We ate dinner at this Italian Restaurant tonight in Chicago. We ate out in front of the restaurant at an outside table. My daughter ordered pizza and she said it was very good. My husband ordered Risotto Di Mare and liked it very much. I ordered Minestrone Soup, and that was the only disappointing ordered item. It really looked like it was canned soup. Other than that, we really enjoyed our meal and good service. We had a great time eating ❤

Vodka Gnocchi overly cooked, don’t recommend! Ink octopus pasta with seafood was great!!!! Definitely order it! Soups and salads are standard! 🙂 Veal okay.

We live in the neighborhood and if you are a walk-in on most nights of the week expect to wait 90 minutes if you do not have a reservation. Chances are better with no reservation 9PM or later but they work to get your order into the kitchen by 10PM; you are not rushed. two dining rooms and outside seating which is well protected with heat lamps. Unless it's super cold you can eat outside in the enclosures but wear warm socks and shoes. We have had everything on the menu, never a bad meal. Staff is great, they know the menu very well, and the place is full of characters. A lot of tourists come here but so to do the locals. The owner runs the room, does most if not all of the seating, and he runs it like a well oiled machine. Good food, good value, no pretense. You will have a great time and enjoy your food, maybe even overeat; the portions and large.

The Volare Restaurant “Volare Ristorante Italiano reflects the look and feel of an old-world Italian establishment” This is so true! Welcoming and traditional home cooked Italian fare that felt like we were in a place that only fancy locals dined at. While we did not have a reservation, we were able to make friends with a couple that has been dining at Volare for 20 years. Jay and his family. They kindly gave us their seats at the bar, Jay & father recommended the Chicken Parmesan and the house Risotto. We sat at the bar versus waiting over 2 hours for a table for two on a Saturday evening. The bar was super busy, and restaurant was packed. However, the bartender still provided us with what felt like a normal dining experience, and he spared no time taking our drink order and ordering us hot from the oven bread w/ the most delightful olive oil for dipping. We did order the Chicken Parm which came with a side of spaghetti w/ red sauce and the Volare Risotto. The Risotto was al dente, and black from squid ink, which is traditional in Venice. It was filled w/ shrimp, squid, and fresh opened mussels braised in red sauce and wine. It was decadent and tasted authentic. I had few cocktails and felt right at home! Jay was right, the Volare is awesome. I highly recommend the restaurant, MAKE A RESERVTION! I look forward to hopefully sitting in the dining room someday soon w/ our new friends.

Awesome! I was alone and sat at the bar. Bartender Carl was amazing. Helpful, cared about my experience, great guy overall. Food was top notch and not expensive. Met some very friendly patrons, some local that went out of their way to be helpful about being in town. Can't say enough.

Any time that I go to a restaurant local enough to meet the owner I feel like I've made a great choice. I had the stuffed pork chop special which was fantastic! What was really impressive to me was how hard the staff was working. Wait staff and support were running at times. We had a view of the kitchen and the chef and cooks had just as much hustle. The restaurant was packed with what I heard was a 2 hour wait at 630pm on a Tuesday so be sure to make a reservation.

We loved our experience here at Volare! Waiters and waitresses are friendly. Food is good! The dining room is busy, a lot of birthday celebrations over the weekend. We ordered bolognese pasta and Fusilloni al Ragu di Vitello. The appetizers Vongole al Forno was a little bit on the salty side but I would definitely recommend this place to my friends.

What a nice dining experience we had on our last night in Chicago. My daughter and son-in-law had made the reservations for all of us. This place stays really busy and I know why it is really good. It started with our waiter Jorge M, he made us feel special and welcome. The food is awesome. The dishes we had were fantastic and the others dishes we saw looked really good. They also make a really good martini. I would highly recommend this place!!!

Hands down, the best Italian food I have ever had in my life. The restaurant was beautifully designed, clean, and spacious. The service was extremely attentive and helpful throughout our entire meal. The food was absolutely exceptional. 100% recommended!!

