4. Restaurants

Osteria Ottimo

16111 S LaGrange Rd, Orland Park, IL, 60467
  • (708) 403-3366
  • Store is closed

Osteria Ottimo Menu

  • Popular Items

Healthy Meal suggestions for Osteria Ottimo

  • Popular Items

  • diane g.

    We love all the Franchesca restaurant, but the meal here was really exceptional we had the meatball appetizer (best meatball I ever had) it was huge and juicy. I saw something bad on a another review about the service, we thought the service was incredible, and always there when you needed something. We have been back a few times and it is always great. Favorites are the meatballs, and the rissoto is amazing and changes all the time. Owner/Chef is always around keeping an eye on quality. LOVE IT!

    (5)

  • Ashley B.

    Ottimo is a wonderful Italian restaurant. We eat here pretty regularly as a couple and with family and friends. I can honestly say we've never had a bad meal and the service is always wonderful. Last night we went with friends and it was the first time I was truly dissapointed. Our waitress was not very friendly and it was very clear that she was having a bad day and didn't want to be there. I would like to give my compliments to the wait-staff for always being so attentive and friendly. Unfortunately, the owner seems to be the least friendly of them all. Again as I said we visit this restaurant very frequently and I believe we would be considered "Regulars" and it is ashame that never once has the owner ever said two words to us. I'm not looking for anything more than a smile and maybe "Welcome back or good to see you again....". I'm just surprised that the waitressesgeneral manager, and bus men are more friendly than the owner. I do want to finish this review on a positive note and say I would definately recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys going out to dinner in a nice atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Virginia C.

    My husband and I revisited Ottimo on a Thursday evening for a much needed dinner out. This old favorite of ours did not disappoint. It was surprisingly crowded for a week day but the service was good. Not excellent but good. This evening Ottimo had a keyboard player/singer that played a variety of tunes from many decades. Didn't get his name but he was enjoyable and added to the ambience. Our order started with a shared Caesar salad which thankfully was not drowned in dressing. A small amount of their Caesar dressing perfectly finished a crisp, delicious salad. I choose the risotto with shrimp, roasted corn, and green onions. Perfectly cooked risotto, creamy and served hot! My husband ordered the Parmesan crusted scallops on a hash of potatoes, onions and roasted pistachios. The scallops were large, and sautéed perfectly in the Parmesan cheese crust. Tasting the potato hash I now want to use roasted pistachios in everything!! An amazing, flavorful touch! The evening ended with a shared crime brûlée served with fresh blueberries and strawberries. A perfect dessert !!! We will return to Ottimo. It is still our favorite local establishment for seafood, risotto and everything Italian!!! Ciao!!!

    (5)

  • Maria P.

    I only went here because I forgot the Wooden Paddle (see my review) was closed on Sunday's and my heart was set on real pizza. So I was disappointed--we ordered a salad and it was nothing special. The pizzas were overly salty greasy/oily. We had the bianco and the margarita --neither of which should be particularly oily. Took an order of gelato home and that is okay, but I likely won't return. I am particularly critical of Italian places, so you might have a better opinion.

    (2)

  • Michael S.

    It's good... Wife and I are fans of Rocco's and Frankie's and as of late we've been going to Frankie's exclusively because of their phenomenal service everytime we've gone. We wanted to try something different because of the great reviews here and we weren't disappointed. We split a seafood burrata salad from the specials menu and it was good. The burrata just wasn't creamy enough though. If you want good burrata check out Neo in Naperville. For our entrees I had the risotto and wife had chicken parm. We both liked out dishes, but we didn't love them. Dessert was the apple pastry with gelato which was also good, but not something I would need to order again. Service was good and we got refills pretty frequently though there was a time or time our glasses were empty. This place could go to a four star in my book, but I think we'll stick to Frankie's.

    (3)

  • Larry P.

    This is a very good Italian Restaurant. Specials just about every day. The Calamari Appetizer is excellent. For a main dish, the pork chop dish is great. Service is fast and attentive. Prices competitive.

    (5)

  • Gem S.

    Break the Chain! If you don't feel like chain bangin' in OP or drivin' downtown, then go to Osteria Ottimo in Orland Park, IL, the best SW burb of Chicago. Ottimo as it is typically called is an Italian restaurant serving old-school Italian food with a modern twist. It has a fixed menu featuring yummy appetizers, salads, soups, classic Italian entrees, hand-made pasta dishes, thin-crust/Neapolitan-style pizzas, & seafood entrees made with fresh fish flown in daily. Every table gets a lil loaf of crusty, Italian bread with olive oil. It also has a gluten-free menu, kid's menu, weekly night specials & a selection of different, daily entree specials. The restaurant has a nice, dark, rustic Italian charm, but the dining area is quite cramped with tables packed in the middle & long, shared booths/tables lining the walls. The ambience is trendy-casual & entrees are very reasonable averaging between $15-30, cocktails around $12. Speaking of decor, the owner has an obsession with pigs. That's the theme of the restaurant & the place is "littered" with pig decor. In fact, the back of the servers black shirts say, "Eat Like a Piggy." Cute?! Um...There is also a bar & bar-area seating that is first-come/first-serve, but they also accept reservations. FYI: Not that anyone cares but they don't have Ciroc Vodka (my fave) here, but they do make a mean blue-cheese olive! My fave entree here is the Tilapia Ottimo which is sautéed tilapia with artichokes, asparagus mushrooms & capers, hold the brown butter sauce. It's served with 2 large tilapia fillets that have always been very delicate, fresh & flavorful. I've always received a lot of veggies that are super tasty & sourced from a local farmer. This entree is my go-to here & has always been 5 gems. On my most recent visit, I ordered off the Special entree menu & got the Grilled Mahi-Mahi al Rafano which was 2 grilled mahi-mahi fillets on top of roasted brussel sprouts with bacon & shallots in a pool of horseradish cream sauce. I told the server to hold the cream sauce, but it came with the sauce & I dealt with it instead of complaining or sending it back. This is first time they have sauced me, so I gave them a break! The mahi was moist, tasty & nicely grilled. The brussel sprouts what little amount I got were good & the pool of horseradish cream they were bathing in did nothing for me as I predicted & still baffles me at that combo, but I'm not a creamy kinda person. Overall, I rate this fish dish a 3.5 gems, would've been higher if it hadn't came drenched in cream & they weren't so stingy on the sprouts! Normally, Ottimo gives very generous portions & you can customize any entree or menu item to your precise liking: hold the sauce & it's held, add this veggie/meat, swap that, etc...which is a huge perk for the high-maintenance diner like yours truly! One last note, they do serve desserts here, but I have only ordered the cappuccino gelato & do like it a lot! But if you think dishing out $5.99 for a very small scoop of gelato is highway robbery (see my pic), then you might want to skip ice cream here & go 3 doors down to Cold Stone Creamery after you leave. All in all, Ottimo is a nice, solid place to wine & dine in OP. I've never gotten a bad meal or service here & consider Ottimo one of my fave places to eat in Orland. So live a little, step out of the Olive Garden & eat like a Piggy at Ottimo!

    (4)

  • Luke K.

    Bread and herbed butter with table olive oil is fantastic! We had the corn and mushroom appetizer, along with the burratta and proscuitto special app, and the fried zucchini. The corn and mushroom dish was full of flavor and kept you both guessing and wanting more with the spicy after taste. The burratta and proscuitto with heirloom tomatoes was excellent, and the burratta was on par - despite what previous posters may have said. Even the fried zucchini was impressive with the herbed cream sauce as an accompaniment. The breading used was well adhered to the zucchini slices too - to pay attention to something as simple as fried zucchini was my first hint that the rest of the meal would be great. I ordered the parmesean crusted scallops - to die for! the only problem was that we were full from appetizers, so i could only eat about half (especially knowing desert was just around the corner). This is the dish you want to order on your first visit - don't worry, because you will be back. I literally cried a little on the way home when i remembered that i had forgotten my to-go box on the table. We split an afforgato for desert. It's basically and gelato and esspresso sundae. it's awesome and the perfect dish to perk you up, especially if you have a long drive home :) The only thing stopping me from a 5 rating was the ambiance. The piano player they had that night was not very good and too loud. The wait staff was attentive, but the beer selection was not very deep. The wines were plentiful though.

    (4)

  • Greg D.

    I have eaten here twice in the last ten days and both times the food was rock solid. I sat in the bar area both times as well. The first time I tried the meatball app and the fried zucchini. The meatball was great the zucchini was ok. For my entree I had the bolognese. It was very good. Large portion. My second visit I had the grilled calamari and it rocked. I also had the angel hair pasta with basil and fresh mozzarella. Again--very good. They have a pretty good wine list and I drank Meomi Pinot Noir both times. The bar are was crowded both times and service was spot on.

    (5)

  • Jenn B.

    Owned by chefs who truly have passion for delicious food! Farm to table with unique dishes that rotate. Great ambience and friendly staff who will guide you through the menu!

    (5)

  • Paul S.

