Acanto

Acanto was a fantastic choice! Our waiter, Andrew, had great style and a cool attitude to match, making our visit truly worthwhile. He recommended the focaccia bread and seeded crackers, which were excellent served with olive oil. For our meal, we enjoyed the Calamari appetizer and the Rigatoni, though the Lobster Cappelletti wasn't quite for us. Despite that, we are still giving 5 stars because the service was excellent. We initially planned to dine at The Gage next door but pivoted to their sister location, Acanto, due to seating logistics. We can’t wait to return to try the fish and chips at The Gage! The Gage menu is also shared on this review.

Visiting in Chicago for a couple of days. Did some research on great restaurants and decided on Acanto. We are so glad we did! Acanto is gorgeous — the candles were plentiful and cast beautiful reflections throughout the restaurant. Phillip, our server, was attentive and really seemed to care that we had a wonderful time. The food — absolutely incredible! We started with a couple of items from the happy hour menu — the star was the Aroncini! We have traveled the world and had it in many places from street food vendors to high end restaurants. This was absolutely the best! We then ordered and split the Apple Panzanella — another winner. For entrees I had the Pumpkin Agnolotti, the pasta was amazing and the pumpkin filling so yummy. My husband had the Fusilli which was loaded with seafood. I really enjoyed the Angnolotti and would definitely order it again. We shared dessert, the Torta Barozzi, a flourless chocolate cake, but with a twist — rum caramel! Oh my! It was a lovely way to end the evening. Pic’s of my favorite items are below. We’ll be back!

My first dining experience at Acanto was absolutely amazing! I live downtown and have been to so many Italian restaurants around the city. The creative cocktail and food menu, intimate and cozy atmosphere, and the incredibly attentive and impressive staff are unmatched! I had the pleasure of meeting and being taken care of by Emily, who was an exceptional server and very genuine person. She ensured my experience at Acanto was unforgettable! I can't wait to visit again! Cheers!!

The restaurant has a very cozy atmosphere. The warm, dim lighting and the candle on the table made the evening romantic. The host quickly gave me a table. I'm not sure the food at this restaurant was anything unique for me. The prices are above average, and the food quality is quite ordinary. We found the pasta too peppery, but they remade it very quickly and without any problems. The waiter was very polite and friendly. However, after they brought us dessert, they immediately presented us with the bill, which I hadn't asked for. There was still a whole hour left before the restaurant closed. I interpreted this gesture as a request to leave as soon as possible.

Stopped in for a late lunch and was excited to find happy hour from 2-5 which included a decent variety of food and drinks. I had an aperol spritz, along with the panino prosciutto which was amazing. It came with a side salad - I’d definitely order it all again. The place itself is a darker eloquent wine bar with plenty of seating.

Acanto and The Gage are neighbors. Acanto features a more exclusive Italian vibe and culture. We sat at the bar and had very tasty cocktails. We visited around 6pm on a Tuesday. There was no wait. Bartender and staff were very friendly and welcoming.

I needed a place to duck into after a long day of walking and sightseeing, and my phone was dead! The hostess and staff at Acanto were so kind, and the food was out of this world. I had a refreshing Aperol spritz, and the greens salad with sautéed scallops. It was just the boost I needed, in a beautiful little haven in the city. I will come back when I’m back in town!

I went here for a dinner reservation at 8:45 and we got sat down right away but no one took our order for 30 minutes. Once I told the staff they were extremely kind and put the food down on our table in under 10 minutes. They apologized many times and they even gave us three deserts and comped them. The food was pretty delicious so I would eat here again.