Best Italian food I've ever had!! Everything I ordered was delicious. The price is so good too, especially with the large portion they serve. The server was extremely attentive. This will be my must stop restaurant whenever I travel through Chicago. Best meal I had here. We didn't have a reservation super early, but called an hour ahead they reserved a table for us an hour from calling (it's a Monday)

My compliments to the chef! The food was perfectly cooked, seasoned well and beautiful in presentation! I started with a chocolate martini... an item that i order at every restaurant I go to. This one makes my top three in the country! Ive had a lot of chocolate martinis and i dont take that statement lightly. I had the filet mignon and it was the most tender I've ever had. We also had linguine with lobster tail that was amazing. I had the banana tart for dessert and that was smooth on the inside with a flaky crisp crust. Magnificent! The service was brilliant: quick and very friendly. I honestly wish I lived in the area so I could go back again and again.

Located off Michigan Avenue in Streeterville, this place can be a great spot for a date. It is also one of those places that offer a nice bar area to sit and eat. Typically Italian affair but high quality. It is saying something when such simple items as Cesar salad and fried calamari surprise you with great flavor and fresh ingredients. Also have good selection of wine and cocktails with attentive bartenders. Cannolis are also very impressive. Not a cheap place to visit but highly recommended.

Opened about 25 years ago, as I was living in Chicago myself and ate here on average twice a week, for four years. 20 years later I'm back in Chicago for the first time since....and the food is as good, the place doubled in size but didn't lose its local charm and great attentive service. Drinks are fantastic, the tomaot sauce is as good as it gets. Simplicity and timeless classics all around, from the pasta dishes to the fantastic lamb chops. Did we mentioned the meat balls? So good.

It’s kinda traditional Italian style. Big menu and options. I can’t decide what to have lol we had pizza and pasta and fish. Pizza was thin crust. Pasta with quid ink and seafood was great. I like the pasta noodle is perfectly cook. The staff are profession. we were enjoying the dine in here.

From start to finish, staff was TOP NOTCH, even on a busy Thursday night. First time going! Nancy was our server that night, attentive service from everyone. Nancy and management staff was funny and respectful (Salvatore and Ricky) they made you feel right at home. Gnocchi alla Vodka was phenomenal; best vodka sauce EVER! “Pillows of pasta”. Great recommendations from Nancy; from drinks to food! Nancy, after being full, recommended 3 desserts with espresso martinis and couldn’t have been the best decision ever!!! Party of 2 and I know we will be back. Highly recommend this place for anyone wanting to try great italian food in city.

Very good food here. Risotto and pasta were both great. Very generous portions as well so we worked hard to finish all the food! The zucchini appy was also very yummy! Service was very friendly and overall environment was great. Place was buzzing the whole time we were there, definitely recommend making a reservation!

Busy place. Even owner is working there. Always good to see owner in a restaurant. Drinks: 5. We (2) ordered Dirty Martini, Mango martini (very good). Food: 4 out of 5. We ordered Bruschetta (very good), Caesar salad (very good), and squid ink seafood risotto (way too salty!) Service: 4 out of 5. The server was new. She worked hard but looked she was confused most of the time.

Dinner here was an experience! Ridiculously busy restaurant so make sure you have a reservation. They have few vegetarian options, but they were great nonetheless. The staff and service were top notch. Our server was very interactive and gave great recommendations. A must try when in Chicago!

Hands down our favorite Italian restaurant that specializes in seafood and pasta. Sooooo many different options that are all delicious. Our favorite way is to order family style with a bunch of friends so that we can all try a little bit of everybody. My favorite entree is the lobster linguine- absolutely perfect! If you have room, try their desserts like tiramisu

If you're in town visiting or live in Chicago and want good Italian food this is the place! This is the kind of place where the managers come around and ask you how your food is. The staff does a great job making sure you have a wonderful experience. Food was delicious and the portion size is generous. Probably best to make reservations. Open seating at the bar when available. Seasonal patio seating. Don't miss out!