    Wow! My wife and I have eaten here before but today we invited the whole family after a baptism. The service and food were excellent. Delicious meal, great food, great service.

    (5)

  • Jay Z.

    Fantastic food here. Started with grilled calamari and squash barley salad. Both were good. For entrees we ordered baked eggplant dish and homemade pasta dish. Ended with delicious decaf cappuccino. Service was attentive and the atmosphere is more city than south burbs. All around great meal.

    (4)

  • Jim K.

    Great place. Excellent value. How are all these 2&3 star reviews even relevant? You cheap petty people should keep going down Lagrange & hit up Olive Garden. Worst part of this restaurant is that it's in Orland. Orland is the worst!! Cheap petty people that don't work & drive around all day making it impossible for the rest of us to go to work! Excellent pasta & specials for an excellent price! BRAVO OTTIMO! BRAVO!

    (5)

  • Jon P.

    We have been trying to get to Osteria Ottimo for about three years. My wife, son and I had a free afternoon and I started my Yelp search for something different relatively close to our home and several places hit me right away. Funny thing is they are all in the same little area off of LaGrange road in Orland Park. We initially were going to Yucca Asian Cuisine due to it's PHENOMENAL reviews and realized on the way there that Ottimo and Mama Maria's Taco and Tequila bar are immediately next door! We went into Yucca and we both looked at each other and decided we were no longer in the mood for Sushi! Ottimo was packed but they were able to seat us immediatley. Our server was prompt and pleasant. Kevin I believe. I parused the wine list and it was OK. Nothing stupendous, but they had a nice Meiomi Pinot Noir by the glass and the special was Decoy by Duckhorn Pinot Noir so I was happy. The bottle list was adequate but nothing compared to say... Clara's Pasta in Woodridge. The ambiance was nice. It was pretty dark in most of the restaurant which I liked. We were sat at the table closest to the front door and there is an extremely bright safety light directly above it. We asked for it to be dimmed and they couldn't, not a huge deal, but good to know. Our table literally looked like GOD was watching us from above.... Anyways, we started with the grilled Calamari. B+ It was mostly the Mantle of the squid and I prefer my calamari that way. It was served with fresh tomatoe and a lemon wedge, very purist version. My wife loved it, I actually could have used a bit more sauce. Some basalmic vineger or a nice butter/white wine sauce would have been great. Still a solid app, way better than the fried I'm sure. For dinner we both ordered a veal dish. My wife had the veal milanese. A+ and I had the veal valdostana A+. These dishes were perfetly prepared and really, really tasty. I am excited to return to try more dishes. Server and hostess were both very friendly and accomodating! I will be back and I will bring friends!

    (4)

  • Zefferine P.

    I absolutely love this place. It's quaint, has great service, but most of all great food. I ordered a salmon lentil dish. It was fabulous. The salmon was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The bread with seasoned butter was amazing. I would definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Natalie D.

    I used to go here all the time! Very yummy calamari! Good wine selection, nice sized portions (not too big or small), good service, nice decor, solid menu. I've only gone here after dinner time, closer to closing time, and they are not busy but never empty. They are small so I would imagine that there would be a wait but like I said, I can't say. The clientele are very cool: an older crowd... Not millennials but not boomers. I usually don't like that crowd in real life but it turns out that they are really nice after a few glasses of wine. ;-) This place reminds me of a wine bar, warm intimate and fun setting, but with lots of great food options. I also love the location.

    (4)

  • Ed B.

    Came here again this past Wednesday. We bought in a group of folks from out of town that were doing a photo shoot of my wifes business for Good Housekeeping mag. They loved this place! Our suggestion to try the grilled calimari and the bricole (spelling?) were a huge hit. We also had the bruscetta. And the chicken vesuvio and fettuccini were as good as always. One person in the party tried a special that had lobster and bremuti (?) cheese in it. She is a foodie and just loved it as she did the calamari. Testament that I cannot come here and not order the grilled calamari every time for just myself! We also tried several deserts that included tiramisu, flourless chocolate cake, a choclate and peanutbutter tort and crème brûlée. And as always the wine drinks and cocktails are perfect as is the service. If you like upscale Italian food and have not tried this place what are you waiting for?

    (4)

  • Rachel B.

    Came in early on a Saturday night, pleasantly surprised at how packed this place got by 8...the bar was slammed! Grilled Calamari...wonderfully prepared, cooked just right! "Giant" meatball almost the size of my head smothered with fontina cheese makes for a definite crowd pleaser. Entrees: Gnocchi with braised short ribs special. Short ribs cooked to perfection but the gnocchi was slightly underwhelming. I did however love that they accompanied the dish w broccolini, nice touch! Husband ordered the risotto on special...I loved it. Great place to go if TGI Friday's and Red Robin aren't your bag! ;)

    (4)

  • Toni F.

    Osteria Ottimo is one of those solidly good restaurants that you enjoy when you go there but for some reason, they slip your mind for a return visit. I can't put my finger on it but something about this place is predictable to me and therefore we pass it over again and again. When it comes to Italian food, I'm usually looking for a very specific item or flavors or I want to be utterly surprised and delighted by something totally new and Osteria Ottimo gives me neither. Pasta is good, wine is good, service is good - on the night we went most recently, the place actually looked closed (windows were dark, patio was empty and there was no one coming in or out the front door - unusual for a Sunday). On this occassion it was a restaurant.com coupon that prompted our visit. Honestly, we've come here 4 or 5 times and we've never been disappointed and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to a friend so give it a try and see for yourself.

    (3)

  • Dionne T.

    We finally got around to trying this restaurant out and I am so glad we did. The food was amazing! I ordered the Capesante Gtatinate which is Parmesan crusted boat scallops, potatoes + prosciutto has, scallions, white wine sauce, pistachios and balsamico and I MMMMMM'd every bite. My husband couldn't keep his fork off my plate too. Heather was our waitress and she was great. She explained the menu and even suggested items which is alway a help. The Spanish quarter wine they serve is also very good! This place is pricey but if you and your tastebuds are satisfied then it is well worth it. We will definitely be back. The only negative thing I have to say is that the lighting is bad. We were seated all the way in the back and the lights were so dim it hurt my eyes. And since we were by the window the outside lights were so bright it didn't help. Next time I make my reservations I'll make sure to ask for another spot in the restaurant.

    (5)

  • Bob B.

    The food quality at Ottimo was great, and the restaurant would survive in any large city such as NYC or downtown Chicago. This restaurant just happens to be in the middle of suburbia. For starters we ordered the fried calamari and asparagus salad. The lemon and honey vinaigrette dressing on the salad was great, and the breading on the calamari melted in my mouth, but was somehow crunchy (the menu says crispy). Either way it was the best calamari I have had. For dinner, we ordered the eggplant parmigiana and linguine frutti. The eggplant was layered between a great tasting mozzarella cheese, garlic and tomato sauce. The blended mix worked well to produce a flavorful dish. For the linguine frutti, the homemade pasta (that is what the web site says) was cooked to just the right amount, for a great tasting pasta. (Note to the head chef, that you may want to try white whole wheat flour.) The seafood and sauce also tasted very good. The service was excellent, as well as the portion sizes, since we had to take home some food. Also, the dishes were priced very reasonably, for the quality and ingredients used. For what we ordered, the only improvement I could recommend was the coffee. I found the flavor to be bland and weak. I expected something stronger, since the flavor and roast of the coffee did not compare to anything I had in Italy. Also, I did not have desert, since we were stuffed. Maybe next time I will.

    (5)

  • Monique G.

    Good food but very pricey for the amount of food that you get. I got the scallops special. The ask was good but my husband though the scallops smelled like ammonia and had a funny taste. I thought they were pretty good but not great. Nothing memorable about this place. If I return I will try the pasta or something less pricey knowing that you don't get a lot of food for the price.

    (3)

  • John P.

    The food has been great both times we have gone to this place. I love the way they cook their calamari. I love their Milanese. And their gnocchi is sooooooooooo good. It is also very close to the movie theatre by our house in Orland Park. And if you have lived in Orland Park, you know the food is terrible. Unfortunately, the service is terrible. Don't bother making a reservation. Don't bother finishing your calamari because it'll be taken off your table before your finished. Don't bother talking either. Very hard to hear in there. The food is good enough to just not give a fuck about the service. But I usually tip over 20% but never again here unless someone stands out.

    (4)

  • Kim D.

    Absolutely worst service ever experienced. Food was average, $11 glass of house cab? Only pro was the bus boy. Rather go to la dolce vita in lemont any day. Mushy gnocchi that came highly recommended?

    (1)

  • Mike H.

    Great, great, great!!! Food, service, drinks. You have to try this place. Specials were great and reasonably priced as well this restaurant is a great place to take a date friends or family. I will definitely be back for another amazing experience

    (5)

  • Robert F.

    Service a little slow...........food could be better. Atmosphere nice "downtown" atmosphere without the service.

    (3)

  • Alison K.

