Visited this wine bar while I was in Chicago. Â It was a little confusing once my friends and I entered the restaurant which was located above this wine bar. You think you're in the wine bar, but it doesn't look like the picture then you realize that it's actually downstairs.
The setting of this place is great for small groups or even a date. Â There are small tables along with cozy chairs located on the outskirts of the bar. Â When we got here, it wasn't too crowded, but as time went on more and more people filtered through. Â It's a small space, so I can see this place getting filled especially during the weekend.
They have an extensive wine selection along with small bites if you need something to fill your tummy so the wine doesn't go straight to your head. Â
The server who helped us was super nice, he reminded me of Chris Rock, but without the comedic remarks but with insightful selections for the type of wine I was looking for. Â
Take a peek if you're in town or want to go somewhere to have a cute place to have wine and talk with a significant other or with friends.
Didn't understand why the main menu was hand-written & photocopied while the Daily Specials menu was professionally drafted, printed, and plastic-protected. Bass Ackwards to me. BUT...we dine for the food, and that was spot on. Sea Bass over a bed of spinach = Good Stuff. I'll be back.
Review Source:If this review is too long for you - skip to the bottom and read my final thoughts. Â Thanks!
:::::LOCATION:::::
-The location itself is kind of in a dead spot of Streeterville. Â If you're in the area any time after 9, the buzz is gone. Â Unless you work in the area, or are staying in area in one of your insanely expensive hotels, you're probably not going to find another fun spot in the area.
:::::ATMOSPHERE:::::
Nestled in the basement of Francesca's on Chestnut, it's a nice little hidden gem for those looking to kick back and drink a glass of wine or 6. Â The walls are rustic, and the furniture is modern. Â The atmosphere here is quite suitable for a date, a night out, or post-work drinks. Â It's small but intimate.
The Dress Code is casual, but 9/10 people I've seen here are in cocktail dresses or trendy "night out" attire.
:::::DRINKS:::::::
The wine here is very delicious and the servers are quite knowledgable about what to serve you. Â Too many options to pick? Ask for a flight! Â The wine list constantly is updated, but from experience - I can tell you that you can't go wrong with an Italian Red or a French White.
:::::FOOD::::::::
The food here is nothing to write home about. Â They do have delicious small bites, but you're better off going upstairs to Francesca's to eat. Â However... if you're here, you're not here for the food. Â You're here for the wine. Â So I won't take points off for the food. Â
To give you an idea of their menu... they have antipasta, bruschetta, cheese, and salami that go really well with the wines.
:::::SERVICE:::::
A+. Â The place is quite tiny, so it would be surprising if the service wasn't good. Â They treat you well here at DiSotto and always keep your glass filled at your request.
:::::PRICE:::::
Flights and individual glasses start at the $10 range and go up to $$$. Â
:::::FINAL THOUGHTS:::::
If you're looking for a great place to have post-work drinks, or a fun little secret cove to take a date on - this is definitely an option. Â The variety of wines they offer will keep the conversation going, while the small plates will keep you satisfied as you order another glass. Â It's small, cozy, and cute. Â Escape from the winter cold and grab a few glasses of vino here. Â You won't regret it.
4 for ambiance. 3 for service.
This place is definitely worth checking out. Â My bf and I took a random day off work and after walking around Michigan ave decided to have some late afternoon wine. It really is a hidden gem, especially in that area. It's cozy, intimate (aka very small!), and the decor is really neat. It actually feels like you're in a wine cellar. I also thought the prices were very reasonable, especially for that area. Wine list is extensive, although I wish there were a bit more food choices. We each had 2 tastings and ordered the mozzarella, tomato, pesto, bread app which was good and plenty of food for 2.