I can without a doubt say this was one of the best pastas I’ve ever had. We ordered fettuccini ala vodka, fettuccini Alfredo, fettuccini bolognese, and spaghetti nero, and they were all absolutely amazing! The Tiramisu was delicious, and the service was great. Despite the pandemic, they gave an above and beyond service to make sure that we were safe and well accommodated. All of the outdoor seating has heaters and is socially distanced. Overall an amazing experience and I would highly recommend!!

I love Italian food and make my own pasta at home. This... this was the best Italian meal I've EVER had. The pasta was perfection. The flavor and the texture was amazing. I'm from out of town (about 2.5 hours away). I would drive here for dinner again.

Great restaurant, one of the best spots in town for Italian foods. Generous serving and authentic flavor. Only cons is there can be a bit of wait if you don't reserve in advance

My mother and I had this amazing Italian restaurant for the first time... Their customer service was elite! It was very busy and crowded which was a great sign. Our waiter was very nice, friendly and transparent. Our food came out really fast and the flavor was to die for. You won't regret it! I recommend trying their seafood pastas with vodka sauce.

The Chef’s Assortment of Prosciutto do Parma is great. It had 3 different types of cheese and 3 types of prosciutto and salami. The sun dried tomato is good. We had the Volare (seafood rice) dish as well. But the rice was not fully cooked, it is hard to chew. The seafood is good.

Great place to be! The hostess and servers were very polite and greet you with a warm smile. The service is great, professional yet friendly people work here. Great for pretty much every occasion! The fried calamari was light and tasty. (Get it spicy) Food was great, good portions and delicious. The pastas are perfectly cooked and have a lot of flavor. A good amount of seafood in the pasta too, they do not skimp on the portions here. The chicken was juicy and had a great sauce. Tiramisu was fine. 10/10 place Highly recommend.

We went here for restaurant week and everything was delicious. Classic Italian food without all the fuss is all you need sometimes. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive as well, warmly welcoming us as soon as we walked in.

Overall, the dishes we ordered were great. We had two cocktails, one appetizer, two main dishes and one dessert to share. It was about $180 before tips. Cocktail was pricy, it wasn’t that good. Risotto volare highly recommend! Steak was tender and soft but sauce was too strong and salty.

One of the very few historical restaurants left in Chicago. The atmosphere alone is a reason for going. The food and the atmosphere are great, but this is the place where "they know your name and they are happy that you came. "

My friends and I had a dinner outing at this classic Italian restaurant, and I'm glad we made reservations as it was packed! The staff were in constant motion, serving dishes and seating customers. The dimly lit interior added to the cozy ambiance. Given the busy evening and our large group, we skipped appetizers, but they did provide free bread with olive oil and parmesan cheese. I ordered the clam linguine, while my friends got the gnocchi and squid ink pasta. All three dishes were substantial, but my linguine leaned towards the drier side and the pasta was a tad undercooked. It could have used a bit more oil or sauce, but the flavor was exceptional, a solid 10/10! Our waitress was very patient, especially considering one of our friends arrived late. She offered excellent recommendations and was so pleasant. I would definitely recommend giving this place a try for a taste of classic Italian cuisine in Streeterville!

Their half size pastas are a great option so you can try many entrees and share around the table! We loved everything we had immensely! Gnocchi alla Vodka, Rigatoni al' Arrabbiata, Frattoria Risotto, Spaghetti Neri al Pesce!! My personal favorite was the Arrabbiata which isn't my usual flavor profile but it was just the right amount of heat and a full robust flavor. Yum! lt was a little bit of a wait to be seated but they run like a well oiled machine and hustle to get the guests seated and fed! Service was great and we never felt rushed. Their support staff is efficient and friendly. Bathrooms were spotless too. All around great visit on our weekend getaway to Chicago :)

A great Italian restaurant in a lively part of Chicago. The food is great, made fresh and hot! They are also very friendly at this restaurant and ensure a good eating experience. The food is also very reasonably priced! Highly recommend for a date night or an elegant dinner with friends!

