Il Covo

I came to Il Covo a few months ago when Carol J. was still associated with it. When Carol J. summons me for a night of drinking, I come. But before I could keep up with this crazy lady I need to eat! So, I ate dinner and used a gift certificate that I had won at the Unilocal charity auction party.
The food was phenomenal! The mussels… oh the mussels! I love mussels and the broth that the mussels were swimming in was divine! I kept dunking my bread in it and even asked our waitress (the lovely Jenny Z.!!) if I could have more bread for dunking. I actually said «I want to bathe in this broth.» Mmmm-​mmm!!!
I also had a seafood tower which had piles and piles of different types of seafood. The triamisu was delicious! So was the gelato! So. Good.
I enjoyed my experience here, but I probably won’t be back because it’s in such a hard location to get to. It’s a good walk from the blue line, unless you take the bus and no one really wants to take the bus to a restaurant when there are so many other easily accessible options available.

This review is long overdue since my one and only visit was for Unilocal Eats and I’m sad to hear that they’ve closed since then! In retrospect it was a little odd that there were only two parties there on a Thursday night (and one of them was us) but I thought it was a lovely restaurant and the food was good. We originally had a much larger reservation that night and the staff were very patient and accommodating when we kept changing the party count.
I guess this review isn’t really relevant anymore but I thought I’d share a few food highlights anyway: 1) We’d heard the calamari was good so we all started with that — talk about big portions! 2) I had the pesto pasta and was pleasantly surprised by how little oil was used in the sauce. It really was very good and the leftovers made a yummy lunch the next day. 3) Dessert was delicious. We all tried each other’s and I have to say that I enjoyed all three (tiramisu, panna cotta, molten chocolate cake) immensely. It’s a pity Il Covo was so hard to get to because I’m sure I would have been back otherwise.
I also wanted to give a belated shoutout to Jenny C. who was our wonderful waitress that night — it was only her third night on the job and she was super friendly and down to earth. Hope you’re doing well Jenny!

It’s too bad Il Covo closed — fancy dinner date spot only three blocks away from me. I have one memory of coming here on a whim, in the pouring rain, all fancied up on Friday night. There weren’t many people here, which was either because it was raining, or their reason for closing, but either way, it was really a sort of romantic classy place for dinner and drinks. Which were both truly fabulous — I think I got a Pomegranate martini and some kind of pasta dish. We got a few drinks, an appetizer and two entrees, and I believe it was a little over a $ 100. A bit pricey, and never packed with people — two reasons that might have been why they closed. But who knows.
I never got a chance to go back after that memorable night. It was definitely a place to remember.

Ah Il Covo, I hardly knew ye.
I only went to Il Covo twice, once for a Unilocal event and once for Unilocal Eats. Are you sensing a theme? But the lovely Carol J was a magnificent hostess both times, dedicated to making sure all her guests had the best time possible.
The Sopra Lounge, upstairs, was hot in all senses of the word. I need that bar in my neighborhood.
Ciao, Il Covo!

Fun, Good music, great wait staff and wonderful food. It can get crowed at times but sometimes you can show up and be the only people in the place.
Maybe I just love anything Italian.

Now Closed…*cries* Wishing you all the best Carol J.
We’ll all see you at your next adventure!

BIAS: Carol J. is a fabulous babe. I was leaning towards liking this place before I even showed up.
Came here for the first time last night for a glamorous fête, generously hosted by the fabulous owner. Very elegant, spare interior — nice! The drinks flowed, and I tried a bit of the chicken pasta. Delish, and tasty enough to make me think about coming back for an actual dinner.
The location is a bit of a bother, but that may only be because i don’t liike Bucktown all that much. So your mileage may vary on that one, and it takes no stars away for that.

