I've documented many times in these here parts my dislike of going out to dine on Italian food, so the 5 I've so graciously awarded a tavola should be viewed with the proper amount of awe.
a tavola (which I was told can be pronounced with the emphasis on the a in tavola or the o) is located in what looks like a single family home on Chicago Ave. Â The only indication that it's a restaurant is the frosted glass "sign" just to the right of the front door. Â The inside is similarly unassuming. Â It really looks like nothing more than if someone set up a restaurant in their living room. Â The first floor seats maybe 15 people and the upstairs, where I had a recent birthday dinner, seats upwards of 20 but is even more sparsely decorated. Â But don't let the understated decor fool you, the food that a tavola serves is top notch.
The menu you receive is hand written. Â Generally it's influenced by what they currently have in season in the garden out back. On one occasion, my date requested a Caprese salad, despite it not being on the menu. Â They waiter very kindly said, "Let me check out back to see if we have the ingredients" and came back with an affirmative. Â The menu changes so often it's tough to speak to specific dishes, but there is frequently a short rib option and even more frequently a gnocchi that I've never had a bad experience with. Â All in all, it's a unique experience that offers both a cozy atmosphere and excellent food.
I found A Tavola in the search for a nice, intimate place to have dinner with a new guy (this was my first time to plan a date) and this restaurant was exactly what I was looking for. Small, quiet, romantic. I'm pretty sure I got bonus points for even knowing about it- A Tavola is so tucked away and non-descript that it feels like you're privy to a closely guarded secret.
Unfortunately, it only gets 3 stars from me. We ordered a trio of different meats, served carpaccio style, which was wonderful. I ordered the gnocchi, which had been billed as their house specialty, and he ordered the short ribs on risotto. My gnocchi was pretty undercooked and as a result- gummy. My date tried it and concurred- I still managed to eat about half of the dish, but when pressed by the waiter, ("...But it's our house specialty!" ) declined to send it back. (New relationship- too nervous to come off as high maintenance, which I most likely am) His short ribs were great, much more flavorful. We got a bottle of red and spent probably $160 with tip.
Otherwise, while nice, and tucked away, the jazz playing via cd on an old boombox under a server's station where we were seated upstairs kept skipping/stopping, and the waiter kept having to futz with it. That kind of kills the mood. (And really- CDs? Is this 1992?) Also, I wish there were more reasonably priced wine options by the bottle. Otherwise, still a good evening.
Dined at A Tavola for Valentine's Day. Â Unique location, quality food, great dining experience. Â I am not a big fan of typical Italian cuisine, but this is not your typical Italian restaurant. Â Check this place out.
4 stars instead of 5 for a couple service hiccups, but nothing major, just a tough night.
The atmosphere was very cozy and charming--the best thing about this restaurant. The food was just OK. Our group had the gnocchi pasta as appetizer, and braised short rib, leg of lamb, and beef tenderloin for entrees. While all was adequate, nothing was really yummy or a stand-out. And definitely not worth it for the money.
I might have given this place 3 or 4 stars had it not been for the painfully slow and inattentive service. We waited for about an hour between the pasta course and the entree. No one came over to explain the delay. After an hour passed and my husband stopped the waiter to inquire on our food, he was told, "Oh, sorry, I was upstairs." What? After we were finishing our entrees, another waiter began to clear the plates while one of us was still eating. Then, when our waiter brought the desert menu, he took a coffee order for one of us, but did not bother to ask anyone else if we wanted coffee. We might have ordered desert, but we just wanted to get out of there at that point. The final straw was when we went to get our coats. They couldn't find my husband's overcoat for several minutes, while examining every single coat on the rack--finally found it crumpled up on the floor of the coat closet.
We are not going back.
First let me say that the food here is outstanding. Â It's also in a very cute environment. Â I had eaten here 5 years ago, and was very excited to return with my husband.
I called for a reso and was told that we'd be seated upstairs. Â No problem. Â When we arrived, we were actually seated in the main dining room, which was also terrific. Â It was a very cold evening when we dined. Â Everytime the door opened, we got a terrible draft. Â They have curtains that separate the main dining room from the foyer, but they were held open, not shut, which would have helped immensely, we were very cold the entire time, which really ruins the dining experience.
The service was fine, nothing stellar. Â They did a great job giving us new silverware between each course, and new plates. Â At one point I was given a dirty plate and had to ask for a new one. Â Another time one server brought us new plates, then immediately another server came and removed them, even though we were awaiting our pasta course. Â Then somebody else came and brought us new plates again.
One thing I didn't like was that I could hear the only female server (who wasn't our server) always stressing - I could hear her talking stressfully to somebody about the computer screen, and another time to the bus boy/back waiter about getting the table cleared, and several other times about various items. Â I noticed once that one of the other servers was running food out for her and she didn't know which table it belonged to, she was asking him "did the kitchen tell you which table that was for????" Â I felt like her volume forced me to be involved in a lot of her drama, and she wasn't even our server. Â I'd suggest that she keep it down a bit and keep the drama either off the dining room floor or quieter as it did invade our dining experience a bit.
