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  • 0

    Fantastic Italian Gem in Bucktown.

    It must be repeated, the gnochi is out of control.

    The dishes tend to be on the small side. A filling meal requires three courses.

    The first course and pasta dishes are top notch.

    The entrees were very good, but not the star of the show.

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  • 0

    We ate here last Friday for Valentine's Day since we've live in the neighborhood and kept hearing great things. We couldn't have been more impressed! The service was outstanding- we were seated immediately at a table of our choosing and the waiter was incredibly knowledgeable about the food preparation, pairings and wines. We relied on his recommendations the entire way through the meal- from wine to appetizers to pastas and entrees, and he definitely did right by us. The gnocchi is hands-down the best I've ever had (get the one prepared with sage, butter, parmesan) and I will probably just order two of them as my entree next time. My boyfriend and I split the bone-in rib-eye for 2 and we had plenty to take home. Also, he wanted his rare and me medium-rare, so they carved up the meat such that he got the red center and I got the outside pieces that were cooked medium-rare. It was perfect.

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  • 0

    Wow. I can't believe I waited so long to check this place out with my husband. I run by here all the time and see the fresh noodles being rolled out in the window. I am so glad I finally had dinner here.

    The vibe is cozy and romantic and is such an ideal spot for date night. The food is amazing (LOVE their chicken) and their noodles are delicious. We had some of everything and loved every last bite. Service was impeccable, food and wine suggestions were great, and we left happy and a little bit more in love (ha!).

    Can't wait to go back!

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  • 0

    Wow! Wow! Wow! I live in the neighborhood and I would have never found this place unless I walked by. A hidden gem of Bucktown, Antico is one of my top 3 favorite restaurants. The braised short rib was exquisite. It's so easy for a chef to take this dish for granted and ruin it, but Antico takes special pride in its food. Mmm...and the risotto is perfect. It's a very small place. Each time I went without a reservation and had to wait in the tiny 3 seat bar, so Indefinitely recommend calling ahead for reservations. But trust me, any wait is well worth it!

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  • 0

    This may be our new go-to Italian in the Chicago area.  We discovered it by accident while walking around Bucktown - it's tucked away and not too easy to spot.  Checked the ratings - lots of praise.  Booked a reservation for Thursday night; it was about half full when we arrived at 7:30 on a bitter cold night.  The place is very cozy and comfortable - small and intimate with appropriately low, romantic lighting.  Service was attentive and helpful explanations were given for specials.  Started with melt-in-your-mouth diver scallops; for mains my husband had the special, pasta with pork ragu and I had wild mushroom pappardelle; both were exceptional.  We are not frequent dessert eaters but it was a special occasion so we had the italian donuts (can't remember the fancy name) and those were great too.  Only tiny gripe is that if we had ordered cheese, they can't do an ASSORTED cheese plate "because the cheese portions are already pre-arranged" which seemed kind of curious.  But there are plenty of fantastic alternatives here - we'll be back soon!!

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  • 0

    This restaurant was fantastic. From the Fennel salad onto the pasta course and into the meat dishes every plate that came out was a perfect blend of subtlety and flavor. We will be back again very very soon.

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  • 0

    The food was great, and the service was even better. The waiter was very knowledgable and friendly. The only thing more I could ask for was larger pasta portions.

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  • 0

    Found this place by accident.  It is off the main street and is an excellent Italian restaurant.  I had the bone in ribeye and it was one of the best ribeyes I have ever had,  The waiter could have been a little more attentive, but that was OK.  Highly recommended and we will go back.

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  • 0

    The bone-in ribeye (bisteca) for 2 we had at Antico absolutely blew away any ribeye I've ever had at a downtown steakhouse (which I find fatty beyond my ability or desire to chew or eat). This one was tender, juicy, and an awesome salt crust. Just spectacular. And for 2 people, all of $28 per mouth. Oh yeah, and the pastas and wine list and staff are all outstanding. This place is just a winner.

