Osteria Rago

First eating at Osteria. We had a margherita pizza for appetizer. Them Cacio e Pepe with chicken, Carborana and Ravioli with ragu sauce. Everything was absolutely delicious!! Service was very friendly and professional. Highly recommend!

Made a reservation here for my birthday and went with a couple girlfriends. A reservation is an absolute must, because they're always super busy and don't have a lot of seating. The food is really really good, and a great spot to wine and dine with friends. The staff was friendly and helpful. I'll definitely be back!

Love it here! Highly suggest a reservation as they tend to fill up fast. Not a huge space but food is delicious and reasonably priced. The bruschetta was delicious, as was the cacio e pepe and the chicken parm dish was very big and filling! For dessert, don't skip as the cannoli were excellent. Our waitress was incredibly knowledgeable and had great recommendations on both entrees and wine selections. Will go back whenever visiting Bloomington!

This is a hidden little hole in the wall tucked away behind Nick's English Hut on Kirkwood. You practically enter through the alley. But once inside, it's a nice place. It's not open on Sundays, so pick your timing carefully. It's not cheap, and the entrees are not large, but the food is delicious. We had the polenta balls as an appetizer, and I had the braciole (probably a special). It was so tender and bursting with flavor. Wow!The servers were attentive, but not in your face. And while the entrees were not big, the tiramisu dessert was quite big... and also terrific.This place is almost too good for a college town.

Absolutely the best Italian. Homemade pasta. Great wine. Nice small place with great service.

We dined at Osteria Rago yesterday, 7/3/2024, for my birthday dinner. I am a huge lover of Italian cuisine, and this restaurant did not disappoint! The restaurant is cozy. The hostess was welcoming, and our waitress was very kind and attentive. We began with the appetizer of Tomatoes Vesta. This dish is one I will crave forever! It starts with a lightly crisped focaccia that is still so airy and tender, topped with lemon ricotta, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, arugula, and finished with a balsamic reduction. Arguably one of the best bites I've ever had. Our son was adamant that he was not hungry, but I knew if I ordered spaghetti and meatballs he would want to share. I did request to have the spaghetti substituted for bucatini as it's a favorite pasta of mine. The sauce was rich in flavor, pasta cooked to perfection, and the meatballs were delicious and tender. My son ate over half of the dish despite not being hungry and not wanting anything lol. My husband ordered the Patata Suprema wood fired pizza. He said it is hands down the best pizza he's ever had. This pizza had potatoes, bacon, sausage, white sauce, parmesan, romano, and a rosemary calabrese oil. The crust was thin and crispy, yet held up well with the substantial toppings. We were so stuffed after dinner that we requested a piece of tiramisu to go. We enjoyed this later in the evening, and it was decadent! Needless to say we will be making repeat reservations to enjoy this place again!

The HIDDEN GEM of Bloomington - part of me wanted to gatekeep this one for myself but I had to let my fellow foodies in on the best kept secret!Nestled behind Nick's is a small Italian restaurant with delicious pasta, pizza, and wine. Perfect for a date night, girls night, family dinner - all of the above. On Wine Wednesdays - bottles are 50% off. The service and vibes are impeccable.We ordered:- Tomatoes Vesta: Fire-roasted cherry tomatoes, lemon ricotta, arugula, red wine balsamic reduction, house-made focaccia- Seasonal Special: Shrimp & asparagus risotto- Fettuccine Alfredo with spinach, chicken, and sun-dried tomatoes- Chicken Parmesan: breaded chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto di Parma, organic tomato sauce, pesto - Served with spaghettiI will be back again - need to save room for dessert next time!

Another special occasion, and another delight.The Birthday Person enjoys the eggplant rolotini served here. There are offerings in places like Boston's North End, and in Chicago that don't compare. Very fresh and flavorful, it's this person's favorite.My own cacio e pepe was pretty good. It's not easy to make. In parts of Rome, they serve it in a parmesan bowl, but this version was very flavorful and threw me into the Wayback Machine, wandering restaurants along the Tiber in Rome on a warm summer evening. Yummm.We shared a caprese salad. This has mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic reduction. The challenge would be... tomatoes-- which aren't in season. Crazily, the tomatoes were huge, delicious, and the balsamic was stellar.They've a huge wine menu, but instead, we did coffee, which has improved vastly from our last visit. Prices are fair; they haven't inflated like other spots in this area. Expect $25/each before wine, a bit higher if you go for more appetizers or high-value protein selections. This is formal dining, well-done, and worth the visit into the alley between Nick's and The Runcible Spoon. It can be noisy and lively, part of its charm.

I had been here once before and the food impressed me so much that I returned. I was less than impressed this time.Appetizer:- Rago's meatballs: for $15 worth of meatballs, I expected more than mediocre meatballs that I can make better at home. They were lacking in flavor- they were so regular. Would not order again. Entrees: -Carbonara: this was my first time trying carbonara. It was pretty good, but I won't order it again. It was very simple. I wish there were more mushrooms and that the pork fat was crispier- it was a bit too chewy. -Wild mushroom pizza: this pizza was alright- would never order it again. The mushrooms were a little mushy and there were whole entire garlic cloves on each slice of pizza. A little too garlic-y in my opinion. I will stick to the prosciutto & arugula pizza next time- it's so good from here. Their focaccia is AMAZING. It is so moist and has amazing flavor. I love that they serve it with most entree orders & the appetizer.

I went here a year ago on a date and really enjoyed the food. I went back with my family and was sorely disappointed. My brother's meatballs were completely inedible and my dad's chicken Parmesan lacked much flavour. The service was also terrible. We asked for extra Parmesan and never got it. The only reason it's not one star is because somehow they did a decent job on my meal, but even then it was not spectacular to be brutally honest.