This was my first Unilocal Eats restaurant.
So I missed the bus trying to get to dinner on time to meet some Unilocalers who had been nice enough to let me tag along even though I did not know then very well. Being the impulsive and non frugal girl that I am I grabbed a cab so that I could get to the restaurant on time. It is a cute little storefront with beautiful glass windows.
The inside it beautiful, full of natural light and a nice bar and lots of tables, although not cramped, for such a small space. When I showed up Maryanne M. and John B were already there and we split a bottle of sangiovese that was tasty and flavorful but not too pricy. Jenny Z was our waitress– she did a great job of being a great waitress while still having fun and being friendly to a table of friends.
I had the Involtini di Zucchine e Caprino — grilled zucchini stuffed with goat cheese. It was wonderful the zucchini tasted very fresh and the goat cheese was melty and creamy. I noticed that the Caprese salad, that one of the other diners got, had huge pieces of mozzarella cheese and the Bruschetta came with 6 toasts. The portions were very generous for the first course. My main course was grilled salmon in a white wine sauce. It came with grilled asparagus and potatoes. It was a great. The salmon was cooked well and flavorful and the veggies were tasty also. For dessert I had the dessert of the day which was chocolate molten cake and a cup of coffee. The coffee cup was glass with a really cool metal handle.
It was a truly great meal. The company and service were as enjoyable as the food! I can’t wait to come back here again to try more of the items on the menu!

Nice intimate neighborhood place, featuring good Italian food from the Sardinian region. We dined here for my husband’s birthday, which I did mention when I made reservations. I think that Il Covo is a good restaurant that could be a great restaurant, but right now it seems to lack a certain something to pull it all together.
The food was actually pretty good; reading some of the mixed reviews below, I was a bit nervous, but the meal did not disappoint. Recommended is the grilled octupus, marinated and grilled to perfection. I had the striped bass, which was prepared with rosemary and garlic — yummy, although the fish was perhaps just a bit overcooked. My husband had the ribeye, prepared demi-​glacé with roasted vegetables; he thought it was very tasty but just a bit salty. We tried a couple of desserts; the panna cotta was delicious, but the tiramisu was disappointing, as it came drizzled with a strawberry sauce; being Italian, I have never had it this way and did not really care for this presentation. The server remembered my husband’s birthday without having to remind him; he served the panna cotta with a candle on top. Drinks were also fantastic.
Our servers were attentive and pleasant; no issue with the service at all. We had a shot of limoncello at the bar while we waited for a taxi; the bartender/​server was generous with the pour, and gave us a complimentary shot for my husband’s birthday.
So why the 3 stars? I think that Il Covo is missing an indefinable something right now, a certain special touch or feeling that would tie everything together. You know how you go to your favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant, and everything is warm and charming and you feel like you are just at home there? That seems to be missing here. But it could have just been the evening, as it was fairly empty for a Saturday night, and perhaps their mojo wasn’t working. The good news is that they have got a lot of good things going for them; once they put it all together, they have the potential to be a great neighborhood restaurant.

I am surprised by some of the reviews.
My husband and I dined here as part of the Unilocal Eats! special. We ordered 3 courses for $ 25. My grilled calamari was fantastic. His brushetta was OK, I thought the tomatoes were a little blah. My main course, a pasta dish, was very good. The panna cotta dessert was rich and the perfect size.
I wasn’t in love with the actual space and the neighborhood. However, I would go again if someone requested it.

What? This had the worst service and food I have had in Chicago. The fresh ingredients from Italy missed their flight and they waited 45Mins post my order to inform me that my dish was still in Italy. Never again.

May I tack on another 5 stars???
I’ve eaten at Il Covo three times now. and I kid you not… the dinner that I had on Tuesday night sent me into orgasmic bliss.
I was told that just a week before, that Carol, the owner, let go of her previous cooking staff because they tried pull a fast one. NOBODY PUTS CAROL IN A CORNER!!!
I’ve got to say that little miracles happen every day, because her new cooks seriously dished out some mojo in their cooking. I had great company… but the food was so FUCing good that seriously. I wanted everyone to shut the FUC up so that I could sit and savor every single bite. Scarmoza cheese. where the hell have you been hiding all of my life? And the lobster spaghetti. mama mia!!! The lobster chunks melted in your mouth, the shrimp were huge and perfectly cooked… and I actually ate all the baby mussels which I will normally pass on because they resemble dirty female parts. I can’t even begin to describe the sauce, it had a real nice kick to it with chunks of garlic. I had a taste of G.R.‘s filet. Beautiful. Complete perfection… I have never tasted a steak so perfectly cooked… and I am not usually a fan of filets! Guess who’s going back next week?

