This was good! We went with a Groupon last weekend and really enjoyed our experience. I had the chicken florentine and it was huge. I took more than half home for my teenage son to eat. Nicely seasoned and the creamed spinach was very good. My husband got the rigatoni Vincitori. Yum. Cannolis, which are housemade, was awesome. Burnt caramel gelato was good too. Will go back again!
(4)
Gina V.
For my Italian standards, food was pretty good. Dessert was AMAZING; bananas foster!! Service was efficient. I would go back, but not in a hurry!
(4)
Trina T.
My husband purchased a coupon from Gdine for this restaurant. We went there on a Saturday night. Because we were using a Gdine coupon we had to order from a preset menu. We were not disappointed at all. First our waiter was helpful and friendly. He was attentive throughout our visit. We had Stuffed Banana Peppers and Shrimp Vincitori as appetizers. Both were delicious. I wanted more of the Shrimp Vincitori. I had the Steak Chop Salad as my meal. I wish I had taken a photo, it was eye appealing and delicious. The steak was grilled to perfection and the salad included avocado which I love!!! The portions were generous. My husband had the Chicken Florentine and he seemed to enjoy it. I plan to return to Vincitori soon for the Shrimp Vincitori.
(4)
Brian D.
Soups (minestrone and pasta fazzoul) were small and tasted too much like out of a can; stuffed artichoke was just OK--not much flavor; thin pizza was below average--uninspired crust and flavorless sauce. Service was good and quick. I think the place smelled musty too, but I couldn't put my finger on it. And for the record, white paper as a table top is lame...either give me a real tablecloth or wood tabletop. Kept fantasizing about Amber across the street!
(1)
Joe T.
Nice atmosphere, great service... But the food was so over cooked that I couldn't tell the difference between the chicken & veal... Not worth the money at half the price.
(1)
Randy M.
Went there last night when over in that direction for an appointment. Had a Groupon that got us in there, but the food will bring us back, and the service was great, too. I know there have been some reviews on here for bad service, but we were toward the beginning of the dinner hour, and got a waiter who was a lot of fun and really helped us understand the dishes and what would be good choices for our first time. Our daughter loved the fried dough balls with powdered sugar from the kids' dessert menu, too. She got like 8 donut-hole things with powdered sugar for $2.50, and the bananas beignet dessert my wife and I shared was great, too! Give it a try, we were very pleasantly surprised.
(5)
Eric K.
I went here with my wife and some friends because we had purchased a Groupon and were interested in checking this place out. We love Italian food and are always looking to check out a new place. We had a great meal, service was good and it seemed like this would be a place we would visit again. But unfortunately like some other yelp users have mentioned, it was all overshadowed by the rude attitude we received by the manager on duty. After the meal, when I went to use our Groupon I was told they weren't accepting them that day. When I calmly informed the manager that there were no stipulations listed on the Groupon, she barked back that she would have to check it herself and walked away. When she returned she admitted that there wasn't anything that mentioned I couldn't use it that day, but that they had their own policies that kept me from using it. Now, I usually avoid conflict, but I knew I was right on this one. After some continued dialogue, where I made sure to remain calm, she reluctantly let me use it (at this point my wife and friends could not believe how rude this manager was being and wondered how they stayed in business if this was how they treated their guests) But, it didn't stop there, once she took my Groupon #, she came back and said she didn't have the number in the system and then implied that I had faked the Groupon!! I told her to check again and the second time it worked. It's unfortunate that we would have returned if it wasn't for the horrible ending. I've worked in restaurants for years during college and sometimes it's hard to believe that there are managers like this that work in the food "service" industry.
(1)
Tony C.
We ate here for the second time, the first time the food was very good, the next time we ate here OMG the food was horrible. I ordered baked clams that were like eating rubberbands. The chicken vesuvio was dry, flavorless and the potatoes were from the day before. When I brought it to the waiters attention, he had the nerve to cop and attitude and actually throw the menu done on the table. I then asked to speak to the owner and he refused to come to the table. I will never eat here again.
(1)
Fiori M.
Went there on a Friday they were pretty busy. Got a table right away. Hostess was telling us they have been busy for weeks and that the food was to die for everything was to die for. We tried the stuffed meatball which wad okay. The calamari was good but the red sauce they gave with it is so spicy, my husband had the braciole with polenta he said this dish was terrible no taste, I had cavatelli with was like musher pasta not tasty at all. My sister in law had shrimp scampi which was so spicy she couldn't ate it. My brother in law had veal Marsala with no complaints. Bill was140.00 plus tip was not worth it at all. Skip thus place and go to another. I'm giving one star for the hostess who should sell cars, furniture or something else
(1)
Marietta D.
Vincitori's is probably the best Italian restaurant I've been to in a long time. Food is phenomenal. Staff is friendly and attentive. Chef Bob makes sure all of his dishes are extremely tasty and made to order. The pride he takes in his cooking is beyond exceptional. A must go to restaurant. Better make reservations though because it's always jammed.
(5)
Kaitlin R.
I must go in here on good nights because i have never experienced what the customers with low ratings have experienced. I go here all the time with my boyfriend and it has been amazing every single time. I usually go during the week so its quieter; we are always seated right away. Our usual waiter always remembers us and brings us blue cheese stuffed olives for fun because he knows we love them. The only time we were a smidge miffed was with a waiter we hadn't had before; we ordered our usual dirty martini (7 dollars) and he brought us a 12 dollar one and claimed that smirnoff was top shelf vodka. That seemed silly. The food has always been spectacular and we make it a point to try new things every time we come in. It's a great place for a romantic evening. If you dont like crowds or loud live music, try going on a weeknight.
(5)
B. S.
I love the food and service is always good. I just hate spending big dough on inflated drinks, wine list specifically.
its ok.. service was awesom... but the food was just ok.. nothing special whatsover!
(3)
Jill T.
I ate here about 8 years ago a few times and loved it. Coming back to live in this area i have been pleased to see the quality didnt change. Made reservations because it was saturday night. Enjoyed a drink at the bar. There was a sort of classic italuan singer in the bar area. His singing was nice, but entirely TOO LOUD. Passed up the table that was ready for us because the singing was so loud that it was difficult to talk to my dinnermate. Love that they have gluten free pasts as an option with any dish. REALLY helpful to have a gluten-free place nearby --- and still great Italian food. Our waitress had terrible timing and our water glasses and parmesan cheese went empty at time. Tune up on the service Vincitori's, but the food was fabulous!
(4)
Xaxa H.
I always have a fish entree here, and never disappointed. Great little place in DT Westmont.
(4)
Tommy M.
Finally went to this place last night, used a restaurant.com GC. I really enjoyed the food, and the service was very pleasant. We had fried calamari for an app, and shared two of the specials for entrees: prime rib w/vesuvio potatoes and Chilean sea bass. They have a nice selection of vino too. I had a great Cab (house) but forgot to ask what it was! We also had a chocolate lava cake with some vanilla gelato to seal the meal. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Nick L.
Have visited this restaurant 3 times now and I have mixed emotions about it. Negatives: 1. Hostes is completely rude on the phone and in person. Always seems like I am inconveniencing her to make a reservations or get a table. Tables have always been available but she seems confused as where to seat us. 2. First waiter would rather tell you about his rich girlfriend who buys him expensive gifts and his Harley than server you. Second waiter needs to be taught how to do laundry - dirty white shirt that has never seen an iron. Positives: 1. Food is delicious and large 2. Singer in the bar is amazing! Try Vincitori but bypass the hostess and wait staff and go right to the bar. Eat at the bar and enjoy the singer!
(3)
Niel O.
Excellent meal in the Western burbs! I shared a bottle of Valpolicella wine (good price, good vintage) and had a beef tenderloin special. 3 small cuts, each with a different crust; bleu cheese, garlic and horseradish. Steak was perfectly cooked medium rare and the crust on each was very tasty! Shared the bananna beignet for dessert; 1/2 slice of bananna with carmalized sauce served with vanilla icecream and a beignet. Overall a very good meal and I look forward to eating there again!
(4)
Chris L.
My main complaint is the attitude of our server. It was my first time visiting the restaurant, so it could have been an isolated individual case. My server was not very polite during our interaction since the beginning, and he was especially rude in the way he told me that the restaurant will not take my credit card but rather cash only since I used groupon and the total charge was less than the min. The bread to start the meal was very hard and does not feel fresh at all. Overall, I was very disappointed to take my gf to this restaurant, and I will certainly not recommend it to anyone nor will I ever go back there.
(1)
John T T.
Great neighborhood Italian place. chef Bob loves his job. Check out the specials they are the highlight of the night. If the blackened duck breast with the acorn squash ravioli is on get it! The contrast of the blackened duck and the sweetness of the ravioli is remarkable. On select weekends they have live music in the bar, and yes sometimes it is a guy singing with a karoke machine. But Bobby G. is a fantastic singer of American standards. If you order any pizza ask for the cracker crust you won't be disapointed.
(4)
Spencer F.
If you order a veal dish, get a salad or appetizer. The veal portion is small.
(3)
George B.
Ate here with my wife and 8yr old son. We all liked the food and our son entertained himself with crayons on the butcher's paper over the table cloth. Prices ate reasonable, so we will be back.
(4)
Uma I.
Great food and great service. The chicken dishes were very good, as well as the pasta with eggplant. The Tilapia did not taste fresh.
(4)
Anne H.
I'm constantly amazed when I read glowing reviews of a restaurant and go there only to find out how medicore it actually is. Then I realize that my standards for dining are quite a bit higher than the reviewer's. My husband got a Groupon for this restaurant and we went there last night. We made a 6.30 p.m. reservation and arrived 10 minutes late. The dower hostess told us we could eat at the bar or wait because she didn't have a table. When we questioned why, since we had a reservation, she said "I can't just kick people out". Then she saw an empty table and had not realized that the party had left. We sat down around 6.45 p.m. At 7 p.m. we still had not had any waitress come to our table and it appeared to me that none was assigned to us, there were waitresses serving the other tables. All are dressed in white blouses, ties, and black pants. But, most of the white blouses were a shade of grey and one clearly needed to have an iron used on it. Finally a waiter appeared and asked if we had been served. He then said he would take our order, he looked peeved and stressed. A family beside us went to the bathroom and while they were gone, a busboy started to clear their table, only to find the couple return, they had not eaten yet!!! My husband's salad, a wedge, appeared about 15 minutes later, it was covered in balsamic dressing which gave it a dirty appearance. We waited for at least 30 minutes for our entree. My husband enjoyed his chicken, my lamb salad was medicore, one of the lamb chops tasted like it had been freshly cooked, the other two tasted old. The restaurant was filled with couples and their kids. This is not a "fine dining" restaurant, it is a local diner with horrible service and OK food. They won't see me there again!
(1)
Arthur Z.
Food was ok. But two things are bothersome. 1. They have gluten free pasta, which is great for those with gluten allergies, not too common to see a restaurant that offers rice pasta. Bad side of this is that this is the first and only place I've seen that charges an extra $3.00 for a gluten free dish. 2. The kids meals only include carbonated drinks. No lemonade, no juice, no milk. We ordered a glass of 1/2 water 1/2 orange juice for my son and they charged us an extra $3.50 for it. Can you say ripoff? I complained to tje waitress (she was nice) and she came back with the message the manager said that's what the charge was and we had to pay. The funny part was about 30 seconds later the manager comes out with an empty plate, walks by our table to see who we were, and goes back into the kitchen. Gee, he just HAD to see who we were that would complain about the $3.50 children juice! Ok food. Sophomoric management. Would not recommend to anyone.
(2)
erin e.
2/9 can't get in at 5:30pm for dinner due to "dualing piano" night. I might add that the place was empty. So disappointing since we had a Groupon and finally had the opportunity to get out without the kids. Tonight, being Valentine's Day, we knew there was no way to get a table anywhere without a reservation. We ordered to go and our Groupon was refused-dine in only in the fine print. Okay-that fine print didn't show up on the mobile app. The right thing to do when you are staring at $80 in food packaged to go would be to take the high road and accommodate your customer. Instead my husband was treated with disdain and condescension. No problem Vincitori. Glad you are making such a killing that you don't need additional revenue. We live all of 2 blocks from your establishment and will frequent your competitors once a week for as long as we live in Westmont. Family of 4*$60/week=$240/month. Say we take 2 weeks of vacation a year = 50 weeks*$60=$3000/year. Congratulations on losing our $$$ before we even tried your food.
(1)
Rochelle A.
Very disappointing! We asked to substitute the pasta on our chicken dish. We were told there would be an up charge. They brought the wrong pasta and never brought the correct item. We also asked to substitute a vegetable for the potato. We were told this was no problem. When we received the bill we were charged $5.00 for the vegetable and $3.50 for the wrong pasta. We were also charged for drinks that were included with the kids meal. They refused to make any changes other than not charging extra for the drinks. They were unpleasant and not accommodating. We will not return.
(1)
Ken J.
Went there last night for family party. Share the party room with other family and was great. crowded when we arrived and seems kitchen was non stop busy and thus also ran out of two choices from our table. good news is all seem homemade so ok with that and also since first time there lots of choices. Kids meals seemd great, my boys got the cheese pizze and cheesy pasta. Both looked great and both enjoyed their meal. i got the eggplant parm and loved it. the sauce is great and close second to my mother-in-laws. Portions are nice size and generous. my mother got the special raviolis with duck and raved about them, since she didin't offer to share and eat them all my guess is she loved it. others got the cavetelli with vodka sauce and all raved about it. My wife got a salad and app pizza. Not sure which app pizza but had mushrooms and tried it. Great light crispy cust with lots of flavor and not overpowered at all. Would love to go back soon but not near my home. Highly recommend and look forward to another trip to Western burbs and try to get to Vincetori's and try another dish. My sister and brother-in-law had the party there and i can see why the enjoy this restaurant and chose it.
(4)
MIke L.
This is a great little spot tucked in the little cozy downtown Westmont area. The bar is small but the bartenders that serve here are very friendly and know how to make good drinks. The signature dish here is the Vincitori Rigotoni. It is kick ass! I've tried most of the things here on the nenu and they are all good. I've also catered from here and was very impressed! The owners are on sight most of the time and keep things running smooth. I guess I'm a semi-regular here and that speaks for itself! Enjoy...
(4)
Cristina E.
My friends and I are always looking for a great new restaurant in our area. We had driven by Vincitori many times and finally decided to try it. We were there a little later on a Saturday night. The atmosphere was nice, I'm a sucker for dim lighting and a cozy table. There was a man singing Frank Sinatra in the bar area and he was actually very good. Very pleasant. Our waiter was friendly. There was nothing really "wrong" with this restaurant but there was nothing great about it either. The bruchetta was not good. Stale bread and tomatoes that tasted less than fresh. Nothing special about it at all. I know bruchetta may be a very basic appetizer to get but Ive had some amazing takes on bruchetta at other restaurants. It happens to be a guilty pleasure of mine but this one I wanted to send back. I ordered the cavatelli because it said the pasta was homemade. The vodka sauce was lacking in flavor and dull. The pasta was just o.k. Homemade pasta should be better.My husband loves Chicken vesuvio and always judges a restaurant on it. His was again, not bad but not good either. Overall, I personally will not go back. Im still out to find that "hidden gem" in the neighborhood.
(2)
Kris Z.
Great italian with a nice atmosphere and friendly staff. They make a great steak in addition to the usual suspects.
(4)
Judy B.
I wanted to try this place for months and we went last week and I was totally underwhelmed. My husband liked his pork chop meal but the basil/lemon chicken I had was just so-so. And even with a $25 restaurant.com certificate, our bill was astronomical. Sorry, but I won't be back.
(2)
Scarlett O.
My sister and I went to this place last night! We found hair in our calamari, and my sister pulled a hair out of her minestrone soup! We walked out! The wait staff didn't seem to be making our situation any better. They seemed to have a glib attitude about the fact that our food was not clean! It's not our kind of crowd either. It's kind of like a scene out of Goodfellas. It seems to be a restaurant designed for the owners friends and not the rest of the community. Will absolutely never ever ever go back!
(1)
G G.
Excellent place to eat! Lilah is a fantastic waitress and the food is wonderful. Portion sizes are big, so if you don't take something home, you have a good appetite! If you want a good seat near the window, make a reservation. Place gets packed at 7pm on a Friday. Variety is sufficient with meat, chicken and seafood - the calamari was very tasty. Appetizers are wonderful - get the sausage and cheese in a pepper! Finally the burnt caramel ice cream was fantastic. Enjoy!
(4)
Yvette L.
My husband and I used a Groupon for dinner. The atmosphere is romantic and cozy. We had great service and our waiter was knowledgeable with the menu items. The food was delicious and prepared well. Prices here are a little steep but you truly get what you pay for- a nice evening out.