The one thing I would knock off points for was the staff was a little odd. We sat at the bar and were chatting with the bartender for a while. We asked some pretty easy ( I thought) questions about some of the liquors and didn't really get answers. He was nice, but not super knowledgeable. I also kinda felt like when we asked for suggestions he also pointed to the most expensive things and didn't really have an explanation for why they were great. Also, one of the others was talking to us about drinking 2 bottles of wine and then throwing up later. Don't get me wrong... We've all been there and I'm not stuffy at all, so it wasn't a big deal. But I thought it was a little odd... Didn't really fit the romantic/classy atmosphere.
I would recommend coming for a drink after dinner.
First of all, Di Sotto Enoteca should definitely put up better signage in front of their building. Without the indication that the winebar was downstairs, I immediately thought the restaurant Francesca's (upstairs) was actually di sotto enoteca. It really did not matter though because BOTH turned out to be amazing! This review is specifically for BOTH venues not just Enoteca.
Francesca's
Along with my friends from Bejing & Algeria, I shared a Hall Merlot 2008 amidst some GREAT food & ambience. My friend had the fried calamari and a chicken diavola pasta...I just mooched on him and the bread (^^;;;) I just really loved the menu...they change it every two weeks!!!!
The food was like family Italian food from New York (generous portions). The bread was delightfully warm...the olive oil unlike anything olive oil I've tasted before (:o) The diavola pasta I tried was fabuloso as well!
As we sipped on merlot, we were listening to chill live jazz music. The decor really reminds you of New York.
Overall, I'm definitely going back! (before I forget, the prices were also VERY reasonable).
Di Sotto Enoteca
After having had great conversations and a good time with the Merlot upstairs, we brought the party downstairs because Francesca's was closing. As Randy B. would describe this place, a "charming wine cave" is very accurate. Even quite medieval.! You gotta love places in general that make you feel like you've just entered a new world. Enoteca definitely did that for me.
Staff was very friendly...I really wish I could have gotten a few names so that I could mention them here.
There was a blond ale I had when I was here. Wish I remember the name...and I looked at the menu online and...they don't have it (:O)?
Honestly, do not remembered the wine we ordered because I outsourced the ordering and was a bit inebriated. Well, what a swell night I had just had.
simply put: come here only if you plan to drink wine... because they have a binder full of the options for wine... but we made the mistake to come here for dinner.
when we asked for the dinner menu, it was a laminated single page with about 15 different options, for EVERYTHING (appetizer, entree, dessert). i asked our server what she would recommend for vegetarian options and she answered "red or white?" .... confusion.... when i asked her again about the FOOD, she just pointed out what was vegetarian on the menu... not what i asked. Â my boyfriend ordered a wine, and he asked for her recommendation, and she again, just listed a few of the type of wine he was asking for. when he asked which was the best, she stated the blend.
the wine turned out to be mundane. Â we ordered food asking for our appetizer first, and our entree last, and we were going to share everything because neither of us were entirely starving... they both came out at the same time. appetizer was some sort of a crunchy flat bread, which we ate right up, and was delicious, and for dinner we ordered the cheese ravioli... let me tell you about this ravioli!
it was a sad presentation. some raviolis floating in some vomit-colored sauce. when we ate it, it was cold, mushy and had some sort of a funk to it. i said i couldnt eat it because it was cold, we sent it back and asked for a hot plate. it returns and looks even worse! it looked like it was thrown back into the skillet, a cooking utensil jabbed through all the delicate raviolis and came back in some chewed up looking mush. my boyfriend said it tasted like lobster ravioli (the funk) and it was not etible at this point. we sent it back and had it taken off the bill. i was disgusted and couldnt eat anything for the rest of the night :(
this place is super cute! Â Great for date night or to take a break for the summer heat! Â Â We came in for a glass of wine and dessert.
The server was pretty good.
So why the minus one star??? Â We ordered lemon ricotta zeppoli and the cheese zeppoli. Â While the lemon ones were pretty good, the cheese ones were pretty bland. Â we even asked for chocolate sauce to give it a little taste but they were still not so great. Â In my opinion, we shouldn't have been charged for them since we tried to spruce them up by asking for chocolate and they were still barely edible.
overall, Â cute place, just stay away from the zeppoli!
