Trattoria Ultimo

Solid Italian fare. The service was a little slow, but overall we had a great experience. The space provides an intimate setting that’s perfect for a romantic date night. Will definitely be returning!

Great food!!! Only downside is that in the winter they don’t have a vestibule so if you get sat near the door it can be pretty chilly.

Food was good i suppose. Gnocchi was $ 18 but $ 8 more for 4 shrimp. I think the value here isn’t worth it. We ordered a lot of food: appetizers, main courses, and dessert. Bill was around $ 170 including tip, but portions are teeny tiny. We got a $ 12 Gelato assortment and each ball of Gelato (4 total) were maybe a teaspoon large. We actually laughed at the fact that they were so small… Also, our server did not bring one of our appetizers and blamed it on us. I think there was a language barrier between, but pouring the blame on us wasn’t the answer. Server tried to do a lot of shuffling of the appetizers and main courses. A good restaurant will just bring everything out when asked.

I threw a party for my company and I can not say enough about our experience! The service was fantastic (the owner Tony waited on us with his waiter) and the food blew my entire group away! The atmosphere/​décor is very simple but comfortable. I can not wait to go back because I can not stop thinking of my meal!

If you read some of the negative reviews, there’s some nuggets of truth in there. The prices can be regarded as high when compared to the quantity of food you receive. The reviewer that mentioned the legs of the table being uncomfortable to sit around is definitely correct.
Service could’ve been better, due to the fact only one waiter was working the entire restaurant taking orders on a weekend. Our table was asked about dessert before our entrees arrived, that’s how busy and backed up the kitchen was that night — not the fault of the staff but moreso a fault of overworking the staff. I do want to emphasize that the staff was very friendly and personable!
Still, all that said, the food is really, really damned good and in my mind outweighs the negatives that a more persnickety reviewer might overemphasize in the end rating. I had the short ribs gnocchi, whose empty bowl left me wanting more (and maybe a bit more short ribs, too). The portions were a bit shy, but the taste was fantastic. Everyone at the table raved about their dishes.
One last quibble is the fact that they’re cash only. For a restaurant serving dishes at these prices, they ought to be taking card. This isn’t a dive bar or taco joint. I get that restaurants operate on thin margins, but I’ve never been to a higher-​end place that doesn’t take plastic. Maybe they’ll grow into that practice later down the road. There’s an ATM on site, but just know to bring a fat stack ahead of time.

Now that i’ve been here a few times I can say this is one of my favorite Italian spots. Period. Came for a big bday group dinner, and the food was amazing, good service and great ambiance! Again, BYOB!
Must go!

Love this place… great people… great service… and BYOB!

Wow. 4 stars?
I rely on Unilocal hardcore, but admittedly, don’t produce enough reviews myself. This place elicits enough of a negative reaction to justify a review. I swear I stick to either 5 star or 1 star reviews.
Trattoria Ultimo…1 star. The food was mediocre… at best…
We had the crab ravioli for an appetizer. First off, only four pieces of ravioli for $ 14. It was so marginal that we couldn’t finish the fourth piece. I think that’s a major indicator of the overall flavor/​taste of the dish.
We attempted to order the starter scallop for a main dish. Unbeknownst to us, instead of a two scallop appetizer, we were given a 3 scallop «main dish» for full price. The main scallop dish was $ 26 and included 4 scallops, yet we paid $ 26 for an «upgraded» 3 scallop «appetizer». Horrible value and total failure on behalf of the server for the up-​sell and subsequent failure to explain we were actually over-​paying for a modified appetizer.
The other entrée we had was the short-​rib gnocchi. It was marginal… but for $ 26 or so (can’t remember the actual price), it was not worth it.
Overall, save your cash (literally, they don’t take credit cards) and go to the myriad of other nice italian spots in the city. This was our first and last visit to Trattoria Ultimo.

Byob for $ 5 corkage charge. Excellent service by Sebastian. Food scrumptious. Hood sketch. Will be back. Cash only. I’d rate 4.5 stars if Unilocal would allow.

Intimate setting, knowledgeable and welcoming owner/​host. Food is AMAZING! Fresh, authentic and made with intent to please.
Will definitely return and bring more people with me!

A BYOB and excellent Italian food… so glad that we discovered Trattoria Ultimo! We loved everything we tried, including the bread. Highlights were the crab ravioli, asparagus tortellini, fish of the day, gnocchi with short ribs and gelato. All were delicious. The service was very friendly and efficient. Yes, the prices aren’t the lowest, but they really are very much in line with the quality of the food.
We will definitely be back!

Holy cow! I just stopped by for a light bite before the Blackhawks game with some friends… I just sampled the new [fresh green] almond & prosciutto ravioli… it was so delicious, I may need to stop back after the game for seconds!!! No joke!

