Osteria Rusticana - Chicago

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.

Took a while to get service but they were short staffed. Very friendly server named Tylisha! The food was of mixed portion sizes but was generally good. They kept the bread coming and it ended up being a good experience.

This is a true hidden gem! Everything on their menu was so fresh and delicious! Definitely try the saffron rice balls as an appetizer. The waitstaff was also very kind and attentive. We will definitely be back!

Honestly only reason I'm giving it two stars was the service. Which was great. Got the risotto which was under cooked. Would not recommend unless you want to be in the bathroom minutes later. Overall, will not come back. Disappointed to say the least.