Lovely atmosphere. Â Downstairs below Francesca's on Chestnut (which, btw, has good food but is way too loud).
The service was inept. Â We ordered a bottle of wine. She came back to ask what was it again? Then a third return to announce they were out. Â Great serving staff would have known that in the first place. Â We pick another bottle.
Then before our wine even arrives, the food arrives--all at once! The olives, the egg bread, and the ravioli, which then had to sit  getting cold while we ate the appetizers while (finally) starting the wine.  Nice olive selection, served warm, which enhanced the flavor.  The bread egg truffle was dull.  The ravioli was decent, pretty well made.
Despite the fact that it is a wine bar, we were on our own for refilling water and wine throughout the evening. Â
Also, on a Saturday night, we were able to walk in at 7 p.m.--that says something...there are better alternatives.
If they ever ratchet up the service and push the food quality up a notch or two, they will have a winning combination.
Ya know how you have that friend who needs more work on themselves and when they finally did whatever they had to do they are a pleasure to hang out with?
OK it's not THAT serious.
But because they re-arranged some of the furniture in this joint (from the last time I was there about 8 months ago)and it looks like there is more room I will becoming around more. I love the wine selection here.
A real gem if you ask me
This place is fantastic. The Drinks and food are great and the ambiance is unlike anyplace I've been yet in Chicago. It feels like a well kept secret (cliche I know), but when you're there you'll know what I mean. They don't carry mainstream brands of spirits so be prepared to experiment a little and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.
Review Source:DiSotto Enoteca was the perfect venue for a law school social on a cold winter's night, where the wine flowed as freely and deliciously as the tales of courtroom dramas, and greased the wheels of legal camraderie and - er- where was I?
Oh yeah, it's a nice, smallish winebar located downstairs, and if you're nice to the maitre d' at Mia Francesca's upstairs, he might just let you in on that secret. Â
They have a nice selection of wines that come in 2.5 ounce tastings or by the glass, and a subdued, library-like atmosphere, which I guess makes it easier to peruse their hefty wine menu. It was surprisingly empty for a Friday evening, but the service was slow despite the fact that we were the only ones in the room.
Hosted a private dinner event at DiSotto Enoteca and it was superb. I highly recommend it if you have a group of 20-25 people. The atmosphere is undoubtedly unique and charming, with great lighting and acoustics - you are transported to a wine cellar in old world Italy.
The space itself is located in the cellar level of Francesca's on Chestnut which is connected to the Seneca hotel. A separate door entrance can be found next to the hotel.
Our dinner featured a 3 course menu and open bar and took place in the entire Disotto space from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. The food was great - portioned as an Italian meal should be.
If I were to make a suggestion, it would be to be mindful of the time allotment for a private event. When 9:00pm hit, the space was open to the public and even though we were still wrapping up, strangers were able to wander into the space.
All in all, a home run for a private dinner event. Would definitely recommend.
Adorable wine bar that I would have never found without yelp! This place is tucked in the basement of a hotel restaurant just off Michigan Ave & I don't think too many people know of its existence. Most of all I loved the cozy and romantic Italian vault atmosphere..perfect for a cold and snowy winter day. The wines & bruschettas were really good. The menu is mostly appetizers, so I would recommend coming here for drinks and noshes instead of a full dinner.
Review Source:Yeah, I think I've had my fill of Scott Harris joints.
We had been here a year ago and it was fine. Â This place has all the trimmings to be uber-romantic, super cool. Â Very expensive, which matches the neighborhood, but if you know that going in, eh, you know how it's going to go. Â Last year we had some cheeses and meats which were fine enough, nothing to get all hot and bothered about, except maybe about the portion sizes which are itty bitty teeny compared to the asking price.
