Horrible. Â Seriously this place has nothing going for it.
It's Italian food, so it's already playing with a stacked deck and the food is below average. Â On top of that it's expensive. Â I would rate the quality of the pasta below Club Lucky, for example, and it's priced at about double.
Got a Groupon & decided to try out the place & see if I could impress my Italian boyfriend. Food was excellent from my espresso martini (perfectly balanced ingredients) to the bruschetta, my linguine, my boyfriend's gnocci, to our canolies! Atmosphere was cozy, you could hear the servers, host & kitchen politely speaking Italian in the background. Will definitely be back again!
Review Source:Charming, reliable, and tasty, Via Carducci is our go-to for neighborhood Italian during the week or when La Scarola feels just 1 mile too far. For us it occupies a perfect niche just below some of the fancier + pricier options in the area like Nando or Antica.
We love their Rigatoni Siciliana - rigatoni with roasted eggplant, tomato cream and fresh mozzarella and their Orecchiette del Contadino - shells with sausage, rapini and garlic in tomato sauce. We're also fans of the bucatini and Insalata del Campo with asparagus, gorgonzola and lemon.
Tip - If you order take out, they add a free mixed greens salad for each entree you order.
Their pasta is good. Â However, their online ordering system sucks. Â I just placed an order--received an email confirmation it had gone through. Â Called 90 minutes later, only to be told they had no record of the order and it was too late to place one. Â I'd give them 4 stars for food, 1 star for delivery.
Review Source:Can only speak to the carry-out service. That being said, was very impressed with the quality of food from this place. All pasta entrees come with bread and a salad which is a plus. Fettuccine Alredo was delicious as was the Penne al Arrabiata. Little pricey but nice size portions at least. Will be back
Review Source:I've dined at Via Carducci in Lincoln Park a few times and always enjoy it, so we decided to give La Sorella a try one night. Â It's a cozy spot and the food is just as good as the Lincoln Park location. Â I love the Rigatoni with eggplant-- it's one of my favorite dishes that they serve.
The service here left a bit to be desired-- especially in comparison to the very friendly staff in LP. Â Our server was not super friendly or attentive, so our orders weren't taken in a very timely manner. Â We saw many tables that came in around the same time as us leave much more quickly.
Was a very cute restaurant. Waiter was very attentive. Food was decent but with the groupon it was worth it.
Caprese salad was good. The lobster ravioli was a little hard, but the sauce was amazing. The shrimp and broccoli linguine was good but there was too much butter/oily sauce
They started us out with warm bread which is always a plus
The good news is that, in a pinch, this place is not terrible.
The bad news, is that the food is not particularly good, especially compared to some other options. Â Club Lucky, La Scarolla, Mia Francesca come to mind.
Average pizzas, average pasta and below average service equals two stars in my book.
I just happened upon this wonderful restaurant merely trying to find a sit-down venue to eat at after leaving an appointment & was MOST pleased.
I ordered the Peperone Ripieno (bell pepper stuffed with ground beef, rice & peas) & one of the specials that they offered that day; fillet mignon along with a rice dish side item that I can't recall the name of.
Both dishes were absolutely superb & I'd have to say that the fillet was THE best I'd ever experienced ANYWHERE. Â
As authentic as Rosebud without the wait...for now.
I will definitely return.
What happens with you bring 3 Italians (from Bologna) to a work lunch at Via Carducci.....
Well, I had warned them that it wasn't going to be "Bologna-like" (the food there is amazing by the way...). Â Luckily, they were pleasantly surprised with our meal. Â They liked the bread, went through the menu and reviewed all of the items based upon 'really traditional' or only 'partially traditional'. Â Thankfully many of the items passed muster. Â They loved the pumpkin ravioli and some of the other pasta dishes. Â I had a caprese sandwich (I know...I know...). Â I wish I would have had some pasta since they raved about it. Â The sandwich was massive, and the mozzarella was good, but it was overwhelmingly large and I thought the fries were greasy.
All in all, though, a good time. Â The space is almost empty at lunch, so it's a good spot for a work event - quiet (except for us) and we had plenty of food and attention.
