Went with a friend for a casual Italian dinner, and it was great! Exactly what I was looking for. Good neighborhood place with real food. Fried calamari was amazing!! I had the spaghetti and meatball was good and makes me want to go back to try other things. It was better as leftovers the next day!
Review Source:Came here on a whim last night and was shocked to see how crowded Tufano's was. We waited about 20 minutes for our party of 5 during which I admired all of the celebrity photos on the wall. When we were seated in the dining area, our server immediately made recommendations for appetizers and salads, which we promptly ordered. The calamari was crisp while the garbage salad was loaded with a variety of ingredients.
It had been about another 25 minutes until our waitress came back to take our orders. She admitted that she forgot about our table and gave us a round of drinks on the house. I ordered the mussels with pasta and red sauce that were succulent and delicious. The pasta portion was incredibly large, but luckily I had a friend who was willing to help eat my dish.
Always having room for dessert, I ordered the spumoni which I also shared with friends at the table. The meal ended up being very reasonable and seeing as its within walking distance to my place, I will definitely be back.
Tufano's is living in the past. Â The broccoli and shells, one of their signature dishes, is swimming in some unidentifiable watery 'sauce' with a hint of garlic flavor. Blahh! Â The only lettuce you can get in your salad is iceberg....what is this 1960? Yeah they've been here forever and the owners are 'authentic' whatever that means. Too bad it doesn't translate into good solid food. You're better off at Pompei or Tuscany. Aside from the food; the car hikers are the rudest most ignorant wannabe Soprano cretins this side of New Joisey.
Review Source:As you roll up to Tufano's you're immediately in love. Â It's in a quiet neighborhood, tucked away among homes. Â Christmas lights surround the awnings.
Once you enter, you walk through a bar where several (ahem) regulars are re-enacting the Italian version of "Cheers." Â There looked to be several different rooms to sit in, and we sat in the front of the restaurant, which might as well have been big enclosed porch or sun room. Â It honestly feels like you're eating in someone's home, which I considered a plus.
Instead of menus, you look at the day's offerings on the big chalkboard.
I rolled with the chicken parmigiana. Â Sadly, it fell short for me. Â Thought they did a killer job with the pasta, though. Â I love it al dente.
Service was cheerful and the prices are right. Â I want to go back and try another dish... because I really want to love this place.
AWESOME!! Â My husband and I went there for dinner after a White Sox game at the recommendation of a guy that sat in front of us. Â The meal was amazing!! Â They have free valet parking which was a added bonus. Â We started with a salad which was enough for 2 to share. Â The salami in the salad ws awesome. Â Everyone in the place was ordering the Calamari and raving about it but we did not try it. Â My husband had the chicken parmesean and I had angel hair pasta with a meatball. Â The food was flavorful and nice size portion. Â We also sharred the Tarimisu at the waitresses suggestion and it was heavenly. Â The entire meal including tax and tips (Waitress and valet) was $40 and I had enough pasta leftover for lunch the nect day. Â The food was great and I felt a good value. Â The service was good as well.
Review Source:There's a truth about skiing in VT. Â If you want the glamour go to Stowe, if you want to Ski go to Smuggler's. Â You can make a similar comparison to italian restaurants in Chicago. Â There's plenty of high end ones that are great and glamorous, but then you have Tufano's which is great, but very far from glamorous.
The service was rough. Â I know a lot of people like that in a a little neighborhood joint like this, but there it is. Â And honestly, it's not the kind of 'rough' service you expect where they give you crap and you give them crap and you play off each other - I just honestly felt like the waitress was mad at me that I asked what beer they had because I didn't see it on the menu. Â There's a way to do snarky service right, and that's not it.
I enjoyed my meal, and so did my fiance, but, at least in my opinion, it didn't live up to the hype. Â It was a really good italian meal, but it just wasn't anything truly special. Â The fact that it was on Diner's, Drive-In's and Dives does this place a disservice because it raises your expectations to levels it isn't quite going to live up to.