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  • 0

    The positive reviews are more than justified by this place.  The food ranges from good to excellent and the service is outstanding.  The waitstaff do everything from taking orders to clearing including mixing drinks.  I can't think of another restaurant is town where they show such hustle.  Summer is a delight in the back patio where they grow their own herbs.  The dining room is handsome and neighborhood-y.

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  • 0

    We ate at Antico last night to celebrate fiancé's birthday. What a fun evening!

    The GREAT stuff:
    The food. The food. The FOOD!!!!! The pasta is made in-house, and it is exquisite!

    Here's what we ordered--
    Truffled Duck & Chicken Liver Crostini. So velvety, light and mild. Made me laugh... since I enjoyed eating påté, I'm officially an adult. Oh well...

    Gnocchi with the sage butter sauce. Little puffy pillows, lighter than air. We got a double portion, and we wanted MORE! Refill please?

    I was a bit gauche, and got a pasta for my entrée. Tagliatelle Bolognese was life-changing. Again, we got the double portion size.  Homemade tagliatelle was tissue-paper thin and the bolognese sauce was perfection. I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today!

    Fiancé ordered Braised Short Ribs with Saffron Polenta & Horseradish Gremolata for his entrée, which I promptly stole as much as possible. The short ribs were extremely tender, they melted in your mouth. We wanted a refill on this dish too!

    The other stuff:
    It was LOUD. Not a good pace for a first date or heavy conversation.

    They forgot the polenta I ordered...but on the 'plus' side, we weren't charged for it.

    The knives were weird. (To quote fiancé.)

    We can't wait to go back to Antico. You should go too!

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  • 0

    Best gnocchi in Chicago. Refined, tasty italian food without the oversized portion sizes. Good wine list and recommendations.

    A little bucktown gem.

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  • 0

    WOW. I will try to limit my posting so I don't write a book about how fantastic this place is. I know the reviews are good, and I just live down the street, but couldn't believe this small one-upon a time house, could be one of the best Italian places in Chicago.

    Went here on a Friday night and didn't have to wait for a table, it did get much busier, but still probably no longer than a 20 minute wait on a weekend evening for dinner.

    We wanted to get a bottle of wine and asked the server for a recommendation, long story short, this server was one of the BEST servers I've encountered, and that's saying a lot, and I'm a tough critic. Instead of rambling about wines, he did a small wine tasting for us from light to full-bodied reds that he felt were good wines. Each tasting came with the correctly paired, and new glass. Once we chose, he opened a fresh bottle and again had us taste that to make sure we still enjoyed it and that specific bottle was good- again correct wine glass pairing.

    The way he described the items on the menu, starting with the appetizers and working his way down the menu, was poetic and mouthwatering.

    The food, also excellent. I can't say enough about this place and am so thrilled to have it in my neighborhood.

    Nice job Antico. Nice job.

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  • 0

    Great italian food should be more than just pasta. Italian food is all about fresh and high quality ingredients. That being said, this is the best italian restaurant in Bucktown (sorry club lucky). They DO have great pastas but they are small portions meant to be PART of a great meal, and not a night ending carb-fest. The gnocchi in butter and sage is delicious. So is the wild boar ragu. They have one of the best ribeye steaks I have ever had, and comes with delicious bone marrow + crostini. Salmon is also great. Small cozy space. Attentive servers. Great italian wine list. Does not get any better at this price point. Either the manager or chef or someone at antico formerly worked at A Tavola, and the similarities are prevalent.

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  • 0

    One of the best places to eat in Chicago. An absolute fabulous restaurant with amazing food and great service. And absolute must in Chicago. Likely the best Italian food in the city. And it's got a great, warm feel to the restaurant. They also have a wonderful wine list. The staff has been there since they opened and they are so friendly and knowledgeable. Can't say enough good things!

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  • 0

    Outstanding!!  A friend and myself came here for an early dinner after both wanting to try Antico for a year and it was amazing.