Would I go again? Â Yes, because I love sitting outside in the summer and having some wine on the sidewalk. Â Is the food great...no, but it's a cute spot and if you aren't looking for fine dining, you'll be fine (and stick to the pasta!).
I love italian food to death, and I also love the convenience of having a go to location near my neighborhood. Every time I've come ti Via Carducci I have this anticipation that maybe this time it will be better, but for some reason it never tastes as good as I want it. The service is very friendly and attentive. I can not complain about that. I just wish the food was better because I would love to have a place close to home to go to like this. Im just not too sure if it is this one.
Review Source:I went to this place for the first time with my parents the night before the marathon to carbo-load... and carbo-load I did! We split the procuitto & mozzerella appetizer and the cheese was so incredibly fresh it was unbelievable. For my meal I had the gnocchi with cheese sauce and it was probably some of the best pasta I've ever had in my life! The employees were very friendly and efficient-- not letting my water get below a half glass and constantly making sure everything was okay with our meals. The inside of the restaurant is very intimate and cute. The tables are close together and the interior makes you feel like you're at a nice little local restaurant in Italy. So perfect!
Review Source:I cannot believe I waited so long to try this place. I went with my parents, cousin and boyfriend. It was very crowded and loud on a Friday night, but that is the mark of good food and a good establishment, if you ask me.
Everything we ordered was delicious and we all had leftovers to take home.
Definitely recommend and definitely want to go back... soon!
I've been here twice: Once for dinner with a friend and once all by my lonesome for a patio spot and a glass of wine. Both times I've been very pleased.
The pasta is fresh and plentiful (good for all of you leftover fans!), the menu is diverse (my vegetarian gal pal found many items suitable for consumption) and the wine is plentiful. My kind of place. The atmosphere is perfect for a quiet dinner with a friend, or just a nice evening out with your special someone. I could even foresee bringing my parents here. It's just that kind of place. Not too loud, not too quiet, but just right for conversation.
A cozy atmosphere, friendly service, and great specials on wine will keep me coming back for my Italian cravings in the hood. Or, ya know, if I just need a patio and some wine on a beautiful unexpected afternoon off. That too.
Stopped by here for lunch with a friend on a Wednesday afternoon. Sat outside on the patio. Waiters were very nice (quiet, but nice), I always had a glass full of ice water, and lunch came with bread and oil (fresh from the oven!)
My friend and I split a salad and a pizza. The salad was amazing (Insalata d'Arugula), the pizza was ok (didn't care for the crust). Overall, I would definitely love to come back here and try some other salads and/or an entree.
I have to deduct one star for leaving the door open on a blistering hot, humid day. Â The AC was on but not effective and the tables next to the doors to each side of the main entrance had even more limited air circulation. Â And really, what were you thinking by suggesting that our group of 6 would prefer the table that had a spot light shining down on one of the chairs, about 10 inches from ones head? Â Customer comfort is important.
Great food, great service.
It has been a while since I have been here so when the food genre suggested was some Italian for the crew I offered up this little gem in my hood as an option. Based on the responses from those in our party it was a good call.
Called from the dock at 8:45 for a table for 6 and was told they could accommodate and we all trekked up both by car and bike.
Some salads we ordered that looked great, cocktails were ordered, but as it was late we jumped right into the main courses. Â I went with the Bucatinin alla Matriciana - pancetta, onions, crushed red pepper, plum tomato sauce. Spicy, but not in a bad way, and a ample serving. Good thing I was hungry. Everyone in the party was satisfied with their meal.
Service was good, plenty of water refills and a server who asked at the appropriate time for refills on cocktails.
Well this is a long story. We sat down outside, they told us it was closed then changed their minds and said they were open til 12. So we were getting ready to order. Then they told us we had to eat inside. So we happily moved just to be able to eat. BUT the waiter wanted to rush our order so he said he would help us and read us the ingredients on a few pizzas. In the rush everything got confused and instead of two pizzas we wanted we ended up with one right and one wrong.
