Trattoria Ultimo
1953 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622
Trattoria Ultimo Menu
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Sample Menu
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Desserts
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Sample Menu
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Desserts
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Address :
1953 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL, 60622 - Phone (312) 243-6343
- Website https://www.trattoriaultimo.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Bill H.
Wow - the reviews on here are so polarized. Here's what you need to know: It's great, rustic Italian BYOB (w/$5 corkage fee) best for small groups/couples. Yes, the appetizer portions are small but they are quite good. This isn't a TGIFridays where you're ordering a basket of chicken fingers for the group after work. Expect one app will only serve 2 people. You order the artichoke appetizer and it is a single (but big) whole artichoke heart grilled and split in two - very tasty. We've gotten that both times we have dined here and likely would again. Tried the grilled calamari - it was OK, but next time I would skip it. Both apps were served with practically a whole salad of their own. People here have complained about the bread which boggles my mind. It's not a thick garlic bread one may be used to at a night out for Italian, but a thinly sliced grill-toasted artesian bread of some sort served with a nice olive tapenade and a drizzle of oil. We were offered more with our meal which was served without the tapenade (which was just fine). We did enjoy some surprises this time - a bonus taste plate on the house of 2 asparagus tortellini in a cream sauce in-between our courses. They were amazing and tasted so fresh. For the main course I had the special pappardelle with rabbit ragu. A portion that wasn't huge but left me comfortably full. The pasta has to be home made and it is perfectly cooked. Had the gnocchi in short rib sauce last time and felt the same way about that. My wife had the linguine with clams - same kind of portion with a nice circle of clams in the shell. A nice bright sauce in that dish too. After declining dessert, we were given crispy almond wafers, also on the house, which were quite a tasty lite pallet cleanser. The service has been fine for us; perhaps a bit slow at times but we've always been one of just a few seated and there didn't appear to be more staff than the single waiter and chef. I'm fine with that and the bonus taste of the tortellini and almond crisps were a nice addition. The decor is as rustic as the food. An industrial kitchen counter and fridge are in the main room (our waiter started making whipped cream with a hand mixer in the back corner at one point). Tables and chairs are somewhat mismatched but set up to look as they're in some sort of order. Mirrors and a few classic posters on the walls; felt like you could be on some hole in the wall on a European city's side street. It's not the kind of white-table cloth place where staff waits on you hand and foot. It's not the kind of place full of antique furniture and fine art on the walls. This place is no-frills and all about great food. It is a small storefront restaurant with fantastic, fresh dishes. If you're not renting out the whole place (which they will do) I would keep it to tables of 4 or less. 4 stars is very good. If the calamari blew me away and the BYOB was free I'd probably push it to 5. Prices are a little high when reading the menu but what I would expect with that quality of food after I taste it.
(4)Breana M.
This place has been my favorite restaurant in the area since they opened and they did it again. Chef Antoine and the rest of the crew made a delicious last minute birthday dinner for me and ten of my friends. He and I verbally put together a dinner menu the night before while I stood at his counter and he fed me tastes of his house made chocolate truffles, his gelato, and his amazing crème brûlée (a must). We quickly talked through a few courses that we could serve family style and it ended up being a perfect no-hassle meal with friends. Friends popped in and out of the restaurant all night, some popped by for a quick glass of BYOB wine and most of us stayed all night. Antoine could not be more accommodating. Our meal was hot and fresh, simple ingredients done very well. Everything is homemade and you can taste the love. Thank you for the great, easy birthday. This place is just so comfortable, I really feel like I've stepped out of Chicago when I walk into Trattoria Ultimo. It's a welcome escape from the overly commercialized Chicago restaurant scene.
(5)Holly Y.
Holy cow! I just stopped by for a light bite before the Blackhawks game with some friends... I just sampled the new [fresh green] almond & prosciutto ravioli...it was so delicious, I may need to stop back after the game for seconds!!! No joke!!
(5)Pete B.
Trattoria Ultimo is a slightly off-the-beaten path Italian restaurant on Chicago Ave. Pros: very European feeling. Warm and rustic, would be good to come with a big group and share. No wait on a Saturday night when we were there. BYOB (with a $5 corkage fee). Cons: Cash only. Meal was more expensive than I would've expected given the quality/quantity. Bill came out to be $42 each after tips/tax with just an appetizer and 2 entrees. I wanted desserts, but nothing stood out. Service was nothing special, not great. Would I come here again? probably not. Food was good, but there are lots of restaurants in the area with comparable/better food that accept credit card. Price was also higher than my favorite Italian restaurant in the area which we liked better. In this area, good is not good enough.
(3)Jewel L.
Great dinner with old friends. Everything we tried we loved! Since they don't have wine, they sent some one to get us a bottle a block away.
(5)Elizabeth S.
In short - don't go. Food isn't great, service is surly, decor non-existent, bills seem dishonest. Save your money and don't waste your time. There are so many other great neighborhood spots. Find them. The long of it: I rarely write reviews but occasionally, a restaurant is so great, I feel compelled to share, and occasionally, a place is so awful that I have to warn others to spend their entertainment and dining dollars and their precious time elsewhere. Sadly, this restaurant falls into the second category. We walked into this storefront spot expecting a nice evening with 10 friends assembled for good food, good cheer, and fun times. I was struck by the lack of decor immediately. It looked like the former tenant had vacated the storefront and the owners had assembled all the leftover furniture in family basements and set up shop. The tables had big iron legs and not enough room for two chairs between so everyone "had a leg." So uncomfortable. The wood slats of the table tops had spaces between, making balancing of silverware and glassware difficult. We were squished in and there was no need - plenty of open floor space around us. We were not greeted when we entered and when we approached one of the two front of the house staff were shown our table. She was surly and unpleasant and we had an unpleasant discussion about their corkage fee, an unnecessary charge when they have no wine or spirits to offer. The waiter approaches to open the wine and spilled it and then failed to replace the paper napkin he soiled. The menu was minimal but appealing enough and there were a number of specials that were priced in the mid $20's. Without exception, the food was unremarkable. Sad pieces of white bread with a drop of olive oil and olive tapenade served on cafeteria style plates. Small pasta portions with overcooked seafood, risotto with only a few bites of vegetables, salad with three halves (not whole) cherry tomatoes, really poor presentation and not a good value. The restaurant wasn't crowded and we were among the lady present and still one of our party had to get out of her chair and go ask the waiter for the bill. He was seated with a friend at another table and completely ignoring us. Worse, when the bill finally arrived, it is an adding machine tape with lots of numbers but no indication of the item attached to an amount and impossible to determine for what we were being charged. The Til was included for our large party and an additional $20 added for no apparent reason. Other Yelp reviews indicated some suspect activity with the bill and we experienced the same. As I said, find another spot -- there are tons of options in the neighborhood and nearby.
(1)Laura N.
Not sure where all these high reviews are coming from. Wanted to do a romantic BYOB patio date and Briciola was completely booked. This place was accepting reseversations. The food was mostly forgettable with laughably small portions. The house salad was a joke. Just some low quality greens that looked like they were purchased at the Dominick's across the street accompanied by olive oil and scant toppings. The service was polite but mostly inefficient. The busser was really great though - it's too bad he wasn't the one waiting tables. The worst part was when the check came. We ended up getting a frozen pizza at Dominick's after shelling out a fair amount of cash for a mediocre meal. Response to Sarah P. Mariano's only opened at the end of March in 2014. Many folks who have lived in the community for a while still remember and think of the grocery store as Dominick's. My visit to your establishment occurred in late July or early August of 2014 - I didn't write the review immediately. Your hostile and unprofessional reply does confirm the behavior several other Yelp patrons claim to have received from your staff. Glad I was able to help you promote your business. Best of luck!
(1)Jeffrey O.
