Sabatino's Restaurant & Lounge

I'm a sucker for old school, Chicago restaurants. The one's with the servers who've been there since they opened, where the bartenders serve up classic cocktails, and the decor hasn't been replaced in 30 years. So, needless to say, I was excited to finally try Sabatino's.

The ambiance was everything I expected, which is a good thing. Loud, boisterous, and bustling. The servers were no-nonsense, friendly, and attentive. The food on the other hand, was nothing mind blowing.

First, the menu was very extensive, almost to the point of overwhelming. I was craving pasta and what jumped out at me was their Pappardelle con Funghi di Bosco. Basically homemade wide noodles with wild mushrooms in a light cream sauce. It came with soup and salad. I opted for the Minestrone soup. I was a little surprised when it arrived. It was on the creamy side and not brothy like I'm used to. It was ok, at best. The salad was an average salad. Nothing more, nothing less.  I really liked the pasta. It was soft but not mushy. It had more of an egg noodle consistency.  As for the sauce, well, I was a bit underwhelmed by it. The best way to describe it - cream of mushroom soup, from a can. Also, I swear I detected the faint taste of flour.

So, Sabatino's saving graces are the ambiance, the giant loaf of bread served with dinner (seriously, it's a giant loaf of bread)...and...well, that's about it, at least for me.

Doesn't look like much from the outside but it's very good. This place has a very old school Italian restaurant feel to it, complete with pianist inside. Dining outdoors was lovely and the food was pretty good. The Caesar salad was amazing, as was the pizza bread and the seafood pasta dish I ordered.  My date ordered chicken cacciatore  and that could've been much better. However My glass of chianti was great.

Service could've been faster, as we had to wait quite a while for our entree and the whole dinner was over 2.5 hrs long, with long waits in between appetizers and entree. I would most likely return, though the service was a big turn off.

Years ago I would have rated Sabatino's a little better, but the fact they always overbook and your reservation means nothing to them is a bit disrespectful which is why I don't go nearly as much as I used to. Even with reservation you're waiting for 40 plus minutes on a Saturday night in a crowded and uncomfortable piano bar area. However, that does speak volumes of the place. I do like Sabatino's for what it is. An old school neighborhood Italian joint that prides itself on classic customer service (when you do finally get seated) and large portions. The lighting is nice and dim. The crowd is very diverse in terms of age, families, and couples. It could be both romantic and simple. Food is definetly much better then average but isn't top notch in my book, but prices do reflect that. I love the fact when I sit down my bread is out right away and so is my complementary pizza bread which essentially a free appetizer. My water stays full all night. And my dinner comes with soup, salad, and a side of pasta or potato. Once your finished with one dish the next is being served. It's a very smooth and comfortable dining experience for a decent price. I'm also a fan of that 1970's mobster movie feel that Sabatino's provides. Give it a shot. You'll notice I also rated RPM 3 stars, which is not to say they are on the same level. I rated both on two different scales as I had different expectations based on the reputation going in.