Again... a great dining experience. Â We brought bro-in-law and wife for dinner and the food was perfect! Â I had been bragging about the place, and was fearing that maybe I'd built it up too much. Â Not possible! Â The spaghetti alla carbonara was heart stopping good! Â My favorite! Â Unfortunately, we only had one order to share because was decided to share all the entrees. Â While that was a fun idea, Â the next time, the carbonara is all mine! Â Enjoy a relaxing dinner and greet Liz from me!
Review Source:As you know, I am at the OTSFM more than once a week for a class or performance.  I many times want to eat in the Lincoln Square area--but really don't want to dine, since music is my business up there (my two favorite places remain (Bad Apple and Royal Thai),  I continue to try many of the places that always are quite busy and are also, quite pricy.  La Bocca is not bad, but really not anything special, and  IMHO, overpriced.  We had the excellent weekend frito misto (roased and sauteed???) followed by fast-foodish calamari.  Our group had the roasted chicken (not good), the gnocchi with marina (nothing special and not served hot enough) some type of chicken breast that looked good and a salmon that was nothing special.  We split a tiramsu for desert.  Bill was $100--no drinks.  Service was nice.  Again, this is not a bad place, but nothing special--I won't be back, but the place seems to be quite busy.
Review Source:service: 4.5 stars
food: 3.5 stars
Atmosphere: 2 stars (could us a little work here)
Accomodate a group (6 ppl): 5 stars
Public Transit: 4 stars (do NOT drive....you will find NO parking) : /
parking: 0 stars (yes, maybe it's just the neighborhood, but it definitely affected our experience!)
Memorable name: 0 starts (too much! Â I'd love to tell my family friends, "oh, I had a great meal at....um.....that one place"....name's too long to remember!
All in all, I'd go back. Â I'd sit in the front room; the back room was chilly! Â (we all had to leave our coats on) Â : / Â I'd take public transit, and I'm positive I'd have a great meal.
This is a great little place and my favorite in the neighborhood. I would have given 5 stars but on a busy summer night you might wait longer than you want to and service may be slower but the Branzino is the most delicious I have ever tasted!
The homemade gnocchi is light and fluffy, not heavy like others I have tried and the bread is homemade with a high quality olive oil that will actually fill you up if you aren't careful.
Want to add, I have read all the complaints about a charge for the parmigiano??? I have never been charged! When my meal arrives the parmigian is always added if I want extra. It is not the cheap powdered cheese offered for free in many places but the very good Reggiano parmigian, if you would like to compare this to others you will taste the difference right away.
The food is certainly a cut above most places I have eaten because of the quality.
After some meh pizza delivery experiences, I lucked out one fateful night when I decided to give La Bocca Della Verita a whirl. I'm a thin crust gal. Like, crispy cracker thin crust. LBDV is serving up a nice pie in that regard. They also offer some some speciality pizzas that I was happy to partake in. I ordered up the Amatriciana which consists of guanicale and red onion. What is guanicale? It is bacon made from the cheek and jowls of a pig and it is pork-tastic. My only slight criticism is that my pizza could've used a little more sauce but that just might be my personal preference.
Calamari rounded out the order. It was nicely breaded, perfectly cooked and tender. A bonus of piping hot bread was thrown in with my order. I don't know if that is standard with every order but it was a pleasant surprise and a tasty one at that. It's some sort of homemade foccacia brushed with oil...just eat it. You won't regret it.
Everything was fresh, hot and delivered in under the quoted time. Finally! Pizza I'd order again has been found! We all breathe a sigh of relief now....
okay, truth be told i'm impartial to this place like i would be with my own kid. been coming here for several years and have become enamored with the food and staff. we went when cesare, the italian owner was still alive. now, years later, the excellence is still carried on by his wife, daughter and loyal, seasoned staff that we've had the pleasure of interacting with for years.
but i rave about it for a reason. the pasta is simple, consistent and delicious italian. our favorites include the anatra (duck ravioli), carbonara (with the best guanciale i've ever tasted), linguini con vongole (clams) and a host of fantastic and seasonal specials. even the bread they serve before the meal is fresh and thoughtful. they don't try to do outrageous things with their menu here, talking up things that they can't deliver. it truly is delicious.
wine menu is great--put together by john, their wine buyer and server, who is impeccable and full of knowledge about everything on their food and drink menu. in fact, nearly all their servers give extremely high levels of service. i love that. every time we eat there it feels like a real treat. every dollar you spend is worth it in the food and total overall experience.