FOOD 5 / 5 GREAT FOOD, very very good food. But one thing I was curious is that they didn't have pizza on the menu for us. It was a bit shocking for an Italian restaurant. Maybe I just didn't see it? SERVICE 2 / 5 Service was SLOW and MESSED UP OUR ORDER. My girlfriend ordered "linguine di mare" but on the receipt it says "zuppa di pesce" which is 3$ more. When being asked about the order the waiter got defensive and said it's similar. Same as the manager. Owner stood on the side watched and didn't say anything. I didn't want to argue, so I just paid and left, considering it was only 3$ for a 100$ meal. They seemed like cool people, I didn't understand why they would not be willing to own their mistakes. LIKELIHOOD TO RETURN 2 / 5 Good food but the experience kinda ruined everything. I'll try other restaurants before returning to this one.

You can tell that this is an authentic Italian spot owned by good hearted people who care about their customers. Went to this hidden gem and had an amazing experience. I’ve walked past this place many times and have never noticed it but so happy I found it! Ordered off of their menu of the day and everything was absolutely impecable and SO flavorful!!

The best Italian restaurant in Chicago. The calamari are absolutely divine! We also loved the stuffed eggplant parmesano and the sea bass. Highly recommended!

My friend and I decided to try this famous restaurant on Monday evening. Food: average. We had seafood salad, squid ink risotto and tiramisu. Big portion and ingredients are fresh. But the risotto is over salty. Service:the worst! The man who was responsible for cleaning our table was extremely rude. For multiple time he asked us if we have finished and tried to grab our plates before we even answered yes or no. Every time he interrupted our conversations and showed a poker face when talking to us. His behavior makes us feel extremely uncomfortable. He also made loud noises when moving dishes and flatware. I don’t know where and how he was trained but this is the worst dining experience I v ever had. I will NOT go back.

So glad we chose this wonderful Italian restaurant. Both the food and service was outstanding. Every table was filled and the waitstaff was remarkable. My Seafood Risotto with squid ink was delicious filled with everything. This place is 100% must

The best Italian food in the city! Loved everything about our food and will be back soon. We had the squid ink pasta, Spaghetti Pomodoro, Pollo Arrosto and a great fish dish. Service is amazing and we felt like they really cared about our entire dinning experience. Old school Italian service and quality recipes that are unmatched in the city. I cannot give them any higher praise. Excellent apps too!

Such a great dining experience with good cocktails and servers. Calamaris and bread was great. The pasta was good (spaghetti neri al pasce). Looking forward to trying other signature dishes next time i visit.

Such a phenomenal restaurant! Food was excellent! Our server went above and beyond for us, even offering to make anything I wanted! Make reservations, the place was packed on a Tuesday night. The owner was busy making sure the place was running smooth and that all customers were cared for. Highly recommend!

Wonderful first visit. Recommended to us by a young man we met during lunch at the Drunken Bean. Old world Italian atmosphere with top-notch food. I had the Risotti Volare which was a delicious mix of clams, muscles, shrimp, squid and scallops.

