Monteverde

Really wanted to like this spot, wanted to try it out ever since I heard it was open given the chef, but there were just too many misses on this visit…
The restaurant itself is nice, great layout and vibe… Unfortunately we were sitting next to the window and it was freezing, had the pretty yet very thin curtains closed and still had my coat across my lap… It’s Chicago– heavy drapes and thick glass are important!
Moving on to the service… Waitress was super scattered and hard to track down, not to mention after we ordered, one of my dinner companions mentioned that she really doesn’t like seafood and wanted to confirm there wasn’t any in the dishes we ordered. The waitress asked if there were any allergies and my friend said no, but that she really didn’t like seafood– to which the waitress said there was none in the dishes we ordered … (you know where this is going right?) so the first dish arrives in a smear of tuna… To be fair, the tuna was noted on the menu, but we had already passed the menus back to the waitress…
On to the main event… Picking up with the tuna smear, it was the bed for the arancini that was decent, nice crunchy coating and creamy inside, but the flavors were a little one note. Next came the chicken liver which was on a delicious bed of polenta, but the liver itself wasn’t my cup of tea– mind you I’m not an organ novice, but the gaminess was strong even for liver. I had the duck pappardelle which was pretty good, pasta had good bite and the ragu was richly spiced… hit the spot on a cold night.
Overall pasta was good, rest needed work, but would consider giving it a second try (maybe in warmer weather!)

Went to Monteverde with my girlfriend. She’s lactose intolerant, and our waiter was very accommodating. She was also very knowledgable with the wine and drink selections and helped us pick a perfect bottle of wine to accompany our meal.
Vesper — one of the best martinis I’ve ever had
Oma’s Green Mountain Salad — great starter, very flavorful
Octopus — somewhat average, wouldn’t order again
Pappardelle — hands down the best thing we ordered
Farfalle — good, but not close to the pappardelle

The West loop has some healthy competition so a restaurant must shine to hold it’s weight. Only after eating here did I learn that the owner is a former Top Chef contestant. Upon realizing this I was quite upset as the food we received would have gotten less than stellar reviews from picky judges.
In a word, the food was bland. Nothing was bad or inedible but nothing was great either. Everything needed more salt, more acid, and more herbs. Now before anyone jumps down my throat and says «That’s not Italian!», well neither is a 4 peppercorn blend on a poor attempt at cacio e pepe.
We went for restaurant week but ordered exclusively off menu. The panzanella salad was a miss as was the hand rolled pappardelle. I don’t dine out often and especially don’t dine out to eat mediocre food. I want big flavors that make me crave the next thing coming out of the kitchen. So if you’re reading this, go with other options. The arancini was one of the better dishes we had. I liked the spice coming through. The ragu alla napoletana was something that reminded me of a dish you make a home. Nothing on that massive plate impressed. The meatballs were the best of the bunch but that’s not saying much. And I still haven’t figured out how sausage can have no flavor.
Adding to the above, the space is obnoxiously loud. We had a group of 7 and we couldn’t hear people on the other side of the table. We actually gave up on the idea of sharing plates because we couldn’t talk to each other to plan our order. They definitely need to do something about the noise.
All in all, I like that their pastas are homemade. But I can make pasta at home. What’s going to impress me are flavors that make me want to eat at more restaurants, not flavors that I can do better at home.
It’s a pass.

I’m not going to waste your time, readers.
This was the best lasagna I’ve ever eaten. Ever.