I like my zucchini tied up in a little basil bow and that’s exactly what I got at Il Covo! The service was so friendly and fun – the guys were just great. D was our waiter and it felt like we were old friends.
My chicken was a little smothered in the sauce that came with it – but the artichoke sauce was delish so I let that slide. As long as it tastes good, it doesn’t matter, right? The broccoli seemed like kind of an afterthought on the plate. Could have lived without it – everything else was really good.
Good wine, good prices, great service, we’ll be back!

This place was really good. I went along with the person whom I’m in a marital contract with last weekend. It was completely empty on Friday night, which was sort of strange. It was more like a private dining experience.
Regardless, the food was really good and the service was quite good as well. The salads were very good, and the pasta dish I purchased had a nice spicy flavor. The wine was tasty, and did contain alcohol which was key.
Anyhow, after eating there, I was puzzled as to why it was so empty. Maybe due to the construction across the street, or proximity to the Kennedy. Its definitely worth a try, however.
Go eat there. It is tasty.

Classy, refined, tasteful… that’s how I would describe the vibe one would get here. I could say that I’ve had better Italian food elsewhere, but this place is still well worth trying. The dishes were well put together, and all the ingredients were fresh. The gelato was excellent… I’m a sucker for gelato…
What made dinner worth it was our server, D. He’s friendly, helpful, quirky. He even hooked us up with free shots. Love him!

Il Covo may look like a quaint little restauarant (and, it is), but… venture upstairs! There is a great, private, sexy bar area on the second level… great for private parties. Elegant, classic colors… really nice set up with couches, tables, and of course… a bar. It’s quiet, and just far enough away from Buckertown to be chill and laid back. A bit more of an «adult» vibe, less frat-​like behavior. Bravo.
I of course had the pleasure of attending a little fundraiser soirée here last night. Excellent prosecco found its way time and time again into my glass, the food (bruschetta, heavenly) well stocked and the ambience unbeatable.
Carol J (the owner and hostess with the mostess) puts on one great party… tell her hi if you stop in, she’s there almost all the time! I can’t wait to get back for a real dinner, or head upstairs to escape the madness of the Wicker Park/​Bucktown scene. Mmmm, prosecco. Even hungover, I’d still drink some more right now…

I’m still full after last night’s «private”** dinner at Il Covo.
We were a party of 8 girlies celebrating a birthday and because none of us had been here before, we decided on a family style meal so we could all try a little bit of a lot of things!
First came the bruschetta (tasty little toasts with just the right tomato to basil to garlic mixture), then the calamari (so lightly breaded and non-greasy…you’d almost think it was «healthy»!). The grilled vegetables with the grilled, smoky scamorza cheese was divine. I NEED to find that cheese… it was really tasty and the veggies were perfectly grilled… not mushy and not super crunchy… just right.
Next on the table was a basic tomato and mozzarella salad. Beautiful presentation, yummy taste. (Where are they finding good, ripe tomatoes this time of year?!!) Another salad was also brought to the table. I believe it had goat cheese and tomatoes in it… it was good, but I was starting to get full and didn’t eat much of that one!
Next up… entrees. Two pasta dishes, one a simple penne with bolognese sauce made with beef and veal. Good stuff. The other a vegetarian penne (?) with spinach and goat cheese? I didn’t try this one, so can’t comment. But it looked good and vegetarians at the table were thrilled with it!
But that wasn’t the end… next up was a platter of one of my favorite ever dishes, lemon chicken piccata. Thin chicken medallions sitting in a light lemon and caper sauce. Yumyumyum! Also brought out was a platter of salmon in a light garlicky white wine sauce. I’m not a fish eater, but I tried some of the salmon and it was really good. Like good enough that I would order it… even though I don’t really like fish! :-)
At this point every one of us was stuffed… but we had to try dessert! Pancotta with caramel sauce (yum), a very light tirimisu (sometimes they can be way too mushy… not this one!), a delicious and moist chocolate lava cake and another Italian dessert who’s name I didn’t catch! It was really good too!
And there was wine… lots and lots of red wine! D kept our glasses full and kept smiles on our faces! Finally, Carol, the owner (sooo nice!), set us up with a newly opened batch of homemade Lemoncello. Wow. Is that stuff strong!!!
Every one of us left Il Covo stuffed and happy! This is a wonderful space for a small group and the upstairs area will more than likely be used by us for other bigger party occasions!
Thanks for the great meal, Carol, D and the rest of the staff! We’ll be back again!
** Private only in that some other patrons who had made reservations, canceled. They don’t know what they’re missing!