Oh my goodnesssss....thank you tomy sofitel concierge to bring this restaurant to my attention. We flew from the Westcoast to Chicago and this restaurant was the first one we tried... sooooo good ...i need to write something special. Something amazing is happening here and it's working...owner Benny has been in the business for 50 plus years and this restaurant 25 years. ALLthe staff offer such amazing service and Benny is at the helm...like a perfect conductor of Beethovens 5th. The food was incredible....this seafood salad....lots of calamari, scallops prawn and lobster. The 3 entrees we got all were friggin phenomenal ....the clam lemon zest linguine was delish. I'm from the Westcoast so clams are bigger where I am from nevertheless the freshness was over the top. The Lasagna was truly a signature dish.....soft layers lots of pasta with a substantil bolognese meat sauce and a hint of vodka.....but it totally works. The roasted almost boneless chicken was to die forrrrrr....crispy but so juicy and the potatoes were amazing in this rosemary lemon buttery sauce. The food tastes so good and with lemon juice they make rich meals feel almost light. The finale was the tiramisu.....the lightness the flavors the fresh berries.....my mom even said let's go back one more time before leaving our 4 day stay. Again I can't say enough about the team....the nice young woman with the colored hair at the front she was awesome giving me some of her favorites...Ella was always checking in on us and then Franky he is awesome......Advisor extraordinaire he helped us curate a beautiful meal. Thank you to everyone for making a special trip with my daughter and mother so spectacular. BENNY THE OWNER EVEN CAME OVER AND TOOK A PIC WITH US..... Ps Franky gives the best tips around the city too. PSS the chefs are so fun to watch.. ..2 open kitchens those humans work hard did but looks like they are having a good time too...again impressive.

To sum it up: I wouldn't revisit. The restaurant was bustling with closely arranged tables, limited pasta options, and high prices. Unfortunately, there was no pesto sauce available. The appetizer we ordered, with cheese and salami, had an unpleasant odor for pork and low-quality cheese.

Excellent food and service! My friend recommended me their squid ink noodles couple of months ago, and I have been ordering them every time I visit Chicago since then. One of my friend tried their lasagna and said it has the richest flavor of all lasagnas she has had. The seafood salad was great, the scallops were fresh and had that sweetness in taste. Their Lychee-tini was also very good. Will be constantly visiting!

We were pretty disappointed with the squid ink spaghetti with vodka sauce. It’s $37 but only has 3 shrimps and 3 small scallops. The calamari tastes mediocre too. The people there were good but the food didn’t meet our expectations at all.

Great atmosphere. Even when it's cold outside, the outdoor seating is kept warm and comfortable. The portions are very large, so if you want to save room for dessert, you may want to split an entree. The squid ink pasta is excellent!

Food: The food tasted great!! We ordered bruschetta, eggplant appetizers, ravioli and Gnocchi. Extremely delicious!!!! The creme brûlée and tiramisu was 10/10 too! Service: The service however was bad. I had ordered the ravioli but I got spaghetti instead and I was extremely confused and thought the ravioli was under the spaghetti😅, until my cousin pointed it out saying I dont think that’s ravioli. So we called the guy who served us and said there has been a mistake. He said “Oh I thought so something wasn’t right! I remembered you said ravioli”. Mistakes happen I understand, but if he knew that it wasn’t my order why even serve it to me in the first place!!🤷🏻‍♀️ Also, we noticed that all the other tables were being checked if they needed anything but not ours, which we felt was weird!! Atmosphere: Too loud and very congested! Ambience was okayish!

Amazing calamari

Wonderful place to eat!! Ask for Sara she was wonderful.

Volare the best restaurant in chicago

Phenomenal place . The boss, the staff everyone works hard here . The food is also phenomenal. Thank you for providing beautiful service and food .

Great food, great service!!

First of all, the server (Astrit) was amazing, ask for him!!! , really patient and respectful, the crew and management really take care of us, they gave us time to choose the food, gave us many options, the place was really nice and warm even that was built outside because of the covid, I recommend this place, amazing food and price, delicious lamb chops and spaghetti, also try the tiramisu, fantastic!!!

Great service, great food, #dinnervibes. My group was running late, no problem they saved our table for us and had our wine selection ready.

(Translated by Google) It's very good because the food is tasty, it arrived very quickly and the waiters were friendly (Original) Esta muy bien por qué la comida está rica , llegó muy rápido y los meseros amables

Best Authentic italian restaurant in Chicago. Benny the owner and all of his staff are friendly, and inviting. Food is always consistently good. Ambience is nice.

