Trattoria Gianni

Pasta was good. Meat dish portion was too small; my husband left hungry. We had to ask for cheese to be grated - no one came to ask. Server knew we were trying to get to the theater but did not come check on us in time for us to order dessert. Seating was near a window & the heat was not turned up sufficiently. That said, convenient to Steppenwolf and Second City, and charming inside and great pasta.

The food was really good, but I did have a small issue w/ my entree and the issue wasn't resolved. I got an apology, but nothing else was done. I didn't ask for anything, but was under the impression there would be follow up and nothing happened. Otherwise, the food was excellent and the ambiance was really nice.

Very convenient to Steppenwolf. Went before the show. Really enjoyed it. The two standouts were the food and the service. Marian the waiter was exceptional!

Waiter was very unplesant ,didn’t take our order as we asked and was very unattentive. Will not visit it again .

Excellent service and authentic food! Bravo Gianni and team!

Wonderful experience with great food and service and most importantly it was quite. A joy to have a meal peaceful without shouting at your dinner partner. Lovely restaurant, can’t wait to go back.

We live in River North and mostly dine in RN or West Loop. We decided to check out a spot in Lincoln Park tonight as it’s been years since I’ve lived in LP. Boy, I totally forgot how good some of these old school restaurants are! My husband, who’s a recent transplant from San Fran also raves about how good our pasta dishes are! No overly priced glitz and glam; just really good cooking! Will be coming back often!

Great!!!!!!!!!

This was a perfect dinner after our matinee at The Royal George Theater. Coming in from the damp and blustery weather, we immediately felt warm and cozy. Our starters were the Caesar and house salads, both very good and a nice size. One of the daily specials was branzino and vegetables, nicely grilled and very flavorful. The marinated and "grilled" chicken breast appeared to have been pan prepared but was very good, nonetheless. Our server Marco was friendly and quite competent. Overall, we would gladly return again, especially once we get back to nice weather and the outdoor patio opens up!

The food at Trattoria Giannis is simply fantastic. Try the Gnocchi, which the server correctly described as "little pillows of heaven"...

Gianni's is a neighborhood gem that you should not leave out if you find yourself in Old Town. In fact, you should probably go there if you don't have plans to visit Old Town.

The food was very good. The service was interesting. My husband and I were meeting another couple who was running late and the restaurant has a policy, we learned, of not bringing bread to the table until everyone has arrived and ordered. Normally, no big deal, but I am 5 months pregnant and was very hungry. On my second attempt I negotiated ordering a salad too and asked for both right away.

The other couple arrived just then, so the dinner progressed with no more delays.

Solid Italian food. The gnocchi was very good. Pillowy and delicious the way it should. My friend had the tilapia. He was pleased. I had the sea bass. It tasted good but was overdone. Glad it was a fatty fish. Service was good and a perfect spot before a Steppenwolf production.

The food was very good, the service was quite slow. Clearly they were understaffed. We saw that the maitre D was helping floor staff by closing out checks.
We had a reservation, but were not seated for over 10 minutes, even though we could see empty tables. There was a party of 12, very loud, drunk women celebrating a 50th birthday, seated right next to us. Not enjoyable to hear them yelling, dropping the F word. Not the servers fault, but not what we wanted to listen to.
Our server kept apologizing for the slow service, so we knew that the staff was aware of the situation.

Had not noticed this place before. It's right across the street from Steppenwolf Theater. But I won't forget it now. The food was great. My wife and I had the short ribs and the conchiglie del mercantile. Both, absolutely delicious. Some here have complained about service. I have nothing but good to say. Matthew at the bar was as friendly and as helpful as could be. Wait staff, particularly Marco, were prompt and checked on our needs often. We were out in plenty of time for our show. And that included the time spent at the bar having a pre-dinner glass of wine. My recommendation. Go.

Trattoria Gianni is a great pre-Steppenwolf spot for tasty bites and good wine. My only complaint was about the veal entree I had. The veal was cut as thinly as sandwich meat. As my husband and I joked, it must have been a very skinny veal.

Great as always. We went before the play at Steppenwolf. It’s perfect if you are going to Steppenwolf. Have the Montepuchisno(?). It’s great

Excellent. Party of three who eat out regularly and we all loved everything about it.

Great food, wonderful service, friendly people, and consistently good in all departments.
We go with our group after Matinee at Steppenwolf. Have gone for ten years. Reservations recommended, especially with a larger group.

Food was great. Service wasn’t very good at all. The waiter was not knowledgeable when we asked for recommendations and service was very slow.

We really enjoyed the food at Trattoria Gianni! The Mussels were amazing, and the Gnocchi had the texture of soft pillows (positively). Other reviews mentioned the demographics skewing slightly older, and they were very much not wrong -- as a group in our 20s, we were by far the youngest people in the restaurant. That said, this did not diminish the quality of the food by any means, and I would recommend - especially if looking for a pre-IO show bite.

We loved Tratoria Gianni from the moment we stepped inside the fron door! Loved the ambiance and The food! Maria, our server was awesome, she joked along with us and was very knowledgeable of the menu. We loved Maria!

Great choice for homemade pasta and Italian dishes prepared well! Outdoor space was large and comfortable- great service.

The service has to be one of the worst I've experienced at any restaurant. My family and i felt really unwelcomed at Trattoria Gianni. The restaurant was almost empty when we were having dinner not sure why it took so long for my family and I to get any service. It's unfortunate that their food is actually good but the service is enough for me not to return.

Good food and good service and friendly environment!

Authentic Italian cuisine at a place that has been serving wonderful food since 1988. If you're going to Royal George or Steppemwolf theaters, this is the place for your pre-show dinner.

Post theater dining Food and service were outstanding Don’t think enough of the people at the theater knew restaurant was open after 10pm

Fabulous all around

We are never disappointed when dining here

Nice neighborhood place. The food was enjoyed by everyone.

Had Saturday night dinner and from the ambiance to the service to the food, it was all an A+ for a reasonable price. This Italian gem in Lincoln Park did not disappoint starting with the warm italian bread, the risotto ball appetizers and beet salad to the veal scallopini, fresh pasta and amazing deserts. The food was traditional with some interesting twists, portions not too big and the service was impeccable. I loved the simple elegance of the decor and when the bill came, I was pleasantly surprised at the price - very reasonable. I see why they have been there for 30 years. I would definitely recommend.

I have been coming to Trattoria GIanni for 28 years. The food is amazing and it is truly an Italian Trattoria. I know as I lived in Rome for some time and did business there for many years. You will not be disappointed and their outdoor seating is the best!

We have been coming here for years and have never been disappointed!

Great food as always and a fantastic outdoor garden!

Trattoria food Italian style not American Italian (this is better). Decent prices, good location.

Served Roman Meal sliced toast as bread. Nothing more needs to be said. Don't bother. Waste of time.

Good Location for Outside Dining. Recommendation for the Day (T-Bone Steak with. spinach) very good. Friendly service. Fair prices.

Pasta is always delicious! Service is great! People are friendly!

Dined at Trattorio Gianni this past Sunday. It is my favorite Italian restaurant in the Chicago area. The food is excellent! Our party of nine comfortably sat outside in the side patio area. I highly recommend making your next reservation at Trattorio Gianni.

Enjoy outdoor dining during the summer. Good food etc

Everything about this place was great! I couldn’t believe it wasn’t more crowded.