Trattoria Caterina: User Reviews

I recently tried this place for a birthday dinner and I thought the restaurant was cute and cozy however the food was average at best. The red marinara sauce tasted like Ragu. I love the location of the restaurant and that its BYOB. I would go back but I would order something that does not have marinara sauce.

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Have enjoyed take-out from here in the past. Entertained seven people on 12/29 and had a great experience with excellent food, good service and great value. On top of this you can bring your own wine for very reasonable corkage. If you are in the neighborhood be sure to check Trattoria Caterina.

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We had a delicious lunch at this BYOB trattoria. We were heading back from the Field Museum and were hungry. I had the risotto del giorno, pesto spinach and sausage. Tasty. Karin had the ziti and marinara special, also very tasty. There's a wine shop across the strreet. They charge a 2buck corkage fee but it is worth it. Enjoy.

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Last time I ate here it was truly wonderful. Great service. Fresh, fantastic food. This time, not so much. We arrived at 8:30 on a Saturday night - they don't take anyone after 8:30 and even turned away a couple who arrived at 8:40. The place was pretty much empty and I assume they close early because there isn't much business in the south loop at that hour. But that should not mean that they rush customers or start to close while people are eating. And that's exactly what happened. Appetizer came relatively quickly. Salads followed almost immediately. When the waiter mentioned that the food would be out momentarily I asked him to give us at least 5 or 10 minutes to finish our appetizer and salad. He said the kitchen was closing but he would see what he could do (it wasn't his fault - his service was fine). But he busboy brought the food out almost immediately.

The pasta was good - but not as great as I remembered. The asparagus did not have all of the inedible part cut off and the plate wasn't very hot. But here's the part that really turned me off -- they started vacuuming while we (and one other table) were eating. Not exactly around our tables but not far away - it's not a big place. This was a huge turnoff. Needless to say, although we were offered dessert, there was no way we were staying while they cleaned up around us and rushed us. Our meal was over in exactly one hour - much too fast for me. So unfortunately I won't be back - at least not at this hour and would only recommend it for right after work or a very early dinner.

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I greatly prefer this place to many of the other Italian storefront restaurants around town – even the bunch in “Little Tuscany” over on Oakley and 24th. It’s really that good. The food is wonderfully fresh and well-seasoned with a wide array of choices than range from basic and simple to complex and layered. I’ve loved every dish I’ve had there, and have been going for about five years for lunches and dinners. The staff are welcoming and the place feels homey and quaint, and includes tables under leafy trees outside on the sidewalk in summer. While the place is casual, the tables are covered in white cloths and it feels like “Sunday supper” at Cousin Mario’s house.

You can grab some wine from the excellent Warehouse Liquors (looks like a loft, not a warehouse) on Wabash between Balbo & Harrison, or from the new outpost of Sam’s, further down Wabash at Roosevelt. Or, there’s a White Hen on the corner of Harrison and Dearborn. – The restaurant is easy to get to via bicycle, or CTA subway/El and bus, and parking options abound (but are typical for a dense neighborhood).

It’s also host to an eclectic and diverse crowd of folks, times I’ve been there.

This is a great place to duck into if you’re in the south end of the Loop or Grant Park, or before heading over to Summer Dance. It’s a nice place to get a meal if you’re headed up to Orchestra Hall or thereabouts or out to the Museum Campus or down to a Sox game. Only problem: It’s not open on Sundays.

For me, Trattoria Caterina is my favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago! An undiscovered gem.

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I'm not sure why everyone is giving this place good reviews. I went there on a recommendation from a co-worker and I will never take her advice for restaraunts again. Everything we ordered was really awful and a few items were inedible...I'm not a picky eater, so the food has to be bad for me not to eat it. The service was extremely slow, but nice.

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Have gotten in the habit of taking guests here when we're doing the tourist thing in the loop. It's harder to find nice, lower cost dinner-kinda restaurants in the area, and this is awesome. Carry a bottle of wine in the backpack while you're out, and then stop in to warm up with a great menu. Last time i was there I no trouble customizing... I was saying i was torn, and the server cheerfully offered to have the chef make me a custom dish. Wow! Atmosphere is boring, but food and prices are great.

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GREAT food, friendly/attentive staff, BYOB, easy parking - need I say more? I went here for the first time for my friends birthday Saturday night. I highly recommend Trattoria Caterina - a great Italian restaurant with a quaint atmosphere - great opera music playing in the background - that serves great food. Penny picked up on my friends birthday without us saying a word to her ... love that!! Yes, the gifts were most likely a giveaway, however, the initiative on her part was key. You should go here, you will not be sorry.

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Fantastic find in the South Loop. Love the BYOB and the service was excellant. Food was tasted homemade. Will go back.

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Met a friend for lunch, and loved the place since then. Their crabcakes are so good that I haven't had the opportunity to taste other dishes.
The menu is quite extensive and definetely good value.

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