I feel bad that I just "found" this place, though it has been here for three years. My wife and I stopped by during Westfest, looked at the menu and felt we had to try it, we did that today and were not disappointed. I was first struck by the huge variety of the menu for such a small place. We had the opportunity to talk to the owner the day we stopped by and learned a little of her background. The cuisine it's northern Italian, which is culturally familiar too me. All her pastas, and everything else, is made in house. That includes the sorbet, gelato, and chocolate truffles. There is an extensive set menu, but their list of specials was incredibly long. There were about 6 special appetizers and about 5 special entrees. After looking at everything, we were left to choose from two risotto, two gnocchi, lamb chops, duck confit, two linguini, and a few other things I can't even remember. This night, the owner's friend was the chef and server. We found out that he is from southern France/northern Italy, had a restaurant on the gold coast for several years until he lost his lease, went out to LA for awhile, and was now back in Chicago in preparation too open his own restaurant. This helped explain the southern French influence on the menu. This night I had the rabbit gnocchi, my wife has the linguini and clams, my sister in law had the risotto with mushrooms, my aunt had the gnocchi with mushrooms, and my mother had the risotto with fruits de mar. All were excellent, and we all felt the serving size was perfect, not so much food you can't finish, nor so small you're left hungry. Also, we started with the asparagus and mushroom appetizer, which was excellent. The chef also treated us to a few gifts throughout the meal, to include a cucumber, green pepper and kiwi gazpacho, and homemade chocolate truffles. We finished the meal with a banana, cherry and rhubarb gelato and tiramisu, again, all made in house. I also had a perfecfly made cappuccino. I did not have a problem with the service. I will make one observation about it though. From my travels in Europe, most Europeans feel it is insulting to bring the check without being asked for it. They don't want you to feel rushed and want to give you the opportunity to enjoy your post meal time. It it also not an insult to ask for your check. We did have to ask for the check, but it was much more in line with the cultural background of the chef than it being an inattentive server. Since Oggi on Grand has been closed, we have been searching for a comfortable neighborhood spot. We have found it!
(5)Emily D.
Made a reservation at Trattoria Ultimo for a large group of friends to celebrate my boyfriends birthday, they were one of the few BYOB places in the area who would do a party of 19 on a Saturday night. Our experience was pretty horrific. To start, I ordered the $12 grilled Calamari appetizer hoping to share between a couple of us, but was served three overcooked pieces of squid on a bed of bland lentils. My $25 risotto with seafood was undercooked (the shellfish was just ok), all of which I overlooked because we were such a large group. The waitstaff was incredibly rude to several guests, including the bday boy when his entree never arrived. When we asked where his order was, the waiter told us we would be charged for the "additional" order, and never apologized for the obvious mistake. The real fun began when I brought in the birthday cake. I brought the cake to the owner to set to the side, she was very irritated and told me there was a $2 per plate cutting/serving fee. I kindly agreed, then she immediately tried to take the whole cake to the table without the candles. After we stopped her, she refused to cut the cake, but still charged $38 to the table for the cake cutting! Reading a previous yelp review claiming they were charged extra corkage fees (we knew there was $5 fee per bottle/six-pack), I carefully counted 11 bottles total (8 bottles of wine, two six-packs of beer, and one bottle of whiskey given as a gift). When we were charged for 15 bottles, I asked the waiter to correct the bill and was completely ignored. He wouldn't make eye contact with me and just kept saying it was 15. Ridiculous. Before the bill came, we asked the owner to add a 20% tip to the bill (new law banned the automatic 18% tip typical for large groups). After the inflated bill came, we politely paid everything, including the overcharge of at least $58 for cake they didn't cut + bottles we didn't bring.. but we removed $20 from the massive tip. So what do they do?? They went and demanded another $20 in tip from the guest of honor! And of course he paid it. Shame on them! The food was insanely overpriced, the service was awful, and I left feeling guilty for making my friends eat there. I guess the only reason this place is in business is from old and/or fake Yelp reviews. Beware!
(1)Amanda T.
This quickly became one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It's so amazing I don't even mind that it's cash only (they have an ATM onsite, if needed). Plus, it BYOB - so I always swing down the street to Lush right before to grab something nice. The owner is AMAZING!! He actually waited on us the first two times we went there, so didn't realize he was the owner. When he found out we were recently engaged, he brought us an extra dessert on the house... which we learned was made there... and was truly incredible. The food has been consistently outstanding. The service can be a little slower when they are busy, but it's nothing outrageous and has never posed an issue for us. The interior set up is charming! It reminds me of a low-key Ruxbin (another local favorite) but with a much shorter wait time and not quite as expensive. I love this place so much, we plan to rent the restaurant out for our wedding rehearsal dinner. Definitely recommend this spot!
(5)Ashley A.
Best hidden gem of West Town/ Ukrainian Village. The ambiance is quaint and desirable. The food is to die for. True authentic Italian cuisine that will make the foodiest of mouthes water. Truly a remarkable experience. And hands down one of my favorite spots on Chicago. Two thumbs up.
(5)Maja C.
I had the most bizarre experience here out of any restaurant I've ever been to. We visited Trattoria Ultimo a while ago, trying to find a place close to home that wouldn't break the bank and was hopefully BYOB. Bingo! You don't find many Italian BYOB restaurants around these parts, so we were excited. The one extra star is for BYOB and the food. It was very hearty, although perhaps could have used more flavor, as other reviewers have stated. Otherwise, as the night wound down, our service just got worse and worse. I am not too picky, so when the waitress totally forgot our dessert after half an hour (and all she really needed to do was bring it out of the fridge), I was still sympathetic. And the busser taking care of our table was incredibly mindful and very pleasant. It's cash only. When we were ready to pay (which also took about a century, making me more aggravated by the second as the restaurant was technically closed), we expected to receive exact change from the waitress. Instead, when we received our change back, we realized that over half of what she owed us was missing. We were so puzzled that the manager noticed and approached us to ask if everything was OK. When we told him we were missing a significant amount of our change, the waitress suddenly materialized and pulled the money out of her pocket. What? A server taking out their own tip? As a former server, this kind of thing would have been unthinkable and completely embarrassing. I have never stormed out of a restaurant so angry! We would have tipped well regardless of the somewhat neglectful service, but the chutzpah of this waitress assured we will not be back again.
(2)James L.
BYOB! For me is it rare to find and really enjoy an Italian restaurant where I can bring and enjoy my own wine. The food here was excellent! The ambiance was great, rustic and comfortable feel. The way the specials were introduced was cool and helpful. It was written on a small chalkboard for us to read. Service was great as well! I will be back!
(4)Hannah L.
Such a beautiful place! Fairly casual, but with a fantastic menu. Light fare but delicious, with a large variety. Worth the slightly higher prices, good for a fairly special occasion.
(5)Kelly W.
I had high hopes for this restaurant after reading through the reviews. It was the only BYOB Italian restaurant I could get last minute Saturday night reservations for. The ambiance is not great, just okay. The bathroom is in the back of the kitchen which his a little weird. Also it's cash only. We were seated right away and the waiter came quickly with the specials chalkboard. He did not introduce himself or anything. He just set the board down and started reading off the specials and said "we might have this, we might not" for a few dishes. We ordered the grilled calamari and the tomato and Gorgonzola cheese appetizers. The grilled calamari tasted very plain and under seasoned and was room temperature. The tomato and cheese appetizer was also underwhelming. I ordered risotto frutti di mare for dinner which was okay. There was a good amount of seafood in it which I liked. The risotto tasted a little undercooked. There was a very large party seated next to us which was clearly overwhelming the waiter. After that group left the service got much better. The man bussing the tables was great. Overall the experience wasn't awful but it wasn't great. I would rather have gone down the street to Bricola. The food is much better there.
(2)J. P.
This is a special place. The food is delicious, simple and lovingly prepared with seasonal ingredients. There is no place like this in Chicago -- BYOB and Italian with French / Provencal influences and flavors here and there. Trattoria Ultimo is very much European in that the menu is presented on a blackboard and explained by the owner. The portions are correct. The chef and owner also waits tables with no pretense and makes sure everyone is satisfied. Do not pass up the appetizers, which change frequently and are seasonal. I've tried many things, but my favorites are the crab, avocado and hearts of palm appetizer, the squash blossoms, the crab ravioli, squid ink risotto, lamb chops, special gnocchi. If you have room definitely try the desserts, including homemade gelato and sorbets made with just picked ingredients and the delicious almond cookies.
