Ken A.

Very good food, EXCELLENT service, gotto have the meatball salad!

Arlet M.

Excellente, Marvelous, Splendid!! My husband brought me here for my bday dinner & I absolutely loved it! Our waiter (Nicholas) was the reason our experience here was a 5star. He had great recommendations for us. Patiently went thru the menu with us, Offered us drinks -husband had the Dirty martini & since i can't drink alcoholic beverages because im pregnant- he offered me some non alcoholic beverages right away. He helped us out in ordering for our 2 year old daughter. I myself got the red snapper, very yummmyyy!! Did I mention I don't even like fish like that? Great plate! It came with asparagus & Roasted Potatoes. I forgot what my husband ordered but it was meat cooked over night slowly (very tender) & my daughter had some Penne Pasta with Parmesan & olive oil with a side of Sweet peas. For appetizer we got Fried calamari yum yum ! The complementary peppers that came with the bread was something new, instead of just plain Ol bread & butter ; I absolutely fell in love !!!!!! We ordered carrot cake for dessert, they also have my daughter complementary Ice cream & my husband a drink on the house. They made us feel very welcomed, & despite the fact that waiters kept tripping over my chair (probably since its a small place)- I had a great time & will definitely come back again! Thank u so much viaggio !

Joey B.

I was absolutely happy with Matt our server and Rob who greeted us with total professionalism and well versed on wine and clear as bell on their food. We are happy and will enjoy eating there again:)!!!

Natalie L.

I returned to Viaggio with a proper group of eaters -- my family. The occasion was my mom's birthday and, for the most part, everyone enjoyed their meals. The appetizers (a special caprese dish and the eggplant stack) were really good. I'm not sure we needed both, however, because the entrees were huge and we all left with hefty left overs. My raviolis were great but hubby was not a huge fan of his veal piccata. My aunt had a shrimp special, which was really good. Desserts were good versions of classics and we were able to stave off any singing. The only drawback was that the noise level was pretty high for my grandma. This is a really good go-to option for classic Italian.

Jarrett K.

Awesome food and service from Nick (and staff). We started with the meatball salad (delicious, huge, moist meatballs) and the eggplant stack. 2nd course was a risotto with sausage & peppers, served and consumed family style. For entrees, I had the veal "west loop".... also delicious. Very good portion, covered in a tasty red sauce with spinach & ricotta. To the side was fresh made pasta with a light cream sauce. I was impressed and wish I could have finished it. Others had the mahi special, which they enjoyed.

Pablo S.

If you ever want to go to a restaurant where you can feel that all the stuff is there to serve you and where to enjoy really delicious Italian dishes, Viaggio Ristorante & Lounge is your best bet! I have to say that I went there last week and I ate their famous meatball salad. Trust me, it is definitely the best dish I have ever tasted! My friends ordered all sorts of foods and all of them were tasty, not to mention that the portions were really big! There is also a wide array of drinks you can choose from, and you must try their dirty martini! Viaggio Ristorante & Lounge is the ideal choice for a perfect evening! The stuff is ready to cater to your every need, and you don't have to wait too much for your food to be brought to you. I have to admit that I am planning to go there again this week so I will return with another review on this place.

Chris D.

can't comment on the food because I couldn't get any. placed a to-go order around 6 pm, asked for it to be ready at 9. went in at 9, place was virtually empty, bartender looked at me like I had 3 heads when I said I was there to pick up food. she wandered aimlessly for a while, then went to the (empty) host stand, saw a note taped there (which I guess was my order) and said "Ugh, he never told us about this." no apology, no nothing. then she tried to convince me to "wait 20-25 minutes at the bar" while they cooked it. pass. not sure if it was overall incompetence by the staff, not to be able to do a simple to-go order, or a scam where they intentionally don't cook your food and try to gouge you a little more at the bar first. either way, I left, never to return.

Ramya P.

I don't understand what the hype is all about! We were here with friends on a Friday night and this place was packed. We started off our meal with Zucchini friitters served with a yummy marinara sauce. But it went downhill from there when I looked into the menu and the only veggie options were pasta with one of their sauces. I got the house pasta with arrabiata which was a let down. The pasta with vodka sauce was good but nothing exceptional and so I thought may be its one of those places that excels at cooking the meat perfectly but one of our friends who got a pork dish was pretty disappointed too. May be its just that I have been to too many fabulous Italian restaurants in the city that Viaggio fails meet my expectations.

Paula B.

We went here before a Bulls game and it was a nice change from our usual pre-game dinner in Greek Town. The service was very attentive and the food was amazing. We started with the crab-stuffed shrimp appetizer and it was perfectly cooked. My husband & I split the Eggplant Parmesan and Taylor Street Chicken and everything was cooked to perfection. All of the entrees were served with homemade cheese tortellini in alfredo sauce. I'm usually not a big fan of alfredo sauce, but this one was light and the pasta was perfect.

Lisa B.

Meatballs were delicious! I had the Finger Eight Cavetolli and while it was delicious, the pasta seemed too dough-y for my satisfaction. Definitely enough to share for two people. Wait staff and host seemed very nice and friendly throughout our dining experience.

Otto A.

Arrived at 5:10pm as we had theater @ 7:30, we were second table seated, in 15 minutes the place was packed. Calamari Appitizer rated very good by the table. Meatball salad...warning, they are huge, and the dichotomy between the warm meatballs, red sauce, and cool salad was wondrous...who would have thunk? Veal with lemon & capers (I know, so usual yet I love it!) was great....the others at the table loved their entrees as well. Salmon: Delicious. Sausage pasta: Great Lobster ravioli: lishous Definitely wil return if we have the opportunity. CAVEAT: they have a broken drain pipe or something in the mens washroom leading to a stank that might overwhelm your meal if your in their to long....hold your breath...thus the 4 vs 5. .

David C.

Nice intimate place with a great Italian feel. The orecchiette with sausage and white beans was very good. Wait staff was very attentive.

Mary K.

My husband & I decided to try this restaurant before we hit the Hawks game. Unfortunately they were out of lasagna but the waitress recommended the rigatoni w/pork gravy with a side of meatballs. It did not disappoint and was delicious! She also let us sample a few red wines before we ordered a bottle of it. Excellent service, friendly staff. I'd definitely return here.

Laura B.

Having lived in the neighborhood for years, I never thought to go to this place, but I was craving Italian last night and this place had great reviews, so I gave it a chance. And it completely lived up to expectations! My husband and I had the gnocchi special appetizer, which was phenomenal. It was filled with roasted red pepper, drizzled with olive oil and garlic, and accompanied with chopped asparagus and goat cheese. Best gnocchi I ever had. I also had the Meatball Salad, which got exceptional reviews on Yelp, and was very good. It combines two excellent large meatballs on a bed of romaine lettuce with a delicious Italian dressing. It is the combination of crispy and savory that really makes this a great dish. My husband had penne with sausage - that he also really liked. The waiter was friendly and the service was prompt. Also, the complimentary bread and peppers in olive oil are good too! We will be back!

Vaidehi T.

3 and a half stars!! One of the few times, where I don't agree with the yelp rating. I was expecting the place to blow my socks off... which it didn't. Maybe it is a better experience for meat eaters than for vegetarians. First off, there weren't too many options for vegetarians except for choosing a pasta and a sauce. With 4 vegetarians on the table, we ended up with dishes which tasted almost the same. The best of the lot was the vodka sauce. Our friends ordered the house pasta to go with their sauces and I was not a big fan of their house pasta. It was a little tough and too doughy.

mark g.

I tried Viaggio last night for the first time, and I was not disappointed. The calamari maybe the best in the city, Great baked clams, lamb shank, and veal limone. Even the side pasta with marinara was great. I am guessing this place will get very popular this summer with the outside patio on Fullerton. However, one of the nicest touches was the way we treated. The waiter was friendly and efficient, and the owner came over to greet us and made us feel very welcome. Next time I go back I will try the brick chicken. It looked sensational.

Amanda W.

Had the gnocchi special with sausage. O.M.G. yum. My husband had the ribeye special and said it was one of the best steaks he's ever had. My sister had the portobello ravioli and really enjoyed it. Caprese salad we all shared was fresh and tasty. Service was excellent. Wine was delicious. We will be back.

Lisa S.

Excellent service -- really heads and shoulder above most. Our waiter was very attentive. We were also greeted by the manager at our table. Never had to wait for water or drink refills. Most restaurants could take notes from Viaggio's waitstaff. Food was really good and portions were very generous. I had the eight-finger cavatappi (cavatelli??). At any rate -- very yummy pasta dumplings. Think consistency of gnocchi, but not potato, and long pieces instead. The marinara was quite good as well, but perhaps a touch too salty. My sister's marsala trio special was outstanding. She was very pleased. Mom got pasta with vodka sauce -- also quite good. We all loved our desserts. I had pistachio gelato, mom had the chocolate neopolitan ice cream bomb (so cool!) and my sis had cannoli. The actual restaurant is very cute -- equally perfect for a date or a meal with friends or family. The weather was nice so the front doors and sidewalk tables were open. I am quite sure I'll be back when I'm nearby.

Jane H.

Dined at Viaggio before last night's Blackhawks game. Visited one time previously and they specialized in getting people in and out for the game. Not this time. Sat immediately at table then completely ignored while waiting 15 minutes for my husband. Ordered drinks and dinner quickly once hub arrived...got drinks then waited and waited and waited. Realized the whole room was waiting and in danger of missing start of game! Waiter mostly tried hiding but eventually offered comped drinks (then forgot when bill came) and got our dinners. My pasta was fine but hub's whitefish was badly overcooked. Complained to mgt on way out who said it was a rough night, but no specifics. Don't know if cook called in sick or what, but service was terrible, food mediocre, and management attitude indifferent

Michael N.

This place is all its hyped up to be and more. I saw it a few times on Chicago's Best and Check Please, and decided it was time to stop drooling at the tv and go. What made it even better was Ted from Chicago's Best walked in about 10 minutes after we arrived, as he was having dinner with his wife and son. It was a sign! We had the meatball salad (5 stars) chicken parm (5 stars), pork parm (5 stars), and one of the best sausage and peppers appetizers I've ever eaten. We capped it off with tiramisu which I thought was ok, but that might be because I was so full that I couldn't really appreciate it. To sum it up, this place is awesome.

Lauren G.

Made a reservation and still had to wait about 15 minutes to get seated. I had the salmon and thought it was very dry. The dressing that comes with it does not compliment the tastes. My sister and mom had pasta dishes that they said were good but filling. Service was pretty good once we got seated. The atmosphere is old school italian with frank sinatra singing which is nice if you're looking for that feel. I don't think I'd go back though. There are several other Italian restaurants in the west loop that i would like to try over this one.

Paul K.

Some of the best food and service you could ask for. You can't go wrong here. Wife and I eat here weekly and have NEVER been disappointed.

Francesca G.

The service here was great and that's where "great" ended. We were here with a group of 6 and no one in our group liked what they ate. Bland, burnt and flavorless are the words we used to describe our food. We did not complain, felt bad doing so since the service was so good but none of us will be back.

Chelsy P.

Great old-school Italian find! We've dined in and ordered take-out and they never disappoint. I had to wait on a take-out order, so they offered me a free drink while sitting at the bar and surprised me with free Tiramisu.

Michelle C.

This place is awesome. It couldn't be better. We arrived on a slow night around 9:15 and they had pretty much closed by the time we stepped foot into the restaurant. Because we're from out of town and don't know anything about the different areas in Chicago, and had cabbed there from our hotel, we were worried that we weren't going to find anywhere that would serve us late. Instead of being mad that they couldn't close, the staff assured us that they'd take us for dinner anyway, and immediately seated us. The service was impeccable. Everyone was helpful and kind. I loved everyone working there. And now to the best part--the food. We started with the meatball salad, which everyone recommended on here and damn, it was well worth it. The meatball was the best I've ever had and paired with the greens and the light vinaigrette, it was perfect. When I first heard about this option, I was slightly skeptical, since that's something that I wouldn't normally order. Now, after tasting it, I'm a believer. I'd order it again and again. I had linguine with alfredo sauce and sausage and it was better than any alfredo pasta I ever had in Italy, and I've been several times. The sauce, which they make fresh daily was perfect. My mom got the loop veal (I think it was called that?) and she went crazy. The portions are huge and were were actually sad that we couldn't finish all of our food--it was that freaking good. I'd go here again and again! I LOVE this place. Authentic, delicious italian with amazing service. Couldn't be better.

Carrie P.

We saw Viaggio's on Chicago's Best and had to try their meatball salad. It did not disappoint! Every last thing we had was delicious and the portions were HUGE! The waiter claimed they made an "outstanding" dirty martini and he wasn't wrong. Sign me up for a second. My fiancé ordered the pork chop parmesan. It was nothing we'd ever seen on a menu before. Sure, we've had pork chops and we've had chicken parmesan, but never pork chop parmesan. Well, thank you Viaggio's for introducing this into our lives. A breaded pork chop, covered in red sauce and smothered in cheese with a side of alfredo pasta. Oh my god! Worth every calorie. I had a taste for a hearty pasta dish so I went with the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy ::sigh:: Fabulous! I was speechless. I wasn't expecting huge portions of pork in the gravy and I wasn't expecting the ricotta cheese to go as well as it did. I will be getting it again. No need to try something different. The wait staff was perfect. As with most Italian restaurants, they are very attentive. You get the feeling that they are there for you and want you to enjoy your experience. Now, we don't mind because it feels like you're being well taken care of, but I could see how others looking for a quite dinner might not like it. Easy 5 stars in my book!

Mike M.

This place is a gem. Excellent food, great service, good drinks and easy to get a table. As others have said, the meatball salad is a must try.

Dawne P.

I enjoyed my first visit here. I made a reservation and had no wait upon arrival. The Yelp reviews are right about portion size, I took home leftovers and I eat a lot! I can tell this is a great place because there were several people coming in who appeared to be regulars and didn't even need a menu. Service - The Manager took my coat when I arrived and even though only one of my party of 6 had arrived, he asked if I'd like to be seated at the table anyway or have a drink at the bar. Additionally, a member of our party went to the wrong location and was an hour late. The server kept checking back to see how soon she would arrive and ask if we wanted him to start anything for her (because we started eating). When she did arrive, he was over in about 2 seconds to get her order. Food - Fabulous! The peppers they serve with the bread are scrumptious. We also had the calamari, which was good. Be sure to order your sauce on the side if you don't want wet calamari. I ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara (no mushrooms) and it was delish. However, when I reheated the next day it was too oily. My friend, who is a pretty picky eater, had the Chicken Parmesan and loved it. Oh, and the meatball salad is all it's cracked up to be. Unfortunately, I didn't like the gelato. The pistachio gelato tasted like coffee and didn't have that smooth, creamy gelato texture that I love. The tiramisu was spot on though. I'll be back. Oh, street parking is a little scarce...at least on Friday night. Watch out for permit parking signs on side streets.

Dan S.

This place is great. A local recommended we go there for dinner. It was 3 degrees out so we thought, it better be good. It was! The service was awesome. The waiter was authentic and passionate. Every item he described sounded better than the next. We had the meatball salad as appetizers and a variety of pasta entrees. Each were delicious. If you're looking for a neighborhood gem with great ambiance, friendly service, and delicious food just like Nona used to make, this place won't disappoint.

Aaron R.

From the peppers presented as an appetizer to the tortellini on the side of the eggplant parmesan, everything about the food here was outstanding. The service could not have been friendlier. The Blackhawks game was also on TV's over the bar area.

Jen K.

So my step-mom is Italian & she throws down in the kitchen. So, naturally, I compare all Italian restaurant food to hers. Viaggio comes the closest, especially in the meatball department! They have a Meatball Salad, as an appetizer, which is phenomenal!! It sounds strange & I too was skeptical. But, it is surprisingly delicious. I finding myself craving it, as I type this review. The staff is extremely helpful and appropriately chatty. They are knowledgeable about the entire menu & offer great suggestions. I originally wanted to check out this place, after seeing them featured on Check Please. I will return over and over.

Rick T.

Now we're talking! I fell in love with Viaggio last December, shortly before it was featured on a local TV dining show. I can't stop raving about it! How many "family owned" Italian places have you been to that leave you thinking that the "family" who founded the restaurant must be rolling over in their graves? Not at Viaggio. The family is on-site, very much alive and TCB! Must-haves: Meatball salad ($10). This was described by our energetic and helpful waiter, Michael, as "what's left on your plate as you get to the end of dinner at grandma's house: some meat, some salad, a little sauce." Probably not the most appealing thought, but we decided to dive in based on his promise that "if you don't like it, I'll pay for it." We loved it! Rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy ($16. About a dollar a pound in my estimation! Lol!). Nope, it's not a gravy. It's a delicious red sauce made of San Marzano tomatoes and giant pieces of pork that have been slow-cooked all day. A generous dollop of Ricotta cheese is the finishing touch on this outstanding--and enormous--dish! Not quite as good in my book, was the cavatellis shrimp & broccoli ($24), which seemed under-flavored and over cooked to me. That said, this dish was ordered by my dining companion and he loved every bite. Viaggio is a bit out of the way--unless you're heading to a game at United Center--but the experience is worth every extra step you take to get there!

Jim K.

Service and food is great. Meatball salad, shrimp stuffed with crab, green peppers in olive oil...and that is just to get started. A great dinner before an event at the UC. Everyone was very friendly when came back to pick up our car from valet.

Klevin L.

Excellent Near West Side Italian restaurant. Ambience is a cross of modern, refined formality and homely, early-1900s Italian American. As for the food, I had the veal milanese, which was breaded to just the right amount such that the original flavor of the veal was preserved and augmented by the breading. The mashed potatoes were also heavenly and cooked to the perfect texture. The prices are reasonable, especially for a restaurant of this caliber. Service is superb. The staff is cordial and friendly. If you're looking for a fancy restaurant before you make your way to the United Center or want a solid, reasonably-priced, Italian dinner, make the viaggio to Viaggio.

DeAnna P.

Didn't live up to the hype. Service was good, but nothing spectacular. Our server seemed irritated with us that we only wanted water, no alcohol. The Veal Viaggio was very tasty, but $24 seemed a bit high for the portion size. I did not care for the lasagna. This will sound weird, but there was TOO MUCH CHEESE. Usually, I would say that is not possible. However, the meat and sauce were tasty. The lasagna noodles were thin and perfect. The vast, VAST amount of cheese overwhelmed everything. A shame.

Ann J.

Disappointed... We tried the fromage fritti appetizer and it was very good. We also tried the mussels in a red sauce. This item was a special. I thought it was really good, but my boyfriend was on the fence. They also bring out bread, peppers, cheese, olive oil, butter, and crushed red pepper. However, the butter, cheese, olive oil, and crushed red pepper came out AFTER we finished the bread and peppers. It took over 30 minutes for our appetizers to come out. The place was about half full at the time. To my dismay, our entrees came out about 7 minutes later. The food runner said he would put it under the heat lamp until we are ready. Um... What?! I ordered a veal chop - rare. There is no way it will still be rare by the time you bring it back out. In fact, I believe they tried to serve me the same veal chop. I didn't even have to cut into it to see that it was well done. The waiter had been continuously apologetic, which I appreciated. I let him know that I did not blame him. I said I no longer wanted the entree and would just have some of my bf's food. He had the Sunday gravy rigatoni entree, which was good. I didn't find it something to rave about though. About 5 minutes later, the food runner comes out with another veal chop. Huh? I cancelled that... The waiter apologizes again, saying things must have gotten lost in translation. He did however give us a couple of meatballs to try and bought us dessert. The name of our server was Joe. And, he was really great. Very informative and professional. For this reason, I promised to give Viaggio another try.

Niel O.

Fantastic! The chicken and pork sausage app was delicious. Service was excellent. The atmosphere is very nice especially on a perfect summer. If you're in the area make this a place to stop for dinner.

Rachael S.

Consistently great food and service in the West loop. Thank goodness for their carrot cake!

Lindsay A.

Had a great experience at Viaggio on Saturday night. I called to see if they could fit us in, and they just had a cancellation. We booked over and were promptly seated. I had a hankerin' for a pork chop, and my husband wanted something meaty as well. We ordered the calamari appetizer which was AWESOME. It comes tossed with their red sauce and is just so, so good. For dinner I had the pork chop italian, which sounds a little boring on the menu, but is so great and full of flavor, I HIGHLY recommend it. My husband had an awesome short rib and polenta special that was also great. Service was prompt and attentive, and our server Ugo was really great. We will DEFINITELY be back!

J P.

Great neighborhood Italian joint. The meatball salad is a the first menu item and a must-order. Our group had four and they served it family style. All specials were deserved of attention, with their pork gravy over pasta enough for the entire familia. The jerseys of Blackhawk legends completed the local experience. Grazi.

Pascal M.

Had a great time here with some family as a group of 6 of us wined and dined at this great classic Italian restaurant. We had some drinks at the bar while we waited for our table to get ready. The bar keep made a solid old fashioned and poured a GREAT glass of wine!!! We munched on their Shrimp Dakota while we waited for our table, wow were they good. We had to order an extra appetizer at the table. Plus their mussels which are always a hit. I had their Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. That sounded like a dish their recognized for. It was delicious and it was nice to be served instead of laboring all day over something like this. My girl got the lasagna, yeah...no complaints there. Service and ambiance are great, wine selection is impressive too. Although don't quote me, I'm not a big wine enthusiast. Beer on the other hand?!?!? I'd like to come back here and try their chops, veal, marsalas, and desserts. Viaggio Ristorante is a clear winner for anyone looking for great Italian cuisine.

John G.

I stopped in here for lunch with a client and the experience was wonderful. When I can make it there for dinner, I will!

Chris K.

Do yourself a favor - go to Viaggio and get the meatball salad. We have been here twice and have had superb meals both times. If you are a seafood lover, this is a restaurant where you can trust the fish dishes. I had a Mediterranean sea bass that was outstanding. The only complaint we have is small - they do call and email a lot to confirm reservations. And the wine list actually had six wines unavailable. But those are tiny concerns compared to the quality of the food and the excellent service. There are many great Italian restaurants in Chicago - this one is a cut above!

Ryan B.

Great place for a bowl of pasta. Quickly became my go-to. I ate there 1+ times a week usually and loved it. I always brought my out of town guests there as well because the service is excellent. I am desperately searching for my "Viaggios" in San Jose but haven't found it yet.

Shradha A.

I was recommended this restaurant quite a whiles ago and finally got a chance to check it out last night, not because of a Bulls game at UC but due to a friend's birthday party! The place isn't classy or typical Italian in ambiance but the service was patient for a table for 11 loud celebratory people and the food was decent. The rigatoni in vodka sauce was quite creamy, but good for preparing for a night out! The bruschetta was good too but my friends tell me that the highlight of the night was their calamari! I was a little amused, I must say, by the garden chairs appointed to some of the tables in the back of the room!

Lyndsey C.

Great food, ambience, and service.

Francesca L.

Had our monthly girls dinner at Viaggio a few weeks ago! We were all in the mood for some hearty comfort food (we are Italian so pasta is the only comfort we know). The food was phenomenal! I wanted to try something different but was dying for some chicken parm and pasta so opted for that. It was delish!! Can't wait to go back.

James L.

Put your self in this situation. A good friend from out of town wants to go to "typical Italian Chicago neighborhood restaurant." This is that place. The service is fast, prompt, extremely knowledgeable. The food is hearty, meaty, full of flavor. If your looking for a light meal in the words of our waiter "Fu** off somewhere else" This place is perfect for a pregame or post basket ball game (any Chicagoan would know that the United Center is only a couple of blocks away) Screw all the reviews below. TWO WORDS: MEATBALL SALAD! "Money back guarantee" Its enough to feed a village, an appetizer for a Chicagoan, or two regular human beings. Main course: Friend had the butterfly tenderized pork chop with red sauce. Amazing. I had clams in red sauce. Off menu. Excellent. Big clams - big flavor and spicy. 2 bottles of reasonably priced Italian wine and your set for a good night on the town!

Allison B.

I'm docking Viaggio down a star because of a recent poor service experience. We brought some special guests to the restaurant with reservations on a Wednesday night. When we arrived, the restaurant was pretty empty but they tried to sit us all the way in the back next to the kitchen entrance. Um...no thank you. So instead we ended up slightly more forward but now sandwiched between two massive event tables. WHY Viaggio? WHY when there were so many empty tables towards the front? Within the next 20 minutes, the group tables next to us filled up quickly. You would have thought it was a United Center event night (it wasn't - we checked). The waiter, busy with the big tables, couldn't be bothered with our tiny foursome the entire meal. He quickly rattled off us the specials, did a drive by with the wine bottle, and hastily took our orders. The group tables were so large that at one point he was yelling out the specials above the din. It made for an interesting atmosphere that's for sure. We were hoping for a relaxing dinner but ended up feeling more like we were at a fast food joint. The food was excellent but we felt so rushed and unappreciated that we won't be bringing guests back here ever again. Hey Viaggio - please treat your guests better. And next time you have so many special event tables, assign one waiter to each one.

Mick J.

Tough not to give 5 stars. From the relaxed manager who let us enjoy our drinks while waiting for the table to the great service from both waiter and support, to the great eggplant app and meatball salad to the flexibility to prepare dishes to fit different likes and dislikes, to delicious veal and chicken dishes, fresh pasta and delicious carrot cake dessert, all is good at Viaggio.

Frank M.

My girlfriend and I travelled to Chicago for a short vacation. So, I looked on Yelp for a highly rated Italian restaurant, and I found Viaggio Ristorante & Lounge. We started off with the meatball salad that they are famous for. It was very good. For the main course I had a veal tortellini (waiter called it a torteluga) dish. It was the richest most flavorful meal that I have ever eaten. I ate so slowly just so I could savor every mouthful. My girlfriend had a clam linguini dish that was also fabulous. We considered going back the next night, and will definitely return there on our next trip to Chicago. The only issue that I had was the fact that I paid $14 for a bottle of beer. I will overlook that just because the food was insanely good.

P A.

Viaggio promises high quality Italian food full of flavor and fresh. We happen to be fan's of traditional spahgetti w/ meatballs - and heard that Viaggio's meatballs were some of the finest. This is true - the meatballs were pretty excellent, the pasta.....pretty great, but we agreed, STILL doesn't beat Club Lucky (see previous review) On a high note, this spahgetti was served SOOOOO HOOOOOTTTTT, the steam just wouldn't stop!! The meatballs were EXCELLENT. Attached a photo of the "Caprese Salad" , very fresh and great with a cocktail while you wait. I also had a French Martini, but sorry - too small. Greeted with a genuine smile at the door, food service waiter passionate about his daily specials and a little too casual otherwise. Prices higher than Club Lucky and food a notch below. Buena Sera

Carol K.

Tucked away at the far west end of Madison Street (right next door to WestEnd bar which I kind of use as my yardstick to the end of most of the bars and restaurants along that stretch) is Viaggio. How this place has slipped by me for so many years is a mystery? If you have an event at the United Center- these folks know how to get you in and out. And even better- if you are just looking to linger over a glass of wine and some great Italian food, it's a great choice even on those nights where you don't have to go anywhere. Casual, comfortable and cozy, Viaggio took care of us from the moment I got out of my car. It must be my week for friendly valets because this guy was so nice and pleasant, I was happy to spend $10 parking with him versus driving around on this freezing night looking for street parking which is usually available in the area. We sat at the bar to have a drink before dining but the bartender, John, was such a nice guy, we decided to eat there as well. It was the right choice as service was spot on. I started with the house salad- a little mundane so I suggest you go for one of the different starters like the meatball salad or the spinach salad. But my entree made up for it two times over! The rigatoni with pork gravy that was served with a scoop of ricotta cheese was amazing! The portion was huge so I barely made a dent in it and it was good the next night as well. The large pieces of tender pork just pulled apart with your fork, and the "Gravy" was a garlicky sauce that complemented the dish perfectly. Couple that with the fresh bread and peppers with oil and this was quite the meal! I am going to have to go back as I want to try the 8 finger cavatelli and the spaghetti carbonara. Dinner for two with drinks ran about $85- a fair price for the quantity and quality of the food that you get. A perfect date place or to catch up with friends, this small cozy Italian eatery will soon become a favorite of yours. I know it was an instant hit with me!

Rachel L.

