Torchio Pasta Bar

We ordered:Seafood Fra Diavolo - Spaghetti with mussels, shrimp & calamari in a spicy red tomato sauceGiovanna's Bolognese - pappardelle in parmesan basket"Torchio" Pasta - Radiatore pasta with sausage & cremini mushrooms in a brandy-thyme, cream sauceBraised Short Rib PappardelleFried Artichoke Hearts w/ arugula salad / Beef & Veal MeatballsFried Artichoke hearts were an excellent appetizer. Lightly breaded/fried and perfectly cooked. It is a good pairing with the arugula salad. Meatballs were decent. We loved that all the pasta were made fresh in house. Seafood was properly cooked. Braised rib was very tender. Delicious flavors and portions for the price. We weren't clear on how to eat the Parmesan basket and even the waitress wasn't sure.No issues with service. Decent amount of seating to small to medium size groups. Background noise was pretty loud so note that for your type of outing.

The service here is absolutely amazing! All the staff were so friendly and cheerful. The noodles were pretty incredible, tasting homemade and fresh, but, the sauce could have been better. We ordered the vodka pasta and the short rib pappardelle, both of which had incredible pasta noodles but the sauces were both really rich and heavy and generally could have used more flavor in my opinion. Maybe we ordered the wrong things?Also, the restaurant was pretty loud when it was busy, and it was kind of hard to hear other people at my table talking.Overall, pretty good experience but the food isn't quite good enough for me to come back for.

I was super excited to try Torchio Pasta Bar, as I heard so many great reviews about it. However, for me personally, it was just simply ok. As a native St. Louisan, I felt like it didn't compare to the restaurants in the Italian neighborhood there called "The Hill" or St. Louis favorites like "Paul Mannos". I ordered the saffron arancini for an appetizer. It was ok but I didn't love the flavoring, and the amount of bolognese that was in it compared to other arancini I have tried. For my meal, I ordered the Rigatoni Alla Vodka, my all time favorite Italian dish. It was ok, but tasted a bit too cheesy for me, and it was incredibly rich. It left a weird taste in my mouth hours later. I still finished all my food and enjoyed the ambiance. Staff were extremely attentive and the food came out timely. Perhaps I will have to try again and order something different!

Food was decent and everyone enjoyed their meals ! Wouldn't say it was anything we would come back for as there are a lot of great italian restaurants in the city but we all enjoyed it well enough. The atmosphere is really what blew us away the restaurant is designed beautifully and it was great to sit and eat.

Takeout - great sauce and heavy cheese in the sauce. Honestly, great flavor and unique noodles! Will definitely be back to eat in person, as the restaurant looks great and has a nice vibe.

Amazing pasta, friendly service, and a lively atmosphere. After one visit, this will definitely become a date night staple. Recommend making a reservation, as it gets full quick.

Took a group of girls here to celebrate our friend's 30th birthday. Loved the ambiance of this restaurant, and the cocktails were GREAT! Service was on point and they helped me plan a special, sneaky dessert for our friend. Food was incredibly rich and heavy, especially the fried burrata truffle pasta. My favorite dish was the squid ink pasta with mussels, shrimp and scallops. The appetizers were okay. Nothing I would go back for.

What an incredibly amazing neighborhood spot. We came here with no reservation an hour before they closed on Thursday. Even though the place was completely packed, they were able to find seats for us. The menu is big and a little bit intimidating, but our server, Sophia, was so kind and patient. She had this wonderful energy to her, which lit up our evening. We loved that she was fun and energetic, and honestly it made the experience fantastic. Attentive, friendly, competent, fun. We ordered the squid pasta and a spicy arrabbiata. Big portions and very high quality ingredients. Handmade pasta. We also got the fried artichoke and the cannoli. The music was 1980s - Bee Gees, Cher, stuff my parents listened to. Drinks were reasonably priced. We also had the privilege of speaking with the owner, Bill. Was he Italian? No. Irish. Is he a career chef? No. Former public company executive. But he was hilarious and it looked like they were down a bartender, so he was behind the bar doing his thing. Super nice guy. Will be back!

I just have to tell you about the most amazing dining experience I had last night in the heart of Chicago's vibrant River North neighborhood! I stumbled upon a hidden gem - a rustic, cozy, and welcoming restaurant that exudes warmth and charm. The owner, Bill, has poured his heart and soul into creating this space, and it shows in every detail. The food was simply divine, and the friendly, attentive, and professional hostesses and waitstaff made me feel right at home. But what really blew me away was the hospitality of Bill and his lovely wife - they treated me like a VIP guest in their own home. Just make sure to reserve your spot in advance - even the bar seats are in high demand here! And trust me, you won't want to miss out on the homemade desserts crafted by Bill's wife. This place is an absolute must-visit for anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind dining experience in the Windy City!

Just awful. The truffle fettuccine was some of the worst pasta I've ever had. The texture of the fettuccine was similar to that from a rice a roni box and the squid ink pasta had humongous, nearly inedible shrimp (the mussels were ok). Further, the penne alla vodka tasted worse than that from a can of chef boyardee. Overall i would not recommend this place to anyone and i would actually recommend you avoid it. I will say the wait staff was great and the drinks were good. But the entrees were truly just bad. I went there with my girlfriend and we ordered the penne after our first two entrees because the truffle fettuccine and squid ink pasta were so bad, we wanted more edible sustenance. Please save your money and avoid this place if you're hungry. It wouldn't be a bad bar to go to, but for a "pasta bar", the pasta is just terrible.