(5)Godhuli C.
Hands down, my favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago. Everything about this place is so freaking charming, it's perfect for date night or an intimate group dinner. My husband and I discovered Trattoria Ultimo a few months ago and have already been back twice. Try the burrata, the crab ravioli, the scallop linguine and the rabbit pappardelle. You can't really go wrong with anything, though. Handmade pasta, amazing sauces and the warmest service. Love.
(5)Melanie S.
Between freezing my ass off, them running out of things we ordered (and not telling us until several minutes later), the subpar food, and the fact that's it's cash only, I'm likely to not return to Trattoria Ultimo. To start off, we were seated at a four-top right near the door, so whenever anyone came or went, a big gust of wind would blow in and completely overwhelm me (and not in a good way). It's hard to enjoy a nice dinner (no matter how good the food) when you're shivering. Subzero conditions aside, the food just didn't do it for me. I started with a hearts of palm salad and that was the best part of the meal. It was fresh, lightly dressed, and came with some chopped asparagus. I did think the price tag of $12 was a bit steep though. Someone else at our table ordered one of the appetizer specials, and when it was brought out, they made a substitution in one of the major components of the dish without mentioning it until it was served. We also shared the tuna carpaccio, which tasted fine, if sloppily presented; the tuna looked like it was cut with a pair of very dull scissors. I should know better than to order mushroom risotto at most restaurants, as I'm usually disappointed, but there was nothing else on the menu that appealed to me. My expectations were rather low, and I still thought it was pretty terrible. Risotto should be creamy and served in a shallow bowl, not heaped in a big mound on a plate. And the promised truffle oil? Undetectable. Others had salmon (which was settled on after being told they were out of the grouper they initially ordered) and they thought it was "fine, " but not remarkable. Desserts were a flourless chocolate cake, again nothing special, as well as some kind of mascarpone cream in a cup with crumbled biscotti. The texture of the cream reminded me of phlegm. So unappealing. Service is harried as there seems to be a very small staff doing everything. It's byob, and corkage is $5. Cash only, and there's an ATM in the back of the restaurant. Skip it.
(2)Fiona M.
We had the best anniversary dinner here on Friday. Felt like we had been transported to a small and authentic restaurant in Italy. The specials were written on a chalkboard that was brought to each table so that made it easier to remember the dishes. We ordered the pesto gnocchi as an appetizer, crab ravioli and the burrata crostini. The panna cotta with fresh strawberries and mint was definitely a highlight. Everything was seasoned perfectly and the portions, even as appetizers were enough to share. The ingredients were extremely fresh and flavorful. A huge plus is this place being a BYOB with a $5 corkage fee, so you can bring a really nice bottle of wine to enjoy with a delicious meal. The staff is friendly and attentive and the owner is wonderful. Definitely stop by this place for a charming ambience and a delicious meal. Bon appetit!
(5)Mike G.
We had a great new years eve dinner. Started with the scallops and mushroom/asparagus apps. Awesome! I had the linguini with frutti de mare. The pasta was a tad undercooked, but the shrimp, clams, mussles, and squid were exceptional. My wife loved the capellini. Prices are a tad on the high side, but its byob, so you really don't mind. a great place for a couples night out.
(4)Jaklyn M.
Amazing, authentic, northern Italian food - This restaurant is a diamond in the rough! When I first entered, the atmosphere was nothing spectacular - simple tables with white linens, the kitchen is in view of the dining area, and there is a large refrigerator in sight while you dine as well. Do not let the lack of decor fool you for what this restaurant has to offer.... The wait staff is very friendly, family-like and knowledgable about every aspect of the menu. The menu offers a small selection of small bites and main meals - all which are fun for sharing. There is a great selection of various whole made pastas which accompany fresh fish, shellfish, or meats with excellent sauce parings. And best, this is a BYO restaurant! I would expect to pay $100/person for the quality of this meal if this restaurant was located closer to down town. I will recommend my friends and family try this place out. I will definitely be back!
(5)Sara H.
I would not recommend this place. It started out good-- pretty little BYOB Italian Spot, friends, a bottle of red. But so many things about the restaurant fell flat that I would not go back. - They have a lot of specials-- almost half the menu--which is great, but they are not written down anywhere so you have to try and remember what the waitress said and then you don't know how much any of them cost. - Our waitress was Meh. There were 8 people in the restaurant TOTALand she could not remember who ordered what. - The food was slow to come out, we waited over an hour for our entrees. The waitress never updated us or asked how we were doing even though the restaurant was empty except for 1 other table. - The food was lackluster -- underseasoned, there were 5 of us and we all had to salt our meal which was a surprise for a place like this. Specifically, my Risotto tasted like warm rice, it was not very rich and I had to add salt and parmesan cheese to make it taste good. I will say there was a lovely man doing the bus-boy job and he was quick to fill our water and really seemed to care if we were having a good time. He was the saving grace of the night. * Corkage fee on website said $3 but it was actually $5
(2)Corey B.
Food was amazing. Atmosphere is exactly what I look for when I think Italian food. Don't eat here if you're in a hurry but the service was good. BYOB was great. Very quaint, authentic place with delicious food, reasonable prices, and as much wine as you can carry in.
(5)Christine S.
A true gem of a restaurant. I have lived here for 10 years, worked in the industry for 8 and believe Trattoria Ultimo is one of the most charming, effortless, authentic spots in the city. The service is lovely, attentive yet unobtrusive, meals are coursed perfectly, and you never feel rushed. Our waiter even offered to run over to Mariano's and pick us up a bottle of wine since we forgot they were BYOB. And the food! Perfect portions, rustic, simple-yet-delicious, and be sure to order from the extensive specials menu! This is not your run-of-the-mill-we-need-to-sell-the-snapper-Âbefore-it-gets-too-fishy specials menu, but a long list of seasonal items. It makes me feel as if the chef went a farmers market in Tuscany that morning and cooked up whatever he brought back. A perfect date spot, my boyfriend and I went on our first date, and then again on our 1 year anniversary, and I doubt I'll be able to wait until the next anniversary to return :)
(5)Paul G.
I have walked by this place numerous times and decided to finally try it. At first it looks like a fast place (like where you order in the back then take a seat) but it is more of a sit down and enjoy. It BYOB, which is great because I think there is no corkage fee but not sure. The decor is slightly strange. They have these really rustic tables made of old wood and metal. Seems like they might of made them theirselves. Anyway, now to the good stuff! The food! I order the saffron shrimp broth risotto and let me tell you... Delish! For 14$ it's enough for two people as well (as long as you are not massively huge). I enjoyed it and I plan on going back very soon.
(4)Jen M.
I am rooting for this place. My partner and I were looking for a BYOB quaint Italian place to eat late on a weekend night and we found just what we wanted. Rustic decor, felt very open and comfortable. I liked the big mirrors and reclaimed wood tables. We are vegetarians so most of the big ticket items on the menu did not appeal to us but there were plenty of great options. I had the capellini that came with fresh basil oil, tomatoes, garlic, and I added wild mushrooms (the $7 dollar charge was a bit much, but I was willing to accept it at the end of the meal when I thought fondly of how perfectly they were seared). My partner had spinach tortellini stuffed with asparagus in cream sauce which he loved. The portions are spot on. This is not a place to come to if you want to gorge on heaping bowls of carbs. I felt satisfied at the end of the meal with room for a small dessert. I appreciated that. The server kept winning us over with delicious bonus snacks throughout the meal- olive tapenade with the crusty, thinly sliced grilled bread, almond cookies, truffles and apple sorbet. I am not above being swooned. Will return! All in all, come here for an intimate, slightly fancy meal with one or two other people and a big bottle of wine ($5 cork fee). I appreciate the lovely night!
(4)Jeff P.