(5)
Gigi G.
Soooo I wanted to give this restaurant another try right? And yeah.... Good thing I had a $40 Groupon.... Made a 5pm reservation using Open Table. Got there maybe 4:50pm.... This snotty young Caucasian receptionist was like.... "Your reservation is 5pm but uhm ok... Let me get you a table" Hmmm.... Can you be a little more boring and un- inviting?!!!? Grrrrr Then gave us a tiny table .... I was like looking around.... Maybe 3 tables had patrons but pretty much an empty restaurant at that time. I asked her to give us a bigger table... she said.... "Let me see what I can do" I was like.... You're kidding right? This joint is empty!!!! Gosh.. Soooo that was not a good start.... One star gone for sure.... Now our waiter, Antonio... was friendly.... We like him We ordered the following: Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon bottle $32 Stuffed Banana Peppers $9.95 - a tad bit spicy but very tasty Roasted red pepper clam soup $3.95 (got two) -- good but has more potato than clam Grilled chicken w/ mushroom risotto $20 -- good Duck w/ butternut squash ravioli $30 -- very good At first... They brought a very well done duck... My BF who never complains was like.... Antonio, you don't serve Duck well done do you? Can you ask the chef to give me a medium rare duck? After 10 mins.... Antonio brought the perfect duck.,, with a little pink in the middle ... Good thing my BF saw that right away... Otherwise, they would serve a yucky tough duck to us for $30... Nooooo way!!!! Banana beignets -- very good Cappuccino -- very good Bill was &127 minus $40 groupon = $87 plus 20% tip Verdict: ok with Groupon.... Otherwise, will go somewhere else
(3)
Athea G.
Went here on a groupon, though I've been before. Nice, classy place in the heart of downtown Westmont. As a non-Italian, I thought the food was really good. We ordered fried calamari and I got the chicken limone over linguini. There could have been a little more calamari in the dish, but it was good. Served with a shrimp sauce, and a wanna be tarter sauce....meh. The chicken limone was great, super moist (and I hate that word) and great flavor. The sauce over it was great too over the linguini....yum. I wouldn't mind some more, right now...please? The Italian bf had the cavatelli and vodka.... Looked good and smelled great. He said the vodka sauce was too tomato-y. I tried a bite, and would agree. But overall "it was just okay". I wouldn't hesitate to go here again. Reasonable prices, nice atmosphere, good food. Over all, a pretty good place. And I hope the self proclaimed Irish man on date numbered 2-4 next to us made it to second base tonight. He was sure trying!
(3)
Paula B.
Absolutely the BEST Lamb in the world! Ok, I haven't had lamb all over the world but I can't imagine how lamb could possibly taste better! Chef Bob marinates the lamb in a Garlic & Chianti reduction sauce that is Amazing!!! If you like lamb you will LOVE the Signature Lamb Chops or the Lamb Chop Salad - the salad is a great dish with a twist!
(5)
Rocky G.
We were there tonight,I didn't know they had BBQ ribs, out server Lila told me they were great, she was right, I also love their pasta fagioli soup is excellent, Ask for Lila, she is a great server
(5)
Sean C.
Groupon. Nutshell, food was good, service pretty lousy. Initially tried seating us directly next to a couple on a date and the place was empty. Objected & he moved us a few tables away. Still had to listen to this guy talk about his stocks all night... poor girl. Waiter commented how they were packed 30 minutes ago, funny. Room is ok, maybe a bit loud from the bar. Service was slow, he only had us and previously mentioned table. Felt like we were being pushed into wine, drinks, apps, etc, & if we said no, he wasn't digging it. Unprofessional waitering like saying "Done?" didn't add to the experience. Food was pretty good, pasta in a vodka sauce which I asked for spicy was good. Date's chicken dish was pretty good. Paying check was slow because he thought clearing the only other table was more important. Generally, a missed opportunity because of poor service.
(3)
John S.
Since the reviews here are basically either 5 stars or 1, allow me to add my 2 cents. We went here because our realtor sings on Friday and Saturday nights - and I have to say he's quite entertaining. We've been twice. Once for drinks and once for dinner. As for our experience with the restaurant itself, if you love the over-use of garlic this is your place. If you don't mind forgotten orders, bad attitudes, slow service, improperly prepared food and unprofessional behavior, this is your place. If you think, "Hey I love Westmont! I'm going to keep giving my money to people who treat customers like cattle! Again, this is your place. The idea that more garlic makes the food (1) Italian or (2) excellent - is simply stupid. The opinions listed here that state that freshly made food takes longer to prepare than "fast food" is categorically wrong and to say that negative reviewers of this restaurant simply don't get it, is moronic. They've paid as much as you did and deserve at minimum, a reasonable dining experience. Freshly prepared food is not frozen, not boil-in-bag and not freeze dried. It therefore takes the least amount of time to prepare properly. When customers regularly wait 45 minutes to an hour (or longer) for their food, it's a sure sign of worthless management and that you've wasted your time. Vincitori has a history of literally chasing down customers and calling the cops on patrons who've been so disgusted with their service and/or so completely ignored by staff, that they've left without paying the check. Hey Vincitori, since this has happened more than once, ask yourself what the heck you're doing wrong! Which in the opinion of half the people here is, a lot. Here's a clue, it's not the ignorant customers, it's you.
(1)
Kelly M.
Adorable, hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant. Good service. Good food. It's a reliable standby for when you want a filling, tasty meal. I especially like the Gorgonzola tortellini, and my husband raves about the Frutti de Mare (quite possibly the biggest dish I have ever seen). If you go on a weekend, make a reservation. Otherwise, just pull up a seat at the bar. The bartenders are friendly and the drinks are flowing!
(4)
Kevin S.
I would highly recommend this restaurant for dinner, they do have Groupon's fairly regularly, so you might want to buy before going. The food is made fresh, so you can expect to be dining for longer then usual but the wait is worth the time. I did make a mistake in not ordering the French Onion soup, two other people in my party did and I was jealous! I did have the minestrone soup and it was very tasty. For a main course I enjoyed the lasagna, it was done to perfection, noodles were cooked just right and the cheese and sauce were perfectly proportioned. It was delightful eating every bite! I was not happy with the bread, maybe just a little too dry for me, even with the oil. The service was awesome, we did have reservations, so we were seated promptly. Our waiter was awesome and he created a delightful dinning experience! We will return to Vincitori!
(4)
J C.
Food was alright, service was TERRIBLE. It was just me and my 2 children. After being ignored for 10 minutes, we were given bread by a busboy and then the waiter came and I ordered an appetizer (baked clams), spaghetti for my daughters, and my entree - all ordered at the same time. It was about 10 minutes and my daughter's got their food, and I waited another 15 for my appetizer - a total of 25 minutes for sub par clams. My entree followed a few minutes later and I asked for the check. Over an hour for some clams and pasta. Bill was almost $50 with no booze. Astronomical for what we got. If my husband wasn't a waiter, I wouldn't have left a tip, but I left 20% out of pure guilt. We won't be back.
(2)
Gerry D.
Meh. We started with the sausage and peppers. This is definitely a good meal starter. Spicy and flavorful, a tad greasy though. I had the acorn squash ravioli. It was pretty good, nice and tasty. Unfortunately it was warm and not hot. I also tried the half chicken. I'll pass on that dish. It wasn't the most desirable. The flavor was only on the skin. Not a good dish. As far as service, Frank was ok. I felt he should've been a little more attentive given the fact that we were the only table there. The water carafe was often empty for too long.
(3)
Jeanette P.
Went there with a big group of people on a weeknight and they were more than accommodating. I ordered the butternut squash ravioli and it was PHENOMENAL. Service was good and staff was super friendly. Would love to go again and try another entree.
(4)
Jie S.
Holy Molly, did you see the huge plate or the basin in which they serve Fruitti Di Mare? You could easily bathe the baby in that. No kidding. The best part is that we ordered this to share by two of us and we didn't order anything else for the third person who came about 20 minutes late. After we saw this dish, we knew this could easily feed three of us. And to make it better it was Delicious. Please don't judge me. I might have an addition with seafood and Marinara sauce. And they cooked the pasta just right so the noodles absorbed enough flavor from the sauce but still chewy. I loved it. The kid's pizza was huge as 10 inch and very thin crust. My daughter tried very hard to finish 1/3 of it. The lobby was nice and dark themed with huge drawings on the wall. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. He was one to recommend the Fruitti Di Mare and said it is more than enough for you two. Thanks!
(4)
Greg W.
I bought a Groupon wanting to try this place out, boy did i make a mistake !first off this was the second restaurant I have been to in Westmont that i have been to that was too dimly lit could barely see the menu! As the other yelpers noted the wait was very long, we sat by the bar and had a clear view of the kitchen doors with windows. I saw what looked to be my order come up, i knew it was because of the large bowl they serve it in. The dish was fruti de mare a dish with muscles, clams and other shellfish. The owner walks up to the dish and starts putting his fingers into it rearranging the muscles giving the ones that did not open to the chef (the dead ones) all the while he is licking his f ing fingers! I couldn't believe it! When i questioned our waiter about it he said oh hes the head chef and he wouldnt put dirty hands in my food. Later in the evening he was talking to a couple using foul language, now im not offended by stuff like that but dont say that kind of stuff within ear shot of my date. Will never be back again, very very disappointed in this one.
(1)
Christina B.
Dinner was wonderful! I got the Squash Ravioli with a Maple Walnut sauce. It was wonderful and fresh. The Cannoli is the best I've had. The waiting staff was very friendly, and the atmosphere is laid back and intimate. The Groupon helped a lot, since Vincitori is a bit on the pricy side. For two (salad, ice tea, dinner, and desert) it was about $55. The public parking is across the street.
(5)
Elle W.
BY ALL MEANS AVOID THIS AWFUL EXCUSE FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT. Never in my life have I been so disgusted by a business. We went here for Mother's Day for my mother and my sister. Not only was our waiter extremely ignorant to us the entire time, but we waited OVER AN HOUR for my mother's meal to find out that the waiter forgot to put her order in. He didn't even have the respect to tell us, he made up some asinine story about how someone took the food, and didn't even tell his manager! My mother stormed out of there, hungry and livid, and no one mentioned anything to a manager. I can see why though, the manager was the biggest ass of them all. He didn't even apologize at first! My brother-in-law told him "we didn't even receive an apology," and his pathetic excuse for one didn't make up for it. I was loudly saying how disrespectful and ignorant it was, and the manager didn't even come up to me to talk to me about it. When he heard me, he hid behind a wall and continued to flirt with the hostess who is obviously too young for him. I will never step foot near this place again. How can you disrespect someone like that on Mother's Day, of all days, and have nothing to offer? Fuck you and your employees. I hope you shut down.
(1)
Pam F.
I went in at 7pm for carry out knowing it might be a little busy. Bartender Susie was busy, did not go in expecting top service being a single carry out order person. My issue is the food. Ordered the Vincitori Shrimp appetizer. Received 6 small 45-50 size shrimp swimming in a half cup of sauce with nothing to sop the sauce up with. Ordered the Vincitori Rigatoni as the entree. Flavor is good. However, here there is not enough meat to justify the price point. I spent $60 for a carry out meal for one person. I did have 2 glasses of wine waiting for the meal. I would expect better quality for price point.
(3)
Angela D.
Reservations were set for 8pm...a table of 10. We arrive on time and are immediately seated. Our waiter approaches and kinda gives is a run down...but starts by saying that "all items are made from scratch and there is a longer than usual wait time" when ordering. He takes drink orders and skips both of my children and myself. When he returns 10 minutes later I let him know he missed us (how he didn't realize it is beyond me). He is rushed and very rude. We order appetizers for the table. Calamari, Burrata and Baked Clams. With a table of 10, you would expect for this to be sufficient. Nope. The calamari was skimpy and not at all tasty. The naked clams were "ok" and the Burrata was moderately good. They were gone in minutes and 3 people didn't eat any. The bread was hard and the plate of parmesan and oil was a joke. Our table ordered everything from Chicken Picatta to lasagna to pizza to sausage and peppers to need medallions. Please reference, "everything is made from scratch"...we waited 1.25 hours for our food to arrive. I ordered the chicken picatta and it was the worst I had ever had. The pasta was NOT homemade as I have eaten homemade pasta since I was a child...this was not homemade. The penne was not either. The one thing I can give them credit for is their sauce...it was amazing as the only reason they get 2 stars. After almost 3 hours of dining...we all left "content" but far from stuffed and happy. We were all full but no one raved about anything. Did I mention that our server failed to take food orders for my kids as well? Ugh...just a hot mess from beginning end. Won't ever go back...
(2)
Blake W.
Been here a couple times now and the food is amazing. Purchased what I thought was a great deal on restaurant.com to dine here this evening to find out that while there are no restrictions advertised, they refused to accept the purchased deal while acknowledging it is legitimate. The server gave us water, bread, and said can't do the deal. No questions about appetizers or anything else. So far I am extremely bummed out on what should be a good evening. Beware the promotions out here and just plan on full price. The food is amazing, it really is, but business side could be better.
(3)
Julie H.
A coupon from Groupon brought us to this restaurant. What a great restaurant The food is amazing. Cant wait to go back! My husband had French onion soup and the Chicken Parmesan and I had Chicken Vesuvio ..Large portions and everything was amazing We also had a very nice server ( Jason ) He was also amazing .
(5)
M. J.
Really good food and really good service. I am really picky about service because I work in the service industry... so I place a tremendous importance on how I'm treated. This place is consistently good. The food (I've tried several dishes) is always yummy, and sometimes even great. I just can't think of a criticism...
(5)
Patricia M.
this is just not about the food. have been here years ago with a friend thought was good at the time which could have been 10+ years ago, returned to same place with same friend for cocktails & appetizers. potato skins ok, cesar salad good, pizza ok. company great. what makes me even write this review is based on my exit of the premises. after several beers with appetizers & pizzas needed to use washroom facilities before i left. yes the bathroom was outdated but can still be clean. i simply could not get past the bathroom scrubber that was open & next to the toliet that an expense of $5 for a new one would remedy or may i suggest a jug of bleach!!!! this scrubber was probably the original or at least 10 years old......was sooooo disgusting!!!!! if bathroom not clean makes me wonder about the kitchen..........i will never ever go back! yuck..........do i really need to say anymore???? customers that go & rave will give the benefit of the doubt maybe never needed to use the washroom, or are blind!!! A sign was posted on the door that the restaurant is closed Sun & Monday from July 4th thru Early-Mid August......while business is slow during this season they should use the time constructively to clean and purchase new supplies.
(1)
Coco M.
We liked it despite all the mixed reviews...service was great, martini's were made well and i like my shaken, and they took the time to make sure it was done properly. Steak and lamb chops were perfect! We'll be back.
(4)
Christina A.
Food was alright. We had a pasta and chicken dish. We had a half off groupon & I didn't even think it was worth that. Would never pay full price for the food. The decor was nice for something intimate. Server was very friendly and helpful picking out the favorites!
(2)
Don M.
Absolutely the worst food I ever ate in my life. The Shrimp Vincitori left such a bad taste in my mouth I had to have a couple mints to get rid of the taste. This was our second time eating here. We will never come here again. Our waiter and service was good but the food was the absolutely horrendous.
(1)
Dan L.
We found the food here to be excellent!! The beef medallions were tender, lean, and flavorful. The rigatoni was awesome, as was the minestrone, and the pasta figouli had a nice kick, and was very flavorful too.
(5)
Anna C.
I have no idea how anybody could give this place 5 stars, this restaurant is horrible and dreadful, in the words of Gordon Ramsey. The server, a younger male, was a little awkward and inappropriate during our dining experience, but we did not let that deter us. The food was so bad, I will never go back. I ordered the chicken parmesean and was covered with breading that eventually fell off. The chicken underneath was gray in color and tough to cut through. The sauce was very bland. These chefs need to try something Italian food in downtown Chicago and think about making some changes to their menu. People do not eat large plates of pasta with plain red sauce anymore, especially when they can make it at home, and tastes better!
(1)
LOIS B.
Helpful hints: make a reservation. It took us a week to get a reservation at a convenient time. Use the phone number listed for this business info and NOT the one on the groupon ~ it is the fax number. Place was jam packed and I mean jam PACKED. There are really only 1 or 2 "nice" tables in the whole place. Others are sooooooooooooooooooo close to each other that you will definitely know your neighbor by the time you are finished, if you did not know them before. I found the timing for "reserved" tables to be a little strange. There were a number of tables that remained unoccupied the entire time we were there. Someone could have been seated and served and on their way without any imposition on the reservation. Our server was initially "on the cool side" but improved as the meal progressed. I understand from other reviewers that servers are an issue. If you find one that works for you ~ request them. It looked like there was a room for private parties at the back, I don't understand why they don't open that area when not in use for a private party to accommodate more diners. Waiting an hour in the bar area, or the front door area, is not pleasant. The singer in the bar was great. I could have listened to him all night. The food was okay, I would go back. It is not a Capri (as in Burr Ridge NOT Downers Grove ~ which is awful) but waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Clara's or Carrabba's.