Have only gotten their pizza delivered through grubhub. Â I ordered an Amatriciana (pork face bacon and red onion) Pizza, and Patate e Rosmarino (garlic, potato, rosemary) Pizza. Â I can't decide which was better, the crispy rich bacon or the melt in your mouth garlicy potatoes. Â Both times ordering delivery was much faster than anticipated time. Â Great week night order in option if you're looking for something a little nicer than your average delivery pizza.
Review Source:After reading the recent reviews complaining about service, I felt implored to write about my experiences at La Bocca Della Verita. Â
I have eaten here several times before and have always found all the staff to be incredibly nice, accommodating and friendly and the food to be delicious. Â Last night, I was meeting a friend. Â I arrived before her and she got stuck in Friday traffic. Â While sitting at the table, our server came over several times to check on me, see if I needed anything etc. Â When my friend finally did arrive, our server immediately came over and provided her with a great suggestion for a glass of wine that she would like when she wasn't sure what to get.
The entire best part of the evening happened next. Â I noticed one of the specials was a stuffed squash blossom appetizer. Â I have always wanted to try them. Â However, they were stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies. Â I am a vegetarian. Â I asked him if we would be able to get them without the anchovies. Â He explained that they were already stuffed and so we couldn't, but said they were delicious. Â I explained that I was a vegetarian, but always wanted to try them. Â He told us to hold on and disappeared for awhile. Â He came back and told us that he went back into the kitchen and made some himself for us so that we could have them, sans anchovies. Â Are you kidding?! Â What a sweetheart!
The meal was fantastic, his attentiveness continued throughout the meal. Â We were there for a very long time talking, but they never made us feel pressured to leave. Â This place is great! Â The portions are big enough that we both had leftovers, but not giant and gross amounts of food. Â If you want a giant plate of nasty pasta that you pay $8 for, go to The Olive Garden. Â This place makes really high quality food at a reasonable price. Â We couldn't have found everyone to the restaurant nicer, and that has been true every time I have been in there. Â
One time, I was there on a date here years ago and we closed the place...and they never kicked us out..they told us to keep talking as they were cleaning up! Â But more amazing than that was that it had started to POUR outside while we were inside. Â So we left and we standing outside under their awning waiting for the rain to die down so we could walk. Â Someone from the restaurant came out and gave us one of their umbrellas and just told us to bring it back! Â Seriously!!!!!????? Â You couldn't ask for nicer people.
Don't be swayed by what other people are saying out rude service. Â I really don't know what they are talking about. Â And the food is really, really good. Â Just go, this place is great!
We went. Had a good time...service was good. Food was very good bufala mozzarella appetizer was fantastic. Â Wife has the gnocchi very good. I had the duck ravioli as recommended by review here. Did not dissapoint. Very Good. I felt portions were small and prices a little high. But over all a good experience will probably go back
Review Source:A friend and I had dinner here awhile back and it was a definitely a "meh" experience. Â The food was good and the prices were decent. Â We shared an appetizer - mussels in garlic sauce - and was pretty tasty. Â And, we both enjoyed our entrees - I had the linguini with salmon and cream sauce and she had a pasta dish with clams. Â
The reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because of the service. Â Our server "Mikee" (yes two "e"s as it said on the check) needs a personality! Â He barely cracked a smile and was not very attentive at all. Â Not once during our dinner did he come to our table to check up on us and ask how our meal was. Â He came to our table a total of 3 times - in the beginning when we first sat down and he took our order for the appetizer, when he dropped off the appetizer and took our order for our entrees, and when he came to drop off our check. Â He didn't even bother to offer dessert, which is too bad since that would have bumped up the check. Â Mikee - get a personality!!! Â Not sure if you were having a bad night, but not our problem! Â Pretend to smile because you are in the service industry and that's part of your job! Â Actually, most of the service staff seemed to be in a bad mood in this restaurant, except for the busboy, who was 100% more attentive than our server. Â He deserved the tip, not "Mr. Personality" Mikee.