We were back the other night in search of dessert (which they no longer have) and while the decor is great and completely supports what they're trying to do, everything else was lacking. Â A sit-and-linger wine bar is a great concept, except when it's super tiny and there's a standing room only wait, with nowhere to stand. Â Tables don't turn over so it's hard to get seated. Â
Our server was apathetic, unfriendly and generally missing in action. Â In general, the staff was very busy milling about, just not assisting tables. Â My brother in law wanted some bread but our server ignored his request; my hubs informed him that they charge just for bread so he dropped it. Â Some little plates were dropped off and my hubs noticed one had some black food goo stuck on it, so he handed them to the server on one of her rare visits. Â She copped a bit of an attitude, asking "do you want to inspect them all first?" to which my husband replied in a shocked manner, no, please bring us a clean set. Â
We made our own nice time but we're tired of being treated poorly and pick-pocketed at Scott's places, so don't expect to find us here. Â Plus the valet guys always make you feel like they're put out and doing you a huge favor by taking care of your car.
After writing my original review for DiSotto they reached out to me via Yelp and apologized for my experience. They then explained that the usual staff was out sick and they completely understood where I was coming from in my review. They then asked me to come back in and give them another try. So I did. And boy was it worth it!
They rolled out the red carpet - served us a fantastic wine (one I had wanted my first visit), it was already decanted and waiting for us when we got there plus all of my favorites from the menu and a few items I didn't get to try the last time (like the truffles!)
The service was amazing and the food again did not disappoint. I'll definitely be coming back to DiSotto - they are a class act & more restaurants should take note!
I was hestitant to do a review because I enjoy having this place as my hideaway. Â But I know that would be selfish of me. Â I love the service and the extensive wine list. Â Too boot, its cozy and quiet. Â You can have a great conversation here and enjoy a wonderful glass of wine in peace. Â When you get to the cellar, one's mind will roam to determine just how extensive the wine list will be...The selection of light fare compliments the wine.
Review Source:Remember, DiSotto Enoteca is in the BASEMENT, and  Mia's is upstairs. This caused the boyfriend plenty of confusion and we got seated at Mia at first.
We came late night, it was more that I was super hungry and needed more food (I'm like King Louis XVI, 5 meals a day, at least). I ordered the prociutto di parma, he got a glass of wine (I don't drink), and we also split the truffle egg toast. Absolutely no complaints here, the truffle egg toast was truly something else, I'd go back just for that. We also split one of the bruschete, I can't remember (probably tomatoes, mozarella, and bassil).
Romance. Â Intimacy. Â Wine. Â Cheese. Â Who doesn't like any of these things? Â And when you put them together, they all add up to a perfect night. Â So find that special someone and take them to DiSotto Enoteca.
DiSotto Enoteca is tucked away in the basement of Francesca's on Chestnut. Â If you drive- the valet at the Seneca Hotel will take your car (it's only $10) and you will be free to wander down a steep staircase into what is an unexpected find in the shadow of the Hancock building.
Wines line the walls, the convex brick ceiling looks like it has been there for generations (it hasn't as this space used to be a storeroom). Â The leather seats gathered into cozy corners or the tables in the center, beckon you to come and sip wine and eat delicious meats and cheeses.
We chose to sit at the small bar tucked away in the corner, and it was a great choice as we got to meet Kwame (server extraordinaire) and Elliott (a very new bartender who was also great!). Â They made sure our glasses were never empty, had wonderful suggestions for wines, poured a great martini and kept the cheeses, meats and bruchettas coming.
The menu is a series of "nibbles" that accompany the various wine flights that they pour. Â And with the cheese flight comes nuts and some of the most amazing honey that perfectly accompanies the various tastes. They also will pour the wine in varying sizes so you can have a taste or a full glass.
There are plenty of wine bars in our fair town. Â But none with the intimacy that will surely spark romance like DiSotto Enoteca! Â A perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city that surrounds you..
One of the most romantic meals of my life. I walked downstairs with the gf into a warm, dimly lit cellar/wine bar. Iron wrought chandeliers hung from domed ceilings as floor to ceiling racks of wine shone back flickers of gentle, yellow light.