Hands down the best Italian in Chicago. I went here for the first time over a year ago after hearing something about a meatball salad I should try. I had that (absolutely delicious!), the risotto (which isn't even on the menu, but they always are willing to whip it up for me if they have leftover in the kitchen), and the chocolate covered spumanti. And a glass or two of wine. I was hooked immediately. I have probably been back at least 10 times since my original visit, and it's just as good every time. Super nice service, too! I usually end up sitting at the bar to eat, and the two bartenders who are usually working... can't remember names, but I want to say John and his wife... are such a pleasure. I take family when in town, I take friends who haven't been before, and everyone always walks away with the same opinion: amazing.

Anuj S.

We went here for Valentine's Day and we really had a great time. I would say they messed up on the service just a bit; didn't bring out any bread... and we waited forever for everything. It's probably because they were crazy busy and it was V-Day. The waiter himself was a nice guy and tried to crack jokes and was helpful in suggesting entrees and so forth. To start we got this great chianti. Great start to the night. We waited and waited for our food. At some point we had to ask if they usually brought out bread. They apologized and brought us some. I think at that point we were so hungry and we totally chowed down on the bread. It was good. The roasted bell peppers in olive oil were good, but I would have preferred olive oil with parmesan cheese or just butter. For the entrees, we ordered and shared the eggplant parmesan and penne vodka. The penne vodka was one of the best I've ever had. The eggplant was good. Oh, they did have this side of pasta with the parm which was AWESOME. It was like this stuffed tortellini or something with an Alfredo sauce. It was outstanding. I'd definitely go back to Viaggio. It is one of my favorite Italian places based on the food. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt for the mediocre service. The pastas make it worth it. I'm optimistic that next time will be better. One question I have for them is why do they charge for coke refills? That's kind of strange in this day and age.

Joy E.

Very romantic and wonderful restaurant! We brought our whole family here for a special event dinner. The food was enormous! e ordered way too many appetizers... BUt the dishes were all incredible! We has a great server, {gentleman with the shaved head, he also works at Carsons} He paid perfect attention to our table, and met all of our dietary restrictions and alterations! He recommended the meatball salad, it was sooooo awesome! The best dish was my carbonara..OH. MY. GOOOD!!! I was so impressed with this carbonara, I would return just for that dish!!! Our large group had a great time, reservations are essential, the place is packed on the any night!!!

DZ A.

It must have been the night we were there. We had dinner reservations and stopped in before attending an event at the United Center. Our table was a card table with folding chairs. Two very large parties dominated the small back room. Food was eatable, but served COLD. I had the fish special, if I wanted COLD fish I would have order Sushi. Overall a HUGE disappointment. Will not be recommending or visiting again.

Alex D.

Fantastic spot. You can close your eyes and point to something on the menu and be more than satisfied. Great service as well.

Russ K.

Read so many wonderful reviews about the food and service...had to give the place a try...went there tonight and the place was empty...two of the twenty tables had patrons...six of twenty bar stools full. I went to sit down at the bar and was told that the seat was reserved...all the bar seats were reserved, in fact. I turned around and glanced at the empty restaurant and said how about a table? Nope. I stood at the front door for about five minutes...perplexed...watching the wonderful wait staff I read about ignore me...and I finally left. Guess ill never know about the food...but I'll give it two stars because it looked nice. So, if you want to give this place a try , I guess you need reservations...even if you want to just sit at the bar.

Peter g.

There is really only 1 thing I can say I was not impressed by on my first visit to this little gem. Were it of any significance consequence, this review would be glowing but might cost a star, but all I can say is this 5 star is not a gift in any way, they earned it. If you have not tried this Ristorante, what in God's Green Earth are you waiting for??? The ambiance is not as small as 1 review indicates, this is actually comfortable by city standards, and in some cases quite roomy comes to mind. The waiter was very outgoing, friendly and just as robusto as some of the menu choices. They served the cooked peppers right away without asking, and it was quite tasty. When we said we had never been here and read a lot about the meatball salad, he offered that we had to try it, hands down a favorite of the palce. We were a little skeptical but he said if we did not like it he would not charge us for it. We ate our words, and every last bite. It was so very unique and tasty I was surprised that such a strange combo could tast this good, cold salad mixed with a little dressing, a red sauce and meatball, which was awesome by the way. Dinner did not dissapoint at all, I had the marsala and my date had the carbonara, and some out of this world dense flour-less chocolate cake for dessert. Any itialian place should do these 2 dishes very well, but these were really old world great! This place is a MUST try. My 1 issue was the bread at first, very crusty but not in a good way, other then that, for me, this will be a MUST re-visit!

Mike L.

My girlfriend and I both experienced food poisoning after visitng Viaggo. More information below. After reading all the reviews about Viaggio, I was super excited to go there (albeit with an expectation of great food and bad service). I was pleasantly surprised that our server was awesome. Not only was he very attentative and courteous, but he also helped us place a special order for a Seafood Diablo. We ordered the meatball salad to start, the aforementioned Seafood Diablo, and the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. However, that is where our pleasant experience ended. As for the much acclaimed meatballs, my girlfriend and I were underwelmed. While they were very tasty, they are not in the same class as the ones served by Lavo. I was expecting a meatball that is delicious and savory served in an incredible marinara sauce that you need to savor by dipping bread in over and over again. The meatballs at Viaggio were far from the quality I was expecting based on the rave reviews. If you have ever been to Lavo, then you know what I'm talking about. As for the entrees, the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork was tasty, but the pasta did not taste like it was "home made" and the pork was slightly overcooked. That said, I thought that the sauce was good, not great. As for the Seafood Diablo, it was a disaster. First, the seafood was overcooked and rubbery. Second, the sauce was a strange bisque-like sauce. Finally, it was bland. When we had it sent back for some added spice, the kitchen responded by flashing it in a pan with an excessive amount of red pepper flakes. My girlfriend ended up vomitting several times later in the night from it. I took a small bite to taste it and later suffered from extreme stomach pain and diarrhea. Safe to say, we will never return to Viaggio again. Despite all the comments above, I still want to reiterate that the service was very good. I appreciated that the server helped us grab a cab, but food quality is the reason you go to a restaurant. In terms of food quality, Viaggio is underwhelming and unmemorable. If you have a chance, go to Lavo to experience a better Italian meal.

Landa D.

One word... "MAGNIFICO!!!!!!" This restaurant lives up to its raving reviews. And then some. The ambience was cozy and inviting, and we were greeted warmly by the staff. Our server, Michael, did an excellent job of making sure our needs were met. We were constantly asked by the staff if everything was okay...ooooh so rare...we loved it. Now For The Food... The marinated, roasted peppers in olive oil...OMG... I almost embarrassed myself. I demolished it. It was soooo good. And, I don't even like peppers. I had the chicken parmesan. Excellent. My b/f had the red snapper, topped with crab meat, and served with angel hair pasta. He's Hooked. The food was superb and the portions were more than sufficient. We took leftovers home. It was just as good the next day!! Not only will we be back, we have already decided what we will order. We will definitely be regulars.

Liz M.

BEST.ITALIAN.EVER. I can't go to an Italian restaurant without comparing it to Viaggio's I'm sure you've all seen the many specials about this place on TV. It's been on Check Please, Chicago's Best, and countless others. There's a reason for that... it's THAT good. I've been here several times, even before all the hype. Viaggio's looks like an unassuming place from the outside, but once you've experienced it... you'll never think about it the same again. The guys that run the host stand are so great. They always welcome you so warmly. Mike is by far the best waiter I have EVER had. EVER. I request him every time I go. Great personality, always makes you feel like a VIP, and he always has the best recommendations- wine and food. I absolutely love this guy! The food is phenomenal. Huge portions, plan on leftovers. Must have the meatball salad. Who would have thought that a bed of romaine lettuce topped with a meatball and a generous portion of tomato sauce would be so rock your world good. OMG. Veal Marsala- whoa. Just whoa. Chicken West Loop- sounds like nothing special, but its melt in your mouth amazing deliciousness. Pork Chop Parm- the pork is pounded thin and it's so tender you would swear it was veal. Amaze. Pasta with Vodka Sauce- mmmm. Creamy amazing. Tortellini with Alfredo sauce- I can't get enough. I always get it as a side with my entree, and it's never enough. Red Snapper- I don't even like fish and I liked this. It literally melted in your mouth. Mike recommended having it over pasta instead of the veggies and potatoes and once again, he was spot on. So good. Tarimisu- even though I'm always so full, I can make a little more room for this. Yumm-o Chocolate lava cake- chocolate heaven. So... really, stop reading and GO! You won't regret it!!!

Daniel S.

This is one of the best Italian spots in Chicago. Pricing is a bit on the high side for pasta, but nothing too crazy high. The meatball salad appetizer is a great starter. Anything from 'create your own pasta' dish to the main prepared entrees are great. A great spot to go for Italian in Chicago. Addendum after additional visits: friendly service, good specials, good sizes of entrees. worth a visit.

Andrew Y.

Friendly family atmosphere. Family style at the table. Huge portions. Homemade pasta. All amazing. Meatballs with romaine salad is what it sounds like, but the meatballs are gigantic. I don't remember what I had, but I'm pretty sure I had something off the menu. It was great.

Melanie S.

3.5 stars. I had such high hopes for Viaggio, especially after a not-so-stellar dinner the previous evening, as well as the fantastic reviews this place has gotten thus far. Getting a reservation was no problem, and I even noted that if you mention 'Yelp', you can score a free appetizer with the purchase of 2 entrees. Yahoo! After reading all the raves about the Rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy and the fact that my friend was carb loading for a run the following day, this was one dish we knew we couldn't fail to order. The server came over, gave us menus, and went over the specials for the evening. This is when I had to be kind of douchey and mention the free appetizer offer. I hate doing that; but in the name of free food, one has to shame one's self occasionally. The menu is a bit overwhelming. A lot of places let you order half sizes of pasta, but there was no mention of this on the menu and it impeded ordering the rest of our selections. We weren't really sure what appetizer we were to be given as our "freebie", so after asking our server, we were told it was a choice between the calamari or the meatball salad. Since we would be ordering meatballs with our pasta, it only made sense to go with the calamari. We ordered that and went about perusing the rest of the menu. I'm glad we asked our server about half portions. He seemed hesitant but said they could do it but also reminded us that we had to order two entrees to receive the free appetizer. Clearly he hadn't met the two girls with big appetites before. We only asked about the half sizes so we could augment our already huge order. The calamari came and I was surprised it came with sauce liberally poured all over it. My fault - I should have read the menu description more carefully. I love fried calamari, but the sauce definitely belonged on the side as it made the calamari lose all its crispness. It was still good, although a couple of pieces were chewier than I'd like. We finally narrowed down our choices for our main courses: spaghetti and meatballs for my friend, eggplant parmagiana for me, as well as the half-order of the much-lauded rigatoni. The food arrived and it was just an obscene amount of food. Even for us. It was all very good. Not the best I've had, but certainly tasty. I like their marinara sauce and that it was nice and chunky with tomatoes. It had really good flavor. The meatballs were take-it-or-leave-it for me, and my friend concurred. I didn't care for their texture; too many breadcrumbs, which made them a tad bland. My eggplant was as good as any I've had, but I thought the side of pasta that came with it was entirely too rich - it was cheese tortellini in an alfredo sauce. Way too heavy; I'd have preferred a simple side of penne with marinara; it just overwhelmed the dish for me. The rigatoni was good but neither of us was expecting such big chunks of pork in the sauce. I expected it to be cooked with pork for flavor, but to have so many stringy pieces in there sort of killed it for me. I was told by Dan G that their desserts weren't anything too splurgeworthy, and we were quite full and didn't save room anyway, so I can't comment on their after-dinner offerings. I wasn't blown away, but maybe I just didn't order the right thing, so I will go back another time and try other things.

Gabi M.

Wow... what a pleasant surprise! We stumbled upon this restaurant after the Elite Event at West Loop Studios after we were told that the kitchen at the bar next door was closed. I was with Andrea R and we were both pretty hungry since we'd only eaten a few bites of appetizers at the event. The atmosphere at Viaggio was extremely warm and welcoming. The hostess sat us right away and ice waters were brought out as well as a basket of warm, fresh bread and some grilled peppers in oil - delicious by the way! We inquired about getting the calamari appetizer grilled instead of fried and they said this was not possible because the breading was already on the calamari. Oh well! We went ahead and ordered an eggplant appetizer as well as an order of the meatballs with romaine salad. Uh oh - the waiter came back to apologize but they were out of meatballs! Andrea then ordered the tilapia instead. Next thing we knew we were served a complimentary Fried Eggplant Appetizer - wow... it was delicious! It came mixed with a fresh tomato sauce... just enough spice and peppers were mixed into it. I highly recommend it if you like calamari! I cleaned the plate that my eggplant stack came on... it was a huge portion too! Eggplant stacked with fresh mozzarella, tomato, arugula, and the best balsamic ever! Andrea's tilapia was not so bad either... i had a bite myself to make sure! It came with mashed potatoes and some shrimp along with a tomato sauce. I guess Viaggio likes tomato sauce since everything we tried had it! We were so full, we had to pass on dessert but when the waiter started telling us about the options, they sounded good. It was after 10pm when we were there, and there were a few couples dining in the restaurant at the same time. Service was friendly, attentive, and awesome. I would return for sure! For a restaurant that's been open only since this past April, they are doing something right. Go enjoy a meal at Viaggio with a friend, a date, or even solo... bon appetito!

Tony J.

Perfect in every way! I've eaten here several times with my wife and we've never had a bad experience!

Holly L.

Delicious. Everything we ordered. Zucchini appy, my eggplant parm and hubby said his chicy parm was perfect. Great crusty bread. Couldn't be better. We will definitely will be back.

Katherine M.

Positives: generous portions nice veal variety of sauces excellent starters (good value) most of the pasta dishes tasty & classy atmosphere Negatives: It can be hard to get a table or a table in a nice spot can get very loud and busy I dont like sitting by the door or the kitchen...noise volume is exponential. One of the better Italian places in Chicago otherwise.

Shivani S.

I live in Streeterville and I've pretty much dined at every restaurant in the area. I was looking for a last minute dinner destination and came across this little gem! I ordered the mixed green salad and the eight finger cavatelli. The salad was pretty good, generous portion for starter/appetizer salad. The cavatelli was out of this world! The sauce was heavenly. My mouth waters when I think of the dish I had here... Worth the trip, you won't be disappointed. If you're a fan of pasta (or gnocchi), you MUST try the eight finger cavatelli! Being vegetarian, I was very happy with all the options available.

Jackie B.

We went there today for lunch and my boyfriends and I built our own pasta dishes and we each got a caprese salad, and ended with cannoli. The bread with the oil and Parmesan so start with was awesome! Caprese salad was great, seasoned perfect. I got fettuccine with Alfredo sauce and added sausage an it was probably the best Alfredo sauce I've ever had. He got the penne pasta with bolognese sauce and sausage and I tried a bite of his and it was delicious also, reminded me of my Nana's Italian meat sauce. The cannoli was perfect I had him try it for the first time and he was surprised he liked it. They were very friendly and helped with any questions about the menu. The prices were really good too. I will be returning!

Kate A.

This place is awesome. A nice restaurant nestled in this part of town. All of the hosts were incredibly nice, the wine recommendations were excellent, the food was reasonably priced (the lobster ravoli were maaaaavelous) and the ambiance was really nice - not too loud but not awkwardly quiet. I am really impressed with all the staff at the restaurant and I'm looking forward to dining again.

Noor B.

The food & service was great. Being relatively new to the area, I've relied heavily on Yelp reviews to find places worth trying out. The reviews for this place definitely hit the nail on the head. After going, I also found out this place had been on "Check Please!"- bonus! Our order consisted of; Prosecco splits- It was Kolby and my anniversary after all! Bruschetta- Good, but not the best I ever had Meatballs with Romaine Salad- truly amazing and 100% worth trying Veal "West Loop"- Took-my-breath-away delicious. The veal was tender and the toppings complimented it perfectly. Eight Finger Cavatelli with meatballs- In Kolby's words "gushy" in a good way. And the meatballs were so good he ordered them as an app and entree. Our server was superb. Very attentive and provided excellent recommendations. Also, since it was our anniversary, he kindly comp'd one of the rounds to Prosecco. Overall, can't wait to go back!

Seth M.

Viaggio's is a place where you feel like family as soon as you enter the door. When the waiter's come up to share the specials it feels as if they are telling a story, and while you might not understand every word they say, it will still sound delicious! MUST HAVES: Eggplant Stack and Meatball Salad. The eggplant stack is layers of thinly fried eggplant sandwiched between fresh mozzarella and topped with arugala, parm, and balsamic. There is a good reason it is the most mentioned item on yelp...ITS AWESOME!! The meatball salad is one of those things that shouldn't be as good as it is, but something about it just works. You get the best meatball you've ever had topped with great tomato sauce and it all get's mixed in with salad. I know I know, your thinking "how could that be good". well it just is, so stop asking questions and enjoy it. I had the chicken marsala and it is the best I've ever had. The sauce has a depth and flavor beyond any other marsala I've had. Also the second best thing about it...you're nearly guaranteed to have lunch the next day. The portions are huuuuge. If I want a great itialian meal in this city without paying $500 bucks for a table at Spiaggia or Il Mulino, I'm coming back here first.

Stephen R.

Damn, this place is soprano/goodfellas/godfather good. I mean, its good hearty italian food as I remember growing up with an Italian nanny that used to make everything homemade. its not northern or southern, its just good italian. I love the rigatoni with the sunday gravy. The sauce/gravy is amazing and lots of flavor and a ton of garlic. Portions are huge and its a great value. I brought my family here and its a great family place as well.

Marijke W.

Wow! A seriously fantastic restaurant. I would go back again and again. We booked a table for 3 via OpenTable for a Saturday evening (5pm). Fantastic service from before we even got to the restaurant with them calling us to confirm the reservation. When we arrived they took our coats and we were seated promptly. The bread and marinated peppers were both delicious and before we knew it, we had our appetizers. We first ordered the Caesar salad with dressing on the side, as I needed a different dressing, being vegetarian (Caeser has anchovies in it). They were very accommodating and knowledgable about the menu and what was in the food. We also ordered the bruschetta which was delicious. Both portions were generous and the timing was perfect for our mains coming out. 2 appetizers were enough for 3 people. As far as mains went, we ordered the Eggplant Parmigiana, the Seabass special and the Tortellacci special with veal inside. All 3 were incredibly generous portions and myself and my mother both took about half home. The Seabass came with 2 fillets of fish which I am told were cooked perfectly, along with linguini and a bed of peas and other veggies. The tortellacci also came with vegetables and sounded like they were cooked to perfection. My Eggplant Parmigiana was perfect, complete with a 4-cheese tortellini on the side. Couldn't have asked for better! To finish off the meal, we got both the flourless chocolate cake with hazelnut gelato and the cheesecake. Both were fantastic. I would highly recommend both depending on if you have a taste for chocolate or creamy cheesecake goodness. I'm a baker, and I was impressed. They're a very rich finish off to the evening. We also ordered coffees and they were more than happy to accommodate a decaf cappuccino along with other caffeinated beverages. Overall, a fantastic experience at Viaggio's. We will certainly be back again, and you should definitely give it a shot if you're in the area.

Keith J.

Best Vodka sauce ever. Nice pastas well as a nice wait staff. The place to go in Chicago for Italian Food...

Mala R.

Great italian food.. Just mouth watering.. I think it's the best in the city.. Had excellent service too.. The zucchini friti is excellent. I had the lasagne for my main course and the meat sauce was so good..

Sunil A.

Viaggio consistently produces the freshest Italian food I have had in the city. Their tomato based sauces taste like fresh tomatoes. Portion sizes are huge, so order accordingly. Pasta is cooked perfectly - never over done. Service is friendly, not stuffy, its a place you you can go to and relax, eat, have great conversation with friends. And this from someone who is not a huge fan of Italian food. When I do want good Italian, I only go to Viaggio.

Mike G.

This place is amazing. Great service, amazing food, and a nice atmosphere. We had a Mediterranean fish and a pasta with seafood. WOW! Will go again!

Mihir P.

Easily the best classic Italian restaurant in Chicago. Basic parmesan dishes were breaded perfectly and were crispy. Chicken and veal is easy to bread but eggplant is stubborn. They breaded the eggplant perfectly - I wanted to ask how they did it. The tomato sauce was mild and needed more garlic. I loved that the those dishes were served with tortellini in a cream sauce. Back to the apps: - Eggplant stacks which were perfectly breaded discs with tomato, greens and fresh mozzerella. I prefer the eggplant parm preparation better. - Caprese salad - VERY fresh. I could smell the freshness of the tomatoes from the center of the table. They also add red onion to the dish which gives it a nice spark. Meatball - very moist but needed more spice The service is outstanding. Our waiter was so enthusiatic and knowledgeable. I didn't see a glass of Montepulciano so I asked, if they had one. Without flinching he energetically replied "YES, of course sir, I will get one for you" I didn't see meatballs as a side dish. His response. "Would you like them with your appetizer or meal?" I"m not much of a dessert person but my friends enjoyed the tiramisu. This is a place that is not to be missed.

Allie M.

Delicious Italian! I brought my family (half from Italy) and they all loved it. The only downside was that it was very loud there and my parents had trouble hearing.

Andy W.

PORKCHOP PARMESAN. Get it. Truly fantastic. If you're in the West Loop area and you're craving Italian, do yourself a favor and try this place out.

Bill Y.

Again, I have to say this is one of my favorite places. Great staff, service, and food. If you don't like it there, it's you, not them.

Shark S.

Wow, heard much, tried to make a res with people from out of town. Very rude and trust me u would be on the map with these friends. I won't try again.

Jacki P.

We made reservations for Friday at 7. We arrived around 7:10 and we told that our table wasn't ready and to have a drink at the bar. This is a scheme that restaurants always do, but I am on to it, there is no fooling me! We ordered two glasses of wine and we seated after we were half way through our glasses. To start we ordered the bruschetta, it was good not outstanding. I prefer fresh mozzarella instead of fontanella. I ordered the special, Lobster Ravioli with vodka sauce. It was great!! My boyfriend ordered penne in arrabiata sauce. He also ordered a side of meatballs. Our entrees were wonderful! Five stars for that. For dessert we ordered the chocolate lava cake which was the best lava cake we have had in a while. We will be back!

Sharon S.

Fabulous food! The owner Sam was so friendly and Michael and Chef Uncle Vic were wonderful! The pasta specials were sooo good! Also, the atmosphere was so relaxing and beautiful! Will be back for sure! The best for price and taste in Chicago!

Johnny T.

What am I missing? I was expecting some out-of-this-world Italian eats. I received adequate. I don't know whether Viaggio (or I) suffered from heightened expectations but I just didn't get the fuss. I'm pretty fortunate to have a fantastic trattoria relatively close to my home. Chef Anthony, I have no reason to cheat on you. Street parking was easy to find, so don't bother wasting your money on the valet. My party was greeted by (I think) the owner: an affable fellow who made me feel pretty comfortable. For his sake, I wish that I was as bowled over by the place as my fellow yelpers. He has a great laugh and seemed genuinely friendly. Points. My waiter, on the other hand, wasn't as outgoing. To be fair, he seemed pretty much 'in the weeds' from the moment we sat down but... it was crazy early (6:30) and there weren't many people in the restaurant. You're a professional server. This is easy. Don't get overwhelmed. The bussing staff seemed much more on top of things. In fact, I would suggest either one of the bussers who attended to my table to get raises. They were class acts. I ordered a small Caesar salad and the orecchiette. Orecchiette is my Italian restaurant litmus meal: if I like it, odds are I like the restaurant. I didn't care for mine. To begin with, my salad and entree came out within fifteen minutes of me ordering it. Such speed, while admirable in the McKingFC world, doesn't bring to mind 'freshly made just for me' in any other setting. So, we're immediately starting from a deficit here. The salad was passable. It was especially salty without the benefit of heavy dressing or visible anchovies, so there's a mystery to be solved. I downed a lot of water while just eating the salad. The orecchiette was... a little less than a-ok. Serviceable, perhaps. Again, it was served to me so quickly that I wondered if it was an oops order from earlier. The sausage served with the pasta came in the form of hunks of tubular Italian sausage, rather than a crumbly hot sausage. In fact the sausage overwhelmed the dish entirely. I left much of it on the plate. I enjoyed the white beans but there was no heat to the dish. What I enjoy about orecchiette is the sweet heat in every bite. This was bland. I added red pepper flakes to the dish in search of some sort of seasoning. At the end of the meal, I was left feeling confused. I was expecting so much more than I experienced. Again, I wonder, "Did I miss something?" But, looking over what I just wrote... I don't think that I did. My experience was probably closer to a 2.5 but given the sheer love everyone else has for Viaggio and the charming fellow in the front of the restaurant, I will round the stars up. That said, next time I get an Italian food jones, I think I'll satisfy it in Lincoln Park.

John R.

Was excited to go here. Place is nice, service was good, food was OK. Not a bad place at all, just not a stand out, at least the night we were there. Good presentation, nice menu selections and I would try it again.

Ron P.

Off the beaten path in Chicago, but don't let it fool you. As real as it gets Italian place , the service is simply awesome, the food is excellent, the experience is so worth it.

Vishnu V.

Superb Italian food

Geoff G.

My new favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago! Such a fantastic selection of pastas and sauces/oils.....lovely location as well.

Anna Y.

No, I don't care that all of your plates are meant to be shared or that they are on the smaller side. Tonight I want a good ole belt-busting Italian carbo-binge. And that's what brought me to Viaggio. This place is a bit too west to be convenient but I walked over here to beat the United Center's after-event parking lot jam. We asked for a table by the window but the waiter explained that the table was 4-top+ only and we only had 2 ppl. They proceeded to seat us in the hallway next to a large birthday party when there were plenty of empty tables in the main dining room. When the only thing wrong with your meal is seating, you know you're in for a treat. The meal started off with gratis roasted peppers and eggplant in olive oil with parmesan service on request. I could've made a meal out of that but no, tonight is not about moderation. The appetizer of baked clams and the veal scaloppini were deliciously satisfying but what you would expect from a good Italian restaurant. What really blew me away was the special of the day - risotto primavera with shrimp. Although the Arborio rice was a little bit more overcooked than I would've liked, the flavor of the risotto was the best I've ever tasted. It came with a generous selection of veggies (including asparagus!) and large, succulent shrimp. Maybe they just use more cream and butter than the other places but this was so good, I didn't care. Like many Italian restaurants, the portions are comically large (yay!), but there is a $3 split fee. The service was also impeccable, much more than you would expect from a restaurant in this price range. The waiter was attentive (but didn't hover) and knew his wine and menu well. Next time I'm in the neighborhood, I would definitely be coming back.

Marty B.

I love this place. For nearly my entire adult life I have lived in Chicago's Little Italy, and West Loop neighborhoods (UIC guy), and I have eaten at many many Italian restaurants. This is my favorite. Everything I've had here is amazing. I'm tired of bland Italian food, and frankly if you like Maggiano's you probably won't like this restaurant because you probably don't have taste buds, and may as well go to Olive Garden for your authentic experience. I'm even reviewing this place right before I go again. I am so excited about the meal I am about to have. Try the zucchini app as it is done perfectly. Make reservations on the weekend because this place is super busy. My only complaint is that I can't eat here daily. Also, they have a gluten free pasta with a variety of sauces to go with it. This makes me super happy since my wife can join me. Date's without here just aren't the same. :( I've read the other reviews about service, and I haven't had that experience at all. But, I've been in the service industry, and frankly people have bad days. It's just how it goes. All I can say is give them another chance the food is worth it.

Kevin D.

OMG. This is my new favorite place for great Italian food and exceptional service. Took the family there before a Blackhawks game (and we were clearly not the only ones headed to the game that night by all of the Hawks jerseys. This is a classy and classic place. I ordered the pasta with pork neck bones -- recommended by our waiter. It was the best pasta dish I have ever tasted! Give it a try!

Jeffrey H.

Viaggio is the best Italian Restaurant in the City. Everything on their menu is made fresh, is authentic, and is delightful. I visit this gem at least once a month and have gotten to know the owner, the chef, and the waiters. Nick is our usual waiter and he does everything possible to make you feel at home. Just listening him describe the daily specials will make your mouth water. There is literally nothing bad on the menu. I usually stick to the Chicken Parm with tortellini (Best Cream Sauce EVER!) and there is always enough for lunch the following day. One time while Mike was waiting on us, he encouraged us to try the meatball salad. We were so confident about their food that we took the plunge. We ordered the Meatball Salad..... Nervously we waited for the salad to come out and to our pleasure the meatballs were slightly off to the side of the plate. However, Mike started mixing the Meatballs, their "gravy " in with the salad right before our eyes - I was terrified! Regardless, we decided to take a bite of the strange concoction.......FABULOUS!!!! The temperature of the Meatballs and gravy contrasted to the cold crisp lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and salad dressing was to die for! Its now my favorite thing on the menu! You HAVE to try it! I know it may not sound appealing but its out of this world! This place does Italian right. Possibly the best food experience in the City! SIX STARS! Nick, Mike, Uncle Vic, Sam - Can't wait to see you soon!