(3)
Danny G.
Great place to have a nice dinner and a few drinks. We like to go during the week when it's a little quite and sit at the Bar and chat with our favorite bartender Phil. Bob the owner and chef has the best food. I have never ordered something I didn't like. Plus, you can pretty much always find a coupon online.
(5)
Lance C.
There is no way this restaurant should be rated 3 stars or less, I can agree that sometimes service can be a little slow but when your food is all made fresh to order you can't expect it to be "fast food" some "critics" are just spoiled brats and have no patience for quality. My girlfriend and I are both foodies and live near westmont and eat out frequently and have made it a goal to try every dish on the menu and are about 3/4 of the way there and we have yet to find an item that is bad. Not everything is excellent but nothing is bad. The pricing is a bit high in comparison to other like locations but nothing outrageous. Try vincitori, you wont be disappointed.
(4)
Martin C.
In the 7 years I have had my cafe I have never stopped by. Tonight I did. I had the Chicken Marsala. The chicken was juicy & moist it was made from fresh chicken. The pasta was cooked to perfection. My only issue was the assume really did not have much flavor like the chef forgot to add seasoning. Just the basics s&p. definitely will be back in the future. Our server even though from Philly was an exceptional host. He was friendly clean & courteous. Just ask for the guy from Philly and you will have a wonderful evening.
(5)
Kara Z.
We had an interesting experience here with my husband and parents on a Saturday night, using a Groupon. I highly recommend reservations. It is a tightly packed restaurant and felt very crowded and loud. It also felt pretty dark. It was so dark that my mom actually walked into the men's bathroom instead of the ladies' room because she couldn't read the sign on the door!!! :) We appreciated the live music. Plan A LOT of time for your dinner- they make your food as you order it and our meal lasted three hours. It felt like we were there for a long time. We appreciated the quality of the food. The service was unique. I felt our server was irritated a lot of the time with us but my parents thought he was incredible. He shook my husband's and father's hand at the end of the meal which was a nice touch. They bring out basic white bread and butter or oil with cheese. They didn't refill the cheese. The portions are large. I had the sausage and peppers with penne and was able to eat a lot there and then have three leftover meals with what I took home! Other dishes were richer so were smaller portions- my husband had the Mussels special and finished it at the restaurant. My mom loves the lasagna- it is very cheesy- and my husband enjoyed her leftovers later in the week. My mom says the black currant iced tea is the best she's had. My dad had the rigatoni which he said was good but also very cheesy. I don't care for cheese so had a hard time finding something I would like on the menu. I had the chocolate lava cake with strawberry sauce for dessert- it was presented beautifully and was delicious. It cost $7. My mom really enjoyed her burnt caramel gelato. We thought it was funny that my husband was going through his water so fast that all of the sudden someone plopped a bigger glass of water in front of him- probably so they didn't have to refill it so often. I don't think I would come back again but I'm happy that my parents enjoy it so much. It is a classy restaurant with quality food (and you pay for the quality) and they do a great business.
(3)
Stephanie H.
I went here on a Wednesdays night with a group of 5 for my birthday. We had a reservation, and we were seated immediately. Our server greeted us promptly, but she was a little awkward. She didn't seem to be in the best mood, and she was a little short with us. To drink, I ordered the split bottle of moscato -- delicious. We ordered the grilled calamari to begin, which was very good. I recommend this appetizer. Then I ordered a garden salad with their balsamic vinaigrette. For a standard garden salad, I really enjoyed it. For my entree, I ordered the garlic-crusted chilean sea bass from the specials of the day. It was good, but the it wasn't really garlic "crusted." The garlic was more just placed on top. It was good, just keep this in mind. Everyone else enjoyed their meal as well. Everything was enjoyable about the evening aside from the occasional weirdness from our server. I really liked the dim, romantic atmosphere. I'd be back!
(4)
Samar S.
Husband and i decided to give this place a try and this will be our first and last time going there. The waiter was very passive, he did not ask us if we wanted a refill on our drinks and he didn't make any suggestions as to what dish to order . The food wasnt worth the price. Unless your a regular they wont notice you!
(2)
Tom K.
I ate here last night with my wife and some friends of ours. They had a guy in the bar singing old classic songs by Sinatra, Etta James, etc which set a nice mood for our dinner. We ordered the bruchetta and grilled calamari for some appetizers, as well as a bottle of wine. The appetizers were fantastic! For dinner I had Italian sausage with roasted peppers with penne pasta, which was also fantastic. We finished off with some tiramisu and chocolate lava cake, both of which were delicious. Moving here recently from the city, I can say this restaurant is a gem. I'd put it up against any Italian restaurant in the city, and it will hold it's own. If you haven't already, I highly recommend making a trip to Vincitori, as you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Joe H.
Drove by this place at least a hundred times, cause really who stops in Westmont? Purchased the groupon for here so had to give it a try. Shrimp Vincitori was most excellent! Chicken florentine that my partner in crime had was equally as good.
(4)
Kim M.
Small intimate setting, make a reservation. If your are not one for sitting in the center of the room call and ask for a table on the side. Out table was for two people and pretty small. I am sure that if we had more table space we would have had another drink or some more food. Over all a good plate. I had chicken piccata and my friend shrimp with a spicy creamy red sauce. Tried the pumpkins tirmisu. It was so so...Great cap. Napa cellar wine was yummy too!
Went there twice and both times were excellent. People were dancing and singing and the entertainer was great. Food was very good. All freshly made. We plan on going back again.
(5)
Bryan T.
My wife and I took my father to dinner here after purchasing a Groupon. The 3 1/2 star rating seemed strong enough to warrant us to try it out, as we live not too far away. My father and I arrived first and we were seated as we waited for my wife to arrive. When I informed our waiter this, he seemed frustrated by it. He never introduced himself, so I'm unable to call him by name in this review. He was a stalkier Hispanic man with his hair slicked straight back and what seemed like the inability to smile. When my wife arrived, he took our drink orders and again seemed frustrated, this time because we didn't order from the wine menu. I would later order a Jack and Coke, which was horribly watered down. He took our order and our food came quickly enough. There weren't too many people there on a Wednesday night. The food was ok. I had the center cut filet with a side of asparagus. The asparagus was undercooked, but the steak was a nice medium rare that I asked for. My wife ordered the home made cavatelli pasta. She said it was overcooked, with chunks of Parmesan throughout. My dad got the Shrimp Vincitori. He said it was ok and could have used larger shrimp. I had set my phone at the edge of the table so the waiter could verify it. Without asking for my phone, he just picked it up and started looking around the screen. He quickly stated that the Groupon wasn't valid because we didn't have a party of 4. This was the first time hearing a detail like this after using LivingSocial, Groupon, and Restaurant.com . The waiter, clearly having gone through this problem with another guest, pulled up the fine print where it stated this. I will be following up with Groupon with questions and to voice my concern that deal isn't very clear, but what followed at the restaurant was RIDICULOUS! I admitted that sometimes you can miss that small print. I first asked if he'd be able to overlook the number in our party. No. I then asked if they'd simply redeem the amount that I paid Groupon, which was $39. No. At this point I asked to speak with a manager. Minutes passed and the waiter came back without the manager, stating that nothing could be done. I asked to see a copy of the bill. He brought back a bill for just over $100. When I bought the Groupon, I didn't plan on paying anything more then tax and tip. Now I'm looking at $115 with a basic tip. I asked 3-4 more times to speak with the manager, to no avail. At this point, if the manager wasn't going to be decent enough to come out and speak with me, then I decided I was done negotiating about the bill. We got up and left. The waiter was close behind to take a picture of my license plate. I got about a mile north on Cass before being pulled over by the Westmont police. I have to give it to them, they were fast! The officers were civil and said that this wasn't the first call they had received about Vincitori's and Groupon. They said I'd have to return to pay the bill and file a complaint with Groupon about the fine print OR if I didn't, they'd arrest me for theft. I decided not to sit in jail, so we went back. When I arrived, the waiter gladly took my credit card, with a smile on his face for the first time the whole evening... Another man was standing behind the bar mashing away on the computer. I asked if he was the manager. He proceeded to confirm that and also cuss me out for my indiscretions, without allowing me a word in edge wise. As he's dropping profanities, a woman and her elderly mother were attempting to leave and the old woman had a look of disgust as she heard his language. I opened the door for the women and ushered them out, apologizing on his behalf. He quickly came out from behind the bar and continued his profanity laced tirade. The police officers who were monitoring all this had to ask him to calm down and step back into the restaurant. I wish I could give zero or negative stars to properly warn others about the horrible service and management here. Do yourself a favor and get your money back from Groupon if you've gotten one for here!
(1)
Scott O.
I ordered the Fruitti Di Mare and it came in a dish so large it could be used as a boat! It was good. Not great, not bad either.
(3)
Joseph P.
Not only was the food just whatever but they servers aren't all that nice. I had bought a Groupon to this place so it wasn't expensive at all but the food isn't worth what they charge. After not being happy with anything we had they told me that since I used a Groupon and there was a balance of 8 dollars on it I would have to pay cash only. They said their minimum purchase with card is 15 dollars so I then had to make my way in winter to find a ATM just because of this. Ruined the night.
(2)
Yvonne M.
Vincitori is seriously hit or miss. Some days, it's great! Others, not so much. I have come to the conclusion that there must be more than one chef...a good one and a bad one. I will go back and hope I get the good chef...because when it's good, it's amazing!!
(3)
Colleen F.
Service was slightly slow, but the food was very very good! Great date spot, live music, cozy. Definitely would go back. Chicken Marsala was phenoms!
(4)
Julie Z.
I recently dined here and not only was the food mediocre, so was the service. The menu, overpriced for small portions was poorly assembled and under seasoned. The seafood lasagna was small for a lunch portion was $21 and had 2 very large pieces of cartilage and several small pieces. The bread "basket" had a quarter of a twin French breadstick. The waiter was short and gave a snort and sigh every time he spoke to us. The food has the ability to be good, the Vinci special was pretty tasty, but at $26, at the location, you need bigger portions or better service and/or ambiance.
(2)
Kathy T.
Probably the worst meal I've ever eaten at an Italian restaurant... I had the name sake shrimp dish and the shrimp were small and rubbery. The bread of hard and the olive oil on the table was noticeably old. I'll never go back to this place...
(1)
Dena L.
We recently moved to Westmont and have been to Vincitori's twice. The first time they were fairly busy but our waiter was very jovial and seemed to truly love his job and ensure that we enjoyed ourselves. We went again on Halloween and the place was really slow. We sat at the bar and the bartender Frank was awesome. My husband ordered a duck special and loved it. I ordered their signature shrimp dish and well, it just came out ....bad. When I sent it back the head chef and I think owner, Bob, insisted that I let him personally make me a new dish. IT WAS FRICKIN DELICIOUS! I love a place that makes sure to correct their mistakes and turn around an experience. Also, the pumpkin tiramisu is amazing. I can't wait to try their pizza, I hear it's the best around.
(5)
Sarah D.
Never had the chance to eat here, however this review is regarding a Groupon that I have been unable to use, and will not be using at this restaurant. My husband purchased a Groupon for $20 for $40, and we made a reservation for New Year's Eve. Just received a phone call that they cannot honor the Groupon on New Year's Eve, even though the Fine Print on the voucher does not state that it is invalid on New Year's Eve, only invalid on Easter or Mother's Day. It does not state anything about any other holiday. When I told the person who called me that the voucher only states Easter or Mother's Day, he was completely indifferent and said "I'm Sorry". He did not want to help me out in any way. Now I have to try to make a reservation somewhere else. I will never eat in this establishment, which is a shame because of the many good reviews that I have seen posted below.
(1)
Angela W.
Really enjoyed this place. Bought a Groupon and went with my husband for date night. Ambiance was romantic. Food was SPECTACULAR! Server upsold us to a bottle of wine, - we were each going to get a glass, but it was incredible wine! Definitely make a reservation. We heard them tell a walk-in that wait was over an hour. Will definitely go back!
(5)
Erica Z.
The food is great. We had their meatball appetizer, soup and split a pizza. The prior time we had pastas, both of which had great flavor. Why three stars?.. The servers seem to really rush people. You better know what you want once you sit down. They also like to push bottles of wine. You ask for a check and they bring you a dessert menu. I have a feeling it's not the servers, bc all the servers are the same, pushing bottles of wine and rushing people out. The first time we were there, they told us we had 45 minutes to eat because they needed the table. It's a shame their customer service lacks in so many ways, because their food is great. If you do not have a groupon, or Resturant.com coupon, think twice.
We get take out from them every so often and the food is good- not spectacular, not awful. We've eaten in the restaurant twice and each time the servers were condescending and rude. It was as if we were doing them a favor by eating there. He was super friendly to his regulars and could care less about us. Will not eat at the restaurant again, probably wouldn't do take out if they weren't close by. I like Westmont and try to support local businesses, but once the older folks move away this restaurant won't last, too many new restaurants coming in that offer better customer experiences and better value. I'm surprised that with all the negative reviews the management hasn't tried to change its ways, which is why it will probably close within five years.
(2)
David N.
Good Italian-Mediterranean food (some dishes were better than others) which unfortunately does not live up to the exorbitant bill to be delivered at the end of service. Stopped in for dinner after purchasing the recent Groupon. Got in around 5pm, and had no problem getting a table for 5. Atmosphere was intimate, however bordering an almost dismal feel (Light it up a bit!). Advised the server off the bat we were using a Groupon, which wasn't a hassle (some places look at you like an idiot when you have one) and did not exclude anything from the dinner menu - Sweet. Water and warm bread came quick (great with oil and Parmesan), but everything else seemed to be at a slower pace. Not terrible, just slower. Ordered drinks, including a $35 bottle of Chenin Blanc (later stopped at Binny's and got the same bottle for $10.99 - FAIL), and the Stuffed Banana Peppers app. Peppers were a little watery, but tasty, had a nice fiery spice, and plenty for two people. Dinner & Caesar salads served were run-of-the-mill, nothing out of the ordinary. Entrees followed after a short while, comprised of the Beef Medallion Trio with Asparagus (Garlic, Bleu Cheese, and Horseradish Medallions), Braciola with Grilled Polenta, Shrimp Vincitori (for the kid, actually an appetizer), and Grilled Salmon. Two of the three medallions were great (Garlic & Bleu Cheese), but the Horseradish needs a quick 86 from the tasty Trio. While not as overpowering as some horseradish dishes I have had, it only took away from what were some great, succulent pieces of meat (Server advised we can substitute after the fact...two Garlics would have been bliss). The included asparagus spears were unfortunately undercooked and under-seasoned. My wife's Braciola with Polenta was "eh, not bad", however a dish which will definitely be skipped if we ever make it back to Vincitori (I think it was a bit lacking in the taste department). No complaints today from the Grilled Salmon group (didn't try it, but looked appealing). The Shrimp Vincitori received rave reviews from my eight year old, which is always great. Devoured in minutes, with the white wine, cream, and cheese sauce the element which put the dish over the top. A family of five, a $40 Groupon, and still a bill of over $150. I'll say the service was very attentive and friendly, and more than met our expectations. Regrettably, I can't say the same for the food, especially considering most entrees fall in the $18-$35 range. Like I said earlier, Good Italian food, average atmosphere, great service, but very overpriced, both food and drinks. Bring plenty of time and money...
(3)
Wendy C.
I've been here a couple times with my husband, but this time (around Thanksgiving) I was hanging out with a friend. Part of the reason we went here was to see Johnny Rome perform (who we originally met at 100 South in Elmhurst). Groopies? Perhaps. Eitherway, we enjoy a fun night of music and whereever Johnny goes, you can usually count on amazing Italian food. I ordered the Shrimp Vincitori and I will definitely go back for it again. My buddy ordered the Caramelized Salmon Salad which he said was really good. We both ordered the Pumkin Tirimasu and that was to die for! I wish it wasn't just a seasonal desert. Since Johhny doesn't stray too far from the bar area...we generally do the same. Therefore we actually ate our entres at the bar which didn't seem to be a problem for anyone. Susie was our bar tender (and waitress by default) and she was excellent. She kept us well-fed and "hydrated"! Susie introduced me to Tito's vodka - excellent choice! Before we left, I ordered a pizza to take home to my husband and it was a $10 special...score! Until next time...