The service is this place is indescribable. The staff were complete assholes to our group of 17, trying to tell us what to order and getting frustrated when we didn't follow their "orders", charging $2 per person for a birthday cake cutting fee when they didn't cut the cake or do anything more than pass off a stack of plates and forks that we could use. Overall just being completely rude and inconsiderate to a friendly group of people trying to have a nice dinner. Total bullshit will never go to this place again and will tell everyone this place is not worth their trouble. You can't nickel and dime people with passable food and shitty service and not expect repercussions. Feel bad saying this but hopefully they're out of business soon!
(1)Tamara W.
While the food was just ok, it was the attitude I had a problem with. I have been to many many BYOB's in this city, it's my preferred dining experience. Many are small family owned. First off, there is a $5 per bottle corkage fee-in a BYOB. The (presumed) owner states "I couldn't stay in business with out it" Really? why? No liquor license, or booze cost? Second, doesnt take credit cards, and charges splitting fee. Very petty, The food wasnt good enough to put up with the attitude. Much better BYOB options, for Italian BYOB try Cara Mio.
(2)Sarah S.
So delicious! The employees are super friendly and the chef works with picky eaters (as I am one)! This restaurant is BYOB which just sweetens the deal! Love it here!
(5)Lon T.
Great spot and excellent service! Our server Rene was a pro with the daily specials given the crowd on Friday night. We started with a crab, avocado & hearts of palm appetizer followed by ricotta stuffed squash flowers - both amazing. For our main course my friend and I split a spaghetti with cream sauce & caviar and, seared scallops that were cooked perfectly over linguini, fresh tomato and spinach. The special vanilla gelato infused with queen annes lace was a perfect end to our meal. Yes its cash only and BYOB but get over it - this place is a winner.
(5)Elli T.
Atmosphere (B+): small, cozy, inviting, rustic Food (B+): Homemade pasta, homemade sausage and fresh ingredients. We shared shrimp and sausage for an appetizer, I had the gnocci dish for an entree, and my fiance had the scallop and pasta dish for his entree. All were delicious! Service (A): Very friendly waiters and staff. The place was packed, and they did a pretty good job of making sure everyone got attention. Other: BYOB!
(4)Heather C.
I can't believe that just happened...Words can't even begin to describe our experience at Trattoria Ultimo. I'm in the service industry and have owned and operated a restaurant and catering business. I don't often get a Saturday night off and was thrilled to be able to get my shift covered and join friends for a birthday dinner soirée. First off our waiter Tony was completely rude. We had agreed to break up our bill into 3 checks (we had 3 different tables) and that we would be doing family style per table. I completely understand if all the food trickles out...you have a small kitchen. The server messed up the order bringing out the wrong dishes, our vegetarian guest was told to "just eat it" by Tony, a dish that had braised short rib. They tried to bring out extra entrées telling us that we ordered them and to "figure it out". Our guest of honor the birthday boy was the last to be severed a good 15 minutes after everyone...they forgot his dish. We were a big group, so I understand if the food comes out slow. After the dinner fiasco I asked to speak to the manager and offer the kitchen staff some of our beers. I spoke with Sarah the owner and wanted to clarify the various mistakes so that we weren't getting over charged for the extra dishes. She apologized and offer to send out dessert (we never got dessert from them) I already knew we had brought a cake and just asked to not get charged for the extra dishes that were sent out. The cake cutting fee was $2 a person, totally standard. WRONG!!! If you are going to charge a cake cutting fee you don't ask the guest to cut and plate the cake. THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S DONE. I had to stop Sarah from bringing out the cake to the birthday guest with no candles, I had to light and bring the cake out, I had to ask for a knife, plates and silverware more than twice. I still couldn't help myself and gave cake to the only other table in the restaurant and the entire staff. Wait it gets worse. After all this drama and frankly everyone at the table feeling extremely uncomfortable. I overhear the owner Sarah say "I'm so sick of that b--ch" WOW. I was seriously trying to help and defuse a lot of the negative treatment from the staff saying things like "it's a Saturday" "he's probably busy" "we have a big group guys "or "maybe he's having a bad night" all things that can happen during a rough Saturday night shift. I would like to think that I'm a more then reasonable and understanding person especially to people in the service industry. I feel horrible leaving a bad Yelp review on any establishment however, I would feel even guiltier by not leaving this review and having someone deal with the incredible disrespect the Trattoria Ultimo staff gave us. Sarah you are an embarrassment to the restaurant and service industry, SHAME ON YOU! Good luck with all your future endeavors, you're going to need it.
(1)Kate D.
Well I've read other reviews and the poor ones seem to be about the service. My friend and I lucked out to arrive during a blizzard. I think it was the chef himself who waited on us, bused our table, and prepared our delicous food. We were given a large table (even though we were only two)near the kitchen because it was so cold out. We sat and ate mutiple courses and enjoyed every bite. We were treated as though we were guests in his home. It was just an all around amazing meal. The food was SOOOO good. The service was better. We will be back!
(5)Ben G.
Ultimo earns it's name! Everything about the dining experience was fantastic. The vintage decor and pitch perfect lighting create an atmosphere that is comfortable and welcoming without sacrificing class or style. Combine that with a staff made up of genuinely nice people who are enthusiastic about Trattoria Ultimo's unique menu and you're already enjoying yourself thoroughly by the time you're ready to order. Acoustically, the room is ideal for an intimate dinner or small gathering. The conversations of fellow diners create a buzz about the room that is energizing and gives you the feeling that your conversation is private while the soft wood and high ceilings absorb enough sound that it never rises to the level of a din. The service is superlative. The staff, Nate was my waiter, is attentive but never overbearing and the pacing of the meal is truly expert. I didn't have a question Nate couldn't answer and after chatting with one of the owners about the (truly excellent!) tampanade I could see where all that food knowledge was coming from. Finally, the food is just great! The menu strikes an ideal balance of cozily familiar and boldly unique offerings with food that will impress your Mom's classic taste for home cooked tomato sauces as much as your snooty-foody date. The sea-urchin ravioli in vanilla-bean Parmesan cream sauce smells like ice cream, the penne with spicy tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella tastes like that thing you want when you think, "I feel like Italian food." I can't praise this place enough. Quit being a dummy and go eat there!
(5)Jacob A.
We went last night for dinner. We had a group of 6. The place is really small but cozy. Our server was very nice and friendly. They let us take our time ordering the food. Everyone enjoyed the apps that they ordered. Decent portion sizes on the apps. The main course was great! Cooked fresh and tasted delicious. Portion size was just right. I had the ravioli and it tasted so good! Definitely a place to check out. Please note this place is BYOB and they only take cash.
(4)Ashley M.
I came into trattoria ultimo last night. The decor and ambiance was fantastic and cozy. Everything about it was non-generic and authentic. The waitress was knowledgable and personable. The sauce was unique and beyond flavorful. I would give this 5 stars but we received our bill to find two corkage fees!!! We had two bottles of wine between four people and were charged $21!!!! I would go back to this place but refuse to pay an illegal corkage fee. More people need to blow the whistle on places like this. I would have rather tipped the waitress more, but was left with a poor taste in my mouth seeing that egregious fee. cityofchicago.org/city/e…
(4)Brooke B.
Excellent food and the chef is so nice and welcoming. Go for the specials, they are always changing and never disappoint!
(5)Cody H.
I had an absolutely amazing experience! The food was fantastic and you can't beat BYOB. This is a true Italian restaurant. Just a heads up this is a cash only venue. Enjoy
(5)Cecily R.
Outstanding food, everything I've had from here has been amazing. The service is great too. Five stars. BYOB
(5)Melissa M.
BF and I dined here last night on short notice. I need risotto since I'm a gluten free. The food was spectacular! We had prosciutto and shrimp with while beans for starters. So flavorful! The mushroom risotto was one of the best I've ever had, and I tried the sauce for his arrabbiati which was perfect! They were knowledgeable with the gluten free stuff and the flourless chocolate cake was the perfect way to end the evening! My only critiques are the $5 corkage fee and one of the servers wasn't nice to the other one in front of us. Other than that, perfect dinner! We'll be back!
(4)Tom L.