So, in summary, I will not return to this restaurant because of the service. Â It's too bad because I would otherwise return for the food. Â But there are plenty of other Italian places in the city that serve delicious food and have far better service than La Bocca Della Verita. Â Don't waste your time here. Â Go up the street to Trattoria Trullo. They have great food AND service!
Finally discovered how cute lincoln square is and after a wine tasting at the Chopping Block, we went for a little italian flare. Â Although the food was good .. service was absolutely terrible!
Apps: CALAMARI AFFOGATI & grilled vegetables ... tasted as you would expect, nothing to blow you away, but good.
Dinner: BRANZINO al SALE .. which was tasty
Service: Â HORRIBLE! Â Got our apps and were done eating them before we even got our drinks! Â Complained. Â Then when we were order entrees we were asking for suggestions and our server just seemed clueless and had nothing to say about the menu. Â We complained again and they apologized and said they would bring us after dinner drinks... which they never even did. Â Just very disappointing service and I wouldn't go back.
This is a favorite spot for me and Ryan. The biggest draw for me is how family friendly the place is. On a couple of occasions when I have come in to order pickup the manager/owner(?) had been nice enough to give me a free sample of some of their dessert.
Because of that I always go back because the food is pretty good too. The last time was for an al fresco dining experience. The only drawback was the smell of butter from the popcorn butter emanating from the Davis Theater. Some like that smell, but I worked in a theater when I was younger and popcorn butter is not tops on my list. The bread they bring out is fresh, warm, and crunchy. I always somehow manage to gravitate to their rigatoni collina because I love portabella mushrooms. I'm sure I'll be back soon, whether it's to carb up before a race or just to enjoy the al fresco dining.
I will start by saying that I'm going to give this place a second chance but for now heres how I felt about it:
Servers were rude and awkward, and it took them forever to decide which one would take care of us. SInce I only had an appetizer I can't say too much about the food but to me it seemed like they weren't one of those passionate "foodie" places.
For now I don't recommend it.... juss sayin'
Great location on a lovely stretch of Lincoln avenue. My friend and I ate at a table outside which was comfortable and great to view the neighborhood scene. I had the veal tortellini in a creamy sauce which was truly delicious! The rest of the menu seemed to offer more authentic dishes than the average Italian restaurant. I would definitely go back to explore other entrees. My only complaint was that the staff was either slow or inattentive. However, it may have been a busy night and the food was great so I'm gonna let it slide.
Review Source:This was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had:
1) Â It is not ok to offer your guests the option to have the kitchen split the two dishes they are going to share without telling them that you will charge them a per person splitting charge
2) It is not ok to bring out all but 2 people's food, and then make the remaining two wait for almost 30 minutes for their pizzas to be ready (except for cases when the pizza will truly take an extra 30 minutes to cook). Â Further, if it becomes obvious that your oven is not working properly (which we eventually learned was the case last night - I'm sorry, how does the explanation that the chef kept opening the oven and letting the heat out even make sense??), offer your guests the option to cancel their order and order something else; do not disappear for so long that one of the guests has to get up and find you after 10 minutes to see what is going on, and do not promise that it will "just be a few more minutes" over the course of the next 20 minutes.
3) It is not ok to start arguing with your guests when they refuse the dessert/limencello you offered rather than offering to just comp the two pizzas. It was late and we just wanted to leave.
4) It is not ok to charge a party of 5 gratuity because the waitress is likely scared she will not get a tip otherwise, since she knew how annoyed we were. Â Last time I checked, restaurants do not charge gratuity to parties less than 6.
Oh and also, the pizzas were pretty awful - very greasy and oily. Â Definitely not worth the wait.
Bocca Della Vertia is perfectly adequate. Â It is also next door to the Davis, which makes it convenient. Â Service was a little hurried, but polite and efficient. Â I still felt rushed.
I ordered the duck ravioli; my partner got a different pasta dish with mushrooms; both were tasty (although not particularly original.) Â He had some red wine; the wine list looks decent. Â Again, perfectly adequate neighborhood restaurant.
Then we ordered dessert. Â I would have given a higher rating except for the dessert...we should have just walked up the street for gelato, or even that fro-yo place, but I decided I wanted tiramisu, because tiramisu is generally the bomb, except when it isn't. Â Here is how you mess up tiramisu: it was partially-frozen, with ice crystals. Â Yuck. Â My partner ordered a different dessert was was similarly unimpressed.