Wow — the reviews on here are so polarized. Here’s what you need to know: It’s great, rustic Italian BYOB (w/​$ 5 corkage fee) best for small groups/​couples.
Yes, the appetizer portions are small but they are quite good. This isn’t a TGIFridays where you’re ordering a basket of chicken fingers for the group after work. Expect one app will only serve 2 people. You order the artichoke appetizer and it is a single (but big) whole artichoke heart grilled and split in two — very tasty. We’ve gotten that both times we have dined here and likely would again. Tried the grilled calamari — it was OK, but next time I would skip it. Both apps were served with practically a whole salad of their own.
People here have complained about the bread which boggles my mind. It’s not a thick garlic bread one may be used to at a night out for Italian, but a thinly sliced grill-​toasted artesian bread of some sort served with a nice olive tapenade and a drizzle of oil. We were offered more with our meal which was served without the tapenade (which was just fine).
We did enjoy some surprises this time — a bonus taste plate on the house of 2 asparagus tortellini in a cream sauce in-​between our courses. They were amazing and tasted so fresh.
For the main course I had the special pappardelle with rabbit ragu. A portion that wasn’t huge but left me comfortably full. The pasta has to be home made and it is perfectly cooked. Had the gnocchi in short rib sauce last time and felt the same way about that. My wife had the linguine with clams — same kind of portion with a nice circle of clams in the shell. A nice bright sauce in that dish too.
After declining dessert, we were given crispy almond wafers, also on the house, which were quite a tasty lite pallet cleanser.
The service has been fine for us; perhaps a bit slow at times but we’ve always been one of just a few seated and there didn’t appear to be more staff than the single waiter and chef. I’m fine with that and the bonus taste of the tortellini and almond crisps were a nice addition. The décor is as rustic as the food. An industrial kitchen counter and fridge are in the main room (our waiter started making whipped cream with a hand mixer in the back corner at one point). Tables and chairs are somewhat mismatched but set up to look as they’re in some sort of order. Mirrors and a few classic posters on the walls; felt like you could be on some hole in the wall on a European city’s side street.
It’s not the kind of white-​table cloth place where staff waits on you hand and foot. It’s not the kind of place full of antique furniture and fine art on the walls. This place is no-​frills and all about great food. It is a small storefront restaurant with fantastic, fresh dishes. If you’re not renting out the whole place (which they will do) I would keep it to tables of 4 or less.
4 stars is very good. If the calamari blew me away and the BYOB was free I’d probably push it to 5. Prices are a little high when reading the menu but what I would expect with that quality of food after I taste it.

We had the best anniversary dinner here on Friday. Felt like we had been transported to a small and authentic restaurant in Italy. The specials were written on a chalkboard that was brought to each table so that made it easier to remember the dishes. We ordered the pesto gnocchi as an appetizer, crab ravioli and the burrata crostini. The panna cotta with fresh strawberries and mint was definitely a highlight. Everything was seasoned perfectly and the portions, even as appetizers were enough to share. The ingredients were extremely fresh and flavorful. A huge plus is this place being a BYOB with a $ 5 corkage fee, so you can bring a really nice bottle of wine to enjoy with a delicious meal. The staff is friendly and attentive and the owner is wonderful. Definitely stop by this place for a charming ambience and a delicious meal. Bön appetit!

This place has been my favorite restaurant in the area since they opened and they did it again. Chef Antoine and the rest of the crew made a delicious last minute birthday dinner for me and ten of my friends. He and I verbally put together a dinner menu the night before while I stood at his counter and he fed me tastes of his house made chocolate truffles, his gelato, and his amazing crème brûlée (a must). We quickly talked through a few courses that we could serve family style and it ended up being a perfect no-​hassle meal with friends.
Friends popped in and out of the restaurant all night, some popped by for a quick glass of BYOB wine and most of us stayed all night. Antoine could not be more accommodating. Our meal was hot and fresh, simple ingredients done very well. Everything is homemade and you can taste the love.
Thank you for the great, easy birthday. This place is just so comfortable, I really feel like I’ve stepped out of Chicago when I walk into Trattoria Ultimo. It’s a welcome escape from the overly commercialized Chicago restaurant scene.

In short — don’t go. Food isn’t great, service is surly, décor non-​existent, bills seem dishonest. Save your money and don’t waste your time. There are so many other great neighborhood spots. Find them.
The long of it: I rarely write reviews but occasionally, a restaurant is so great, I feel compelled to share, and occasionally, a place is so awful that I have to warn others to spend their entertainment and dining dollars and their precious time elsewhere. Sadly, this restaurant falls into the second category.
We walked into this storefront spot expecting a nice evening with 10 friends assembled for good food, good cheer, and fun times. I was struck by the lack of décor immediately. It looked like the former tenant had vacated the storefront and the owners had assembled all the leftover furniture in family basements and set up shop. The tables had big iron legs and not enough room for two chairs between so everyone «had a leg.» So uncomfortable. The wood slats of the table tops had spaces between, making balancing of silverware and glassware difficult. We were squished in and there was no need — plenty of open floor space around us.
We were not greeted when we entered and when we approached one of the two front of the house staff were shown our table. She was surly and unpleasant and we had an unpleasant discussion about their corkage fee, an unnecessary charge when they have no wine or spirits to offer. The waiter approaches to open the wine and spilled it and then failed to replace the paper napkin he soiled.
The menu was minimal but appealing enough and there were a number of specials that were priced in the mid $ 20’s. Without exception, the food was unremarkable. Sad pieces of white bread with a drop of olive oil and olive tapenade served on cafeteria style plates. Small pasta portions with overcooked seafood, risotto with only a few bites of vegetables, salad with three halves (not whole) cherry tomatoes, really poor presentation and not a good value.
The restaurant wasn’t crowded and we were among the lady present and still one of our party had to get out of her chair and go ask the waiter for the bill. He was seated with a friend at another table and completely ignoring us.
Worse, when the bill finally arrived, it is an adding machine tape with lots of numbers but no indication of the item attached to an amount and impossible to determine for what we were being charged. The Til was included for our large party and an additional $ 20 added for no apparent reason. Other Unilocal reviews indicated some suspect activity with the bill and we experienced the same.
As I said, find another spot — there are tons of options in the neighborhood and nearby.