(5)
Rich D.
If you like garlic, you will love this place. I, unfortunately, like most people, do not want to taste garlic 24 hours after eating at a restaurant. Every dish had it. Every dish was overpowered by it. The place was overpriced, and you don't get your money's worth. The place also couldn't decide if it was casual or upscale. The prices are definitely upscale though. BTW, the restaurant really should come up with some sort of cocktail menu.
(1)
David R.
The good: huge portion. By huge I mean enough for three meals. Tasty food. The bad: i ordered the gluten-free pasta with seafood. The GF pasta is $3.50 extra charge. They do not have GF bread (I asked). BUT when the GF seafood pasta arrived at my table it had four large pieces of regular garlic bread on the gluten free pasta. The waitress blamed "the kitchen." IDK why she did not notice that she was delivering bread physically on top of GF pasta. Then, waitress had to check with "the manager" before allowing rejection of gluten-covered gluten-free (extra charge) pasta. The "manager" who was ten feet away at a nearby table, did not come over to my table during the 15 to 20 min delay while they re-prepared my food. My dining partner had her meal put on the warmer while mine was re-prepared. But it was not hot and had to be sent back to be warmed up. Total bill with bottled wine for two was $140+. Food is four-star but minus one star for error with gluten-free, extra charge for gluten-free, and zero management response to allergy error.
(3)
Christen W.
Amazing food right here in the suburbs. My favorite again. & again is the cavatelli with meatballs and banana beignet. Holy cow !!!!
(5)
Susan F.
We were great supporters of this restaurant and actually used their catering every Christmas. What happened???? The food is not good at all anymore. The last time I went here was about 18 months ago and was very disappointed but I figured I would give it one more try. It was actually worse than ever. Not only was the food bad but also the people employed there. There are too many good restaurants in the area. I really loved this place at one time. No more!!!!!!
(1)
Cheryl P.
Very disappointed with this restaurant. We arrived at 4:00 on a Saturday (the time it opens), only three tables were occupied, and the service was slow! My dish was loaded with onions (which I do not like) that was not indicated on the menu. I told the waiter I could not eat it, and instead of saying, can I get you something else, he said, what do you want me to do with it? I asked for plain pasta and he had to go ask the manager. He came back and said that I would be charged for the pasta dish as well as my first order. I told him to forget it. I have never had this experience at a restaurant. Possibly because we had a Groupon? My husband's dish was fair. We will not be going back. There are so many other good Italian restaurants to go to!
(1)
Aria S.
Ok. So I really must have gone here on the wrong night. Let me start by saying that the atmosphere here is suppose to be upscale Italian. Dark lighting, nice for a date, somewhat romantic. So why was there a 4:1 child to adult ratio on the Friday night I went? I swear each couple had brought 3-4 (if not more) little children who were all screaming, falling off their chair, or dropping the butter dish on the floor. This does NOT make for a very romantic date. BUT it isn't the restaurants fault either so I'll let it slide. Now on to the food. We ordered the grilled calamari appetizer which was decent. It had a good flavor but no dipping sauce was given, and I'm use to dipping my calamari! So overall I give the calamari 3 stars. Next I ordered a simple house salad. It was ok. The dressing had a nice kick to it but was only topped with a tomato and onion. Boring. 3 stars for me. I ordered a special which was the Gorgonzola stuffed gnocchi in a cream sauce. Very rich, very filling, great flavor. But very heavy. A lot of cheese and cream goin on in this dish. My date ordered the chicken Marsala which he loved. The chicken was good quality and tender. He was very happy with his meal. 4 stars for the entrees. After stuffing my face with 30 loaves of bread (which were nice and fresh) and dipping them in the complementary oil throughout the evening, we had no room for dessert. Overall, I think this place is pretty good. Hopefully next time I won't be surrounded by a slew of wild children. =)
(3)
Lynne G.
Excellent food and service. However, they are a bit pricey and all entrees are alacarte. I would however return.
(4)
Apple S.
My boyfriend and I came to Vincitori on a later Sunday evening to try it out and use a $40 Groupon. I ordered stuffed artichoke and lobster ravioli; he ordered the Vincitori rigatoni. Bread was good; it came warm which is the only way to serve bread. :) The stuffed artichoke was delicious! Pastas were a bit heavy on the sauce (especially the rigatoni, whose portion was huge), but I understand that Americans sort of expect that. (Being Italian I prefer my pasta with less.) Service wasn't much to comment on; it was okay. But we were duly impressed with our dining experience (it is rather intimate -- i.e., dim, modest) so we'll definitely return. I look forward to trying their meat dishes next time!
(4)
Ed D.
Came in during what should be a slow time. Not properly staffed forcing server to be host and bartender including server. Had to answer phones, greet other customers and still serve. Food was fair. Braciola was overdone making the meat somewhat tough. The risotto special claimed to have roasted tomatoes and did not indicate any onions. The onions were not finely chopped (course chopped at best) and they overwhelmed what few tomatoes existed in the dish. When we told the server that we didn't like onions and that there were too many onions in the dish, and nowhere on the menu did it indicate that many onions, he did not apologize and offer another dish like he stated, "What do you want me to do with the dish?" And when we asked for a simple pasta with marinara sauce as substitute he said he would have to ask the manager. So, even though he was performing all of the other duties, he apparently wasn't empowered to make decisions on making a customer feel respected and looking to come back because of the service. When he did finally come back to the table he said that no substitute would be provided without charge. At that point the fate of any future visit to Vincitori was sealed.
(2)
Judy S.
I love Vincitori. The food is excellent, the servers are friendly and the entertainment on weekends is great. I have been there at least six times and have never had a bad experience. I highly recommend it!
(5)
Mike S.
Our extended family visited this place for my mother-in-laws birthday. It was quite a big party. Needless to say, the wait staff was not up to the test, nor was the kitchen. Service took forever and the food was hit or miss. The winners were the Braciola, Chicken Marsala & the Shrimp Vincitori. The losers: Overcooked Pork Chops, the shoe-leather Chicken Parm, pond-scented Sea Bass and the Sausage & Peppers overladen with penne. The experience was bad enough to call attention to the owner, who promptly avoided our table like the plague. Bottom line is we spent over $400 to celebrate a birthday and couldn't even get a candle for the birthday girl's dessert. Speaking of dessert, I thought I found a fossil in the dough bites and the tiramisu wasn't quite defrosted yet. Just go to Clara's.
(2)
Amanda T.
I remember this quaint little restaurant in the middle of dead downtown Westmont being much better years ago. But maybe my memory is failing. Before I came, I looked at the menu online. I saw something on the menu that I was really excited to try, but ALAS! when we got there, it was no longer available. It wasn't that big of a deal, because their menu sounds quit tasty. Mia famiglia e io started with the grilled calamari, which took forever to come out. Our entrees also took a very long time to come out as well-nearly 45 minutes. I understand if it was busy, but we came early on a Wednesday around 5:30-it was still early and wasn't even busy yet. The food was average. Some of the seafood was a little over cooked/chewy. I don't want to permanently put Vincitori on my list of places to never return, perhaps I went on an off day. Hopefully that is the case.
(2)
Amy P.
This is probably my favorite Italian restaurant--and I love Italian food! I recently went to Wildfire--and I think that Vincitori may just have them beat in both price and quality. The chicken vesuvio is comparable in both--but at Vincitori, it comes with these awesome, crispy potato wedges. At every other Italian place it comes with soggy red potatoes soaked in the gravy (not bad, but not nearly as good). My favorite is generally their caramelized eggplant and goat cheese with gemelli pasta. I get it most of the time when I go (though, admittedly without the goat cheese) and it has a lot of eggplant, spinach, pine nuts and flavor. For a while they had some kind of blackened duck special that came with butternut squash ravioli (or something similar), and my brother--who can be picky about food-said that it was great. The ambiance is nice--kind of dark and classy. This would be a good date restaurant. Occasionally (like most Italian restaurants) they will give into temptation and will hire musicians. It's sort of a small space, so that can be loud (and I'm never into cheesy singers...but I think sometimes it might be some sort of respectable jazz). The food is so good that I'm willing to tolerate even that though!
(5)
Anna I.
Finally an Italian restaurant that is good old fashioned mom and pop recipes that are completely authentic!! My favorite is the shrimp vincitori as appetizer and anything with that gravy. yes, gravy, not tomato sauce, as any Italian knows. It's the only restaurant in the burbs that has real gravy without added sugar and is not acidy. you can buy it by the quart! This is why all the pasta dishes and eggplant taste so good. They also serve gluten free pasta and pizza. Bar is friendly and owner/chef is always around and knows you by name. The only reason I give it a 4/5 stars is because the service isn't the best, but it wasn't bad service, either. The BEST family style Italian restaurant in Chicago. Even have great pizza!
(4)
V.i.o.l.e.t.t.a. D.
My hunnie and I were on a double date here not too long ago and the food was incredible. I started with a side salad. Then I had: Caramelized Eggplant & Goat Cheese with Gemelli Pasta $15.95 Fresh mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, onions and garlic topped with pine nuts. For dessert: Cannoli which even my hunnie liked and he usually hates Cannoli. The boys had: Italian Sausage and Roasted Peppers with Penne Pasta $13.95 Tossed with whole plum tomatoes, garlic and Romano cheese Which they devoured. My friend had: Pasta Marinara $9.95 (with meat sauce add $2.00) (with vodka sauce add $1.50) ...and a meatball, I believe. She really enjoyed her food as well. :::::::::BIG NOTE::::::::: They have gluten free pasta upon request!!!! (I should have had that but that'll be next time) :] The ONLY reason I didn't rate this place the full five stars is because when I called for a reservation for four the woman that answered the phone was snotty as all get-out. I was ready to tell her to forget it but I was really in the mood to try a new Italian place out.....I'm glad her nasty demeanor didn't stop me from coming here because this place is a gem.....I'll be back soon. :]
(4)
Taeler H.
Last week my fiance and I came in to try this place because he'd bought a groupon and it was in the area. When we walked in, it was packed. It was saturday night and for some reason we hadn't thought to make a reservation. The wait was over an hour. So we put our names on the list and came back, assuming that this would be the best Italian dinner ever... When we came back disappointment started to set in. The hostess tried to seat us at a table where the speakers (they had a live singer that night) would be blaring in our ears, it was very loud in there. Anyway, luckily another couple was leaving and we got their table which was a perfect seat in the corner by a window. When I saw the menu, I was a little surprised at how small it was. I usually try fettucinne alfredo at new Italian places to be on the safe side but to my surprise that wasn't on their menu. So I decided to go with the Cavatelli in vodka sauce. I got it and it wasn't good. The sauce was alright, but the noodles were like penne pasta stuffed with more pasta in the middle, it was just too much. I sent it back and asked for Chicken Limone. Which wasn't much better. My linguine was less than al dente, and the whole meal itself seemed like it had lots of lemon but lacked flavor. No matter how much salt and pepper I put on, the meal just would not taste good! To top it off, the waiter had an attitude after I told him I did not like my food, as if it was coming out of his paycheck. Then we he gave us the bill he said cash only. It'd be nice if they'd tell you that ahead of time when you tell them you've got a groupon. Nowadays many people do not carry cash and to walk two blocks in the middle of the night to an ATM is no joy. To make a long story short, no I would not recommend this place. You may as well go to Maggiano's, it's about the same price....and no I will not be back.
(2)
Renee S.
I have never had a bad meal at Vincitori - ever... My fiance and I went here couple weeks back prompted by a Restaurant.com gift certificate we had. We came during the week and there was still a decent amount of diners there. I had the lasagna and it was truly out of this world. My fiance had the pasta in vodka sauce and it was also phenomenal. He got a side of meatballs and swore they were the best he'd ever had - that's saying a lot coming from him. Service was friendly & attentive, atmosphere great, and location is fantastic. Very convenient for me who just stepped off the Metra and walked not even a block to the restaurant. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good Italian meal...
(4)
Antonio M.
Absolute worst restaurant experience! My girlfriend talked up this place for awhile, so naturally I was excited to dine here. The restaurant was ridiculously loud. They had live music that was cranked up to 12. Two gentlemen at the table across from us were literally shouting at one another. We even had a difficult time communicating with our waiter, of whom, only added to the woes of this place. Simply, the guy was rude and impersonal. The food was mediocre. She had the steamed clams and pasta, which, as one yelper stated, were very chewy and overcooked. I had the Vincitori rigatoni and the chef was heavy handed with the Anisette in the sauce, which was overpowering to the rest of the flavors. We finished our meal with a cappuccino and lemon Italian ice, which was the highlight to our dinning experience. Yelpers, take heed to the negative reviews of Vincitori.
(1)
Lana J.
We really like Vincitori. The staff is really friendly, great place for kids. Last night I had the Chicken Limone, my husband had the Sea Bass - both were delicious. They have a very yummy homemade balsamic vinaigrette, too. We love having dinner here. It's a simple place with really good food and great service.
(4)
Tina E.
Getting off work late today worked out great for trying this placein downtown Westmont. I've had it on my watch list since I saw it while trying Amber across the street. I was going to hit Uncle Bub's but as the 4o'clock hour aproached, my options expanded greatly. I called in a take-out order of Bruschetta, side of meatballs, and the gorgonzola tortellini w/ mushrooms. My server suggested the GIANT mozzarella stuffed meatball instead & I quickly agreed. All items were great. How can you go wrong w/ a meatball the size of your head stuffed w/ cheese? Little skimpy on the goat cheese topping of the bruschetta. The pasta was outstanding! Very friendly service from the bar staff. Looks like a nice place to have a drink & watch the game.
(4)
Karen P.
I have heard rave reviews from my mother about how great the food is. I purchased a Groupon and discovered that it was going to expire on Wednesday, June 15! So, I rounded up the family, (I have two twenty somethings living at home) and told my husband I was taking the night off from the kitchen and we were going to use the Groupon. I made a reservation two days ahead of time for 7 pm. We arrived at 6:50 p.m. and were told by a very young, quite shaken hostess (she must have been just barked at because customers waiting did not look happy,) that there would be a half hour wait. WHATTTTT???? Why bother to make a reservation? I looked around and noticed several tables were leaving. The bar was full but did not look like "diners". My husband wanted to leave but I said, "Let's wait a few minutes." Sure enough, within five minutes, the hostess said our table was ready and seated us in a booth in the bar area, which was fine because we were starving. It was a small booth and my husband is 6'4 and my son is 6'2 and it was a squeeze. My daughter ordered a chicken pasta dish. The chicken looked overcooked. She said is was just "ok" and said that I make better chicken and pasta. My son ordered the chicken parmigiana and experienced a somewhat nice dish. My husband ordered the shrimp and pasta while I ordered the same dish, without the pasta, since I wanted a carb free dish. The shrimp and sauce were delicious but I am not sure it was worth the price. Service was just OK and then we had problems turning in the Groupon credit. The waitress said, "I am not used to people using these so it will take a while." My daughter showed her how to use the bar code. All in all, it was a meh experience. Our bill for four people, one drink, one cola, was $60 plus there was the $40 Groupon discount already used!! Absolutely, not worth the money. Ambience was awful, too. I would recommend going somewhere else like Amber across the street for the money we spent.
(2)
Sarah R.
I love this place. My family has been going there since they opened and we have never had a bad meal. I especially like their lasagna with meat sauce, the filet mignon and the margarita pizza. My parents go about once a month and I try to join them whenever I can. They are located less than a block north from the Westmont train station so it's a great place to stop in the evening as you're getting off the train.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual, Intimate Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Sue M.
This was good! We went with a Groupon last weekend and really enjoyed our experience. I had the chicken florentine and it was huge. I took more than half home for my teenage son to eat. Nicely seasoned and the creamed spinach was very good. My husband got the rigatoni Vincitori. Yum. Cannolis, which are housemade, was awesome. Burnt caramel gelato was good too. Will go back again!
(4)Gina V.
For my Italian standards, food was pretty good. Dessert was AMAZING; bananas foster!! Service was efficient. I would go back, but not in a hurry!
(4)Trina T.
My husband purchased a coupon from Gdine for this restaurant. We went there on a Saturday night. Because we were using a Gdine coupon we had to order from a preset menu. We were not disappointed at all. First our waiter was helpful and friendly. He was attentive throughout our visit. We had Stuffed Banana Peppers and Shrimp Vincitori as appetizers. Both were delicious. I wanted more of the Shrimp Vincitori. I had the Steak Chop Salad as my meal. I wish I had taken a photo, it was eye appealing and delicious. The steak was grilled to perfection and the salad included avocado which I love!!! The portions were generous. My husband had the Chicken Florentine and he seemed to enjoy it. I plan to return to Vincitori soon for the Shrimp Vincitori.