This place has no business being in business. Recently placed a large to-go order. Food was average at best and way overpriced. Prices are similar if not more than most nice Italian restaurants downtown that are far better. Restaurant did not seem clean and had no ambiance. Staff was slow and disorganized when picking up the order; although not busy at all. Cash only and was not told when ordering. On top of everything else I got food poisoning that evening. Really nothing positive to say about this place. Briciola a block away is a much better option.
(1)Grace L.
Will not find a better Italian restaurant than Trattoria Ultimo in Chicago. I'm dying I love food so much.
(5)Rob R.
We enjoyed the grilled artichoke and the scallop appetizers and the gnocchi special and striped bass entrees and home made truffles for desert. All of the god was very tasty. The BYOB is nice - you can enjoy a fancy bottle of wine with dimmer and only pay a corkage fee instead of tax & tip on a marked up bottle. The atmosphere is simple, but adequate. The kitchen and staff have a definite talent for food. It was an enjoyable leisurely dinner.
(4)Eets A.
Absolutely amazing! The food was fantastic ! Felt like I was in Europe again. This place gives you the feel like you are in small restaurant in a small town in Europe. You come for the food! Fresh ingredients, well executed and your server is very knowledgeable about the food. Small menu and a decent amount of specials , which makes it hard to choose (because they all sound amazing). Your best bet, if you go with friends, is to get a little bit of everything. Try it all! We had the squid ink ravioli stuffed with crab, with this beautiful saffron sauce, then we had the caprese salad, simple and fresh. Followed by the scallops, they were huge and perfectly cooked, on spinach with just the right amount of a sweet pepper sauce dabbed around the plate. Excellent dish! Next we had the gnocchi. I am full blooded Italian, grew up with the two best chefs I know (Nonna and Momma), who make the best gnocchi I've ever had in my life...until now. It's hard to say, but true. Puffy little pillows of potato and a beef short rib sauce, which was outstanding! I will come back just for that. My favorite dish of the night for sure. Lastly we had the seafood risotto with saffron. There were mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari with sweet peas and asparagus. All cooked perfectly and well seasoned. We brought our own bottle of wine, which is pretty cool because you know you're eating Italian and you can just walked down the street to Mariano's and pick a nice bottle out, they've got a pretty decent selection btw. Our server was really cool, he gave us some chocolate truffles to go with our espresso, which was the perfecting ending for our dinner. Great experience, will definitely be back many more times. And hats off to the one guy in the back rockin' out all that food for the whole place. It was pretty busy and he kept up with it.
(5)Jane W.
Wow! Such a secret unfolded! What fabulous food and service! I'm serious. Best kept secret. Can't wait to visit again. Antoine and Mike are the best. Get here before you can't get in.
(5)Bob D.
This place is done. When they first opened there was a sense of drive and cooking intuition, now it seems like someone is grasping for straws. One reviewer referred to the food as "tired". I agree 100%. I apologize for my first two reviews that were so optimistic of a true fairly priced Trattoria in my neighborhood. Alas all I have is bland sauce, overcooked risotto, sandy mussels, missing salmon, and a waiter with who doesn't understand when to leave a table. Hey chef, the cute little stack of grilled squash died out in the late 90's, also Italians don't really like their veggies al dente, save that for the pasta.
(1)Marty M.
After placing our order, our group of 6 noticed the draft in the place and put our coats on. The server then told us that the heat went out 30 mins before they were supposed to open, but they decided to open anyway (it was 9 degrees outside). Our appetizer (which was an uncooked dip) took an hour to arrive at our table, which we quickly devoured. The servers could see everyone looking into the kitchen, wondering where the food was, so they brought out french bread & olive oil. It was nice because we thought our food would be out any second, but it was not. After looking at table after table get served hot plates of food, we realized that it was only us and one other table of 2 left. By this time the temperature in the place dropped down to the low 50's. We looked at our empty bottles of wine and realized that we have now waited 2 1/2 hours for our food. We asked for our check for the appetizers we ate. The chef walked out with one ready plate of pasta, but it was too late by this point. It was the first time I have ever left in the middle of a meal.
(1)Queen B R.
I have worked in restaurants for 13 years now. I've served in every atmosphere from a midwest diners to the finest restaurants in Los Angeles. I have NEVER encountered such a rude establishment resulting in such a horrible experience. Most people would FINISH their review by adding that the ONLY restroom is unisex, in the middle of the kitchen, AND DOES NOT HAVE A WORKING LOCK. I, however, find this to be the most horrifying detail of this entire fiasco, hence its paragraphical priority. I very well could have been walked in by anyone with my pants around my ankles.... The menu is a joke. It features dishes with little originality, but quite obnoxiously meant to be sophisticated. Printed on wrinkly, standard issue white paper in the most yawn-worthy font that was available, the menu is presented in dirty laminate coverlets....the menu is one page but the coverlets are made for two-page menus, so you have a lovely extra sticky page to turn. Sloppy. There is virtually no art on the wall, and the colors are a drab black and grayish? Actually I can't even remember precisely because the decor was THAT ineffective. The specials are illegibly scribbled on a lonely chalkboard. There are maybe 15 tables in the whole place, tiny cafeteria tables with tiny, uncomfortable cafeteria chairs. The BYOB is a plus to some, but to me it's indicative of a restaurant without enough capital to purchase a liquor license. That being said, am I sure I want to eat here? I came to this restaurant as a guest from out of town, so of course, it was not of my choosing. I am a vegetarian and was very much in the mood for some pasta....the only pasta dish was a pumpkin ravioli in a sage cream sauce. I asked the server, very politely, if the chef would be willing to do a plain cream sauce. Sage always sends me into a sneezing fit. He curtly replied "not on the weekends" in such a bot-like response I even wonder if he heard my question. We were also notified upon sitting down that because of "several large parties" there was going to be 'some delay' from the kitchen. I had to laugh as I looked around to see one other party of seven, about 3 deuces, and of course, ONE PERSON PREPARING ALL OF THE FOOD. =/ When it came time to order, the server seemed miffed that we did not want to order appetizers. Like I said, I'm a server as well, but you really have to work on your poker face. I was so entirely turned off at this point that I passed on dinner altogether, and naturally, was met with more hostility by the server. At this point, I didn't mind, as I gathered my thoughts into this precise review to warn the public of a completely waste of time and money. The food took over an hour to hit the table and when it did, the person to my right's duck was completely cold, and the gentleman to my left ended up with severe food poisoning within 24 hours. Coincidence? I seriously doubt it. The one redeeming factor is that the female waitress seemed very sweet. Sinking ship, sweetheart....get out and swim!
(1)kelly k.
This place is fantastic! Real fresh Italian food. I can't believe how affordable it was since they make just about everything in house! Their housemade pasta is out of this world. The chef visited our table with some delicious housemade sorbet to cleanse our palates, complimentary. How nice is that! The restaurant is casual, comfortable, cute and cozy. Everything we had was great, I will defiantly return for the short rib gnocchi special that melts in your month, the pumpkin ravioli with that ridiculously delicious sauce and most of all the tiramisu was so creamy with full rich flavor yet delicate in the mouth! Yum yum yum! It's (BYOB) which I love so bring a bottle of wine from home or grab one at Noble Grape Wine store on the way. Can't wait for more! Well done!
(5)Megan M.
Went with 5 other girls and had a blast. Everyone loved their food, and it's a BYOB with a small corking fee, so that was great. So happy I found this place in the area, will most definitely be going back. Thanks for a great experience, Anthony!
(5)Sam S.
Torn on the rating for this review. Went twice. First time was a pretty bad experience and fell flat on its face. Service was bad and food was average/below average. Since it is so close to my home I gave it a second shot. On the second go around I must say that the food improved drastically but the service was still poor - we had the same waitress. I didn't realize at the time but later that night found out that we were overcharged on our bill significantly. Wish I would have realized in the moment. I would recommend this place if you're looking for a reasonably priced byob with good food when you're trying to keep things simple. The place is deserted during the weekdays and does ok on Friday and Saturday nights so keep that in mind if you don't want to be the only diner in an awkwardly small setting with no music. The caveat is that you might be disappointed with the service staff and have to be assertive with them. Ultimo - if you read these reviews you must do something about your wait staff, they're failing you. They need some sort of training or you need to get new people.
