. I got the salmon entree~ it was delish. But once again, I came here mainly for their meatball salad. I'd recommend getting that for sure if you are dining at this restaurant. I'd go back for that.
(5)Lele W.
My husband and I had dinner at Viaggio last Saturday. I chose it based on its proximity to the Greenhouse Theater, where we had tickets for a show later that evening, and the Yelp reviews. We had a *great* experience. I don't know why that one individual dinged it for not having a "fine restaurant" ambience; I don't think they promote themselves as a competitor to Spiaggia. We thought it had a great, neighborhood-y vibe in a nice, old building - very casual and comfortable. We live in River North and our usual, go-to Italian place is Volare (Grand & St. Clair). Although that's a more cozy environment, it's also very popular with the tourist crowd (no surprise given it's location); it was nice to be out of that mix for a change. Can't say enough about our server, Eddie; he was engaging, he was helpful (great call on the Dover sole special - "enough for both of you - maybe get a half-order of pasta on the side"), and he made sure we got out on time to make our theater date. And the food lived up to the service - perfectly prepared sole (de-boned tableside by Eddie) with almond-butter on the side, green beans and garlic mashed potatoes. Yum! (Oh yes, and I am also a big fan of the garlic-and-rosemary olive oil that they serve with the bread.) We will definitely be back (especially now that my husband has discovered the wonders of Divvy).
(4)Angela T.
Great place with really good service and fantastic food! We went on a Friday night and was happily surprised with a live opera singer who sang a few songs--so fun! Intimate setting and can get quite loud, but definitely worth the visit.
(4)Adam J.
I've been to this restaurant close to 10 times now and absolutely love it. My favorite 3 appetizers are the meatball salad, eggplant stack, and delicious traditional sausage and peppers. For dinner I LOVE the chicken Marsala, 10 finger cavatelli, and the Bronzino fish. This is a cute little Italian gem in the heart of LP. I find the drinks to be very generous portions and love the new mugs they use to serve Moscow mule's! I recently tried their cheesecake trio, it was delicious The host, Dave, is a very nice guy and plays the part of a sincere friendly host/owner. All in all viaggio at the park consistently turns out a delicious Italian meal and mgmt cares about their patrons.
(5)Daniel R.
Charming little place just off Clark. Had the tortellini special and bread pudding. Both excellent. Service was great. Only thing keeping it from a 5 was the atmosphere which is a little old school for me, but traditionalists will love.
(4)Fadia k.
the food here is delicious. the bread, olive oil and peppers were a great start to the meal. I did the fedelini with arrabiata sauce and asked them to add shrimp. the sauce was extremely fresh and flavorful. my husband had the chicken parmesan with a side of cheese tortellini alfredo. the cheese tortellini alfredo was sooo good! our service was great and there was also an opera singer who was really talented and super sweet. The only let down was the actual space and setup of the restaurant.
(5)Kelz M.
I can't believe it's taken me this long to try Viaggio At The Park! What a neighborhood treasue! My friend and I stopped in for dinner the other night and, while I tend to avoid Italian restaurants (they're everywhere and I'm over it), I'm so glad I tried this one! The restaurant is warm and cozy - it feels more like you're walking in to have dinner at a friend's house than a commercial eatery. The manager was welcoming in a familiary, "don't I know you?" friendly (but not overbearing) manner, and our server was quick, friendly without being obtrusive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. Speaking of the menu, everything was absolutely delicious!! We had the Oysters Rockefeller (very rich), Eggplant Parmesan (my friend loved it), Brick Chicken (unbelievably juicy without being fatty), and the Spumoni (served in a chocolate shell). All to the tune of $79 - not bad at all! Plus, there were enough leftovers that we had two, complete meals each! Fabulous food and solid value for a great dining experience - you won't regret giving this place a try!
(5)Roger B.
Food and service were great. Highly recommend the meatball salad. Only downside, this was probably the nosiest restaurant I have ever been at.
(4)Rebecca R.