    I cannot say enough wonderful things about Osteria Ottimo! We have been over a dozen times, with both small and large parties, and have never been disappointed. We even held my wedding shower there, and they easily accommodated 40+ people with the same professional, courteous service that we always receive for a typical lunch or dinner. I consider myself to be a bit of a "snob" when it comes to Italian food, as I grew up eating authentic, home-cooked Italian. I have to say that Ottimo is as good as the food my grandma makes. Their dishes are fresh, appropriately seasoned, and wonderful. They always have unique and exciting specials on appetizers, salads and entree. I try to get a different entree every time I go, and I have never been disappointed. Their pastas are always cooked al dente, and their meat entrees are always tender and juicy. They also come with a side of pasta that is prepared with garlic, oil and cherry tomatoes. It's so good that I've been tempted to order it alone as an entree! There truly isn't a bad item on this menu. Ottimo is definitely not your typical Italian chain restaurant, and thank goodness for that. My family and I love it and hope that the business thrives in the area for a long, long time.

    (5)

  • Ernesto T.

    I got the Valdostana, it was perfect!! Never had a better dish. Fell in love with the place, and the waitress was great!! I come here for all my special occasions.

    (5)

  • Christopher M.

    Believe me I am as shocked as you are that I'm giving a restaurant in the suburbs 5 stars, but Ottimo's deserves those stars. I've come here a few times with my folks when I come down from the city and have never been disappointed. They have one dish in particular that would stand up against any dish at any Italian restaurant in the city: the Veal Valdostana. Veal, cheese, prosciutto, and mushrooms in a marsala sauce. Seriously amazing. The pizzas are very good too, in particular the mushroom one, and they have a very good (and fairly priced) wine list. All in all Ottimos is great food, especially for the suburbs. 30/365

    (5)

  • Megan L.

    I love ottimo. They have yummy pasta, bread, wine and a cool modern place to eat. I went there for Valentine's Day with my boyfriend and it was sweet and romantic. However, when I went there last there was a large and quite obnoxious family next to us. Their 2-3 year old was climbing EVERYWHERE. He was also playing a loud game on his iPad. It took away from us enjoying ourselves. But the staff has always been kind. One thing I do hate is that it is so tight in there. You have to squeeze through tables to get to your seat. Other than that, we have not been disappointed.

    (4)

  • Taffy G.

    WOW!!! How did we not know about this place??! A true hidden gem.. A customer gave us a $25 gift card..Yay!! We started out with the formaggio Di capra.. A wonderful blend of goat cheese &olives &pistachio pesto. .mmmmm

    (4)

  • Gina W.

    Awesome! Great food. The gnocchi was delicious. Good appetizers. Enjoyed the calamari and burrata. Dirty Martinis were very good. Best italian in the burbs hands down. Yay vodka!!

    (5)

  • Ahmad N.

    Went here not expecting much and cam away pleasantly surprised. Food was very good and the portions were huge and very reasonably priced. Our server was also very attentive.

    (4)

  • Joshua M.

    Great food, when crowded service is a bit slow but worth it! Try the roasted beet salad, pizzas are great and good specials all the time.

    (4)

  • Jim T.

    I requested an early table for 6:45, got caught in I-80 traffic, but the hostess welcomed us a couple of minutes late and even held our high-top table at the bar. We ordered wine and a drink from the drink menu. The server offered two house cabernet selections and recommended a lemoncello martini. Each was excellent and the drinks (2) knocked my friend on her butt. The grilled calamari was prepared to perfection, was plentiful and came with the orange sauce and ghardinera peppers. The server was more than friendly and helpful and the bus boys are servicing each any every patron non-stop . .My pasta shells with chicken and her gluten free dish were excellent. We stayed for two hours and were never rushed to leave. We will be back.

    (5)

  • Christina Marie S.

    Pretty good food my husband and I have been here quite a few times. He can be an Italian food snob because he lived in Italy but for the most part really like the food. He said the muscles had a lot of butter.

    (4)

  • M S.

    Love Ottimo. The food is always great as well as the service. We have gone several times for nights out, birthdays, etc. and have never had a complaint. Everyone always loves the food they ordered and the prices are pretty good too. They have a patio outside but I've never been out on it. Hopefully once the weather gets better we can stop by on a nice evening.

    (5)

  • Nikki P.

    I would like to update my review, since I have been here a few times since I wrote the original one. I really started to like this place. Their grilled calamari is divine. I wish I could eat it every day. The scallops on special with the pistachio hash could be the best thing I have eaten in my life. Well worth the $28 to me. I like this place and will continue to go back.

    (4)

  • Linda H.

    We have been big fans of this restaurant since they opened. However, I have to say that since Mama Maria's opened , Ottimo has lost it's touch. The food has not declined as much as the service has. I made reservations for dinner for a party of 7 out on the patio but when we arrived they sat us inside saying they had no record of my request. Service is spotty. if you get a good server you will have a nice time, but they are fewer and farther between now. Last week, we were seated, ordered 2 drinks. The waitress came back WITHOUT the drinks and asked for our order. A BIT RUSHED ! Should we not be able to sip our wine while we look at the menu before we are expected to order ? I hope that the servers are upgraded soon or we will be less frequent visitors.

    (3)

  • Rachael Z.

    My husband used to work at a small, family-owned Italian restaurant. In addition to this, we had a few other staples that we frequented...all of which have closed for various reasons. It's difficult to find good Italian food, homemade, rich and flavorful. Enter: Osteria Ottimo. Nearly 45 minutes from us, we make the drive because there is no where around the area that serves Italian food to this expertise and price. Positive's first: Appetizers are huge and great for sharing. Antipasti Platter is awesome, and the whipped goat cheese is a good addition to the salty meat. Here was where I first had grilled calamari, and I don't understand why everywhere else fries it. It is so tender! Yum. Meatballs (side or appetizer) are HUGE and tasty. Gnocchi was a specialty of my husband's prior workplace, so he won't touch it elsewhere with a ten foot pole...but I ordered it here, and he's glad I did. The addition of prosciutto adds a salty twist to the creamy sauce and it's a healthy portion. Hubby always seems to order some meaty specialty and has always been impressed. Negatives: I love this place too much to knock down more than one star, but there are definitely a few problems. The first time we came here with a group, and waited nearly 45 minutes AFTER our reservation before we were seated, without so much of an apology. We all crammed in the very packed bar and spent more money on drinks to pass the time. Which leads me to the next problem: it's tiny and it DOES get very packed. The management doesn't seem to have a problem with jam packing the bar so much that it's difficult to walk in. Lastly, and I hate to even think of it...though the prosciutto was damn delicious in the gnocchi, while enjoying the leftovers the next day, I took a bite of fat. Seriously. Disgusting, gooey, revolting, fat. It was disguised as prosciutto and slathered in sauce so I didn't realize it at first, but once it touched my teeth I had to stop myself from throwing everything up the nearly half a handful of fat. I realize these things happen, which is the reason I can't knock down more stars - but it needs to be called out just in case!

    (4)

  • Charles S.

    Came here to celebrate my friends 40th. The food was good, the service was sub par. Everyone was friendly, but very laissez fair. When you spend $200 you expect at least average service. You had to ask them to revmove extra used plates that were pilling up. You had to ask for ground pepper on the salad, parmasan for the pasta, and fresh bread. The main waiter did not do a satisfactory job of managing the servers. I guess I should take all this with a grain of salt; it is the South suburbs!

    (3)

  • MJ R.

    We had my daughter's wedding shower here and I could not have been happier. The food was great, the service was great and it was very reasonably priced compared to other places in the area we had looked into. Liz, the catering manager, was great to work with. I would highly recommend this place if you are looking to host a private party.

    (5)

  • Patti M.

    You can't go wrong asking for Juan as your waiter. He's attentive, friendly, and will give you an opinion on a dish if you ask. This is one of our very favorite places to go, and although all the waitstaff are great, Juan is our favorite. I do not think there is any dish here you wouldn't love.

    (5)

  • Jim C.

    Ottimo's is the best south side real authentic Italian Restaurant I have found. It is an oasis in a desert of want to be Italian Restaurants. If you are of Italian decent you will recognize the smells and taste immediately. I have come to love the Rigatoni Bolognese and that is my signature dish when I go there. The portions are very large. More than anyone should eat but if you have some young people with appetites like I used to be they will eat it all and be very content. The fish has been excellent, from Swordfish to Scallops. Salads are very creative and delicious. I have not tried dessert as I am always too full. They still bring bread and oil and cheese on the table not like some cheap restaurants. The bread is heated. Service has been excellent since they opened and I see no change. They have a nice bar for those that like this. It can get noisy when prime time comes and everyone is in there but again that reminds me of the noisy Italian parties I am so used to and everyone is laughing and enjoying themselves. Good food, good company and great service. What is not to like. I recommend you try this and you will be back.

    (4)

  • Liz J.

    Everything I've ever ordered here was great, good food for price, family friendly and very accommodating

    (4)

  • Rick B.

