The Bottom Line
Go for the history, not the food.
Pros
- Friendly and Efficient Service
- Part of Chicago's History
- Great Downtown Location
- Good Bread
- Kid Friendly
Cons
- Average Food at Best
- We Sat in Lower Level which had Strong Musty Smell
Description
- Address
71 W Monroe St
Chicago, IL 60603
(312)332-7005
Map It - It opened in 1927, so it's easy to understand why it's a Chicago favorite. Many people have fond memories of this place.
- Italian Village Official Website
- Lunch Menu
- Dinner Menu
Guide Review - Italian Village Restaurant Review
We visited the Italian Village one night when we were downtown with the kids and wanted a sit-down dinner. We sat in the lower level, which has a bunch of fish tanks that helped keep the kids occupied. But, I think it was the fish tanks that made the place smell so musty. It was kind of like that smell when you walk into a hotel with a pool in it. Not very pleasant for dining.All the food we tasted was average to below average. The chicken noodle soup had little flavor and little chicken. It was difficult to discern any taste other than melted cheese in their eggplant parmigiana dish. The eggplant was lost beneath it and not very plentiful. This dish is a specialty of the house. The sauce on the chicken marsala (Pollo alla Marsala) had a thick, unpleasant texture, and the mushrooms seemed a little undercooked.
We paid $95 for the four of us. That did include three glasses of wine and the tip, but it also included two meals off of the children's menu, so I think that's pretty expensive.
The evening wasn't a disaster, but it was close.