Emily T.

I've been here probably 3 times- the first, with my pool team to celebrate our championship win (we took ourselves out to dinner with the winnings to celebrate) and everything was so delicious and we were treated so well, that I've since been back with my dad and a date! I LOVE Italian food. My mother is Italian and a fantastic cook, so I get super excited when a restaurant like Viaggio does it so well. meatball salad, (good, but not amazing) antipasto and bruschetta to start- and entrees have been: lasagna, the eight finger cavatelli, and chicken lemon (or chicken picatta, as I call it) All delicious!! Our waiter's name was Micheal- we've had him as our waiter every time and he has always been nice, affable, and full of terrific recommendations. Finally, prices are reasonable and I always leave stuffed! This place is a gem, and I would be dining here a lot more often if I didn't live all the way up in Edgewater! Viaggio completes my holy trio of Italian restaurants- La Scarola, Topo Gigio, and Viaggio. Yummmmm....

Lv S.

I really want to hear from others about this. My experience was horrible since I walked in the door. The restaurant had just opened no one was inside we were the first customers all empty tables and we got sat all the way in the back right next to the kitchen. I mean literally the last table in the dang place. My husband had to push himself in every time staff was going to kitchen. BTW when we left the place was still empty SMH. I expected better service from this place. I asked two staff members about this and didn't like responses. Has anyone else gone thru this? Did you feel discriminated in a way?

Steve M.

I received a recommendation for this restaurant for me and three guests before last night's Bulls game, and we were not in anyway disappointed! From the moment you walk into the place, it feels as if the place has been there forever - total "local Chicago" feel - and it was very welcoming. The service was outstanding with our waiter very pleasant and knowing precisely when to stop to check on us without being one of those annoyingly attentative waiters - perfect. The menu is what I believe you'd find on the list of Italian home-cooked meals, not all about flash and presentation, but just good food. I've eaten at a lot of Italian restaurants and spent part of my life married into an Italian family, and I can say this is certainly some of the best I've had. If you want a recommendation, the Sunday pork gravy! The restaurant impressed my guests as well as they continued talking about the food through the start of the Bulls game. (As an added plus, valet was $15 with tip and there is a shuttle next door taking you to and from the United Center - on a nice evening it's an easy six-block walk!) I highly recommend this, especially if you are looking to show some out-of-towners some good Chicago Italian food!

U P.

Not to sound cliche, but it's a hidden gem in Chicago. Hidden, almost in its literal sense of the word, because it's located in something that looks like a hotel or an apartment building. Makes it all the cozier and intriguing. I had pasta with veal, very good and a large portion. Desert (lava cake) was excellent, and the mint leaves on the side made all the difference in making it taste like a real work of art ! Their Moscato is one of the best I've tried. Staff is very friendly, especially the older gentleman, whom I believe to be the owner. Overall a great atmosphere - perfect for special celebrations. Highly recommend it and will be back again!

Sam C.

perfect neighborhood gem from the moment you walk in, it's warm and inviting. great friendly waiters, menu that full of satisfying delicious dishes. bread and peppers to start are always great. decent wine list. took my brother, he loved the chicken marsala. i always try the specials - have had risotto and lobster ravioli - all superb. even their basic pasta with sauce you choose is perfection. don't forget to save room for dessert - tiramisu is awesome. i always come back to this place, and am never disappointed.

David K.

OK, I don't want to go over the top here, but I just had one of the best Italian meals of my LIFE at this place...and I'm a certified foodie! Terrific service, outstanding food made from the highest quality ingredients -- one of Chicago's best Italian restaurants. I'm kind of reluctant to submit this review for fear of swamping the joint, but what the hell, the word's out already.

Adam C.

Went here for my 2 year anniversary with the lady friend. For all the rave reviews on Yelp I came away a little disapointed. The food was decent but definitely not what it was cracked up to be. Our server was not very genuine and was pretty pushy. On the positive side, the meatball salad was life changing and the place had a nice vibe.

Melissa M.

I checked out Viaggio for the first time on a Wed night and left satisfied with the food, service and overall dining experience. When we got there around 6 there were a few others there, but it was full by the time we left. Since we were there on a week night, we enjoyed the luxury of special requests with our food, which was very nice. Michael was our server and was very accommodating and entertaining as well. He started us out with a suggested bottle of red wine that we all really enjoyed (which means a lot coming from someone who usually only drinks white wines). We then had bread and sweet peppers for the table. Since Michael didn't let us down with the wine recommendation, we took him up on the meatballs with salad appetizer and it was SO good - who knew meatballs and lettuce would go well together?! For dinner, 3 of us had different specials and 1 ordered from the menu and we were all very happy with our orders. For dessert, we tried some ice cream, sorbet, spumoni, and received complimentary homemade limoncello! I'd definitely recommend this place for great Italian food with a home style feel and hospitality.

Dan A.

Just had an early birthday dinner here. It was delicious! My wife and I both got specials. I, the Chilean Sea Bass, seasoned with a little jalapeño for some kick... she, the lobster ravioli in a vodka cream sauce. We interlaced arms feeding each other a bite, gazing into each others eyes... lobster ravioli melted in my mouth, Chilean Sea Bass with a jalapeño kick jolted hers... it was a moment... Both meals were absolutely delectable. Rich, but not overly so, spicy, but not so much that it overtook the flavor of the fish. For an appetizer I recommend the meatball salad. Definitely split it with someone, but oh! This really warmed us up for our meal. Their marinara sauce is Top 3 I've had in Chicago and obviously that's saying something. The dining experience - slightly loud, slightly cramped, and a little slow (to be expected, we were there at their busiest time), but the water glasses were always full, we were very well attended, and there were lots of people making sure we had a pleasant meal. Big thumbs up.

Jackie C.

Tried this place for a ladies' night out dinner. We were greeted warmly and the service couldn't have been nicer or more gracious. This was a sign of the excellent service that was to come. We started with a Pinot Noir and the stuffed artichoke which was delicious. We ended up getting two fish specials which were terrific--mine was accompanied by fresh potatoes and green beans and my friend's had a DELICIOUS amazing risotto! Oh, was it good! We had a leisurely dinner and were well-attended by staff who were not intrusive whatsoever. We enjoyed the chocolate lava cake and cappuccino for dessert. Next time--definitely we will try the limoncello--it looked amazing at the next table. Cute ambiance, love the exposed brick and the dark wood.

Lauren D.

You know when you can sometimes tell the quality of a restaurant by the enthusiasm of its employees? Well, Viaggio is well worth its 5 stars and you can tell that even before you get a bite of their food. It's been way too long since I've been back to Viaggio, but I had a taste for pasta last night and decided I need to go back as soon as I write a Yelp review. I'd consider myself an expert in all things Italian, from sports cars to Limoncello, so I'm definitely skeptical whenever anyone tells me they had great Italian at a place I've not yet approved. Well, on one particular Friday, it was getting late and we had a taste for Italian so I called ahead to make sure there wouldn't be a wait, and the host was very pleasant and funny - when he asked how many would be in our party, I said 48, and he gladly obliged. When we arrived, he sat us at a table for 2 (I'm not sure how he figured out I was kidding), recommended a few things, and then left us to feast. First: I'm huge on restaurants that bring you something to snack on because, well, I snack constantly. Viaggio brings this delicious, warm bread with olive oil and peppers! Yum. We had a couple of glasses of wine, a Caesar salad (not too heavy on the dressing, very light and refreshing), and then I had hands down one of the most perfect meals of pasta I think has probably ever existed. It was an 8-finger cavatelli (by far the best kind of pasta) in a perfectly-spiced vodka sauce with the tastiest, most perfect sausage on top. WOW. Phenomenal. The chicken marsala was also incredible. We enjoyed the atmosphere and service so much that we stayed for not one, but 2 night caps (Baileys of course.) Magnissimo. Can't wait to go back.

Christina M.

We ate here last week, and we didn't get what all the hype was about afterwards. My boyfriend (who is not vegetarian) and I (the vegan) did not think the food was mind-blowing, which is what we were expecting given all the raving reviews here on Yelp. To start though, I did like the uniqueness that this restaurant had, I felt like the waiters were pretty authentic Italian guys (or they were doing a good job pretending to do so), but at some point it did get a little uncomfortable. The other thing I liked is that they're willing to whip something up for picky/special-diet eaters such as myself. Overall, my food was good, but something I'd expect to get at one of the medium to slightly higher-end Italian chain places (to remain unnamed) and not an authentic Chicago Italian place -- certainly not worth the price tag that came along with it either.

Dan F.

I have been meaning to check this place out for a year and finally got around to it. And now I am incredibly disappointed...I have missed out on this amazing food for a whole year! The service was impeccable. They make you feel very welcome. Definitely try the meatball salad.

Barri S.

Excellent food! We had the chicken parmesan, gluten free pasta with chicken and vodka sauce, and tiramisu. Everything was excellent! The restaurant was pretty busy which seemed to make the service go rather slow. Ambiance was nice and it was a great place for a date.

M H.

If I could give 10 stars I would....awesome, delicious food. I had the eggplant parm! It was very good. Others in my party enjoyed their dishes as well. I defininitely recommend, service was good.

April W.

I have no idea how this place has so many great reviews. Maybe tourists that don't know good italian food? We started with the fried mozzarella appetizer, no good. Can you say frozen sysco product? If you are going to serve me a frozen dish at least make sure it is fully cooked before serving it to me. The outside pieces were luke warm at best and the center was literally ice cold, semi frozen. We then shared the gnochhi, the server boasted that they were homemade, but I had my doubts....The gnochhi were ok, but the sauce had that gelatin like quality to it that to me shouts NOT HOMEMADE. Maybe I am wrong, but the food was not great. Possibly tolerable, if you are really craving italian and do not have an olive garden close by, but for the price not worth it. I seriously think I like Olive Garden better. Ice cold prosecco though...only good part.

Ahmad N.

The Eggplant Stack appetizer was delicious. The rest of the food was not spectacular, but was very good and the service was great.

Robin L.

So I was really excited to try this place out...this town knows how to rock out italian food, right? Mmmmmostly. I took my mom here when she was visiting, and like many others state, the atmosphere in here is warm and homey. The tables are placed awfully close together though. I'm all for efficient use of space, but when I run the risk of knocking over someone's glass of vino just by trying to wave down a waiter...there's a problem. Anyway, let's talk about the grub. Meatball Salad: Mmmmmyes! Delicious giant meatballs atop nicely dressed romaine. Awesome. Easily the best dish of the night. Eggplant stacks: I'm not an eggplant fan at all, but this was tasty and not too eggplanty. Don't be fooled, but half this dish eats like a meal because of the friedliciousness. Linguine with clams: Ugh. Salt city. It was a decent portion but I could barely eat this due to how salty the sauce was, which to be fair, had good flavor. Now that I can recreate that meatball salad at home I probably won't be back...thanks Viaggio and best wishes.

Elle P.

Viaggio's Is All Around Fabulous! Everything is great from the service, staff, atmosphere...and importantly the food! Food: I tend to stick to my pasta with Bolognese Sauce b/c it's consistently awesome. My boyfriend likes to venture out and try new things. So far....everything, the waiters have recommended, has been delicious including wine selections! Atmosphere / Service: It's a nice, cozy place to dine and relax; there's no feeling like you're getting rushed out so they can sit the next customer. Even if you're new to the restaurant, they treat you like they've known you forever. Recently, I took my boyfriend there to do a small birthday surprise meetup with another couple and they made it an absolutely wonderful evening. Sadly, we just stumbled upon the restaurant this past summer but now we have an Italian place to be regulars at. My only wish is that they are open on Sundays. Selfishly, I hate giving them a 5-star rating b/c this place is popular enough but it's so great, that it's hard not to share. One suggestion: We ordered the fried calamari appetizer, it had the sauce already on it.....I recommend the sauce on the side.

Paola A.

Very good service, rushing a little bit since they were full but food was very good, got the lobster ravioli, eggplant parmigiana and the pumpkin martinis, yum!

Vivian T.

My friends and I came here before a concert at the United Center and we were BLOWN AWAY. First of all, Mike, our waiter, looked and sounded so authentically Italian that I felt like I was in an episode of The Sopranos. He was so legit. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice but not pretentious. Everything on the menu looks fantastic but we all decided to create our own pastas. My own was penne and vodka sauce with a side of meatballs. Let me tell you... you've NEVER had meatballs like this before. Amazing! They give you two... and I couldn't finish it. Large, juicy, flavorful. The pasta itself was so delicious, so perfectly cooked and I wanted to take a jar of the vodka sauce home so I can drown all my food in it. We split the flourless chocolate cake for dessert and believe me, it was so worth it. Perfect ending to a great meal. I'll definitely be back!

Pete D.

We go here all the time now and the place just keeps getting better! When you go somewhere often, you run the risk of getting bored or finding them on an off night. Not at Viaggio. Spot on every time! Thank you to the entire staff for making every trip well worth it! BTW, if you go and don't get the meatball salad, you have missed a true gem and you should immediately punish yourself.

Ashley C.

I went here on a whim, looking for some great italian food. While I was sick, so i wasn't at my best, and the things I'd not mind were my biggest complaints. Parking was easy, street worked out just fine, but since it was a game night, the place seemed to be packed. We didn't have reservations, so we had to sit at the bar. Well, me being sick made sitting by the open door fun. *my hint of sarcasm is popping through here* I know, there's a reason why people make reservations, but it just kind of ruined my evening. The food was good, as was the service. It was just GOOD though, not great, or fantastic. I'd be back, if I wasn't sick or had a reservation.

Kent B.

I came here last week with my out of towner parents because they wanted a nice meal in a casual atmosphere. I remembered I saw this place on Check Please a few months ago and thought we'd give it a try. The food was really good. I had penne with meatballs with oil and garlic. Huge meatball, and equally huge-ly awesome (if that makes sense). My parents got some lasangna and they loved it. My mom also had some lemoncello for dessert, which she enjoyed thoroughly. Overall, a really good experience. I am happy to have checked it out!

Jeff G.

eggplant stack, meatball salad, lasagna and a lobster ravioli special were all tasty. huge portions. i would go back

Linda H.

Ok, after just one visit, Viaggio has become one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. After seeing them on Check Please for the second time, we decided to give them a shot. As I went to make reservations, I saw that they are not always open on Sunday, except when there is an event at United Center...but we were in luck since the Bulls were playing that night. When we arrived, the place was packed, and even though we weren't going to the game, our reservations coincided with prime time for game-goers, but we were still seated instantly, after being greeted by the extremely friendly host. The place was buzzing, with the energetic staff literally *running* to serve people (gotta love that!). We were served by Michael, who was SO extremely attentive, and had Personality Plus. We started by sharing the meatball salad, which he deftly split at the table for us. The salad was fantastic, as was the bread and complimentary roasted peppers. I ordered the Eight Finger Cavatelli and BF got the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. The entrees arrived and OMG, the portions were HUGE. Now I am not typically one to rave about portion size, as I prefer quality over quantity, but these entrees were the best of both. I have enough delicious leftovers for two lunches. The Cavatelli was obviously handmade and OH SO FLIPPING GOOD...BF's Rigatoni was similarly delicious (and he who rarely has leftovers had his wrapped up too). For dessert we ordered lemon and pomegranate sorbets, also excellent. I think every restauranteur in the city should go to Viaggio's and take notes...I cannot say enough good things about the food and the service at this place! Thank you for a great experience, Viaggio!

Adria F.

Made a reservation at Viaggio for a pre-United Center concert meal, but we weren't super hungry so we decided to get several appertizers to share. Well, I have to say based on the apps alone, this place is amazing! The meatball salad was phenomenal. I don't know what they do to their marinara sauce, but I couldn't get enough! The fried calamari, stacked eggplant, mussels (a special that night), and sausage and peppers were delicious as well. And to top it all off, we also ordered the osso buco (on special that night as well) and it was perfect. Did I say we weren't super hungry? Well, we found our appetites for sure!! I'd go back for those appetizers alone, but looking forward to trying other items on the menu! Great stop for a nice meal before a game or concert! Service was excellent as well. Very professional but very cheerful, not stuffy at all. Excellent meal!

Lauren M.

Fantastic appetizers. Everyone else loved their meals. Mine was just ok. I ordered the special which was a shrimp fra diavolo. Others ordered the fish special and really enjoyed it. The burata pesto appetizer was great and worth sharing.

Dan M.

My family and I had a great experience here. This place treats you like a rock star! The food is fantastic- I had the lobster ravioli and flour less chocolate cake for dessert. The waiter we had was attentive without being intrusive- the perfect mix. This place is right down the street from the united center- great place for a nice meal before attending an event at the UC. I will be back!

Maureen B.

When it comes to Yelp, I am usually one who "receive-ith" rather than "give-ith" however every once in a while something comes along that I have to write about. Last Saturday a few friends were going out to dinner and initially I was going to meet them toward the tail end of dinner - save some $$ and some calories, but I checked out the Yelp reviews of Viaggio and looked at the menu and decided to give it a shot. And what an experience it was. We had a great time. Not only was the food delicious but the service was great and the environment was relaxed and comfortable. To start with the food - the sauteed peppers that come with the bread were delicious. I am a pepper lover and they were outstanding! We had the bruchetta appetizer which was flavorful and fresh. I ordered the "West Loop" chicken and because I wanted to watch some calories, got it with grilled chicken instead of the menu version which was breaded and pan cooked. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the mushroom, spinach, ricotta, tomato topping was a perfect complement. I did also taste some of the other entrees. The 8 finger cavatelli was scruptious - try it with the vodka sauce. Yumm! And the spaghetti carbonera was the hit of the table. If you want something rich and delicious, it's a must try! As many people have stated, the portions are huge. You won't leave hungry - that's for sure. In addition to our great food, our waiter, Ovi, made our evening more enjoyable. His service was great and he had fun with us too. He made great recommendations for our meals and didn't give me any attitude about modifying my dinner to suit my preferences (this does happen a lot at other restaurants). To top it all off, he brought us complimentary limoncello shots which were mmmm mmmm good! He definitely played off of our personalities to make the night more fun and added a few more laughs to our already laughter ridden conversation. Definitely give Viaggio a try...even if you're on the fence about a dinner out! I am so happy I changed my mind and decided to go - I am sure I will be stopping back in for some more West Loop chicken, limoncello and good times!

steve o.

This is an easy one. Great food, great service, great drinks. We always start with their meatball salad and eggplant parm stack. Both are awesome. Never been disappointed with an entree, and always end with a lemoncello. Wish I could go more often.

Marisol D.

Dependably good neighborhood Italian restaurant. Sports always on 2 flat screens above bar.

Vodka Sauce C.

Fantastic place ! Vic is a great chef . Here's what I had. -The bread with the homemade peppers = A+ -Fried Calamari in marinara sauce , didnt think I would like , but FANTASTIC ! = A+ and of course... Eight finger cavatelli with Vodka Sauce ... AA++ Exceptional homemade noodles and the sauce was good ! Not the best , but def. what Im looking for vodka sauce to be. Great food , place and staff

Patrick T.

Let's get some things right off the bat. An American Italian restaurant is like any other American Italian restaurant across the street from itself. Complimentary bread, great wine, fresh seafood, huge pasta servings, and more pasta on top of that. But what sets this place apart on our visit was the ambience and the service. We came here for a surprise birthday psrty for a friend, and the owner couldnt be any more helpful. He accommodated a dozen of us without a problem, stored our cake, turned down the lughts, and even played along and confused the birthday friend so as to maintain the element of surprise. From experience elsewhere, you're lucky to find a place that will even let you host a party group without forcing you to rent a party room. Kudos to the owner. Our waiter, Nicholas (Nickolas?, Nichlaus? Qnicklaus[with a silent Q]?) was the man of the hour. Knew his wine list, and was a total ham: perfect service for a birthday celebration. He was attentive and never left a glass half full. Also, he gets another gold star for proving to be a genuine Italian when I showcased my limited Italian by saying a vulgar statement and he couldn't help but laugh out loud and say "don't say that to your mother!" Grazie to Nic for keeping the soap out of my mouth. Now onto the food review (and back to the service again shortly). Initially you get a plate of what looks like pickled vegetables, but in fact it's peppers soaked in olive oil. Don't let the appearance scare you because it's fantastic with the complimentary bread. Then we had calimari, mussels, and bruschetta for appetizers. Calimari was great though a bit salty and soaked in marinara and peppers. Lost a bit of crunch but it still tasted great. As for the bruschetta it was piled wicked high with tomatoes and onion which was a feat to eat. Tomatoes spilled everywhere including in my hand as I took a bite. But the tomato topping was fantastic. It's easy to use the extra bread to wipe up the tomatoes and eat some more. As for the main course I had eight finger cavatelli. Essentially long noodles as thick as well, fingers in a marinara sauce. It was absolutely fantastic. They were not too dense, not too soft, not overcooked, and absolutely tender. And finally to top off the end of the night, our waiter Nic shared some of his homemade lemoncello. Not a complicated beverage, but it was homemade which means that this lemoncello was AT LEAST a month old. That's like sharing for your finest wine in the house...with your mailman. Thank you Nic for being generous with your "Italian moonshine". And of course only a few gripes. First is that the portions are huge. Yes that's the Italian way and normally never a bad thing. But when they charge you $3.00 extra to split a dish, that's not very cool. Second is that it's not a very convenient location if you drive. There's no parking lot, and the nearest parking is paid street parking, valet, or risk getting a ticket parking one street over that's residential. But in all seriousness not even my gripes can knock it down a star. Great food, great service, and great Italians. Bravo!

Rick F.

Atmosphere: Upscale Italian Price: Upscale as well Service: Good Food: Excellent WOW! We went hear before Cirque(Kooza) we were running out of time and found this place on the way. What a find! Eggplant app was fantastic brought back memories of Italy! Pasta with fresh Clams, Mom's Sunday Rigatoni w/pork and a side of meatballs just like momma used to make! The peppers and bread were excellent! Great place for a date, family and friends, you won't be disappointed!

Stephanie F.

I had never heard of Viaggio until I saw it on check please and I am so glad that I did! I have been there twice so far and got the meatball salad both times. It is to DIE for. I had the chicken lemon which was very good and my friend got the chicken west loop which I tasted and enjoyed. The pasta carbonara is also a great dish. We had some gelato for desert which was also tasty. The servers are professional and do their jobs well. I have only been to the one on Madison street but I hear that the one in Lincoln Park is just as good. I would go back again in the future and highly recommend this restaurant to all friends. If you need a place for a special occasion or a date, go to Viaggio!

Andrea R.

After a kick ass Yelp Elite bash at West Loop Studios and a few too many bellinis Gabi K and I were in dire need of some grub. And boo on Westend for closing their kitchen after 10 PM! We asked the bouncer of Westend to point us in the direction of some food (very close- the feet were killing me!) and he pointed to the new Italian restaurant next door, but warned it was pricey. Whatever....prices weren't getting in the way of our growling stomachs! The oh so wise Gabi stated at dinner that sometimes you find a gem when you least expect it and that's exactly the case with Viaggio! The food and service were absolutely fabulous!! There aren't many choices on the menu, but everything looks delicious. We decided we wanted appetizers so I ordered some sort of meatball salad while Gabi opted for some fried eggplant dish. A few minutes later the very sweet and apologetic waiter came over to say they were out of meatballs. No biggie- I got tilapia (stuffed with shrimp- YUM!) instead. Before bringing out the eggplant and the tilapia the waiter surprised us with calamari that he wanted us to try because it was so good. And he was right- this was some darn good calamari! By the time my tilapia arrived I was feeling pretty full from bread and calamari so I thought I'd only have a few bites, but it was so good that I couldn't help, but eat the whole thing! It also came with the most delicious mashed potatoes ever and I had to beg the waiter to take away the plate before I finished those too. As for Gabi...she was quite happy with her eggplant appetizer. We may have accidentally stumbled into Viaggio tonight, but I'll be making plans to go back real soon!

Sara O.

Yess! This place still rocks! So much that I was recently re-inspired to remind yelpers around the world of this very fact. Hot, Fresh Bread upon arrival -- Check Marinated, Roasted Peppers in Olive Oil -- Check Italian Wines recommended by waiter -- Check Eggplant Stack -- Check Lobster Ravioli -- Check Sunday Pork Gravy -- Check House made Limoncello -- Check It's a good thing I don't live next door or I'd be one obese yelper.

Luci D.

I was looking for 'casual Italian' on Yelp, and it led me to this place. Drove about a half hour to get here, but it was worth it. Meatball salad (if you're dining solo, there is a half-portion available) is incredible. The meatball wasn't dry at all like you find in a lot of places. I couldn't decide if the meatball itself or the sauce was better. Veal Parmesan as an entree, with tasty tortellini on the side. Had my leftovers for lunch the next day, and the veal was better the second day. This place is definitely worth checking out.

Alejandra V.

I rarely write reviews, I just like to read other peoples and judge places by that. However, I feel the need to say something about this place. I came here right after Check, Please! was here so the atmosphere was really full of energy. There was a mix up with the reservation but, the host and owner quickly made sure to accommodate us. Our server was not as attentive and I would have liked but he did a great job recommending. We ordered the eggplant stack for our appetizer and it was amazing!!! I'm normally not a fan of eggplant but this...wow! For dinner I ordered Veal Scaloppini and my friend got Cavatelli Shrimp and Broccoli. The veal was tender but what made the dish was the sauce, it was fresh and chunky. The Cavatelli was tasty, very shrimpy and garlicy, and the broccoli fell apart once your fork touched it. We ordered martinis, French and dirty. French martini was so-so, its one of my favorites but I'm having a hard time finding a place where its good. For dessert we had the freshly made tiramisu and lemoncello. Tiramisu was average, the lemoncello was strong a little too much for me. Overall, the dinner was fantastic and I really enjoyed being there.

Gary E.

When the moon hits your eye like a big chicken parm, that's amore ... F**K yeah. Viaggio is delish. Ever since Papa Milano in the Gold Coast shut its doors, we've been in search of a great, authentic neighborhood Italian restaurant. Since moving to the West Loop nearly a year ago, we've somehow missed Viaggio but FINALLY went for dinner tonight. Our waiter Mike (his family owns Viaggio) was fantastic. He treated us like family from the get-go and offered up some awesome reco's for our meal. TRUST ME - if you go there and are told to order the meatball salad for an appetizer - DO IT. (I will continue to overdo the CAPS as necessary, so deal with it). Two giant delish meatballs, amazing red sauce (gravy), mixed together with a nice salad and tossed with red wine vinaigrette. Mike even joked it sounds stupid but it was to die for. Between that and the sweet peppers and olive oil served with the great warm bread we were nearly stuffed but ordered the chicken parm to share for an entree. It was perfectly done and served with a mouth watering tortellini tossed in a white sauce. Everything was fantastic and we'll definitely be returning soon to try other items on the menu. We were also told the place is going to be featured on Check Please early in the upcoming season so definitely get in there now before it's impossible to get a table. This place should be packed every night of the week! The restaurant in the movie "Big Night" reminded a lot of Viaggio. For those who haven't seen that (and I'm guessing that's most of you) - queue it up on Netflix. Lucky you - two solid recommendations in one review ... Thank you Viaggio for filling a void in our dining rotation and filling it up perfectly ...

Brandon G.

Mediocre quality food for me and my guest. High ticketed dinner (especially without liquor included.) We visited Chicago for the annual marathon and were hoping for a great high carbohydrate dinner before the race and were quite let down. The service and atmosphere is impeccable! If you can improve your recipes and be more creative with your sauces instead of tasting like 100% cream perhaps my rating could be improved.

dan y.

Excellent service and food. Will be back again very soon!

Chris C.

I went here with my girlfriend for my pre marathon Italian dinner last month. We made reservations via Yelp which was cool, I had never done that with any restaurant here in NYC. Unfortunately, they had a very limited menu (due to the hockey game they said?). There were no standard Italian dishes - I was looking for something less "complicated" as to not upset my stomach for the race the next day. The food ended up being fine, not great but just good I guess. The thing that annoyed me though was that since there was a Blackhawks hockey game near by that night we were being rushed out. Our dinner lasted for about 50 minutes including appetizer, dinner and dessert. The server was constantly coming back to check on us and when we were finishing our drinks after paying our bill they kept on standing over our table waiting for us to leave. We were sitting outside for god sakes! The experience and food did not justify the price and we left kinda disappointed.