    Nice little option if you are looking for Italian. Not as broad a menu as you'll find at Olive Garden, but includes a nice selection of pastas and meats. Smallish dining room has a rustic ambiance ... very comfy especially considering it is located at the end of a little strip mall. Tip top service and bread. Really enjoyed the crab cakes. Wines priced a bit high for the serving, but maybe they'll figure this out. Give it a try.

    (3)

  • Robert N.

    Went for lunch after a movie on a Friday afternoon and came to 1 server acting as the host, server, and bartender. Let's say not a great recipe when there is 13 tables in the restaurant. Had to wait forever for drinks and them actually to place the order. Not great service. Will not be back.

    (1)

  • Megan R.

    I have been coming to Ottimo since it opened. Italian is by far my favorite cuisine to dine out for- as long as it's done right. Most experiences I have had there have been great. Good specials and the food is done right. Home cooked food! Some of my menu favorites are the crab cakes and the house salad for appetizers. The RIGATONI BOLOGNESE is by far the best! It is just a rich big bowl of amazing! The gnocchi is awesome too! Portions are good and it's a good atmosphere. So glad to have this orland!

    (4)

  • Irwin F.

    I like this place a lot. The portions are huge. My meal was good. My wife's was great! The free bread also is nice. Wait for the butter to thaw and then it's easy to spread. The tiramisu also is very good. The waiter was helpful.

    (5)

  • Jessica S.

    Calamari was fantastic. Loved the meatballs. And the bolognese sauce was A-M-A-zing! Best I've ever had in my life. Kids eat free on Sundays too!

    (5)

  • Emily C.

    The place was packed on Saturday night. Luckily they were on time with our reservation. We ordered 3 pizzas to start and all were great - I recommend the prosciutto and arugula. I tried the special sea bass, which was very good, but a bit plain. My husband's was fantastic. He had the Veal Valdostana, which had cheese, prosciutto, and mushrooms in a marsala sauce. When we go back, I am definitely ordering that! 356/365

    (4)

  • Patrick B.

    I brought my family here last night for the first time. We were all quite impressed. The food was awesome, the gnocchi especially so. The service was so refreshingly good! The waitress was attentive to every need, friendly, accommodating, and knew the menu backwards and forwards. We've had many bad experiences with various restaurants within the past 6 months; frankly we were starting to feel cursed. Apparently the curse has been lifted! This business needs to advertise more... Never heard of it, prior to a Google search for Italian restaurants nearby.

    (5)

  • Kimberley D.

    This place is amazing. We went on a Wednesday for the special of the day, Braciole. It was absolutely delicious The meat was very tender and the waitress suggested I have it served over risotto. I can't say enough about it! We also had Spaghetti Polpette which is pasta, tomatoes sauce and meatballs. The serving was huge and wonderful. They start you off with nice crunchy bread served with a garlic butter. Oh, we also had the Ottimo salad. It was very fresh and tasty. You can tell all the pastas are made fresh daily. The service is outstanding. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Mike R.

    Second time was not the charm. We met friends for dinner and we were not wowed. Two of us ordered the linguine fruite del mare and they were not the same. Mine was not spicy at all while our friends was so spicy she could barely eat it. The portion size was inconsistent and so was the sauce. The salad was generous and tasty. We were disappointed in our Affogato dessert as it appeared to have melted before making it to the table. Hopefully this was just a bad night. We were disappointed for the price.

    (2)

  • Karen M.

    great food, wine and service in a casual atmosphere. Great place to hang around the bar and meet new people. Love the Tuesday night spaghetti/meatball special and 1/2 price wine. I highly recommend Ottimo!

    (5)

  • Ashley H.

    I love the vibe in this restaurant. Perfect for date night. Its a little on the expensive side but definitely worth it if you like good authentic italian food. They attract a bit of an older more refined crowd. Very classy atmosphere and nice wine selection.

    (4)

  • Mary Beth R.

    Been here several times and it has been "hit or miss" some nights awesome some nights less than medicore. Place on weekends is usually packed and you wait at the bar whether you have reservations or not.

    (3)

  • Jackie R.

    I've been here twice. The first time the food was great, but the restaurant was so cold it was literally like sitting in the freezer. I actually had to leave the restaurant to walk down the plaza and see if there was a store nearby that sold sweaters. I told the staff several times it was unbearable, and they said they turned down the air, but it took almost the whole meal to come down to a slightly chilly but not freezing temperature. I'm not the old and whiney type either. I used to be a hostess and know that everyone has different temperature preferences, but this was just extreme. We went again last night, and I came prepared with a heavy sweater. Temp was a bit chilly but ok this time. We ordered the appetizer on special, Burrata cheese and roasted tomatoes, and it was fabulous! It was also $15, a little pricey for a piece of cheese and 4 cherry tomatoes, but I don't mind paying extra for something really tasty. My mother had the eggplant parmesan, and it was alright. I ordered the shrimp risotto, off the specials, and the flavor was ok, a bit too creamy and thick though. Only about 4 or 5 pieces of shrimp came with the $17 meal, and they were only deveined halfway!!! It is really unappetizing to bite into your meal and see shrimp poop. You would think since there were so few shrimp, they could take the extra minute to devein them all the way. I took one bite of shrimp, saw the black vein, and pushed the rest aside, so $17 for a plate of gooey rice. In retrospect, I should have sent the plate back, but our waitress was so slow, we had been there over an hour before we even got our food. It wasn't her fault, management had staffed about 3 servers for the whole restaurant and patio. On the positive side, I had ordered the Chianti and it was great. At $7 a glass, it was the least expensive red on the drink menu, and it was well worth the price. So get the Burrata and Chianti! Avoid any shrimp, bring a sweater, and I wouldn't order the eggplant again either.

    (2)

  • Eddie F.

    Ottimos is Orlando hidden jewel! They make great pasta dishes and excellent Pizza too! I always try their appetizers and often salads! I have been dinning at Ottimos for the past 2 years and they keep on getting better and better! Try the cheese cakes too! Enjoy it

    (4)

  • Karen G.

    Why does corp america build these wierd malls with stand alone buildings you can't see from the street? Why do business owners rent in them? How does anyone find this restaurant with passing it and turning around down the street to come back? Once I figured it out, our lunch was very nice. Charming patient waitress, wonderful wonderful crunchy bread. The ceasar salad was great- fresh shaved cheese, good dressing and unusual touch - radishs. The only thing that could have made it better was a bigger size for the money. I would have liked to have enough to take some home. I also had the ragu. It was big enough to get 2 meals from. It was thick noodles with lots of red sauce with bits of carrots. For coffee, salad and pasta the bill was $25 bucks. A bit pricy for lunch, but a a pleasant experience.

    (3)

  • Tracey Q.

    We finally decided to try this place and we can mark it off and never return. It is a cute, somewhat small restaurant. The food was just ok, but there are plenty of better Italian restaurants. Regardless of how the food tasted, we would never return. One of the 4 dinners in our party had a very large hair in it. And in order to not be too disgusting, I will only say that it was not a hair from the top of your head. All we had to do was point to the plate and our waitress could only say "Sorry." Completely disgusting. Will never go back.

    (1)

  • Federico D.

    Ottimo did it again! I went there on Saturday night to meet friends that live in the area but have never heard of this awesome place. We started with the imported burrata and prosciutto.... Wow! Great quality cheese! And the fried zucchini that was crispy and full of flavor. We all had fish and the scallops specials! Those were fresh, well seasoned and greatly presented! Bravo ottimo! You have done it again!!!

    (5)

  • Denise M.

    I was looking for a nice place to have dinner and a glass of wine while my husband is out of town. A friend suggested I try this place. I was not disappointed. The staff was very friendly and my server, Jillian, was very knowledgeable of the menu. I was impressed with the feel of the restaurant. They managed to find the perfect balance between casual and fine dining. I was not expecting the large portion size! I will be eating my meal for a few more days! The only reason they did not get 5 stars is because as I was dining alone I had brought a book. Towards the end of my meal, the manager dimmed the already dim lights and I was unable to continue reading. I had been planning on having another glass of wine but there was no point. I will gladly return, but I will make sure I have my husband with me. I'm not sure this was the place to be for my solo dinner!

    (4)

  • j l.

    Ottimo offers a dedicated gluten free dinner menu as well as a gluten free dessert menu. I've been here several times and find the atmosphere pleasant, and the food has been delicious every time. Their outdoor patio is nice. They have answered questions for me about the menu when I have them. I love the gluten free creme brûlée!

    (5)

  • Donna A.

    Amazing food! Been coming here for 4 years. We recently moved North but will definitely make the trip to come here because it is worth it. My favorite is the grilled calamari on the appetizer list. I always rry something different from the entree list and every single thing I try is out of this world.

    (5)

  • Jeannie A.

    Went here with a party of 4 on Sunday around 6pm. Restaurant was picked because we had a $25 off coupon from Restaurant.com . Tables are close together, and a bit on the smaller side. Service was slow, but I think that was just our waitress. There were several bus-boys around helping out. I think we just got a flake of a server. Food portions were large, but just average Italian. Nothing special or memorable. We ordered: linguini with claims in spicey red suace, rigatoni bolognese, chicken marsala, and someone got a large salad. I'd go back ONLY with the coupon, because the meal was decent and cheap. However, wouldn't search out the place for great Italian.