Monteverde is currently featuring a $ 33 pp menu for Restaurant Week. We shared:
Tortellini in Brodo:
Mortadella (pork sausage) tortellini soup in a rich broth with barely-​cooked celery and carrots. No mushy veggies here! I was a total fan of the slight crunch and tiny dice!
Lasagne Bolognese:
VERY hearty 3-​meat lasagne with bechamel and parmesean between the layers. Definitely comfort food!
Coconut, Cherry, and Milk Sorbet w/“Forgotten” Cookies:
The cherry sorbet by itself was intense — almost too much so! Definitely get a bit of the milk and/​or coconut sorbets in the same bite! The Forgotten Cookies are a chewy merengue with cherries and chocolate. The more substantial cookie paired with the refreshing sorbet was the perfect ending to the meal! Chef Sarah’s cookie recipe is published online via Food & Wine, by the way.
You can opt for the additional wine pairings for the above menu ($ 15). We went with beer instead: he had the Moody Tongue Chocolate Churro Porter ($ 8), which, to me, had more of a bitter «bite.» I had the Stone Coffee Milk Stout ($ 7) which tasted like beer + coffee had a baby. Yum!
Aside from the Restaurant Week Menu, we shared:
Hand-​rolled Pappardelle ($ 14):
Soft noodles with bits of olive and duck ragu. Adequately meaty and nice flavor overall. This was my second favorite.
Black truffle pasta dish (…the exact name escapes me $ 34):
This was my favorite: the noodles were more firm, the herbs were simple, and the truffle lended a great rich flavor. Despite being oily (and no bread with which to sop up the goodness) it was pretty darn delicious! The portion size was the smallest, though (of course you’re primarily paying for the truffle). There were about 5 large slices in the dish.
The complimentary rosemary breadsticks satisfied a «crunch craving,» but disintegrated into powder and were VERY dry.
We changed our reservation from 7:30 to 8:30pm without issue and were seated immediately. Service was good without being overbearing, and our server (Adam) walked us through both menus and answered questions. We received new plates and cutlery after our second dish, and our little table messes were wiped away twice.
The atmosphere is rustic-​meets-​contemporary. At 8:30 it was very loud, which was definitely a big conversation killer. It quieted down significantly by 10, but that’s not saying much since it was a Thursday evening.
I also feel like they tried to cram as much seating in as possible: the bar area and raised table seating behind it seemed to be the tightest spot. Servers and patrons had to squeeze through and I saw a few people almost get clocked in the head with trays, carafes, and dishes. Patrons standing at the bar didn’t help matters.
The fresh ingredients, adequate portions, and view of the pasta-​making-​in-​progress makes this a pretty nice spot overall.

Pretty close to the real thing in Italy. The place was nicely decorated, I sat at the bar and the bartenders were attentive. I ordered the cannelloni which was tasty but a bit on the heavy side. The dough was a little tough as it was baked too long. Don’t touch the dough that much! For my second dish I had the duck ragu parpedelle and it was solid. Light sauce highlighting the house made pasta. I wish the duck came out a little bit more but I guess that’s what you get with ragu. There were lots of other small dishes to try so I suggest going with a group of 4 to dominate the menu. Game on!

I very rarely go out for Italian food, but so so glad I made an exception. This was not typical Italian. There was a twist to everything that made the old new again. My only complaint was the noise level, but a small price to pay for such scrumptiousness! Very friendly waitstaff who genuinely seemed happy to be there!

Amazing pasta, made fresh!

Really enjoyable experience here. Came more for a couple drinks and snacks then a full dinner but really liked the octopus spiedini and tortelloni di zuca, which was nice pasta for a 3 degree night. The stuffed cabbage was less successful for me. The flavor of the dish was nice but would have preferred the cabbage more cooked and soft. Regardless, that and a couple bourbons and it’s pretty hard to go wrong. Would like to eat a full meal here. The place was packed and it was on an extremely cold windy Tuesday night

It’s January, and while the rest of the world is swearing off carbs, I’m face-​planting into plates of pasta.
My wife and I just got back from trying Monteverde for date night. We went for two reasons: 1. We are Top Chef fans, and we really enjoyed watching Sarah. 2. We are suckers for homemade pasta.
Monteverde did not disappoint!
When we arrived, we were greeted and seated immediately. The place has a little bit of a hipper, downtown vibe than I anticipated, which was nice. There’s a large bar in the center, communal seating on one side, and high-​top tables on the other. It was bustling and lively.
We sat at the high-​tops, which you could also refer to as Date Night Corner.
The service was attentive and genuine. We got breadsticks and water immediately, and the waiter explained the menu as being mostly shareable plates – like every other restaurant in Chicago. :)
Our order was maybe a bit too ambitious for just the two of us, but that’s how we roll. The lineup:
octopus with Japanese sweet potato and leeks: good
n’duja arrancini: GREAT – like fried pepperoni balls
tortellini in brodo – need a little salt, for my taste, but the broth was SO rich and hearty
crostini with sunchokes and artichokes – GREAT
tagliatelle with mushrooms, lamb sausage, and black truffles – generous with the truffles, delicious, great bite to the pasta
arriabiata with shrimp – maybe the best of the night, a must-​try, as others have said
cookie sundae with milk and honey ice cream – delicious
chocolate tart with kumquats and marshmallows – fantastic
There wasn’t a dish we didn’t like, and we finished everything except for the arriabiata – only because we’d over-​ordered and wanted to save room for dessert. Don’t worry, that will be my lunch, tomorrow.
I’d like to go back with a bigger group. For like $ 38, they have a family-​style Sunday sauce with a whole pork shank, sausage, and meatballs. We saw someone get it, and it looked amazing! Next time…
Cause there will definitely be a next time.