(3)Michael V.
I have no idea how this flew completely under the radar, but Bobo's Market has become Trattoria Ultimo, a small Italian spot owned by the same people who own Alimentari in the West Loop and the now-closed Pane Caldo. I would have thought that pedigree would have caused some hype about this, but they've kept it pretty low key. Anyway, I went to the soft opening the other night and came away super impressed. Extremely fresh pasta, a great burrata and very good tiramisu, and all reasonably priced. It's also BYOB -- always a bonus. I spoke to the owner and he mentioned that the menu will change frequently depending on what's in season and what they find at the market that morning. As a neighbor, I know that will keep me coming back often -- probably too often... Very happy to see another great place open up on Chicago Ave!
(5)Gunner S.
I really liked this place and we're going back tonight. We recently went a on a rainy and cold weeknight and the place was pretty dead. The only other people in the restaurant were two 32 year-old sorority girls catching up over multiple bottles of wine and verbally abusing their server. I'm pretty sure they were blacked out and traveling in their time machines by the time we left. What I really liked about this place is that the menu is really small. You don't need to offer me a ton of things as long as the ones you do offer are great. That's the case here and the menu changes frequently to work in things that are in season. We started with a mushroom ragu that had me wanting to lick the plate. I had a cod linguini and the lady had a shrimp risotto. Mine was perfect and her risotto had a really nice earthy seafood flavor. We shared a saffron sorbet for desert. It tasted like, well........saffron sorbet. Kinda strange, but decent. Espresso was perfect. The food here was great but the decor is lacking. Some window treatments and more intimate lighting would go a long way. However, I really don't care as I'm in it for the food. BYOB (even with corkage) is a plus. The food is great and reasonably priced. The service is attentive but laid back. I'm curious to see how different the place feels on a weekend night and I'm looking forward to finding out tonight.
(5)Kristen Z.
Based on its reviews, a friend and I decided to eat at Trattoria Ultimo on a Friday night, and we were not disappointed. We didn't have reservations, but they were able to seat us right away. The decorations are outdoorsy-vintage and quaint. The food was spectacular. We shared the shrimp and broccoli risotto which is cooked in a saffron broth. It was creamy and delicious and the shrimp was cooked perfectly! We also shared two of the specials that night: the mushrooms with asparagus tips, and the salmon... The salmon was some of the best salmon I have ever eaten! It was served with a sweet potato puree, that I could've done without... The mushrooms with asparagus tips were a bit too soggy for my taste, but I would definitely go back and order more of the specials. It's BYOB and cash only! And worth it!
(4)Donald W.
A+ all around. I live in the neighborhood and have always passed this quaint little BYOB. I had family visiting from out of town and we wanted somewhere quiet. We had the fortune of living in Italy growing up and I have to say this experience brought us all back. The decor was spot on and the food well...From the burrata to the lemon-basil sorbet served between courses, everything delivered. The specials that night were amazing and clearly written on a mini chalkboard that the owner brought by our table. Veal Scallopini! wow. Grilled Calamari! Amazing too. The owner seemed sincerely genuine that we chose the restaurant to celebrate our mother's birthday. To top it all off, we were showered with gelato sample after sample. The chocolate and pistachio were out of this world. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for an amazing dining experience. Ciao!
(5)Matt M.
I thought the food at this place was fantastic and we'll definitely be back. I'm so happy this opened. Before I dive into our experience, I want to say the reason for 4 stars is that atmosphere still needs a little work and I wish that took credit cards (cash only at the moment). The lights were super bright and the tables made all of us out to dinner have to sit way apart from each other. It's only been open about 6 weeks so I have no doubts they'll get this straightened out. That said, if you like incredibly delicious Italian food at a great price, go check this place out. I've seen a few people complaining about the $5 corkage fee and, while I'm as cheap as anyone, I didn't mind since the food was so reasonably priced. Five of us went and every single person loved their dish. My wife had a fantastic plate of spaghetti with a side of italian sausage (I know, sounds dull but it was awesome). I had a red seafood sauce over linguini. It sounded kind of strange - which is why I ordered it - but it was delicious. I also tried the mushroom risotto another friend had and that was probably the best dish at the table. If I remember right, each entree was about $15. To me, it was a great bargain - even with the extra $10 we paid to have 2 bottles of wine. As to the service, I thought it was fantastic. Yes, not what you'd get at a super high-end restaurant - like the decor they need a tiny bit of refinement. But if you like a really friendly waiter/waitress that appears to love what they're doing, isn't obtrusive, loves food, and likes serving people, than you're set. I thought they were great. And to the woman that ranted about the server offering ice for their pinot noir and complaining about the way they opened the bottle of wine, two things: 1. You should read, "What white people like." I think it'll describe you well. 2. If you're going to be a super snob in your review, you should probably learn the difference between "to" and "too". This place is fantastic and I'm sure I'll be bumping that up to 5 stars in no time.
(4)Raphaela V.
This has quickly become our favorite neighborhood Italian in Chicago. The place is small and cozy, perfect for a relaxing dinner. The service is genuinely nice and the food is excellent. All their ingredients are wild or organic and every dish we had was incredibly well made and flavorful. The pasta is made fresh and you can actually see the chef making it. Last time I had (amongst other things) their lentil specials soup and my husband their mushroom risotto - both blew our minds away in how incredibly flavorful they were. Every time we leave full and satisfied and wonder why we don't come back more often as the food is so good! It's also BYOB.
(5)Alan G.
First let me say that at 30 years old and over 7 years of bar tending and serving experience that I have never had such a ridiculous incident happen at a restaurant. UNBELIEVABLY HORRIBLE SERVICE, DON'T GO HERE. UNLESS OF COURSE YOU LOVE WHEN APPS TO ENTREES IS A 90 MINUTE GAP AND YOU HATE IT WHEN WAITRESSES COME TO YOUR TABLE MORE THAN ONCE EVERY 2 HOURS This entire ordeal happened in a place that had less than 25 customers spread over 8 tables So I walk in to my 9pm Reso right at 9 and find 4 of my friends already sitting. We pop some wine, order some apps, and wait for the rest of our 6 to arrive. Apps come out in 15mins and I have to admit they tasted amazing. Our 6th comes in, sits down and at 940pm we order our entree's. At about 10:15pm we ran out of Red Wine so I walked over to Dominick's next door and grabbed another thinking that It would be like when you go to the bathroom and you come back to your food on the table. Well I was disappointed. Its now about 10:30pm and once I confirmed with my party the waitress hadn't come by the table in my absence, I politely walked up to the front of the restaurant to ask the waitress if she knew about when the entree's would come out . HERE'S WHEN IT ALL STARTS TO GO HORRIBLY WRONG With a tone and attitude as If I was an idiot to come over to a waitress who hadn't been back to my table in 50 mins and bother her, She very rudely said, "He's working on it now, they'll be out in 10 mins, then looks over to where an 8 person group had been sitting and with an even ruder tone said " we had a big party, so he got backed up" About another 30 mins go by and still not once, does our waitress come back to the table, this is now 1 hr and 20 mins since she'd been to our table when she took our entree order. After getting such an obviously negative and condensing tone from an absentee waitress, I was getting more and more irritated, and at about 5 to 11pm I asked the table If they were in agreement that if the entrees dont come out by 11:10, a full 90 minutes from ordering and now 30 minutes past when the waitress said they would come out , that we would just pay for our cork fees and appetizers then go. Well at 11:10, still no food, and still no visit from our waitress, who was obviously avoiding making eye contact with us as we all stared at her having casual conversations with the tables around us, I calmly told her at this point we cant wait any longer and we would like to pay for what we had and go , She says "really guys, its almost out, we got really behind with a big party, and its only one Chef and one Oven back there". My friend said this to her politely and I applaud him for it. "Thats fine, but you havent been back to our table the entire night and no one communicated any of this to us until almost an hour after we ordered" The waitress then walks over to the kitchen, says something to the chef and walks out with 2 plates. I told her no thank you, by now one of our party had to leave because he was crazy enough to think we could order and eat our meal within 90 minutes. The waitress hands us our check and we pay for our Cork fee's and appetizers. As we are putting on our coats the Chef comes out with 2 plates and says, "Guys this is not right, I'm not buying your dinner I'm going to make you pay for it" I calmly told him that we had been waiting 90 minutes at our table with not one visit from our waitress and that we simply had to go. He then went on about how he only has 4 burners, its just him back there and "so now Im gonna have to buy your dinner" . I replied that if at even one point over the last 90 minutes his staff checked on our table and communicated the hold up in the kitchen then we would of been absolutely understanding, but the lack of service and general attitude of his staff was unacceptable to us and that we were leaving. The whole time the waitress was chiming in with snyde comments and dirty looks. Keep in mind this is in the middle of a small restaurant and the chef is yelling at us all while we reply calmly. We all walked out, decided that we were still starving and ducked into Cleo's right next door. We ordered Wings, Pizza, and a plethora of Jameson shots. The food tasted amazing but to be honest (and no disrespect to Cleos cause they were awesome) but anything would of tasted great at this point. It turned into a great night but I can honestly say OUR EXPERIENCE AT THIS RESTAURANT WAS IN THE TOP 5 ABSOLUTE WORST DINING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE. I have never,ever, even considered walking on an entree until we did it here. I always cut servers slack but this was just plain ridiculous.