    We split a well-priced bottle of Pinot Noir and started with the fig caprese salad (which they kindly split into a fig half and a tomato half, for my non-fig loving amiga).  Then came the scallops, gnocchi pomodoro and greens.  All of these were beautifully presented and well-paced.  The food itself was delicious and the service was great:..we both commented that we can't wait to go back.  Our total bill was just shy of $100, which we thought to be an amazing value for the quality options, service, ambiance and overall experience.  The employee pride here is so evident...every staff-member we interacted with was amazing.  We will be back!

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  • 0

    Let me tell ya, this is one of the best Italian restaurants I"ve eaten at in a long time.  Now, that may be because I live in San Diego where they really don't know what a good Italian restaurant is.  But.... this place was excellent. The staff is friendly and accomodating.  They truly  understand that they are there in order to make your experience not just a good one, but enjoyable.  OUr waitress was happy and ready to serve. She showed confidence in the the wines and the menu. Her recommendations were right on.  There were four of us.  Three had the fish of the evening, Salmon.  It was tender, perfectly cooked and served with baby asparagus over the top. The asparagus was sweet and crunchy.  I had the pasta special which was a barbeque pork ragu over a taglitelle pasta.  Did I say the pasta is made fresh daily?  Well, if  not, the past  is made fresh daily -- it was magnifico.  The best I've had in years -- honestly.  

    OUr waitress was also helpful in recommending wines to match our meals.  Again, she was right on. The arugala salad was fresh and tasty.  Finally we finished with the Italian donuts -- oh my!  Sweet, hot and crunchy.   This is the second time I"ve been to Antico. Based on both experiences I will go back again and again and again.  Highly recommended!

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  • 0

    Antico is located on Leavitt and you can easily pass it without thinking twice.  But let me be the one to tell you -  don't walk away from this place! It is AMAZING! I love how some spots in Chicago transport you to some far away land after walking in. Antico's back patio is beautiful and reminded me of Italy.  They grow many herbs and vegetables in the back patio that will make their way on to your plate, which I think makes them stand out from other Italian restaurants.  This is a great place to go on a date or have an intimate dinner.

    I started with the special appetizer of the night Fig Caprese Salad which was absolutely delicious.  The figs were perfect and the mozzarella was fresh.  I had the Salmon with Michigan Asparagus and it was also spot on.  The Salmon was about 4 oz., a small portion, but it was so creamy I was happy with it.  They unfortunately ran out of the gelato and I had their panna cotta which was standard compared to the other plates.  The wine was also reasonably priced and I told the waiter to bring whichever he thought would match our food and he brought out a $30 Cabarnet.  Service was impeccable as our waiter let us sit for a long time and enjoy our meal and was very informative.  For an appetizer, two meals, dessert and wine the bill came out to $100, which I think is reasonable for the quality.  I will definitely visit again!

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  • 0

    Great experience here, from two very discriminating diners.  

    We had two appetizers,
    two pastas
    split a main course
    a bottle of wine
    and a few smooches

    Everything was fantastic!

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  • 0

    One of the best meals we have had in Chicago! Undoubtably surpasses Piccolo Songa and the other old school establishments that have had a foothold on the Italian scene for years.

    The wait staff are not only knowledgable but more accommodating than any we have encountered in the city -- with a kitchen that is willing to go the extra mile to make sure the food is....perfect!

    Can't wait for our next visit!

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  • 0

    We love this place! The food is fantastic and the service is always friendly, consistent and efficient. This is our go-to neighborhood joint for out-of-town company, special occasions or almost any other "we want a special meal but don't want to drive."
    The gnocchi is delicious, particularly with sage/brown butter.

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  • 0

    Great food.   Small portions. Great wine.  Great service.  Like tbe settings inside and out.  Gnocchi is great and almost exactly like a tavala......wouldn't be surprised if they are the same......go....expensive.  dont drop stars if it says its expensive and then is

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  • 0

    I have been wanting to go here since they opened up. I'm a sucker for quality italian food as is, so coming here for my birthday was the excuse I finally used.