We had the green salad, the chicken and vegetable risotto and split both of those. Â Both were delicious. Â My husband ordered the beef, which he ordered medium and it came out medium rare. Â I ordered the fish special, which was described as having a crispy crust, and didn't. Â It was still delicious, but wasn't as it was described. Â My husband had a glass of red wine. Â Our tab was $100.
We also were served focaccia bread and really delicious olives.
It was a fine dining experience, but we probably will try something different next time. Â I love the idea of it, but we probably won't return unless we are dining with others who would like to go there.
This is one of the most unique places I have been in Chicago. It is a house, so you have to look carefully to find it. Once you walk in you see that this place is special. The dining room is small, but the patio is spacious and very cool. You have walk right through the tiny kitchen to get there. It sits next to a fresh herb garden and has lights strung up to illuminate the patio nicely. If the weather permits make sure you check it out. The mushroom appetizer is a great starter. This place is a gem. Great for date night with your special lady!
Review Source:My husband and I dined here last night for New Years. This place had been on our list for awhile after some friends recommended it. The restaurant is literally an old house and was really cute inside with a nice atmosphere.
We started with a Tuscan blend wine which was delicious. The menu is designed to be a 3 course meal- first an appetizer, then a pasta course and ending with an entree. Â We opted not to get any appetizers, mainly because nothing really jumped out on the menu. Â For the pasta course, I ordered the gnocchi with brown butter and sage and my husband got the lamb ragu. I had high expectations for the gnocchi after reading various other yelp reviews and while I thought they were good, I have had better gnocchi elsewhere. They were super light and pillowy - so much so that my fork broke them apart when I tried to eat them. My husband's ragu was the show stealer. It was such tender braised lamb and a great sauce. Also it was a much larger portion. For our entrees I got the duck leg with garlic spinach and potatoes and my husband the braised short rib with saffron risotto. Again, his dish was by far the winner. My duck was overcooked. The middle was pink however the ends were well done and basically inedible. The spinach was the highlight of my dish. On the other hand, the braised short rib and risotto was amazing. So tender, so flavorful and the risotto was perfect. If I had ordered what my husband did, I probably would give this place 4 stars.
Also our service was very slow. We were there for an hour and 45 minutes when we only ordered 2 courses. We were nursing our bottle of wine. Our server never checked on us during our entrees, which would have been nice considering my lamb was overdone.
I didn't think this place was worth the money. Next time I want high quality Italian, I'll be heading to La Scarola instead.
a tavola is just so delightful. good, honest food. my first time, we ordered almost the entire menu and thus stayed for hours. the ambience, the food, the wine, everything kept our attention. well, actually...the tables are kind of on top of one another (get close with your neighbors!) so the couple next to us were actually keeping our attention the most...thanks to their conversation.
i have been here only a handful of times and have never been disappointed. bring your mom, bring a date, bring a coworker. actually...if you can't find anyone to bring with you, just go alone. it's that good.
My husband and I celebrated a memorable anniversary here with a private cooking class with Owner and Chef Dan who makes it all look so easy! He is extremely sweet and friendly... So the class was really more than a class because it was like we were at his home and he just invited us into his kitchen. It was super expensive though because u have to pay for wine and then tax and the tip! (With 2.5 glasses of wine we spent $400). Â But again, its a totally unique homely yet exclusive experience. So if u are the type who don't want to spend a special ocassion partying and getting drunk, this is an interesting idea provided u have the budget for it.
Review Source:We found this place through a friend, and it was one of the best Italian food I have had so far in the city.
It's a small place with about 10 tables, dimmed, and very home felling. Â The server was knowledgeable, and pleasant when describing the food. Â
The short ribs were to die for. Â Braised for 10 hours and was complemented by a great polenta with carrots. Â The gnocchi was just unique. Â It melted in your mouth without the starchy finish.
You have to go!!!
I had the best meal of my life at a tavola.
The place is totally unassuming, which I see some people consider boring, but I found charming and unpretentious. Â Our waiter couldn't have been more friendly or helpful, and with so few tables, it was easy to get whatever we needed.
But the food was unforgettable. Â We shared a porterhouse that was flawless. Â I thought I knew what gnocchi could be...but no, I was shown a greater thing. Â If I was about to die, I'd ask the executioner for a tavola's panna cotta.
To be fair, though, we spent a ton of money ($350 for two). Â But it was without a doubt the best meal I've ever had.
I found this little gem because of Yelp. Â I would have never known it existed if not.
It reminds me of this Italian place in Roscoe Village that has since closed BUT way BETTER!
This is like a house. Â Literally. Â HA. Â
Its a little tight so when we got there we had to stand at the front while they got our table ready. Â It was literally like bumper cars up there for a bit. Â
The food is all made in house. Â Man, its good. Â The bread is made there. Â The pasta is made there! Â We had lots of stuff. Â Both gnocchis were delicious. Â The housemade pesto was to DIE for. Â The short rib was FANTASTIC!!! Â It was over a rich bed of risotto. Â Yummy! Â So tender and flavorful.
The service was great and everyone was friendly.