    (3)

  • Paul S.

    Best Italian in Orland Park. Good atmosphere and great service.

    (4)

  • Anne D.

    Sadly, losing their edge.... We've been patrons and fans since Ottimo's first opened. The draw was a constantly changing versatile menu which included great seafood, creative dishes, fresh salads as well as traditional Italian restaurant food. We'd go early to avoid a wait. It has been one of favorites for special occasions. We went last night before our daughter's high school graduation. The specials menu was skimpier, less impressive fare than usual. No white fish - something they've done very well with in the past. Pork chops again graced the menu as well as risotto; easily obtained cheaper products. My husband got gnocchi with chicken. I got linguini with seafood. Both of us feel we were overwhelmed by massive serving bowls of pasta with an underwhelming portion of chicken breast/seafood. We didn't get the risotto special but noted it was a seafood one featuring shrimp, mussels and lobster broth. The food was tasty but we didn't like the trend we were sensing of skimping on what really counts. So instead of a nice fish filet, a few pieces of shrimp & mussels are mixed in with risotto or gluttonous serving sizes of pasta.The crab cake is the still by far the tastiest ever but the size has shrunk. Even the wine pours seem to have shrunk. It's a slippery slope we hate to see. 2 appetizers, 3 entrees and 3 glasses of wine came to about $150. We realized we are having a harder time selecting our options, not because there is so much we'd like to try but because we come for unique specials featuring fish, meat or salads like they used to have but end up resorting to rice/pasta with rich sauces. Service is always great in our opinion but we question what we suspect may be a new management style geared towards greater profits.....and if we keep going, our greater unhealthy waistlines.

    (3)

  • Ed V.

    Excellent, flavorful and fresh pasta. Great for lunch or dinner!! The wine selection is also phenomenal. Portions are pretty large as well. I would highly recommend this place!!!

    (5)

  • Nicole W.

    The only bad thing about Ottimo is trying to decide what to eat. I've been there several times now and the food is perfect. The wait staff has always been nice and attentive too. This has become my favorite restaurant in the area.

    (5)

  • tina l.

    This was my first time eating here. I took my 14 year old daughter. We had trouble finding the place. I called at 5:45 for a table at 6:15 and my table was ready. Friday night the place was packed and too loud for my taste. the place is supper cute inside. We had a young man as our server. We both noticed that he seemed a little cocky and that he didn't know everything about the menu. I really didn't care for him even though he served us in a timely manner. The food was very good but a little pricey. Soup or salad is not included so I paid $6 for a tossed salad. I would go back on a week day just because it was so loud on a Friday. Too pricey for everyday but good for a treat.

    (3)

  • Jill L.

    Osteria Ottimo is a thoughtful, fresh, and absolutely delicious addition to the southwest suburbs Italian options. We went for dinner on a Wednesday night and it was alive with action. The bar was very crowded so there seems to be a nice after-work crowd there for cocktails. Bread was warm (always a must) and we started with the mussels. These were fantastic and the broth had a touch of basil in it which was pleasantly different than many of the traditional french preparations. I ordered the gnocchi with parmesan cream sauce, peas, and prosciutto. I was worried it was going to be very heavy but it was delicate and so flavorful. The gnocchi were tender and soft, and I would be shocked if they weren't made from scratch. Same goes for the cream sauce - it was not a thick, heavy alfredo that so many bad Italian restaurants serve. My husband ordered the Chicken Milanese and it was probably one of the best tasting chicken breasts I've had. Cooked to perfection with a golden, crispy breading. For dessert we got the flourless chocolate mousse cake with fresh raspberries. It was very good. Nothing out of this world but definitely a lovely end to a wonderful meal. The service was good. The host remembered my name after seeing me for one quick second on a busy night. I wish I had that kind of memory! It was very nice. I am taking one star away due to the lack of visibility from the street. I wish they were in a better, more visible location! They were quite busy though so maybe it is not hurting them too bad. The dining room was a little undersized as well. It looks like they have a nice outdoor seating area and I'll be back in the warmer months to sit out there. Overall, I am thrilled to have another fantastic option for well-done Italian fare this far from the city and I'll be back for sure.

    (4)

  • Sarah J.

    This place was wonderful. Went here last night and walked in to an inviting atmosphere and the smell of delicious food. We started with the crab cake appetizer and it was awesome! I got the scallop entree and it was hands down, one of the best scallops entrees I had ever eaten. It definitely compares to some of the top restaurants downtown... In my honest opinion. Me and my husband only eat at 4-5 star places with pricy options since we are very particular with our palates. Our motto, always try something once and we are so glad we tried ottimo! One of the top restaurants in all of the south/southwest burbs!

    (5)

  • Corin C.

    Ottimo is always consistent with a wonderful atmosphere and fantastic Italian food. This isn't your typical Orland restaurant and the food is much more unique and authentic than your typical suburban Italian restaurant. The nightly specials are always a hit - risottos, seafood and homeade pastas are all wonderful. The menu isn't enormous and if you're looking for that, stick with Olive Garden. This is as good as it gets. It's a hidden gem in a little strip mall and if I didn't know better, I'd think I was at one of my favorite city spots for superior Italian food and service.

    (5)

  • Randy D.

    We visited this restaurant tonight on a Wednesday night and wow was that a mistake. We arrived at 6:30pm and they sat us right down. After reviewing the menu we decided to go with the days special which was Braciole. After 45 minutes of waiting our waiter came out and said he was very sorry but they just ran out of Braciole so we would have to order something else. We asked if a salad came with the dinner. He said yes but did not tell us that would be an additional cost to the $16.99. 15 minutes later the salad arrived. Here we are now 1 hour and 15 minutes in and just finishing our salad. No water refills, no more bread that was empty. Then another girl shows up and says she has our antipasti platter. We didn't know if this was a kind free gesture or a mistake of the wrong table. We refused it anyways as we were afraid of being charged for it even though we didn't order it. We asked our waiter and he said it must have been a mistake. Now it's almost 8:00 and the dinner finally arrives. To be honest the food was very good. Our waiter kept apologizing for everything and said they are kept in the dark when it comes to what food is available. After dinner he came over and said we can have a scoop of ice cream and we would not be charged. We accepted the offering and selected pistachio. A few minutes later he came back and said you're not going to believe this but we don't have pistachio. More apologies. We then settled on coffee ice cream. We asked about spamoni or tirimisu but they either don't have that or would not give that to us for free. After regretting not walking out much sooner we finished the ice cream and left. A horrible frustrating experience with not much of anything to try and win the three of us back. I don't think we'll be going back again.

    (1)

  • Gwen E.

    This was my first time coming here and I had a good time, we were seated quickly and our waitress was so friendly. The decor and atmosphere were very warm and inviting. The food was fantastic and the drinks were yummy. ...I would definitely come back again.

    (3)

  • Liz F.

    I was here for a wedding shower and it was nice. The food was good and the wait staff was very attentive! I'd like to come for dinner sometime. Sadly, I didn't even know this place existed! They should step up their advertising a little.

    (4)

  • Melissa B.

    I was really excited to try this place because of the lack of anything decent in Orland Park. After doing so I will continue to make the trip to the City even during the week when I have a craving for good Italian. I celebrated my Aunt's 50th Birthday here last weekend (her favorite restaurant). I'll give the run down of the experience for our table of 5... Drinks-2 glasses of pinot noir , 3 Coffee, 3 martini's very good. Beet and Goat cheese salad (with walnuts)-The highlight of the meal Eggplant, Gnocchi, Ravioli, Spaghetti and a chicken dish (I can't remember it). I didn't try anyone else's but I will admit although very heavy my gnocchi were clearly homemade and wonderful. The cream sauce was delicious. Dessert- 2 types of gelato-Pistachio and Brownie? The pistachio was great. Came to $210 with tax and tip. The reason I can't give more than 3 stars is because of the atmosphere and price. I'm sorry $20 pasta in a strip mall in Orland, no thanks! We were there at 5p.m. and the bussers constantly bumped into my chair every time they passed by. I just felt like it really lacked any kind of atmosphere other than annoying. Oh and by the time we left a family had brought several small crying children in.

    (3)

  • Jill B.

    No matter how many times we dine at Ottimo, it's always "outta the park!" The food, with a awesome choice of specials (different each night) makes it difficult (in a good way) of deciding on an entrée. Unique dishes with contemporary flair and presentation, along with a Tuesday night special of Spaghetti/Meatball family style dinner-and this is no ordinary Spaghetti! Great night to bring the kids and 1/2 price glass or bottle of *wine. (*love that they allow BYOB, $15 corkage) Hand made pasta, fresh fish daily, excellent staff/servers (you know who you are!) makes this the best Italian restaurant in the south suburbs and beyond and one of the best overall restaurants :-)

    (5)

  • Nezar Z.