There are enough better-than-adequate restaurants in the 'hood that we really feel no need to return.
I can't believe it took me so long to finally try this place!!!!!! Â Boy, have I missed out!! Â The best thing I can say about any Italian restaurant is if it it makes me feel like I'm in a little neighborhood trattoria in Italy, I'm happy. And not the kind of Italian restaurant most Americans think about, with fake exposed brick and burnt orange walls. No, this place is like an Italian chef's dining room...eclectic and used and inviting. Not chic but who cares, if the food delivers!
The owner Liz was friendly and informative and her daughter/waitress Valentina is pretty and sweet and helpful. Liz assured me the pasta is homemade and it sure was.
One in our party had the duck ravioli and wow, they were delish! Not fancy or complicated but that's what I liked about it. Â A nice, simple, tasty dish. What more could you want? Â So many places torture their ingredients just for the sake of innovation, but that doesn't impress me. Good, flavorful ingredients do.
My husband had the spaghetti carbonara and they do it right. No cream...just pecorino, egg yolk, parmesan, and guanicale (cured pig jowls!). Â C'mon!
Let me preface this next section by saying I don't like salads. I hate them. I find them insipid. And yes, the menu does include the obligatory spring mix salad  which my husband had and loved (greens, pears, mascarpone, balsamic reduction, etc.)...ok, sounds nice, tasted fine.
But I ate something I've never, in all my travels and meals, before encountered...the Arugula and Anchovy Salad. It seems like the kind of salad that would be common in country Italian restaurants and family meals, but it was new to me. And it's now my all-time favorite salad. It was salty and smokey and garlicky...and oh, sooooo good. I will go back just for this salad and I can't believe I'm even saying this. It's so frickin' simple...again, why I love this resto. The salad was a small pile of arugula with teeny pieces of anchovies that frankly, I couldn't even see...and oil and vinegar. And it tasted fantastic. I love that they even had this on the menu. Â I mean...who even orders this?? Â
To wrap it up...order appropriate items (ie: don't get tomato items (bruscetta or caprese) off-season) and you'll have a great, neighborhod meal.
I hadn't been here for a few years until last night when we went for Sunday dinner. The atmosphere is comfy and welcoming -- like walking into a typical neighborhood trattoria (expect this place has menus).
The staff were friendly and efficient, and the place is very family-friendly. Our waitress brought crayons and invited our son to draw on the white paper covering the table, and she was speedy in bringing him an order of pasta. There were plenty of other families enjoying dinner in one of the three rooms that make up this inimate restaurant, and you half expect an Italian grandmother to come walking out of the kitchen to greet you.
The bread was crusty and straight from the oven. My husband ordered the pear salad, which was a large side salad (enough for two people) with dressing that was a little too acidic. We also got the prosciutto and melon, which was fine.
I had the ravioli special -- three kinds of mushrooms in a white wine sauce with truffle oil. It was large portion and very tasty, though the oil was a little overpowering; I would have liked a bit more mushroom. My husband had the spaghetti carbonara, which was fantastic. The pasta was delicious and perfectly cooked and the flavor was smoky. Since we had both filled up on salads and bread we had plenty to take home, and I almost "accidentally" took his leftovers for my lunch this morning.
We are big fans of Due Lire, which is just down the block, and Anteprima in Andersonville. Both of those restaurants serve exceptional food, but they are a bit more expensive and not as accessible for families -- save them for date night and come to La Bocca Della Verita for a hearty Sunday dinner with your family.
Instead of making the trek down to Taylor Street and looking for parking, I found La Bocca Della Verita. My friend had the soup special - spring pea with calamari and shrimp. For dinner, I had the tagliatelle bolognese and my friend ordered the rigatoni, however she was served the tortellini. She pointed out the error to our server, who was more than happy to replace the entree.
The restaurant has three dining rooms and is small but intimate and service is great. I'll be back to try one of the pizzas.
Everything about La Bocca was exquisite.
The focaccia is homemade (there were pans of it proofing right as we walked in.) Â The wine is stellar. Â The service is impeccable. Â The food... oh my... the food.