Went here on a Friday night with a friend. Walked in around 8:30 pm without a reservation but they were able to seat us right away. I'd recommend making a reservation beforehand as the place isn't huge.... We shared the burrata cheese appetizer which was delicious! They serve you bread and roasted peppers for free which was a nice change (never had peppers before). For my entree I got the Chicken Saltimbocca. The portion was huge and after the appetizer I couldn't finish it all. The chicken was on the salty side, probably from the prosciutto but it was a little too heavily salted for my taste. The pasta that came with it in the garlic herb and wine sauce was PERFECT though. I coudl have ate a whole bowl of it! Overall a nice restaurant and ambiance. Great for a date. I'll be back!
(4)Anna P.
Delicious food. Great service. There was some random italian man who kept standing up and singing opera which was nice. Only complaint is that its rather small so it can get quite loud rather quickly.
(4)Rosie S.
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(3)Gabriela B.
The food and seating area looked great. However, I felt uncomfortable because of some of the staff. I felt that they treated my partner and I differently because of race. They were unattentive and made us feel like we didn't belong. They were very accommodating to the rest of the patrons. I don't think I will return or recommend this place to anyone. That is quite unfortunate considering the food was good.
(1)Rachel S.
Had dinner here last night - my group had a reservation but they weren't able to seat us on time, so we were offered a round of drinks on the house. Bartender and server were both very friendly and helpful. The food was great, as mentioned in many of the other reviews - one of my personal favorites was the tiramisu!
(5)Seth W.
I went here a couple weeks ago with my Mom when she was in town. Service was top-notch: the waiter was very knowledgable, recommending a wine pairing and helping my mom choose a salad. I got the Italian-Style New York Strip, which was cooked exactly as I ordered it and covered in a delicious, tangy sauce that was spicy but still allowed you to taste the meat. Better yet, we got there at 9:45, and even though the restaurant closed at 11:00 and I wanted a steak, they didn't hurry us, didn't bat an eye at our orders, and were very gracious even though we were the last ones in the restaurant. All in all a great experience. The one thing I would say is that the atmosphere was a bit louder and brighter than I expected, given Yelp's classification of the ambiance as "romantic". This wouldn't be my first choice for a romantic, Italian date--it might be a better choice for dinner with co-workers or clients.
(5)Elizabeth T.
It's over priced for the quality of food. The salad had a lot of dead slimy lettuce in it. The simple ravioli dish you could get in any restaurant had acidic watery sauce. The salmon was over cooked. The service was reasonable. I wouldn't pay that kind of money for that kind of food ever again.
(1)Michael K.
The meatball salad is incredible. The meatballs melt in your mouth. Staff couldn't be better- come here or you're missing out on a top 5 restaurant in Chicago.
(5)Jen O.
A group of friends and I went there last weekend for by birthday. Our server was amazing - very attentive while understanding that this was a celebration of friends. We did the herb infused mozzarella appetizer and it was AMAZING. We also had the lobster ravioli which was divine. Because they knew it was my birthday they also came out with a slice of tiramisu with a candle in it and had the whole restaurant sing to me. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Michelle P.
Loved this place and will definitely be back. Food and service was great! Ordered the filet and it was delicious. Carrot cake for dessert was also amazing! This place is a hidden gem in Lincoln Park.
(5)Evan A.
Very nice ambiance and good service. Food was solid. Definitely worth going. Nice owner too. I'll go back.
(4)Don R.
Like it's sister restaurant on the west side, this is some of the best Italian the a city that has many excellent Italian resotaurants. We start the night with a bottle of some excellent white wine suggested by our waiter and shared the meatball salad. This is a signature dish at both locations and can be beat anywhere. Who would of thought two meatball, a little marinara on top of at bed of lettuce with an excellent italian dress could be this good. It is. My wife an I shared the Dover Sole special which was superb. The waiter boned this huge portion at the table, a side of butter and almonds accompanied the fish. Done to perfection and melted in your mouth as a good Dover Sole should. The atmosphere in the summer here is wounderful. The patio overlooks Linclon Park. What more could you ask for in a great restaurant.
(5)Theresa P.
Service excellent and friendly, FOOD DELICIOUS!!! It is worth turning the corner just a little off of Clark onto Fullerton for this fine Italian food!!!! My shrimp risotto was fantastic!
(5)Michael S.
Great place to eat but poor acoustics due to the room dimensions. Food and service are great otherwise. Nice location too just off LSD.
(4)