    Hit or miss, and they have missed the last 3 times I went. You would think that when a restaurant menu NEVER changes, that they would be good at it. This weekend I was served a bowl of unopened mussels. Really? How about some new options? The specials just rotate, nothing new here. Will I be back? Probably for drinks.

    (2)

  • John H.

    Giant meatballs? Down. I figured if I am going to be in an area filled with a bunch of Italian restaurants, I'd crave a meatball dish. I don't need the pasta. My cousin informed me that I needed to go to Ottimo. As I looked at the menu, the first item said, "Giant Meatball". Sold! I shall have 2 please, just in case. I was taking them TO-GO so I needed make sure I invested correctly. The meatball came with a bit of sauce and some bread to soak in all those juices. The meatball was so tender and rich. The cheese on top paired with the marinara sauce was a perfect blend of salty and savory. I have to say that I could only eat 1 because that thing was ginormous. I would say a little bit bigger than a softball. I have heard that they have downsized the meatball a little, but hey, it was still worth my money. I want to try other dishes the next time I'm in town but for now, I am satisfied.

    (4)

  • Elsa S.

    My family and I have been to Ottimo's twice. It's good, but is a little bit pricey for what you actually get... The meal itself was good both times we were there (I recommend the Chicken Marsala) and the service is pretty good (minus the rather unfriendly seating hostess). I do have a complaint about the calamari ($10)...It was definitely overcooked, with some pieces tasting like they had been sitting under the heat lamps forever. I also think it's ridiculous that you pay $15-$20 for a bowl of pasta and it doesn't even come with a side salad; which costs $5.00 to order separately! I mean, come on, it's lettuce with one or two tomatoes. It must cost them no more than .15-.25c to actually make this, so it's a bit ridiculous really. The deserts are also WAY overpriced. For the nutella and banana's they wanted like $5 or $6. First off, bananas are one of the cheapest fruit to purchase and Nutella...well it's just nutella from the jar. Nothing special and certainly not worth the money. Until they fix some of this, I'd probably choose other Italian restaurants in the area over this one. It's not terrible, but won't be my go-to just yet.

    (3)

  • Nicole S.

    Great food and fun atmosphere! Love sitting outside when the weather is nice! Will definitely keep going..

    (4)

  • Jasmin V.

    Nice location, cute decor. A bit pricey. I loooove the upside down pineapple martini. I got the gnocchi, it was okay. Sauce was nice and creamy. Calamari was good but nothing special

    (3)

  • Alisa G.

    My boyfriend and I went for a late dinner last night and to use our groupon. The restaurant was still very busy for 8:00pm but we were seated right away. Nice atmosphere. Dimly lit, simple. Our server wasn't overly nice or helpful. (good thing I know my way around an Italian menu) so we started by getting drinks. My pinot noir was fabulous but a little pricey for 9$. We also started with a meat/cheese plate. It was amazing. Prosciutto De Parma was of utmost quality...buttery, thin sliced. The whipped goat cheese was my favorite. The portions were outstanding as well. I ordered the linguine with clams in spicy red sauce. It came out piping hot, cooked perfectly al dente, and was enough to feed four people. The red sauce was delicious (I'm very picky) and it compared to my grandmothers. I usually go to Rocco's Little Italy to get red sauce that reminds me of childhood but this was as good if not better. My boyfriend got the 1/2 roasted chicken which he loved. (he never orders chicken because he thinks it's boring) Overall, my service was just "ok" but I don't like to be doted on too much when I'm out to eat. The prices for food were a tad high but diners should expect to pay for quality. Next time, I'll sit outside before it gets too cold.

    (4)

  • Michele B.

    Great food in a wonderful atmosphere! Our waitress Sarah was fabulous! Loved everything about this experience. The only thing they could improve is the amount of wine given for the Moscato glasses. It came in a champagne flute and was $7.50! I know Moscato is all the rage, but come on! My friend ordered a Chardonnay which came in a regular white wine glass which was half full for $7. Other than that we had a great time!

    (4)

  • Ramone B.

    Loved it!! Me & the Bf wound up here because Olive Garden ( not my choice, I don't really like chain italian food-YUCK) had a 45 minute wait. Thank god for that! Ottimo had a 20 minute wait, but we were welcome to sit at the bar, and I'm glad we did! I started with Campari & Orange Juice ( a must when I'm chowing on italian food!). The bartender nailed it! Campari is absolutely gross straight up, but when cut with OJ it just flows well! The drink takes on a refreshing grapefruit taste. For an appetizer we had the sausage & peppers- Yum! The veggies were awesome! The texture was nice and soft, not mushy, and the olive oil meshed well with the parmesan cheese & garlic. The main course was fettucine alfredo- I know that's very basic, but I wasn't in the mood for fancy schmancy- I JUST WANTED TO ENJOY SOME CARBS OKAY!! It was awesome! I had the bartender put some black pepper on my dish, and I wish I had have done without it because it was perfect without it! The brocoli in the entree was just how I like it- a little on the crunchy side. The service was awesome. I was amazed at our bartender/ waitress because she was holding it down! She was very attentive, and her personality was great which I F***ing loved okay! When you are in Orland Park check this place out! Til next time friends! Xoxooxoxxoxo

    (5)

  • Pamela S.

    I would have never known this little, hidden-away place existed if I didn't have a Groupon. The location is hard to see from LaGrange Road, so I'm upset I didn't know about Ottimo months ago. We went on a Sunday night and had great service and amazing food. My husband can be uber picky and loved everything about his chicken parmesan. I loved the roasted half chicken, which was one of the most tender chicken dishes I've ever eaten. It seems like most dishes are made from scratch (the pasta seemed to be) and the homemade caesar salad dressing was amazing. I would go back just for the salad alone! :) Not sure how busy they get on a Friday or Saturday night, which is usually my eating out night of choice, but I'm definitely planning another visit!

    (4)

  • Michael D.

    been here maybe 10 plus times over the past few years. It has been on a steady decline. The food has gotten worse and worse. Wont be back for number 11.

    (1)

  • JT O.

    Where has this restaurant been hiding? It's the best place I didn't know existed! LOL A few friends suggested we go here midweek. The ambiance was very nice and we were seated right away (like I said, we went on a Monday night...phone first on the weekends to see if you can get on a list.) The waitress was extremely knowledgeable and gave us all the information my table wanted about the various dishes on the menu. I had the Tilapia Della Osteria, which was wonderful and I highly recommend. As a side note, there is also a gluten-free menu, for those who need it :)

    (4)

  • Jorge A.

    Grilled swordfish with green peppercorn sauce, oven roasted plum tomatoes & asparagus. Awesome !!! Potions are generous, stuffed pastas are hand made in house. A real gem in the south west suburbs.

    (5)

  • Bradley R.

    My wife and I have eaten here several times and they have not disappointed us. The food is very fresh and the service along with the restaurant itself is very modern and inviting. Each time that we have eaten here we have ordered something different and we always leave satisfied. The service here was top notch and I would not hesitate to return.

    (4)

  • Joan B.

    Repeat customer who has had very good experience. On our recent visit, Ottimo did not take our restaurant.com coupon. Coupon has no restrictions but waitress stated that coupon was not valid on Valentines Day. Very disappointing on how this was handled.

    (2)

  • Lisa C.

    Good friends of ours have come here several times and suggested we check it out. We walked in right when they opened at 5 pm and by the time we left they were filled. Our server was incredible. I am in the restaurant business and she told us about the specials, with added commentary on every dish without missing a beat which I loved. We didn't order drinks and selected an appetizer of Shrimp wrapped in bacon with Polenta. My husband is always afraid to try anything new unless I guarantee him that he'll love it. He didn't even know what polenta was. The shrimp were great but the I felt the polenta was a bit bland and I thought it was a bit mushy. I ordered the cheese & spinach ravioli special which was in a brown butter sauce, fresh tomatoes and aspargus. My husband ordered the Chicken Parmigiana and got spaghetti & sauce as a side pasta. I never had tried a brown butter sauce and was hesitant at first but the waitress gave a bit more description and enticed me into ordering. I did not like it at all. As a matter of fact, I only had one piece. There seemed to be no flavor to it at all. My husband even tried it and said it seemed flavorless - not even the cheese inside had much flavor. I felt I needed to put some salt on it and I hardly salt anything. The waitress did check up on us and I did explain to her how I felt about the dish. She offered to take it away and give me something else. By this time I had loaded up on bread and the appetizer and there wasn't anything else I really wanted to try. My husband's chicken parmesan was EXCELLENT. The flavor was great and the side of spaghetti was cooked perfect and was a great accent to it. My only thing is that I would have rather paid for one large chicken breast served over pasta, then getting 2 large chicken breasts and having to order the pasta ala carte. All in all I have had better Italian food. I thought the menu was not that extensive and it was hard to truly find something unique and different to try (which is why I went with ravioli in brown butter sauce to begin with). My husband & I were going to give it 2 stars, but decided that our server's great customer service was what made it a 3! (Here name began with an S?)

    (3)

  • James B.