With brick walls and generously spaced tables, for the first 10 minutes we were the only customers there and the waitress/bartender/hostess was FANTASTIC. Sitting here, chatting over glass after glass of wine while tapas are thoughtfully brought out was the cap to such a great evening.
The menu selection isn't huge, but every dish sounds fantastic. The only one I am adamant you must order is the truffle bread with egg yolk. The heady aroma will make your knees go weak and angels will sing.
Don't be confused with Francesca's on the first floor of the hotel, this is the wine bar below.
After a long day of shopping, DiSotto Enoteca was the perfect spot to relax and unwind (that is, once you get downstairs, past the hectic atmosphere of Francesca's...).
In any case, DiSotto was a calm oasis in the city. Â Seated in plush armchairs, enjoying some wine and snacks was wonderful. Â The room itself is great...exposed brick and 'candle' chandeliers are a nice touch. Â The wall of wine was also nice (and the room with the hanging meat? Â Sign me up for some of that!). Â Atmosphere is a 5.
The selection of wines is quite good and I would also say that the pour size is also generous (at so many wine bars, this isn't the case). Â I tried an Austrian white - yum. Â We also had the ricotta snack as well as a selection of meats. Â the ricotta was delicious - heavenly in fact. Â With honey and a the light, fluffy ricotta - simply divine. Â The meat was also quite delicious (though, I didn't love the lardo selection, but that's my fault and it was good, just not really my thing). Â Food definitely a 5. Â
Service was friendly, and at times a bit slow, but I chalk this up to our waitress being one of two people working on a busy Saturday night. Â She was very sweet, though, and brought me extra bread for my ricotta, so score some points for that! Â A 4 for service.
The bathrooms were nicely done, though the doors in the women's restroom could have been slightly easier to close, but clean. Â A 4 for bathrooms.
As to value...Things were very reasonably priced, though we ended up spending more than I would have thought (probably due to the wine that I ordered...a bit pricey). Â In any case, I thought the value was quite good. Â The wine pours are generous and the 'snacks' were nicely sized (huge in fact). Â Value is a 4.
I will definitely return if in the area and may even seek this spot out for a charming evening out. Â I'm rounding my 4+ review to a 5.
Don't be fooled is right.
Sitting at the bar, after drinking a bottle and being OFFERED; did you want to try something else? And being very measly tasted on three other wines... we were CHARGED for those tastes. Not very good wines nor suggestions at that.
Oh... Do want bread? Yep, charged for BREAD too.
This place is a straight rip-off. A mediocre wine list (at best) which is also over-priced, food is ok; but who leave WHOLE dried chilies in their broccoli rabe? Who serves broccoli rabe on toast? This place does.
The markups on both the wine and the meager portions (but precious...) of food really makes for an outrageously priced experience, especially when you are going to get hosed on BEING OFFERED MORE BREAD and also, oh... "Do you want to taste something different?"
Look, I work in the restaurant business. I get that this is a wine bar and that they do offer tastings at $4-6 to what ever. I'm not an idiot. If I order a scotch and the waitress or bartender asks me: "Do you want another" or "May I refresh your scotch" I know it isn't a freebee.
When I'm sharing a bottle with someone and the bartender states: "Hey, care to try something else?" It walks into a bit of gray territory and it should be STATED: "Hey, try anything you like, I've got pricing for tasting portions as well. If you don't want to commit to a full glass".
Or, you open a wine menu in front of the person, point out what you are suggesting and with thumb pointing to the price of the tasting and the pinky pointing to the name of the wine.
Scott Harris, if you'd ever like a lesson on how to do this so you can show your staff, hit me up and I'll be happy to show you.
Edit 07/15/12:
It IS worth noting that the Gm has reached out to me, apologizing for the experience and an invite to come back, which I haven't taken them up on. When I do, I'll post a re-review but don't want it known that... I'm a "returning customer w/ previous bad experience"
What an adorable place! Tucked in the basement of Francesca's on Chestnut, DiSotto Enoteca is an intimate wine bar that also offers small bites
I had the red wine flight but you could also sample wines in different portions as well
our server was friendly and helpful and i had a great time there
definitely a great place to chill out after a long week
This was a fabulous find! I had an old friend in town and we wanted to grab a drink, but still want to carry on a full conversation without have to yell over loud music or other patrons. DiSotto Enoteca was perfect for this!