(4)Brian D.
Soups (minestrone and pasta fazzoul) were small and tasted too much like out of a can; stuffed artichoke was just OK--not much flavor; thin pizza was below average--uninspired crust and flavorless sauce. Service was good and quick. I think the place smelled musty too, but I couldn't put my finger on it. And for the record, white paper as a table top is lame...either give me a real tablecloth or wood tabletop. Kept fantasizing about Amber across the street!
(1)Joe T.
Nice atmosphere, great service... But the food was so over cooked that I couldn't tell the difference between the chicken & veal... Not worth the money at half the price.
(1)Randy M.
Went there last night when over in that direction for an appointment. Had a Groupon that got us in there, but the food will bring us back, and the service was great, too. I know there have been some reviews on here for bad service, but we were toward the beginning of the dinner hour, and got a waiter who was a lot of fun and really helped us understand the dishes and what would be good choices for our first time. Our daughter loved the fried dough balls with powdered sugar from the kids' dessert menu, too. She got like 8 donut-hole things with powdered sugar for $2.50, and the bananas beignet dessert my wife and I shared was great, too! Give it a try, we were very pleasantly surprised.
(5)Eric K.
I went here with my wife and some friends because we had purchased a Groupon and were interested in checking this place out. We love Italian food and are always looking to check out a new place. We had a great meal, service was good and it seemed like this would be a place we would visit again. But unfortunately like some other yelp users have mentioned, it was all overshadowed by the rude attitude we received by the manager on duty. After the meal, when I went to use our Groupon I was told they weren't accepting them that day. When I calmly informed the manager that there were no stipulations listed on the Groupon, she barked back that she would have to check it herself and walked away. When she returned she admitted that there wasn't anything that mentioned I couldn't use it that day, but that they had their own policies that kept me from using it. Now, I usually avoid conflict, but I knew I was right on this one. After some continued dialogue, where I made sure to remain calm, she reluctantly let me use it (at this point my wife and friends could not believe how rude this manager was being and wondered how they stayed in business if this was how they treated their guests) But, it didn't stop there, once she took my Groupon #, she came back and said she didn't have the number in the system and then implied that I had faked the Groupon!! I told her to check again and the second time it worked. It's unfortunate that we would have returned if it wasn't for the horrible ending. I've worked in restaurants for years during college and sometimes it's hard to believe that there are managers like this that work in the food "service" industry.
(1)Tony C.
We ate here for the second time, the first time the food was very good, the next time we ate here OMG the food was horrible. I ordered baked clams that were like eating rubberbands. The chicken vesuvio was dry, flavorless and the potatoes were from the day before. When I brought it to the waiters attention, he had the nerve to cop and attitude and actually throw the menu done on the table. I then asked to speak to the owner and he refused to come to the table. I will never eat here again.
(1)Fiori M.
Went there on a Friday they were pretty busy. Got a table right away. Hostess was telling us they have been busy for weeks and that the food was to die for everything was to die for. We tried the stuffed meatball which wad okay. The calamari was good but the red sauce they gave with it is so spicy, my husband had the braciole with polenta he said this dish was terrible no taste, I had cavatelli with was like musher pasta not tasty at all. My sister in law had shrimp scampi which was so spicy she couldn't ate it. My brother in law had veal Marsala with no complaints. Bill was140.00 plus tip was not worth it at all. Skip thus place and go to another. I'm giving one star for the hostess who should sell cars, furniture or something else
(1)Marietta D.
Vincitori's is probably the best Italian restaurant I've been to in a long time. Food is phenomenal. Staff is friendly and attentive. Chef Bob makes sure all of his dishes are extremely tasty and made to order. The pride he takes in his cooking is beyond exceptional. A must go to restaurant. Better make reservations though because it's always jammed.
(5)Kaitlin R.
I must go in here on good nights because i have never experienced what the customers with low ratings have experienced. I go here all the time with my boyfriend and it has been amazing every single time. I usually go during the week so its quieter; we are always seated right away. Our usual waiter always remembers us and brings us blue cheese stuffed olives for fun because he knows we love them. The only time we were a smidge miffed was with a waiter we hadn't had before; we ordered our usual dirty martini (7 dollars) and he brought us a 12 dollar one and claimed that smirnoff was top shelf vodka. That seemed silly. The food has always been spectacular and we make it a point to try new things every time we come in. It's a great place for a romantic evening. If you dont like crowds or loud live music, try going on a weeknight.
(5)B. S.
I love the food and service is always good. I just hate spending big dough on inflated drinks, wine list specifically.
(4)yoku s.
We paid $2 for a restaurant.com coupon ($25 certificate), and stopped by this restaurant on a Saturday night. Even though it was rainy, this restaurant was packed. We actually waited 15mins or so before getting seated. Aside from the crowd, the volume of this space was increased by a singer on a karaoke machine. We definitely needed to raise our voice to converse. Here's what we ordered: Grilled Calamari (appetizer) - although it's $12.95, the portion is generous. Calamari was cooked nicely, but I'm not a fan of the flash fried spinach -- I think this dish would've worked better if it were sauteed or steamed. Shrimp Vincitori over Angel Hair Pasta (Gulf shrimp sautéed with garlic, green scallions, plum tomatoes, ground red pepper, finished with white wine, cream and Romano cheese) -- recommended as a "signature/popular" dish by our waitress. Again, it was tasty but heavy. I've been craving italian-style pizza for a while.. the kind that's thin, flatbread-like, with fresh ingredients. So when my husband suggested ordering a 12' prosciutto & spinach, I said "ok". Pizza turned out to be thin-crust made at mediocre pizzeria. It was overly salty, and we could barely taste the spinach. The only positive point was the flavorful, decent amount of tomato sauce. Generally, the food was a bit on the heavier - creamier & buttery- side. Tasty, but nothing spectacular. I don't think we'd go back...but if you would like to try it, definitely get a restaurant.com coupon, or print something out from their web site: vincitori.com/coupons.ht…
(3)Diego E.
its ok.. service was awesom... but the food was just ok.. nothing special whatsover!
(3)Jill T.
I ate here about 8 years ago a few times and loved it. Coming back to live in this area i have been pleased to see the quality didnt change. Made reservations because it was saturday night. Enjoyed a drink at the bar. There was a sort of classic italuan singer in the bar area. His singing was nice, but entirely TOO LOUD. Passed up the table that was ready for us because the singing was so loud that it was difficult to talk to my dinnermate. Love that they have gluten free pasts as an option with any dish. REALLY helpful to have a gluten-free place nearby --- and still great Italian food. Our waitress had terrible timing and our water glasses and parmesan cheese went empty at time. Tune up on the service Vincitori's, but the food was fabulous!
(4)Xaxa H.
I always have a fish entree here, and never disappointed. Great little place in DT Westmont.
(4)Tommy M.
Finally went to this place last night, used a restaurant.com GC. I really enjoyed the food, and the service was very pleasant. We had fried calamari for an app, and shared two of the specials for entrees: prime rib w/vesuvio potatoes and Chilean sea bass. They have a nice selection of vino too. I had a great Cab (house) but forgot to ask what it was! We also had a chocolate lava cake with some vanilla gelato to seal the meal. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Nick L.
Have visited this restaurant 3 times now and I have mixed emotions about it. Negatives: 1. Hostes is completely rude on the phone and in person. Always seems like I am inconveniencing her to make a reservations or get a table. Tables have always been available but she seems confused as where to seat us. 2. First waiter would rather tell you about his rich girlfriend who buys him expensive gifts and his Harley than server you. Second waiter needs to be taught how to do laundry - dirty white shirt that has never seen an iron. Positives: 1. Food is delicious and large 2. Singer in the bar is amazing! Try Vincitori but bypass the hostess and wait staff and go right to the bar. Eat at the bar and enjoy the singer!
(3)Niel O.
Excellent meal in the Western burbs! I shared a bottle of Valpolicella wine (good price, good vintage) and had a beef tenderloin special. 3 small cuts, each with a different crust; bleu cheese, garlic and horseradish. Steak was perfectly cooked medium rare and the crust on each was very tasty! Shared the bananna beignet for dessert; 1/2 slice of bananna with carmalized sauce served with vanilla icecream and a beignet. Overall a very good meal and I look forward to eating there again!
(4)Chris L.
My main complaint is the attitude of our server. It was my first time visiting the restaurant, so it could have been an isolated individual case. My server was not very polite during our interaction since the beginning, and he was especially rude in the way he told me that the restaurant will not take my credit card but rather cash only since I used groupon and the total charge was less than the min. The bread to start the meal was very hard and does not feel fresh at all. Overall, I was very disappointed to take my gf to this restaurant, and I will certainly not recommend it to anyone nor will I ever go back there.
(1)John T T.
Great neighborhood Italian place. chef Bob loves his job. Check out the specials they are the highlight of the night. If the blackened duck breast with the acorn squash ravioli is on get it! The contrast of the blackened duck and the sweetness of the ravioli is remarkable. On select weekends they have live music in the bar, and yes sometimes it is a guy singing with a karoke machine. But Bobby G. is a fantastic singer of American standards. If you order any pizza ask for the cracker crust you won't be disapointed.
(4)Spencer F.
If you order a veal dish, get a salad or appetizer. The veal portion is small.
(3)George B.
Ate here with my wife and 8yr old son. We all liked the food and our son entertained himself with crayons on the butcher's paper over the table cloth. Prices ate reasonable, so we will be back.
(4)Uma I.
Great food and great service. The chicken dishes were very good, as well as the pasta with eggplant. The Tilapia did not taste fresh.
(4)Anne H.
I'm constantly amazed when I read glowing reviews of a restaurant and go there only to find out how medicore it actually is. Then I realize that my standards for dining are quite a bit higher than the reviewer's. My husband got a Groupon for this restaurant and we went there last night. We made a 6.30 p.m. reservation and arrived 10 minutes late. The dower hostess told us we could eat at the bar or wait because she didn't have a table. When we questioned why, since we had a reservation, she said "I can't just kick people out". Then she saw an empty table and had not realized that the party had left. We sat down around 6.45 p.m. At 7 p.m. we still had not had any waitress come to our table and it appeared to me that none was assigned to us, there were waitresses serving the other tables. All are dressed in white blouses, ties, and black pants. But, most of the white blouses were a shade of grey and one clearly needed to have an iron used on it. Finally a waiter appeared and asked if we had been served. He then said he would take our order, he looked peeved and stressed. A family beside us went to the bathroom and while they were gone, a busboy started to clear their table, only to find the couple return, they had not eaten yet!!! My husband's salad, a wedge, appeared about 15 minutes later, it was covered in balsamic dressing which gave it a dirty appearance. We waited for at least 30 minutes for our entree. My husband enjoyed his chicken, my lamb salad was medicore, one of the lamb chops tasted like it had been freshly cooked, the other two tasted old. The restaurant was filled with couples and their kids. This is not a "fine dining" restaurant, it is a local diner with horrible service and OK food. They won't see me there again!
(1)Arthur Z.
Food was ok. But two things are bothersome. 1. They have gluten free pasta, which is great for those with gluten allergies, not too common to see a restaurant that offers rice pasta. Bad side of this is that this is the first and only place I've seen that charges an extra $3.00 for a gluten free dish. 2. The kids meals only include carbonated drinks. No lemonade, no juice, no milk. We ordered a glass of 1/2 water 1/2 orange juice for my son and they charged us an extra $3.50 for it. Can you say ripoff? I complained to tje waitress (she was nice) and she came back with the message the manager said that's what the charge was and we had to pay. The funny part was about 30 seconds later the manager comes out with an empty plate, walks by our table to see who we were, and goes back into the kitchen. Gee, he just HAD to see who we were that would complain about the $3.50 children juice! Ok food. Sophomoric management. Would not recommend to anyone.
(2)erin e.
2/9 can't get in at 5:30pm for dinner due to "dualing piano" night. I might add that the place was empty. So disappointing since we had a Groupon and finally had the opportunity to get out without the kids. Tonight, being Valentine's Day, we knew there was no way to get a table anywhere without a reservation. We ordered to go and our Groupon was refused-dine in only in the fine print. Okay-that fine print didn't show up on the mobile app. The right thing to do when you are staring at $80 in food packaged to go would be to take the high road and accommodate your customer. Instead my husband was treated with disdain and condescension. No problem Vincitori. Glad you are making such a killing that you don't need additional revenue. We live all of 2 blocks from your establishment and will frequent your competitors once a week for as long as we live in Westmont. Family of 4*$60/week=$240/month. Say we take 2 weeks of vacation a year = 50 weeks*$60=$3000/year. Congratulations on losing our $$$ before we even tried your food.
(1)Rochelle A.
Very disappointing! We asked to substitute the pasta on our chicken dish. We were told there would be an up charge. They brought the wrong pasta and never brought the correct item. We also asked to substitute a vegetable for the potato. We were told this was no problem. When we received the bill we were charged $5.00 for the vegetable and $3.50 for the wrong pasta. We were also charged for drinks that were included with the kids meal. They refused to make any changes other than not charging extra for the drinks. They were unpleasant and not accommodating. We will not return.
(1)Ken J.
Went there last night for family party. Share the party room with other family and was great. crowded when we arrived and seems kitchen was non stop busy and thus also ran out of two choices from our table. good news is all seem homemade so ok with that and also since first time there lots of choices. Kids meals seemd great, my boys got the cheese pizze and cheesy pasta. Both looked great and both enjoyed their meal. i got the eggplant parm and loved it. the sauce is great and close second to my mother-in-laws. Portions are nice size and generous. my mother got the special raviolis with duck and raved about them, since she didin't offer to share and eat them all my guess is she loved it. others got the cavetelli with vodka sauce and all raved about it. My wife got a salad and app pizza. Not sure which app pizza but had mushrooms and tried it. Great light crispy cust with lots of flavor and not overpowered at all. Would love to go back soon but not near my home. Highly recommend and look forward to another trip to Western burbs and try to get to Vincetori's and try another dish. My sister and brother-in-law had the party there and i can see why the enjoy this restaurant and chose it.
(4)MIke L.
This is a great little spot tucked in the little cozy downtown Westmont area. The bar is small but the bartenders that serve here are very friendly and know how to make good drinks. The signature dish here is the Vincitori Rigotoni. It is kick ass! I've tried most of the things here on the nenu and they are all good. I've also catered from here and was very impressed! The owners are on sight most of the time and keep things running smooth. I guess I'm a semi-regular here and that speaks for itself! Enjoy...
(4)Cristina E.
My friends and I are always looking for a great new restaurant in our area. We had driven by Vincitori many times and finally decided to try it. We were there a little later on a Saturday night. The atmosphere was nice, I'm a sucker for dim lighting and a cozy table. There was a man singing Frank Sinatra in the bar area and he was actually very good. Very pleasant. Our waiter was friendly. There was nothing really "wrong" with this restaurant but there was nothing great about it either. The bruchetta was not good. Stale bread and tomatoes that tasted less than fresh. Nothing special about it at all. I know bruchetta may be a very basic appetizer to get but Ive had some amazing takes on bruchetta at other restaurants. It happens to be a guilty pleasure of mine but this one I wanted to send back. I ordered the cavatelli because it said the pasta was homemade. The vodka sauce was lacking in flavor and dull. The pasta was just o.k. Homemade pasta should be better.My husband loves Chicken vesuvio and always judges a restaurant on it. His was again, not bad but not good either. Overall, I personally will not go back. Im still out to find that "hidden gem" in the neighborhood.
(2)Kris Z.
Great italian with a nice atmosphere and friendly staff. They make a great steak in addition to the usual suspects.
(4)Judy B.
I wanted to try this place for months and we went last week and I was totally underwhelmed. My husband liked his pork chop meal but the basil/lemon chicken I had was just so-so. And even with a $25 restaurant.com certificate, our bill was astronomical. Sorry, but I won't be back.
(2)Scarlett O.
My sister and I went to this place last night! We found hair in our calamari, and my sister pulled a hair out of her minestrone soup! We walked out! The wait staff didn't seem to be making our situation any better. They seemed to have a glib attitude about the fact that our food was not clean! It's not our kind of crowd either. It's kind of like a scene out of Goodfellas. It seems to be a restaurant designed for the owners friends and not the rest of the community. Will absolutely never ever ever go back!
(1)G G.
Excellent place to eat! Lilah is a fantastic waitress and the food is wonderful. Portion sizes are big, so if you don't take something home, you have a good appetite! If you want a good seat near the window, make a reservation. Place gets packed at 7pm on a Friday. Variety is sufficient with meat, chicken and seafood - the calamari was very tasty. Appetizers are wonderful - get the sausage and cheese in a pepper! Finally the burnt caramel ice cream was fantastic. Enjoy!
(4)Yvette L.
