Best Restaurants for People Watching in Ukrainian Village

Tre Dita is easily one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance is stunning—warm, sophisticated, and full of energy. Even on a Tuesday night, the place was packed with a mix of business meetings, date nights, and groups just enjoying a great meal. It’s the kind of spot that works for any occasion. The food? Absolutely outstanding. The Kagoshima Wagyu was a dream—melt-in-your-mouth tender, rich, and perfectly cooked. It’s one of those dishes you take a bite of and immediately know you’ll be thinking about it later. The chicken was another standout, incredibly crispy on the outside and so juicy inside that it felt almost unreal. Then there’s the pasta—handmade and exceptional. The olive and lemon flavors in one dish were bright and refreshing, while the arrabbiata brought the heat. A bit spicier than expected, but next time, I might opt for something else—there are plenty of options to explore. Their wine selection was excellent, well-curated to match the richness of the dishes. If there’s one thing I’d skip, it’s the desserts. The tiramisu leaned too sweet, and the gelato was just average—not bad, but not as memorable as everything else. Overall, Tre Dita delivers on every level—food, service, and atmosphere. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to come back, not just for the incredible Italian flavors but for the whole experience.

ANOTHER amazing dinner at RPM Italian- this has become our go to place to take anyone visiting from out of town because they do not miss!!!! amazing and delightful food, service and drinks that provide a “wow” factor like very few places can. It is truly an experience you can’t miss out on in River North. The menu is well-curated with show stopping options that are always executed to a T. This evening we started with the crispy Roman artichokes and the stracciatella bruschetta -the artichokes were tender yet crispy with the perfect amount of pecorino Romano and caper vinaigrette served with a lemon on the side. They were dynamic in flavor and an absolutely delightful starter. The bruschetta was on a whole new level of delicious, fresh ciabatta bread paired with a finely chopped mound of heirloom tomatoes that will send your taste buds to heaven. We were a party of 4 & each of us got our own entree; the rigatoni alla vodka with an added meat ball, the lemon burrata cappelletti, the eggplant Parmesan & the special (which I can’t remember the name of but can still taste the delicious flavors) The rigatoni was delicious and well made - but the show stopper of this dish was the MEATBALL - it was phenomal, and large. Bursting with Italian herbs and tender as could be. The eggplant Parmesan may have been tied with the special for dish of the evening- the eggplant was perfectly tender with out being soggy, the sauce was perfectly distributed and packed with mouth watering flavor that complimented the mozzarella and eggplant so well. I highly recommend this!!! The lemon burrata cappelletti was perfection, Light and decadent/zesty and creamy. Cooked to a perfect Al dente, with a little basil leaf on each piece- it was filling and so satisfying but still refreshingly light. To end the night we ordered the carrot cake- A MUST HAVE. it was moist and layered with the best cream cheese frosting. Our server sent out 4 mini choc dipped ice cream cones which was so kind

Great food and fun environment! A great place to go with either friends or family. Really loved the Jalapeño Homies appetizer and the Trailer Park Queen cocktail.

Avec is the best of the best Chicago restaurants! We had an endive salad to start, the chicken shawarma with hummus, and champagne. It was a perfect meal for a very special celebration! The food, atmosphere and service were superlative, and the amazing team made our celebration such a memorable and wonderful experience! Thank you so much, avec!!!

First time there but I work down the street and will definitely be back. Everything was delicious and the ambience was great. We were there to celebrate my daughter’s birthday so we wanted a nice restaurant in this area that wouldn’t break the bank. We thought it was reasonably priced for the Gold Coast.