(1)Maureen S.
Solid neighborhood trattoria. Here's my breakdown: Ambiance: 5/5 Beautiful rustic motif with worn tables, vintage chairs and mirrors, chalkboard menu, and attention to the smallest details. Food: 4/5 Delicious risotto, yummy looking pasta and no retention regarding flavor. Skip the eggplant tempanade and head for the taleggio risotto. Service: 3.75/5 Folks were friendly but not overtly so, I would have preferred a more formal approach, but that's just my personal taste in restaurant service. Our server was knowledgeable and sweet, however. Value: 4/5 A little pricier on some items than necessary- a 14 dollar mushroom risotto with nary a trace of mushroom larger than a nickel is a bit much- but the flavor helped to make up for this, and the chili pepper on the side is a nice touch. Overall, a great neighborhood spot, and I'd be pleased to see them do well.
(4)Andrea M.
We ended up here because there was a 45 minute wait at Yuzo down the street. The restaurant space very shabby BYO. Food was amazingly good. I had braised short ribs my partner had beef gnocchi just delicious. We started with an olive tapenade served with grilled toasted bread. I would have given this restaurant 5 stars if they didn't slap on a $5 corkage for the beer we brought. The waiter stated that this was the price for washing the glasses and covering the cost of broken dishes. Found this very odd doubt I will return.
(4)Brett K.
Frank D sums it up pretty much exactly there. Go Frank D. The risotto of taleggio and arugula was my favorite.
(4)Barb S.
Cute place. My cousin lives in the area and we had a mixed age group, so this was a good, mellow place for us. We ended up needing to get our entrees to go, as the youngest was done before our food was ready, but they were great about it, packaging everything up nicely. The pumpkin ravioli was awesome! Risotto was great, as well. The lobster ravioli was a little disappointing, however. Definitely the least tasty dish we tried as a group. I highly recommend the food here!
(4)Frank D.
I vacillated between putting this as a 3 star or 4 star. I went with 4, but might have been a little generous. THE FOOD The food was, frankly, fantastic. I went with 6 people and we tried a ton of stuff from the menu. The charcutrie plate's meats were delicious, although I would have appreciated some more olives on the side. The veal/lamb sausage with peppers was awesome. We had a salad with asparagus tips and some other stuff that was tasty. The caprese salad was just okay, and could have used more basil. We also had the app with bread and olive spread and eggplant spread - both were delicious, the only petty grievance being that it could have come with more bread (actually, I was kind of surprised that they didn't give any bread for the table generally - seemed a little un-Italian?). I split the risotto (the one with cheese) and a lamb shank which was on special with a friend. The risotto was pretty damn good, but that lamb was pretty heavenly. I also tasted the spaghetti with red sauce and cauliflower, which was very basic but very delicious. I also tasted the cod w/ linguini which was pretty great. Overall, it was a first class meal. THE SERVICE Our server was great, she was very affable and clearly knew her menu inside out. Service was attentive, our waters were never empty, and they were so fast in taking away dirty plates/utensils and promptly replacing them with clean ones. Much appreciated. ONLY bad taste left in my mouth was the corkage fee. It said "$5 corkage fee" on the menu which I assumed was kind of a blanket fee for the table (to be honest, most places I frequent that are BYOB don't have corkage fees, but whenever there is a fee it seems to just be a one time deal). There were 5 people eating, we had 2 bottles of wine and 2 of our diners brought a couple stray cans of beer from home. By the end of the meal, we'd finished 2 bottles of wine and 2 cans of beer as a whole table. Corkage Fee: $15???? $5 for each bottle and then $5 for the two beers. Thought that kind of came out of nowhere and was a bit tacky. I think this should either apply once per table, or the menu should be changed to "Corkage Fee: $5 per bottle." MISC Generally, this place seems pretty good. I will echo some other reviews in saying its too bright -- the track lighting turned as high as it will go kind of makes you feel like you're in a gallery or gymnasium or something. Cash only thing is also kind of a drag, but that seems to be getting more common.
(4)Olga J.
Went here when it first opened and then again last Friday. Food is good and so is service! Affordable and good sized portions. Will definitely be back!
(5)Maja B.
On thanksgiving's eve, we visited Trattoria Ultimo for the very first time with my friend and we were absolutely blown away. And i didn't know it's BYOB, what a deal, then there's the outstanding service. We ordered a couple appetizers, seared scallops with tarragon-pear sauce and an asparagus salad with endives and parmesan in a chives dressing, we also had risotto with shrimp and spinach, and braised short ribs, it was outstanding. We had such great time, Trattoria Ultimo is amazing.we'll definitely go back
(5)Kim C.
This place is small and the menu is short, but it's seriously delicious. I had the beef short ribs and it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. Big plus: Nothing is over $15, and it's BYOB. Went there with four other chicks and nobody bitched about anything. It was amazing.
(5)brian d.
Had 16 there for dinner, great food, great service and BYOB! really cute place and sweet helpful people.
(5)Sanny W.
What a treat! If you appreciate great food you will love it. I was very surprised how fresh were the ingredients and how well executed was every dish. It's very clean cooking, no heavy sauces to mask any flaws. It's like fine dinning experience but for the fraction of the price and portions are not small. My favorite dish was Scallops- seared from outside, juicy inside- sounds simple, but hard to make them that way. Also Tortalini were outstanding, super thin pasta dough (home made) stuffed with Organic Han of the Wood mushrooms. So light, you don't feel guilty eating pasta. Oh, yes, almost everything is organic and natural produce. Isn't that rare for BYOB? Atmosphere is simple, but super cozy. In one word if you have a great wine with you and you care for great food, that's the place to go!
(5)Ginger M.
Just had dinner here tonight to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. We were both very impressed. My girlfriend who is from Italy and a tough critic of American restaurants loved every bite. We started with the polpeta of grilled beef, roasted potatoes and the burrata with grilled zucchini and squash. Perfecto!!!! Next we shared the seared salmon and a creamy risotto of taleggio and arugula. For dessert we shared a cheese plate and sorbetto. The food was excellent and pleased a tough Italian critic. At these prices I am afraid I will be waiting in line on my next visit.
(5)Nicole C.
