Via Ventuno

We came here about a year ago. The food is more like a 3.5 considering the prices, but the drinks are pretty good. Especially mine, which was some kind of café latte martini thing.
However, it is the interactive history lesson is what saves this place. Who knew there was a secret door in the wall right beside the band. Wow! Juan and I were given a tour and into the super skinny tunnel that once led to the kitchen (where Al Capone made his escape years ago). Today, it now leads up stairs into a little room above the kitchen, and you can see all the culinary action.
Come dressed nicely. We felt out of place in tourist walk-​around gear.

Drats! Another one of my favorites with some of the best al fresco dining in the city didn’t make it.
This place has closed to the public and is now only available for private parties.

Second chances are completely and totally a part of my doctrine, and so Via Venuto shall get one most assuredly. JK’s breathtaking design is enough to float me back in for cocktails and bruschette.
In fact, that’s what I would truly use these new digs for.. . aps, cocktails, sultry legs slung over each other on the patio. Breezes and vino, though in the Eden adjacent to the main dining room you lose out on the velvet touches Kleiner restaurants are so famous for.
We had an early Sunday dinner with the mum and were eager to try what we hoped would become a regular hang out. Previous trusted Unilocalers had all but sold me on what would be nothing short of amazing, but from the onset our server was aloof and less than thrilled to help us with our very minor requests (Parmesan cheese from the 100 lb. wheel they had in plain sight and closing the door on a very cool May afternoon). Parmesan cheese at an Italian restaurant. Can you imagine the horror? She scoffed throughout our experience, and I wasn’t sure why. I mean, have you met me?
Maybe the two tables she had was too much to handle. Or maybe her dog died that morning. Like I said, second chances mos def.
The food, with the exception of the cute, safe and round arancini (and they were crunchy and special), was all stuff I could make at home. And stuff my mom makes better (her bolognese runs circles around the one here and at Gioco. Actually, it’s better at Gioco). I almost insulted the chef and asked for salt because my Risotto of the Day (asparagus and Rock Shrimp) was b-​l-​a-​n-​d. So sad, because the ingredients had a lot of promise. And at $ 21 for teensy shrimp and perhaps two stalks of asparagus, well, I was feeling pissy.
But Via excels at starters and I would have ordered five more of the Bruschette Special: mozzarella and prosciutto. Salty and melty and so, so, so good with a drizzle of sage butter.
I loved bopping along to the sounds of funk and swing playing (loudly) over the speakers. I wanted to run up and down the hallowed halls of VV and pretend it was my living room and I was having a grand dinner party with a guest list ranging from Justice O’Connor to Liz Phair. It would be an amazing fête at VV. Unforgettable, because the ambiance is delicious.
But the food wasn’t. Not this time.

Well, Jerry Kleiner has done it again. Via Ventuno was a recent dining experience for me and a real treat I might add!
This phoenix of a restaurant was born out of 21 and has the signature «Kleiner» look and feel to it, though I really felt like I was back in Park 52 in Hyde Park (you know… the southside… the place more of you northsiders should check out) as the design resembled it somewhat, which is a good thing.
This restaurant will house a significant number of people both inside and out as the patio is just about as long as the inside and I cannot wait till it gets warm enough to try it out.
As we were seated, the general manager, Robert, came to our table and introduced himself and welcomed us to Via Ventuno. Natalie was to be our server. We talked for a moment about the changes and specials and our drink order was taken. This particular evening I was lucky enough to actually meet Jerry Kleiner as he was dining with some friends at a nearby table. He welcomed us and also talked about the vision of his new creation and the changes that occurred from when it was 21. The most interesting thing Mr. Kleiner had to relay about Via Ventuno was the menu pricing. He had tailored it in such a way to provide the best dishes at very reasonable prices… in other words affordable.
All the food was amazing from the appertizer to the entrée!
Valet parking is available for $ 10 which is fine, but a tad expensive considering how far south you are from the loop. I think this should be $ 8
With the expansive patio, this should be a real «must do» on your Unilocal bookmark list!

