A Family Affair at Orso's in Old Town

Situated on the corner of Schiller and Wells Orso's Restaurant exemplifies the meaning and experience of a long-standing Chicago Italian eatery.  Trusted and respected for over 40 years, Orso's has passed the test of time and has welcomed wine-loving, pasta-craving, meatball aficionado Chicagoans with open arms and a big Italian smooch.  Let's just say Lady and the Tramp would definitely approve.  Aside from the friendly service, seasonal specials, and easy-to-navigate, expansive menu covering all the crowd pleasers (i.e.- Calamari Fritti, Caprese Salad, Pizza Margherita, Lasgana Bolognese, Chicken Marsala, the list goes on...) the outdoor space in summer seals the deal.

Part indoor, part outdoor Orso's nails old-school Italian 

Seating more than 50 outside, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Wells Street, under a vibrant green canopy of vines the outdoor patio is reminiscent of a Roman-style cafe complete with charming red and white umbrellas, soft Italian tunes, and old-school Italian votives on each table to shine just the right amount of light on your delectable Risotto Primavera.

A sprawling outdoor space creates the perfect spot for family and friends to enjoy a quality Italian meal.

The food is legit, here's a small taste of two of the simple, no-frills Italian heavy-weight entrees.

Seasonal special, sautéed whitefish with new potatoes, capers, and fresh basil in a white wine, olive oil sauce.

Spaghetti Del Capo (Substituted with whole-wheat Linguini)
Spaghetti pasta sautéed with fresh tomato, lean ground sausage, chicken breast, escarole, eggplant, oil, garlic and crushed red peppers.

Rotating seasonal specials volunteer some lighter options for Spring and Summer but offer as much flavors as Veal Parmigiana without added guilt.  A bonus for most Italian joints, which rings true here is as well is you really get your moneys worth since the portions are gigantic. You can comfortably get three meals out of one order.

Great for: A group dinner and hitting Wells Street bars afterwards, date night, or families looking for home-cooked Italian minus the home-cooking yourself part.

Orso's 

http://www.orsosrestaurant.com/

1401 N. Wells Street

312.787.6604

Takes reservations from website and is known for throwing excellent dinner parties and events for large groups

Open Monday-Thursday 11am-10:30pm, Friday 11am-Midnight, Saturday Noon-Midnight, Sunday Noon-10pm

That's a good deal: 1/2 Priced Carafes & Bottles of Wine Mondays & Tuesdays (any bottle under $60).