Here's the thing though, aside from the service not being quite what I would have liked, it's exactly what you want in a neighborhood restaurant. Â Good food, fair prices, and a cool atmosphere. Â Yes, I'll go back, and a little better service takes this to 4 stars.
A casual nice family style restaurant. Food flavors were spot on. I enjoyed the Tufano salad, Picante Chicken and Tiramisu. Prices were good as well. We came on a Sat night with baby and friends and baby didn't quite like the tables were slightly higher than we're used to with the high chair, but she's small and was in a bit of a tiffy mood that evening. We'll come back when she's a little bigger. Despite all that, it was so lively there, that I doubt anyone other than our table noticed baby.
Review Source:Got several people telling me this place is great but terrible service. Well they got it half right. The service is terrible. Wine comes in 50 cent glasses, you sit forever waiting for the waitress, I got my salad served at the same time as the entre and it was inedible. Bottom line I can make Italian food better and faster and serve it with a smile. Tip to owners, get better wait staff cuz my 20% tip would have never happened if my wife wasn't present. I should have asked for 20% off my bill. 2nd FYI- ask for extra sauce cuz my spaghetti and meat balls were naked.
Review Source:I go out of my way to get to Tufano's when i am in Chicago!
The service is top-shelf. If it isn't on the menu, just let them know what what you like and they'll take care of you. Truly a neighborhood restaurant that makes you feel at home. If you are looking for REAL Italiian, look no further!!
Erica, Jack and I went for dinner, 7 pm on a friday, plenty of good seating, no wait.  I ordered the stuffed shells, and added a piece of saugage.  I loved it, the filing was very tasty, lots of flavor, the pasta was a good.  The sauce was outstanding, very homemade taste, and the sausage was something straight out of my aunts kitchen.  Erica had chicken parm, and enjoyed it, not the best she has ever had, but there was none left when the plate was taken.  She is very picky about her sauces, and she was dipping away like a fiend, so  you know it was right. Â
Price is about 10-12 a plate, very reasonable. Â
We will be back, want to try the different sauces.
Took my Step dad for lunch on Thursday and he hasn't been here for over 30 years - he lives out of town now so I saved teh best for last. He loved it!! And so did I of course.
Joey and his sister have managed to keep up the exact same flavors in all the food  their grandparents cooked up years ago. When I was a kid we used to go there when it was just the bar in front, which is still there, and the dining room was in the back - which is now the enlarged kitchen, it was 1 room, no windows, an air condioner in the wall, always packed, and always incredible food served family style. The lines were down the street just to get in.
Most places that are taken over by family members usually go to hell - not Tufano! They still have the Best Lemon Chicken, meatballs, Salad, cheese ravioli, red gravy and tons of  other pastas and specials like Sausage and Peppers, and Joey's special Tomato Basil sauce - MMMMMMMMMMM!
I am so glad it is the same as when I was a kid thanks to the DiBuono family!
Just moved to UIC area, and so glad I found this place. Â I won't go to Taylor Street Italian joint anymore. Â
This place is totally authentic, no thrills, neighborhood type of place, not even table clothes. Â But the food is great, price is right, service is easy going and personal, portions large and you can tell many patrons are regulars and really just friends with the wait staff. Â Spacious setting, you won't be seated 12 inches from the next table.
The menu is on the blackboard, lemon chicken, mussels, salad.. all the classics are excellent.
This place is great! Its still family own and operated. The food is amazing and the menu is on boards that line the walls. Also I would make sure to always leave room for dessert and you have to get the Calamari! The location is nice and is right off the UIC campus and its close for Basketball games. Staff is always nice enough and the place is clean what more could you want.
Review Source:Hands down the best Italian food in Chicago! My family and I have been coming here my whole life and can't wait for my birthday dinner next week!
Dinner must haves:
*Eggplant parm
* Calamari
*Antipasto
* Mussels!
* Ravioli's (whatever the special is)
Don't forget to bring cash and an empty stomach!