Place is only open for EVENTS. no longer a standard restaurant.
GREAT PLACE !!! Could be $ 2 cheaper per item (drinks & appetizers). The entrée’s are priced well. This was the old Room 21 & it has stayed beautiful inside & the OUTDOOR PATIO is perfect. Now with a new name & menu (strictly Italian), this place is ready to shine ! Not sure if they will have live music on the patio, but this may seal the deal for me. Again, great food, but I would love to go here on a whim and grab a couple of drinks and appetizers without spending too much.

We had an amazing time here. Our server Lakeria was the sweetest ever. She went out of her way to do things for us. She even showed us this pretty cool private room. The room prolly seats around 6 comfortably. It over looks the kitchen on the second floor. Pretty neat.
We went there not know what to expect. We didn’t know what to get since everything sounded so good. Decided to try the chef’s tasting. Executive chef James Kilberg is one awesome chef. He came out and chatted with us, asking if we had any allergies to anything. We said no, and for him to just surprise us. We were pleasantly surprised.
We had the stuffed calamari for starters. Delish — juicy and not too chewy. Then we had a celery salad. Sound okie dokie, but was really good as well. Then we were served 2 different pastas. I had the mortadella tortellinis and my brother had the homemade pasta with ragu sauce. Again very good. Following the pastas we had halibut and seabass. Seabass was awesome. Halibut was a touch dry, but still good. You’d think we were stuffed by now, but we still had dessert. My brother had the cheesecake. It was different. I had the ice cream trio. Lavender, cinnamon, and some sort of fleur flavor. My favorite was the fleur.
Over all, the service was great, food was served nice and hot, and they had some good music. We found ourselves bopping to some of the songs. You would think Frank Sinatra would be in the back ground, but think Al Green, Michael Jackson, and a lot of other stuff. It was definitely a happy environment.

I’ve been here twice now, and both times have been great experiences. Great specials and main courses, but I really like the appetizers (especially the liver bruschetta) and the antipasto. The restaurant has a nice open feel, and seems like the patio will be a fun place to be when the weather gets a little warmer.

Amazing. I visited Via Ventuno for a special event and got to experience a custom tasting menu, so I can’t comment on the regular menu, but what the chef put together for our group absolutely blew me away.
The first few courses were my personal favorites: langoustines with pea tendrils and fava beans, foccaccia stuffed with some type of cheese (forgot the name) and speck served with arugula and black truffle shavings, and pasta (looked like tortelloni but I forgot the exact name) stuffed with foie gras. There were a few other courses, all excellent, and we finished up with an amazing crème brule.
Justin (who we decided to call Yoda) selected wines that went beautifully with each course, and I really enjoyed listening to what he had to say as he presented each selection. Mark deserved the highest ratings as a server.
I can’t wait to come back and try out the regular menu.

Apparently I like Italy more than I thought: the cheese, the wine… the men. It’s all here. And then some!
Via Ventuno is a rare find. This place was fantastic. Seriously. I find no fault – starting with the sweet hosts that greeted my friend and I, to our server, Mark, that provided stellar service. The space is gorgeous – I don’t know what Room 21 looked like, but it’s incredibly warm and inviting. It felt like I was sitting in someone’s posh mansion library. Loved it.
Their menu is extensive, but not intimidating. We got to taste an array of their dishes including:
*Special bruschetta of the evening (taleggio, truffles, and honey – amazing!!!)
*Stuffed calamari (:sooo good: very tender; a must try).
*Pork, beef and more pork (basically a variety of cured Italian meats).
*Butternut squash ravioli (my fave pasta – it was divine!)
*Handmade spaghetti
*Campari cheesecake (not your typical cheesecake, yet really good).
*Panna cotta
***Side note: They have several gelato and sorbet selections, none of which we tried, but with flavors like Nutella gelato and Limoncello sorbet, it’d be worth a trip back just to get my sugar fix!
We also received superior service from the Beverage Director, Justin, whose expert beverage knowledge was outstanding. He hooked us up with some killer Moscato d’Asti…and it left me lusting for more. Of him.
So lets recap:
Beautiful space, awesome food, fabulous drinks, dreamy men, no Janet Jackson music. I dig.
Did I mention that they have only been open for less than two weeks? Seriously… Go. Eat carbs. Drink. Repeat.