    I came here with a group of 10 since we were also adding in a lot of wine for this. I had worked things out ahead of time for the menu. Granted, I was saying yes to basically everything anyway and everything was served family style for the group.

    There was a whole lot of food and we started off with the fig butter crostini and prosciutto. These were absolutely delicious. We also had a mushrooms and polenta dish which was one of the first things that came to my mind when setting everything up. I have to say, their polenta is absolutely bang on. This was great polenta. We also had a selection of meats as well, but I don't remember them too well (there was soooo much food that some things were quick for me).

    The next up was the gnocchi. I'm a gnocchi nit, and this was some quality gnocchi. It was light but perfect texture. Nearly a week later and I can still think of it. yea, it was that damn good. We also had the bolognese which was perfect with the wines we were drinking. I didn't get too much of this, but what I had I enjoyed. I'm not gonna lie, I was bogarting as much of the gnocchi as possible, so the bolognese kinda went off to the side for me. I did dig into the pappardelle and wild mushrooms though. It was exactly how I wanted and imagined it to be.

    We finished things off with a rib eye and a short rib. The rib eye was very good but the short rib fell slightly short of everything previously. I will say though, the polenta surrounding the short rib was absolutely wonderful and I ended up having even more of that again.

    I really enjoyed myself here. I look forward to coming back for a more normal dinner, but this was a full home run. The service was tremendous and extremely nice. They were always available and extremely helpful. I'm already looking for reasons to go back.

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  • 0

    What gives?  I couldn't have been more excited to try this place.  It disappointed in nearly every facet.

    Upon arriving, Meg L and I noted how lovely the space was.  It's quaint and casual, but definitely upscale.  There's a small bar and only 15-20 tables.  Our server was terrific and did well describing the outstanding specials.  

    Unfortunately, the description didn't even remotely match the food.  

    Starter: Mussels.  Rubbery with a mediocre, thin sauce.  It seems like every bar in town can make a pretty scrumptious mussel dish these days.  I'd like to think an expensive restaurant could at least match that.  

    Pasta: In a hearty smoked pork ragu.  Sounds amazing?  I agree.  Tastes boring and bland.  Hearty would be the opposite of a description of this ragu and it featured about 2 oz of pork.  That's not a ragu.  That's leftover meat covered in warm v8.

    Entree: Short Ribs with Saffron Polenta.  There was nothing specifically wrong with this.  It just wasn't great.  The Polenta was minimal (although tasted great), and the short ribs were braised at the level of quality of a decent home chef.  Solid, and if I made them myself I'd be proud, but they weren't memorable.  

    The wine was good and reasonably priced, so that was nice.  The atmosphere and service were also great.  It appears to have an amazing back yard space.  I wish it was somewhere I'd go again.  Unfortunately, I'm confused by all these high star reviews.  The food could be outdone by any mediocre corner Italian place in most neighborhoods of the city.  

    Sad.

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  • 0

    Delicious, homemade pasta; Great service and warm atmosphere. The type of place you want to patronize and support. My only super picky critique would be that its wine list features no French or American  reds (at least none that I saw...). It was fun to drink outside my usual wines, though!

    They also have a lovely patio for the summer months.

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  • 0

    My boyfriend and I have been to Antico twice. It's been absolutely amazing both times.

    The first time we went was for new year's eve. We weren't sure what to expect but our waitress was so friendly and knowledgeable that we had no trouble ordering. They have an amazing wine list and our super-awesome waitress was able to recommend something that we both would like.

    The food is almost indescribable. They make all of the pastas in house and they they also braise (or smoke?) all of the meat on their fire pit in back. Honestly, I'm not sure what they do to it, but it tastes absolutely amazing.

    Each time we leave Antico, we both are fairly drunk off of good wine and we rave about how great our meal was. Definitely a good date place and has a nice atmosphere that's fairly casual.

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  • 0

    I went to Antico with my boyfriend last night for dinner...love love love!

