I have tried quite a few Italian restaurants in Chicago (Dinotto, Trattoria Roma, Club Lago, Bice, Quartino's). I found out about this place after reading revieiws for Spiaggia and Coco Pazzo. The cheaper cafes of these two (Spiaggia Cafe and Coco Pazzo Cafe) offer prices comparative to Rosebut and are highly recommended, however, I have not yet been to either.
The Rosebud offers family style portions, so for two people, one dish and one or two appetizers is more than enough.
Many reviews complain about the poor service. I would say taht the service is attentive, however, our server, Vita, was not as friendly as we may have liked. But keep in mind, the servers at The Rosebud are not 20 somethings bouncing around the restaurant like eager bunnies looking to please you and checking on you every 5 minutes. The service at Rosebud was good, not exceptional, but what I will be going back for is the food.
I had the Eggplant Parm and my wife had the Rigatone a la Vodka. Both were amazoing and we had enough leftover for dinner the next day. The eggplant parm was probably the best i have ever had.
Ambiance is good: dimly lit, and nice wood panel decor. Not the most romantic place since there were plenty of large tables (great for families) with kids, but the
restaurant was quiet enough for a romanttic dinner.
Street parking is available (be sure to pay the meter and leave receipt slip on your dashboard) but most people elect to use the valet. I recommend making reservations and opt for the tables by the Taylor st windows!
Overall, I highly recommend this place!
Pros: Lots of great food (family style dining) at a good price.
Cons: parking may be hard to find.
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