Renee C.

Had dinner at Viaggio last night...been here a few times and LOVE the food. I'm writing because I thought our server Joe was GREAT! He was attentive, gave us great recommendations and was personable. When the service is good at a restaurant it always makes the experience that much better! Thanks again!!! :)

Stacia M.

O.M.G. I was visiting Chicago earlier this summer and my fellow Yelpers directed me to this place. Good news: it was THE BEST Italian food I've ever had. Bad news: it is now the standard by which I judge all other Italian restaurants. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of places with food like this, and I'm in California so I can't just go and grab dinner here whenever I want. I had the special, which was ravioli stuffed with Italian sausage and broccolini in a tomato white wine sauce. I've never heard of a dish like this before, but our waiter (I believe his name was Ovi) said if I didn't like it they'd get me something else, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. It was amazing and such a unique and delicious plate. For dessert we had the tiramisu and yes, I know, you're thinking this is nothing special, it's a standard dessert. I have never had a tiramisu like this before. It had all the flavors, but they weren't overdone or heavy like you'll find at some places. It was also very airy without being dry or bland. Best tiramisu I've had, by far! The service was excellent. Our waiter had great suggestions and Jimmy, the valet parker, can stop a cab like nobody's business. In terms of attire, we came in pretty casual (jeans, flip flops. long sleeved-tee) as we were told there was no dress code and casual was ok. However, I'd recommend dressing a bit nicer as we definitely felt a wee bit underdressed.

Mary H.

I love this place! My fiance took me to dinner here after he proposed and we had an amazing time! I definitely recommend the eggplant stack for an appetizer. It was delicious. And their pastas make for fantastic entrees. You will not be disappointed!

hilary c.

I met my mom and sister in Chicago for a girls weekend where I was in charge of dinners out. I chose Viaggio for one of our "Italian dinner" nights thanks to all the great reviews on yelp. Thanks to everyone who touted this place- we had an incredible meal as a result! We showed up an hour early for our 7pm reservations on a Saturday night and the place was really bustling. We had some wine at the bar and then our table was ready. We were lucky enough to be served by the famed Nicolas! He was great. Of course, we had to have the meatball salad to start- which I think is a definite MUST DO. So simple yet so damn good! For dinner I had the carbonera and it won as most popular entree at the table. All three of us slurped it right up as fast as we could. Sis had the lobster ravioli, which was just plain divine, and ma had the rigatoni with sunday gravy!! Three distinctly different dishes and all three were done to perfection. Mom was actually bummed because there was SO MUCH food and she had to waste some of it! What a complaint to have!!! We couldn't even think about dessert, but left Viaggio with full and happy tummies and feeling great about our trip to Chicago. Next time I'm in town I will be back at Viaggio!

Billie R.

Our server was a little over the top- I don't like strangers touching me, but besides that.. all was good. I came late and my party had already ordered apps. I was really hoping to try the Caprese- but I will return. The Chicken Lemon was wonderful and paired with garlic mashed potatoes it was perfect for the saucy wonderfulness to smear in!

Colleen C.

This is only three stars mostly due to the staff attitude, although only one of us loved our meal, the other meal was overcooked and mushy. Viaggio does have a lot of potential. We arrived at 730 for a 730 reservation--but were not seated until 815. When we were seated, the server rushed us as 'he knew we had been waiting'--but really, once seated we did want to enjoy our meal. at the end, he not only started to clear the table while we were still sitting, but went so far as to start to remove the table cloth! when he asked if were finished with my water i said no, but his hand was already in place to remove it and he went a ahead and stuck a finger in and took it. (he put it back when i said no but his finger had been in it.) As we had wine in hand, he assumed we did not want wine with dinner --we had to ask for the wine list. The server warned us to share appetizers, but my guest was not of the sharing type, so we did not. Then the server reminded me when i did not eat much of my meal that 'he had warned me'--but i did not eat much of my pasta because it was overcooked and mushy, not because i was already full. The peppers served with the bread (complimentary) are delicious and easily replace any appetizers. Pastas can be ordered with a variety of sauces; both of us choose thoat route. We did so because we wanted pasta, but i did wonder if the server felt we were ordering the cheapest (the meats and fish were significantly more expensive, for our meal, the bottle of wine was the biggest cost driver.) My guest ordered the vodka penne with sausage which was delicious (i had pasta envy). I ordered the penne with oil, garlic and broccoli--a mush mess. the broccoli was falling apart--way overcooked, and the penne easily broke into pieces--also mushy. the dish had a lot of potential and if i were not with a cranky client (due to the long unexplained wait) i would have returned it. the server was never around long enough to actually speak to about the food, and i did not wish to delay the overall meal.

Chari A.

Heard about it for a long time. The food was wonderful, waitstaff outstanding.

Michael M.

I found this restaurant based on other Yelp reviews and took my wife their for our 10th anniversary. Couldnt have been more pleased. Service and food were superb. Our waiter was extremely attentive without being intrusive and all our plates were prepared as requested--both of us have various allergies. Portions are big so don't go overboard on apps. Though we live in the suburbs we plan to head back to Viaggio soon.

Haley R.

I live right down the street from here and by far is one of my favorite places to go. I always try something new because they have yet to serve me anything far from amazing. My favorite is still the veal lemon. Also a great starter is the meatball salad. This place if definitely a must if you have never been before!

Anne P.

Awesome food. As previously noted the meatballs are truly amazing. We ordered the eggplant stack and our server said he'd plate it so we could share it among 3 people. Seemed really accommodating until the bill reflected that he just charged us for 1 1/2 appetizers. Not cool.

JR R.

My wife and I were in town from San Francisco for a wedding and wanted a true Chicago Italian restaurant. We went on Yelp and found all the good reviews. All the reviews are accurate. The meatballs and calamari were extraordinary. I had the pasta special of homemade tortellinni which was delicious. Service was great from the two House Managers stopping by the table to ask about our food, to the waiter who was helpful and attentive without being too obvious. If you are looking for a true Italian experience in Chicago, Villaggio is the place.

Sonali K.

I love when you go back to a restaurant and it's even better than the first time. That is why Viaggio is going from 4 stars to 5 stars for me. My future in-laws dropped in unexpectedly yesterday and wanted to go out for dinner. The first place to pop in my head was Viaggio as my father-in-law to be loves good Italian food. We decided to pass on the appetizers since it was already so late in the evening and we were all ready for dinner. We ordered family style -I got the special which was the mushroom risotto - YUM! My f-i-l to be got a special as well which was the lobster ravioli, my m-i-l to be got the eight finger cavatelli (upon my recommendation), and my fiance got the eggplant parmesan. I didn't try the lobster ravioli, but everything else was AMAZING! Even the staff was impeccable last night. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening.

Kim S.

I went to this restaurant for the first when a friend of mine came into town. The food was really good! I had the Eggplant parm. Actually my first time having that dish also. It was stacked high and delicious! Our waiter, I believe his name was Alberto, was phenomenal! He took good care of us the entire time we were there. My friend ordered a vanilla vodka with ginger ale. When it came to the table it was pretty much just a dash of ginger ale, that my friend appreciated.

Bess R.

Had a fabulous dinner here last Thursday night. Arrived around 630, and it was pretty quiet, but was busy when we left. We started with the stuffed artichoke. Pretty tasty, but not my favorite ever...think it's a texture thing. My Italian friend said it tasted just like grandma's. Would try the meatball salad next - it looked awesome. I had the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. omg. So delicious. It was slow cooked chunks of pork in a tomato "gravy" and an enormous ice cream-looking scoop of ricotta cheese on the side. Enjoyed it immensely. My friend had the Orchietta, and she also loved hers. Huge portions, so we took a lot home. Service was awesome, and Frank (i think?) was so entertaining. He even brought us lemoncello at the end of our meal - no charge. I definitely recommend Viaggio. Would be a great location for a pre-Bulls or Hawks game...but make reservations.

Ashleigh M.

Living in NYC, it seems like I would have the best Italian to choose from. We were in Chicago for the marathon, and a few nights before the big race, we had to fill up our runner with delicious pasta. The moment we walked in we had fantastic service! Everyone was so friendly and wanted to get our story from where we were visiting from. We asked our waiter for a recommendation for an appetizer and the Meatball and Salad was phenomenal! I wish I could have finished my pasta as it was so delicious. Highly recommend for everyone to try, because you will come back.

Maital S.

I have been meaning to leave a review for this restaurant for a while. The food here is fantastic. Best italian food. I had the Branzino (white fish) with a simple lemon sauce which was the best fish I have ever had. Everyone else at the table loved their food as well. Definitely a must go to place if you want good italian food!

Eric C.

What a great place! Nice ambience, very attentive wait staff, and of course great food. The meatball salad app was great as was the fried zucchini. I had veal, west loop style which I loved. Our waiter Mike was extremely attentive even to our 4 year old. This will be a regular stop for us when in Chicago

Rachel S.

Not only does this restaurant have a memorable ambiance, but they use fresh ingredients, make the pasta by hand, and a delectable Pino Grigio (if your so inclined).

Alex C.

The food here was pretty good. The pasta was a bit underseasoned and bland. The pork chop was amazing. It was a bit undercooked in the middle but other than that it was great. The tiramisu here is awesome. It is pretty small so good for small groups. Our server was very accomodating and nice. The only thing I have to say is it was a bit pricey.

Andrew W.

I found this restaurant on Yelp because it had the highest rankings for Italian food in Chicago. I couldn't have been happier with the service (Nickolas is the man) and the food was outstanding. They just opened a second restaurant in Lincoln Park (my neighborhood) and I'm excited to go check it out. I highly recommend this place!

Sarah G.

The meatball salad was amazing! The staff is very passionate about the food and help you choose! Everything we ate was so good! Definitely split the pasta dishes with someone because they are super heavy but so worth it!!!

lisa l.

Love it. You must try the eggplant stack. It's original, elegant and delish!

Jenn S.

I enjoyed everything about this restaurant; the food, our waiter (whose tan makes me jealous), the owners (who sit down with the "regulars" as though they're eating with them), the prices...I LOVE IT ALL! Our waiter could not have been better. I am probably the most indecisive person out there. But he really helped me make my choices and was very honest with me. Plus he was very attentive, but not overbearing. For food choices, we went with the following: -Soft shell crab -veal stuffed tortelloni with a not-so overwhelming alfredo sauce (d-lish!) -customized pasta dish of penne with peas, served in a creamy tomato sauce (this sounds so basic...but it was soooo good) The proportions are big, so needless to say, we didn't finish our food...except for the crab I really think that everyone should try this place at least once. I promise you, you'll go back again.

L H.

The food was very good, but not out of this world. The ambiance was welcoming and the price was reasonable. However, I did not like our waiter. He was condescending and sort of mocked the fact that I was not familiar with all of the dishes and how to pronounce some of the wines. Because of the service, I will not be going back.

Greg N.

Food was SO good and enormous portions. I had the Pork Neck bones which was served in an amazing sauce over pasta. Service was amazing as well. Matradee and Chef checked in on us. Very old school and very awesome!

Martin C.

Exelent place ! Good service . A little expenvive for pasta

Mel P.

Another selection seen on check please, proves to be a wise choice! My boyfriend and I tried on a whim one day and completely fell in love. The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars, is because of our most recent waiter. The waiter we usually have, remembers our faces, knows our drinks and is absolutely warm. This last waiter, seemed more interested in "working the room" which was an extremem turn off for me. My usually cheesy heaven lasagna wasn't as hot and goopy as I have come to expect, but a little more runny and slightly cooler. The next time we go back, I'm going to request our usual guy and hopefully the experience will return to the 5 star service I'm accustomed too.

Jessica B.

The service was on point and the food was amazing! I had the Sunday Pork Gravy sub Penne and it was amazing. The baked clams I can't say enought about and the pepper marinade you recieve when you first sit down is perfect way to start your meal. I feel very lucky for this establishment to be in my neighborhod and can't wait to eat my leftovers tonight. Portions are huge!

Tabitha G.

FYI - The best italian places aren't always in Little Italy! My husband wanted to go to LIttle Italy, having never been, and found Viaggio instead based on a "Best Italian Restaurant" Google search. Let me tell you folks - it came up often in that search because it's true. Hands down one of the best Italian dining experiences. My first observation, everyone from the wait staff to the hostess has that Italian/Jersey type of accent. You know the type of people who call Spaghetti sauce, gravy. I knew off the bat that it was going to be good. It truly feels like a family owned/run restaurant. We sat down and right off the bat they served us warm italian bread with sauteed peppers in olive oil. It was truly delicious. We then had the famous meatball salad, which may sound a like odd, but is absolutely amazing. That could have been my entire meal, but I couldn't pass up on their pasta. When it came down to ordering I had a hard time deciding between a pasta dish with scallops in garlic olive oil or a shrimp pasta dish with red sauce. I asked our waiter his opinion and he said both were really good it just depended on what I felt like. Eventually he ended up making the executive decision for me by saying, "You'll get the red sauce". He didn't steer me wrong. The pasta was cooked to al dente perfection and the sauce...oh the sauce. I'll be dreaming of it. Truly is one of my favorite dishes - it was amazing! As if we weren't already full from the fantastic starters and entree, a meal wouldn't be complete without desert. I'm normally not a chocolate person, but their flourless chocolate cake was sheer perfection. Not too sweet, not too rich and just the right portion size. I usually don't take more than 2 or 3 bites out of a piece of chocolate cake, but if I'm able to eat half without blinking then I know it's good. I can't wait to go back....dreaming of that shrimp pasta dish right now.

Christina G.

I came here for a birthday party recently, and the reviews don't lie! The owner Sam is super-friendly and sweet! The hostess Kathy was also very chatty and sooo nice! The food was great, and they were so accommodating. The one thing that stood out above this place is everyone was very sincere. If I lived closer I'd be a regular, but it's probably for the best because you can't watch your figure when you come to eat here!

Megan W.

This place was great. We showed up early for our reservation and they sat us Immediately. Our waiter was funny and had great suggestions of the menu. The food was very good and price was reasonable. Not only will we eat there again, I would recommend it to friends as well!

Tom H.

Wife and I happened upon Viaggios after a day at Pitchfork Music Fest. Super welcoming hostess seated us and we had water, bread, peppers, oil almost immediately. Our waiter was named Joe and he was really great. Wife had rigatoni with Sunday (pork) gravy and loved it. I had eggplant parmesan and it was the best I have had. Eggplant can get oily and soggy if not prepared right. This dish was perfect! Could taste the eggplant through the sauce and breading. Excellent food and service at decent prices. If your looking for a delicious and hearty Italian meal in a very nice but not trendy atmosphere this is the place. We will definitely go back.

Chicago F.

I want to begin this review with a statement for all sweet pepper lovers. You can go to this restaurant, order a glass of wine and eat their sauteed luscious sweet peppers, italian bread and make a meal with this alone. It's fabulous and full of flavor, AND FREE. Their entire menu is wonderful and the specials are very creative and fresh,.but that is being way too general. In an Italian restaurant the key to its success is in its sauce. Their pork gravy with rigatoni is off the charts. The spaghetti with Bolognese sauce will have you coming back for more. I am sure that their meats and fish are of the same high quality, but for me it's pasta when going out Italian. When you are looking for that pasta Jones, you can't go wrong with this truly sauce on your chin and shirt experience.. CHICAGOFATPHIL

Guy R.

We were there Saturday September 2nd. I had heard great things about this place and Wanted to give it a try. All the great reviews were right on. From the service to the food. Joe our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and the wine list. We started with the meatball salad and the egg plant stack. OUTSTANDING! The Sunday sauce with pork and rigatoni was the best I have experienced in the city. We have been talking it up to all of our friends and we cannot wait to go back.

Ronni L.

The atmosphere was really nice and the staff was really friendly, it was nice to get away from the busy downtown area but only a 5minute cab ride.the food was unbelievable,everything was fresh and the lasagna wss the best I ever had.

Cindy P.

Shame on me I Totally forgot to write a review on this one FORGIVE ME VIAGGIO's.We absolutely loved it.Saw it on Chicago's Best Thanks TED Where to begin I called to make a reservation we had play tickets and it was our wedding anniversary not that that part mattered but the play tickets wanted to be sure we would be out of there in time for the show/.Not to worry they take great care of you. Went because my favorite thing is Pork Chops well if you have seen Chicago's Best I don't have to explain Fred Flintstone big .I was nervous that we wouldn't be on time for the show so i called before we left the house they assured me no problem we live in Oak Lawn so its a little bit of a drive.Where do I begin first they welcomed us sat right down I believe Dominick was our waiter LOVED HIM.Brought us bread oil and cheese,while we looked over the menu then he told us the specials ok now I'm in trouble tonight we have a Veal Porterhouse OMG dont see them too often now I'm undecided I ask Domnick what would you do he said well we always have the pork chop but the veal chop is pretty rare.Well there ya go my husband ordered the pork chop pretty damn tasty both the veal and the pork.The meatball salad really good.Also ordered the tiramisu it was very good as well.The whole experience was excellent from start to finish we were out in time with a little time to spare.Cant wait to go back

Claire S.

I am definitely a fan of Viaggio. I was looking for a spot in the West Loop to have dinner with some family, and picked Viaggio based on the Yelp reviews I read. I was not disappointed. The Eight Finger Cavatelli was delicious as was the bite of Eggplant Parmesan that I had. Keep in mind that the portions are HUGE. Everyone at the table had leftovers and I got like three meals out of my cavatelli. If you don't want tons of leftovers, I'd suggest sharing dishes with others at your table if at all possible. Overall, solid, homestyle, Italian goodness at a very reasonable price.

Leslie H.

Great service and good food! We are lucky to have the little gem within walking distance. I'm sure we'll be back. Next time I plan on sitting on their patio!

Adam F.

Hidden gem just west of the Kennedy on Madison just west of the loop. Service was great. Food was amazing. The atmosphere was loud and laid back (reminded me of a Christmas get together on my Italian mother's side). Drinks, dinner and tip for two was under 80 bucks. The manager was in the front of house all night saying hello to everyone. Those guys in the back know what they are doing. Everyone working there was respectful and delightful. Can't wait to go back

Jessica D.

Friday night, we had one of the best dinners that I can remember. Not only was the food amazing but our server Michael (who happens to be related to one of the owners) waited on my fiancee and I. Every recommendation he made - down the the reasonably priced bottle of wine was delicious. I was served the biggest portion of sea bass I have ever seen over a bed of pasta smothered in a lemon caper white wine sauce with asparagus and red peppers. This item was not on the menu but it was like they went into my brain and asked me what I would want to eat and created the perfect version. Tim had hands down the best parmesan I have ever had. We were planning on ordering the veal parmesan but Michael said we should order the pork chop "parmesan" and he was right. They pound this piece of meat until it is more tender then veal and serve it like a traditional chicken parmesan, but instead of a side of pasta with red sauce, they served the meal with tortellini and white sauce that were so perfect. So good. But the thing that both really knocked us off our feet was the meatball salad. This meatball was amazing. Now my fiancee is a meat lover and he says this is the best meatball he has ever had - and I totally agree! If you try anything at this place this has to be it!. I want to go back and just get spaghetti and meatballs to have more meatballs! Thanks for a great night Viaggio

Heather S.

Amazing dinner- great service and amazing Italian food. Don't miss the meatball salad appetizer and the lemoncello (homemade)! My family is Italian and we make our own sauce and meatballs. We have never liked anything served at a restaurant until now! We will be back!

Arlene T.

I meant to write this review sooner. We were here in December with a party of 6 ready to celebrate the holidays. While the food was good, the service was ABYSMAL. Where to begin? Rob the host was more concerned with chatting with his friends at the bar than working in any capacity that evening. Our server certainly couldn't get the job done. He was simply awful. Drinks were super slow. Two of us ordered the special brick chicken and only one arrived. So, the rest of us waited with our dinners cooling in front of us until our friend insisted we begin. We ate slowly... and her dinner NEVER materialized. When I finally got up from the table to find out what the deal was (no one had ever come back), Rob the host (our table was right across from the host stand near the door) was yucking it up at the bar. He saw me looking for assistance-- you can be sure-- but stayed put. Finally found a manager in the back (who actually WAS busy--his name may have been Sean?) who went to check on the order. Keep in mind the rest of the group is finished and the table has been cleared by the bus boy. We are now told the brick chicken takes a long time to prepare--30 minutes. Hmmm. Maybe you could have told us that at the time you delivered the wrong meal? Mistakes happen--my friend would have been mildly dissappointed to accept something she did not order, but given the options would have accepted the chicken dish they delivered. She just wrapped up her meal to go when it finally arrived. We are a fun group and not hard to please. The manager comped desserts and was very apologetic. Too little too late. The service was beyond unacceptable. Never again.

Brian B.

The best Italian food ever. We've ordered out here 4 times and dined in 4 times over the past 5 months and every time we have been totally impressed with the quality, flavor, and non-greasyness of the dishes. Among our group of friends we've tried almost everything on the menu and there was nothing we didn't find super yummy. We love the super fresh and home-made quality of everything. The wait staff is very friendly and fun too. They appear to be authentic Italians eager to share their family history of the restaurant. We can't wait to go back again.

Suana W.

3 stars. it's my 100th review! fitting, as this was my first meal after landing in Chicago for work. i didn't eat in though, but rather picked it up to eat at my hotel room later. PROS: - huge helpings, including a complimentary plate of peppers (too bad i don't like them) and slab of bread - awesome meatballs, big and juicy (twss) and saturated in yummy red sauce - awesome lemony salad dressing, helped along by my generous extra squeezes of lemons CONS: - salad came sprinkled with cheese. mrehhhh. i am probably too used to San Francisco, where you get nickled and dimed for every component of a plate. - the carbonara was EXTREMELY creamy. i love pork fat and all, but every pasta strand was completely saturated with it, and not in a good one. i couldn't muster more than a few bites, even after dousing it with lemon. and for the next day, my tummy felt a little queasy. it's not just my asian lactose intolerance coming into play, as i eat and enjoy cheese regularly without any problems, but that cream was as dense as a brick. oh, and i just need to remember that i'm in the midwest now, and i need to request to hold the cheese on salads. it ain't kansas (california) no more!

Erin B.

This place was alright. Not good, not bad, but juuuuust (al)right. The location is nice and the decor is very tasteful and simple. I was there on a weekday afternoon and while it wasn't overly busy, it did seem really noisy which was moderately annoying because it was distracting when trying to have a conversation (which was my main focus - as the company I had far out shined the mediocre food on this particular afternoon). The service was great, actually, much better than what I've come to expect from similar-type restaurants in this area. The server was patient and accommodating, which was remarkable because my companion and I were there for quite a long time and didn't have an extraordinarily large bill to warrant such patience from him. The only complaint, really, was that the mushroom appetizer we ordered seemed incredibly greasy. To the point where it was almost inedible after a few bites because it tasted like pure oil. Hopefully that was just a fluke, and I would definitely give this place another chance to impress me again sometime in the near future.

Tom S.

I ate at this restaurant this past weekend. My father and I were going to the Bruce Springsteen Concert at United Center and we planned on using the shuttle bus from Westend Bar and Grill. Unfortunately the bar was completely filled with Bears Fans, making it impossible to sit down and watch the game. So we left Westend and right next door was Viaggio, so we looked in and saw that the Bears game was on there too. We sat down at the bar and started watching the game. The bartender was very nice and gave us a lot of help in choosing the best meal. My father had the Cheese Ravioli and Meatballs and I had the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. Both were FANTASTIC! As the dinner crowds started to come in, we didn't feel pushed to leave, but once the Bears Game ended we headed back to Westend. I plan to return another time but this place has fantastic decor and excellent service.

Ross W.

Lucky to find this neighborhood gem on Open Table. The bread with olive oil & peppers was divine. I could just eat this as an entrée. My Brazino over a bed of linguini with crab meat and green peas in white wine sauce was out of this world. I don't like green peas, but the combination just worked. Hubby's Lobster Ravioli was delicious. Service was good. When I'm back in town, I'll definitely return for the amazing food.

Monica C.

Just went here this weekend and was served by Michael. The entire experience was just fabulous. The restaurant is not huge but not small either, nicely decorated and elegant. The location is down the street from Harpo Studios and the parking is easy enough to find on a Saturday night, otherwise the restaurant offers valet. We had the meatball salad. I would describe the meatballs, which by the way were the size of tennis balls, as fluffy clouds full of flavor. The salad could have been a meal. It was simply delicious. We had the chicken west loop and chicken parmesan. Both were fantastic!!! For dessert we ended with chocolate lava cake. Both the atmosphere, our server and the food deserve 5 stars. Not only was the food delicious but the icing on the cake is that the server knew his menu well and was enjoying himself which made it that much more of a great experience. By the way, for those with kids, I would consider bringing my 2 year old here and not worry about the noise (that he would make). It is a lively atmosphere and very accommodating.

Molly A.

Not wanting to spend too much time making a decision on a restaurant for a recent double date, Viaggio was chosen because of it's top reviews on Yelp and how easily accessible it was for both parties. but it turned out to be so much better than that! walking into this restaurant, the ambiance was friendly, warm and inviting. the exposed brick walls and sinatra decor were perfect. we sat at the bar for a drink while waiting for our friends and the wine list is comprehensive but not overwhelming. the space was perfectly fitted for the number of people there - it didn't seem empty OR too crowded, it was perfect. as someone else mentioned, the peppers that came with the bread were a nice change of pace. they were tasty and perfectly cooked. we ordered the stuffed artichoke for an appetizer and it was perfectly seasoned and a great start to the meal. for dinner, our colorful server convinced my husband to order the osso bucco, which was probably the best decision he's ever made. he gobbled it up in about seven minutes flat. i ordered one of the many varieties of pork chop. it was delicious, as were the mashed potatoes and green beans. our friends got the eight finger cavatelli and the veal parm, and both of them were extremely satisfied with their meals. as one of them pointed out, one of the best things about this place is how they offer their menu- you can get a wide variety of both traditional and non-traditional italian dishes with beef, pork, veal, etc. they also had a wide variety of pasta dishes, etc. the choices were overwhelming and plentiful. by the time dessert came around, all the offered options sounded DELICIOUS, but we had stuffed ourselves already and promised to come back another time for dessert alone. from the valet to the servers and bartenders, the service here was wonderful, the food was flavorful and delicious and our experience was tops.

Kaybee K.

on my first visit, my boyfriend at the time was doing an open food review with them, so it's hard to rate any service when they already know they're being reviewed. the food that night was out of this world, though. we decided to go back after dreaming of our visit. while it wasn't bad to say the least, it wasn't as outstanding as our previous visit [to no big surprise]. we ate at about 9pm on a weekday evening and the food didn't seem to taste as fresh as it could, almost as though it had been made hours before and had been sitting on warmers. however, the eggplant appetizer is drool worthy. the balsamic they drizzle over the dish is so rich and concentrated, it's amazing. we also had the parmesan chicken and the gnocchi which both were delicious in their own regards. we would have had to fight over the leftovers if we weren't so good about sharing. i would recommend going on a weekend night; i just have a feeling the food might be fresher since they can be slow on the weekdays. and definitely get the eggplant app.

Chandler V.

popular Italian restaurant - make your Chicago visit complete by having a great meal here

Danielle H.

Run, do not walk, to Viaggio. If you're looking for attentive, charming, authentic Italian waiters.... the best quality Italian food... and a classy, not-at-all-stuffy ambiance - this is the place for you! Many times it seems that restaurants have one GREAT quality but then fall short in other areas. For example, prices could be a steal but the food sucks.... or the food is phenomenal but the waitstaff is dismal at best. Viaggio has it all - great food, great ambiance, great waitstaff, and truly unbelievable prices when all is considered. I recently told a friend that while enjoying my meal at Viaggio it was difficult to talk about anything else other than how fantastic the food was! We started with the stuffed artichokes and meatball salad. The artichokes were so-so but the meatball salad was awesome! Soft, large meatballs with a delectable marinara sauce and a side salad with large, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. The waiter dishes out this appetizer at your table and serves the salad portion with marinara sauce on top. After eating it I wondered why I had never thought of that before! It was delicious! For dinner we had the shrimp risotto special and the half chicken special. The shrimp risotto was perfectly prepared. There was a delicate crust on the top with the risotto being creamy underneath. Each large shrimp was perfectly cooked with that slight "pop" when you took a bite. The half chicken was served on the bone in a marinara sauce, but was so tender it was easily falling off the bone. It was served with a large side of mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. For dessert we had the creme brulee. While this is not usually my first choice for a dessert I was not only not disappointed but utterly delighted! The glazed top layer had a perfect crispness that melded with the creaminess underneath. Slivered almonds were also incorporated. For beverages, we enjoyed a couple of glasses of Chianti and each had a limoncello. Both were tasty and complimented the meal well. There are not many restaurants that earn my "Yum-tastic" rating but Viaggio far exceeded my already lofty expectations (based on others' past reviews). As a result, we're going back tomorrow night to take our visiting family members. I promise - you will NOT be disappointed.