We let them know the error and they looked pretty unhappy. Then our waiter proceeded to argue with us and tell us that he's been a waiter for 10 years and knows what people order, etc. We tried to explain it must have been a misunderstanding on both our parts but they literally argued still for 10 more minutes. they took it off our bill but were so rude. I would never go back there again.
I only give a second star because the bruschetta was excellent and the pizza was good. The staff, besides one very friendly bus person, were inconsiderate and rude. Having worked in customer service for years, I know this was definitely not the way to treat customers.
A wee bit pricey, depending on what you order - but this place is home of my FAVORITE pasta dish: Â Rigatoni Siciliana. Â SO. GOOD. Â It's eggplant in a non-breaded format, plus mozzarella chunks, in a red sauce pasta. Â Just amazing. Â
I've liked other things I've had there - and service is decent. Â But go for the pasta, for sure. Â Oh, also I think they make their sausages in house, which is cool.
I have been to Via Carducci twice now so this review really accounts for two drastically different experiences...
1. Dinner (3/5 stars) - just walking down division one night with the girl after recently moving to the neighborhood decided to try out the closest Italian joint we saw. Â It was actually really good! Â Nothing super special but the service was awesome, cool little romantic spot in the the indoor/outdoor section attached.
2. Outdoor patio lunch (1 star) - omg, only patio seat open around Division day after st. patricks day. Â where to start, horrible service, horrible food, horrible umm horrible. Â took 20 mins to get our shitty sandwiches and never saw the waiter again.
Lesson, its pretty dece for dinner, the patio is horrible, stay away for lunch. Â YMMV.
My husband, son and I were strolling down Division last weekend and wanted to grab a quick lunch. We had always talked about trying Via Carducci for lunch instead of just dinner but never had. Â We stopped in and got a nice seat in the window where we could enjoy the nice day.
We decided to just get wine and pizza for lunch. We ordered the Milano pizza and OMG was it good! I consider myself to be a pizza expert and it was some of the best za I have had since Italy! The pizza had extremely fresh Prosciutto and Arugula on it and was unbelievably tasty. Â
We  have been for dinner before and have liked the pastas but haven't been blown away. However, we absolutely loved the casual lunch environment and it felt very Euro. I am sure we will be back again and again.
On a recent, warm Chicago evening, I passed by Via Carducci La Sorella.
The tables were out, the business was bustling, & I passed it up to visit another Wicker Park spot to have drinks & dinner.
After a couple of hours enjoying a meal & drinks up the street, I again passed by Via Carducci La Sorella & saw a number of open tables in the warm evening air. So, we decided to stop & order a cold, Italian beer & dessert. Very happy we visited & we were able to enjoy the end of the warm evening outside on the patio.
I did not have a chance to look over their complete menu, but if the earlier business was any indication, this place must be fantastic. The dessert was wonderful & fresh, the waiter prompt & kind (even after hours of what appeared to be a LOT of business!)
Via Carducci is a solid local Italian joint in Wicker Park. It reminded me of Patrenella's in Houston. Per the website, Via Carducci is southern Italian, with its owners from Calabria. The restaurant itself is small, cozy, and ill-conducive to our huge party of 9. We made it work, though.
The menu is typical Italian-American, but I paid special attention to the robust pasta section. It's heavy on tomatoes, which is right up my alley.
I was feeling a little spicy, and went with the divinely good Penne all'Arrabiata. I always feel like I'm throwing money down the drain when I go with this ridiculously simple-to-make dish, but it definitely hit the spot. The sauce was rich, perfectly cooked, and spicy enough for my taste. The kalamata olives, a simple but excellent addition, sealed it for me in terms of plus-flavor.
Likewise, the fiance went simple with the Farfalle al Salmone. It was simply a tomato cream sauce with ample chunks of salmon littered about the dish. While I find that cream generally detracts from the tastiness of a tomato-based sauce, the fiance loved it. As she always does!
Pastas skew on the pricey side, starting at $13 (like the Arrabiata) to $23 (Frutti de Mare). There's also a host of pizzas and protein dishes, typically found at your Italian restaurants.
Wine is BYOB optional ($20 corkage), but they also sell by the bottle. We went with some red which I didn't pick.