    The inside of the restaurant is pretty tiny...a couple small tables. Definitely very intimate. Their patio was open, so we decided to sit outside because it was a beautiful day.

    Maggie, our server, was very attentive and knowledgeable about all the menu items. In addition to that, she was super friendly and we loved her energy.

    We ordered:
    -truffled duck and chicken liver crostini - pretty good...lots of truffled duck and chicken liver...not enough crostini
    -egg yolk risotto - so amazing...was gone in seconds!
    -gnocchi - i believe this is one of their specialties...super delicious...there are many great comments about the gnocchi on foursquare which is what made me order it

    I can't remember what my boyfriend ordered, but that was YUMMO as well.

    I definitely recommend checking out this restaurant. This was actually my second time visiting it, and the experience was just as good as the first.

    They take reservations, so make one ASAP!

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  • 0

    Love how small it is, how romantic it is, and how good the food is!!!
    My husband and I went to Antico for our wedding anniversary dinner.
    The server was FANTASTIC with pairing the wine for the food we were to order, and she recommended the best ever steamed clams.
    I seriously would've stayed there all night long if it weren't for my husband :]
    Every dish was fresh, delicious, and SOOOOOOO appetizing that we forgot we had to romantic and just kept eating!!!
    Pricing was reasonable, considering it was gourmet food and that it was located in Bucktown.
    GO THERE TONIGHT!YOU WON"T REGRET IT!

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  • 0

    Antico is a hidden gem! I believe last night was our 4th or 5th visit, and exceptionally good. My monk fish was crisp and perfectly done, and the broccoli side was as well. The parmigiano potato side for the table was really yummy, as was the wild mushroom polenta appetizer!  

    Our friend's bone on veal chop was mouth watering and came with a marrow bone to add to the taste treat. Home made salted caremel gelato was reminiscent of gelato in Rome, and the formaggio plate rounded out the best meal I've had in a while.

    There were a few open tables when we left at 7:30 and on a Saturday night, so take advantage! We came at opening with our 9 m.o., and were well taken care of throughout the meal. We've always eaten in their lovely garden before, and we'll be back!  Evan

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  • 0

    Folks @ Antico were very accommodating when we had to change our NYE reservation several times.  When we arrived (early), they had our table ready.  We really enjoyed the experience at Antico, from the friendly and incredibly knowledgeable waitress, to the quick delivery of our food, to the wine selection, all the way through dessert.

    The most important part of the experience - the food - was seriously fantastic.  We loved the gnocchi (a reco from the couple who exited Antico as we arrived).  We had their special: Pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter sauce.  They cooked the sage leaves, to make them crispy, a tad sweet, and so yummy! The chestnut soup was warming and perfect for a cold evening.  Not too thick and filling.  The scallops were perfectly cooked as well.

    The entrées - short ribs that fell off the bone, pork ragout with perfect flavoring, and lamb chops - all were tasted, and promptly shared with the entire table.  We devoured everything quickly but made sure to savor every bite.

    For the price, atmosphere, and food, I highly recommend Antico.

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  • 0

    Good stuff.

    We started with the sauteed mushrooms on saffron polenta and the arugula salad - both were good, though the citrus vinaigrette on the arugula salad was too strong.  (I couldn't taste the arugula itself very much.)

    We both had pasta specials, which were great.  Root vegetable gnocchi for me and he had a pork-sauce pasta.  Excellent, and just the right size.

    We split a pork chop in wine reduction (the sage leaves were SO GOOD) and staggered away without room for dessert.

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  • 0

    I know... pasta is indulgent, safe, and overdone.  In addition, gnocchi is the "fair food" of pasta, so it's really at the bottom of my list.  But when I find a place that boasts about their homemade pasta, I'll splurge.  

    The waiter suggested I try the sage buttered gnocchi... mmmmmm.  I have to admit it enlightened me.  I am officially a pasta lover and a gnocchi obsessor.  I don't think they should call it gnocchi, it's deceiving!!!  Maybe "little puffs of heaven" would work better.