    I went here with my family recently when I came back to town, and I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and the hospitality here. I rarely have positive experiences at restaurants in Orland Park, and as such I usually try to avoid them, but I would come back here again. This restaurant is open and airy, and the service was excellent. Our waitress was knowledgeable about the menu, and recited a laundry list of specials without stuttering. In addition, everybody that worked here played as a team, and whenever we had something that needed clearing or we were running low on drinks, someone would take care of it right away. I cannot stress enough how good the service here was. I ordered one of the specials here, a four cheese ravioli that was made in house, and served with a butter sauce, and I got a side of meatballs. The meatballs were excellent, and probably the best I've had at any restaurant in memory. The ravioli was also very good, though it was a bit pricey for the portion I received (I only got 6-8 pieces, I cannot remember exactly). I didn't go home hungry, but if I had not ordered a side dish, I might have been left wanting for a little bit more. Overall, I would say this is the place to go to for Italian food in Orland Park. The service was excellent, and the food was very good, even if it was a bit pricey.

    (4)

  • Douglas W.

    Never again. We visited this restaurant when it just opened. Had their spaghetti/meatballs special. Wasn't anything to write home about. Just had an experience with groupon. Of course, you can't use it on their specials. Had ravioli - which doesn't come with anything like salad. Oh, it comes with hard italian bread. big deal. Only 8 small raviolis. Then the bill didn't amount up to Groupon so waiter had to say this in front of other customers. How embarrassing! So we had to order dessert to go. Which is quite expensive. Dessert was small. Bill was $5.00 I already paid $20 on groupon. Husband left a $15.00 tip. Waiter didn't deserve that he didn't deserve 10%. He gets double. Never visiting again. Sanfratellos on their specials night BOGOF is much better. Get salad and decent bread.

    (1)

  • Paul G.

    Just came back from here and would say Food was good, service average at best. We got there and sat outside, nice little area outside. Server came out fairly quickly took are drink order and then our food order. Wife ordered jumbo meatball and a beet salad, I ordered the Chicken Milanese with arugula , capers, onion as the menu said. I ordered it with no capers and a side of balsamic. Order was dropped and wife's food was good meatball was like a softball, and very tasty...My chicken was good but it was loaded with diced tomatoes and I dislike tomatoes, so I asked our waitress did the menu say anything about tomatoes and was told yes, but she did offer to get me a new one, but I figured if I missed it so be it....never saw our waitress after that until I gave the busboy our CC so we could go....And by the way when I left I took a look at the menu and the description for the Chicken had no mention of tomato.....

    (3)

  • Brian P.

    By far one of the best Italian restaurants in the Chicago suburbs. My wife and I have been there several times and it's always great. They are one of the few restaurants that makes homemade pasta which makes a huge difference. Their prices are very reasonable and their menu is updated daily with specials. Anyone not giving it 5 stars is crazy.

    (5)

  • Mary T.

    One of the best restaurants on the south side! Just one complaint...you can only get their wonderful lasagna on Thursdays........

    (5)

  • D H.

    A friend suggested this place and we met here for lunch. Truly, a very mediocre Italian restaurant. Nothing particularly appealing and I thought it was a fairly limited menu. I got a pasta and it tasted like something I would have made at home--hardly memorable. Not really worth a return trip.

    (2)

  • Cass P.

    This is a fabulous spot hidden in a strip mall. Great food, try the gnocchi, little pillows of bliss! Very nice ambience, very fast and friendly waitstaff that knows the menu well. It can get crowded and a little loud on the weekends. Good wine list, generous pour! Can't go wrong here, will be back!

    (4)

  • mick v.

    The pasta with scallops was excellent - it was clearly prepared fresh, the pasta wasn't at all fishy. I had the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin with an apple cider reduction sauce - wow. Top marks. The bruschetta is excellent, the wine list has good range, the table bread and oil is very good. The service was fast and friendly. We couldn't ask for anything more. Perfect meal.

    (5)

  • Greg L.

    This is a wonderful new addition to the Orland/Tinley Park restaurant scene. Although we were very sad when the previous restaurant closed (Bellissimo Kabob), we were really in heaven after dining here the other night. This restaurant is a venture between Scott Harris of Francesca's Italian restaurants and Chef Patrick Concannon, and it has hints of Francesca's in the decor, and food quality. The menu is really more Italian comfort food, and it is outstanding. Highly recommend the Clams Casino. They were terrific, and nicely kicked up with red pepper. Since they are small, you probably want to go with the dozen as opposed to the 1/2 dozen. We ordered the 1/2 dozen and we really were wanting more. For entrees, highly recommend the Chicken Parmesan as well as the Chicken Milanese. The Chicken Parm is your traditional recipe with some wonderful flavor of tomato chunks as opposed to a traditional sauce. Very large portions and excellent flavor. The Chicken Milanese has wonderful flavor (garlic, lemon, capers, arugula) and is extremely well prepared. Possibly the best I have had anywhere. Service is outstanding, and not pretentious. Our server Tim was an expert at the menu, was always there a moment before we needed him, and had the timing down perfectly. He was really pleasant, and made a great evening out that much better. Although you might think that there are enough, or even too many Italian restaurants in the area, this is a place worth going to, again and again. Their food is terrific, and the service excellent. Oh--and they also do carry outs.

    (4)

  • Kevin D.

    Very good experience. Was able to get a Restaurant.com deal that made the night even better as the meal could quickly become pricey (too me, but right in line with a lot of other places this quality) depending on what you order. The sausage and peppers was really good. We ordered chicken voldostana, which I never had before, and really enjoyed. The frutti di mare was very good. the seafood was cleaned very well to leave no sandy grit that others have missed doing.

    (4)

  • B. G.

    A friendly atmosphere to enjoy great food. Classic meets adventure, as the menu continually changes to offer the season's best catch and produce. However, if just in the mood for an old time classic done right; there is no chance you will leave disappointed.

    (5)

  • Carole C.

    If you shop frequently at Orland Park on Tinley, or find yourself near there on LaGrange Road and are not in the mood for Houlihans, Friday's & Champs, you will be happy with a meal here. This is an Italian eatery with a lovely decor, no white table clothes but comfortable seating and a good well stocked bar. The menu is small/limited but there are daily chalkboard specials. When they have carpaccio it is excellent as is the risotto. Their lasagna is legendary, so I have heard. The portions are generous, so I recommend: Pollo Rustico, Fettucine Alfredo, Linguine with clam sauce (two ways) calamari (crisp & well seasoned), giant meatball (tender & luscious) cedar planked salmon, double cut pork chop. I would have given one more stars but the pollo rustico came with a small Caesar salad that was rather sad and on the same plate as the hot chicken...who's idea was that? The Fettucini Alfredo came with broccoli, but not enough to break up the monotony of pasta. They pour a very generous glass of wine and a healthy drink, so all is forgiven. They have carry out & run specials on some nights. I wouldn't drive from the city to make a special trip for dinner, but a lot of us find ourselves on 159th St. or LaGrange Rd and this place is a god send when looking for quality food well prepared.

    (3)

  • Kay J.

    We hosted a group of 12 last weekend and the staff did a great job. This time the salad was very fresh. The antipasto was large and had a nice assortment of meats, cheeses and veggies. Bar service was a bit slow but overall, they did an excellent job with a small group.

    (4)

  • Cj S.

    This place is really impressive. Had a great meal that came out surprisingly fast. Great meatballs and pasta was perfectly cooked. Service was outstanding! I have no complaints. Easily 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Kris H.

    Thank goodness for Ottimo! Finally some great eats on the South Side! If you haven't tried it, you must. Food is consistent as is the service. Seems like every time I go (which is often), there are many of the same people there...once you eat there, you'll go back, of this I am sure!

    (5)

  • A M.

    Simply put, best Italian food in Orland Park. Similar to the Francescas chain in the Chicago area. Great atmosphere, reasonable prices, a menu that changes and well prepared quality food.

    (4)

  • Danelle B.

    We went there Saturday night! Outstanding service and the place was packed. Our dinner with friends was perfect. Grilled Calamari was outstanding. We had never had it grilled before and it was great! 3 of us had the Mahi Mahi and with arugula, and red onions. Fish was cooked perfectly. For dessert we shared the apple tart, vanilla creme brulee and the warm brownie -- yum!! Not sure what others are saying about this being disappointing. Reservation was on time, service was great and we weren't rushed in any way. This is a place that you've just gotta check out if you are looking for great Italian in the Orland Park area!!

    (5)

  • Steven M.