Another winner in the West Loop! My friend and I visited Monteverde on a Tuesday night and clearly word is out about just how good Monteverde is. By 6:30, the restaurant and bar were both packed.
A smaller venue, Monteverde is very reasonably priced. We split two appetizers, two pastas, and a dessert. The food, along with two glasses of wine, was less than $ 50 each. Everything was tasty and I can’t wait to return to try more.

Wow! What a wonderful meal we had there this week. We had an early reservation as we had tickets to the Opera. We were seated promptly at a small table, which was great, as the communal tables would have made our taking to one another more difficult. As we sat there, in walks Stephanie Izard (Girl and Goat) and she sat right next to our table, so we knew we were at the right place!
FOOD: We each had a small plate and a pasta. I had the artichoke/​sun choke crostini — melted in my mouth. But you must like truffles. Then I had the cacio whey pepe — pepper pasta. It was truly unbelievable. I even asked our waiter how it could taste so much like pepper and not look like it was covered in pepper. Delicious. My BF had prosciutto butter toast — he said it was yummy. And then he had the lamb cannelloni — which was terrific but very lamb heavy so be warned. We each at a glass of wine — him the Barbera and me the Sangiovese blend. Both were great with our meals. Then we split the salted butterscotch budino — AMAZING. We also had the doughnuts and they were delicious but by this time, we were so full.
AMBIANCE: I love the look of this place. The big windows, the muted colors. But it is loud in there. And the music was really loud, even when we got there so early, it was loud. I would not like the communal tables as I get distracted when someone else is talking loudly next to me. I like to be able to hear my date, just my opinion. The bar area is great, very well designed. And the bathrooms are DARK. Just a note to the restaurant: sometimes ladies need some light when using the bathroom.
PRICE: extremely reasonable. For all that food and drinks, it was under $ 100. That is incredible to me as it was one of the better and most filling meals we’ve had in awhile and so cheap, in our opinion.
SERVICE: Our waiter was great. He guided us through the menu, made suggestions as far as how much food to have and paced out the meal nicely. He was around but not in our faces. The bus-​people were great — constantly clearing our plates and refilling our water. That’s a big pet peeve of mine — I like to have water and shouldn’t have to keep asking for it so nice job there!
We didn’t use the valet or park as we walked there so can’t speak to that.
So in the end, go! Make a reservation. Maybe go early if you don’t like the noise. But no matter what, put this place on your list. What a great addition to our already wonderful restaurant scene! Good luck to Sarah — happy to have you!

Only dined here once and bottom line, I’ll be coming back!
First, the drink selection was pretty solid, BUT our waiter forgot our second order of drinks and still included it on the check — it was removed, no big deal but the one overwhelming theme was the very slow service. Not just the food, but if you did order a drink. I don’t mind slow food if the place is busy, but the slow drink service is kind of a buzz kill — literally! Overall though, the service was extremely friendly and helpful on offering suggestions.
A few items to note — the little bread stick snacks are tasty. The rice fritters had a nice little spice kick, good flavor too. And the duck ravioli was pretty awesome to say the least. The menu apparently changes pretty regularly. The dessert was killer as well — we went with the sundae and it was delicious!
I really only held back on a 4 star rating because of slightly slower service, and I would like to sample more of the menu as well. Definitely give this place a shot and try it out if you are looking for a fun selection of Italian dishes.