Wow there are some mean reviews here– yikes a salty salad– so lets tell the whole world not to go here.
What about the wine list, the daily menu changes the staff and the owners passion.
Restaurants are more about your one plate of salad people. I have had too salty fries at places too but I don’t go and give a place one star!
I reccomend Il Covo for a delicious clean visit and esp if you live in the neighborhood.

Went here for a ‘work’ dinner last night, at my boss’s suggestion. Darn it if this place isn’t on the edge of nowhere… Bossguy seemed to think it was much closer to WP, and 3 blisters later… we came upon a smallish space with predictable décor (clean lines, dark wood, brushed stainless, muted neutrals, white tablecloths) right off ⁹⁰⁄₉₄ and Damen. I could watch cars whizzing by — undoubtedly some to undeniably better places further down the pike — all night long. And I did.
The pours are indeed sorta stingy. We ordered a cheap-​ish bottle after we saw what $ 10 a glass looked like (think shot in a wine glass).
We got the calamari and bruschetta for apps. While I did not partake of the bruschetta, I did note that of the 4 slices that arrived at the table of 8, 2 remained when it was all said and done. The calamari was completely bland and boring. There really was no taste (other than the char marks, but carbon does not equate real flavor) and did not break apart at first bite, but rather needed some serious chewing. It was just on the other side of Goodyear, folks.
Everyone at the table seemed to be on a pasta kick, so sheep that I am, I ordered the linguine with pesto. Now admittedly, I do cook at home. I like to cook. I’ve made pesto plenty of times; this stuff was just okay. The flavors did not burst in my mouth, but it was inoffensive. Just very blah.
Got the panna cotta for dessert, and this was actually quite good. The vanilla flavor was pure and sweet, but not cloyingly so. It was the one thing I’d consumed at Il Covo that actually had some good, solid flavor that made me smile.
All that said, the service we received here was very good. The server was smart and attentive without being overbearing, and was knowledgable about wines and could answer questions about menu items with ease. When we’d first arrived, the place was REALLY stuffy (temperature-​wise). We were all sweating, and the host sat us quickly and then flipped the air on. By the time we were leaving, all had come down to a good temp again.
Based on the really out of the way location and blah food and décor, this place would have had just 2 stars. The service gets this place the third star.

I had read really good reviews, once this restaurant changed management at the end of May, so I went with a girlfriend to check it out on a Thursday night. It was pretty empty, people-​wise, but I think that must have something to do with trying to overcome the bad press of the previous management.
Because this dining experience was wonderful.
The service was impeccable — unobtrusive, friendly, and attentive. The food was delicious — I highly recommend the bruschetta for an appetizer, and my gnocchetti with lamb was fantastic. We shared two desserts — a chocolate cake with gooey yumminess on the inside, and a traditional Sardinian dessert which I am completely blanking on the name of. You can ask the waiter — it’s the first dessert listed, and it’s their specialty. Delicious!
The location is very convenient for street parking, and it’s right off the expressway at Damen.