Ami P.

And my first review on yelp goes to this place!!!! A friend of mine and I wanted to go grab dinner on a saturday night. we were able to make a reservation online (bonus for the city). We found free parking right in front of the place and the service was by far the BEST I have had in a long time! the food was really good! i had the eggplant parm and the side pasta it came with was absolutely delicious! I am definitely going back!!!!

NANCY H.

Superb Italian fare! Very large portions. To die for chicken parmesan. Good wine list. Great cannoli. The hostess and wait staff were authentic Italians. Wonderful service. Our waiter guided us through their specialties on the menu, and offered suggestions. Very friendly, and very helpful. I felt like I was in this guy's very own home.

Dan M.

This place must have the best italian chef in Chicago! The waiters especially Nicholas are very knowledgeable about wines and how the food is prepared.

H C.

Amazing, amazing, and more amazing! The space, the staff, the food, all amazing! Went here on a Friday night and we were seated right away. Michael was our server and he was awesome. He was friendly, super attentive and funny. My date is 6'4" and 250lbs and he kept calling him "big guy" telling him he could eat more. Hehe. We started with the lettuce and meatballs after Michael suggested thats what we order. So delicious! I found myself the next day craving that same salad. My date even texted me the next day saying he was craving it as well. My entree was one of the specials that day and it was a lobster filled ravioli with a vodka shrimp sauce. I had to stop myself from eating it, I was so full. But it was soooooo good. My date had the spaghetti and shrimp but I didnt get a chance to taste that, he really enjoyed it though. Oh also, they give you bread and olive oil and the olive oil is mixed with sweet peppers. Now I'm not much of a peppers fan in general but I gave them a shot and they were pretty damn good. The serving sizes at this place are super generous. I had enough of my ravioli left over for an entire meal the next day. Too bad I came home drunk later on that night around 2am and ate my leftovers. :-) I seriously cannot wait to go back to this restaurant. I've already told my friends that we need to have a girl's night here sometime soon!

Kerry D.

Went here tonight based completely on the Yelp reviews...it was really good and very reasonable. Nice atmosphere, delicious food, good wine- and easy to get in on a Friday night at 8:00! We even got a free appetizer for mentioning Yelp:) My friend and I shared the eggplant stack app- fresh tomatoes, arugula and mozzarella on top of fried eggplant slices, delicious. The bread they brought out was hot and tasty- served w/roasted peppers in olive oil. We each ordered a pasta and shared them as well, with enough left over to feed my husband- and we're all good eaters. I had the cheese ravioli w/meatballs (really fresh, delicious ravioli) and she had the pork ragu rigatoni- both delicious, tasted homemade in the best way possible.

Mike G.

Struck out at Westend Bar when we arrived late Saturday night for dessert. Instead, walked next door to Viaggio for a memorable round of delicious sweets served by the friendly bartender. The four of us shared the cheesecake, tiramissu and Italian ice. Nice presentation, ample portions and high quality make this an easy choice for late nite cravings.

Phil F.

Hands down my favorite Italian place in Chicago. We had the pleasure of celebrating a special occasion tonight, and I couldn't imagine a better place to do it. Per usual, the food did not disappoint -- meatball salad and calamari are an unrivaled appetizer combo, Chicken West Loop is out of this world, and the lava cake was just oozing with chocolate goodness. Better yet,. Uncle Mike and the waitstaff really were tremendous. Thanks again for a great night!

Trent S.

It was recommended by a local and we found it great. Michael twisted our arm into trying the meat ball salad and we were not disappointed. The home made pasta and the signature chicken dish were delicious. Price was good! We'll be back !!!!!

Kelsey K.

Holy cannoli this place is incredible. From the second we walked in, this was one of the best lunch experiences I've ever had. We went there for a business lunch and we were the only ones there, which was surprising from the reviews they've received. It is a good measure of a great restaurant when you're the only ones there and still receive exemplary service. There is often the tendency to hover, but they did a flawless job. Every single item that we ordered was perfect. I don't mean good, I mean perfect. We got the best calamari I've ever had. It was fresh and seasoned incredibly with an unbelievably awesome marinara sauce. We also got a roasted eggplant appetizer that was great. I ordered the snapper, which they were out of, but they substituted it with swordfish and a side of fuscili pasta with vodka sauce. Have I mentioned that they nailed every single thing on this menu? The guys got all different foods (pastas w/ & w/o mb, bolognese sauce, etc...) and everybody just stopped talking while the food was there. That never happens. I LOVE THIS RESTAURANT. Thank you, thank you, thank you Yelpers. I've been to dozens of Italian restaurants in Chicago and none of them have blown my mind, but this place did. I am SO excited to go back as soon as I can. Verdict: The best Italian food I've ever had and it has to be up there with the best in Chicago.

Stephanie B.

One of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago. Passionate, authentic and attentive servers. Vibrant and cheerful atmosphere. Delicious homemade food. Great wine. It has all of the elements! While all of the food we've tried is excellent, we keep coming back for that meatball salad. Unbelievable! These guys know what they're doing.

Slu S.

This was an unexpected hit. The place next door had opened it's patio at the d-bag overflow nearly kept me away from this place. I am glad that it didn't. The Sunday Gravy was very, very good. The portions were big enough to provide lunch for the wife and me the next day. The braised pork in the sauce was super-tender. The peppers served with the sauce were expertly roasted. The ricotta was a great touch served with the tomato sauce. If I had visitors staying downtown and they wanted Italian, I'd hit this place up again.

Katie F.

Great food, great waiter, great for our group of 8 people. Fast service.

Sunshine A.

Had a surprise Valentine's Day dinner here and it was great! There is nothing I love more than a nearly homemade Italian dish. I went with the Veal Viaggo, and was more than pleased. The dish came with a side of sauteed string beans and mashed potatoes. Also, I am a fan of peppers, so when we got our bread with sweet peppers covered in olive oil, I was more than delighted. The ambiance was also fab with an Italian singer, setting the mood. I'll def be back.

Kristin S.

I was torn between 4 and 5 stars, and since I only had a taste of two entrees, I thought I'd keep it at 4 until I have a chance to go back and try a bit more. First, I want everyone to know that this place is open for lunch! It was sadly empty with a beautiful patio and open front doors letting in the sunshine and a nice breeze. Great atmosphere! Because it was so empty, the service seemed a bit desperate, but friendly and nice. I had read so much about the eggplant stack that I asked if it was big enough for my meal and it definitely was. I was amazed at the freshness of the ingredients and how great they tasted. I love balsamic vinegar, so if you do too, you have to get this. Crispy eggplant layered with fresh mozzarella and thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes topped with spicy arugula and yummy balsamic. I could eat that every day. I also tried some of the meatball from my boss's meatball salad and it was delicious--melted in my mouth. The portions were big, but my boss always orders dessert, so we shared the tiramisu (standard, but very good) and the cannoli (the best I've ever had with a fresh, crispy shell and creamy filling... YUM!). Lunch prices are very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. I will definitely be back for lunch since I work in the area, and hope others will too!

Christina B.

I'll start on a high note: great service, nice ambience, though noisy on busy nights. Now that that's out of the way, here's what matters: the food is awful. I've been here twice now, and I'm done. The first time i went i had the cavatelli with shrimp. The pasta was mushy, like bland nubbins of raw dough. Not impressed. I took several months away, and went back recently - this time I had the lobster ravioli, a special that night. The pasta was overdone, the lobster filling was nast, the ravioli were swimming in butter and oil, and topped with soggy breadcrumbs. Definitely not a place for vegetarians unless you want plain pasta with olive oil, marinara, or alfredo. Or the very original eggplant parmesan. Being a pescatarian doesn't help either. Limited selection unless you love chicken and veal. As a side note, when a menu describes everything as "grilled (or seared or baked or whatevered) to perfection", a red flag goes up, emblazoned with the words "this restaurant sucks". It's like they're trying to convince me that something is good. In this case the red flag was dead on. Blown away by the 4.5 star average on yelp. Really yelpers? I trusted you!

Sabrina B.

Being from NY, we are critical about our Italian food. We were not only not disappointed in Viaggio, we are still raving about it after we've returned from our Chicago trip! We still dream about the meatball appetizer (which we received free) and the SAUCE...the red sauce is incredible! Our friends (who live in Chcago) found this place and have never eaten there-we told them to go back so we could be jealous! The waiter, Mike, was a riot, and the service was great...our drinks were never empty and our requests never uncatered to...even the valet had a great personality! Between us, we had the meatball dish, the West Loop Chicken (yum!-and a surprise-some hand rolled tortellini with alfredo-delish!) and penne vodka with sausage..we had no room for dessert, so I can't say if it was good, but if the food was any indicator, I wouldn't hesitate! Delicious!!!

Aaron R.

Five words: Rigatoni and Sunday Pork Gravy. An absolute hit. I come from a large Italian family and this reminded me so much of home. The feel of the restaurant is very authentic and the food is outstanding. My lady had one of the specials, a Shrimp Risotto, and we both loved it. For an appetizer we had the fried calamari, I was a little suspect of it being drenched in marinara when it came out but it didn't make it soggy at all and the squid was good to perfection. Make sure to come hungry because the portions are huge, as one might suspect with an authentic Italian restaurant in the heart of Chicago's Little Italy.

Claudia D.

My husband, daughter and I went to dinner tonight (Monday) 10/26. There were 2 tables with people dining when we arrived-very empty place tonight. One of the tables, at the back, was very noisy and loud. We all had cocktails and had a hard time deciding what to order. Finally, I ordered the Veal Piccata which was sided with spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. My husband and daughter both ordered the special fish-halibut with a white wine sauce topped with red peppers and sided with spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. All of us were very happy with our food, both the size of the portions and the presentation. It was delicious. The cocktails were full measure. Blue cheese stuffed olives are available! For dessert, I had the berry sorbet which was quite tasty, although not as tart as I expected. The service was attentive without intrusiveness, very knowledgeable about the food and we were pleased. It's too expensive for a weekly visit, but I definitely want to return.

Claus M.

Went here for our anniversary on 7/29. The food was excellent - truly top-notch. The service left a bit to be desired. Several orders were forgotten or delayed significantly. We also felt quite rushed, even though there were always open tables and we had ordered quite a large bill. The service was very friendly, though, and the food was worth at least four stars all by it's self. Tried the meatball salad, a tri-color shrimp ravioli special, the lamb chops, and tiramissou. None could have possibly been better.

P B.

fair wine list, good tasting food, good service, good variety. Not as good as Gioco's in south loop, but still worth your time and money

Tracey H.

Viaggio is a fantastic restaurant. The service is wonderful and the owners/operators are clearly invested in their clientele, which is kind of old school...these days peopl tend to be so hands off, but the folks at Viaggio always engage with you. The food is very well executed. Delicious and NOT pretentious, which is a nice change of pace for Chicago. Go!

C L.

Terrible. The server forgot to come by and take our order, after 20 minutes of sitting there, I grabbed the host. We finally received our food and they had sent us the wrong order. We were so hungry at that point that we didn't dare send it back and wait any longer. The fish was over cooked and my risotto was undercooked. Gross.

K T Y.

Not kidding or exaggerating. 5 stars. The pasta was hearty and still steamy warm after I worked on it for about 15 minutes. I had the Sunday Gravy rigatoni, and it was awesome. Portions were more than enough to share for 2 people. Nice deco, but not super uppity. Met the owner. Really nice guy. I'm sure like me, living in Chicago there's alot of options for Italian cuisine. Don't pass this one up.

Alex K.

Fantastic food. Eggplant stack was excellent, best bruschetta I've ever had. Everything tastes (and hopefully is) fresh and prepared to order.

Anthony U.

This was a first date. Service was just the right amount, patient but attentive. Salmon special was perfectly cooked and the fish was fresh. Portions large; we could of shared but that may of been odd on a first date....

Valerie S.

Wow! Cannot say enough great things about Viaggio's and would rate it higher than 5 stars if possible. The staff here go above and beyond and every time we have had dinner, it has been a relaxing, inviting, and fun experience. The food is amazing. Our personal favorites are the meatball salad and the pork chops. Love this place!

Antonio M.

A Truly Top Notch Italian Restaurant. The ambiance is nice with touches of "Classic Italian" in a building that also feels "Classic Chicago". I've never had a bad meal here - and even one of their simpler dishes, the Rigatoni, is spot on perfect every time... which I think is a real sign of quality, attention to detail, and commitment to consistency.

Elle C.

Great food, Great ambiance, and Great service!

Fred S.

Just happened to stumble upon this place on the evening that Coldplay was at the United Center. The WestEnd was so packed and I just wanted a little dinner, so I decided to give the place next door a try. What a surprise! They brought out some bread and homemade roasted peppers that were out of this world. The Linguine and clam sauce was amazing and I left a happy camper....

Christopher H.

Great food, comfortable atmosphere. Very welcoming staff. Not cheap. Some might find the waiter Michael, from Jersey, a little over-bearing, but he's entertaining. Grilled octopus salad was unbelievable; don't be scared.

James W.

Great food, not like other Chicago Italian joints. Sauces or not over powering, not heavy but not to light, just right. I did not like the calimari because it was tossed with a red sauce but, it was tasty. I personally like plain crunchy fried calimari with sauce on the side. The ravioli was wonderful. The tossed salad was great and the mussels in red sauce were great. I will definitely go back soon.

Tara R.

Last Thursday my fiance and I dined at Viaggio. We live around the corner and usually pick up the food, but we decided to go out and have a nice meal. Nice is an understatement. Our server was Michael........best server I have ever had, and me being in the industry, that is a huge complement. He suggested the meatball salad, yes, meatball salad. It was so good!! I will be going back and I have to say Viaggio wouldn't be the the same without Michael.

Marsha C.

LOVED IT ALL - food, ambiance, our waiter Michael and the service. I am half Japanese, half Irish/German but I fully believe in a past life I was italian. I love Italian food, culture, wine, language and hopefully the country someday if I ever make it there! Michael was so good at making us feel at home and explaining all the wonderful choices to us that I am not sure we weren't full before we ordered! He was right - don't fill yourselves on appetizers because the entrees are HUGE. Party of 4 did not listen - we got 2 appetizers, the meatball salad and I forget the name but it was basically breaded mozarella bruschetta. Both were dynamite. The meatball salad I thought was spectacular and I am a self proclaimed meatball aficionado. Spaghetti Carbonara, Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy, Pork Parmesan and Chicken Parmesan, Cheescake. All were fantastic and the Rigatoni did not disappoint. If I had to choose a least favority dish it would be the Pork. It is a bit small and I can see how it would fill up fast. But really, I have no complaints. We even commented that we should make this an annual outing for my birthday. I think I will be back way before then!!

Eric L.

Ive been here 4 times now and I can say that I have never had a bad meal here. Every dish is excellent and the service is amazing. Genuine Italian food that is hardy and not over the top. One of the best in Chicago!

Tonya H.

I LOVE this place! I have been here numerous times and it never disappoints! The food is on the heavy side, but it is delicious!! The eggplant stack and the meatballs with salad are amazing appetizers. I used to always order a pasta dish with a spicy tomato sauce and grilled shrimp, but they updated their menu and no longer offer this dish...the last time I was there, I ordered pasta carbonara, which was amazing! Definitely not healthy, but extremely good! I love the service, the food, and the comfortable feeling I get when walking in the door. Definitely try this place!

Meg B.

Osso Buco was the best we ever had. The Lamb Oreganatto was incredible and a unique combination of hearty spices and garlic. the mussels were tender, spicy and had a wonderful sauce that we suckled up with the italian bread. the seafood salad as an appetizer was plenty for all four of us. The atmosphere was electric, intimate and very Italian. The service was entertaining, personal and very attentive. We loved it and will be back.

Jack M.

It's pretty out of the way, but it is definitely delicious. Large (LARGE) portions. Be sure to order the Sunday Pork Gravy (as everyone else has said), and start with either the eggplant or the caprese (or both). Good service and a nice atmosphere - the place seemed very family-friendly, but not lame. The juicehead gorilla guidos and their whorish girlfriends at the bar were certainly a tasteful addition to the ambiance.

Kevin K.

Best Italian food I have ever had - period. veal parmesan was out of this world and the tiramisu was absolutely amazing. I come from a pastry chef Italian mom and so typically I am picky but this place was an excellent surprise.

Mark R.

While visiting from Omaha, found this restaurant on Open Table and had dinner there Thursday, December 9, 2010. Mike, our waiter, was great. (His family owns the restaurant.). He offered terrific recommendations and provided great service. But the highlights of the outstanding meal were the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy and the homemade Limoncello. The Rigatoni (a huge portion - go hungry as you will want to eat every bite) came with huge chunks of perfectly cooked pork in a great sauce and a huge serving of ricotta cheese. Mike told us that some people eat the ricotta separately - but I mixed the ricotta with the rigatoni, pork and sauce - and it was the best pasta dish I've had! Finished with a perfect portion of ice-cold Limoncello served in a frosted glass. If you love Italian food you must try this restaurant!

joanna f.

I came here for a quiet birthday dinner with my boyfriend. There weren't that many people in the place. (Usually a bad sign). The food was okay, the wine list was okay, nothing to write home about. I thought the menu selection was kind of small--not a lot of variety. I also thought the food was expensive for the quality I received. I'm all for paying a lot of money if the food is great, but like I said before, I wasn't that impressed. I've been to much better Italian restaurants in the city.

Josh M.

I tried this place the other day and expected the best Italian food. Unfortunately, I never really got to try it. I tried ordering my food without cheese and the order came with cheese. Rather than have my guest wait for my dish to be redone, while hers got cold. I just changed my meal to a salad. The service was good, but I always hate when the kitchen or server ignores requests. He tried to act like he didn't hear the no dairy part rather than admit he or the kitchen screwed up. However, he repeated my order to me and I was very clear. It can be dangerous especially with allergies. On a positive side, later in the night I saw our server giving the heimlich maneuver to another guest. The choking guy's date did not look happy with her date. Overall, an interesting place, however if a kitchen or server screws up orders, I don't tend to go back.

Julie O.

The starters were so good we kept ordering appetizers. We had 5 for a table of 4! All were superb but the best in my opinion were the Meatballs and Sausage and Peppers. The food was so good we kept eating. The entrées were perfect as well as the drinks. The staff was extremely friendly and provided outstanding service. I usually hate chain restaurants and always prefer to visit a local restaurant when traveling, but the food and staff was so superb, I hope to see a Viaggio in every town. It is certainly a neighborhood charmer and could be part of any Italian "community". The next place should be "Little Italy" in San Diego.

Joyce H.

A couple friends and I stopped here for dinner out of convenience of location in the West Loop. Our server, Michael, was hilarious and gave very good recommendations. The sweet peppers with the bread was good and was different than the usual olive oil and cheese. He suggested the salad with the meatball to split and we took him up on it. It was delicious: 2 very large meatballs on top of a simple salad--very tasty. I had chicken piccata was was very good and hot. The others had a pasta special and chicken parmesan which both seemed to enjoy. We all had leftovers- portions were large. I would go back--food was very good and our server was plenty entertaining!

Lisa F.

I had the pleasure of eating at Viaggio during my recent trip to Chicago. What a wonderful neighborhood restaurant. Everything we had was delicious, from appetizers to main course. Being Italian, we're pretty picky about Italian restaurants. The meatballs were like homemade, as was the sausage and peppers. The rigatoni with Sunday gravy was out of this world. Living in Los Angeles, you don't often find these great neighborhood restaurants. Even their valet service was great. The guy literally stood in the middle of the street to hail a cab! Can't wait to go back to Chicago and Viaggio.

k b.

Four of us had reservations on a Saturday. We were greeted and seated promptly. Such a nice beginning for such a nice meal. The place is visually attractive and our wait staff was certainly attentive. The food was wonderful, and that in itself would have me going back. Risottio, lamb chops, veal chop, and white bean pasta, and the caprese salad is the best I have ever had. Very, very nice. It is a very loud place, though, and the four of us had to shout to be heard by each other. It was a relief to go outside. If they would only hang some absorbents from the ceiling. . . Go hungry .

Steven W.

Great Italian food. Went here with my fiance and another couple the night before Valentine's Day. We had a reservation at 9pm and the restaurant was fairly crowded when we arrived, however, they had our table ready for us. This is a big plus in my book (I never understand when you make a reservation, get to the restaurant, and have to wait 30 minutes for your table still...). Our waiter, I believe his name was Michael, told us his uncle or cousin owned the place. He was loud, friendly, funny, and very personable (some people may be put off by this level of attention but I was a fan). Service was great and you really felt like this was a family-owned place. On to the food: they brought out some bread, which was fresh and had a good crust. It came out with a plate of sweet peppers marinated in an Italian dressing or vinaigrette of sorts. None of us were big fans of the peppers, but it wasn't a turnoff. Michael brought us olive oil and Parmesan to make up for it. We started off with an order of calamari. It came out tossed in marinara sauce. I personally like the sauce on the side so you get the crispiness of the fried calamari, but everyone at the table enjoyed the app, including me. It just wasn't my favorite ever. For the meals, my friend's fiance had the Sunday night rigatoni, which looked great. She enjoyed it. My friend and I both ordered one of the specials which was basically a pasta with a meat sauce but the meat was crumbled Italian sausage. It had a slight kick to it. We also both asked them to use this long fusilli-esque pasta and they accommodated no questions asked. The dish was excellent. My fiance had shrimp with spaghetti which was in a red sauce. I usually don't like seafood pasta dishes, but this was excellent. All of the pastas were great and HUGE! Seriously, after I finished eating, I took looked at my dish and it looked like I hadn't even touched my food. It was enough for 2 people to get stuffed off of. I reheated it last night (two nights later) and it was still amazing and I didn't finish my leftovers. After our entrees, we decided we were too stuffed for dessert. By this time, the Blackhawks game had let out and there was a decent amount of fans in the restaurant. This made it a little difficult to get a cab. We ended up walking around for a bit before we caught one. Overall, I would recommend this place. If you've ever been to La Scarola (another great Italian place), I'd say you'd like this place a lot as well. It's a lot definitely less hectic than La Scarola, more welcoming, and the food is phenomenal. There aren't many places I look forward to going back to (solely because there are so many places I want to try), but this is one of them. If I'm ever looking for a good, filling, hearty Italian meal with great service, I'd go back to this place.

E L.

Great atmosphere and very good food. I love Italian food and I would give it a 4.5 star overall. Prices are very reasonable for the food quality, portion size, and ambiance of the restaurant. We'll definitely go back.

Curt L.

First visit to Viaggio last night. Simple, pleasant, upscale room (with ample heating on a 10 degree night). Michael, our server, was a character--we enjoyed his style, but then we normally enjoy servers who want to interact with us more than just taking our order and dropping off plates. Some folks aren't looking for a bit of cabaret with their meal. Food was delicious...bread with peppers as advertised, a chicken tetrazzini special was killer, as was the special 8-finger cavatelli with vodka sauce. Everything smelled and tasted fresh and was served piping hot. Mammoth portions; either share or take home half of what you get. The signature salad with meatballs was good, too. People seem to have fun dining here. We did, and we will be back. Gotta try the red snapper. Didn't ask about soup...none on the menu but I bet they'd crank out an awesome minestrone or wedding soup.

Susan S.

Best Italian food in the city....makes La Scarola and Picolo Sono look like fast food restaurants....Try the Calamari it is the best I have ever had...The waiter Michael treats everyone just like he was serving you in your own home....

Angelyn L.

We had concert tickets at the United Center so decided that this would be convenient for dinner. We had 5 o/c reservations and we were seated immediately. I noticed that the menu was limited and not at all like I had seen online. Then I overheard the waiter tell the table next to us that we all had been given the "concert menu." I asked the waiter about the appetizers that we had seen online and he graciously let us order the appetizers that we had been looking forward to (they were nothing to rave about) but insisted that we order our dinner at the same time. Needless to say, we got our dinners just minutes after our appetizers arrived. Dinner was very good though. My husband had the braciole with fusili pasta and I had the eggplant stack. Our problem was that we felt like we were at a marathon. It was not relaxing at all. We had drinks, appetizers, dinner and dessert served in 45 minutes. And then to make matters worse, immediately after we paid the bill( I checked the receipt --6:04 pm, so we certainly weren't lingering) the hostess approached our table and said that people at the bar had ordered dinner and that their food was ready so they needed our table and we had to leave. Who does that? I will never go there again. They need to take a page from Tufano's, who always handles a crowd from United Center, UIC Pavillion or Cellular Field with its usual charm and delicious food. Guess where I will be going next time?

Todd M.

I overlooked this place for months, not knowing they had a lunch menu. It's right around the corner from my job. Also, the white, linen tablecloth I spotted from the street intimidated me. I was greeted, and allowed to sit anywhere I like as I was one of the first ones there. The decor is cozy and elegant, but the menu prices are reasonable for lunch items. After reviewing the menu, I selected a dish called Rigatoni with Pulled Pork and Sunday Gravy. The server then said "it's the best thing on the menu." It came piping hot, and I just stared at it until I could dive in. Once I did, it was one of the best Italian dishes I've ever had, hands down! Perfectly cooked pasta, a slight tomato-gravy base and succulent pork dressed with a dollop of Ricotta cheese in the middle. Perfection!

Jade S.

This is family style traditional Italian at its best. Be prepared for huge portions and friendly bubbly service. The three of us ordered: calamari (awesome) brick chicken (it is a whole chicken) veal marsala (if you're not starving, the thin veal would be perfect for you, with yummy shrooms) bottle of pinot grigio All in a little over $153 and absolutely no room for dessert and everyone doggy bagged a portion of our meal. The table was on the small side and it was a bit of a struggle managing all of the plates with a couple of close calls knocking over wine glasses. We managed but it would have been nice if there was a bit more room to spread about.

Sarah M.

Green peppers and warm bread are brought to your table after you sit down. We chose to dip the bread in oil and vinegar (you have to request vinegar), but the bread tastes good enough to eat alone. The waiter was very kind and took time to answer our many questions. For my meal, I got the chicken Caesar salad and nibbled on my boyfriend's spaghetti with marinara sauce and meatballs. The amount of pasta could probably feed two, and the regular sized salad could probably feed two people as well -- I basically waddled out of the place from so much food. Although I only drank water, I noticed many people enjoying a wide variance of alcoholic beverages. The dessert menu had some nice options including gelato and creme brûlée, but I couldn't stand to eat another bite so I did not try. I'd make reservations if you plan on eating during "normal" dining hours. My party arrived at 4:45 with no reservation and seated immediately, but people began coming very quickly and I'm sure you'd find a wait of you came much later.

Breanna B.

Oh, the parpadelle! Everyone has had that moment where they wish their stomach was a bottomless pit to enjoy every morsel of a meal. This was one of those moments for me. I ordered the vodka parpadelle and I never wanted it to end. I wanted to keep eating, but my body told me I had to stop. It was creamy, rich, and the pasta was cooked perfectly, evidently homemade. It had just the right about of bite and the sauce coated each noodle. I'm salivating... If you do one thing when you come to Viaggio, it's order the parpadelle with vodka sauce. I finally found my favorite and it's in a city I don't live in. *single tear slides down my cheek* Other things you must try include the meatball salad, it seems unusual, but it makes sense when you eat it. Lettuce and savory marinara mix together with a bite of tender meatballs. The burrata is wonderful. One must always enjoy burrata at an Italian restaurant, it is a requirement. Coupled with many glasses of prosecco, it turned out to be a wonderful night and the service was top notch from beginning to end.

Mary B.

Saturday night 6:00 - they fit us in as their last reservation just 2 hours before. Seated immediately, restaurant was full but staff was attentive & informative. We were celebrating 2 birthday's and heading to the UC for a show at 7:30. Advice about portion sizes was informative - we probably ordered same amount as a table of 4 ordering 1 entree each - but because everything was split - we had a lot of variety to choose from. Adults liked the meatball salad; kids did not. Kids loved the spaghetti carbonara. And the chicken parmesian was good too. The apple torte with gelato was delicious. Fast, affordable, very nice. And the visit at the end of our meal (from I think the owner(s)) was also a very nice touch!