They have a decent choice of wines.
I liked it. Â
Its a romantic-y feel with good old homecooking sprinkled in.
This small, quiet, and intimate space is the perfect place for a romantic date. It is so easy to pass this restaurant by as it is hidden in a town house like building on a otherwise nondescript section of west Chicago Ave. The wine list is expansive with many Italian wines that frankly, we had never heard of, so we placed the selection in the hands of our attentive server. Â We were not disappointed as the wines were great.
My finance had the arugula salad (all freshly grown in the back) Â and I have the mussels and clams in a tomato broth. Both were a perfect start. Â We split the gnocchi in butter and sage and I was somewhat disappointed that we shared as it was so good. Â I wanted more! Â The lamb and braised beef entrees were terrific and we savored the ambiance as we finished our wine.
We will be back as this gem is one of the better Italian restaurants in the city. It reminded me of the many small neighborhood restaurants I have frequented while traveling to NYC. Â Great service and delicious food!
I fell in love with this place last night! It looks like a home, so you just might miss it on Chicago Ave! It truly felt like I was being invited into someone's home for a meal. Usually I think Italian food is too heavy, but the portions were great here. It wasn't too busy, so service was flawless.
My experience here was truly about good food, good wine, and good company. We sat inside the dining room but I'm sure that I'll be frequenting their patio when it gets warmer.
If you hate food with seasoning, you will love A Tavola. A Tavola might be Chicago's most boring restaurant. Based on my diet, it is not for me and I would not return. I eat fish but not meat, and that severely limited my options here. What I could eat was, at best, unmemorable and, at worst, completely tasteless. Meat eaters might have an entirely different experience.
We started with a very good grilled mushroom appetizer (one of only two appetizers I could eat, the other being a boring preparation of mixed vegetables). I then had very nice, if unremarkable, gnocchi with sage and brown butter (the only pasta on the menu I could eat). My entree was the fish of the day (again, my only choice), an unidentified whitefish served with unseasoned (?!) potatoes and broccoli. This unbelievably unimaginative preparation was high priced hospital food. Easily the most bland dish I have ever had in Chicago and possibly my life. I could not believe how tasteless and boring the dish was, especially for this price. Given that I have eaten every item I can on A Tavola's menu, there is no reason for me to return.
The patio was nice and service was friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, it doesn't make up for the lame menu. Again, meat eaters may have a completely different take.
Very bizarre experience that resulted in turning around and opting for another restaurant.
We walked in and received strange looks from the waitstaff who then left us waiting in the restaurant and receded to the back. After a few minutes, senior personnel came up and told us that they had no space in the patio, with a strange look on his face.
As we awkwardly made our exit, we speculated on what could have triggered such an unprofessional and rude reception. Â It might have been dress code -- though there are no signs that rule out flipflops on a late summer evening and probably they would have informed us that we didn't meet their dress code. Â
Or, it may be that one of us is black?!
Either way, it put a damper on the evening.
If you want a lovely, simple dining experience with solid, delicious food, then a tavola is your best bet.  No hype or frills - just an old fashioned  New York style Italian restaurant with accessible, perfectly cooked food.  The decor was classic with a few black and white photographs and lovely drapes with hints of gold - the sort of classic contemporary that's comforting and never tries too hard.
We had the gnocchi as one of our first courses, and I can honestly say it's the best gnocchi I've every had.  I sorrowfully told my boyfriend that there's no way the gnocchi can be topped  - I was right, but the grilled leg of lamb from the specials menu came pretty damn close. I asked for medium rare, and goddamn it, they gave me medium rare.  Perfect lamb. My boyfriend got the roasted chicken, which I wasn't impressed with, but he liked it. Â
The best part of our meal was the ambiance - this is a seriously romantic restaurant - the type where you can lean into your lover and hold hands and whisper and giggle.
Cons: The roasted chicken came with a savory bread pudding, which was way too salty and buttery and greasy - quite below par for the rest of our meal, which was delicious. Â Neither of us could stomach a second bite.
The service definitely needed some improvement. Â We had a reservation, and yet we still had to wait twenty minutes until someone even came by to get our drink order. When the waiter finally did attend to us, he said "uh, has anyone come to help your guys or taken your drink order yet? Â Oh. Â I guess I'll be your waiter tonight." Â The service was slow for the rest of the night, too, which was fine, because who cares when the food is good? Â But when the waiter did come by, he was flustered and rushed. Â He also didn't check on us even once after we got our first course, or even once after we got our entrees. Â To be fair, when we got our bill, they hadn't charged us for my single glass of wine, and when I pointed it out, he said "because things were crazy tonight." Â I appreciate it, and I'm glad they were aware of the problem, but I'd rather have paid for my wine and had good service.
Also, as yelper Shradha pointed out, they didn't really have good vegetarian options. Â We weren't vegetarian, but we were scoping out the place for future visits with my parents, who are, and I can be assured that this isn't a place to bring them. Â It's 2012, and vegetarians usually love Italian food - they should try to have something to accommodate them.