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  • 0

    Pasta, arugula salad, everything with fig divine. Wine also excellent.
    Strawberry rhubarb with vanilla gelato yum!

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  • 0

    Will I use my man-card if I call this place adorable? Sorry folks, that's  the first word that came to mind when I recalled our evening at Antico. The restaurant itself is tiny, cozy and quaint. The food is big, bold and packed with flavor.

     The food was nothing short of amazing. We started out with the most decadent duck and chicken liver crostini. The liver was melt in your mouth delicious. For my entree I went with the Veal Milanese. This may sound like some foo foo, girly dish, but trust me when I say it's not. It's a gigantic slab of breaded veal the size of John Goodman's head that's packed with flavor. The spices in the breading and the quality of the Veal blew me away. To top things off, we ended our meal with a plate of delicious Zeppole and a couple of espresso's. The bottom line is, everything they served us was delicious.

    If you are looking for a nice relaxing experience and food that is shockingly delicious, add Antico to your list of must try restaurants. The staff is wonderful, the decor is soothing and the food is out of this world. Two thumbs up!!!

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  • 0

    Wow, Antico was definitely an unexpected find on our Friday night dating adventures!  So unassuming and laid back from the outside, you would never guess at the culinary wonders residing within.

    We started out with the Truffled Duck & Chicken Liver Crostini.  Silky, salty, earthy and totally decadent.  They give you more pate than crostini, so you will need to either ask for more or save the bread plate.  You arent going to want to waste a single scoop of this.

    Andy had the Veal Milanese, which was huge veal chop, pounded thin and covered in a fantastic breading - sort of an Italian chicken-fried steak.  I had one of their specials (and there was quite a few to pick from) which was...wait for it...Blueberry Risotto!?  YES. And let me tell you, as strange as it sounds, it was so freaking delicious I will be making this on my own.  They only gave you a tiny bowl, but it was so rich, so amazing with the blueberries and salty Parmesan - I had no idea this flavour combination could work so brilliantly.  

    Of course, in true Italian fashion, we ended the meal with espresso and a plate of Zeppole, which are tiny fritters served piping hot and dusted with powdered sugar. For a meager $3 you really should make some room in the belly and try these.

    Do be aware, this place is tiny and you will want to call in a reservation if you want to come, especially for a weekend night. We lucked out in snagging the last available table, but better be safe than sorry.

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  • 0

    Stopped in here for cup of coffee and a couple pastries with the gf. The croissant was very well done, a good crust and light and flaky inside. The chocolate croissant was very good as well. The muffin was a little dry but still with good flavor. The coffee is house roasted and well done even if it is a little lighter of a roast than I normally prefer.

    I wish I could do half stars as this place is a 3.5 but as this is in the neighborhood it will have chances to raise the score later.

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  • 0

    Antico is a very promising up and comer in Bucktown -- a neighborhood lacking in solid Italian fare.  We dropped in and found the room cozy but crowded.  The server was very slow getting to us but the owner jumped in and took care of us.  I was heartbroken that they had run out of short-ribs, but our substitutions were quite good.  Gnocchi with burnt butter and sage, a delightful chilled salad of asparagus tips and fava beans, and rib eye with marrow bone.  All were quite good but I was disappointed at the lack of bone marrow with my steak.  As a huge fan of marrow bone, I would like to see that as a free-standing app on the menu.

    The staff was warm and accommodating and I plan on returning soon!

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  • 0

    I was very excited to try this newish spot as I am a big fan of A Tavola. The prices here make me consider it a special occasion place though the vibe is very welcoming and fairly casual. It was an anniversary celebration so we came with plans for a leisurely evening and while the service was excellent I did feel a bit rushed. We ordered an appetizer, two first course pastas, split an entree and split a dessert and yet we still had wine left in our bottle by the end of the meal. I think that the service was almost too good - they brought out all of our courses in quick succession. The restaurant wasn't full and it was still early in the night so I am not sure why there was such a rush to get the food out. I would have preferred at bit of a breather between courses to sit and enjoy. Perhaps this is just a kink that they still need to work out.

