il Carciofo
Tammy Owins · 781 Google reviewsil Carciofo — honest italian in Fulton Market. Polished but not pretentious. The cocktail program is serious. "The bread was perfectly crispy" — Vanessa Budzinski
What 340 diners keep saying
What 340 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“Had the best time at il carciofo celebrating a friend’s birthday! From food, to service, and atmosphere I will definitely be making my way back. We got the fritto misto calamari as an appetizer and they fry their lemons (a personal favorite)! For mains we got the carbonara, amatriciana, and manzo aprugineo. Everything came out in a timely manner and was flavorful! The carbonara in particular was my star of the night and I will be coming back for it specifically. Since we were celebrating a birthday we got a spread of their gelatos (strawberry and pistachio were my top two, but everyone in the group had a favorite). Drinks were all delicious as well! A huge shoutout to our serve Alejandro who kept the vibes high and was extremely attentive. Overall, I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a celebratory dinner/fun date spot!”
“Manuel our server is very knowledgeable and very kind, he made the entire experience flawless. With a bigger group of 7 it felt like no wait and just as intimate as a 2 top. We started with the prosciutto di Parma. And that was just a treat to start the night perfectly made inhouse bread and delicious 30 month cured prosciutto. Moved on to some ravioli that was a cheesy and perfect. Now the main the veal porterhouse, stole the show the flavors were crazy topped with prosciutto on a perfectly cooked veal porterhouse, Others not featured are the carbonara, artichoke, lamb chops, and scallops We ate them to fast to take photos but they were all just to good. The artichoke tasted like a lemon funnel cake and somehow was the best app! I highly recommend this place and I'm happy it was recommended to me. Please come experience this fine dining!”
“We loved our experience at il Carciofo. Walked in for a late Sunday night dinner after seeing the reco on Infatuation, and we were blown away. The best carbonara I’ve ever tried, veal saltimbocca was insane, beautiful morels on the side. Plus incredible barbaresco wine (Rosenthal, for those that care about importers). Our waitress, Hope, was beyond accommodating and friendly. We’ll return on our next trip to Chicago!”
“The food was absolutely delicious! Manny recommended dishes and he didn’t disappoint! Manny was extremely friendly and kind! Can’t wait to come back! Pasta was cooked perfectly! The flavors were spectacular! 10 out of 10!”
“Food here was excellent and our server was super friendly and helpful with the Italian words all over the menu. Fried artichoke made me into an artichoke fan. I’m still thinking about this place a week later.”
“Delicious meal, well-paced courses and great for family style eating. We especially enjoyed the artichoke dish and drink, keeping true to the namesake.”
“We loved Il Carciofo so much!! Pictured are the Prociutto Di Parma, Abbacchio Alla Scottadito (lamb), Fritto Misto, Margherita Pizza, Rigatoni Alla Carbonara, Gnocchetti, Zucca, Pistachio Gelato, and Tiramisu. Not pictured is the chicken special and the Coppa E Fica (figs). We enjoyed everything but the chicken and figs were a hit because they didn’t get pictured. Personally, I loved the rigatoni alla carbonara, lamb, pizza, and pistachio gelato (so smooth and delicious). The bread was also amazing. We ordered more because it was so delicious. This is definitely a place to just order a bunch of different menu items and to share because so many things are good. I’m excited to go back soon and get the dishes with truffle added next time!!”
“Fantastic food and wine. Would love to eat the ragú every day of my life. Definitely a louder scene type of restaurant. Great place to feel cozy in the winter.”
“Had a wonderful second visit to il Carciofo! Some of the favs of the night were the artichokes, of course, the pesto suplee, and the carbonara. The vibes were cozy and perfect for a fall girls night out. We ended our meal with the tiramisu and it was just as great as the meal itself. Will definitely be back for a third time.”
“An excellent location with reasonable parking. A diverse Italian menu, but portions are smaller than expected for an Italian restaurant. The flavors were OK, but I would not return. Great service and a good bar.”
“I had been meaning to try this restaurant, I drive by it so often, and something about the patio and signage reminded me of Italy, which is where I spent part of my summer in 2025. I took one of my friends to celebrate her new chapter in business (she launched a new company) for dinner and cocktails. Admittedly, we did walk in with a "we want to have a good night" attitude, and that always makes the difference in any dining experience. il Carciofo did not disappoint me. The vibe inside is festive, fast and totally fun. There was not an empty seat in the entire place, and we were there on a Saturday afternoon, right before dinnertime. We had reservations (a must) and were seated right away. Privacy: The tables provide just enough distance from each other, you don't feel crammed like other restaurants do. Noise: The noise level is such, that you can't really hear anyone else talking, which is great. But it is moderate to loud. Cleanliness: The restaurant is very clean, the bathrooms when we were there were immaculate. And thankfully, they use low scent soap, which is perfect so your hands don't reek of perfume before you eat. We didn't know that you have to order all items at once, and that most items are designed to be shared. I suppose that they have to time the kitchen, which makes sense, the place is literally packed. We were only supposed to be there for a maximum of two hours. But we ordered to much food and wine, and we had lots of catching up to do, so our 2 hours went over, and we were eventually asked to give up our table. Service: Our server was confident making wine recommendations, my guest drinks red, I only drink white. We loved his final recommendation. He was able to explain the menu rather well, but he missed on the vegetable which I believe was delicata squash. I was not a fan of this vegetable pairing with our other selections. Location: Away from the hustle of Randolph street, so it feels much classier and sophisticated. I wonder what it's like during the summer months, it's probably bananas. Cost: Extremely expensive. I am still on the fence about if the cost is commensurate to the service, vibe and quality of food. I've eaten at restaurants before at this price point, and they were a little bit more upscale or were in NYC. Food: I enjoyed my meal and my company. I may have enjoyed the food of many other Italian restaurants in Chicago a bit more. But I will say, the flavors are unique to me at il Carciofo, and I haven't had those flavors before. So in a way, it was an adventure that I wanted and I was happy to have taken the chance. My guest and I shared the gnocchi, the steak, and the kale salad. We had desert that reminded me of a profiterol. Overall, plenty of food for two. Cocktails: We ordered traditional gin gimlets with Plymouth Gin. Gin gimlets are a classic cocktail, and difficult to make well and balance, especially if you request an alteration, which I did. I asked for a little less sweet. The bartender was obviously trained well, and their was some passion in that mix, the cocktail was fresh, crips and perfect. We followed up with a bottle of a splendid white pinot noir. Because of the cost, I would place this restaurant in the special occasion category.”
“We finally decided to try this restaurant since we always pass by and were curious, especially after receiving their email about Appertivo (their version of happy hour). We ordered the rigatoni carbonara from the regular menu and a pizza slice from the Appertivo menu (though I do wish they had more options). I asked our male server (if the pasta could be cooked softer, not al dente. I’m glad I did after reading reviews, but it was still a little firmer than I prefer. That said, the carbonara tasted authentic—very similar to what I’ve had in Rome—though it was a bit too salty for my liking. The pizza, on the other hand, was excellent. We loved the crunch, and at $8 a slice, it felt worth it. For dessert, we tried the pistachio gelato and it was absolutely delicious. Overall, we’ll likely return to try more of their Appertivo since it’s so close by. It’s definitely a nice addition to the neighborhood.”
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