While it wouldn't be my first pick on a vacation trip (we went because reservations were available for our large party), I could definitely see this as a local dining favorite for Wicker Park residents.
Via Carducci I wish I loved you more but I'll admit that you kept me satisfied.
Came here with my girlfriend after passing by a few times, we thought the place looked pretty cozy so we decided to give it a try. We loved the low light romantic feel and the quaint decor upon entering.
The food was good but nothing amazing. I ordered their special of the day, grilled octopus salad, which was really good,. The octopus was cooked properly and their balsamic vinegar sauce was very just right. the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and overall the dish was very well put together.
For my main course I ordered the Rigatoni all Siciliana, one of my all time favorite pasta dishes. The dish was good but it was too creamy and heavy for me and I felt like it didn't have enough eggplant.
Overall it was good and definitely not a bad place for a date. I'll probably come back for another try, maybe next time I'll try the scallopine.
The Rotini Santa Lucia at Via Carducci continues to be one of the best pasta dishes in Chicago....you can find this familiar combo of corkscrew pasta, crumbled sausage w mushroom and onion in a tomato cream sauce at many Italian spots in the area but imho, they do it best here. Â Best had al fresco w a glass of Red Zin on a warm summer night.
That is all.
There are so many great choices for Italian in Chicago, whatever you do, spare yourself, DO NOT patronize Via Carducci. My husband and I just had a horrible experience. We went in for a nice Sunday dinner, it was so loud due to a large party, we could not hear each other talk. We put in our order, I was served a very bland beat salad and a glass of wine, then 20 min later our waiter told us he didn't put our order in.
We decided to quit while we were ahead and asked for our check. The noise level grew louder and louder as the party drank more. It was too loud for us to even drink our $8 glass of wine. I asked the waiter to take it off the bill because I didn't even take a sip. The owner/manager came over and said, he would not take it off the bill. Â I would have expected an apology, I'm sorry It was so loud, please come back, etc.
It was a horrible experience and I will never return. Chicago restaurants bend over backwards to make sure their guests are happy, this guy was the polar opposite. No thank you!
If your in that hood go to Club Lucky, go to Bella Note, anywhere but Via Carducci!
Good Italian eats in Wicker Park. This is another place I didn't show any love to when I lived in the area. Shame on me! This is pretty good Italian dining and as a bonus we sat on the outside patio thanks to a nice warm day; although the temp dropped as we were sitting there.
I ordered the Margherita pizza which I really enjoyed, but the showstopper was the Lasagna della Mamma my girlfriend ordered which was as good as any lasagna that I had in Rome last year. It was almost as good as my moms. I actually wanted to trade dishes with her, but she wasn't having it. The staff was really nice and took good care of us, but they almost gave my leftover slices of pizza to someone else (honest mistake)
Good spot to satisfy that Italian craving!
Scroll Up. Do you see the special they are offering on Wines and Appetizers? Well, it's BOGUS.
My friend and I chose this spot a few weeks ago because they said they were dog friendly and they were running the Appetizer Special that night (bonus!). When I sat down, I asked if they were still offering the special for the night, the waiter had no clue what I was was talking about so I informed him about the blurb on Yelp and he said he would go ask the owner. Five minutes later he comes back and says that the owner didn't know about the special and that is was probably only offered at the other Via Carducci in Lincoln Park (Mind you, both restaurants are under the same ownership). My friend pulled out his phone and showed him the Yelp page for this location. The waiter took my friend's phone and actually showed it to the owner, but he still refused to honor the deal. GASP! What a poor approach to business and customer service!
Word to the wise, Via Carducci Owner...there are far too many good restaurants on that street to be picky about an $8 appetizer. My friend and I aren't cheap, but strictly on principle, you should have done something to remedy that situation.
The only redeeming aspect was that our waiter was kick-a$$. I felt like he was embarrassed to be working at an establishment like that and made up for it by treating us really well throughout the meal.
Patio enthusiasts, here's another to add to your list. Via Carducci is a little slice of South Beach's Lincoln Road here in Chicago-- very Euro!