    We walked in and were seated right away by the hostess. The place was filling up as we sat waiting for our waiter. The buss boys brought out bread and water. After about 10 minutes the waiter decided that it was our turn. Now. He was very nice, and he didn't have to write anything down. But he was the only person working. I got a little tired of hearing. Hi, my name is Steve would you like to try the clams casino. WTF. He was the only waiter on this side of the restaurant. And that's where all the tables were. I saw three lady servers up front. I think they all had about two tables each? And what's with the prices? $7.50 for a drink in a baby cup and I can only have one? The waiter came by when the three of us had empty glasses. I also finished my water by the way. He asked us if we needed anything and the lady at the table said , more coffee. He turned and got her a coffee. That's it. No more stale bread, no drinks for the rest of us. no nothing. The food was pretty good. But $24 bucks for veal? $16 bucks for 1/2 a chicken? This is Orland Park not Randolph street.. I wanted the ravioli, but was warned against them as they give you 6 for $15 bucks? We started with the molto Italiano salad. Very good. I had the rigatoni bolonese. It was quite tasty. As was the chicken risotto and the funghi salsicci. But don't even think of compairing this place to Franchesca's. I have been there many times and never left unhappy. I had to flag the waiter down for the bill. 10 minutes later I had to bring it to the front to check out. And the little girl jokingly said that you can't miss him. Probably because of his size. I hadn't seen him and wasn't in the mood for jokes. Especially when you have arrogant managers walking back and forth pretending their busy, when they aren't doing a damn thing. This place was severly understaffed. The waiter should be commended for picking up the slack. Everyone else should be fired!

    (2)

  • Lola J.

    I'll start out by saying I've only had To Go from Ottimo's. The first time I was someone surprised me with some, the second time a coworker had a gift card and we brought it back to work. The first time was years ago, but I had the braciole, their special for that given night. The friend that brought me the food specifically went to Ottimos for the braciole and raved about it. To me, it was nothing special, and had too much of a wine taste to it to the point of it almost being overpowering and that was all you tasted. This recent trip we had the crispy calamari, which was good, and the ravioli, which was again, nothing special. Don't get me wrong, the ravioli was good, but for the price I would have expected more. Thankfully we didn't have to worry about tipping and our meal was only $3 after the gift certificate. If I had to pay full price for the appetizer and ravioli I probably would have been a little more disappointed. Overall, my experience with Ottimo's was just OK. It could have been better, but it was a step up from Olive Garden.

    (3)

  • chris g.

    So this is my 3rd review on Ottimo. To summarize our 1st visit was great, 2nd visit not so good & 3rd trip was very good. I am glad that we gave Ottimo another shot. Our server was polite & efficient. Most of the dishes are a good deal. We had Linguine with Clams &spicy red sauce that contained the most generous portion of clams I have ever seen. Our other dish was Lasagna that was full of meat, cheese & all things good in Lasagna. The Cab. & Pinot were a nice compliment to both dishes.

    (4)

  • Heather V.

    Delicious Italian food! Glad to see such a quality restaurant in Orland Park.

    (4)

  • Greg M.

    My wife and I had wanted to try this place out for a while but for one reason or another never did. Then a perfect storm of her birthday combined with a Groupon offering finally led us here for dinner Saturday night. I don't have anything really bad or good to say about the food or experience, about the best way to summarize it was that it was okay. Not sure if it was the Groupon, loyal following, limited offerings on the south side or a combination but the place was certainly packed. We got there right at 5:00pm to beat the crowd. They have a nice varied menu with plenty of specials. We ordered the prosciutto and the mussels in a white wine sauce for appetizers. The prosciutto was presented nicely and flavorful. The mussels were a good quality with a nice texture and flavor, the sauce however was very bland and almost flavorless. One of the best things about ordering mussels is sopping up the sauce with bread but this sauce did not merit doing so which was disappointing. For dinner my wife ordered one of the pasta specials with pork shoulder in the gravy and oddly enough the waitress came back and said they were out of it. Hard to believe that could happen considering dinner starts at 5:00pm and that was the time our reservations were for. She ended up ordering the Rigatoni Bolognese and I had the Veal Parmigiana. Each was a nice sized portion but once again I thought the overall flavor of the sauce/gravy was bland and nothing to set itself apart from other restaurants. The atmosphere was nice and the service was attentive although when it got busy towards the end of our meal the waitress seemed to get a little sidetracked but overall very pleasant and helpful. Now for the all-important price point, with the Groupon it was probably priced about where it should be. If we went there without a Groupon I would say that it was overpriced by about 20%. Like I stated earlier it was okay but I would not go out of my way to eat here again even with another Groupon. A much better bet for homemade Italian food is a place called Cuzzins Café right down 159th street in Orland Park. The food is better and it is much less expensive. Get there early on a Saturday evening for their neckbones and you will feel like you are at Grandma's for Sunday dinner.

    (3)

  • Miguel G.

    i come to this restaurant a few times a year, the food is excellent and service outstanding.

    (5)

  • Arlene R.

    Food was exceptional! The place was busy but not jam packed but the service was lousy! Our waiter was totally inattentive! We had to flag him down to order, we waited what felt like forever for our entree, he didn't bother to refill our beverages and we had to ask for a dessert menu. Restaurant.com patrons be aware 18% gratuity is added to your bill regardless of whether the service rated that percentage of a tip. When we voiced our concern to the manager he removed the gratuity and was very apologetic. I will return and hopefully have a more positive experience.

    (3)

  • Shirley I.

    I'm giving the restaurant 3 stars, but in reality half of our table would probably give it 4 and the other half only two. I went with a group of 7 and we ate there on a Tuesday night, the night that they offer a family style spaghetti dinner with house salad and garlic bread for $12.95. Three diners opted for an entree off the specials menu and were very pleased with it. Four of us had the spaghetti. The meal started with delicious bread - crunchy crust and soft, interior with herb butter. That was the highlight. The salad was fine, lettuce with a coupe of tomato wedges and sliced carrots. The spaghetti was a huge platter of pasta with 6 meatballs setting on top and surrounded by garlic toast. The pasta had very little sauce on it which made it quite chewy and tasteless. After a 5 plus minute search, we tracked down our waiter to ask for additional sauce and he brought back a small bowl which hardly put a dent in the pile of pasta. The garlic bread was dry, more like stale bread toasted. I might consider going back, but would not order spaghetti. I didn't even want the leftovers. We also noted that the busser team does 90% of the work.

    (3)

  • Clp C.

    We love this restaurant so much that it has become one of our staple places to go. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The wine list is great and NOT overpriced. Tuesdays they have family-style spaghetti and meatballs that are out of this world! The risotto is the best I have ever tasted. This may seem like a small thing, but the bread is unbelievable and the butter is mixed with the most delicious blend of herbs! I wish I could make it at home. This is by far the best restaurant in Orland Park.

    (5)

  • Terry P.

    First of all this was a second choice when another restaurant we wanted to visit for the first time was closed. We got right in at a small table for two at about 7:15, which was pleasant. It was cool out so there was no one sitting outside (sissies) which made for the noise level to be very high. There were three couple seated behind us and all three women had horse laughs which became annoying. That said...I had a yearning for eggplant parmigiana, only to be told they were sold out. What it is only 7:15. How about Lasagna. Nope only on Thursdays! OK, an Italian restaurant that doesn't serve Lasagna on Saturday? I settled for Spaghetti and meat-sauce. The portion was good, but I have had better at Olive Garden (in fact my wife suggested we go there...I could have had my eggplant). I am not a fan of strip-mall restaurants. They are always too small for the people who are jammed in there. I can only imagine with the little waiting area that they have, how crowded it will be in the Winter. I gave it a try but I don't think I will return.

    (2)

  • Peggy C.

    We made 5:00 reservations for 14 for my mother's 70th birthday 4 weeks ago. The day before we were to dine, we received a call from the restaurant telling us we had to be out by 7:00 because they had another large party wanting a reservation for 7:00. We said that we would try but not sure how long it would take since none of us had ever dined there. (We also had no choice because where else would we get a reservation for 14 for a Friday night the day before?) They could not have made it more obvious that they wanted us to eat, give them money and leave. We couldn't even have conversations over appetizers because every 30 seconds we were interrupted by bus boys trying to take our full plates of appetizers while we were all still passing them around. I had a spaghetti/shrimp special. The pasta was under-cooked, the shrimp was over-cooked -- I couldn't chew either. The steaks were all gristle. We had a lost phone incident and the manager did noting. It was turned in at the bar but he never bothered to ask the bartender. Just told us to go ask the hostess. (FYI, the phone was lost in the bathroom trying to change a 1-year old standing up because they had no changing station.) They brought the wrong flavors of ice cream for the kids desserts. But the final kicker was we had one late-comer who placed an order with our waitress. The manager came over and told us he pulled the order and wouldn't put it through because we had to leave, it was almost 7PM, and handed us the bill. So very frustrated and looking forward to leaving anyway, we asked if he could put in a to-go order. They had the nerve, after not allowing him to join our party, to add 18% gratuity to his to-go order (and not tell him -- he almost double-tipped). Well, Osteria Ottimo, none of the 14 of us, or anyone we talk to, will be taking up space in your precious restaurant ever again. Great way to run a restaurant (into the ground).

    (1)

  • Margie N.

    This is one of those quaint, secret places that almost no one knows about ... it's off the beaten track. They are open for lunch and they are wonderful about doing take out. I haven't strayed much farther than the spaghetti polpette - because that's what I crave and they do fulfill!! Their very simple, but oh so wonderful, ottimo salad is excellent. They have great Tuesday specials for the family -- check out their website.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    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.

Osteria Ottimo

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