DK Bottega

cute place on inside. Unclear where to park. Passed the place and had to turn around, but plenty of street parking. The waiter we had was hit or miss. Seemed a little unclear on what was going on. Sometimes he was attentive other times he seemed like we were bothering him. Place is small and was only about half full. We ordered the Calamari and the mac and cheese. The Calamari were tiny and all I tasted was breading. the mac and cheese was with shells and a white cheese. Was ok. I order Chicken Parm. It was really good. My wife ordered the shrimp and pasta. She said it was the most bland tasteless thing she ever had. She also had to ask him to get a refill of her pop. We practically had to bus our own table. seemed he did not realize you had to clear off the table before bringing new food. It was an ok experience. With so many other choices around there, we probably wont go back, but I would advise anyone else that it is worth trying out. Maybe our waiter was having a bad day.

I drive by the intersection of Des Plaines and Randolph all the time and never noticed this building until sometime early this year when I saw the sign for M. Hermann go up. I never went into M. Hermann. I read in the Forest Park Review a few months ago that M. Hermann was changing owners and changing names to DK Bottega, and when a Groupon popped up for DK Bottega I decided that was a great opportunity to try out a new Forest Park restaurant.
My husband and I went to DK Bottega last night for dinner. We started off with the artichoke appetizer, which is a cold artichoke and onion spread with white wine and lemon, and I believe a little bit of parmesan, and served with toasted bread. It was quite large for just the 2 of us, and very delicious. It is not like the artichoke dip you would be served at other restaurants as this is not a creamy spread served warm.
My husband ordered the broiled shrimp which was served with steamed vegetables, and I ordered the salmon which came with sides of aromatic rice and steamed veggies. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, were a vibrant color and not mushy. I didn’t try the shrimp but my husband said it was delicious. The salmon was great, it was panfried in lemon butter. Both main courses were generous in size and we both took home ½ of our dinners. Both main courses came with a side salad, which was a simple green salad with a few cucumbers and tomatos. The vegetables were fresh and there was no funky lettuce (a personal pet peeve of mine!).
For dessert we shared the tiramisu, which was wonderful. A very large piece but that didn’t stop us from finishing it. We both had the house red wine which was OK (typical of house wines). My husband also had a really nice cabernet that was recommended by the owner when he asked for something full-​bodied.
The atmosphere is nice — dark wood and white tablecloths make for a cozy and slightly upscale atmosphere, with a bar along one wall. You shouldn’t feel the need to be dressed up to dine here (jeans are fine), but it does feel like one of the nicer restaurants in Forest Park. The Groupon made it easy to enjoy the meal and try a variety of menu items at a great price. I am sure that when we go back we will probably not order an appetizer as the dinner portions are quite large enough on their own. You can pay the same price for equivalent food quality a few blocks away on Madison, but I think DK Bottega is a quieter, calmer atmosphere. I would like to come back to try a steak, the pizza and the ricotta cheese cake (but not all in one sitting as I would be stuffed!).

I went here two weeks ago for an anniversary dinner with my wife and sat at the bar as all the tables were full (we prefer to sit at the bar anyway). Dave the owner was tending the bar and was a great conversationalist and let us know about our menu options. We started out with the grilled calamari which is the best that we have ever had followed by a super large and fresh salad that was then followed by my main course of seafood pasta that had generous portions of shrimp, scallops & octopus in it. For dessert we shared their own version of tiramisu which was awesome. The drinks weren’t bad either. I highly recommend this place it is a little off the beat and path but totally worth the trip!

My daughter took me here because she had a fantastic Groupon. It really was a great deal. We went on a Thursday evening, so business was a little slow. I had been going past this building for about 10 years, It was always in a state of construction, and always looked like it should just be torn down. Finally, someone completed the job. I am very glad they did. It is no longer an eyesore. I have been wanting to visit since they opened just to show my appreciation of rehabbing the building.
The atmosphere is pleasant, casual and welcoming. It is divided between a bar and a small dining area. It is a small restaurant. We were eagerly welcomed and guided to a table. It was comfortable. The service was friendly, talkative, but not overbearing.
We started with calamari. It was perfectly prepared. The breading was crunchy while the squid was very tender and flavorful. The accompanying sauce was delicious, but the calamari was great without it. I ate every crumb.
I had the salmon as a main course. It was just flaky enough, but not falling apart. The flavor was excellent. We had a glass of wine (Montepulciano, Caldona) with the meal. The wine was very flavorful and added to the meal. Portions were generous, but not huge.
I am not a dessert person, but we split a cannoli. I felt it was too sweet, but aren’t they supposed to be? I should have ordered a cup of coffee.
I did want to check out the bathroom, but never needed to. Maybe next time.
I would love to bring my wife here.

Don’t let the trailer-​like exterior fool you! The inside of this place is really rich and the service is energetic and precise. My dad and I dined at dk Bottega at the enticement of a Groupon.
We shared a calamari appetizer ($ 10) and both thought it was the best we’d ever had. It was light and crisp with a hint of black pepper. Next, Dad had the Pan Sauté Lemon Pepper Salmon ($ 18) and I had the Broiled Shrimp Pompeii ($ 15). Dad commented about how he liked how the salmon flaked apart at the touch of his fork and raved about the saffron flavor in his yellow rice. I thought that the vegetables in my pompeii were especially delicious. For dessert, we split a cannoli ($ 4).
With two glasses of Montepulciano, Caldona ($ 7/​ea), our bill came to just under $ 70.
I think that this is a great local spot for a nice dinner at a good price. It is also date-​worthy.