Hidden in Little Italy, Tufano's is truly a neighborhood favorite. My friends have raved about Tufano's since well, can't even recall. But for a long time. So needless to say, I was excited to finally make it to this "diners, drive-in, and dives", local go-to.
It's definitely a Cheers place where truly the regulars are practically family, including my friends. We started with the Tufano's salad which was yummy - what wasn't in this meal of salads. Then, on to calamari. And then my meatball. Well, I tried to get the shells and broccoli but that didn't work out this time. The meatball was filling enough after the rest we had.
With its chalkboard menu hangin in the main dining room, basic italian staples, and overall family atmo, I can see how T's can become anyone's regular. I will just have to go back for second and thirds according to my friends, who admit that my experience at T's was atypical. The shells/broccoli is apparently to die for and lemon chicken is the male fav.
So, I look forward to going back. Larry B, famous Celtic, stopped by T's a few weeks ago so says the owner so... think you gotta check out what the hubub is about here at T's.
Went here for the first time the other day. Â I hadn't noticed this place was even there, and I've attended UIC for years. Â It's kind of hidden, but worth it. Â They offer valet parking for $5, which was really worthless because the car got parked literally right across the street.
The food was great, ordered veal parmesan, and chicken picante, both which were very good, traditional Italian food. There wasn't anything extra ordinary about them, but it was a solid meal. Â The portions were huge, ended up having left overs, and it wasn't too expensive for the price paid.
Service on the other hand was complicated. Â It wasn't bad per say, but it just wasn't there. Â The waitress was great when she was at our table, but she just didn't seem to even be in the restaurant when we needed her. Â She was slow but on top of her game if that makes sense.
Went here last Friday with several friends after hearing about it from 190 North. Â It's a cute local restaurant tucked within Little Italy. Â The staff was also friendly, considering it took us a little while to make our decisions.
I have mixed feelings about the food though. Â The calamari and the tiramisu were amazing. Â I think in retrospect, I should have just ordered calamari as my entree. Â My chicken alfredo though was very bland and not worth the money. Â And it costs $6 extra to add chicken and broccoli. Â It was very disappointing. Â The prices are rather expensive, but I think I will come again to try something else.
Make sure you have cash, though they do have an ATM by the door if you forget.
Had a wonderful dinner this evening at Tufano's/ Vernon Park Tap/ VPT. Â It was a clear sunny evening, just after work, so I sat outside at one of the tables in the enclosed sidewalk area. Â
I started with a cup of nicely flavored chicken vegetable soup, incredibly thick with rice and pieces of shredded chicken, celery, carrots and other delicious veggies. Â Along with that, I dipped pieces of very good Italian bread into a small pool of olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.
My main course was sausage and peppers, a seemingly simple dish, but here done perfectly. Â The three sausages were spiced with fragrant anise and rosemary, charred and smoky from a charcoal brazier, and covered with heaps of nicely grilled slices of green and red bell pepper. Â Perfection.
The cup of soup was $2.50, the sausage and pepper $10.50 and the large tumbler of Chianti $5.50. Â Total was just under $20, plus tip. Â Cash only.
I've been dining at Tufano's since my university days in the early 1970's. Â Back then, Joey, the current proprietor, was still just a kid, the place was just a bar with a small back room for dining and the prices were perfect for students: Â I remember my favorite meal there was the $2.25 cheese-stuffed shells with broccoli, and a carafe of rotgut "Chianti" for about $7. Â But I can't complain for the slight price increase over the past forty years. Â Back then, my apartment rent, just a couple blocks from Tufano's, was just $40 per month, pretty much the cheapest rent in all of Chicago, even back then.
Now the wines are considerably better, and Tufano's has expanded to a large side room and atrium-type front room (my favorite in cold rainy weather) at the west of the bar area, plus an outside cafe area. Â It's always been difficult to know what to call this place, as there's never been an exterior sign, even after the 40 years of my patronage, plus who knows how many years before that? Â The menu is still the chalkboard wall, the food is still good, the folks inside are mostly friends and neighbors, cops and robbers, politicians and judges....and time here seems to stand still.