Had a wonderful dining experience here saturday night with our party of four. Live in the neighborhood and spontaneously decided to check it out as we have been meaning to for awhile and so glad we did. The food was EXCELLENT! Quality ingredients cooked to flavorful perfection. Some of the highlights were the exotic mushrooms and asparagus sauteed with garlic and rosemary, the shrimp risotto, which was just delicious and cooked perfectly..and the flourless chocolate cake was decadent as well. We all left there fully satisfied in a food euphoria and we will definitely return. If you live in the area you should treat yourself and pay a visit to Trattoria Ultimo..with its intimate atmosphere, it's good for a date night or a small group of friends. BYOB
(5)Tony O.
I went last night purely by accident and got lucky with this little no frills Italian byo .. I enjoyed the service, the attentiveness of our waiter was welcomed and the food was delicious! i'm definitely coming back .. I had the linguini with scallops and it was bennisimo! my date had the special - grilled salmon and that was tasty as well .. when we got the bill couldn't believe how inexpensive it was .. pleasantly surprised that we were able to find such a cool spot with people that know what they're doing, keeping it casual and it's a BYO . can't go wrong .. looking fwd to going again!!
(4)Doug A.
Our second time eating at Ultimo and we had a large party of 13 people. Yes, its a small place but they did a great job keeping up with our group's needs. Food was amazing, the sausage risotto was perfect and the scallops were cooked to perfection. I think as a group we had everything on the small menu and it was all very good. Cant wait to go back!
(5)james j.
I went here for dinner the other night and was decidedly unimpressed. We were a group of 4 and ordered the Burrata as a starter and the Risotto for entree; the Burrata was fine I suppose but in a very non-impressive way; the Risotto on the other hand had the general taste and texture of wallpaper paste and loaded down with olive oil. Many things about this place strike me as being food from someone who one read a book on Italian cooking but they decided to ignore the rules and do whatever they felt like. Also the waitress was clueless & a pain in the ass...do not correct the way I say risotto after you just told me that "frutti di mare" means fruit from the sea...it does not, it means seafood you dope (literally translating names is as useless as a fart in a mitten). Furthermore when 2 people order dessert and 2 people decline don't bring out 4 forks, its assumptive and rude. The whole vibe of the place is very sophomoric and reeks of someone trying too hard, when they should really focus more on the actual cooking and ingredients.
(2)Melissa K.
I was excited for this place to open, hoping for another great addition to the neighborhood. The decor is simple and the menu short which is fine if the food is great, but we did not find it to be worthy of returning. The first waiter who greeted our table, Xavier, was excellent however our server switched to a woman who clearly was very new to this. I'll start with the fact that's its byob which is always a plus. The waitress asked if she could bring us an ice bucket for our champagne. A nice offer but we had a bottle of Pinot noir. They charge a $5 corkage fee which I don't mind if the waiter is a whiz with the wine key. I do not enjoy paying you $5 to watch you struggle and put the corkscrew through the side of the cork. I would rather have done it myself and saved you the trouble and me money.. But still minor disappointments. We decided to order the burrata cheese that sounded amazing. We were not warned however that the cheese and the grilled vegetables would be served ice cold. Seriously like they just pulled the plate out of the freezer. It was odd that the vegetables were grilled a new then chilled. It also had way to much olive oil for my taste - they oiled the bread, the veggies and the cheese. It overpowered the favors of the food. I think it could be good if served warm or even at room temperature. For entrees my husband ordered the saffron risotto and I ordered the cod special. Both dishes were ok but nothing special. They were very simple and plain. I will say however that the food is served super quick. Those plates came out within minutes of us ordering so you will not be waiting around. Bottom line, I think it has potential and I hope they continue to work on the menu but I will not be going back any time soon.
(2)M. C.
This place is small and cute, cozy atmosphere, welcoming service, and yummy Italian staples. The menu is on the smaller side, but the pasta was delicious and you can mix and match the pasta and sauces, if you prefer. My only complaint is that they are cash only and I wasn't super impressed with their cheese selection, but overall this place was great! Also, it's really well priced. We will definitely be back!
(4)Nicole W.
BYOB ($3 corkage) cash only, cozy neighborhood restaurant. The wait staff really cares about the customers and their own restaurant. Have gone twice now on Saturdays w/o a reservation and seated both times no wait. Small menu, but everything we've had has been excellent. Quality is on par with Enoteca Roma and much, much better than Nando Milano.
(4)Karen W.
I have to say, we were assaulted with a musty, rank smell the second we entered. And to mask the smell, they burn scented candles that smell like grandma's closet. I was shocked that they actually charged corkage fee. I have lived in Chicago for 14 yrs and have NEVER been charged fee. The food was awesome -had scallops and lamb sausage and tiramisu. But the odors of the space were so bad, it ruined the dining experience. Rule no 1 is to use unscented candles. And to top it off, on a Friday night at 6 pm and empty restaurant they gave us a hard time about switching tables. During dinner I had to hear about cooks conversation about his glock gun. Nice. You have got to be doing me. Food is 5. Space and experience is 0. If you have no sense of smell, then this is the place for you. An hour later I am still trying to purge the smell from my system. Will not come back.
(2)Grace H.
Loved this place! The food is great, the service is great (thanks, Xavier and Renee) and it's a great neighborhood addition. Will definitely go back!
(5)Julie S.
So so good.. my sisters and I went this past weekend and the food was delicious.. since we shared.. we got to try a bunch of different dishes ..all of them excellent :)..The service was great and we will be going back soon.
(5)Nicole B.
We went here on a Monday night and were the only ones in the restaurant for the time we were there. Pros: pretty good food; BYOB; quaint, rustic atmosphere. Cons: seemed too expensive for what it was worth and the restaurant was really cold. My husband ordered the steak, and it was just so-so, though the sides were excellent. That, plus a risotto and cheese board cost us $60, which seemed a bit more than we were expecting, and a too much to be a cash-only place! But the risotto was amazing, and the portion was huge. We don't live very far, but probably wouldn't go back - there are just so many other amazing restaurants to try!
(3)B K.
If Ultimo stands for the one and only time you will want to dine here, it has been appropriately named! Taking some friends of mine to the restaurant on a weeknight started off with us being the only customers. We were greeted by the waiter, and by loud blaring music that didn't fit the vibe. The waiter proceeded to tell us the owner was too cheap to have music, so they were playing pandora on their own in the kitchen. We asked to change the channel and to name anything we wanted to hear - the waiter came back and said that he didn't like it so he decided not to change it to our request. Additionally, while waiting for our food, the kitchen staff took GARBAGE CANS OUT THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT and out the door. REALLY? Besides the shock of all of this, my friends and I were completely disappointed with the "house-made" sausages that were smaller than breakfast links and the rest of our food. I, nor my friends, will ever return.
(1)jeremy h.
Its one of those places I want to love .... a casual neighborhood spot with a small, but well designed menu of traditional dishes, all with a nice modern twist. We had an appetizer, risotto and short rib all very executed well. 4 stars for the food BUT .... the ambiance is awful. I absolutely love rustic, but rustic still needs to be comfortable. Its an odd mix of rustic, high school cafeteria and outdoor furniture that is not at all comfortable to stay in for more than a quick bite. Multiple tables are uneven and unable to function properly as tables. Its also wicked cold in the winter. While the service is approachable, servers all seem like its their first service job. Having the cooler + ATM crammed in a corner is unappealing. If the restaurant were to do a facelife, we'd be back, otherwise plenty of other spots with similar food at the same price, which would be far more comfortable to enjoy a meal at.
(2)Rosa L.
I went there this Saturday with my girlfriend off a recommendation from a friend who went there and loved it, so I decided to give it a shot. The atmosphere was very quaint (vintage, cozy feel) and our server was friendly. I tend to ask a lot of questions and love to take recommendations from the servers because they should know the food better than I do. Well, our server did not disappoint. We started with the scallops (cooked perfectly) and hearts of palm salad (nice balance of flavors with quality extra virgin olive oil...love that!). We shared lobster risotto and mushroom risotto...not a grain of rice left in either plate. It was a creamy, al dente dish that will keep me coming back. We finished with a cheese plate to die for and multiple desserts. Highly recommend this place for the great food and cozy atmosphere without the high prices. Love that it's BYOB, so go with a friend and a nice bottle!!
(5)