My friend and I opted try 3 varieties of their tasting size (2 oz) glasses of wine. No only was with a fun way to try a few wines, it was very reasonably prices at $3-$5 per taste.
Our waitress was wonderful! She was extremely patient with us as we were making our decisions and had fabulous recommendations!
Don't be fooled. Â When you arrive, head downstairs to the basement area in order to find DiSotto. Â Otherwise you'll be having a drink upstairs at Francesca's - while nice, it's not DiSotto.
DiSotto is perfect for a small group gathering, or a date... it's warm (ambiance and temperature!) with brick walls & ceiling and a visible wine cellar and meat locker.
Excellent selection of wines by the glass divided up by country. Â What I liked is that for several of the wines you could also just get a 2oz pour. Â If you're not in the mood for wine, but are looking for a well made Manhattan - then you've come to the right spot. Â One of the best Manhattan's we'd had was made here. Â Excellent liquor selection as well.
The wine selection is incredible and the small plates are excellent. The location is also great and the atmosphere is very cute.
The problem I have is that this place is very high priced. The markups on the wine are significant which I understand is typical. The small plate appetizers are very tasty and reasonably priced (about $6-8). The main issue I had was with the meat and cheese plates. We selected 4 items for 18$. This included 3 slices of prosciutto, one small slice of manchego, one small slice of gran padano, and one little piece of taleggio. Again, the meat and cheese was very, very good but very, very small portioned for $18. It was really too small for 2 people to share.
I suggest that you order the small plate appetizers and the various bruschetta options on the menu and avoid the meet and chesse plates.
I'm confused.
I thought we were going out for dinner. This is a basement wine bar with a few appetizers. Underneath another restaurant. Okay.
The menu is truly petite - a handful of antipasti, five different kinds of bruschetta, and a number of charcuterie options. We tried the fresh ricotto with honeycomb (yummy), the burrata with pesto and roasted tomato (good, but not great), the asparagus truffle toast (served room temperature, really boring), and then two bruschetta: one with tuna and white beans and one with prosciutto, neither of which were impressive.
The service was also deplorable. There were two women working and maybe five tables full in the whole place, but we couldn't seem to get their attention ever because they were too busy talking to each other.
I might come back for a glass of wine when it gets cold outside, but I won't be back for anything else.
Love.It! Â This place is so wonderful, so much so, I hesitated to write a review. Â I don't want the word to get out about DiSotto and then they become too popular. Â DiSotto has a great wine list and the small plates are wonderful for vegetarians. Â The service is top notch. Â Every time I felt like I wanted something else, they were there! Â I like that. Â The space is warm, beautiful and cozy. Â One of my yelp buddies introduced me to this place and I got bitten by the love bug. Â Thank you Dennis S!!
The only con is the parking. Â It's difficult to find a park in this area and the garage prices are insane! Â Other than that, I try to catch the train to DiSotto before I enjoy my splendid glasses of wine.
After a good fill of fun Chicago dive bars, I was ready for a nice glass of wine. Â I did a Yelp search and Francesca's quickly pulled up. Â We walked in, it was nice but the typical restaurant bar atmosphere.
I see a stairwell and inquire of  the bartender what is downstairs. He replies "an underground wine bar".  A patron exclaimed "OMG it is soo cool down there!".  I was sold.
We make our way down the stares to find a cavernous, dimly lit room with a large wine rack lining the wall. Glancing briefly at the menu  sealed the deal. I was in love with this place!  Their big thing is wine (flights, by the glass or bottle) & a gazillion types of bruschetta.
I didn't have a chance to try the food but the wine and atmosphere was well worth the stop.