Welcome to the West Loop Monteverde. So happy to have another solid restaurant in the neighborhood.
We had awaited the opening of the gorgeous new restaurant on the corner of Carpenter and Madison. We finally made it for dinner over the weekend. They have a nice space and the restaurant looks fantastic. The front of the restaurant has a few long communal tables and a few four tops. High tops and bar seating fill out the rest of the place. As we were dining early, it was pretty open. The host tried to seat us at the front communal table and I wasn’t having it. Maybe if we were a group, but when a couple show up we likely want something more intimate. They took us to a secluded table in the back near the kitchen and it was much better.
Let’s eat! We asked a few questions about the menu, specifically how much to order. The menu is a combination of snacks, small plates, pastas and entrees for the table. We got a bunch as we wanted to try a few things, and I wanted some leftovers. Here’s how we did it…
ARTICHOKE CROSTINO salt roasted beets, Bohemian blue quark cheese spread, hazelnuts
OCTOPUS SPIEDINI leek, Japanese sweet potato, pimenton, peperonata
ARRABBIATA wok fried orecchiette, head-​on gulf shrimp, tomato, toasted garlic & hot pepper oil
CANNELLONI SALTIMBOCCA prosciutto, lamb, sage, balsamic, cauliflower bechamel
GNOCCHETTI SARDI Vesuvio tomato sugo, basil, house made ricotta
DUCK EGG CORZETTI duck ragu, taggiasca olives, pecan pesto
We liked it all. As usual, my little lady loved the beets. Other highlights were the Arrabbiata (best of show), the duck ragu, the gnocchetti and the saltimbocca. Standard Italian dishes are executed with added flair, like the saltimbocca that was rolled and sliced up sushi style. I’d like to see some cheeses on the menu and a few more entrees that would include added fish options beyond skatewing. Seated right by the pass, we were able to watch all of the dishes as they came out of the kitchen. The massive portion of ragu looked delicious and I’ll have to try that sometime I’ve got a hungry carnivore with me. We finished up with a few espressos and the Salted Caramel Budino that was every bit as good as it sounds.
We had a wonderful meal at Monteverde and are excited to have a new dining option so close in the neighborhood.
Grazie e buona fortuna!

With Chicago being one of my favorite towns I was less than impressed with this Restaurant. It was a debate between giving this a 1 star or 2 star. I was convinced to give it a 2. The recommended dishes were underwhelming and under seasoned. The service was incredibly slow. A dinner for two should not take 2 hours. Despite constant apologies nothing was done to correct the situation. Offering drinks when you are not drinking is not an option. We were seated right next to another couple at a communal table despite the Resturant being very empty at 6pm. In short if your visiting Chicago skip this place and just go to Eataly.

A tour of Italy right on the table (but not really)…it’s a new restaurant so they still need to work out a few things!
Congrats to the sweet and hard working Top Chef contestant Sarah Jayne. She was very grateful that we came to the restaurant and was happy to take a picture with our group of 6. Right in the middle of all the wonderful restaurants in West Loop, Monterverde had a full house.
Our waiter went over the menu explaining everything and even suggesting how many dishes we should possibly get– being honest about which ones are heavier if we are sharing. We got a total of about 10 dishes and here is my favorite to least favorite:
Fav: Artichoke Crostino: If you love artichoke, you will love it more after having this dish. It’s simple– but the way the artichoke is prepared is absolutely perfect with the crunchy yet soft crostini. It’s a great way to treat your palette and start your dining experience.
Fav: Njudo (Rice Fritters): I get it– Rice Fritters– you wouldn’t think? But it was phenomenal. I had just a little bit because we were sharing– and I wish I had the whole dish to myself. The poached tuna is incredible.
Not my favorites– but you should still try are the pastas. I would start with one to two because they are heavy. The pasta is thick and if you are not a huge black pepper person– make sure you mention that because it’s overwhelming. We tried many of the pasta’s listed but my favorite was the Duck Egg Corzetti. The duck is more diced than minced but it has a strong and rich flavor with the olives and pecan pesto. After the appetizers, and pasta, I was full.
We also ordered the Ragu Alla Napoletana for the table. And here’s the thing– that is the best presentation you can find at an Italian restaurant and I feel that’s what separates Monterverde from other Italian Restaurants. If you are meat person or come with a group– consider this but don’t feel bad if you don’t finish it. It’s HUGE.
We passed on dessert– but the wine list was incredible and overall a good experience. Wouldn’t mind coming back for appetizers and more cocktails. Try the ‘Saba soda!’ if you are going non-​alcoholic. If you ask how it’s prepared– its amazing — and then that’s only 5 bucks.