Caprese salad: Â I've eaten a lot of fresh mozzarella in my day, and a lot of caprese salads. Â This was, hands down, the VERY BEST caprese salad I have ever eaten. Â The mozzarella tasted like it had JUST been made. Â It was certainly made in-house.
Rigatoni with mushrooms, garlic, cream sauce: Â Divine. Â This isn't Barilla blue box pasta. Â This stuff is made on-site, and cooked to a perfect al dente.
I couldn't go any further, others around me enjoyed a chicken Milanese, which looked perfectly crisp and was dressed with arugula and lemon. Â I couldn't even do the homemade gelato for dessert.
This little neighborhood spot is a gem. Â I absolutely plan to return!
Charming and very cozy local Italian place - been here twice and now know what to go for - THE PIZZA THE PIZZA THE PIZZA
The entrees all look good, recently had the Salmon - roughly about 14$.
Thick and deeply cut, the Salmon entree is very good, also in the past had some chicken but too far back to review on here.
HOWEVER, finally tried the pizza and PLEASE let me tell you IT IS EXCELLENT!!!!!!!
This pizza is VERY fresh, very light and strangely VERY JUICY.
The flavors just somehow burst in your mouth!!!! Â
The pizza rocks here folks, it's beautiful!!
Picures attached - but low lighting and does not do this pizza justice!
Charming seating, candles on every table, professional and personal service, very reasonable prices.
I was taken here for my birthday, and we decided to order an appetizer, a vegetable and and entree and split. Caprese Salad, Aparagas, and Salmon served with green beans and roasted potatoes. Very delightful, the wine was better (price wise) by the bottle. The service was good. At first there were some kids crying(bummer anywhere)
but then they left and all was good. Â Very excellent food very Italian. Some how the waitress found out about the birthday dinner and gave us a glass or sparkling wine.
Make for a perfect ending to our dinner.
I took my girlfriend out for her birthday here. I can't even begin to explain how great it was. The service was amazing - between the waitress, busboy and hostess, we had constant attention, even when the room started to get crowded.
Their cash bottles of wine are such a great deal! We planned on getting a couple glasses, but instead opted for the bottle because we got more for even cheaper. Can't lose there.
Food was spectacular... the lovely lady had Pollo al Marsala, which was delicious... I chose the Linguine con le Vongole, which was amazing. I couldn't finish mine - the portions were very generous, so I'm looking forward to my leftovers.
When I ordered for us, I mentioned that it was my girlfriend's birthday in passing... low and behold at the end of the meal they stopped by with dessert (candle and everything) AND gave us each a glass of limoncello (both delicious). I didn't even special request it, and it made the dinner that much more special.
All in all, this was such a great choice for a birthday dinner. We were treated well, ate till we were stuffed, enjoyed the warm atmosphere, and had a great evening. We will be back soon, that's for sure!
My wife and I made our first visit here prior to seeing a show at very nearby Old Town School of Music.
The service was excellent, and the appetizer we tried (asparagi - asparagus with lemon) was delicious. The bread delivered to the table was also excellent. We each had pasta dishes, which (for the price) had quite small portions.
On the whole I would rate the quality and service very highly, but the value of price vs. portion size is not the best IMHO.
We made reservations for a Sunday at 5pm but did not need them as the restaurant was not busy... but by the time we left it was jammed full. It was difficult to get out of our corner table without knocking into others. So I recommend them nonetheless. :)
I also second the reviewer below who indicated that signs on the unused doors would be helpful. We were one of those who tried the wrong door, being first-timers.
Last Friday we had dinner down the street at La Bocca Della Verita (yay local business).
We made a reservation since they apparently get pretty busy (despite the 3 dining rooms). The atmosphere is quaint, almost like what I'd imagine an Italian grandma's house would look like with lots of great home-style touches. I liked that there were several coat closets too.
One small thing: I can't even tell you how many people kept trying to open the wrong door to get in (just put a sign directing patrons to the other door people - it's not that hard!). Overall, a really comfortable and laid-back, Italian dining atmosphere.
Food/Drink
To start things off, we ordered the Arancini, delicious rice ball filled with tomato meat sauce and cheese and covered in tomato sauce. This was DELICIOUS. Honestly, I didn't even want to share it - that good. Really crispy and flavorful.