Cara L.

Never in my life did I think that a meatball salad would change my life, let alone be something that even sounded remotely good. But holy.crap. I was wrong. My first night in Chicago and my savvy colleague set up a late dinner for a small group of us at Viaggio. When we walked in I noticed this place looked like it had been there for a while, or at least had a history in the area. I really have no idea if that's true or not, but when it comes to Italian eats, the older the decor, the more homey and authentic it feels. My colleague insisted we try the meatball salad, so I elected him to pick the apps for the whole table. He did damn well. But the big stand out was definitely this unique dish. Sure, warm meatballs on cold, crisp lettuce sounds like it could be disastrous, but Viaggio makes it work so hard. It was like a lightly dressed, Italian side salad with homemade meatballs on top. They cut them up at the table and then serve the guests. Please, just try it. I saw they had homemade gnocchi on the menu, so I opted for a heaping dish of that with their vodka sauce. Good. God. I've never had such a filling pasta before! I could barely make it through 1/4 of this rich dish of epic deliciousness. Another stellar part of this meal was the service. Our waiter was on it. He knew the specials by heart and described them perfectly. He made our entire party feel super special and even brought over complimentary, house-made, REAL limoncello. I'm normally not a fan, but this was so tasty. Lastly, while we were waiting for our cab, the owner chatted with us like we've been friends for years. So nice. Thanks for the great experience, guys!

Ritu R.

This place is perfect for a family dinner. We came with my family. Party of 6. So warm & welcoming. Exceptional & attentive service. The experience begins with roasted green peppers, parm & warm bread. We started with the pesto infused burrata (special) & eggplant stack. Both were delicious. I had the sea bass. It was amazing. Moderate sized. Perfect for my needs. My dad had a special vegetarian preparation request. A pasta primavera. Healthy & tasty! The hubs had Sunday gravy rigatoni. Server said its their best dish. And it lived up to the rep! My brother in law ordered the eggplant parm. The mom had a spinach salad. Everyone loved their meals and can't wait to return!

Megan S.

I really liked this place. It wasn't the greatest gluten free Italian menu I've ever seen but the food was great and the server was conscious of contamination. My fb said his meal and bread was good as well.

Zac W.

Superb Italian restaurant. Staff are professional and courteous. Our mains came a little late as our check was "misplaced". We didn't care as the apps were filling and delicious. The waiter gave us a free desert for the delay - that's how to run a business. Great crowd too - families, couples, friends. Will be back often.

Maisa F.

I was craving Italian food then found this gem near by me. Soon as I walked in the hostess was very sweet and said it was ok for me seat at the bar when I asked. Eddie took care of me and suggested the meatballs and salad was amazing and I had pasta with arabiatta sauce. Everything was great. The owner Dave also introduced himself and it was very friendly and caring about how everything was. I can't wait to go back and try other things on the menu. Everyone was so welcoming and nice great service and food. Recommend.

Ray D.

Great Italian dishes. Veal Scaloppini and Parm are fantastic. The Chilean Sea Bass was out of this world good! Burrata cheese app was fresh as well. Everyone I brought here was impressed. Great service. Look forward to going back.

Brian S.

Where do I begin? The front door hostess was very nice, the owner operator Dave who could not be a pleasurable person or the bar staff which is extremely engaging. This place is run like a bar resturant should be run. The food is generous and very well prepared, the service is top notch and staff is appreciative of your business. Do you self a favor and stop in for for good italian food and see how a resturant operation should be ran- and say hi to Dave and tell him "Sherm" sent you!

Jaime S.

Came here with my boyfriend to celebrate one year since we met. I'll be frank: I never choose to go out for Italian food because I'm usually disappointed by an over abundance of garlic or mediocre meatballs. This place has none of that. Great meatballs with the perfect balance of breadcrumbs to meat, terrific vodka sauce. I got a dover sole alla limone special that was AMAZING. Great little Spot. Tight seating so make a reservation.

Rod L.

Nothing in this world stays the same, something's get better. That girlfriend I previously mentioned, became my wife and Viaggio's is without a doubt the best restaurant we have ever been to in Chicago. Our visit on February 21 was the defining factor. The eggplant was better than we even remembered and the entrees were truly to die for. My wife continued to complement the homemade noodles in her pasta dish. As for mine I was in heaven through the entire meal. I don't think you can make a bad decision in this restaurant because everything they serve is top shelf. When it was time for dessert we were hesitant because we were so stuffed from the entrées. We happily decided however to move forward to the homemade cannolis and tiramisu. Oh my God PERFECTION!!!

Benjamin R.

Great little Italian restaurant with outstanding, personable service and good old fashioned Italian dishes. We got meatball salad and a variety of pasta dishes and it was all really good. The meatballs and the pappardelle with vodka sauce were my top 2. This place is a nice alternative to all the over the top celebrity type restaurants in the area. Just simple, good food.

Jeff F.

Was there Sunday night the food was great!! Meatball salad perfect and the Lake Perch was as good as it gets!!!

Kate U.

5 stars! This place was amazing! Came here for a team celebratory-work event and this place did not disappoint. First off, if you are a guy trying to impress a girl, take her here. She will be impressed. Do not come here if you aren't insanely hungry because the food is very filling. We started out with the meatball salad. I could have been done with dinner after that, the meatball was incredibly filling and had great flavor. I was going to try the lasagna but they were out, was kind of disappointed as I heard so many great things about it. They had a steak special with wine sauce that I tried instead. The steak was perfectly cooked and tender. The mashed potatoes were melt-in-your mouth amazing. Between the amazing service, great selection of food & wine, this Italian restaurant will not disappoint. Perfect date night, but it gets pricey so beware. There is a parking structure right across the street and they have valet as well. Will be back

Saba A.

Came here for my brother and laws birthday dinner and it was a small group of 6 of us. We came with reservations for Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. Our waiter was so friendly and jolly. He had a smile on his face the whole time and was very easy to talk to and laid back so a very inviting atmosphere with the basic and elegant Italian ambiance. We were seated in the back and began with bread with olive oil. Our waiter told us our specials and my brother and law and his wife split the seafood special which was $40. If it wasn't split- I couldn't imagine how filling it could be. My husband and I split the veal with the choice of marsala, and my sister in law and her friend split a linguine dish. I wouldn't know anyone who wouldn't consider splitting because the portions are very big. At least for an Italian restaurant in Chicago they are. WHAT I LOVED-- and made this restaurant different was the choices on the menu with sauce pairings. I have tasted better marsala but the veal was cooked perfectly. It was just a small size to share but we also got a small ceaser salad to make it a bit more healthy for 6 dollars. They were more than happy to take our 6 cupcakes that my brother in laws wife surprised him with and brought it out with a candle and a big cheer in Italian when delivering it. Location is perfect and I would strongly recommend it for families that are in the area. Perfect for double date and small groups as we saw many of those. I would also make reservations.

Earl P.

We sat at the bar and mentioned to, Kristen, the bartender, it was our first visit. She called over the owner, David. He insisted we try the meatball salad and ordered one for us on the house. It was amazing. If the food had been cardboard (it was amazing food) it wouldn't have mattered because Kristen and David were was so friendly and the over all service quality was so good. . THE FOOD WAS AMAZING!!!! It is the perfect neighborhood Italian restaurant. If it isn't in your neighborhood, take an uber and come anyway. With uber, everything is in you neighborhood.

Linda L.

Came here a few months ago and have the best spaghetti cabonara ever for dinner. Came here two days ago and had their penne in Sunday pork sauce and was less impressed. I'm torn. Have to come back sometime to see which direction I swing.

Kemp K.

Tried out Viaggio for lunch on a Friday, and it was absolutely delicious! We had a meatball sub, chicken parmigiana, and the rigatoni with sunday pork gravy. Highly recommend all three. Our server, Felipe, was outstanding and very personable. Overall the food was delicous, perfectly spiced and balanced in flavors. I will definitely become a repeat customer. The lunch menu provides some amazing value as the food is easily worth the price and left all 3 of us full for the rest of the day. Definitely a 5 star place in my view!

L. B.

I've dined here twice within the past two weeks and had very different experiences. The first time I was there, I thought it was great. We came in Saturday night without a reservation and we were seated right away - awesome. I ordered the spaghetti carbonara, and I thought it was rich and fatteningly delicious. Our server was bubbly and timely with everything. Overall - great experience. Last weekend we went on Saturday night...called ahead to get a table in 15 min...no problem. Our server must have been stretched thin, because we barely saw him. I ordered the lasagna this time, and it was served lukewarm, and the sauce was actually cool to the touch. I should have said something but I didn't - that's on me. The tiramisu was delish. The calamari app was a little strange...its "fried" - but not how I imagine a fried texture to be. It is served tossed in a tomato sauce. I think that whatever crunchiness that the fried calamari once had was completely obliterated by the sauce. It felt slimy/mealy and was a turn off. My boyfriend has the appetite of a stray dog so he finished the calamari even though he wasn't a fan. Also, we LOVE that they serve roasted sweet peppers with the bread. Nice touch & delicious. I think we will try the other Italian places in our new West Loop hood to see if there is something better to have as our go-to Italian.

Edward M.

Really nice Italian resturant.Service was great.Wine well priced.We had a nice Chianti.My wife had veal scallopini and I had a seafood special with mussels,shrimp and calamari.There was so much seafood that it was hard to see the pasta.My other guest had their lasagna which looked great.We will be back next visit to Chicago.

Stacy K.

Absolutely incredible food and amazing service! As others have expressed, I split an order of the rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy and the calamari with my sister, and both dishes were perfection. Even though we shared the pasta, there was still plenty to take home. The warm crusty bread that comes before the meal was wonderful with the parmesan cheese, olive oil, and roasted pepper dipping sauce that it comes with. I'm not a huge fan of Italian restaurants, but this is easily in my top 5 favorite restaurants in Chicago.

Parisa C.

Loves this place! Food was awesome but service was even better! The owner even brought out a slice for us for my boyfriends birthday!

Patrick M.

This is hands down the best Italian food I have ever had in my life. Do yourself a favor and order the chicken parm. You will not be disappointed!

Leang E.

It was a great spot to meet up with a friend in town visiting her old neighborhood where she used to live. I felt very welcomed walking in and appreciated the offer to wait at the bar while the rest of our party arrived. We started out with the sausage and peppers which were delish, and the Rigatoni and the Sunday Gravy was right on. I tried my friend's chicken and that was really tasty as well. Our server was quite energetic and friendly and helpful with recommendations. The prices were reasonable. I am appreciating this little Italian restaurant here in the West Loop!

Tim S.

Poor communication. Not good for events. I was working with Viaggio on a package for my rehearsal dinner. Initially, everything seemed to be heading the right direction, I thought we would be heading towards a contract quickly. When I tried to follow up the next day to work out the final details, the restaurant completely shutoff communications. The person I had spoken with was no longer available. I called and e-mailed ( reservations@viaggiochic… ) a few times over a two week period, with no reply.

Debbie S.

Love this place! We had the perch, calamari, and the linguine with clams...delicious! Great atmosphere and excellent customer service!

Pavlina C.

The most incredible Italian restaurant in Chicago! Awesome environment and outstanding food! I love the owner and staff!

Tom D.

For years and years......still the best food and service in the city, hands down. A model for how independent businesses can thrive.

Christine T.

Had dinner at Viaggio's last night and walked away totally disappointed. The restaurant squeezes a lot of tables into a small space, so its very noisy and hard to carry on a conversation with your dinner companions. My friend and I were seated at a table for two -- the table itself was so small that the dinner plates, silverware and glasses were in constant peril of being knocked off the table by passing wait staff or by simple movements like putting a glass on and off the table. The mixed green salad as a first course was okay, but nothing special. The veal entree was a major disappointment given the price. The entree was so heavily sauced that it looked like a jar of marinara sauce had been dumped on the dinner plate. As a result, the veal and vegetables that were buried under the sauce had absolutely no flavor. Plus, the veal was overcooked and on the tough side. I've had similar veal entrees at other Italian restaurants (and I'm not talking Olive Garden) that were flavorful and melt in your mouth tender. I ended up not eating most of the entree, instead filling up on the bread that comes with the dinner. If you're going to an event at the United Center I suppose this would be an okay option if you don't want to eat from the UC concessions stands. But I don't think the quality of the entrees matches up with the prices charged. Perhaps a good place for drinks and appetizers if the restaurant is busy????

Marty D.

Recently tried Viaggio for lunch, and I highly recommend it! I work in the area, and have passed this place by many times as I was not sure of dress code, prices, and level of stuffiness. To my surprise, I had no reason for concern. Lunch menu was more than reasonably priced, casual to business crowd, and no snobs at all. Great service from polite, pleasant staff! I had a pasta dish, I think it was called rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy that was outstanding. Decent portion of pasta, fall apart pieces of pork swimming in delicious gravy (sauce), and a side basket of bread. My lunch partner had the chicken parmesan, and it was outstanding as well. The table next to us opted for the meatball sandwich, and I can't wait to go back a try one, they looked incredible. If you have read my other reviews, you know I like a good meatball sandwich! The atmosphere accommodates nearly anything imaginable-date night, night out with the guys/girls, special occasions, or a simple lunch with a friend or business associate. When roaming the area for lunch, I will never pass this place up again. Can't wait to go back!

Amanda B.

I'm usually suspicious of restaurants that have more than 4 stars. I tend to only review places I really like, but 5 stars is hard. That being said - believe the hype. We are here last night and it was fantastic! App: nightly special of burrata, with pesto, tomatoes and balsamic, served with hot grilled bread. So damn good. If they have this when you go, order 2. Meals: there were 4 of us and we ordered cheese ravioli with vodka sauce, fettuccini Alfredo with mushrooms, veal Parmesan, and fettuccini with marinara and meatballs. All were big hits. However, my Alfredo didn't come with the mushrooms I requested. Our server was attentive enough and helpful with recommendations. However, if you asked for something, he immediately left to get it. No waiting to see if someone else needed something. The place is small so this style of service can work, but it felt rushed as well. This, plus the lack of mushrooms with my meal, caused the 4 star review. We will be back. So happy to find this place in my new neighborhood.

Jennifer J.

As new visitors to Chicago, my husband and I did some restaurant homework and then trusted the gods. Boy, did they come through tonight. We began with the eggplant stack: part salad, part appetizer, all fantastic. For dinner I had the halibut special and he had the pasta with Sunday pork gravy. While completely different, both were perfection. (I love when food comes out of the kitchen too hot to eat. This did.) That means fresh: made just for me. If the epic food wasn't enough, our server, Matt, could not have been more kind or generous. Following dinner he treated us to the house-made limoncello and brought us dessert, "on the house" though I'm still not sure why. We have reservations for a steak house tomorrow night but at this point I am thinking of canceling them and coming back to Viaggio!!!

Liz B.

I came in for my birthday and had the most amazing spicy linguine with jumbo shrimp. Also paired my meal with a house salad, which was delicious. Our server was very attentive and friendly. He provided suggestions that were spot on from the wine to our meals. Delicious chicken Marsala. Might be one of the best I've had. I cannot wait to go back to try more items and sample the dessert. Fabulous restaurant!

Mellody R.

Excellent excellent excellent!!!! I will definitely be returning!!! Everything was fantastic!

Amanda O.

One word to describe this place: Fantastic! On a first trip to Chicago, we ventured over to Viaggio and immediately we're treated like regulars. The staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan & it was probably the best I've ever had! Couldn't recommend this place enough.

Rebecca N.

Just really really good itallian. Honestly everyone talks about La Scorola-- I think this place is MUCH better. We started with the zucchini frites, eggplant stack and meatball salad. The frites were fine. I wouldnt order them again. I would get the eggplant stack and meatlball salad again 10x over and over again. They were incred. I got the veal scallopini. Such a big portion and delicious! Tried lots of different pastas too -- all were excellent!

Tina A.

I have lived in the West Loop for about 4 1/2 years and have been to Viaggio a handful of times before. I was craving a good, cheesy, carb-filled meal on a cold January night and was going to order delivery from somewhere, but couldn't make up my mind, so decided to walk two blocks to Viaggio. I have never posted to Yelp before, but my stomach compels me to. I ordered the spaghetti carbonara and the calamari to go and, upon recommendation of the bartender, had a glass of a sangiovese/cabernet/merlot blend while I waited. All I can say is WOW! I am so full and happy. The only downside is that since I have so much food left, I must work out extra hard tomorrow, but well worth it. The bartender and host/owner? were both very nice to talk to and kept me company during the very short wait for my order too. Highly recommended!

Jeff C.

This place rocks. Atmosphere, food, service are all outstanding. We stopped in for lunch after finding it on Yelp. Let's talk about the food... For appi's, my wife and I had the calamari and the stuffed clams. The calamari was unlike anything I'd ever had. Rather than serve the squid lightly breaded and fried with a side of marinara, Viaggio only partially fries the calamari and finishes it by mixing with the marinara. It's amazing. The stuffed clams are wonderful...and they're the worst part of our lunch. Our entrees...ahhhh. I had the rigatoni with pork Sunday gravy and a side of home made sausage. Did I mention that the dish comes with a scoop of incredible ricotta? What a meal! Possibly the best Italian dish I've ever had. My wife had linguini with clams in white sauce. The best linguini con vongole I'd ever had was in NY's Little Italy. This was easily its equal. To top things off, Dave, the owner, brought over a sample meatball. Holy meat, Batman. The best ever. Our server, Cary, was a delight. He timed the courses perfectly, his wine suggestions were spot on and his food decisions were the best. Just so you don't think I'm an easily impressed novice at this stuff, I grew up in NY and spent most of my life developing my Italian palate at some of the best. Let me tell you...this is a DO NOT MISS.

christine p.

I live down the street from this place and frequent it often. You absolutely MUST order the meatball salad. It's the best meatballs in Chicago. I promise. Also, the Sunday gravy, makes me still just thinking about it! Yes, it's a little loud, it's a little cramped, but I kind of like that atmosphere it's very up beat and fun. The waiters are always very nice and the food is always great.

Sujay K.

I am very, very happy to live next to this place. Viaggio is classic Italian "Red Sauce" joint, with some damn tasty red sauce. It's a throwback, with white table cloths, photos on the wall, rat pack-y music, and awesome and really friendly staff. The portions are huge, and food is can't miss. They do the classics perfectly (the chicken parm is a reference to all other chicken parms), and have a fairly comprehensive classic menu of antipasto, pizza, pasta, salad's and mains to satisfy anyone. The complimentary bread and roasted pepper are delicious and a very nice touch. Desserts are also classic Italian American (think Tiramisu, chocolate lava cake, etc), but are perfected excecuted versions of these classics. Nightly specials that add some Italian creativity to the regular menu, and they've always been great. Bottom line, this is a restaurant with delicious food at a great value, with friendly and appreciative staff that make you feel welcome.

Sarah H.

Alright, I came here for lunch with high expectations. I should've known better. Yelp reviews have been steering me wrong for the past few times I've gone out. I should've known better when we arrived and there was just one other party. When we left around 1:30 there were only two other parties. I guess they are busier for dinner. Bread they give is standard. Nothing to rave about. Soup was some chicken tortellini soup - half decent but not worth the price. Bruschetta was also average. Cheese Ravioli off of the lunch menu was fine; not *fresh* - I could tell it had been sitting out for a while. Others at my table ordered the "Viaggio Veal" and the "West Loop" (?) Veal. For $26 it was NOT worth it. Tasted like pork and it was too chewy. The side pasta was also not worth it. I am not sure why this place has such rave reviews. One star because the price is absolutely ridiculous for something that tastes marginally better than the Olive Garden.

Benjamin U.

Not the best experience. Servers seemed disorganized and rushed despite not being full. Food was OK but was not really worth it. Had the lobster raviolli special which was about on par from trader joe's brand. I also had a bite of my friend's lasagna, which was pretty awful. Very bitter and overloaded with cheese. As a whole not very impressed.

Taylor M.

This is one of my favorite Italian restaurants. It is classy and has delicious food! I saw the amazing reviews on Yelp and I knew I had to fill up my belly here! Parking is a bit tough to come by, but they do offer valet for a fee. I was greeted upon entering the restaurant and was seated immediately. We were asked right away for our drink orders and the waiter returned with them quickly along with some warm crusty bread to dip in oil... yummm... I had one of the specials, a squash ravioli with toasted sage butter. It was cooked perfectly. The pasta was melt in your mouth delicious. I savored every bite and even wanted to lick up the brown sugar and butter sauce!

Christalena S.

If I could give no stars and still write a review I would. Let me give you a backstory into the horrendous evening that occurred in this establishment. It was our anniversary and my guy wanted to surprise me with an Italian dinner at a nice restaurant since I was desperately missing Italy! (I used to live in Trastevere in Roma, SO I KNOW WHAT ITALIAN FOOD TASTES LIKE THANKS VERY MUCH!) So he decided to take me to Viaggios for a special evening and called ahead to make the reservation where he specified he'd like a nice table for our anniversary. We arrived and they sat us in a tiny tiny table directly next to the kitchen where my guy had to lean forward when they were bringing dishes out and we later found out something spilled on his suit jacket(hope it comes out). Our server appeared less than enthused to serve us and didn't even tell us the specials which had I known I would have ordered differently. He also came back maybe a total of 3 times the entire night and never asked us if we'd like dessert and just brought us our check as if saying please leave! RUDE! Also being able to peek into the kitchen let me see a lot of men with long black curly hair making food without hair nets!! GROSS! I chose the linguini with freshly shucked clams and he had Veal Parmesan and his veal was overcooked to where he forced himself to eat half(because at that price you wouldnt want to waste it) and my linguini was overcooked as well with oddly tasting clams but I ate part of it regardless because I was so hungry after waiting an hour for our food after ordering. Also our appetizers came only minutes before our food! Uhh what? We could barely fit all those plates on our insanely small table. Neither of these dishes were prepared correctly and neither tasted very good and look as if they were slopped on a plate haphazardly. For the prices they are charging $26-$35 and up for a plate you think youd be getting at least edible food. NOPE SORRY! You'd be better off going to a fast food italian joint and walking out with a better meal. I have no qualms about paying more money for quality food(I am a chicago foodie and dine out frequently) but when our bill was about $100 for garbage food we barely ate, and terrible service Id say I feel robbed not only of my wonderful guys wallet but also of what was supposed to be a very special night for us. Im sorry we tipped cause God knows I want that money back. NOW FOR THE BANG ENDING!! FOOOOOOOD POISONING. Not only were we completely unhappy with our meals and the service and having to dodge plates coming out of the kitchen, WE GOT FOOD POISONING. Nothing says I love you Happy Anniversary than spending the late night/early morning and this afternoon getting sick and being in the bathroom with your significant other. We had so much else planned for anniversary and all plans were off since we were stuck in the bathroom all night and day! THANKS VIAGGOS FOR GIVING US THE WORST ANNIVERSARY AND MAKING US WISH WE NEVER WALKED THROUGH YOUR DOOR! I mean seriously I was in tears I was in so much discomfort and pain last night and this morning. Truly awful! And it still hasn't totally subsided! Also I have many friends that are foodie bloggers in chicago and have PR friends at Gibbs & Soell, and I work in film as well so I know craft services people and I am not only going to leave this yelp review to WARN future patrons but I am also putting you on blast to every person I listed above and all my friends to never ever grace your establishment with their service and money due to your poor service, and sanitation and also the fact your food is a poor imitation of italian. VIAGGIOS = FOOD POISIONING!!! Also dont trust reviewers that have ZERO friends and a small amount of reviews, they are probably people that work at Viaggios leaving their own business 5 star reviews! LIARS!

Kendall D.

Great service, we absolutely loved our waiter. Food was delicious too!! I wanted the special but am not a huge fan of spicy sauces, so they easily substitute a creamy tomato sauce which was to die for. We started with the shrimp scampi on crostini, another special, and it was amazing. The shrimp were huge, fresh, and delicious, basking in a tasty scampi sauce surrounded by peas and tomatoes. Awesome. Also, if you're looking for an authentically "Italian" atmosphere, this is the place. Our reservation was for 9 and the place was packed. People talking over coffee and aperitifs, well lit so you could easily see who you're talking to, and just generally the feeling that you'd been welcomed in to someone's home for dinner. The owner/manager even came out and asked us how everything was, and he was there at the front when we left, too. Overall, I would highly recommend! I had been to Viaggio at the park before this and wasn't totally wowed, but Viaggio has established itself as one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city.

Dorothy R.

Start with the meatball salad. I know it sounds weird, but it is fabulous. We love this spot and bring our Italian afficionado friends here . . . A perfect spot to bring out of towners and impress them with fabulous, down home, amazing Italian food. Drinks are good and generous, food is wonderful and generous, waitstaff is always warm, welcoming and generous.

Magen M.

I ordered the Chicken Parmesan (safe bet, I know, but that's what I was in the mood for) that came with tortellini alfredo instead of the usual spaghetti. That is what sealed it for me because I find chicken parm smothered in tomato sauce + spaghetti smothered in tomato sauce is too acidic for me. The chicken was good, but I found there was too much basil on top with the sauce. I'm not the biggest fan of basil, but I prefer the taste of the breaded chicken to stick out more than the sauce. The side of pasta was DELICIOUS. Some of the best alfredo I've ever had, honestly. The server was great, but I had to wait a little too long between refills to be a 4 star.

Patricia H.

Great local place for comfort food! Amazing service! We love walking down the street and sitting outside on a sunny day. Our favorite dish is the Brick Chicken.

Jessica B.

Definitely some of the best Italian I've been able to find in Chicago. I had the chicken parmagiana and it was delicious. They also have really fantastic OLIVE OIL infusions with your bread when you first sit down - for me this was the best part! A great date place!

Bruce K.

Hey Victoria, HEAVY? Why did you go here? Southern Italian--you know, heavy-rich-hearty-comfort food. Meatball salad (you gotta have it), sunday pork over rigatoni, carbonara, carrot cake (ok, not so SoIt), house bread with oil/peppers were all great. Our server picked the robust Barbera from Rocche Costamagna--perfecto. Cheers.

Jack P.

After sampling the food at both Yelp and Check Please events, I finally had an opportunity to drop by and try the real thing. I meet a friend for an early evening dinner. Arriving before her, I was happy to recognize the bartender from my many stops at The Rosebud Theater District where he used to tend bar. I used to work in one of the offices upstairs. He whipped up a Martooni and we reminisced and chatted until my friend arrived. The place was festive and noisy this Saturday night because there was a pre-game crowd headed for the United Center. We did not make a big dent in the menu. but rather enjoyed the complimentary cooked peppers, a special of the evening bruschetta with a soft mozzarella and braised cherry tomatoes. We shared the the Famous entree of Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. It lived up to expectations with a luscious red sauce and nice big chunks of cooked pork. We sampled some wines recommended by our server (who reminded me delightfully of Barney Fife. Or maybe Barney's grandson.) Service was quick and attentive, but respectful and welcoming. Great restaurant in an interesting West Loop neighborhood. It was discovering yet another little Chicago world. Quality fine dining infused with some good Italian hospitality.

kristi k.

server (bald) was a complete d*ck. terrible service and an even worse attitude. server brought the wrong dish and insisted on a few separate occasions that we had made the mistake. dude was ridiculous and kept blaming us. it was unreal. we also cancelled the soup which we waited 20 minutes for yet this guy asked us numerous times if we still wanted it. we told him "no thank you" more than once and he continued to ask us each time he returned to the table. no sir, we'd rather not have the soup after we've had our entrees or served along with our check. also unreal. ugh. his behavior throughout the meal was extremely antagonistic. making matters worse was the convivial and kind server we witnessed waiting on the tables surrounding us. -__- it only magnified how much of a jag our server was. food was meh. very, very meh. black pepper dominated the flavor of our veal limone and the meatball salad that people rave about? acidic, weird and terrible. will not return.

Nanette K.

The host, bartender, Julie, and our server, Matt were outstanding - friendly and accommodating. Everyone at the table ordered something different and we were all very happy. Would definitely go back.

Wynter A.

I was pleasantly surprised by their demeanor, they were very welcoming and the food was lovely. I'm a vegetarian and they made a lot of suggestions and even offered to alter dishes I was interested in, if they normally had meat in them. If you haven't eaten here yet, don't be afraid to give it a try. :)

Guilherme B.

Have been there a few times and have always had a great experience. Excellent food, great ambiance, good service.

Jim B.

Great food, great service. My girlfriend had the meatball salad and was more than enough for dinner. I had the veal parm and was to die for. Definitely will be going back.

Claire C.