As a vegetarian, I wasn't impressed by being served dorm-canteen style spaghetti. The gnocchi was better but the overall food was just okay (as a vegetarian). Their entire entree meny focused on meat dishes so we had to order off of the appetizers and sides.
The patio dining in an old charming house is what saved this experience because the service was nothing to write about either.
Had dinner here last night. Â Everything just equaled out to be ok I guess? Alot of heavy ups and downs. Â
Gnocchi..Great. Vegetable appetizer just tasted like grilled veggies, nothing really special. The entree sides had no salt or pepper and were missing any kind seasoning. Â Ordered my steak med-rare, came out well done. Â Seriously completely cooked through. I hate sending food back, and probably have 5 times in my life, but I just had to have this redone. Â The second one was smaller, but cooked fine. Â Unfortunately everyone else had already finished there entree's by the time I got mine. Â Ended up slightly ackward.
Beautiful back patio! Â Ok-subpar service. Â 3 stars.. Â Its really to bad, because it is a really nice place for a outdoor dinner.
A Tavola is a really nice place, cozy in the winter and lovely twinkle-lit patio in the summer.They start you off with DELICIOUS foccachia and a nice wine list. You must order the gnocchi, it is unbelievably good. I always burn my mouth on it because I can't help but start to eat right when it comes out. Also, try the apple dessert, amazing. The waitstaff is friendly and works together well.
We had such a consistently great experience that we decided to have our rehearsal dinner here. It was a beautiful evening and they were exceptionally accommodating to our large group. We wanted something off the beaten path that our out of town guests wouldn't have found on their own and they still can't stop talking about how good the food was!
Solid Italian food with the pasta primi and meat/seafood secondi. Â For the primi, we had the gnocchi and the daily special pepe e cacio. Â Fresh pasta with the right amount of seasoning. Â Only downside was the pepe e cacio was cold (supposed to be warm) by the time they served it. Â Very tender beef ribs served over creamy polenta. Â Easy to find parking.
Older clientele averaging 50s.
I wish there were more than 5 stars. Â This place is amazing. Â Been here twice, once with my husband and once with my husband and parents. Â First time we sat outside on a beautiful night in early fall, second time inside on a cold winter day. Â Both locations were perfect. Â So cozy, so intimate, and I love that you can't tell from the street that there is a restaurant behind the door. Â Romantic--great for anniversaries, birthdays, parents in town, etc.
Joel, our waiter both times, was a dream. Â He's the kind of waiter where we handed him back our menus and said "just bring us your favorite stuff." Â He's passionate about the food and the restaurant, and I love when the staff takes such pride in the food (he talked about possibly planting sage plants in the back to add fresh sage to one of the dishes...). Â
The food is beautiful, exquisite, and I love that the menu is small. Â Not a great liquor selection, but good wine list. Â
This is what a restaurant should be. Â Well done, A Tavola. Â Can't wait to come back.
I'm sure everyone who's reviewed a tavola has already said this but its worth repeating. Â Best gnocchi in the city. Â I could stop there.
Get it as a starter. Â Its like savory cotton candy. Â Little pillows of brown butteryness that just melts. Â The crispy sage is a nice touch.
That's a tough act to follow! Â But they can do it. Â They have seasonal items and if you're dining outside you can see that they grow some of their own herbs. Â I love the blueberry risotto! Â They have some of the best roasted chicken and I usually get the fish of the day whenever possible (and when its not salmon)
The wine list is great. Â I've never had a bad bottle of something and its usually reasonably priced.
Then the dessert. Â Chocolate or apple? Â Whichever way you go you'll be pleased.
This is a hidden neighborhood gem that's the real deal. Â Its been around FOREVER but you've probably driven by it a million times and not noticed. Â It feels like you're going to your friend's three-flat for dinner.
Its always a treat coming here.
We came here for our special 5 year anniversary dinner, and once again my husband did not disapoint in choosing the perfect spot.
Romantic and intimate, this restaurant gets 5 stars for atmosphere. Our server brought us champagne on the house to celebrate our anniversary and his service was excellent for the rest of the evening. He was very attentive but not too much that you got sick of seeing him. I was really impressed with all of the attendants as I observed them, not just our particular waiter.
For our order, of course we had to try the gnocchi. My husband had the beef tenderloin and really enjoyed it - it was cooked to perfection and super tender. Â
I noticed other patrons around us who got their gnocchi before we did but defnitely ordered it much later than we had put in our order, so in my mind I already was praying my beloved gnocchi would not come out cold (in case they made it and were waiting to bring it out to us until hubby's beef was ready) . My fear was true...it came out cold. :( Â BUT! Our server was more than gracious to bring me a brand new one and I am so glad he did!! The new order came out in 3 minutes, steaming hot and the little pillows of gnocchi melted in your mouth. The brown butter sauce is not too heavy (I got every last drop of it with their homemade foccacia bread) and I never knew I'd be so excited about crispy sage. Oh crispy sage. How delightful.
Skip the baked apple dessert - the apples were mushy and had a skimpy crust. Indulge in the delicious panna cotta with a shot of espresso. Perfect ending to a wonderful evening! We can't wait to bring back our foodie friends and dine on their patio this summer!