Is it just me, or does the stretch of Division from Ashland to Leavitt play host to the most patios on one street? Well done, Wicker Park. My love for alfresco dining and imbibing makes me a frequent visitor.
Via Carducci is the perfect spot for a lazy lunch. And I say lazy because you should expect to spend some time here. Service is definitely on the slow side, and it did take awhile after sitting down to be greeted by our server. That's fine when you have some time to linger, but this is probably not the best spot for a business lunch as we found out.
So the food was really fantastic-- we ordered the proscuitto with fresh mozzarella, arugula, and a balsamic reduction to start. If I wasn't being conscious of others getting enough, I would have hoarded a bit more of that delicious plate. Luckily, my panini was more than enough to satiate and was simply magnificent. Well-seasoned grilled chicken topped with fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, oregano and olive oil.
I look forward to coming back when there isn't any business to discuss so I can get into some wine!
It was a quiet night at Via Carducci when we arrived, but the service was warm and the food was delish. Â The three of us split the portabella appetizer to start, and it was a pefect opener. Â Grilled with marsala wine and topped with red peppers and cheese - yum!! Â Washed down with a glass of shiraz, and the night was off to a great start!
For entrees we had the Carbonara, the Gnocchi, and the Rotini Santa Lucia. Â The Rotini was my favorite by far, with onions, mushrooms, and sausage in a tomato cream sauce. Â I had to put my fork down or I would have eaten the whole plate. Â Actually, I think it was everyone's favorite. Â The gnocchi was a bit of a let down, and was the only one we opted to skip when it came time to box up the leftovers. Â There just wasn't much going on with the dish, and it seemed a little lackluster compared to the others.
After all those carbs, we opted to skip dessert, but Via Carducci is a place where you feel comfortable to linger, enjoying the last of your wine without feeling rushed out the door. Â And so we did.
I came to Via Carducci La Sorella on a recent Sunday night & it was a lovely time. Perhaps it was the awful weather outside, but something made me want to linger a bit longer at this place.
We were celebrating a friends birthday and the waiter could not have been more kind to our table. I loved the romantic atmosphere with low lighting & (I believe) fireplace.
The wine list was very reasonably priced and diverse. I really liked the fact that we were able to personalize our entrees if we wanted. They seemed more than happy to swap out noodle, sauce, vegetable or protien choice depending on what we wanted. Â
One other random comment - the bathroom was meticulous. I'm not a germ-a-phobe, but it was a really nice surprise.
The only downside is that the seating arrangement was a bit cramped for our table. Otherwise, I thought the overall experience was great. This place would be great for dates and groups.
You know, after my third visit, I have finally reached the conclusion that was looming all along: this place basically sucks. It doesn't suck in a way that enrages a person...it just sucks quietly.
There is just positively nothing special about it. The service is not awful, but strange. I felt very vaguely mocked by the waiter that I had at my 3rd and final visit.
He brought out a bottle of red wine, OPENED IT, and THEN apologized for the fact that it was COLD. Because we are a friendly people, we aren't really the types to make him take it back after it was open. I guess I should have asked to touch the bottle? Yeah, totally...it was my fault.
The food is just "meh". I'd literally rather eat frozen ravioli with ragu. I'm not exaggerating.
I would really not recommend going here. It's neither here nor there; it serves absolutely no purpose.
I would describe this restaurant as having a cozy, somewhat romantic atmosphere. Â The interior is small, but there are plenty of tables outside and the cutest little alley that you can be seated in. Â My boyfriend and I were seated along the wall on the inside, against a sort of wine cellar that was along the wall. Â He had lambchops, I had eggplant parmesan. Â The eggplant was good, but nothing about it particularly stood out. Â I've had better. Â He really liked his lambchops.
The prices were pretty cheap. Â My meal was only about $12 or $13 and his was a little bit more. Â We had some wine and desert as well and our bill was around $60. Â There was some really annoying cougar at the bar who kept taking pictures of my boyfriend and asking him to smile which made us both pretty uncomfortable. Â She needed to go. Â I also noticed that it was rather loud inside, maybe because it is so small. Â I didn't notice the outdoor alley until we were leaving, and I was really upset because I really wanted to sit there.