Despite their great Italian wine list, it was a martini kind of night after a long week at work. I had the chocolate martini and it hit the spot.
For dinner, I was in the mood for pizza and ordered the Sal "Ceccia" which comes topped with home-made Italian sausage and I had some bell peppers added. It was delicious - really thin and crispy and not greasy at all. I love when you can eat pizza and afterward, not feel like a total fatty.
Service
My one quip is that it took a while for us to have someone take our order after we were seated by the host. However, once we got a waiter, he was friendly and fast. We weren't in a hurry anyway, so no big deal.
Good experience - can't wait to dine here alfresco out on Lincoln once it warms up!
This is our go to Italian spot in Lincoln Square.  Have been here multiple times and have never had a bad meal.  The interior and the decor could use a MAJOR overhaul  so we always try to go when it's dark and not really noticeable so it doesn't detract from our meal, which really is the star.  All of the the pastas (including the veal stuffed tortellini special I had last weekend) I've had here are superb and their homemade bread is to die for.  Kind of getting hungry just thinking about La Bocca right now...
Anyway, this is a great spot to hit after a show at the Davis right next door or after a day of browsing in some of the great local shops. Â Lincoln Square brings that small town feel to a big city and La Bocca helps contribute to that. Â We'll be back again and again!
Whenever I look at a plate of gnocchi, with its coating of sauce and little shavings of parmesan, I can't help but thinking of its actual value (about $1.25?) and its remarkable profit margin in most Italian joints. I just have this feeling that won't go away that no pasta dish, anywhere, should cost more than, say, $7-8.00, especially if it has no meat or fancy mushrooms in it. But, I guess, if you have to pay for three dining rooms, all that art and all those ceramic pitchers, the pin-spot lighting, and fresh flowers, you just have to charge a little more for the pasta!
I finally had the opportunity to try the Bocca with a couple of friends on a Sunday evening. The ambiance is inviting, and cozy and intimate with the separate rooms. We three dudes were whisked off to the last (and empty) room, making us wonder if we were under-dressed, or exuding some unpleasant odor. When we looked around the room, we were also at the only table without fresh flowers. Were they concerned that our halitosis might kill the fresh-cut flowers?. After reassurances from our very knowledgeable and courteous server that this was not the case, we moved on for the kill.
First, the appetizer of fresh figs, prosciutto, and goat cheese very beautifully presented, and a salad "misto" of mixed greens with deliciously ripe and luscious small tomatoes nicely plated around the greens. The flavors of the appetizer melded perfectly. The textures were pleasing to the palate. The salad was tasty, but the dressing was just a bit heavy on the dark balsamic vinegar. But not over-dressed.
We ordered a bottle of Chardonnay de Puglia (the Italian birthplace of the pug :-). It was from "Natural Merchants", a distributor of organic wines. This was a very pleasing wine, and unique from other Chardonnays I've had. A golden color with green nuances. Straight forward and well balanced, with a finish of fresh fruit and grass, and a little bit peppery, per Doug. And that's a quality you usually only find with reds.
On to the entrees: Duck Ravioli pour moi, Spaghetti Carbonara (at my urging) for Dan, and that high-as-a-hot-dog-in-profit-margin gnocchi with marinara for Doug. Of course we all traded tastes, too. My ravioli was in a Vodka sauce, and was very fresh and delish. The Carbonara had huge chunks of bacon or pork and was mouth-watering. The gnocchi was tender and full of flavor, but Doug felt there was not enough of it. An unusual occurrence in most Italian joints in Chicago, but I had to agree. All of our portions were moderate, and we all cleaned our plates. (So I'm guessing they don't spend a lot on doggie bags.)
Overall, Bocca was a fresh, flavorful and classy Italian experience for us. With all the great Italian choices in town, its hard to frequent just one. But I'm sure we will repeat  this neighborhood treat!
Thanks again, Dan!
Food was just okay, and the service was lousy. Â Italian food isn't that hard. Â You just need fresh ingredients and DON'T OVERCOOK THE PASTA!
The floor vibrated. Â Strangely and constantly. Â It was enjoyable at first but after a while creepy and annoying. Â My girlfriend and I couldn't figure out what was going on.