Phenomenal experience, in every aspect. Â Our waiter, Sean, was attentive and knowledgable, and made fabulous wine selections/pairings for the both of us. Â The ambience is super quaint and romantic...a hidden gem in Ukrainian Village.
We split the mushroom appetizer, which was excellent! Â The mushrooms were grilled and marinated to a perfection...reminiscent of steak (i'm a pescatarian, so it was a great to see a lot of veg appetizers for starters).
We then split the gnocchi, which was PHENOMENAL. Â Literally melted in my mouth. Â Highly recommend.
From the I ordered the fish of the day, which was the only pescatarian/vegetarian option...kind of a downer that my options were limited, but I was super pleased with the dish. Â My boyfriend had the sangiovese braised beef short ribs and hasn't stopped talking about them...they sounded incredible. Â
To wrap things up we ordered the panna cotta...I can not express in words how amazing this was. Â I seriously could have gone with an entree sized portion of this heavenly treat...I wish I hadn't eaten it so fast so I could savor the taste...wow.
Great service, amazing food, fabulous atmosphere. Â Perfect place for a date night:)
After eating here it comes as no surprise that this restaurant has been here for so many years and that it doesn't need a huge sign proclaiming its existence. The dining room is small and intimate and it fills up incredibly quickly. We had 5:30 reservations and within 30 minutues of opening there was not a seat left in the house.
We started with some wine and the braised lamb ragu. The lamb was perfect and next we ordered the gnocchi. The gnocchi was good but probably the least impressive of all we had, if only because the rest of the meal was so outstanding. The lemon caper sauce that came with the whitefish was so flavorful and fantastic that we have taken to trying to replicate it at home (as close as we can come to it) for our own chicken and broccoli dishes.
The roasted chicken with bread pudding was another highlight and since I could not eat it all in one sitting, it made for an excellent lunch the next day. Due to high demand in the kitchen one of the sides I ordered was  very slow to come out. Our server kindly gave me another glass of wine on the house to make up for it and given how enjoyable the wine was, that gesture was much appreciated.
This is a perfect date destination and I can not wait to be able to dine here when the outdoor patio is open in summer. It's really hard to say enough about this place - I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Great place. I had never heard anything about it before and was invited to join a friend there with his family for dinner (who I believe are friends of the owner). Blew past it twice before I realized it was inside of a little house.
We got a table near the window and passed everything except the entrees. The mushroom appetizer was fantastic, so much better than it seems like mushrooms are allowed to be. So were the cured meats and the pear salad. All three pastas we had (tagliatelle, lamb ragu, and the illegal gnocchi) were really wonderful. The short ribs fell apart and had something unexpectedly brilliant going on with the polenta base. We had several bottles of wine I don't remember drinking and left pretty happy.
Chicago has a lot of really tasty italian but not a lot of standout wtf this is fantastic italian. A Tavola is, to me, one of the few that does it close to perfect, and it's a treat to have it here.
Don't be a fool - order the Gnocchi. Â ORDER 2!! Â Dined here this week with a friend who has been going here for over 10 years. Â Really neat ambiance/decor, very quaint. Â
Wine - amazing, great recommendations and selections to choose from. Â We had a blend from Mantipuchiano. Â Food - just as wonderful. Â Get the gnocchi and also the braised beef rib - wow, the accompanying risotto was so yummy. Â Desserts - very good selection and not tiramisu. Â The lemon tart was simply wonderful. Â Staff- very friendly and funny. Â You will be well taken care of. Â
Great date place, very nice ambiance and quiet feeling for a good value also.
The food at A Tavola did not live up to the hype. The pear salad was lackluster. The brown sage butter gnocchi was decent, but the sage over-powered the whole dish, I've had better gnocchi at a handful of other restaurants. My braised beef short rib was good but exactly half of it was pure fat and bone that I could not eat. The risotto that came with it was runny and had a weird flavor to it because of the lemon zest. My dining companion liked his beef tenderloin. Good wine selection. We decided not to have dessert.
A meal here can be quite expensive and I'd say your money is better spent somewhere else. The menu is extremely limited and if you have a limited menu, each entree better be phenomenal, but this was not the case. Nothing tasted authentically Italian to me.
Atmosphere and dress are casual. You may have trouble finding this place, it looks like a house from the outside, no sign. It is in fact a house turned into a restaurant, the small living room is basically the dining area. Just a handful of tables with slow turnover so make sure you have reservations. The place feels cozy and service was excellent but the food is what matters and sadly, A Tavola did not deliver.
This is a mix review.
Atmosphere and service-5 star. Â Cozy, romantic, very attentive service.
Food-My husband would rate it 4 and I would rate 3 because I had a not so great entree. Â I didn't like the portebella mushroom that tasted completely like balsamic vinegar. Â Instead, I liked the oyster mushroom that came as part of the dish. Â On the specials list, there's a turkey filet entree, served with sauteed spinach and procuitto raisin bread pudding. Â The whole dish was just ok for me. Â The turkey fillet is on the dry side, I know.. it's turkey but I thought there will be some magic happening given how everyone raves about this chef. Â The 5 star food items: short ribs, gnocchi, tarte tatin. Â All freshly made everyday, truly out of the world. Â
I think i will go back and try the cooking demo. Â the restaurant has an inviting vibe and I would like to try the back patio.