    I know that this place isn't Maggiano's and the portions are intentionally modest but it is another thing to be stingy. We split the fish special (which was outstanding) that came with spring asparagus and 'potatoes'. It was nicely divided onto two plates with a nice size piece of fish and about 6 asparagus and one half of one red potato on each plate. Yes, that's right. One half of one red potato. The potato was perfect but it would have been nice to have the entire potato. I mean how much does a bag of potatoes cost? $3? It just looked pretty ridiculous on our plate.

    The food otherwise was divino: the gnocchi with sage is drool worthy, the pasta is perfect, the mushrooms and onions cooked in butter over polenta could not be any more delicious. The desserts were inventive and decadent. I loved the fact that there were many reasonably priced bottles of wine to choose from. I will definitely be back during the day to try their pastries and house roasted coffee. I will also be back for dinner but I'll probably tell them that we aren't in a rush in hopes for a more leisurely meal.

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  • 0

    It was my birthday this past weekend.  I usually don't like to make a fuss, and usually opt to hang out at home, eating some take-out 'za while watching Blade III for the umpteenth time.

    But the wife and a couple that we like to hang out with a lot went out and navigated the quaint quiet streets of Bucktown to try Antico.

    Short:  Liked it a lot.

    Long.  We had a reservation, which I think is a generally a good idea for any decent Northside restaurant.  Our reservation was for 7:30pm, and we were seated promptly.  As others have said, the space is small, but it's nicely decorated and it works.  There is not much of a waiting area, but I think it would be cool to wait outside if need be.

    We had the fritti and pate' crostini appetizers.  I greatly enjoyed both of them.  Fritti, cuttlefish, think more-tender calamari.  Yum.  The portion size was enough for four to have a little bit each.  The pate' was great. I love pate' and was not disappointed.  We also had the gnocchi with sage, and that was fantastic.  I was particularly struck by the taste and texture of the sage, which had been sauteed I'm assuming in the sauce.  We also have the asparagus salad.  This salad did not stand out but frankly the other flavors were so great that the salad never had a chance.

    My wife had the lamb chops, they were great.  Her 'gratin potato side was really good.  I had the ribeye with the marrow bone.  The steak comes with crostini, so you can spread the marrow on it, and nosh away.  Great.  The steak was cooked medium-rare as ordered.  

    We had a nice wine, I think it was a $42 Valpolicella, and went well with our meal.

    Also had the Zep desert with a latte.  Friends had the flan, it tasted amazing.  I would get that next time.... what a creamy texture.  Friend had the vanilla ice cream with the neat topping that included sea salt... very nice and well done.

    My suggestion to a couple dining here would be to split a meat entree, like the lamb chops.  You'd get one each.  I'd get the gnocchi and two or more appetizers.  The steak is big, and even though I can be a big eater the little angel that sits on my right shoulder told me that I shouldn't eat steaks as big as a plate.

    To the restaurant, I would say bravo, and hurrah.  But I'd caution you to go lighter on the salt for the steak and the veal chops that my friend had, someone loves the sea salt too much.  I also suggested to the manager who had stopped at our table to slow down the appetizers, the pacing was a bit quick at start.  I'm splitting hairs to make you excellent.  I'm giving you 5 stars, wanted to give you 4.5 so you could grow into 5, but honestly, the dishes were really well done.

    Restaurants like Antico are what make Chicago amazing.  The attention to flavors coupled with the coziness of the space make it a nice place for a couple or couples to have a very nice meal with a nice ambiance.

    Review Source:
  • 0

    Another great meal! This new restaurant is destined to be in the upper echelon of Chicago Italian eateries. Charming space with simple and elegant decor. I'm working my way through the menu and have found each item to be mouth watering. Hard to choose what my favorite is going to be, but lots of seasonal specials to keep me coming back to check out the latest dish.

    Try it and it'll soon become your special place to dine.

    Review Source:
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