I need to start this review stating that I came here on the first Saturday night service. That being said there is a great deal of potential for the «new» Room 21 space but there is room for improvement in several areas.
I love the space. Those Kleiner fans like me won’t be disappointed. The space hasn’t changed too much since its Room 21 days, but there is an added warmth in the dining area with book shelves now filled with decorations. The gorgeous patio and bar space remain as they were — no need to mess with something that’s already perfect, right?
The service needed work. Our waitress needed to be better informed of the menu items and specials. We asked her several basic questions (what is the calamari stuffed with? what type of coffee do you brew?) which she had to go investigate — fine when there were only a few tables, but as the night got busier we saw less and less of her. The bussers also needed a lesson in table numbers as our neighbors appetizers were placed confidently in front of us even after we stated they weren’t ours. Again, room to grow.
The menu has traditional Italian dishes from a variety of regions — arancini from Sicily to Emilia Romagna’s cappellacci and tortellini. Some were better than others. I enjoyed the hearty bean soup and my warm aracini (risotto ball with mushrooms lightly fried in bread crumbs) but thought the bruschette could have been better (loved the smoky eggplant spread but the bread wasn’t crispy just mushy). They have a nice mix of entrees — pastas, fish and meats. I enjoyed the cauliflower cappellacci with delicious bits of pancetta and tomato. Veal milanese was crispy and flavorful but might have needed some additional dressing to go with its ample arugula garnish. Pumpkin ravioli were creamy and delicious.
The dessert menu looked good but with our waitress nowhere to be found we decided to take a pass. Oh, they do brew Intelligentsia too if you’re wondering.
So the highlight of the evening was seeing Mr. Kleiner himself. This must have been a special soft opening of sorts for industry types because the boss was greeting his guests in the dining room. My table was lucky enough not to just talk with him, but to have a tour and hear the story first hand of the restaurant space. Truly a unique experience.
I will definitely go back to Via Ventuno again, but I’m going to wait a few more weeks until they get their service and menu in better order.

I simply adore innovation and am taken when someone has determination — which is why I have always been a supporter of Jerry Kleiner’s ventures. Truth be told, I’ve been dining in his restaurants consistently for probably over a decade, as many Chicagoans have, and have experienced anything from above average to damn good each of those times.
This time around, however, the empire falls short.
I respect that Jerry has revamped the old Room 21 space (minimally) and has re-​concepted to a more approachable and understandable (and affordable) rustic italian spot. That being said, sometimes, when things don’t work out the first time around… there’s a reason. Room 21, in my opinion, didn’t quite do it as the food was just not good enough for its price point. Ironically, it’s the reverse with Via Ventuno — the affordable quality is virtually apparent.
Food was meh all the way around — olives with white anchovies ($ 3) were a small handful of mediocre olives with 3 pieces of anchovies anyone can buy in the grocery. The eggplant parmigiana app ($ 7, I believe) was presented as a nice cube of layered cheese and eggplant on top of red sauce and looked good, but was average at best (my dining companion commented that Riccobene’s was better). The boar sausage with beans ($ 9, I recall) was probably the best of the items as it was lean and boar-​ish without the game quality. Bruschettas (ranging from $ 3 up) were poor — think toppings one can buy in pre-​packaged contained in the supermarket. Fish was ok — but nothing spectacular.
I will, however, bite my tongue when it comes to the bar and dessert. The cocktails are fun and interesting and the wine is just fine. The beer selection drew a heavy emphasis on italian beer, so that was nice to see. Desserts were fantastic! Really. Try the campari cheese cake (think perfect ricotta cake with just a hint of campari on the topping, so nothing to be afraid of) and the fig tart. Desserts were the best edibles of the meal.
Service was attentive, not too fussy and friendly — certainly no complaints on that issue.
Quite honestly, I’m not sure I’d come back, which is a shame because the room was beautiful, the service wonderful and the desserts incredible… ok, maybe I’d return for a sweet and a glass of port.