This place is truly amazing, a total gem, and totally worth the schlep over to the area. The chef's mantra seems to be "keep it simple," and that is just what he does - find really good ingredients, and cajole them carefully to make them taste as good as possible. Nothing fancy here - just  really delicious food. I can't wait to go back with a big group and order one of everything on their menu.
I was lucky enough to attend a cooking demo with Chef Dan, where he whimsically taught us to make his fantastic gnocchi (literally, the best I've ever had) with sage brown butter and tons of parmesean. I will be back to this restaurant for the gnocchi alone.
He also taught a simple chicken recipe, and showed an awesome trick on trussing the legs (I'll let you go and find out for yourself.)
After that, the man did something with oyster mushrooms that made them so flavorful and wonderful... it was one of the standouts on a giant table of delicious food. And they only had a tiny pat of butter!!! Amazing. (The portobellos, as often noted, are also delicious. His vinegarette/marinade recipe is delightful.)
The tarte tatin that we made was great. Â Chef Dan was so thorough and passionate with his instruction that I actually believe that I will be able to make this again at home.
Recommend highly. Mangia!
It rather pains me to have to drop two stars when my multiple previous visits were all worthy of five stars.
I went again last night because it is (was) one of my favorite restaurants and it had been quite a while since I had been. A good friend was taking me for a belated birthday dinner and we both loved A Tavola so going back was an easy sell.
We didn't make a reservation, but since we arrived on the early side, we had no problem getting a table on their patio. It was a perfect evening to sit outside and enjoy a leisurely dinner.
We wanted to start with wine but the wine list on our table was empty, as in the book had no pages in it. After we were finally able to flag someone down, we were given the wine list and we decided on what we wanted to order. I ordered a rosé and my friend ordered something white that she couldn't pronounce (this will be important later).
Our wine arrives and we're asked about our food selections. We always share an order of gnocchi to start and I opted for the lamb special, medium rare, and my friend went with the fish of the day.
Our gnocchi arrives, already split, which I always appreciate, and while it was good, it just wasn't nearly as good as I remember. Our empty plates sat there until our dinner arrives...thirty minutes later. We were never offered second glasses of wine which we would have happily drunk. Our server simply plunked our plates down and scurried off.
My lamb was frightfully overcooked but since our server didn't come back to check on us (I never even saw her on the patio after that), I couldn't send it back so I just ate it because I feared it would be another half hour before a new dish was prepared and I didn't want my friend to eat alone. The other odd thing was that both of our entrees were to come with potatoes - that's potatoes, plural. What we each got was one sad little new potato (and I mean tiny), cut in half. Did potatoes suddenly get really expensive? Last time I checked, they were one of the more cheap starches (hell, I used to buy a bag of them in college and subsist on them for a week), so why so chintzy, A Tavola?
After we finished our entrees my friend decided she really wanted a second glass of wine but again, finding our server was next to impossible. When she finally came out, she had to ask my friend what she ordered. My friend said "The wine I couldn't pronounce earlier." The server said "Oh, I'll figure it out" and walked away.
The server must have passed by our table at least six times in the next ten minutes but never looked our way or delivered the wine. My friend got up to go to the bathroom and our server came to me and asked if she had ordered white wine. I said "yes" then she ran off again.
By now, my friend returned and still didn't have her wine. I would have ordered dessert to enjoy while my friend was drinking her wine but we were never asked and since the wine situation wasn't looking so promising, we decided to just find the server and tell her to cancel the wine so we could get out of there. Again, we couldn't find her so my friend got up to look for her and found her and told her to cancel the wine. The server remarked that it "was on the table" and my friend had to tell her that it wasn't and to just forget about it and bring our check as it was getting late.
The server then brings the wine, apologizes and tells us she won't charge us for the wine. Okay, great. Since we got the wine, I decide to order dessert so I can eat it while my friend has her wine. Again, it took our server several minutes to bring the dessert menu and take my order. I finally get my panna cotta and we eat and drink in a hurry as we've now been there 2.5 hours.
Another server brings our check and asks us if we want gratis limoncello shots to make up for the long wait. It was a nice gesture but we declined as we just wanted to leave. An apology was nice, but it was kind of too late at that point (and it would have been more appropriate if it came from our own server).
So all we wanted was a leisurely dinner, and by god, we got it. 2.5 hours later, we were out of there.
I'm hoping the bad service was just a fluke, because I really love A Tavola and prior to last night I'd had nothing but good experiences there, but it may be some time before I go back and give it another try.
Would you like to score a few romantical points with your significant other?
A date at A Tavola will achieve the following:
1. Prove you to know your stuff...despite quite a few raves on this particular website, it's still a bit "undiscovered." Meaning, you are ORIGINAL. Always a good thing.
