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Dinotto Ristorante

215 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 202-0302
Fax: (312) 202-0308
Dinotto Ristorante
Price:
$$
Cross Street:
Wells Street
Directions:
El: Brown Line to Sedgwick; bus: 72 to Wells
Best of Citysearch:
Outdoor Dining 2007, Late-Night Dining 2005, Lunch Spot 2005
Hours:
Mon-Sat 12pm-4:30pm, Mon-Thu 4:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 4:30pm-11pm, Sun 5pm-10pm

Message from Dinotto Ristorante

Dinotto Ristorante

Contemporary Italian with a twist. Outdoor and late night dining

  • Delivery and Carry-out
  • Open 'til Midnight on Weekends
  • Lunch Monday-Saturday

Dinotto is a great find for Italian dining in Chicago. Zagat calls it "Excellent." It's located across the street from Piper's Alley and Second City. Their outdoor patio is beautiful, reminiscent of an Italian Piazza in Rome. Their pastas are delicious, but save room for their award-winning desserts.

Paid advertisement by Dinotto Ristorante.

Editorial Review for Dinotto Ristorante – by J.P. Anderson

The Scene
A lively pre-theater crowd bustles in Dinotto's two small dining rooms, where decor is simple (warm golden walls, hardwood floors) and tables are packed tight. A charming little bar beckons with a few stools in the front room; a spacious, enclosed front patio offers primo Piper's Alley people-watching.

The Food
The simple, classic Italian fare includes pizzas, calzones, 15 pasta dishes and a handful of chicken and veal specials. Meaty grilled portobello mushroom is fragrant with white wine, herbs and cheese, while Gorgonzola and 10-year-old balsamic vinaigrette give the signature salad a nice tang. Standout pastas include a basic, perfect farfalle pasta with grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms in a light garlic sauce, and crispy risotto with plump tiger shrimp, pesto and a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.

Insider Tips

Where to Sit

During the warmer months, the enclosed outdoor patio offers great views of the bustling North Avenue scene.

Parking

Valet your car for $10.

User Reviews for Dinotto Ristorante

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/09/2008 Posted by verysovery

Ok, I read some of these "poor reviews" and I wonder if they're done by other restaurant employees in the area. I've been to Dinotto's on and off on many occasions, over the course of the past 3 years and I must say that this is a great place, be it winter or summer. The food is excellent. The atmosphere is great, the drinks are wonderful and the servers are friendly. We recently went to celebrate my sister's birthday and we dined al fresco. My sister absolutely loved her birthday dinner. And the owners always make it a point to walk around and say hello to their patrons. I like that kind of attention. If you haven't been to Dinotto's, you have to try it.

Pros: Everything

Cons: Tuesdays are a little slow but then again, it's the slowest business day in the City.

1 Star Rating: Not Recommended

09/08/2008 Posted by TracyK28

I was last at Dinotto in the winter. When walking out of the restaurant then I said to myself "I probably won't be coming back." It was so-so and there are so many choices around that I can avoid the "so-so" places. Last night a friend came into town unexpectedly and she wanted to go to Dinotto. So off we went. The restaurant was not packed, in fact I was surprised to see the staff / owners sitting down at the bar - taking up prime space. In any event, we were immediately welcomeed and seated. The waiter came by and took our drink orders and then disappeared for 10 mins. I did say that the place was not packed ,right? My friend and I were so busy catching up that we really didn't pay attention to it, until she got up to go to the bathroom. AND there he was... sitting at a back table with friends. So we called the owner, Dino, over and explained our frustration. He was so rude to us. He actually told us that we could take our business down the street if we didn't like it. Can you imagine? So we ordered one entree and one appetizer and split them both. The food was AWFUL, presentation was pretentious. What we should have done was gone down to Topo Giogio, picked up a couple of orders of pasta and brought them back to Dino and Dinotto and shown them what real Italian food looks and taste like. NEVER GOING BACK... EVER. Thanks, Dino.

Pros: location is the only pro

Cons: EVERYTHING

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Editor's Review

Cozy Old Town spot dishes up great Italian at cheap-date prices  See the full editorial review.

Insider Tips

Where to Sit

During the warmer months, the enclosed outdoor patio offers great views of the bustling North Avenue scene.

More Insider Tips

Restaurant Information for Dinotto Ristorante

Smoking

  • No

Parking

  • Street
  • Valet

Hours

  • Mon-Sat 12pm-4:30pm
  • Mon-Thu 4:30pm-10pm
  • Fri-Sat 4:30pm-11pm
  • Sun 5pm-10pm

Payment Types

  • MasterCard
  • American Express
  • Diners Club
  • Discover
  • Visa

Cuisines

  • Italian

Meal Price

  • $$

Amenities

  • Local Favorites
  • Romantic Dining
  • Lunch Spot
  • Date Spot
  • Notable Wine List

Recognition for Dinotto Ristorante

2007 Audience Winner - Outdoor Dining
2005 Audience Winner - Late-Night Dining
2005 Audience Winner - Lunch Spot
2005 Audience Winner - Outdoor Dining
2004 Audience Winner - Date Spot
2004 Audience Winner - Late-Night Dining
2004 Audience Winner - Outdoor Dining

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