My in-laws brought me and my hubby here the other night, and as I told them, I felt like I was eating in a place that Tony Soprano would hang out in! Â This is a huge plus, not only because I love the Sopranos but also because I knew I'd be getting some yummy old-school Italian food. Â I ordered the shells with broccoli and the dish was simple but tasty; shells and broccoli in olive oil with garlic. Â My husband ordered the lemon chicken which came wtih homemade chips on top, and was also excellent. Â Our waitress was friendly and speedy, and the prices are pretty reasonable. Â Is there better Italin in the city? Â Yes, but this place is worth checking out.
Review Source:Absolutely fantastic service! All of the servers were extremely friendly, helpful and welcoming. a friend took us here for dinner in this little Italy restaurant. This is some of the best service I have had! They checked frequently, cleared the table and brought the next dishes. THEY TREAT YOU Â LIKE FAMILY! The sauce on the dishes omg, yum! chianti (sp) wine was great. Two bottles later. Full and satisfied. They had the space for large parties as well as for a few. It is a loud restaurant. But you cant go wrong. Its a must try!
**Friday night clams**
One of Chicago's gem. Definitely one to visit.
We ate family style between for people.
House salad - cheese blocks... Amazing... Salami... Yummy
Clams and eggplant parmesan - friday night clams... Worth it for once a week treat at the restaurant. eggplant parmesan - the best I've had.!
Lemon pepper and ravioli - lemon pepper.. Yum.. Ravioli... Great.
Tiramisu and Canoli - yuuum.
Everything was demigods and not overpowering. Great dinner. Would definitely cooked back to this Chicago spot next time !
Great recommendation to chicagoans and visitors.
Service definitely compliments this family owned restaurant !
Definitely a TREAT !!!!!
This was a total disappointment. Not our first trip here but it will be our last.
The only reason there is two stars is the speed in which it was served  and quatity.
That being said.... what good is quantity when the QUALITY was horrible!!! 3 out of our 5 dinners were not eaten.
The pork chops- dry, flavorless
The D&D vodka sauce with peas- Peas were total mush!, I didnt come for baby food, so firm peas would be appreciated. I have had better SAUCE OUT OF A JAR!
We ordered the calamari as well, which has been phenominal in the past. What was there was good, however half the plate was little fried bits. Like a fingernail size. What happened to rings and legs......
Valet had favorites.... walked out waiting in a line, he walks past me with my ticket out, to some guy and didn't acknowledge me....
Will not go back again and won't recommend to anyone! Total loss of quality
3.5
Good, simple, homemade Italian food with the best atmosphere. Â It's true, this is no fuss family style cooking and serving, so don't look to be coddled here-- be ready to share a bottle of wine, keep the plates moving and the conversation going. Â
I found the Lemon Chicken less fabulous than what everyone is raving about here though-- What I would go for? Â The calamari, linguini with clams, anything with their basil marinara sauce, and the cannoli to finish.
Cash only. Â $5 valet parking is fast, courteous and worth it since the street parking is permit only. Â Enjoy!
WOW! Â I didn't know until JUST NOW that this place was featured on DD&D! Â WAY cool!!
I can definitely see why, though! Â The restaurant was cozy, inviting, and the food was delicious!
My friends surprised my husband and I by taking us here on Saturday night around 6. Â PLENTY of seating--score!! Â (NOTE: You do have to valet park, here, but it's worth it!)
We sat down and immediately were silenced by the chore of picking out what we wanted to eat from the blackboard of awesomeness that was bestowed upon us. Â No menus in this joint, so bring your glasses! :)
Since it was just the first of many of our stops that night, I didn't order any "adult beverages" since I may or may not have been two glasses of wine in already. Â But I digress! Â My husband and our two friends ordered drinks, and I hear they were delicious!