You can never go wrong here. The service and food are always amazing and very accommodating. Get the meatball salad, YUM!! Love Viaggio!!!

Lindsay M.

We went to Viaggio on Madison Ave on a Tuesday night. This is one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. Not only is the food incredible, but the service is exceptional. We went there for my husband's birthday. My husband and I started with the sausage and peppers, which was different from the traditional sausage and peppers with marinara. It was in more of a clear broth/ olive oil sauce. It was incredible. I ordered off the menu and got the Spaghetti Carbonara. Talk about best Carbonara I've ever had. My husband got the pork special that literally took up his entire plate. It was a breaded pork loin with peppers and onions on top served with roasted potatoes. He raved about it. We ended the meal with the chocolate cake, which was to die for. It was so moist and had melted chocolate in the middle served with ice cream on the side. I was so full from dinner I said that I was only going to have a few bites, but instead I devoured it. Overall, if your wanting to go out for a nice dinner and looking for great Italian food, Viaggio is definitely the place to go.

Jesse T.

The staff are extremely accommodating for large groups if you give them a bit of advanced notice. They are also extremely friendly, and know the menu very well. The food is quite good, with standard Italian fare and very nice presentation. The drink list and ambiance are also very nice. Overall, a very good place that I'd happily return to again.

Donna K.

We read all then reviews and decided to try this place out before the Arcade Fire concert. We were not disappointed, our waiter, food and over all service was top notch . My Husband had the neck bones and had the stuffed mushroom ravioli special . They were both great. The bread and marinated peppers were fantastic . Our waiter brought out a meat ball for us to try. Wow! It melted in your mouth . Even though we were full from our dinner, we still manages to eat the whole thing. It was a very simple dish, but very tasty. We are coming back. Prices are reasonable. It is worth a try .

Victoria T.

Four point five stars for this place is definitely overrated. Got their specialty dish lobster ravioli - very heavy, the "lobster" inside of ravioli tastes like crab cakes. As a person who grew up by the coast, I do not think it tastes like fresh lobster. The whole dish just had too much cheese. My friends got other dishes, and they also found them very heavy and cheesy. The tiramisu was disappointing too. I don't know why people gave it such high rating, but the piece I got was very very dry and I could barely taste the espresso at the bottom. Not gonna come back to this place again. --- In response to a question below that asked why I came here in the first place? I like Italian food, and I love trying new ones. Just sharing my honest opinion - there are way more Italian restaurants that makes better Italiano (or in a more objective term, Italian food that suites my taste better) at least in the greater Chicago area.

Tonya P.

We must have come on an off night because I was so not impressed. I ordered the chicken parm. The chicken was bland and really over cooked. I literally ate only 2 bites. $24 for two bites... I don't think so! The cream sauce on the accompanying tortellini was pretty bland too. My friend got the 8 finger pasta which tasted decent but was so over priced. $18 for a pasta with red sauce? Again, pretty much a rip off. The portions are really big but if you only eat a couple of bites because it doesn't taste good then the portion size is pointless. The place was pretty much completely empty so that should have been the first clue! I would not recommend this place nor would I ever return, sorry!

Brenda X.

Highly recommend. We arrived unexpectedly without a reservation and were accommodated. Food was incredible and was served quickly by very friendly staff.

TheWindyCity P.

Love this place for Chicago style Italian cuisine. We visited twice already and the service is really good, particularly from Matt, as in our case. Food wise, what stands out is the freshness of all of their preparations, especially the seafood. Some of the freshest shrimp we have ever eaten. You know how really fresh tasting shrimp, perfectly cooked has that "snap" when you bite it? Yep...right here in their Linguine Diavalo with Shrimp and Squid. And as the others have said, the meatballs in the meatball salad are probably the best ones in all of Chicago....and we've had them everywhere so I feel comfortable in exclaiming that! Also remarkable was their dessert of apple & raisin bread pudding. Man, what flavor. Hope you enjoy this place as much as we do!!

Derek M.

This is a pretty good place. Service was great. Be careful if you go here during a game night, it will be very loud and busy. Apps were very good. We split 2 entrees among 3 people and that was not a problem with the server. I would go here again.

Lochin S.

Place is very cute. I love the ambience. Totally relaxing. Service was good. food... expected much more basesd on previous posts. it was just ok. The pasta was excellent. the fish (not cheap) had a fishy smell I could not get past. Couldnt eat it. ate all the veggies that came with. the wine list is great, the wines by the glass was ok. the bar, wow great drinks.

Colt E.

I wouldn't go as far as to say Viaggio is as exceptional as some people have. Yes, the waitstaff and service are amazing from top to bottom. They immediately make you feel at home. The eggplant stack was a really really good appetizer. I found the menu to be not as extensive as I had hoped ( I like more pasta dishes at my Italian restaurants) and it was slightly overpriced (perhaps because of it's proximity to the United Center?). The food was good, but not amazing. I didn't see or taste any dishes that put this restaurant above and beyond anything else in Little Italy. If service is your tiebreaker though, I'd go here again.

C M.

Went for anniversary dinner. Had the meatball salad...a little nervous ordering it but it was amazing. Somehow the warm marinara was the best dressing ever. I think my husband had lamb chops which were excellent.. I had homemade tricolor ravioli, which was sublime. Dessert was the best tiramisu I've ever had. Service was very good, atmosphere also quite pleasant. Highly recommend.

Pauline T.

Love the meatball salad!

cynthia w.

Viaggio has good food. The eggplant stack was my favorite dish of the evening. Our entrees both had tomato sauce. I had the Sunday gravy he had a beef special. They both were tasty, the meats were quite tender but also very, very garlicy. When we go back , we look forward to will trying cream sauces and more simply prepared dishes, too. The restaurant definitely has a pleasant atmosphere!

Amber R.

The food and atmosphere was fantastic. Had reservations at 7:30 for 8 ppl...arrived early and the table was ready. Our waiter was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive - even though the restaurant was packed! With a party of 8, we had quite a bit of variety at the table from appetizers, entrees, and desserts - all were GREAT! Most of us went with the chef's nightly specials and did not regret it. Would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for classic Italian.

Jonathan Y.

Went here with a group on a Wednesday night. Everything was delicious, and the flavors were just right. Not too strong, not too subtle. Appetizers included the meatball salad (lived up to its billing), fried calamari and the breaded zuchinni. For a main course, I had a special for the evening - tortellaci, which was a plate of oversized tortellini in a marsala sauce with mushrooms. Outstanding! One of the best Italian meals I've had in Chicago.

I was originally a little disappointed to realize that Amore (formerly at this location) was no longer in business. We decided to try Viaggio, though, and I am SO glad we did! Simply put, everything is top notch! It's a very friendly place. Our waiter, Michael, was both charming and a good waiter. Most importantly, the food! Oh, the food! I would describe it as Italian comfort food. Don't miss the eggplant stack appetizer--and the calamari was both different (had tomato gravy with it) and fantastic. The portions are HUGE, so four of us shared three entrees. The rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy was particularly outstanding. For dessert, we opted for carrot cake and sorbert (not together!)--both very good. The location is great, too, for dinner before any event at the United Center. Viaggio is a great find, and I will defintely be back!

Steven S.

I give it a solid "meh". Nothing terrible, nothing noteworthy. The food and service were decent. It can get very loud inside, but I guess that means people are there having fun, which they were. I just didn't like shouting at our server because I'm a low-talker.

Robert W.

Great tiramisu and vodka sauce, excellent veal parm

Jed S.

Great food, great service. We went Friday night at 8pm and were seated immediately. We had the calamari and a shrimp dish for appetizers, entrees, drinks and dessert for four people and the bill was under 200 bucks which I think is a pretty good value. You can tell the pasta was fresh and homemade. The decor is a little dated but that's okay, I will definitely be back here.

Cynthia P.

Went there on a Thursday. Not super busy. food was OUTSTANDING. pasta w. clams and wine sauce was delicious. I had the lamb oregano and mashed potatoes delicious as well. waiter was good but just too loud.! felt like he was yelling the whole time...is it part of the "show" tiramisu was just ok. which i was surprised by. to much whipped cream.. over all i will definately go back even if i have to have a screaming waiter. the food is worth it!!

Lauren B.

The service was excellent, and the food was spectacular. I had the pork ragu, and I've read some of the reviews where people didn't like it. You kind of have to be a pork connoisseur, to appreciate this dish. The pork comes in chunks and shreds apart. If you've ever had a pork roast, then you know what I'm talking about. That being said, it was amazing. I loved it!

John S.

Delicious food, awesome service, and reservations that were honored right on time. Can't wait to go back, but would definitely make sure it wasn't the night of a Blackhawks or Bulls game.

Charlie J.

Great food, great service...really, what more can you ask for? The roasted and marinated pepers served with the bread is enough to make you salivate. Be careful to not eat too much or you won't have room for what are large large portions. The sunday gravy with slow roasted pork is to die for. Seriously. What we enjoyed the most, though, is that they were so good to our kids. Welcomed them with open arms and made them feel at home throughout the meal. Well done!

David L.

Great does not begin to convey the feeling that you've just had a perfect meal. Our first attempt to dine at Viaggio failed as we tried at last minute & could not find a time that worked for us. Still, the man we spoke to really tried to accommodate us & actually sounded a bit unhappy at failing to accomplish that goal. Based on positive yelp reviews & that experience, I envisioned a family style Italian place with good, but traditional food. Last night, again last minute, but with more flexibility, the woman who answered the phone was as polite & helpful and nearly ecstatic when I said, "whatever time works for you" and got us in at 8:30. To our surprise, we arrived at a hip, upscale, but not overly trendy, warm & inviting restaurant where hospitality & "welcome" hits you just before that aroma of great food nearly knocks you over. We sat at the bar for a short wait for our table sipping large full glasses of gin & chatting a bit with both bartenders who were attentive without being solicitous & who straightforwardly answered our questions about their best drink: "Kettle One, beer, & single malt whiskey, in that order.". Best dish? "Rigatoni with pork gravy." After swooning over the complementary roasted peppers, my wife & I shared an order of the most delicious mussels & Italian toasted bread either of us had ever tasted. Fresh, plump, large, tender mussels in a perfectly seasoned broth. My God. We also shared a fresh, crisp plate of mixed greens. Then, two amazing delicious entrées. My wife had lobster ravioli with large chunks of tender Maine lobster atop freshly prepared homemade filled pasta. I followed the bartender's advice (seconded by our waiter's broad smile & approving nod) & ordered the Rigatoni with Pork Gravy, a "just like Mama's" dish so good you have to keep eating despite being full. We finish by sharing a huge ball of pomegranate sorbet, perfect finish. Our waiter was super attentive & seemed very interested in making sure we were enjoying all we had ordered. Again, friendly & helpful in a genuine way. The hostess who had perfectly managed our short wait at the bar, even coming over to let us know that our table was being prepared to give us time to collect ourselves before she returned a few minutes later to show us to our table, kindly assisted us in getting a cab home, hailed by the car valet who suggested we stay warm inside while he found the cab. As I said, a perfect meal, a rare occurrence in my experience.

C. T.

Now, I can't say that I have been to a ton of Italian restaurants in Chicago but I have been to a ton everywhere else. Viaggio is top notch. They take care of you there. I've tried half the menu and have nothing but great things to say. I could only wish that my favorite Ragu was on the menu instead of a special. Long list of wine! Though generally I thought restaurants doubled the price of the bottle. It does seem to be a bit more expensive here. Example, a $20 bottle o vino from the grocery store will run you $60 there. Regardless, great restaurant!!

Jill W.

Just the way I like to eat my salads-- covered with meatballs and marinara sauce! I know it may not sound appealing to everyone, but it really is absolute heaven on a plate. Actually, most everything I've had at Viaggio is. I've had so many good things here, it's hard to comment on just one, but I will say that my husband gets the rigatoni with pork gravy EVERY time we come and it's pretty hard for me to say no to their tiramisu. My only complaint about Viaggio is that the server said they're going to be on Check Please, and then I'll never be able to get in!

betsy b.

Talk about huge portions!!! I could have eaten leftovers for 4 days. The rigatoni with pork gravy was ridic!!! After reading about it on here i had to try it and it did not disappoint. The chicken marsala was also really good...not dry at all like I usually find at restaurants. Our waiter was awesome, total Italian and bubbly as hell. We had eaten at this place before it was Viaggio, no idea what the name was, but it was very disappointing. I'm so glad we gave this place a shot.....they have a neighborhood 15% off coupon that we can use all through 2010. I will definitely be back for more of the rigatoni.......yum yum yum!!!!

Esther C.

We finally discovered this place after having lived in the neighborhood for a while now. While I'm not a particularily Italian cuisine- lover this place did convince me. We had the eggplant parmasean and calamari as well as another chicken dish. Flavors aren't so overwhelming but neither are they washed out with generic marinara sauce either. The pasta we had with our dish was clearly a side dish, if you like a wide variety of pastas this may not be the best place to go. However, the side of pasta that did come with our meal was a perfect match. Portions are really big and perfect to share in my opinion. The place itself is pretty popular and the space is small so you have to make reservations if you want to sit at a table. The bar is pleasant enough, I thought, although the service is of course a bit less. Would definetly go back again.

George K.

My counterpart Dragon and I came here as part of our Valentines weekend together and were amazed by how great the experience was. Normally I don't gush about service unless it was top notch and Alberto was an excellent waiter despite being supremely busy. He took the time to explain the menu and help us in our selections. I went with the braised veal special with garlic mashed potatoes while Dragon had the tortellaci (filled with veal and ground beef) special. We started with the fromage fritti that was lightly breaded and heavily delicious. The tortellaci and braised veal were both unbelievably filled with flavor. It was a lot of food but there was no stopping as every last bite took me to where ever gluttonous Italians go. The only negative was that given the tight space, it got really loud in the restaurant, but nothing unbearable. Highly recommend this place and will definitely be coming back!

Ms. R.

My boyfriend and I decided to celebrate our 2 year anniversary at Viaggio based on yelp reviews. We weren't disappointed! We went on July 3rd and were lucky to have the famous Michael as our server. So not only did we enjoy the food, but we were also entertained by Michael! When we arrived, we were seated immediately and were brought warm, crusty Italian bread and roasted green peppers to nosh on. Michael stopped by greet us and to take our drink order, which we ordered a bottle of the Santa Margherita Cabernet Sauvignon. Then, we ordered the Shrimp Dakota as an appetizer, lightly breaded shrimp served in a light lemon and garlic sauce. The order came with six decent-sized shrimp and the sauce was delicious! We decided we also wanted a salad, and ordered a small caesar salad to share before our main course. However, a caprase salad came instead. We didn't want to make a big deal about it, so we just took the salad since it looked good anyway. The presentation was three stacks of layered tomato, red onion, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and a couple sprigs of fresh basil and drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar. My boyfriend ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara and I ordered the Chicken Marsala. Neither of us were disappointed. Both were delicious! Obviously, the carbonara is extremely decadent, but this dish had so much more stuff in it than usual. The chicken marsala was amazing...two chicken breasts with plenty of mushroom-filled marsala sauce. The dish was served with steamed green beans and whipped potatoes. Needless to say, the servings were huge and we both had plenty of leftovers to take home. We ended the meal sharing a tiramisu (and we still had a few bites left to take home!) and each had a cappuccino. The entire meal was awesome. Michael is a great character and we enjoyed having him as our server. We never felt rushed - the service (from Michael and other staff) was friendly and genuine, attentive but non-intrusive. We would highly recommend Viaggio to everyone for authentic Italian food and experience. We look forward to returning so we can try other dishes. I think next time I want to try the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy!!! Can't wait!

kelli m.

If you are going to the United Center for an event, make a reservation at this exceptional restaurant to make your night a complete success. The appetizers are incredible, and big enough to split a few for a complete dinner. The service is geared to getting you out in time to make it to the events at the United Center, which is just down the street. I'm so glad they opened a second location in Lincoln Park--so convenient! You won't be disappointed.

JQ C.

I am Italian, and Viaggio is my favorite Italian food in the city. I have been there about 10 times and the food has always been INCREDIBLE. I love that it seems to be a bit off the beaten path so it's never too crowded. Prices are extremely reasonable for the food quality as well. One of my favorite evenings there was Valentine's day the first year they were open. They had roses and a cellist and it was a great romantic spot. When my cousins from Italy were visiting, we even took them to Viaggio's to show them that some of us Americans do actually know how to get true Italian fare.

neal s.

We booked dinner at Viaggio because it is close to the United Center and we wanted a nice dinner without out a huge hassle getting over there for the Bulls game. After reading the reviews here and at Open Table we thought we would give it a shot. Compared to what I had read (which was positive) I really think that Viaggio over-delivered. My first pleasant surprise came with phone call from thre restaurant confirming my reservation. They asked if I had any questions which was unusual in and of itself. I asked about the parking situation and they said the valet was $10 and that they had a complimentary shuttle over to the UC. That is a really nice touch, especially on a cold Saturday night in January. The restaurant is cute but nothing unusual. My wife had a rich and outstanding Lobster Ravioli and I had an excellent Veal Parmesean. Both serviings were substantial. My side dish was a Cheese Totellini in alfredo sauce which was nice touch, most restuarants just serve a basic pasta with a red sauce. For dessert I had a really nice cannoli. It was served on an attractively decorated plate and had just the right amount of crunch and had a generous amount of nuts on both ends decorated the tasty cream filling. Viaggio is reasonably priced and is staffed with an efficient and professional staff. I came so that I could eat and be close to the UC. I will definitely be back again, game or no game.

Wendy K.

I went to Viaggio a couple weeks ago for my birthday. I had never been there before, but I was looking for a restaurant in that area and read all the Yelp reviews so I decided to try it. As soon as we walked in we were greeted very warmly. It was very crowded because there was a Hawks game, so the service was a little slow at first. But, after the Hawks crowd cleared out, the service was fantastic. The manager and the servers were all extremely nice and attentive and made the evening very enjoyable. The food was also fantastic. There were seven of us and we all loved the food. We had the calamari appetizer which came with the sauce already poured over the calamari. I had never had it like this and was skeptical, but it was delicious!! The individual meals were fantastic and they even brought me some birthday Tiramisu. I don't usually like Tiramisu because it's too strong, but Viaggio's Tiramisu was great. It had a very light delicate flavor. I will definitely be coming back to Viaggio and bringing anyone I can with me.

Seth P.

Really enjoyed the experience. Everything was really fresh and went down nicely with nice Sangiovese blends. The service was really pleasant, and ever-present, without ever being intrusive. The place basically seems designed to service Bulls fans, yet has no trace of douchism. It's kind of a fancy place, yet the very high-quality food is actually cheap. Without the wine, our bill came out to a little over $20/person (before tax and tip), and we stuffed ourselves and still brought home enough food for three more meals! We will be back.

Devin G.

overall this place does italian proud. we went there before a blackhawks game and the place was packed at 5:30pm. the service was great, the food was excellent, and the setting is exactly what you would expect from a neighborhood italian restaurant. the prices were bit steep and the bill for 6 of us was on the high end but if youre looking for a sure thing where the food is consistent, youve found your place.

Dan G.

Maybe I was a not expecting much as Viaggio is about the fourth Italian restaurant to occupy this same space in the decade I've lived in the neighborhood. But let me say that I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. This is traditional Italian cuisine. I felt like I was in my grandparent's place for Sunday dinner. They even had Raging Bull playing on their TVs, which added to the feel as it was Papa Bill's favorite film. The cuisine was good and our charismatic waiter Mike alerted us to their large portions and suggested that we split an app. No problem, we'll have the calamari. It was served lightly breaded and mixed with marinara and a touch of olive oil. It was excellent and different than typical stock preparations. I had the rigatoni with pork Sunday gravy and my wife had the scallops fra diavolo over black linguine. Both of these were solid dishes and had San Marzano tomato sauces that were very tasty. The portions were huge and we took most home. The Sunday gravy was like something I grew up on in my Nonna's kitchen. Tons of tender pork in that dish too. Which I'm sure will be great leftover. Desserts were traditional and we finished with a nice Spumoni. Throw in a nice bottle of red and our bill just topped $100. Wow, what a deal. Looking forward to adding this to the rotation. Mangia.

rhonda p.

This should be 4.5 stars... My father-in-law booked this place for our rehearsal dinner. He's a big Italian food fanatic (being half Italian) so I trusted his judgement. I for one, never cared too much for Italian. Everytime I had it, it was always just okay to me. Not bad, just okay. Well I was most impressed with Viaggio! We did a tasting meal a few weeks prior to the event and it was fantastic. We got everything family-style and the portions were huge! LOVED the fried eggplant appetizer, and of course the rigatoni with pork gravy was excellent! We didn't do dessert here, but the wine was great and the service was impeccable. The half-star off was because on the night of the event, they had another party in the room we were supposed to have reserved, and it pushed our dinner back about 30 minutes. Inconvenient, sure, but our waiter was sharp and they moved at lightening speed when we were seated. The waiter also was adamant about making sure my vegetarian guests got the royal treatment. It was sort of comical--almost like they were short-bus special or something the way he went on and on about how he made sure they got meatless food. They were happy with it, though, so it's all good!

Nancy H.

My husband and I had date night. I had seen the restaurant on Check Please. We both enjoyed our meals. It was a great evening. Our server and rest of staff were always available, filling water glasses and bringing food. Would definitely go back for date night or take a couple or two with us.

Joann S.

Love this place! I was brought here by surprise for my birthday and everything we ate was delicious. I forget our servers name but he was awesome. Instead of ordering off the menu he asked me what I liked and created his own dish. One of my favorite things was the meatball salad because it reminded me of the salad my grandma makes. The place is small and cozy. I heard this place gets busy for Bulls and Blackhawks games so if you're planning on dinning here plan ahead.

Richard K.

My wife and I had our second experience at Viaggio's and it held up to our first fantastic visit. The food is outstanding and the service Nicholas provides is an absolute pleasure. You can tell he loves his work and almost sounds like he is singing the specials to his customers. I highly recommend the Meatball salad, Calamari, Eggplant Stack and Veal Chop with both the Parmigiana and Viaggio style (hot and sweet peppers. Warning, Viaggio's serves large portiions so be prepared to take some home. The food is so good that it's great to have leftovers the next day. My kids can't wait to get to these the next day. They also have a nice wine list and if you favor bold reds, I and Nicholas strongly recomment the Modus Tuscana 2006 ...superb. Nicholas thanks for making our visits to Viaggio so enjoyable. We will be seeing you before any event we attend at United Center.

Erica L.

I took my boyfriend there to celebrate his birthday 6/22. It was crowded due to the hawks having a home game. We had a problem with service or lack there of for 20 mins but once I flagged someone down and my boyfriend spoke with the manager I believe his name is Shawn everything there after was perfect. The manager and our waiter as well as a waiter from a nearby table gave their apologies and it was overall a great experience. They recovered very quickly from the issue and we were able to enjoy the rest of our time there. The ambiance pleasant. Nice decor, close tables but not too close where you are uncomfortable. The food: DELICIOUS. we had the meatballs and salad. Best meatballs I have EVER had. I ordered the rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy...DELICIOUS SAUCE. TENDER MEAT. VERY FLAVORFUL. My bf ordered the lasagna with a side of Italian sausage...the best!! The staff also came out and sung happy birthday which was a pleasant surprise for both us of. We will DEFINITELY be back and I have already recommended to several of my friends and family.

Paul H.

The meatball salad is great and the salmon was excellent. Everyone was really happy with their meal.

Shelly P.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! By far the best Italian food I've ever had. I went there with my coworkers and luckily was able to get a taste of multiple different dishes, appetizers, and deserts and each time it was better than the one before. The atmosphere is incredible- Ask for Michael! The food from appetizer to desert will leave you speechless, probably because you can't stop eating it! It is impossible to try and sum up in this review just how impressive the atmosphere, the food, and just the entire experience is at Viaggio. My recommendation- You've got to try it for yourself and VERY SOON!

Adam S.

Ok. That's about as good as this place will get. Liked the location. Hated the noise in the restaurant. Service was good but food was subpar Italian. So, overall, I would call this place average. And, it's too expensive to be average, so NOT recommended.

Igor F.

Two words: OSSO BUCCO. Expensive but I would've eaten it for breakfast lunch and dinner. Worth every dollar. Not on the menu, was a special. Definitely would repeat.

S. Elizabeth R.

I don't even know where to start - Michael - Thank you. Your assistance with the menu was perfection and your personality is 5 star! I felt like one of the family instantly. Uncle Sam, Uncle Vic....Amazing, amazing, amazing! Our server was Ovi -Wonderful, attentive, quick but also knew how to space the courses out. I can't thank Ovi and Michael enough for their literal Royal treatment. My colleagues and customers were equally thrilled and impressed with their meal and service. I didn't get the bartenders name, but she is a lovely lady who knows how to make the perfect Cosmo and handled our party with ease and grace. Thank you for keeping our glasses full!! :) The food - OMG! I don't even know what to say except it was delicious, exceptional and I felt as though I was at home enjoying a meal with family. We ordered the Calamari - I don't eat seafood but I tried it and I would eat it again without hesitation. Fantastic! The Eggplant Stack - I'm not a huge fan of Eggplant - usually because it's not cooked correctly - but I am going to rave about it now because this was an awesome appetizer. The salad and dressing on top made the dish. The Caprese and Caesar salads - Again, perfect seasoning, beautiful presentation, delicious. Sunday Gravy w/Rigatoni & Pork - You have to try it. Just order it. It was not only DELICIOUS but a perfect compliment to our meal. Uncle Vic and crew are culinary geniuses. Since we had a big party - Everyone ordered a main entree. I had the peppercorn steak - OMG!! It was amazing!! Cooked perfectly! And everyone I asked said the same thing. Michael makes some lemon shot drink and we all did one. It was great too and probably a good thing we only did one. :) They brought out a tray of assorted desserts (We were all STUFFED at this point - the portions are extremely generous) and it was the best Tiramisu cannoli ,cheesecake, chocolate torte ever! Smooth, creamy, absolutely delicious! I cannot wait to come back to Chicago and go there again. I am recommending to anyone who wants real, delicious perfection in Italian food to go to Viaggio and enjoy the experience. You won't forget it or regret it. Thanks again guys - you are all STARS!! xoxoox

Steven K.

No matter what you get, add a meatball!

Julie M.

This place is terrific! I am pretty critical on Italian food, since I'm Italian, and it may be the best I've eaten in a restaurant. I was expecting "good" and got "wow"! We went last night, and I got the eggplant stack appetizer for my meal. It was perfectly cooked! And, I still had some to bring for lunch today. The guys had the "West Loop" style Milanese dishes, and the enormous plates of food were empty by the time they finished. Also the tortellini w/cream sauce that came on the side of their dishes was unbelievable - almost like mac and cheese, but way better! And the bread and peppers for the table was a really nice touch - and also delicious! This place is not for the calorie conscious, but it is "real" food, and it is fantastic.

Marissa D.

as a born and bred italian (even though my greek husband recently informed me, "you're greek now" - ooooh those greeks), i like to think that if i know anything, i know good italian food. so when i saw all the reviews coming in about viaggio, i immediately emailed my husband under the guise that we needed a 'date night' (ha!) and off we went. now first off, the atmosphere is charming and cozy. i just love everything about it. we were brought to our table and greeted by our gregarious waiter, michael. if you do anything when you come to viaggio, try to sit in michael's section - he knows how to take care of his customers and had me laughing the whole time. mike insisted that we try the meatball salad, which was of course delicious and i love the story behind it. we moved on to the orrechiette with beans, greens, garlic, and sausage. OH WOW. this was so good. we had another course coming after this so i tried not to eat too much but it was difficult since it was one of the more delicious pastas i've tasted. moving on to the reason i am so in love with viaggio, the veal parmesean. now, michael kept telling us throughout our meal, "the portions are huge, don't try to finish everything, you can take things home, you'll want dessert" etc etc etc. did i listen? no. because the veal parmesean is that good. as is the tortellini in the light cream sauce that comes perfectly portioned on the side. this is my favorite meal ever and i will be coming back to viaggio again and again to eat this. oh, and george enjoyed his sunday pork gravy pasta very much - unfortunately i didn't have a chance to try it because i was too focused on winning some sort of eating competition that was going on in my head. after this amazing dinner, i still had my game face on and was ready to forge onward towards dessert. so we tried some of mike's scrumptious homemade limoncello (seriously the best), downed a perfectly made cappuccino, and moved on to the handsome portion of profiteroles. these were made perfectly with delectable cream filling (not ice cream, like some places do) and chocolate sauce - and when i had finished the last bite, the whole restaurant broke into raucous cheering and applause. I HAD WON! I HAD WON!! it was momentous. but back to reality - if you want a fantastic italian meal and a wonderful dining experience, viaggio is your place. and if you want to engage me in an eating competition, PM me. the end.