Our waitress had been away from the business for a while and it was obvious. Â She was slow, inattentive, and kind of oblivious to her surroundings. Â I mean, she was really sweet but still, unprofessional. Â The other waiter in the room wasn't any better - it sounded at times like he was actually arguing with the customers. Â
Wasn't the worst dining experience I've ever had but for the price there are definitely better options.
After being denied seating at the Fiddlehead on the Sunday before Memorial Day (their last seating was at 9 p.m., we were there around 9:30 p.m.), my sweet boyfriend and I decided we'd spend our date night dining on Italian food at La Bocca. Â
We were promptly seated, although there were a few employees that made some snide comments (alright, we WERE "those" people trying to eat 20 minutes before closing, but in our defense, it was a constructive Saturday night as Monday was a holiday). Â Our server came over, told us that the kitchen was closing in 10 minutes, we had to make up our minds soon....so we did.
My boyfriend had the tortellini stuffed with veal, and I had the spinach ravioli, starting with the caprese salad. Â The pasta was prepared perfectly al dente, the sauces were tomatoey without being over-powered by garlic...the mozzarella was tender and the tomatoes were juicy and ripe. Â The food was spectacular. Â I had a less-than-stellar glass of house red wine (can't really remember this varietal)...and we never received the bread our server said she was bringing over.
The food was so good...even though the service was a little off, I cut them some slack because we came in so close to closing. Â But the food is fantastic...the restaurant did make me feel like I was in one of those little trattorias in which we used to eat during my stay in the Monte Mario neighborhood of Rome. Â Yum! Â (I was ready to get my little "wallet Italian cheat sheet" and tell the cab driver "take me to my universidad" like I used to have to do when in Rome.)
You ever get that feeling that the smile your server has pasted on her face masks an inward sneer? Well, you may get it here.
My dining companion and I went to La Bocca Etc. last night after the BYOB joint we'd intended to eat at was packed with a 45-minute wait. Our server was immediately put off by the fact that I had a contraband bottle in my hand. "We don't normally allow outside wine here; the owner really doesn't like it. But we'll make an exception tonight. However, the corkage fee is $15."
I tried to tell the woman that we weren't there to break their stupid wine rule, but she scampered off before I had the chance. We didn't see her again for about five minutes, even though the bar with the glasses and corkscrew was three feet from our table. When she came back, I told her we'd save our bottle and have a couple glasses of one of their fancy chiantis. She took our full order, brought back some warm bread and we waited for our wine.
But first came our entrees. Seriously. We got our entrees right before she came back with our wine (which, for $7.50/glass, I really expected something more substantial than the shallow pours we got). I was hungry, so I bit my lip and ate.
I had the Spaghetti alla Carbonara, and it was effin delicious, rife with tasty bits of homemade guanciale (Italian bacon). My girlfriend had the Pappardelle ai Funghi Porcini, which was hopelessly bland. As hungry as she was, she could barely eat it.
We're not high-maintenance diners, but this place put us off from the get go and, aside from my carbonara and snappy water service, it did little to acquit itself. Even the decor was a depressing, dated mishmash of pastoral prints and family portraits.
Many of the diners that came in seemed like neighborhood folks who knew the staff and enjoyed being there, but we certainly didn't feel that this was a restaurant that ever wanted us back.
I had the "Ravioli Anatra" Duck Ravioli. Sumptuous does not begin to describe the marriage in flavor of the creamy sauce, the melted Parmesan, hommeade pasta and the fragrant duck meat..... no leftovers here! I'll just have to go back!
And to all those present- yes, I was making out with my boyfriend at the table. (Yes, Gentlemen, a bottle of wine and the Transcendent Mozzarella Di Bufala with crisp green apples is all you will need for a romantic fall evening...)
Pretty empty at 7 on a Tuesday night. Strange decor, fumblejumbo mismatch ARENA! Or maybe that's what brought it all together. Extremely neutral attitude from waiter, sat us in the back. Two guys from another table walking out, to us: "Go somewhere else. Seriously. Don't stay here." Curiousity! Well, oh my, how bad can it be? Fresh bread! Oohhh. Only olive oil on the table, though. No offer of balsamic from neutralman. Perhaps the other two guys had the same problem but verbalized their desire and luckily had left a jar of vinegar on their table. Just sneak that over here... much better. No wine tonight, thank you, on the wagon for a few, only some sodas and some food.