Best hidden gem of West Town/​Ukrainian Village.
The ambiance is quaint and desirable.
The food is to die for.
True authentic Italian cuisine that will make the foodiest of mouthes water.
Truly a remarkable experience. And hands down one of my favorite spots on Chicago.
Two thumbs up.

Not sure where all these high reviews are coming from. Wanted to do a romantic BYOB patio date and Briciola was completely booked. This place was accepting reseversations.
The food was mostly forgettable with laughably small portions. The house salad was a joke. Just some low quality greens that looked like they were purchased at the Dominick’s across the street accompanied by olive oil and scant toppings. The service was polite but mostly inefficient. The busser was really great though — it’s too bad he wasn’t the one waiting tables.
The worst part was when the check came. We ended up getting a frozen pizza at Dominick’s after shelling out a fair amount of cash for a mediocre meal.
Response to Sarah P.
Mariano’s only opened at the end of March in 2014. Many folks who have lived in the community for a while still remember and think of the grocery store as Dominick’s. My visit to your establishment occurred in late July or early August of 2014 — I didn’t write the review immediately.
Your hostile and unprofessional reply does confirm the behavior several other Unilocal patrons claim to have received from your staff. Glad I was able to help you promote your business. Best of luck!

This quickly became one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It’s so amazing I don’t even mind that it’s cash only (they have an ATM onsite, if needed). Plus, it BYOB — so I always swing down the street to Lush right before to grab something nice.
The owner is AMAZING! He actually waited on us the first two times we went there, so didn’t realize he was the owner. When he found out we were recently engaged, he brought us an extra dessert on the house… which we learned was made there… and was truly incredible. The food has been consistently outstanding. The service can be a little slower when they are busy, but it’s nothing outrageous and has never posed an issue for us.
The interior set up is charming! It reminds me of a low-​key Ruxbin (another local favorite) but with a much shorter wait time and not quite as expensive. I love this place so much, we plan to rent the restaurant out for our wedding rehearsal dinner.
Definitely recommend this spot!

Made a reservation at Trattoria Ultimo for a large group of friends to celebrate my boyfriends birthday, they were one of the few BYOB places in the area who would do a party of 19 on a Saturday night. Our experience was pretty horrific. To start, I ordered the $ 12 grilled Calamari appetizer hoping to share between a couple of us, but was served three overcooked pieces of squid on a bed of bland lentils. My $ 25 risotto with seafood was undercooked (the shellfish was just ok), all of which I overlooked because we were such a large group.
The waitstaff was incredibly rude to several guests, including the bday boy when his entrée never arrived. When we asked where his order was, the waiter told us we would be charged for the «additional» order, and never apologized for the obvious mistake.
The real fun began when I brought in the birthday cake. I brought the cake to the owner to set to the side, she was very irritated and told me there was a $ 2 per plate cutting/​serving fee. I kindly agreed, then she immediately tried to take the whole cake to the table without the candles. After we stopped her, she refused to cut the cake, but still charged $ 38 to the table for the cake cutting!
Reading a previous Unilocal review claiming they were charged extra corkage fees (we knew there was $ 5 fee per bottle/​six-​pack), I carefully counted 11 bottles total (8 bottles of wine, two six-​packs of beer, and one bottle of whiskey given as a gift). When we were charged for 15 bottles, I asked the waiter to correct the bill and was completely ignored. He wouldn’t make eye contact with me and just kept saying it was 15. Ridiculous.
Before the bill came, we asked the owner to add a 20% tip to the bill (new law banned the automatic 18% tip typical for large groups). After the inflated bill came, we politely paid everything, including the overcharge of at least $ 58 for cake they didn’t cut + bottles we didn’t bring. but we removed $ 20 from the massive tip. So what do they do? They went and demanded another $ 20 in tip from the guest of honor! And of course he paid it. Shame on them!
The food was insanely overpriced, the service was awful, and I left feeling guilty for making my friends eat there. I guess the only reason this place is in business is from old and/​or fake Unilocal reviews. Beware!