My husband and I used a Groupon for dinner. The atmosphere is romantic and cozy. We had great service and our waiter was knowledgeable with the menu items. The food was delicious and prepared well. Prices here are a little steep but you truly get what you pay for- a nice evening out.
(5)Gigi G.
Soooo I wanted to give this restaurant another try right? And yeah.... Good thing I had a $40 Groupon.... Made a 5pm reservation using Open Table. Got there maybe 4:50pm.... This snotty young Caucasian receptionist was like.... "Your reservation is 5pm but uhm ok... Let me get you a table" Hmmm.... Can you be a little more boring and un- inviting?!!!? Grrrrr Then gave us a tiny table .... I was like looking around.... Maybe 3 tables had patrons but pretty much an empty restaurant at that time. I asked her to give us a bigger table... she said.... "Let me see what I can do" I was like.... You're kidding right? This joint is empty!!!! Gosh.. Soooo that was not a good start.... One star gone for sure.... Now our waiter, Antonio... was friendly.... We like him We ordered the following: Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon bottle $32 Stuffed Banana Peppers $9.95 - a tad bit spicy but very tasty Roasted red pepper clam soup $3.95 (got two) -- good but has more potato than clam Grilled chicken w/ mushroom risotto $20 -- good Duck w/ butternut squash ravioli $30 -- very good At first... They brought a very well done duck... My BF who never complains was like.... Antonio, you don't serve Duck well done do you? Can you ask the chef to give me a medium rare duck? After 10 mins.... Antonio brought the perfect duck.,, with a little pink in the middle ... Good thing my BF saw that right away... Otherwise, they would serve a yucky tough duck to us for $30... Nooooo way!!!! Banana beignets -- very good Cappuccino -- very good Bill was &127 minus $40 groupon = $87 plus 20% tip Verdict: ok with Groupon.... Otherwise, will go somewhere else
(3)Athea G.
Went here on a groupon, though I've been before. Nice, classy place in the heart of downtown Westmont. As a non-Italian, I thought the food was really good. We ordered fried calamari and I got the chicken limone over linguini. There could have been a little more calamari in the dish, but it was good. Served with a shrimp sauce, and a wanna be tarter sauce....meh. The chicken limone was great, super moist (and I hate that word) and great flavor. The sauce over it was great too over the linguini....yum. I wouldn't mind some more, right now...please? The Italian bf had the cavatelli and vodka.... Looked good and smelled great. He said the vodka sauce was too tomato-y. I tried a bite, and would agree. But overall "it was just okay". I wouldn't hesitate to go here again. Reasonable prices, nice atmosphere, good food. Over all, a pretty good place. And I hope the self proclaimed Irish man on date numbered 2-4 next to us made it to second base tonight. He was sure trying!
(3)Paula B.
Absolutely the BEST Lamb in the world! Ok, I haven't had lamb all over the world but I can't imagine how lamb could possibly taste better! Chef Bob marinates the lamb in a Garlic & Chianti reduction sauce that is Amazing!!! If you like lamb you will LOVE the Signature Lamb Chops or the Lamb Chop Salad - the salad is a great dish with a twist!
(5)Rocky G.
We were there tonight,I didn't know they had BBQ ribs, out server Lila told me they were great, she was right, I also love their pasta fagioli soup is excellent, Ask for Lila, she is a great server
(5)Sean C.
Groupon. Nutshell, food was good, service pretty lousy. Initially tried seating us directly next to a couple on a date and the place was empty. Objected & he moved us a few tables away. Still had to listen to this guy talk about his stocks all night... poor girl. Waiter commented how they were packed 30 minutes ago, funny. Room is ok, maybe a bit loud from the bar. Service was slow, he only had us and previously mentioned table. Felt like we were being pushed into wine, drinks, apps, etc, & if we said no, he wasn't digging it. Unprofessional waitering like saying "Done?" didn't add to the experience. Food was pretty good, pasta in a vodka sauce which I asked for spicy was good. Date's chicken dish was pretty good. Paying check was slow because he thought clearing the only other table was more important. Generally, a missed opportunity because of poor service.
(3)John S.
Since the reviews here are basically either 5 stars or 1, allow me to add my 2 cents. We went here because our realtor sings on Friday and Saturday nights - and I have to say he's quite entertaining. We've been twice. Once for drinks and once for dinner. As for our experience with the restaurant itself, if you love the over-use of garlic this is your place. If you don't mind forgotten orders, bad attitudes, slow service, improperly prepared food and unprofessional behavior, this is your place. If you think, "Hey I love Westmont! I'm going to keep giving my money to people who treat customers like cattle! Again, this is your place. The idea that more garlic makes the food (1) Italian or (2) excellent - is simply stupid. The opinions listed here that state that freshly made food takes longer to prepare than "fast food" is categorically wrong and to say that negative reviewers of this restaurant simply don't get it, is moronic. They've paid as much as you did and deserve at minimum, a reasonable dining experience. Freshly prepared food is not frozen, not boil-in-bag and not freeze dried. It therefore takes the least amount of time to prepare properly. When customers regularly wait 45 minutes to an hour (or longer) for their food, it's a sure sign of worthless management and that you've wasted your time. Vincitori has a history of literally chasing down customers and calling the cops on patrons who've been so disgusted with their service and/or so completely ignored by staff, that they've left without paying the check. Hey Vincitori, since this has happened more than once, ask yourself what the heck you're doing wrong! Which in the opinion of half the people here is, a lot. Here's a clue, it's not the ignorant customers, it's you.
(1)Kelly M.
Adorable, hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant. Good service. Good food. It's a reliable standby for when you want a filling, tasty meal. I especially like the Gorgonzola tortellini, and my husband raves about the Frutti de Mare (quite possibly the biggest dish I have ever seen). If you go on a weekend, make a reservation. Otherwise, just pull up a seat at the bar. The bartenders are friendly and the drinks are flowing!
(4)Kevin S.
I would highly recommend this restaurant for dinner, they do have Groupon's fairly regularly, so you might want to buy before going. The food is made fresh, so you can expect to be dining for longer then usual but the wait is worth the time. I did make a mistake in not ordering the French Onion soup, two other people in my party did and I was jealous! I did have the minestrone soup and it was very tasty. For a main course I enjoyed the lasagna, it was done to perfection, noodles were cooked just right and the cheese and sauce were perfectly proportioned. It was delightful eating every bite! I was not happy with the bread, maybe just a little too dry for me, even with the oil. The service was awesome, we did have reservations, so we were seated promptly. Our waiter was awesome and he created a delightful dinning experience! We will return to Vincitori!
(4)J C.
Food was alright, service was TERRIBLE. It was just me and my 2 children. After being ignored for 10 minutes, we were given bread by a busboy and then the waiter came and I ordered an appetizer (baked clams), spaghetti for my daughters, and my entree - all ordered at the same time. It was about 10 minutes and my daughter's got their food, and I waited another 15 for my appetizer - a total of 25 minutes for sub par clams. My entree followed a few minutes later and I asked for the check. Over an hour for some clams and pasta. Bill was almost $50 with no booze. Astronomical for what we got. If my husband wasn't a waiter, I wouldn't have left a tip, but I left 20% out of pure guilt. We won't be back.
(2)Gerry D.
Meh. We started with the sausage and peppers. This is definitely a good meal starter. Spicy and flavorful, a tad greasy though. I had the acorn squash ravioli. It was pretty good, nice and tasty. Unfortunately it was warm and not hot. I also tried the half chicken. I'll pass on that dish. It wasn't the most desirable. The flavor was only on the skin. Not a good dish. As far as service, Frank was ok. I felt he should've been a little more attentive given the fact that we were the only table there. The water carafe was often empty for too long.
(3)Jeanette P.
Went there with a big group of people on a weeknight and they were more than accommodating. I ordered the butternut squash ravioli and it was PHENOMENAL. Service was good and staff was super friendly. Would love to go again and try another entree.
(4)Jie S.
Holy Molly, did you see the huge plate or the basin in which they serve Fruitti Di Mare? You could easily bathe the baby in that. No kidding. The best part is that we ordered this to share by two of us and we didn't order anything else for the third person who came about 20 minutes late. After we saw this dish, we knew this could easily feed three of us. And to make it better it was Delicious. Please don't judge me. I might have an addition with seafood and Marinara sauce. And they cooked the pasta just right so the noodles absorbed enough flavor from the sauce but still chewy. I loved it. The kid's pizza was huge as 10 inch and very thin crust. My daughter tried very hard to finish 1/3 of it. The lobby was nice and dark themed with huge drawings on the wall. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. He was one to recommend the Fruitti Di Mare and said it is more than enough for you two. Thanks!
(4)Greg W.
I bought a Groupon wanting to try this place out, boy did i make a mistake !first off this was the second restaurant I have been to in Westmont that i have been to that was too dimly lit could barely see the menu! As the other yelpers noted the wait was very long, we sat by the bar and had a clear view of the kitchen doors with windows. I saw what looked to be my order come up, i knew it was because of the large bowl they serve it in. The dish was fruti de mare a dish with muscles, clams and other shellfish. The owner walks up to the dish and starts putting his fingers into it rearranging the muscles giving the ones that did not open to the chef (the dead ones) all the while he is licking his f ing fingers! I couldn't believe it! When i questioned our waiter about it he said oh hes the head chef and he wouldnt put dirty hands in my food. Later in the evening he was talking to a couple using foul language, now im not offended by stuff like that but dont say that kind of stuff within ear shot of my date. Will never be back again, very very disappointed in this one.
(1)Christina B.
Dinner was wonderful! I got the Squash Ravioli with a Maple Walnut sauce. It was wonderful and fresh. The Cannoli is the best I've had. The waiting staff was very friendly, and the atmosphere is laid back and intimate. The Groupon helped a lot, since Vincitori is a bit on the pricy side. For two (salad, ice tea, dinner, and desert) it was about $55. The public parking is across the street.
(5)Elle W.
BY ALL MEANS AVOID THIS AWFUL EXCUSE FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT. Never in my life have I been so disgusted by a business. We went here for Mother's Day for my mother and my sister. Not only was our waiter extremely ignorant to us the entire time, but we waited OVER AN HOUR for my mother's meal to find out that the waiter forgot to put her order in. He didn't even have the respect to tell us, he made up some asinine story about how someone took the food, and didn't even tell his manager! My mother stormed out of there, hungry and livid, and no one mentioned anything to a manager. I can see why though, the manager was the biggest ass of them all. He didn't even apologize at first! My brother-in-law told him "we didn't even receive an apology," and his pathetic excuse for one didn't make up for it. I was loudly saying how disrespectful and ignorant it was, and the manager didn't even come up to me to talk to me about it. When he heard me, he hid behind a wall and continued to flirt with the hostess who is obviously too young for him. I will never step foot near this place again. How can you disrespect someone like that on Mother's Day, of all days, and have nothing to offer? Fuck you and your employees. I hope you shut down.
(1)Pam F.
I went in at 7pm for carry out knowing it might be a little busy. Bartender Susie was busy, did not go in expecting top service being a single carry out order person. My issue is the food. Ordered the Vincitori Shrimp appetizer. Received 6 small 45-50 size shrimp swimming in a half cup of sauce with nothing to sop the sauce up with. Ordered the Vincitori Rigatoni as the entree. Flavor is good. However, here there is not enough meat to justify the price point. I spent $60 for a carry out meal for one person. I did have 2 glasses of wine waiting for the meal. I would expect better quality for price point.
(3)Angela D.
Reservations were set for 8pm...a table of 10. We arrive on time and are immediately seated. Our waiter approaches and kinda gives is a run down...but starts by saying that "all items are made from scratch and there is a longer than usual wait time" when ordering. He takes drink orders and skips both of my children and myself. When he returns 10 minutes later I let him know he missed us (how he didn't realize it is beyond me). He is rushed and very rude. We order appetizers for the table. Calamari, Burrata and Baked Clams. With a table of 10, you would expect for this to be sufficient. Nope. The calamari was skimpy and not at all tasty. The naked clams were "ok" and the Burrata was moderately good. They were gone in minutes and 3 people didn't eat any. The bread was hard and the plate of parmesan and oil was a joke. Our table ordered everything from Chicken Picatta to lasagna to pizza to sausage and peppers to need medallions. Please reference, "everything is made from scratch"...we waited 1.25 hours for our food to arrive. I ordered the chicken picatta and it was the worst I had ever had. The pasta was NOT homemade as I have eaten homemade pasta since I was a child...this was not homemade. The penne was not either. The one thing I can give them credit for is their sauce...it was amazing as the only reason they get 2 stars. After almost 3 hours of dining...we all left "content" but far from stuffed and happy. We were all full but no one raved about anything. Did I mention that our server failed to take food orders for my kids as well? Ugh...just a hot mess from beginning end. Won't ever go back...
(2)Blake W.
Been here a couple times now and the food is amazing. Purchased what I thought was a great deal on restaurant.com to dine here this evening to find out that while there are no restrictions advertised, they refused to accept the purchased deal while acknowledging it is legitimate. The server gave us water, bread, and said can't do the deal. No questions about appetizers or anything else. So far I am extremely bummed out on what should be a good evening. Beware the promotions out here and just plan on full price. The food is amazing, it really is, but business side could be better.
(3)Julie H.
A coupon from Groupon brought us to this restaurant. What a great restaurant The food is amazing. Cant wait to go back! My husband had French onion soup and the Chicken Parmesan and I had Chicken Vesuvio ..Large portions and everything was amazing We also had a very nice server ( Jason ) He was also amazing .
(5)M. J.
Really good food and really good service. I am really picky about service because I work in the service industry... so I place a tremendous importance on how I'm treated. This place is consistently good. The food (I've tried several dishes) is always yummy, and sometimes even great. I just can't think of a criticism...
(5)Patricia M.
this is just not about the food. have been here years ago with a friend thought was good at the time which could have been 10+ years ago, returned to same place with same friend for cocktails & appetizers. potato skins ok, cesar salad good, pizza ok. company great. what makes me even write this review is based on my exit of the premises. after several beers with appetizers & pizzas needed to use washroom facilities before i left. yes the bathroom was outdated but can still be clean. i simply could not get past the bathroom scrubber that was open & next to the toliet that an expense of $5 for a new one would remedy or may i suggest a jug of bleach!!!! this scrubber was probably the original or at least 10 years old......was sooooo disgusting!!!!! if bathroom not clean makes me wonder about the kitchen..........i will never ever go back! yuck..........do i really need to say anymore???? customers that go & rave will give the benefit of the doubt maybe never needed to use the washroom, or are blind!!! A sign was posted on the door that the restaurant is closed Sun & Monday from July 4th thru Early-Mid August......while business is slow during this season they should use the time constructively to clean and purchase new supplies.
(1)Coco M.
We liked it despite all the mixed reviews...service was great, martini's were made well and i like my shaken, and they took the time to make sure it was done properly. Steak and lamb chops were perfect! We'll be back.
(4)Christina A.
Food was alright. We had a pasta and chicken dish. We had a half off groupon & I didn't even think it was worth that. Would never pay full price for the food. The decor was nice for something intimate. Server was very friendly and helpful picking out the favorites!
(2)Don M.
Absolutely the worst food I ever ate in my life. The Shrimp Vincitori left such a bad taste in my mouth I had to have a couple mints to get rid of the taste. This was our second time eating here. We will never come here again. Our waiter and service was good but the food was the absolutely horrendous.
(1)Dan L.
We found the food here to be excellent!! The beef medallions were tender, lean, and flavorful. The rigatoni was awesome, as was the minestrone, and the pasta figouli had a nice kick, and was very flavorful too.
(5)Anna C.
I have no idea how anybody could give this place 5 stars, this restaurant is horrible and dreadful, in the words of Gordon Ramsey. The server, a younger male, was a little awkward and inappropriate during our dining experience, but we did not let that deter us. The food was so bad, I will never go back. I ordered the chicken parmesean and was covered with breading that eventually fell off. The chicken underneath was gray in color and tough to cut through. The sauce was very bland. These chefs need to try something Italian food in downtown Chicago and think about making some changes to their menu. People do not eat large plates of pasta with plain red sauce anymore, especially when they can make it at home, and tastes better!
(1)LOIS B.