2. Shows that you have breadth and depth beyond the stapled neighborhoods of Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park and Bucktown. (But it's not TOOOOOO far).
3. A goodnight kiss. (If that is what you so desire). Ok, I can't promise this one, but play your cards right, order the correct wine, languish over some finely cooked food...and well, the rest is up to you, mmmk?
A TAVOLA! It's an upper scale Italian restaurant on Chicago avenue nearing Western. There is a sign that whispers...but does not scream. There is no valet (but street parking is very easy). There's just A Tavola, sitting there inhabiting a former home, with a sprawling (city standards) back patio.
It's a white-table-cloth-kind-of-place (and priced accordingly, for the most part). It's nice, but you won't feel under dressed in jeans and a jacket, or even just jeans and a button-up shirt. Girls, I'd leave the flip flops at home (but hey, I always think that). It's not a "judgey" place, but it is the kind of place you'll feel a bit proud to be at (and protective of), and thus...adorn accordingly.
Typically at fancy-ish type restaurants, the food is small and perhaps unintelligible from the menu. At A Tavola you get wonderful homecooked classics with a twist, all freshly prepared and created that very night. An ever-changing menu of classic (real) Italian fare with large tender cuts of meat (I had the pork loin), fresh salads, appetizers, and fish. Great for a family dinner, out-of-towners that want a real taste of that lustrous Chicago dining scene...but aren't "foodies" or interested in fusion, sushi, etc.
A special occasion date with salads, appetizer, bottle of wine (sangiovese), 2 entrees, dessert and a bit o' bourbon for my beau + tax/tip = $175.
It's not inexpensive, but it IS quality. Classy, but not gauche.The twinkly white lights and candles on the patio were icing on the (birthday dinner) cake. Sneak  out through the side alley for that kiss, ta da.
Tucked away in a house on Chicago Ave is A Tavola- a little piece of Italian perfection that is easy to miss as you drive down the street. For there are no glaring neon signs, no valet stand and none of the "pomp and circumstance" that is usually present in a restaurant of this caliber.
No. A Tavola is more like having dinner at a friend's house. A friend who grows their own lettuce for the arugula salad in the back yard. A friend who's fresh herb garden provides the added accent to many dishes. A friend who's mom must have come from the "old country" to be able to make food as good as this!
We started with a couple of their appetizers. The portabella and shittake mushroom special was amazing. Marinated and then freshly grilled- who knew mushrooms could taste this good! And the caprese salad? The buffalo mozzarella just melted in my mouth.
We then ordered two of the pasta dishes- the gnocchi (an extra large portion as my friend said he was going to take some home) and the pasta with the homemade bolognese sauce for me. Let me say right now- that there were no leftovers of either. Both were delicious!
As for entrees- my friend ordered the red grouper which was the special of the day (served with caper sauce) and I had the grilled lamb with fresh spinach. These, too, were perfectly prepared and still were "praise worthy" the next day when I had them for leftovers.
Finally ,we split the panna cotta. This rich dessert drizzled with vanilla sauce had a firm, fresh texture that made for the perfect ending to our meal.
Service was outstanding. There were no missed steps and our server's recommendations were spot on. She knew her stuff.
On the night we were there- there was a private party in the main dining area so we were seated upstairs. Upstairs lacks the ambiance but the food is just as good. If you are going to celebrate a special occasion- make sure you are seated on the main floor or you will miss some of the magic of what is A Tavola.
Street parking is easy on this stretch of Chicago- just don't forget to pay the meter box. And there is no need to get dressed up as this place is casual yet nice.
If you are looking for that special place to enjoy a night out with some great food, excellent service with an intimate ambiance, try A Tavola. It's a little bit of Italy, right here in Chicago!
Perfect place to go to have an intimate and cozy dinner with the fiance after a month of grueling hard work (school sucks!) Â I made him pick a place b/c I was too tired to search for a new restaurant to go to and based on Yelp (I'm turning him into a Yelper!) he picked this. Â He did a good job :)
We drove past the building at least 3 times and of course, it was the unassuming one that looked like a nice apartment from the outside. Â The name A Tavola is barely noticeable on the window. Â
This place is tiny - don't come with a large group and even though it wasn't crowded at 5:30, I assume that you'd need reservations at the regular 7 PM dinner time.
Had the fried calamari, where they use cuddle fish instead of squid. Â PERFECTION! Â Tender with a slightly lighter taste than squid. Â Mmmmmm. Â Then we each got our own entrees: his the braised short ribs, 3 large pieces with meat falling off the bone, sitting on warm risotto. Â Mine was the grilled beef tenderloin. Â I thought that for $28 at a semi fancy Italian restaurant I was going to get 3 tiny medallions that were probably bland. WRONG! Â I got a huge piece of meat, as if I ordered a 12 oz ribeye. Â It was PERFECTLY cooked to order. Â I love a good piece of meat!!!! Â And I would recommend that dish to all of my steakies out there!
Ended with the panna cotta - creamy with a light touch of sweetness. Â It was perfect for my fiance, who enjoys food with great texture, but I would've liked it a wee bit sweeter. Â Hey, I eat at American bakeries...I love sugar :)
PS: Â EXCELLENT SERVICE! Â Warm, thoughtful, I wanted to be friends with our servers!
