Riccardo Trattoria
Riccardo Trattoria — clean, consistent italian in Old Town. You can taste the generations behind this. No long waits. [$$$, patio]
What 479 diners keep saying
What 479 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“🍝🏛️🍷🌆🇮🇹 I’ll admit it: before coming here, I wasn’t entirely sure what a trattoria was. After one meal at Riccardo Trattoria, my new definition is “a place where you immediately start planning your return visit.” Family owned and operated for generations, it shows in both the commitment to hospitality and the time tested recipes coming out of the kitchen. The outdoor sidewalk tables—weather permitting—feel far more intimate than most, allowing you to enjoy the neighborhood, admire the historic building that houses the restaurant, and simply soak in a wonderful evening in Lincoln Park.”
“I had a great time here. The restaurant is pretty small. I would say make sure you have reservations. At least for dinner. I started with a peach martini. It was delicious. For appetizers we got the cantaloupe and prosciutto, and fried zucchini. Both were great. We also got a seafood platter and a sausage and pasta plate. They do have outdoor seating and also offer valet parking for $16.00. On their menu they tell you they charge you a 3% credit card charge.”
“We were in the area for a concert and had a lovely dinner at Riccardo Trattoria before the show. The staff was welcoming and energetic, our server was simply a delight. Our food was delicious, so delicious I was distracted and forgot to get photos of the entrees! We had a hard time selecting what we wanted as there were so many tasty sounding options. We will be back!”
“Great ambiance, food and service! I drive by it always and today decided to come it! The place is cozy, has a friendly cordial staff and the food is amazing! I had the eggplant parmigiana and will definitely will be back for that! Nice discovery and wish I stopped by years ago :)”
“A bit crowded space wise but this authentic Italian eatery makes it all work with their flawless execution of a full menu. Risotto di mare with lobster was more than entrees worth, creamy and delicious with an entire lobster tail. The appetizer of burrata, carpaccio, with truffles was super fresh and could have been a meal in itself. Located one block over from lincoln park, we found parking close by and enjoyed a walk through the basin pre dinner. Fantastic chicago experience!”
“A mixed reaction to the meals. The rissoto and veal meatballs were excellent. The eggplant and zucchini Parmesan was highly rated as well. Those that had the chicken parm were less enthusiastic and were not happy with roasted potatoes instead of pasta. Service was excellent. And while I am not a particular fan of streetside seating it was fine although a bit loud at times.”
“Came here for Restaurant Week and while our group still had a great meal and experience, it was a little underwhelming/didn’t blow us away. Understandably the staff was busy, but the service we received was relatively slow (after having been sat late and having sat for a while). Appetizers all around were a hit but a couple of main courses felt small in volume as well as taste. Personally enjoyed the Risotto dish myself but had friends who weren’t impressed with the Lamp Chops and Ravioli dishes. Have been to other Italian restaurants in the city I would choose over this one. Again, a great meal, but didn’t meet high expectations.”
“This was our first time here. We are just spending a few days on our vacation. We met with friends who live here. Overall, it was a great experience and we were especially impressed with the service. Our waiter knew we had much “catch up” to do and dinner was well paced. The entrees are reasonably priced but we felt that the salads could be larger in size and the desserts appeared a bit pricey.”
“I would love to put 5 stars for them but me taking out points from the first step in the lady told us that we have to leave before a specific time !!! And I found that supper weird ! I know you are booked and I understand the business aspect but for a person like me coming for the first time to this place and in my all reviews journey I was never asked to finish at certain time ! So that was one point ! The appetizer was good but average for any Italian restaurant , the wine is 5 stars ( I love it ) There were some comments from our waiter ( he did a comment that we have money and we are giving it to him for his excellent service) and he was good ( but next time don’t tell a customer that he will pay you ) I found that a little rude ! And of course we won’t level until we give you what you deserve! Let put here half point But the majority of the point deduction was the food ! I was promised to find an amazing and famous Italian experience but we didn’t ! Half of our group liked the food but the other half were really disappointed! I am adding some pictures to the food and the place check it out ! I am not going to give up hope on them I will try another day with a promise to change my review if my next experience is better !”
“I used to like this place, even after I moved away from it, I will come back to have dinner there. But recently I went there and felt it is not as good as before. Ever since they took off the veal steak menu, it’s only boring food. Some dishes the salt was not evenly spread. And the service is getting worse too, though it’s still kinda popular at dinner time, I won’t come back again.”
“The octopus looked appetizing but was unfortunately very tough and chewy, which made it hard to enjoy. The lamb, despite being listed as a special, had no real flavour, plain inside and underwhelming overall but tender though. The carbonara had nice flavour from the bacon, but the pasta itself was too dry, which threw the balance off. On top of that, the seating near the entrance wasn’t comfortable. The door was left open, and the wind kept coming in, making it hard to settle in and enjoy the meal. Keeping the inside door closed would have made a big difference. While the dishes had potential, the execution and overall dining experience didn’t quite meet expectations.”
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