Helpful hints: make a reservation. It took us a week to get a reservation at a convenient time. Use the phone number listed for this business info and NOT the one on the groupon ~ it is the fax number. Place was jam packed and I mean jam PACKED. There are really only 1 or 2 "nice" tables in the whole place. Others are sooooooooooooooooooo close to each other that you will definitely know your neighbor by the time you are finished, if you did not know them before. I found the timing for "reserved" tables to be a little strange. There were a number of tables that remained unoccupied the entire time we were there. Someone could have been seated and served and on their way without any imposition on the reservation. Our server was initially "on the cool side" but improved as the meal progressed. I understand from other reviewers that servers are an issue. If you find one that works for you ~ request them. It looked like there was a room for private parties at the back, I don't understand why they don't open that area when not in use for a private party to accommodate more diners. Waiting an hour in the bar area, or the front door area, is not pleasant. The singer in the bar was great. I could have listened to him all night. The food was okay, I would go back. It is not a Capri (as in Burr Ridge NOT Downers Grove ~ which is awful) but waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Clara's or Carrabba's.
(3)Danny G.
Great place to have a nice dinner and a few drinks. We like to go during the week when it's a little quite and sit at the Bar and chat with our favorite bartender Phil. Bob the owner and chef has the best food. I have never ordered something I didn't like. Plus, you can pretty much always find a coupon online.
(5)Lance C.
There is no way this restaurant should be rated 3 stars or less, I can agree that sometimes service can be a little slow but when your food is all made fresh to order you can't expect it to be "fast food" some "critics" are just spoiled brats and have no patience for quality. My girlfriend and I are both foodies and live near westmont and eat out frequently and have made it a goal to try every dish on the menu and are about 3/4 of the way there and we have yet to find an item that is bad. Not everything is excellent but nothing is bad. The pricing is a bit high in comparison to other like locations but nothing outrageous. Try vincitori, you wont be disappointed.
(4)Martin C.
In the 7 years I have had my cafe I have never stopped by. Tonight I did. I had the Chicken Marsala. The chicken was juicy & moist it was made from fresh chicken. The pasta was cooked to perfection. My only issue was the assume really did not have much flavor like the chef forgot to add seasoning. Just the basics s&p. definitely will be back in the future. Our server even though from Philly was an exceptional host. He was friendly clean & courteous. Just ask for the guy from Philly and you will have a wonderful evening.
(5)Kara Z.
We had an interesting experience here with my husband and parents on a Saturday night, using a Groupon. I highly recommend reservations. It is a tightly packed restaurant and felt very crowded and loud. It also felt pretty dark. It was so dark that my mom actually walked into the men's bathroom instead of the ladies' room because she couldn't read the sign on the door!!! :) We appreciated the live music. Plan A LOT of time for your dinner- they make your food as you order it and our meal lasted three hours. It felt like we were there for a long time. We appreciated the quality of the food. The service was unique. I felt our server was irritated a lot of the time with us but my parents thought he was incredible. He shook my husband's and father's hand at the end of the meal which was a nice touch. They bring out basic white bread and butter or oil with cheese. They didn't refill the cheese. The portions are large. I had the sausage and peppers with penne and was able to eat a lot there and then have three leftover meals with what I took home! Other dishes were richer so were smaller portions- my husband had the Mussels special and finished it at the restaurant. My mom loves the lasagna- it is very cheesy- and my husband enjoyed her leftovers later in the week. My mom says the black currant iced tea is the best she's had. My dad had the rigatoni which he said was good but also very cheesy. I don't care for cheese so had a hard time finding something I would like on the menu. I had the chocolate lava cake with strawberry sauce for dessert- it was presented beautifully and was delicious. It cost $7. My mom really enjoyed her burnt caramel gelato. We thought it was funny that my husband was going through his water so fast that all of the sudden someone plopped a bigger glass of water in front of him- probably so they didn't have to refill it so often. I don't think I would come back again but I'm happy that my parents enjoy it so much. It is a classy restaurant with quality food (and you pay for the quality) and they do a great business.
(3)Stephanie H.
I went here on a Wednesdays night with a group of 5 for my birthday. We had a reservation, and we were seated immediately. Our server greeted us promptly, but she was a little awkward. She didn't seem to be in the best mood, and she was a little short with us. To drink, I ordered the split bottle of moscato -- delicious. We ordered the grilled calamari to begin, which was very good. I recommend this appetizer. Then I ordered a garden salad with their balsamic vinaigrette. For a standard garden salad, I really enjoyed it. For my entree, I ordered the garlic-crusted chilean sea bass from the specials of the day. It was good, but the it wasn't really garlic "crusted." The garlic was more just placed on top. It was good, just keep this in mind. Everyone else enjoyed their meal as well. Everything was enjoyable about the evening aside from the occasional weirdness from our server. I really liked the dim, romantic atmosphere. I'd be back!
(4)Samar S.
Husband and i decided to give this place a try and this will be our first and last time going there. The waiter was very passive, he did not ask us if we wanted a refill on our drinks and he didn't make any suggestions as to what dish to order . The food wasnt worth the price. Unless your a regular they wont notice you!
(2)Tom K.
I ate here last night with my wife and some friends of ours. They had a guy in the bar singing old classic songs by Sinatra, Etta James, etc which set a nice mood for our dinner. We ordered the bruchetta and grilled calamari for some appetizers, as well as a bottle of wine. The appetizers were fantastic! For dinner I had Italian sausage with roasted peppers with penne pasta, which was also fantastic. We finished off with some tiramisu and chocolate lava cake, both of which were delicious. Moving here recently from the city, I can say this restaurant is a gem. I'd put it up against any Italian restaurant in the city, and it will hold it's own. If you haven't already, I highly recommend making a trip to Vincitori, as you won't be disappointed!
(5)Joe H.
Drove by this place at least a hundred times, cause really who stops in Westmont? Purchased the groupon for here so had to give it a try. Shrimp Vincitori was most excellent! Chicken florentine that my partner in crime had was equally as good.
(4)Kim M.
Small intimate setting, make a reservation. If your are not one for sitting in the center of the room call and ask for a table on the side. Out table was for two people and pretty small. I am sure that if we had more table space we would have had another drink or some more food. Over all a good plate. I had chicken piccata and my friend shrimp with a spicy creamy red sauce. Tried the pumpkins tirmisu. It was so so...Great cap. Napa cellar wine was yummy too!
(4)Keith H.
If you are looking to enjoy a night out, eat fantastic Italian food prepared masterfully by owner, Chef Bob, this is by far one of the top places to visit. I have been there on many occasions and have never, never, never been disappointed. Their service and food is top notch. Our server John was knowledgeable and very attentive to our needs. We started with Baked Clams which were fantastic. Mouth watering and delectable is how I would describe them. Then came the Shrimp Vincitori over Angel Hair Pasta; Gulf shrimp sautéed with garlic, green scallions, plum tomatoes, ground red pepper, finished with white wine, cream and Romano cheese, and glass of Cabernet. ......OMG, how delicious! Then to top things off I enjoyed a piece of the homemade Tiramisu. Couldn't have spent my birthday any better.
(5)D W.
Went there twice and both times were excellent. People were dancing and singing and the entertainer was great. Food was very good. All freshly made. We plan on going back again.
(5)Bryan T.
My wife and I took my father to dinner here after purchasing a Groupon. The 3 1/2 star rating seemed strong enough to warrant us to try it out, as we live not too far away. My father and I arrived first and we were seated as we waited for my wife to arrive. When I informed our waiter this, he seemed frustrated by it. He never introduced himself, so I'm unable to call him by name in this review. He was a stalkier Hispanic man with his hair slicked straight back and what seemed like the inability to smile. When my wife arrived, he took our drink orders and again seemed frustrated, this time because we didn't order from the wine menu. I would later order a Jack and Coke, which was horribly watered down. He took our order and our food came quickly enough. There weren't too many people there on a Wednesday night. The food was ok. I had the center cut filet with a side of asparagus. The asparagus was undercooked, but the steak was a nice medium rare that I asked for. My wife ordered the home made cavatelli pasta. She said it was overcooked, with chunks of Parmesan throughout. My dad got the Shrimp Vincitori. He said it was ok and could have used larger shrimp. I had set my phone at the edge of the table so the waiter could verify it. Without asking for my phone, he just picked it up and started looking around the screen. He quickly stated that the Groupon wasn't valid because we didn't have a party of 4. This was the first time hearing a detail like this after using LivingSocial, Groupon, and Restaurant.com . The waiter, clearly having gone through this problem with another guest, pulled up the fine print where it stated this. I will be following up with Groupon with questions and to voice my concern that deal isn't very clear, but what followed at the restaurant was RIDICULOUS! I admitted that sometimes you can miss that small print. I first asked if he'd be able to overlook the number in our party. No. I then asked if they'd simply redeem the amount that I paid Groupon, which was $39. No. At this point I asked to speak with a manager. Minutes passed and the waiter came back without the manager, stating that nothing could be done. I asked to see a copy of the bill. He brought back a bill for just over $100. When I bought the Groupon, I didn't plan on paying anything more then tax and tip. Now I'm looking at $115 with a basic tip. I asked 3-4 more times to speak with the manager, to no avail. At this point, if the manager wasn't going to be decent enough to come out and speak with me, then I decided I was done negotiating about the bill. We got up and left. The waiter was close behind to take a picture of my license plate. I got about a mile north on Cass before being pulled over by the Westmont police. I have to give it to them, they were fast! The officers were civil and said that this wasn't the first call they had received about Vincitori's and Groupon. They said I'd have to return to pay the bill and file a complaint with Groupon about the fine print OR if I didn't, they'd arrest me for theft. I decided not to sit in jail, so we went back. When I arrived, the waiter gladly took my credit card, with a smile on his face for the first time the whole evening... Another man was standing behind the bar mashing away on the computer. I asked if he was the manager. He proceeded to confirm that and also cuss me out for my indiscretions, without allowing me a word in edge wise. As he's dropping profanities, a woman and her elderly mother were attempting to leave and the old woman had a look of disgust as she heard his language. I opened the door for the women and ushered them out, apologizing on his behalf. He quickly came out from behind the bar and continued his profanity laced tirade. The police officers who were monitoring all this had to ask him to calm down and step back into the restaurant. I wish I could give zero or negative stars to properly warn others about the horrible service and management here. Do yourself a favor and get your money back from Groupon if you've gotten one for here!
(1)Scott O.
I ordered the Fruitti Di Mare and it came in a dish so large it could be used as a boat! It was good. Not great, not bad either.
(3)Joseph P.
Not only was the food just whatever but they servers aren't all that nice. I had bought a Groupon to this place so it wasn't expensive at all but the food isn't worth what they charge. After not being happy with anything we had they told me that since I used a Groupon and there was a balance of 8 dollars on it I would have to pay cash only. They said their minimum purchase with card is 15 dollars so I then had to make my way in winter to find a ATM just because of this. Ruined the night.
(2)Yvonne M.
Vincitori is seriously hit or miss. Some days, it's great! Others, not so much. I have come to the conclusion that there must be more than one chef...a good one and a bad one. I will go back and hope I get the good chef...because when it's good, it's amazing!!
(3)Colleen F.
Service was slightly slow, but the food was very very good! Great date spot, live music, cozy. Definitely would go back. Chicken Marsala was phenoms!
(4)Julie Z.
I recently dined here and not only was the food mediocre, so was the service. The menu, overpriced for small portions was poorly assembled and under seasoned. The seafood lasagna was small for a lunch portion was $21 and had 2 very large pieces of cartilage and several small pieces. The bread "basket" had a quarter of a twin French breadstick. The waiter was short and gave a snort and sigh every time he spoke to us. The food has the ability to be good, the Vinci special was pretty tasty, but at $26, at the location, you need bigger portions or better service and/or ambiance.
(2)Kathy T.
Probably the worst meal I've ever eaten at an Italian restaurant... I had the name sake shrimp dish and the shrimp were small and rubbery. The bread of hard and the olive oil on the table was noticeably old. I'll never go back to this place...
(1)Dena L.
We recently moved to Westmont and have been to Vincitori's twice. The first time they were fairly busy but our waiter was very jovial and seemed to truly love his job and ensure that we enjoyed ourselves. We went again on Halloween and the place was really slow. We sat at the bar and the bartender Frank was awesome. My husband ordered a duck special and loved it. I ordered their signature shrimp dish and well, it just came out ....bad. When I sent it back the head chef and I think owner, Bob, insisted that I let him personally make me a new dish. IT WAS FRICKIN DELICIOUS! I love a place that makes sure to correct their mistakes and turn around an experience. Also, the pumpkin tiramisu is amazing. I can't wait to try their pizza, I hear it's the best around.
(5)Sarah D.
Never had the chance to eat here, however this review is regarding a Groupon that I have been unable to use, and will not be using at this restaurant. My husband purchased a Groupon for $20 for $40, and we made a reservation for New Year's Eve. Just received a phone call that they cannot honor the Groupon on New Year's Eve, even though the Fine Print on the voucher does not state that it is invalid on New Year's Eve, only invalid on Easter or Mother's Day. It does not state anything about any other holiday. When I told the person who called me that the voucher only states Easter or Mother's Day, he was completely indifferent and said "I'm Sorry". He did not want to help me out in any way. Now I have to try to make a reservation somewhere else. I will never eat in this establishment, which is a shame because of the many good reviews that I have seen posted below.
(1)Angela W.
Really enjoyed this place. Bought a Groupon and went with my husband for date night. Ambiance was romantic. Food was SPECTACULAR! Server upsold us to a bottle of wine, - we were each going to get a glass, but it was incredible wine! Definitely make a reservation. We heard them tell a walk-in that wait was over an hour. Will definitely go back!
(5)Erica Z.
The food is great. We had their meatball appetizer, soup and split a pizza. The prior time we had pastas, both of which had great flavor. Why three stars?.. The servers seem to really rush people. You better know what you want once you sit down. They also like to push bottles of wine. You ask for a check and they bring you a dessert menu. I have a feeling it's not the servers, bc all the servers are the same, pushing bottles of wine and rushing people out. The first time we were there, they told us we had 45 minutes to eat because they needed the table. It's a shame their customer service lacks in so many ways, because their food is great. If you do not have a groupon, or Resturant.com coupon, think twice.
(3)Jill B.
My fiancé and I came here because of a groupon. We came on a weekday evening and were surprised and pleased by the live entertainment. Most people are used to "Italian" food being like Olive Garden or Cheesecake Factory, loaded with butter and salt but authentic delicious Italian is simple, fresh and relies on quality of ingredients. Vincitori had all this--the pasta tasted like it was made in house and sauces from scratch. Our server was awesome and nice and we will def come back without a groupon!
(5)Adam B.
We get take out from them every so often and the food is good- not spectacular, not awful. We've eaten in the restaurant twice and each time the servers were condescending and rude. It was as if we were doing them a favor by eating there. He was super friendly to his regulars and could care less about us. Will not eat at the restaurant again, probably wouldn't do take out if they weren't close by. I like Westmont and try to support local businesses, but once the older folks move away this restaurant won't last, too many new restaurants coming in that offer better customer experiences and better value. I'm surprised that with all the negative reviews the management hasn't tried to change its ways, which is why it will probably close within five years.
(2)David N.
Good Italian-Mediterranean food (some dishes were better than others) which unfortunately does not live up to the exorbitant bill to be delivered at the end of service. Stopped in for dinner after purchasing the recent Groupon. Got in around 5pm, and had no problem getting a table for 5. Atmosphere was intimate, however bordering an almost dismal feel (Light it up a bit!). Advised the server off the bat we were using a Groupon, which wasn't a hassle (some places look at you like an idiot when you have one) and did not exclude anything from the dinner menu - Sweet. Water and warm bread came quick (great with oil and Parmesan), but everything else seemed to be at a slower pace. Not terrible, just slower. Ordered drinks, including a $35 bottle of Chenin Blanc (later stopped at Binny's and got the same bottle for $10.99 - FAIL), and the Stuffed Banana Peppers app. Peppers were a little watery, but tasty, had a nice fiery spice, and plenty for two people. Dinner & Caesar salads served were run-of-the-mill, nothing out of the ordinary. Entrees followed after a short while, comprised of the Beef Medallion Trio with Asparagus (Garlic, Bleu Cheese, and Horseradish Medallions), Braciola with Grilled Polenta, Shrimp Vincitori (for the kid, actually an appetizer), and Grilled Salmon. Two of the three medallions were great (Garlic & Bleu Cheese), but the Horseradish needs a quick 86 from the tasty Trio. While not as overpowering as some horseradish dishes I have had, it only took away from what were some great, succulent pieces of meat (Server advised we can substitute after the fact...two Garlics would have been bliss). The included asparagus spears were unfortunately undercooked and under-seasoned. My wife's Braciola with Polenta was "eh, not bad", however a dish which will definitely be skipped if we ever make it back to Vincitori (I think it was a bit lacking in the taste department). No complaints today from the Grilled Salmon group (didn't try it, but looked appealing). The Shrimp Vincitori received rave reviews from my eight year old, which is always great. Devoured in minutes, with the white wine, cream, and cheese sauce the element which put the dish over the top. A family of five, a $40 Groupon, and still a bill of over $150. I'll say the service was very attentive and friendly, and more than met our expectations. Regrettably, I can't say the same for the food, especially considering most entrees fall in the $18-$35 range. Like I said earlier, Good Italian food, average atmosphere, great service, but very overpriced, both food and drinks. Bring plenty of time and money...
