Osteria Rusticana - Chicago

Came here to satisfy my cravings for real arancini and this place definitely hit the spot. Must go back and try more of their menu next time.

The drinks were very good. My mother is from Castelvetrano Sicily so any Sicilian spot has allot to live up to. The taste of the food was on par with the pricing and overall was very happy with the taste. Service could use some work.. We had a party of 4 and it was not until the food had come out that the waitress realized they forgot to make one of the main courses for someone at the table. By the time the chefs made it.. everyone else was done. This was on top of bringing the first 2 dishes out 5 to 10 min prior to the 3rd one... just basic serving 101. bring the food out at the same time. Forgetting someones dish... just not a mistake you make. Also while the taste was good, each person at the table went home hungry. I don 't know if i have ever been to an Italian/Sicilian place and didnt have leftovers. Here... much smaller portions which actually killed the cultural vibe of the food.

Had a fantastic meal here this evening on my trip to Chicago. Had an unexpected flight delay and was wandering around wicker park in athleisure and a baseball cap when I decided to pop in here for some dinner. Despite me not looking restaurant ready the hostess was incredibly sweet and welcoming and made a great first impression. I ordered one of the house made sodas which was sweet and refreshing. The olive oil that came with the bread was high quality. I got the meatballs appetizer which was very good. I also got the pistachio and shrimp pasta which was a unique delicious dish that won't be found anywhere else. Fantastic. My server was kind and enthusiastic about the food, other staff kept my water filled and tended the dishes and glassware. This was one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while and I hope to visit again!

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this spot. He got the Tagliatelle Rusticana and I got the Paccheri in Salsa di Pistacchio. The Tagliatelle is a simple noodle but very hard to cook properly but Osteria definitely accomplished the feat. A lot of times, the noodles will clump together but they were cooked perfectly and brought him back to his Italian roots. The sauce was savory and the sausage cut through, all brought together with the delicious cherry tomatoes. As for the Paccheri in Salsa di Pistacchio, this was the most unique pasta dish I've ever gotten. The sweet, nutty pistachio sauce was phenomenal, and the buttery prawns mixed with the tomatoes and cucumber made it my favorite dish I've had in a long time. All of their wine is Italian, and we were very happy with the suggested wine. We finished the meal with vanilla gelato and espresso which was *chef's kiss*. The service was above and beyond. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and the other servers were socializing with us throughout the meal. Not only are they great at refilling drinks and suggesting dishes, but they were on top of pre bussing and wouldn't let an accidental drop of food stay on the table without sending someone to wipe it off. 10 out of 10!!

It's ok, but a step or two behind the other Italian spots on Division. Prices are decent and the wait staff was great, but the pastas were lacking in flavor. Nothing special about the drinks or wine. I wasn't disappointed but also don't think I'll go back.