Face it, the food is delicious. The pasta is clearly fresh and made with a deft hand. The dishes are rich in some cases, so it’s advised that you actually ASK for information rather than assuming it’s just a random chain restaurant and everything is interchangeable. I had the cannelloni saltimbocca and it was exquisite. The arancini is the best I’ve had anywhere. The wait staff was incredibly courteous, and everyone was friendly. The ambiance was also spot-​on.
That said, I see a couple of reviews complaining about things like not having a take-​out menu or portion sizes. My reply: It’s not Olive Garden. If you want food like this, go enjoy it and maybe ASK about the menu. This place is set up for a dining experience, not for you to go home and microwave it so that you can complain on Unilocal later.

Monteverde is a spot I can get behind. Maybe it was the multiple glasses of wine that I overindulged on, maybe it ws the fact that I ate so much I thought I might burst, maybe its that I live blocks away… or MAYBE its because this was a great meal that I need to give a 5-​star review. Let me take you on tour of my evening.
We walk in with an early reservation, immediately I spot a good friend Nick (a bartender extraordinaire behind the counter), so we switch to counter seats. I have a nice glass of house red to wet the palette as I sipped in the vibe, and watch pasta get hand rolled behind the bar. The two of us, well, we ordered a lot. Maybe 3 small plate apps, the special, 2 mains, desert. Enough wine to drown a small Italian Village.
Overall I loved everything that I ate. The service (we were at the bar with Nick) was on point. We had one short wait for a dish at the end, but that is expected in a place that is 2-​weeks old. And it was made right by a complimentary glass of wine and personal apology from the chef!
I am going to be going back in 2 weeks, and I cannot wait. I know there will be growing pains, weird service issues, and some funky music at times. But food speaks for itself and its a great location.

We are so happy to have a great new restaurant in the neighborhood — and on Madison (not Randolph)! We went on opening night (to the public) and made a reservation. We got a table in the back with a view of the kitchen. While I will agree that the front desk was not the friendliest (or perhaps we were overly giddy to be there and they just didn’t match our excitement!) our waitress on the other hand was wonderful. We also noticed Sarah walking around greeting tables and also working hard in the kitchen.
We ordered: Kale Palotes, Oma’s Green Mountain Salad, Mozzarella e Ham, Gnocchetti Sardi, Tortelli di Zucca and Prime Rib. For dessert we ordered Sbrisolona Sundae and Salted Butterscotch Budino. (YES — we ordered a lot for 2 people but wanted to sample a fair amount.)
Of these the Gnocchetti was our favorite dish — absolutely amazing and refreshing (not a potato based gnocchi like you might think). The fresh cherry tomato sauce is to die for. We also really enjoyed the Kale Palotes to start which were packed with flavor. The Mozzarella and Ham was wonderful however a little difficult to eat with all of those round shapes in a flat sandwich. Delicious nonetheless. Also — both desserts were yummy — I preferred the Budino and my husband the sundae — next time we will definitely try the sorbet — this wasn’t on the menu when we went.
Excited to see what other adjustments are made to the menu — perhaps more group friendly apps for the pre-​Hawks/​Bulls game crowds or even a pizza section would go nicely… but what do I know everything is good as-​is. We are really rooting for this place to do well and will be back soon.

I made the mistake of walking in here without a reservation last time and getting turned away, so this time I made a reservation ahead of time and it was worth it.
We ordered the cannelloni saltimbocca and the Cacio whey Pepe. I wish I had ordered the arrabbiata, as everyone around me seemed to have gotten it, but apparently it is on the spicier side. Maybe next time.
Also duck ragu looked good too, from what I spied on from the table next to us. I didn’t really like the Cacio whey Pepe; it was too bland.
For dessert we had the sbrisolóna sundae — best decision ever.
Rose the server was phenomenal; I asked her about everything ranging from the different types of wines to the different menu items and was indecisive, but she was very patient and explained the differences with a smile on her face the whole time. When our food was taking a while, she came over to keep us in the loop and calmed us hungry pigs down.
The amount of food was too small on my dish while my boyfriend’s dish had a more entrée-​sized amount.
We will be back to try the other menu items.