Simple. Quiet. Intimate. Fabulous. Wonderful. Amazing. Comforting. Warm. Heavenly.
There is a small simple little sign that is perched out front, as soon as you enter from the front door and is off to your right. It says something to the effect of, "It is like being invited to a friend's house for dinner, but that friend knows how to cook really really good Italian food."
Perfecto. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Here you will find food to please the heart and the base of your soul.
I came here for a friend's birthday, I left a changed man. The food, wonderful, superb and lovely. The service, friendly, comforting, like the good friend you are happy to see and all they want is for you to have is a great time. Treasure those friends.
Walking in, it isn't big. A myriad of tables neatly placed, neatly set up. Immediately greeted, my jacket was taken and friend #1 was spotted. Scooting up to the table, I breathe a sigh of relief and pleasure, not only to not be the first to arrive, but the pleasure of the sight I see before me. The space speaks on many different levels. A night for friends, a special evening for two and everything in between.
But really, it isn't what is there, it is more what is created.
The mood, the servers flow with what you are looking to do. Our friends birthday dinner? Lively and fun and joking with us. Two couples that were out to catch up? Â A little more subdued. And so on....
And so we come to the food. A menu that changes from time to time, like day to day. And really, I can't wait to come back. The Parmesan polenta was flavorful and wonderful. The beef short ribs were delicious, falling off the bone and hard to not to figure out how to enjoy every morsel of every drop off of each bone. The gnocchi? Incomparable. Soft. Delicate. Savor. Every. Bite.
Wine? A wonderful list. Nice concise descriptions, but plenty of options. From a red sparkling, deep and dark as blood to a medium bodied white to a caramel scented red, every drop was savored and succulent.
The cuisine is wonderful, the service bent over backwards, the night? Wonderful. Share this place often, share with someone you care about. This is too good of a place to share with anyone less.
* What a nice welcome to Chicago! *
This was a nice first meal in Chicago. Â Service was very friendly (although a bit verbose on the description of the daily specials). Â Setting was really comfortably simple. Â
I got scared a bit when they brought out some focaccia that was not as fresh as it should have been. Â Bread can be such a giveaway about what is coming as it is the first thing you try. Â So I was worried. Â The olive oil they served it with was fruity and a nice one, and they also served a selection of olives that were good. Â But that bread. Â Oy......
But my fears were quickly relieved when the apps arrived. Â The fresh fig and buffalo mozzarella was superb. Â Really nice dish. Â The cuttlefish calamari was a nice twist on the more traditional calamari. Â The cuttlefish was more mature and had a nice strong flavour. Â The breading was the right crispiness and the fried lemon slices were a nice touch. Â
The gnocchi were wonderfully soft pillows presented in a brown sage butter with fried sage leaves. Â The gnocchi themselves had been dipped in a bit of parmesan before being finished off, which provided a slight hint of a crust on one part. Â Very nice texture contrasts and great flavours. Â
The tagliatelle bolognese was cooked to the perfect al dente. Â The sauce was packed with flavour but not overpowering. Â A nicely balanced dish. Â
The grilled marinated leg of lamb was phenomenal. Â After marination the lamb was grilled off and got a nice crust. Â It was then presented sliced along with garlic spinach and rosemary potatoes. Â This was my favourite dish of the night. Â I'm a sucker for lamb, and this was prepared perfectly. Â I requested it rare, and they provided it perfectly rare. Â It was incredibly tender, and had a nice crust around the edges. Â Beautiful! Â The garlic spinach was cooked very lightly so that it was still bordering on almost undercooked - but it worked well. Â The potatoes had been encrusted with a bit of parmesan and were lovely. Â
Overall a wonderful first meal!
Lovely lovely lovely place. Â A Tavola is tucked away in a discreet house along Chicago avenue; everyone keeps saying it's like walking into someone's house, and I'd totally agree. Â
I can't think of any other Italian restaurant in Chicago that is like this place. Â Many good Italian places in Chicago seem to give you the mobster-in-kitchen-cooking feeling, or they are massive corporate places. Â This place is tiny yet very, very classy and quite a fine dining experience. Â You could get away with casual dress but most people dressed up for their night out.
The service was outstanding. Â Personal, not stuffy, friendly, top notch.
Food was delicious. Â Their menu is very succinct, with several specials in addition. I ordered calamari that was on special, and short-rib dish that was on special. Â The calamari was wonderfully cooked, no sauce given or needed. Â The short-ribs were good, served on a saffron risotto that was also tasty. Â The menu is set up to have a 3 course (4 with dessert) meal, but we opted to share the pasta course between our table. Â We had the Gnocchi, which is what they're known for... It was marvelous. Â Though I think a whole plate of it would've been too much for me. Â For dessert I had a flourless chocolate cake, which was good (very brownie-like). Â
Dinner for 3 was about $200 with 2 drinks each and dessert. Â Everything I've read elsewhere highly recommends reservations since the dining room is so small. Â They also have a patio out back.
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