(Translated by Google) Excellent service, the staff is very attentive and helpful. Very good food. For the date of our visit it is one of the few places that allows you to eat in the restaurant, most you can only order to take away. (Original) Excelente servicio, el personal es muy atento y servicial. La comida muy buena. Para la fecha de nuestra visita es de los pocos lugares que permite comer en el restaurante, la mayoría solo puedes ordenar para llevar.

Outside dining. Fod and drinks were good

(Translated by Google) Squid ink pasta tastes very sweet. (Original) 오징어먹물파스타 아주 꿀맛임.

Food and service cannot be faulted.

Food was delicious, especially the desserts. Staff was courteous and attentive. Definitely will recommend.

RESTAURANT HAS THE GREATEST FOOD WORKERS AND OWNER ARE ALL SUPERIOR. GREAT PLACE 👍

What a nice Restaurant in the town! All of the staff are genuine, expedient, and willing to engage in some friendly matter which is nice. It is a cozy place, has accommodating staff, and ample parking space. I also loved all the food that they served. You impressed me much! I must strongly recommend your Restaurant to everyone! Cheers!

Such good "home" cooked Italian food! Calamari was fabulous! And soooo warm in the outside tent! Good service! Fun family night:)

Great food! Appreciate them asking for our contact info for Covid tracing.

Must try their clam with bread crumbs and veal limone. Great date night place in Chicago. Service was great and everything tasted delicious.The Prosecco was freshly opened.Will return for more. One of the best Cannoli I have had.

One thing for sure - I’ll be back! Service, food, working concept during the pandemic was just outstanding. Starting from the managers authentic Italian great, followed by inside seating with sterile kitchen live cooking performance view, extremely polite service (thanks Roman B👍) with great menu knowledge and dish proposal, delicious spaghetti Nemi, Margarita pizza as appetizer and good Old Manhattan. One thing was a bit on the dry side - sea bass. Could of been a bit softer. Otherwise - best experience. Thanks and hope to meet again.

Awesome food, nice employees, regularly excellent atmosphere. They charge fair prices and the food quality is good.

Had dinner here last night in our first dine-in since covid shutdowns. In the area for business and chose this gem based on previous stellar reviews. Couldn't have been more pleased. The place reminded us of many intimate places we cherish from our ventures in Italy in atmosphere, staff & service, and amazing food. This place will not disappoint. We will most definitely return at our earliest opportunity.

Food is great! Service is awesome!

The best Italian food I have ever had! The wine selection is excellent.

Best Italian food in town. Ordered multiple dishes and everything tasted delicious!

Great drinks and good food

Pleasant atmosphere, excellent italian cuisine, friendly staff, delicious tiramisu.

Great Food

Handmade gnocchi and amazing service!

Excellent location for delicious italian food. good place to relax and unwind. the bill was good for what you get.

I made a reservation for 8:00pm on a Saturday. The restaurant was packed which is a good sign. It took about 20 minutes beyond our reservation time to be seated. The staff is very friendly and it was obvious they care about their customers. There were three of us and we ordered some Limoncello Martinis and an appetizer which was Grigliata Mista and it was a nice mix of grilled seafood. We all enjoyed the entrees which were Linguine all’ Aragosta, Fettuccine Alla Bolognese and Ravioli Di Ricotta, they were great. We finished up by splitting three scoops of Gelato. The only complaint I have about this place is it was very loud but that’s a personal preference, if that does not bother you everything else was great.

One of my top 5 places in Chicago...and my favorite Italian restaurant. Food is always delicious...and my guy Yuri makes things awesome. A must visit venue!

Best food I have tasted in the area so far. It was a balanced dish, fresh and delicious.Handles COVID requirements well.

Fine location for quality italian food. service is consistently above par. it has a great feel to it.

Excellent

This was very authentic. A great experience in a wonderful environment

Gets 100 stars, the best ever !!!!!

Friendly staff, generous portions, great flavor and great overall experience. I look forward to returning!

AMAZING FOOD AN SERVICE