Katie O.

This is the best Italian restaurant in Chicago hands down!! We have lived in the neighborhood for a couple of years and never got around to trying this place. We finally did last night and let me tell you this is our new "go to" Italian place! We ordered calamari as an appetizer and for our entrees I ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara and my husband ordered the Eight Finger Cavatelli and everything was delicious. We were already sold on this place and then the unbelievable happened. I forgot my sweater on my chair and so I called them late the same night and they said they would hold it for me to pick it up at a later date because the following day was Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and they were going to be closed which was completely fine with me. Then the next day (on Christmas Eve!) Sean called me from the restaurant and said he had stopped in if I wanted to swing by and pick it up. The timing wasn't going to work so he insisted on dropping it off at my house!!!...again, this was Christmas Eve!! This was obviously ABOVE and BEYOND anything they needed to do and so I wanted to spread the word and let everyone know this place is phenomenal and if you haven't tried it you need to get in there ASAP!!

Christian Z.

After having dinner here and Piccolo Sogno on the same week, I'd have to give this place a 5 star. This place is definitely a hidden gem in the West Loop. I took my girlfriend here for her birthday and we fell in love with the place. The atmosphere isn't stuffy or pretentious and the food is simply deliciou. We're both thrilled to find a really good Italian restaurant in our area. The fact that it's walking distance from our building is another plus.

S t.

reasonabily priced, huge portion, great service. our favorite italian restaurant in the city! i was thinking about Viaggio even when I was traveling in Italy!

Diana T.

I came on Valentine's day and was surprised with a rose for each lady in our group upon being seated. "A gift from Sam, the owner" the hostess informed us. Sam, is definitely a very thoughtful owner. =) The server was awesome. He reminded me of a car salesman, but not so pushy? We started with the eggplant stack, as everyone recommended, and it was delish! Breaded eggplant, mozzarella, tomato, and plenty of arugula. The flavors were amazing together. I chose the spaghetti cabonara for my entree. The plate was ginormous. No joke. The server warned me that there was meat in the dish and I said, bring on the meat. Thanks to that comment, I got extra prosciutto in my pasta. Maybe a little too much, but that was my fault. I loved the cabonara, but it was definitely too much for me and I was only able to finish half. I also tried my friends' dishes: pasta with clams and a pasta with vodka sauce, all were pretty awesome as well. I can't wait to come back and try some other recommended dishes: lobster ravioli and the meatball salad!

Jim E.

I went to Viaggio with my wife the Friday prior to Valentines day after making a reservation on Open Table. Upon arrival it was nice to have very friendly valet take my vehicle immediately without any wait at all. After entering we were met by Anthony who informed us our table would be ready in one minute. We took advantage of the moment to look at the wine list at the bar and order a glass. After the minute had passed another couple walked in and were directed to our table. I must of had a pissed off look on my face because Anthony instantly came over to apologize and got us another table. Anthony explained he thought we wanted a minute to order wine and gave our table to another couple but would have a table for us in a very short time. Due to the misunderstanding the house paid for our two glasses of wine without us complaining or looking for anything (great touch). I'll try to keep the rest short. Mike the waiter was a great server and offered up something that was not on the menu when my wife ordered Salmon. He suggested she get it prepared vesuvio style and would ask the chef. I had the pasta with Sunday pork gravy and I was very pleased. We also had the eggplant stack appetizer, which to our surprise was a cold dish and we anticipated it being like eggplant parm. We were very happy with the crispy eggplant with fresh Mozzarella and sweet balsamic vinegar (excellent). We really enjoyed this restaurant and will make it one of our regulars. I would have given it a rating of 4.5 if possible, because of the super loud atmosphere which made it hard to hear your dinning partner, but would rather give it a 5 then a 4 simply because of the extra effort by all employees.

KC W.

Viaggio is fantastic! A large group of us (9 people) went here after a Hawks game. The service is excellent; the waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the dishes and he and the bus boy kept our table clean without ever being intrusive. The food itself was absolutely delicious. From the appetizers to the unbelievably good cheesecake (coming from someone who normally dislikes cheescake) the food was top notch. What really made Viaggio stand out though is the way they responded to a mistake they made. Two of our group have gluten allergies, which means no flour. The waiter was able to tell us exactly which dishes were okay for them; unfortunately, he overlooked the fact that the plates are garnished with bread crumbs. As a result, the dishes had to be completely remade because even something as small as a bread crumb will cause a reaction. Not only was the waiter attentive about the mishap; he was extremely apologetic. In addition to this, the restaurant gave us free desserts for the nine of us. This included a complimentary dessert they brought out, and they didn't charge us for the two additional desserts we ordered. Viaggio is a high-quality dining experience. They know how important it is to please the customers, and they know exactly how to do it. We will definitely be returning!

Paul C.

Been to the vag a couple of times now. Will definitely keep coming back. This menu is good. Lots of choices to try. They have alot of great specials as well and great wine list. Love the bread with oil and peppers too. Try the fusili chicken pasta, Rigatoni with pork, Ravioli - its all good. I'm pretty picky and always looking for a great italian place. I look forward to going back and trying more things.

Nilani R.

Their Milanese with Arugula Salad is GREAT!!!

Wendy J.

This was the most delicious Italian for a really reasonable price. I couldn't believe how much food we got. We were surprised when everything arrived. The service was also excellent!

Ashley R.

Viaggio Ristorante & Lounge, one of the best italian restaurant here in Chicago. The food here is really delicous and once of my favorite was their Lasagna, it was cook very well so the taste was so good. Their Veal scallopini was also good, its worth it. The service was also good, I dont know what's their secret but the staff are good. I remembered when I asked something on a waiter and he answered me directly, the manager that time was also very helpful.

Clint M.

I'm no authority on Italian food, but I have visited Italy (as well as several other countries), and the meal I had here was one of the best I've ever had. We ordered the Meatball Salad, and it was absolutely delicious - the best meatball I've ever had. We also ordered a couple other appetizers, which were excellent as well. I ordered the rigatoni with Sunday gravy and enjoyed it immensely. It was a little loud, perhaps due to a party of ten that was celebrating a birthday, but it was a festive atmosphere, and we could hear each other around just fine around our table of four. Don't hesitate to visit this excellent restaurant.

anthony b.

Based on yelp ratings decided to try Viaggio and they exceeded expectaitions. From the eggplant appetizer is amazing along with great drinks from the bar. Dinner we had the lobster ravioli absolutely delicious. To finish the night carrot cake and cannoli and some lemoncello. Great restaurant I have to say Sarah is 10++++ took great care of us

Abel V.

Before I even begin my review, I have to say that I'm torn between 3 stars as opposed to 4. The deciding factor was our server forgetting us for twenty-five minutes after our main meals. From the get go the service was very good. Got seated within five minutes, waiter came to our table and had some great suggestions for wine. We had the calamari in a marinara sauce as an appetizer; safe dish but nothing spectacular. My better half had the egg plant parmesan with gnocci. The dish was awesome! Very well put altogether. I had the shrimp brochillini pasta in their garlic sauce. Not sure if this place makes their own pasta, but this dish was fresh, bold and full of flavor! After finishing our bottle of wine, we tried flagging down our server, but this is where we felt like he forgot about us. The table next to us seemed to be more important as he seemed to be a high roller. I get it, he was strapped with cash and was a great customer. His main order came first even though they sat down a good twenty minutes after we did. If the staff did that for every customer, they'd be the talk of the town. I'll definitely go back but that was my deciding point between 3 or 4 stars.

Jay M.

Went early on a Tuesday before a Blackhawks game. Excellent service, excellent food ( I had the best veal parm in the city). Service was quick and effective. I have found my place to eat before the games and to take that special girl.

Arlene G.

went here the other day with my gf, bff & our nephew. it was pretty good italian food! my lasagna was not exactly what i was lookin 4 but it was still good. i like my with a lot of sauce & it was lackin that. the chicken parm. my gf ordered was great. everybody enjoyed their meal & we were all stuffed! the place was really crowded cuz there was a blackhawks game but after 7pm, the place was not so chaotic.

Billy B.

I have no idea how this place has great reviews. I recently ate here and thought I would throw up. Unfortunately for the people around me, the gas generated from my meal did not come out of my mouth. The meal is heavy, cheesy, and overpriced. AND the valet didn't open the passenger door. Thus, Methinks never again.

Alice M.

When you step into Viaggio, you can tell that you're in for an authentic Italian experience. I think other than my siblings and myself, everyone in the place was old-school Italian, and they all turned around, as if we were intruding their secret club. The service was incredibly friendly though, and as we sat down, he offered us wonderful descriptions of the food and drink. We started with a fried zucchini appetizer that was well-seasoned and delicious while the table made their decisions. I knew what I was ordering the whole time: Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. My sister ordered a spinach-stuffed gnocchi (a special), my brother ordered the steak, and my cousin ordered a sea bass with lemon/olive oil/white wine sauce. The rigatoni was AMAZING. It really hit the spot, and it was how others had described it. Pork was tender, sauce was hearty, and the pasta was cooked well. The portion was also humongous so I ended up (happily) with leftovers. The spinach-stuffed gnocchi dish sounded wonderful when described, but in practice, it was a bit flavorless. Something needed to be amped up in the dish. The steak was tough and chewy, and definitely not recommended (although the twice-baked potato it came with was quite good and flavorful). The other standout dish of the night was the sea bass. It was beautifully cooked and the sauce complemented it well. This was the only dish that the table completely finished. Along with drinks (a bottle of wine, and a separate glass) and food, the tab came out to be about $50 a person (including tax and tip). We did get two of the most expensive dishes, but regardless, this isn't a cheap place. Definitely an experience worth trying though!

Ralanda H.

The food and the service was excellent! I tried the pork Parmesan it was delish. I would definitely go back

Henry P.

O.M.G. Best calamari ever! Tossing it with Thai chili sauce???? Brilliant! Got fettuccini with alfredo sauce for the kiddo. But I couldn't resist eating several spoonfuls of it! Definitely my new go to spot for excellent Italian food!

Bobby C.

good food, ok service, won't split a check beyond 50/50? why do chicago restaurants continue to be difficult with this concept?

Joe I.

All I need to say about this place is.... MEATBALLS! Try'em and tell me your grandma makes them better. Nice ambiance, terrific serves, dynamite food.

Shelby A.

I just came here last night and I have to agree with everyone else. This is the best italian food I have ever had and the meatball salad is a must have. Everything was great here; the food, the service and the atmosphere. I want to come back here next week, that's how amazing it was! Also, I never eat leftovers, but I was all over them this morning!

Alison H.

I was originally a it disappointed to realize that Amore (formerly at this location) was no longer in business. We decided to try Viaggio, though, and I am SO glad we did! Simply put, everything is top notch! It's a very friendly place. Our waiter, Michael, was both charming and a good waiter. Most importantly, the food! Oh, the food! I would describe it as Italian comfort food. Don't miss the eggplant stack appetizer--and the calamari was both different (had tomato gravy with it) and fantastic. The portions are HUGE, so four of us shared three entrees. The rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy was particularly outstanding. For dessert, we opted for carrot cake and sorbert (not together!)--both very good. The location is great, too, for dinner before any event at the United Center. Viaggio is a great find, and I will defintely be back!

Jodi I.

Delicious food and great service. Our waiter, Michael, was fabulous. He definitely tells you how it is, which we all appreciated. We started off with the Eggplant Stack (as recommended by other yelpers) and it was wonderful--perfectly breaded so it wasn't too heavy and coupled with tomatoes, mozzarella, balsamic, and arugula. I had the spaghetti carbonara and it was amazing. The pasta was al dente and included lots of high quality prosciutto in lieu of bacon. The only problem was that I couldn't stop eating it, even after I was full. Every person in our party brought home enough leftovers for lunch the next day. If you don't overeat, you're looking at enough leftovers for two more meals. The bartender was also great. While we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive, she offered us some wine tastings to help us make our wine decision. Awesome!

Eric E.

This was very, very good casual Italian -- and I can be a bit picky. Perhaps I would do away with the numerous flat-screen TVs (and there were three that stuck on the "Godfather" and "Raging Bull" DVD intro pages for the duration of our meal). Service was a bit overeager, but I would much rather have that than the alternative. Still, the food is what I'll think of when I choose to come back -- and I most certainly will. We brought out-of-town friends who wanted something casual and tasty. We read the Yelp reviews, and it lived up to expectations. Figuring that a restaurant is only as good as its most basic dish -- and craving a good meatball -- I ordered the ravioli and meatball dish. The sauce was rich, spicy and perfectly salted; I salt almost everything, and none extra was needed. The meatballs were moist and tasty, with a nice, little crust on the outside. Even a food novice would know they were homemade, too. Others got fish -- two salmon dishes and one swordfish. The salmon was flaky, moist and cooked perfectly with a slightly peppery crust. Well executed. It was garnished with nice fresh veg (spinach, cherry tomatoes, mashed potatoes, all seasoned well) and served as a tasty but light dish. My friend loved his swordfish, too. All in all, a perfect night at a neighborhood spot. The West Loop can be pricey and hit or miss for good food, but this was a standup triple, for you baseball folks -- and this is White Sox country, in case you were confused about how far north you are when you come.

Happy C.

The best Italian food of my life! I've eaten at many downtown Italian restaurants over the years and this place takes the cake. From the authentic male waiters who explain every detail of the meal, to the mouth watering appetizers, and mind blowing home made sausage and meat balls - this place is incredible! I've eaten here 4 times in the past 2 months and can't wait to go back. It's my new favorite restaurant. I've ordered catering for a new years eve party from here and their take out is just as good as dine in. This is a real gem! Oh MY! So, so good!!!

Charles S.

Wow! This place is as good as advertised. I had high hopes for this place after reading the reviews on Yelp and it did not dissapoint. Before you even order they bring out their home made peppers with bread; which is yummy. My wife had the 8 finger cavatelli with ararbiatta sauce and I got the lobster ravioli in a vodka sauce. My dish was great, but my wife's was even better. After one bite she said her dish was "amazing", which never happens because she is a renowned "bad-orderer" with pasta dishes. The portions are large, so if you're not hungry, order one dish to share. Anyway, We can't wait to go back.

Vaishali S.

The service here was incredible. The food was just as good...I really enjoyed the peppers and bread in the beginning and the calamari was also good. I was with a group of about 14 girls and there was a bachelorette. The waiters made it very entertaining! I'd definitely recommend this place for authentic Italian food and a great experience!

Amy H.

Being from Long Island, which I consider to be the HOME of really good Italian food, I walk into every Italian restaurant with a certain degree of skeptism. However, I knew Chicago was known for its food, and after reading the reviews, I decided to try Viaggio. I cannot say enough. This was, by FAR, some of the absolute best Italian food I have ever eaten. We walked in, and since they were busy we sat at the bar. We ordered two appetizers, the Eggplant Stack and the Bruscetta. Our bartender, John, could not have been nicer - but not in that fake way servers can be, just geniunely nice. They brought over some bread with fresh hot roasted peppers while we waited, and 5 minutes later, the hostess came and brought us to our table. Nicolas, our server - TOP NOTCH read us the specials. I usually have a pretty good idea of what I want, but he convinced me with the Braciole, and my friend got the Cavatelli with meatballs. While we waited, we had our appetizers - the eggplant melted in your mouth, no bitterness at all. The braciole was fork tender, the sauce was phenominal, the meatballs melted on your tongue. Suffice it to say that you MUST go here if you are in Chicago. Dont think about it. Just GO.

Sarah F.

This place just simply might have the tastiest Italian in the city! Seriously. This little, unassuming place is casual, VERY friendly and just feels like a home-y Chicago Italian joint should feel. The owners are walking around - the manager is bartending - and everyone generally knows everyone. They said their food would blow me out of the water - and boy were they correct! First off, they don't just give you the traditional olive oil and balsamic for your bread - oh no. They give you what they call 'sun-tanned' peppers, dredged in olive oil and red pepper flake. Wow! The taste of those peppers on the bread - amazing - and a wonderful way to begin our meal. We then had this delicious salad with homemade meatballs. The combination of warm, saucy meatballs with the cold crisp, vinegar-y salad was perfect. Next up was the "stacked eggplant" salad. Just get it - that's all I have to say - it's outstanding. We ended with garlick-y shrimp pasta to share and veal cutlets with tomatoes and cheese (can't remember the name of the dish) - AMAZING! This place truly is a diamond in the rough. Head out to West Loop and try it out! I have tried MANY MANY MANY Chicago Italian restaurants, and none this comfortable, with food this tasty. My boyfriend and I decided we will probably need to go there for a once-weekly dinner together.

Carita B.

Love, Love, Love this place!!! The food is sooooo good. The service is personable and nice. The chef takes pride in his cooking because you can taste it in the food. The wine selection is awesome. I have become a regular that everyone their knows me on a first name basis. Southern Italian at it's best!

Michael P.

The only reason this place doesn't get five stars is the space! The food and the atmosphere are incredible, the meatball salad is our favorite just try and find a spacy table

Zoey L.

Really good food! Only reason I'm not giving Viaggio 5 stars is because we were really rushed.....it was a busy Saturday evening- but I felt as though they were stalking us waiting for us to finish so they could seat the next table. Delicious food- but slow down.....

Jessica L.

It was Tuesday, before a bulls game, we were running late and arrived at West End (which is right next door) and were unable to get a table - not to worry, there is an Italian place right next door. We were immediately greeted by the host when we entered and I inquired as to the possiblity of a table without a reservation, but my hopes were not high because the place was packed! They sent us to the bar for a few moments while they ccontemplated how they might accomodate us and accomodate us they did. Within 5 minutes we were seated at a table and our server greeted us. Everyone that works here seems excited and happy to be here. The food is straight up italian and quite delicious (I started with Calamari & had the vesuvio style chicken on the bone special - yum), the wine list is great and the overall experience was wonderful. The waiter made some great recommendations and we could tell he was very familiar with the menu. Next time I have an event at the United Center to attend, forget Westend - I will be going to Viaggio instead.

gerald s.

If you want authentic italian Chicago food, atmospehre,quality, etc, this is the place. My wife and i thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it, and would highly recommend it

Aaron G.

It is what everyone says it is, and that is a beautiful thing. Meatball Salad!!!!!!!!

Ashley S.

YUM. YUM. YUM...... Mike has been raving about this place for the last 5 months.....that wasn't long enough. The food here is DELICIOUS! We had the meatball salad, and Mike had the Chicken Parmesan. Everything was absolutely delicious and I can't wait to go back here. Our server, Hugo, was awesome and the atmosphere is really cool too. I really can't wait to go back here!!!!!!

Minnie G.

Came here last Saturday night with my sisters to celebrate my birthday and had a wonderful time. Service was excellent. Food was fantastic. The only slight drawback is that the noise level was off the charts. It was OK for us but if you want something a bit more quiet, not so much. If I lived in this neighborhood, I would be a regular here.

Sharon O.

Been there 5 or 6 times now, each time we return my family and I are more delighted! This is one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. Went there last week again!!! I know I go back again!! Fabulous!!!

B N.

Food was not nearly as good as other reviews had stated. Breading on eggplant is thicker than the eggplant slice itself. Sauces are very heavy, thick, and pasta tends to be overly doused in it. If you're looking for a light meal this is NOT the place to go.

Michele B.

I'm Italian so for 5 stars it better be good. I was not disappointed. After a busy cold day in November a warm restaurant with "crust" bread wine and pasta was just what I needed. My daughters and I were in the neighborhood and noticed this restaurant and decided to give it a try. We were luck enough to find street parking about a block away so we figured that was a good sign. We were greeted at the door and seated immediately. It was a decent crowd for a Thursday evening. The atmosphere was quiet and unassuming. Our waiter appeared with water and ready to take our drink orders which arrived almost immediately. Warm right out of the oven bread with the best crust soon followed. I had the special Shrimp De Jonge (not Italian but with all the garlic it qualifies) it was heaven on a plate. Not over done with just the right amount of buttered bread crumbs in garlic sauce so that I could dip my bread in to retrieve every last bite. One daughter had the chicken spinach salad (think she is thinking about the LBD (little black dress for Christmas). She thoroughly enjoyed it with its grilled chicken, fresh spinach and chunks of cheese. The other daughter ordered one of the specials as well, squash ravioli with toasted sage butter. The pasta was wonderfully tender with just the right amount of squash stuffing. The sage was toasted and melted in your mouth as did the butter brown sugar sauce. Wonderful food experience and we WILL be back!

Opal K.

Came here with 3 friends with a reservation after seeing the amazing reviews on yelp. I ended up trying 2 different dishes... - Eight Finger Cavatelli was good but a little disappointing. VERY heavy. It's essentially elongated gnocchi in a tomato based sauce. Tasty but too heavy to have more than a few bites. Normally I love gnocchi, but this was not for me. - Pappardelle in vodka sauce. This was delicious. Pasta was extremely fresh and the sauce was extremely flavorful and somehow still managed to be light. 5 stars for this dish. As for drinks, the wine i got was pretty good. My friends ended up getting drinks and were pretty disappointed. I'd come here for the amazing fresh pasta but would otherwise give this place less credit. 5 stars for the pappardelle. 2 stars for drinks and for the other dish.

Keith K.

We had a tremendous meal and the manager brought us a meatball to try since we did not order the famous meatball salad. It was fabulous. The front of the restaurant opens up to the patio and there is an airy open feeling to the place. Lemoncello shots for dessert were homemade by the wait staff!

Barbara G.

We've dined here before and enjoyed it enough to return. There were 3 specials this particular night. By chance our party of 3 ordered all 3. The $34 chicken dish wasn't cooked enough. Sent it back. My $28 fish dish was too salty and soggy. The 3rd dish was excellent. I don't mind paying good money for good food and service but under these circumstances, I expect more than a "sorry" as the check is handed to us.

Sandeep A.

The meat ball salad is awesome. The prices are on the higher side but it's worth it. The service is very friendly and the place is kid friendly. I would highly recommend the rigatoni as well

Eric A.

Service 5 star. Food 6 stars. Got the Sunday gravy except with spaghetti. Amazing. And mike, our waiter, was super cool - introducing himself to us right when we walked in. Too bad I live in Houston... :(

Lily C.

It was 7pm on a Wednesday night and my boss gave me the task of finding a good restaurant to take our clients. Mind you, it's the first time I've been to Chicago and have no idea what's in the area. Yelp to the rescue! Viaggio was among the first recos from the search. I was worried that they couldn't fit us so last minute, but the person on the phone quickly took my reservation of 7 for 7:30pm. He didn't even bat an eye when only 5 of us showed and were even seated immediately! Service here is amazing! Within 20 seconds of seating, we were given a plate of the most delish roasted peppers and a basket full of bread to start. Our glasses were always full and our waiter was always there to refill our wine glasses. Now onto the food! We ordered their signature dish - meatball salad - and the fried mozzarella with tomatoes & prosciutto to share. Both dishes were amazing! The meatballs were perfectly seasoned with the right amount of kick and the salad was accompanied by gorgeous heirloom tomatoes. (Tip: use the meatball sauce as salad dressing. You'll never go back to traditional dressing!) The mozzarella was out of this world. Fried mozzarella topped with grated parmesan, sliced parmesan, diced tomatoes, and prociutto. Cheese topped with cheese that is topped with more cheese. Need I say more? I ordered my ultimate Italian fave - linguine with white clams sauce - and it did not disappoint. Pasta was al dente, clams were freshly shucked, and sauce was perfect. Everyone else had the lasagna, buttersquash ravioli (special of the night), penne with peas and mushrooms, and veal something (forgot which veal, sorry!). Since everyone scarfed down their dish, I'm going to assume that they liked it. We were beyond full, but can't go to an Italian restaurant, especially one this good, without getting the tiramisu... So we ordered one to share. It was UNBELIEVABLE! Definitely the best tiramisu I've ever had. Not too sweet, right amount of rum, and the surprise was the chocolate chips that were mixed into the mascarpone. Yum! Thanks Viaggio for showing a girl from NYC how Italian food is supposed to be. Can't wait to return!

Andria Z.

We went on a Thursday night for a 6:45 reservation, 8 ladies, for our monthly supper club. I knew the moment I walked in it was going to be good. Great atmosphere, all of the staff were very friendly, the manager Chris came over to check on us. Our waiters Matt and Nick were perfectly attentive. Good bread and olive oil. The meatball salad was fabulous, juiciest, tastiest meatball I've ever had. I had the chicken lemon with a side of fettuccine w/vodka sauce. The chicken was outstanding, perfect sauce, large portion. I like you how you can choose your pasta side from a list of pasta types and various sauces. Everyone at the table loved their dinner. I tasted the chicken parmesan and OMG, definitely getting that next time. The dessert sampler was delicious and plenty for the 8 of us. The Tiramisu was sooo good. Definitely going back soon!

Ashton H.

The service was good. The food, left a little to be desired. It was our first time there, and the server recommended the specials. We ordered the Brick chicken and the Pasta Shrimp linguine which I was told was spicy in a tomato sauce. The food came out right as we were done with our appetizers. The chicken was cooked to perfection. Crispy on the outside and very moist and tender on the inside. However, my pasta wasn't very spicy at all, it was not seasoned one bit. Made the whole meal very bland. I only ate half and got the rest to go, thinking I could add my own spices to it. It was irreparable. The chocolate cake was deliecious though. The poor rating is mainly for the cost of the "specials". I spent almost 40 dollars for chicken and mashed potatoes, and 30 bucks for pasta in tomato sauce and unseasoned shrimp. I would have liked to know how signifcantly higher in price the specials were before i ordered.

Jeff R.

This will definitely be short and sweet. My good friends Barisa and Joel have been raving about their favorite Italian place in the city (or at least the closest one) called Viaggio so it was just a mater of time before we all went. [It was two months ago]. Bottom line is that the place is a very solid, authentic and homey Italian restaurant with all the classics. It reminds me of a non-chain (though there are two locations) Maggianos - large affordable family style dishes of no non-sense classic Italian (and the crazy surprise is how hard that is to find in the city). Servers are great and authentic and the decor is decidedly simple and efficient. We started with the famous meatball salad - which is not what I was expecting. It is literally a green house salad served with meatballs. Quite delicious though. I had a veal parmesan (I think) and tried the spaghetti with meat sauce. I preferred the pasta over my veal but everything was solid good and great value. It's not world class mind changing Italian - but is it ever supposed to be? I grew up with pasta as a comfort food so as long as I really enjoy the dish and sauce I'm a really happy man. I'm not sure I'd run back but I definitely would return and if someone asked for a similar recommendation I'd be happy to send them Viaggio's way.

Alex A.

great food for family

A. C.

The food was good but it was very loud and crowded. For a Monday night, I was surprised.

Taylor D.

I love viaggio. After our initial experience when the maitre d was rude and the server forgot our app, they redeemed themselves. We had the same server who remembered us and sent over the app that he forgot the previous time! Once again, the food was outstanding and no one rushed us out!

Josh O.

Great food, very good service. 8 finger cavatelli was fantastic, meatball salad strange but very flavorful, good! Caprese salad good, sausage and peppers also good but the gravy was a bit heavy on the garlic. Snapper was the letdown, a bit too dry. Portions were very generous and leftovers delicious the next day! Service was slightly rushed and just because I choose a $60 bottle of wine doesn't mean it shouldn't be allowed any time to breathe - it's still Amerone. He was nevertheless very attentive.

N K.

There was a group of 5 of us that went for dinner. all 5 dishes were bland. none of the dishes stood out. i got the special linguini with shrimp and it tasted like plain noodles and some shrimp thrown on. all the garnish was thrown in one corner as if it was an afterthought. i only ate half and had the rest packed to go thinking i could add some spices at home and make it more enjoyable since it did cost way more than the normal dishes ($32). i walked out without the take away box and came back within 2 min and was told they had already thrown away the box. they couldve kept it to the side for a little bit to see if i would come back. if i had forgotten my purse, would they have thrown that out as well? $32 for half of my meal is ridiculous. my friend got one of the special house made pastas (eight finger something). that was very bland as well. it needed some spices. the pasta arribata had no kick to it. usually arribata is too spicy for me, but this version had no flavor. overpriced, unflavorful food. i would NOT recommend this restaurant.

Devin W.

Outstanding! Went last night for dinner and with an excellent meal, a bottle of wine and perfect service came out for less than $100. Some of the best Italian we have ever had.