(3)Wendy C.
I've been here a couple times with my husband, but this time (around Thanksgiving) I was hanging out with a friend. Part of the reason we went here was to see Johnny Rome perform (who we originally met at 100 South in Elmhurst). Groopies? Perhaps. Eitherway, we enjoy a fun night of music and whereever Johnny goes, you can usually count on amazing Italian food. I ordered the Shrimp Vincitori and I will definitely go back for it again. My buddy ordered the Caramelized Salmon Salad which he said was really good. We both ordered the Pumkin Tirimasu and that was to die for! I wish it wasn't just a seasonal desert. Since Johhny doesn't stray too far from the bar area...we generally do the same. Therefore we actually ate our entres at the bar which didn't seem to be a problem for anyone. Susie was our bar tender (and waitress by default) and she was excellent. She kept us well-fed and "hydrated"! Susie introduced me to Tito's vodka - excellent choice! Before we left, I ordered a pizza to take home to my husband and it was a $10 special...score! Until next time...
(5)Rich D.
If you like garlic, you will love this place. I, unfortunately, like most people, do not want to taste garlic 24 hours after eating at a restaurant. Every dish had it. Every dish was overpowered by it. The place was overpriced, and you don't get your money's worth. The place also couldn't decide if it was casual or upscale. The prices are definitely upscale though. BTW, the restaurant really should come up with some sort of cocktail menu.
(1)David R.
The good: huge portion. By huge I mean enough for three meals. Tasty food. The bad: i ordered the gluten-free pasta with seafood. The GF pasta is $3.50 extra charge. They do not have GF bread (I asked). BUT when the GF seafood pasta arrived at my table it had four large pieces of regular garlic bread on the gluten free pasta. The waitress blamed "the kitchen." IDK why she did not notice that she was delivering bread physically on top of GF pasta. Then, waitress had to check with "the manager" before allowing rejection of gluten-covered gluten-free (extra charge) pasta. The "manager" who was ten feet away at a nearby table, did not come over to my table during the 15 to 20 min delay while they re-prepared my food. My dining partner had her meal put on the warmer while mine was re-prepared. But it was not hot and had to be sent back to be warmed up. Total bill with bottled wine for two was $140+. Food is four-star but minus one star for error with gluten-free, extra charge for gluten-free, and zero management response to allergy error.
(3)Christen W.
Amazing food right here in the suburbs. My favorite again. & again is the cavatelli with meatballs and banana beignet. Holy cow !!!!
(5)Susan F.
We were great supporters of this restaurant and actually used their catering every Christmas. What happened???? The food is not good at all anymore. The last time I went here was about 18 months ago and was very disappointed but I figured I would give it one more try. It was actually worse than ever. Not only was the food bad but also the people employed there. There are too many good restaurants in the area. I really loved this place at one time. No more!!!!!!
(1)Cheryl P.
Very disappointed with this restaurant. We arrived at 4:00 on a Saturday (the time it opens), only three tables were occupied, and the service was slow! My dish was loaded with onions (which I do not like) that was not indicated on the menu. I told the waiter I could not eat it, and instead of saying, can I get you something else, he said, what do you want me to do with it? I asked for plain pasta and he had to go ask the manager. He came back and said that I would be charged for the pasta dish as well as my first order. I told him to forget it. I have never had this experience at a restaurant. Possibly because we had a Groupon? My husband's dish was fair. We will not be going back. There are so many other good Italian restaurants to go to!
(1)Aria S.
Ok. So I really must have gone here on the wrong night. Let me start by saying that the atmosphere here is suppose to be upscale Italian. Dark lighting, nice for a date, somewhat romantic. So why was there a 4:1 child to adult ratio on the Friday night I went? I swear each couple had brought 3-4 (if not more) little children who were all screaming, falling off their chair, or dropping the butter dish on the floor. This does NOT make for a very romantic date. BUT it isn't the restaurants fault either so I'll let it slide. Now on to the food. We ordered the grilled calamari appetizer which was decent. It had a good flavor but no dipping sauce was given, and I'm use to dipping my calamari! So overall I give the calamari 3 stars. Next I ordered a simple house salad. It was ok. The dressing had a nice kick to it but was only topped with a tomato and onion. Boring. 3 stars for me. I ordered a special which was the Gorgonzola stuffed gnocchi in a cream sauce. Very rich, very filling, great flavor. But very heavy. A lot of cheese and cream goin on in this dish. My date ordered the chicken Marsala which he loved. The chicken was good quality and tender. He was very happy with his meal. 4 stars for the entrees. After stuffing my face with 30 loaves of bread (which were nice and fresh) and dipping them in the complementary oil throughout the evening, we had no room for dessert. Overall, I think this place is pretty good. Hopefully next time I won't be surrounded by a slew of wild children. =)
(3)Lynne G.
Excellent food and service. However, they are a bit pricey and all entrees are alacarte. I would however return.
(4)Apple S.
My boyfriend and I came to Vincitori on a later Sunday evening to try it out and use a $40 Groupon. I ordered stuffed artichoke and lobster ravioli; he ordered the Vincitori rigatoni. Bread was good; it came warm which is the only way to serve bread. :) The stuffed artichoke was delicious! Pastas were a bit heavy on the sauce (especially the rigatoni, whose portion was huge), but I understand that Americans sort of expect that. (Being Italian I prefer my pasta with less.) Service wasn't much to comment on; it was okay. But we were duly impressed with our dining experience (it is rather intimate -- i.e., dim, modest) so we'll definitely return. I look forward to trying their meat dishes next time!
(4)Ed D.
Came in during what should be a slow time. Not properly staffed forcing server to be host and bartender including server. Had to answer phones, greet other customers and still serve. Food was fair. Braciola was overdone making the meat somewhat tough. The risotto special claimed to have roasted tomatoes and did not indicate any onions. The onions were not finely chopped (course chopped at best) and they overwhelmed what few tomatoes existed in the dish. When we told the server that we didn't like onions and that there were too many onions in the dish, and nowhere on the menu did it indicate that many onions, he did not apologize and offer another dish like he stated, "What do you want me to do with the dish?" And when we asked for a simple pasta with marinara sauce as substitute he said he would have to ask the manager. So, even though he was performing all of the other duties, he apparently wasn't empowered to make decisions on making a customer feel respected and looking to come back because of the service. When he did finally come back to the table he said that no substitute would be provided without charge. At that point the fate of any future visit to Vincitori was sealed.
(2)Judy S.
I love Vincitori. The food is excellent, the servers are friendly and the entertainment on weekends is great. I have been there at least six times and have never had a bad experience. I highly recommend it!
(5)Mike S.
Our extended family visited this place for my mother-in-laws birthday. It was quite a big party. Needless to say, the wait staff was not up to the test, nor was the kitchen. Service took forever and the food was hit or miss. The winners were the Braciola, Chicken Marsala & the Shrimp Vincitori. The losers: Overcooked Pork Chops, the shoe-leather Chicken Parm, pond-scented Sea Bass and the Sausage & Peppers overladen with penne. The experience was bad enough to call attention to the owner, who promptly avoided our table like the plague. Bottom line is we spent over $400 to celebrate a birthday and couldn't even get a candle for the birthday girl's dessert. Speaking of dessert, I thought I found a fossil in the dough bites and the tiramisu wasn't quite defrosted yet. Just go to Clara's.
(2)Amanda T.
I remember this quaint little restaurant in the middle of dead downtown Westmont being much better years ago. But maybe my memory is failing. Before I came, I looked at the menu online. I saw something on the menu that I was really excited to try, but ALAS! when we got there, it was no longer available. It wasn't that big of a deal, because their menu sounds quit tasty. Mia famiglia e io started with the grilled calamari, which took forever to come out. Our entrees also took a very long time to come out as well-nearly 45 minutes. I understand if it was busy, but we came early on a Wednesday around 5:30-it was still early and wasn't even busy yet. The food was average. Some of the seafood was a little over cooked/chewy. I don't want to permanently put Vincitori on my list of places to never return, perhaps I went on an off day. Hopefully that is the case.
(2)Amy P.
This is probably my favorite Italian restaurant--and I love Italian food! I recently went to Wildfire--and I think that Vincitori may just have them beat in both price and quality. The chicken vesuvio is comparable in both--but at Vincitori, it comes with these awesome, crispy potato wedges. At every other Italian place it comes with soggy red potatoes soaked in the gravy (not bad, but not nearly as good). My favorite is generally their caramelized eggplant and goat cheese with gemelli pasta. I get it most of the time when I go (though, admittedly without the goat cheese) and it has a lot of eggplant, spinach, pine nuts and flavor. For a while they had some kind of blackened duck special that came with butternut squash ravioli (or something similar), and my brother--who can be picky about food-said that it was great. The ambiance is nice--kind of dark and classy. This would be a good date restaurant. Occasionally (like most Italian restaurants) they will give into temptation and will hire musicians. It's sort of a small space, so that can be loud (and I'm never into cheesy singers...but I think sometimes it might be some sort of respectable jazz). The food is so good that I'm willing to tolerate even that though!
(5)Anna I.
Finally an Italian restaurant that is good old fashioned mom and pop recipes that are completely authentic!! My favorite is the shrimp vincitori as appetizer and anything with that gravy. yes, gravy, not tomato sauce, as any Italian knows. It's the only restaurant in the burbs that has real gravy without added sugar and is not acidy. you can buy it by the quart! This is why all the pasta dishes and eggplant taste so good. They also serve gluten free pasta and pizza. Bar is friendly and owner/chef is always around and knows you by name. The only reason I give it a 4/5 stars is because the service isn't the best, but it wasn't bad service, either. The BEST family style Italian restaurant in Chicago. Even have great pizza!
(4)V.i.o.l.e.t.t.a. D.
My hunnie and I were on a double date here not too long ago and the food was incredible. I started with a side salad. Then I had: Caramelized Eggplant & Goat Cheese with Gemelli Pasta $15.95 Fresh mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, onions and garlic topped with pine nuts. For dessert: Cannoli which even my hunnie liked and he usually hates Cannoli. The boys had: Italian Sausage and Roasted Peppers with Penne Pasta $13.95 Tossed with whole plum tomatoes, garlic and Romano cheese Which they devoured. My friend had: Pasta Marinara $9.95 (with meat sauce add $2.00) (with vodka sauce add $1.50) ...and a meatball, I believe. She really enjoyed her food as well. :::::::::BIG NOTE::::::::: They have gluten free pasta upon request!!!! (I should have had that but that'll be next time) :] The ONLY reason I didn't rate this place the full five stars is because when I called for a reservation for four the woman that answered the phone was snotty as all get-out. I was ready to tell her to forget it but I was really in the mood to try a new Italian place out.....I'm glad her nasty demeanor didn't stop me from coming here because this place is a gem.....I'll be back soon. :]
(4)Taeler H.
Last week my fiance and I came in to try this place because he'd bought a groupon and it was in the area. When we walked in, it was packed. It was saturday night and for some reason we hadn't thought to make a reservation. The wait was over an hour. So we put our names on the list and came back, assuming that this would be the best Italian dinner ever... When we came back disappointment started to set in. The hostess tried to seat us at a table where the speakers (they had a live singer that night) would be blaring in our ears, it was very loud in there. Anyway, luckily another couple was leaving and we got their table which was a perfect seat in the corner by a window. When I saw the menu, I was a little surprised at how small it was. I usually try fettucinne alfredo at new Italian places to be on the safe side but to my surprise that wasn't on their menu. So I decided to go with the Cavatelli in vodka sauce. I got it and it wasn't good. The sauce was alright, but the noodles were like penne pasta stuffed with more pasta in the middle, it was just too much. I sent it back and asked for Chicken Limone. Which wasn't much better. My linguine was less than al dente, and the whole meal itself seemed like it had lots of lemon but lacked flavor. No matter how much salt and pepper I put on, the meal just would not taste good! To top it off, the waiter had an attitude after I told him I did not like my food, as if it was coming out of his paycheck. Then we he gave us the bill he said cash only. It'd be nice if they'd tell you that ahead of time when you tell them you've got a groupon. Nowadays many people do not carry cash and to walk two blocks in the middle of the night to an ATM is no joy. To make a long story short, no I would not recommend this place. You may as well go to Maggiano's, it's about the same price....and no I will not be back.
(2)Renee S.
I have never had a bad meal at Vincitori - ever... My fiance and I went here couple weeks back prompted by a Restaurant.com gift certificate we had. We came during the week and there was still a decent amount of diners there. I had the lasagna and it was truly out of this world. My fiance had the pasta in vodka sauce and it was also phenomenal. He got a side of meatballs and swore they were the best he'd ever had - that's saying a lot coming from him. Service was friendly & attentive, atmosphere great, and location is fantastic. Very convenient for me who just stepped off the Metra and walked not even a block to the restaurant. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good Italian meal...
(4)Antonio M.
Absolute worst restaurant experience! My girlfriend talked up this place for awhile, so naturally I was excited to dine here. The restaurant was ridiculously loud. They had live music that was cranked up to 12. Two gentlemen at the table across from us were literally shouting at one another. We even had a difficult time communicating with our waiter, of whom, only added to the woes of this place. Simply, the guy was rude and impersonal. The food was mediocre. She had the steamed clams and pasta, which, as one yelper stated, were very chewy and overcooked. I had the Vincitori rigatoni and the chef was heavy handed with the Anisette in the sauce, which was overpowering to the rest of the flavors. We finished our meal with a cappuccino and lemon Italian ice, which was the highlight to our dinning experience. Yelpers, take heed to the negative reviews of Vincitori.
(1)Lana J.
We really like Vincitori. The staff is really friendly, great place for kids. Last night I had the Chicken Limone, my husband had the Sea Bass - both were delicious. They have a very yummy homemade balsamic vinaigrette, too. We love having dinner here. It's a simple place with really good food and great service.
(4)Tina E.
Getting off work late today worked out great for trying this placein downtown Westmont. I've had it on my watch list since I saw it while trying Amber across the street. I was going to hit Uncle Bub's but as the 4o'clock hour aproached, my options expanded greatly. I called in a take-out order of Bruschetta, side of meatballs, and the gorgonzola tortellini w/ mushrooms. My server suggested the GIANT mozzarella stuffed meatball instead & I quickly agreed. All items were great. How can you go wrong w/ a meatball the size of your head stuffed w/ cheese? Little skimpy on the goat cheese topping of the bruschetta. The pasta was outstanding! Very friendly service from the bar staff. Looks like a nice place to have a drink & watch the game.
(4)Karen P.
I have heard rave reviews from my mother about how great the food is. I purchased a Groupon and discovered that it was going to expire on Wednesday, June 15! So, I rounded up the family, (I have two twenty somethings living at home) and told my husband I was taking the night off from the kitchen and we were going to use the Groupon. I made a reservation two days ahead of time for 7 pm. We arrived at 6:50 p.m. and were told by a very young, quite shaken hostess (she must have been just barked at because customers waiting did not look happy,) that there would be a half hour wait. WHATTTTT???? Why bother to make a reservation? I looked around and noticed several tables were leaving. The bar was full but did not look like "diners". My husband wanted to leave but I said, "Let's wait a few minutes." Sure enough, within five minutes, the hostess said our table was ready and seated us in a booth in the bar area, which was fine because we were starving. It was a small booth and my husband is 6'4 and my son is 6'2 and it was a squeeze. My daughter ordered a chicken pasta dish. The chicken looked overcooked. She said is was just "ok" and said that I make better chicken and pasta. My son ordered the chicken parmigiana and experienced a somewhat nice dish. My husband ordered the shrimp and pasta while I ordered the same dish, without the pasta, since I wanted a carb free dish. The shrimp and sauce were delicious but I am not sure it was worth the price. Service was just OK and then we had problems turning in the Groupon credit. The waitress said, "I am not used to people using these so it will take a while." My daughter showed her how to use the bar code. All in all, it was a meh experience. Our bill for four people, one drink, one cola, was $60 plus there was the $40 Groupon discount already used!! Absolutely, not worth the money. Ambience was awful, too. I would recommend going somewhere else like Amber across the street for the money we spent.
(2)Sarah R.
I love this place. My family has been going there since they opened and we have never had a bad meal. I especially like their lasagna with meat sauce, the filet mignon and the margarita pizza. My parents go about once a month and I try to join them whenever I can. They are located less than a block north from the Westmont train station so it's a great place to stop in the evening as you're getting off the train.
(5)