Average time later, food arrives as do unsolicited soda refills. So far so good. No offer for fresh cheese or pepper on pastas.
Just slow down sliding from there. Our food was ... well... I had a salmon pasta thing and my buddy had some... I dunno, some pasta. He said his was okay. Mine was not very good, and had obviously been reheated as the middle was cold and the outside was hothothot. A bit flavorless, but that coulda been average for whatever I ordered.
Some other people had arrived in the interum and had requested some tasty water. When the waiter spotted a waitress with the aquajug he promised she would fulfill their wishes. She did not, and they had to re-ask when the waiter sauntered back.
More refills of our soda and eventually the bill, which was a bit high.
I don't honestly see the appeal of this place, with mediocre service, mediocre food and a bit on the upper pricey side, but whatever gets ya goin.
One of my girlfriends and I met here for dinner last night to catch up on gossip. Â It's been years since I've been to this little Italian joint, and this place is still as quaint and charming as ever. Â It's in the heart of Lincoln Square near Chicago Brauhaus. Â This place is casual - don't wear a suit, fancy dress or heels or you might feel a little outta place. Â Okay, so it's not the place you propose to your girlfriend or announce that you are retiring. Â But it is a great place to hang out with your pals, reconnect with old friends, and even have a nice casual date with someone you want to get to know better. Â It is a very good choice.
The waitstaff was very good, kinda quirky, but attentive and prompt. Â The bread...oh my...the warm bread...well if you're on that South Beach diet, you might as well kick that diet to the curb for awhile because the smell of that yeasty bread (okay, maybe yeasty does not sound like a very delicious word) will cause you to have a nervous carb breakdown. Â What is it about warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven bread? Â I ate the Ravioli Valles (kind of a spicy ravioli with jalapenos, and it really was not that spicy, but it was tasty), and my friend ate the chicken scaloppine, i believe. Â We both enjoyed our dinners along with our house salad, which has a very light Italian dressing. Â (The dressing could use a little more flavor, I think, as it was a bit bland of a house salad).
We didn't drink since the next day (today) was a 'school' night, but they had a nice little wine menu, too.
Note -- while it is true that this place gets supercrowded on the weekends, it's "just right" on a Wednesday night. Â Still, it's a good idea to make reservations...just in case.
Parking might be a little tough in this area, but be faithful, something will open up.
I didn't like it! ;_;
First of all, our salad (arugula w/ anchovies) was fucking great! It was simple, and full of flavor. I could have made it at home (but I would probably have added some salt & pepper...). The Bocca Bruschetta was okay - the portabella was small and had a weird texture, like it had sat out for a while.
In fact, everything seemed pre-made and not fresh at all, which is my biggest dining turnoff, especially at small mom&pop places. The duck ravioli was bland, and while the pasta seemed fresh, the filling popped out in one lump. It was chewy, like pre-packaged ravioli you can get at the grocery store, yuck! For $16, what is that!? I did not detect any sage, either.
Also, it's nothing special to look at. I hate to sound stuck-up--it is quaint and full of regulars--but the flowered tablecloths were an eyesore, and the random vintage deco just really didn't do it for me. I didn't even notice it, though, until I got my food and was like, "What is this?!" ...and then I started to look around.
Finally, the desserts all sounded great and I was excited to try them. However, the gelato "sundae" was missing the amaretto cookie, and the texture of the gelato was unappealing. It tasted like it had been melted and then re-frozen (you know, like when you forget to put your groceries away, and your Haagen-Das melts, but you stick it in the freezer anyway, and try to eat it later but it's all icky). Also, the mascarpone-caramel-brittle thing was too cold and hard, it only softened by the last two bites.
I really wanted to like this place, you guys. After I read all these wonderful reviews, I was really excited to bring my girlfriend here for dinner. But it was kind of yucky.
In a city where Italian restaurants are more places than there should be, La Bocca gets much less attention than it deserves.
LBDV offers fresh pasta and wonderful sauce. Great Antipasti and creative desserts abound.
I am a big fan of the 2 gnocchi dishes and the veal scallopine. Additionally, never leave without ordering the Kiku (chantilly cream, cinnamon sauted apples, topped with sliced almonds and fresh berries served warm).
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