We started out with the 1/2 calamari and the bruchetta. Â Both came out piping hot and delicious. Â It was after that that we ordered, so I was already starting to feel full. Â My husband and I decided to split the stuffed shells, and I ordered a side salad. Â My friends got the veal and the lemon chicken.
Oh my gosh, the food was amazing. Â Especially the lemon chicken! Â You get SO much for what you pay for--and I have seen my friend eat--it is rare that he doesn't finish every last bite, and he had leftovers!! Â SHOCKING!
And we tried the cannoli. Â YUM!!
So for six alcoholic beverages, two appetizers, a side salad, three entrees, and dessert, our total was $100. Â WHOA! Â I can't wait to go back!
So I stand in front of Michelangelo's David and try to come up with something new to say...same thing about Tuffano's. Â Both are classics. Well known by true aficionados. Â And both have Italian meat balls...
...and sausage(s).
At Tuffano's, ahem, my favorite is a salad and soup for lunch. Â Dinner varies with the season, but a sausage along side a bowl of gnocchi with olive oil and garlic is my usual. Â
Take cash, but Joey has an ATM now. Â Valet parking mandatory here because it is zoned parking. Â Tip the valet well, just to be safe.
Oh, yeah, one other thing, don't f**k with the waitresses. Â They are either Family or able to kill with a look. Â Or both. Â Seriously.
Just thought I'd try to bump up this Chicago institution's ratings a bit and try to clear out some nitpicky reviews. Â This ain't fine dining, it's good food, fast, and get out. Â It's a neighborhood joint. Â Nothing more. Â Not every restaurant has to be like first class, Trump or whatever, I don't know.
Here's the crabby part:
"It appeared as though they boiled the shells ahead of time, had the filling done ahead of time and just assembled it together upon ordering."
That's exactly what they did, and that's why you go there. Â To get decent food, fast. Â That's also what they do at most restaurants that give you decent food, fast (see e.g., any Greektown spot). Â You want fine dining and hand crafted, individually blessed-by-the-chef pasta go somewhere else.
"Finally, the house salad, which was drowning in salad dressing was 99% iceberg lettuce."
You know, when I asked the waitress BEFORE I ordered it, she told me that the house salad was mostly lettuce. Â So I ordered the other salad that she ALSO described to me when I asked her. Â And FYI, dip your bread in the salad dressing (oil and red vinegar ... Mmmmmmmmm dipped bread Mmmmmmm).
Parking there is a scam - there isn't supposed to be zone in front of non-residential. Â God forbid anyone actually try to find out why it's zone in front of a parking lot. Â Someone greasing the Alderman's palm? Â Noooooooo, not in this city....
But $5 for valet anywhere in the Chi sounds pretty good, dontcha think?
Yes, I am crabby tonight (too much sugar - my sister made a frosting cake ...)
Anyhoo, baked eggplant - six flags.
Tilapia Vesuvio - six flags.
Salad - six flags.
More flags, more fun.
Probably my second favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago after La Gondola.
I've been coming here since I was a student at UIC which was long before they expanded into several rooms and an outdoor dining area.
It's not particularly polished and certainly not trendy, but no one comes here looking for that. They're here for good, basic old-school Italian fare.
I always start with the special salad, which is easily one of my all-time favorite salads. It's chock full of roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, fontinella and provolone cheeses, cucumbers, tomatoes, and bathed in a delicious dressing. I've never come here and not ordered this salad.
They have your typical Italian dishes, but my favorites are the stuffed shells, eggplant parmagiana, pork chops and peppers, and chicken picante. The chicken picante has an amazing sauce and is slathered with toasted pine nuts, and while nothing ever has enough pine nuts for me, but this dish comes close.
Desserts are nothing special. On a warm day, I recommend walking a few blocks to Mario's for an Italian ice, which is a perfect way to end a fabulous meal at Tufano's.
Portions are ample, food is very good, valet parking is reasonable (and indeed your only option) and it's a neighborhood staple. Cash only.