Romantic and tucked away from the world, this was such a neat find in the basement of the Francesca's. It's laid out to give you the feeling of being in a brick-walled, rustic and warm hideaway, with lots of comfy, intimate chairs, candelight and soft music (mostly featuring The Smiths and Morrissey that night, so it was uber-special for me.) They have just enough tables to accommodate everyone without being on top of your neighbors.
I was there on a  Thursday, so I would recommend getting there earlier if you want to find the best nooks to relax and chat. If you are arrving later than 6:30-7:00, your experience may not be as intimate.
The wine list is nice- I like the idea of ordering tasting portions or full glasses. I took advantage of the full glasses. Not feeling so good today, but it was worth it. The full glasses are a bit "spendy", as opposed to other wine bars, so you have to chalk it up to a grand experience and let it go... and let if flow...
Food- um- not too much to talk about here. I would not go there with expectations to eat much, since the menu is very limited. We had a couple of the bruschetta toastettes, beef and portabello mushroom. Â Thumbs up on flavor. Â It made for a great snack, but I would have killed for a margherita pizzette/flatbread- just something more than a menu of olives, cheeses and salami. I would have appreciated a couple of complimentary crackers with my wine. But hey, that's just me.
Whoa...
There are plenty of wine bars out there, but I was wanted something particular - I was looking for a place to go to have a conversation and some great food and wine. I didn't want it to be loud and bustling. I wanted quiet and away from the hustle and bustle (read: would make a great place for a date). DiSotto Enoteca nailed it.
The subterranean, cave-like feel of this place is great, like happening upon a hidden wine cellar in the shadow of the John Hancock building. The wines are wonderful. The food, primarily antipasti, is a dead-on fit with the wine, and the service compliments everything perfectly. We, for the most part, put ourselves in the hands of our server and she did a great job recommending notably delicious wines.
This place is hitting on all cylinders, and I look forward to returning soon.
Fabulous. Perfect. I love it. Please stay away.
Our neighborhood has added a fabulous little wine bar, with great wines, comfortable and classy decor, attentive service, good cheeses (but too few), excellent small plate food, but not much room. It's already crowded by mid-evening on the weekend.
Since Cru closed we've been hoping for a replacement place to relax on Friday nights. This is it, even better and, for us, even closer. No outside tables for people watching, but a really enticing decor. Its an Italian wine cellar with a glass walled aging room at one end and the bar at the other. Its hard not to order some prosciutto when you can see it hanging through through the glass wall.
With a nice bottle of wine we had their truffle egg toast with fontina cheese and asparagus. Interesting, different, not exciting. Then we had their "Montenaro" - prosciutto, fontina cheese again, and a salsa with poscini mushrooms on bruschette. It's a great combination of flavors, simply delicious. We munched our way through that, along with a side dish of olives, then went for the cheeses we'd ordered when we arrived: taleggio, pecorino, and a capreni combination - one piece of capreni with chives, one with paprika, one with pepper. The cheese portions were very generous, which allowed us to sit and savor long enough that we needed more wine.
A suggestion: Cheeses in most restaurants are served too cold. They don't sell enough to count on selling all the cheese each evening, so they leave it chilled until its ordered. Serving cheese cold means the flavors do not come through. It normally needs to be out for at least several hours to have full flavor, 4-6 hours for some soft cheeses. So at DiSotto Enoteca we ordered our cheeses as soon as we were seated, asking them to cut them and place them aside until we asked for them. Try it - it makes a world of difference.
DiSotto Enoteca is everything we want in a wine bar. But please don't go. Too many people have discovered it already, and I want to be able to get a table on Friday nights.
Love at first sight. In the basement of the Seneca, this place is a beautiful place to meet friends for drinks and apps and a great spot for a romantic date. In Chicago on a snowy January night, Disotto was exactly what I needed. I felt like I was in a hidden part of Hogwarts. Shared a bottle of sparkling wine with my BFF and had some yummy appetizers.
The staff was amazing. Attentive and personable without being overbearing. I will definitely return on my next visit to the Windy City.
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