Pet peeve: cozy little restaurants which are rumored to be "nice restaurants" and have TVs. Â It's really a deal breaker for me. Â It completely changes the energy of the room, eyes cannot help but drift over. On this particular night they TV had on a bulls game. Â Maybe Fellini or soccer for authentic ambiance, but basketball just doesn't cut it. Â A place like this really needs to have amazing ambiance to justify the bill, and I was less than wowed.
I find the policy of putting unopened bottles of mineral water on the table, hoping customers buy them, to be a bit tacky.
the white bean and rapini app was nice. Â I'd consider stopping in for a glass of moderate wine and having that again.
entree pastas were fine, nothing awesome. ravioli passed muster, but for the  price I'd rather have it at home from the freezer, without basketball.
We had a coupon for a free dessert- nice thought- we went with the tiramisu. Â As far as I could tell, it was slathered with something akin to GFS-brand imitation Hershey's syrup, one of my least-desired-to-consume products in the world.
Placed a carry-out order for nearly $100 of food here early evening on New Year's Eve. Picked it up, and walked 1/4 block to a friend's house. We sat down to eat right away, and our food was cold, and the side-salad we ordered was 1/3 old mixed greens...so old they made the entire (dinky) salad smell bad. Were also given a side dish we didn't order and were charged for. So I can't say whether the food was good, b/c I had to nuke it.
I don't care if it's New Year's Eve or not. If your restaurant is too busy to handle carry-out then don't take the orders.
I have to agree with the other reviews on how intimate and surprising this restaurant is, especially given its location. Â Located next to Milk & Honey, Via Carducci is quite the opposite of the bustle going on next door (or out on Division). Â I came in for lunch on a Sunday with my grandparents and we ended up having the restaurant to ourselves most of the time.
The menu is large and the prices are affordable. Â Most of the dishes are between $8 and $12, although the wine prices were a bit on the higher side. Â Everyone really enjoyed their meal - no complaints around the table. Â And the portions were generous. Â I had the orrechiette with vegetables and took at least half of it home for leftovers.
The staff is very friendly and the service was tremendously good. Â Our waitress even held the door for us as we left. Â I would definitely come back here again - this would be a great dinner place and perfect for a date.
Leigh K. and I were trolling the Wicker looking for some grub. We had originally planned to go to Dodo and give their new dinner service a whirl, but they were closed for an offsite event. We noticed a lively scene in front of Via Carducci, and went over to check out the menu. An attractive blonde server approached us.
Us: We'd like to have dinner on the sidewalk patio - we've got a dog (I point to my dog). Is that okay?
Server: Oh, we're not serving dinner tonight (points to a chalkboard, on which is scribbled, 'Closed for private party')
Leigh: ohhh (turns and looks sad).
Server: But we are serving a buffet. Can I bring you some wine? The buffet is inside (points to the inside of the restaurant, where an older Italian gentleman with a voice like aged sherry is belting out the best of the red sauce Italian tunes).
Leigh, not hearing this, starts to walk away.
Me: Oh yeah! What do you have?
Server: We've got chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio....
And thus began a lovely, food orgiesque-night of debauch buffet dining. Leigh and I, at the urging of the server, gate crashed a private party  -- the grand opening party -- and no one seemed to mind. Everyone, with the exception of the servers - ignored us. The owner made the rounds of the tables and skipped ours - we were interlopers and everyone else seemed well-acquainted with him.
The food just kept coming...cracker-crust pizza, roasted vegetables, bruscetta, pasta arrabiata, bow tie pasta in marinara, rapini with beans and sausage, chicken vesuvio, meatballs, pesto penne, etc. The vegetables were great, the pastas were perfectly cooked, and everything was fresh. I can't hold them to my usually super-snotty standards because it was the grand opening party, and for the paltry price of $10 ea (that was the tip we left) we ate and drank like gluttonous royals.
I'll be back when the mad jones for red sauce Italian hits. For Italian American cuisine, it was very tasty indeed.
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