I HEARD 'DIS GUY' AT LEAST THREE TIMES
Ergo, I proclaim this place is authentic Italian. Â
Tufano's has been on my bookmark list forever and I finally decided to give them a try. Â I'm glad I did. Â It's an old school, no nonsense Italian place with stiff drinks, hefty portions, and tons of character. Â I'd take this place over any of the Rosebuds any day.
I really wanted to get eggplant parmigiana, but they said they don't make it on Friday!?! Â Instead I opted for the massive, rib-sticking spaghetti and meatballs and their famous lemon chicken which was good, but not life-changing. Â
Don't forget to bring cash to pay your bill, binoculars to read the chalkboard, and an completely empty stomach.
There are reasons why restaurants stick around for eighty plus years - they are damn good at what they do and they don't try to be something they're not. Â Tufano's isn't fancy - no white table cloths, service can be surly - but they dish up some of the best darn Italian food in this city.
I took my fiance here for his birthday last weekend (after we couldn't get in at RoSal's - definitely should have made a reservation there). Â Tufano's was his choice - I had never been there and upon walking in, had my doubts. Â I'm guessing the decor hasn't changed since the seventies, possibly earlier, but the bar was packed, and we were promised a table in twenty minutes. Â Good enough for me. Â Two drinks, one beer and one wine, were under ten bucks total. Â Even better for me.
Although the decor leaves something to be desired, the atmosphere of this place is fun. Â The menus are written on giant chalkboards hung on the walls, and the place is noisy and full of life. Â Many of the patrons seemed to be "regulars" and joked around with the staff. Â It's the kind of place that feels like a bit of history, one you can imagine your grandparents eating at when they were young.
The food is fantastic, and pretty darn cheap. Â I had a vodka pasta that was so scrumptious, I'm still thinking about that sauce. Â I have a hunch the pasta was homemade, but I'm not positive. Â Nick had the chicken piccante, which was two giant breaded chicken breasts in a nice light sauce and sprinkled with pine nuts. Â We shared our two dishes, which made for a scrumptious meal (with leftovers!). Â For an app we had fried calamari, which I think takes the prize for best calamari I've had. Â Perfect breading, very large and meaty.
We ended the meal with tiramisu and cappucino. Â Very good tiramisu, but not quite the best we've had (that prize belongs to RoSal's).
I will be back, for sure, probably with out of town guests. Â This place is so very Chicago, and so very good. Â Next time you're craving Italian, go here!
Hidden Italian gem near Taylor Street. UNPRETENTIOUS. You will not find trendy decor, stylish waitstaff, or even a menu (well its all written up on the blackboard).
Nice selection of Italian table vinos and great food to match it up with. The pastas were good as was the house salad ( olives, lettuce, artichokes, asiago, onions..) and the calamari. I had rapini with sausage and it was fantastic. The prices are really  fair and resonable.
This has an Italian neighborhood feel that many of the Taylor Street joints have lost due to tourists and suburbanite clientele (oh, yea...I am such an urban snob...hehehe). This is old school Italian folks, and it is the real thing for a gooddeal and a delicious meal.
wow, reviewers couldn't be more misleading. there is nothing homey or quaint about this local joint. I'd rather eat Italian food from a tire repair shop than this bar. because that's what this really is - a bar that happens to serve italian food.
this was really dissapointing, as if you couldn't tell. our waitress really could't give a crap. the portions were not large enough to share nor were they a superb value. we started with the antipasto (soggy & flavorless) and the calamari (actually the best part of the meal). the main dishes came out pretty quck, bring on the mediocrity! the chicken parm was salty & dry. The marina wasn't that bad, but the cheese underneath was pre-sliced mozzarella. next was probably the stinkiest of the stinky: mushrooms & rigatoni. OH WHAT A SHAM. I've got two words (whch I stole from my wife): canned mushrooms.
and that was that.
Matthew H. meet me at Buona Note in NYC and then you'll experience some real italian.
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