Volare Ristorante Italiano — Restaurant in Chicago

We were in town visiting during a long weekend. It can be very busy during dinner time, and very loud in general. We made the reservation online, so we didn't wait long for being seated. Our waitress is very friendly and nice. However, a long waiting time can be expected after being seated. We watited for over 15 mins in order to receive a missing fork and the drink menu.

Food in general is tasty. We would highly recommend Grigliata Mista which is our faverate dish . The seafood is well-cooked, and the seasoning is really good. It can be the top 5 grilled seafood on my list. We will also recommend Sicilian Runner if you like sweet cocktail.

That being said, this two-star review stemmed from one major bummar that we simply cannot overlook - food safety concerns. We were excited to try the Linguine alla Aragosta (one of their signature seafood pastas). What the restaurant claims to be freshly imported lobster from Maine couldn't be further from our expectations. The lobster, served as a whole sliced in half, tasted very stale, fishy, and had an unpleasant texture. Having had many fresh lobsters that were in Boston/Maine, we suspected right from the bat that "this lobster has been dead for a while...". To be fair, the rest of the pasta is great, but not even the spicy Fra Diavolo sauce can save that lobster.

We're the kind of people that hate to make a scene publicly, but this issue was serious enough that we thought we'd at least bring to the staff's attention. So we talked to our waitress, and both the manager and the chef soon approached. The chef first reassured us that all of their lobsters are delivered fresh and alive daily before the restaurant opens, and (before we could further elaborate our experience), he begun to flaunt about the restaurant's stellar reputation and popularity (we don't see how this addresses our particular issue); He then offered to show us the back of the kitchen. There, I saw him taking out an almost dead lobster from a storage container (that I couldn't see clearly but was surely not a fridge). Its tail and claws were drooping and motionless. I was certain that if that lobster wasn't dead already, it will be very soon.... As I stood there feeling dissapointed, he proceeded to shower me with another "heartfelt" speech of the restuarant's success, as well as his personal hardwork. (Hearing it the second time made me realize in hindsight that it was a clever and almost arrogant way of avoiding the real issue and shutting us up).

Up to this point, this has been a mixed dining experience with some aweful parts that we would've kept to ourselves. What was eventually the last straw that fueled this bad review-turned essay, came to us at checkout. We weren't expecting any compensation given the prior attitude of the chef, and we'd even feel bad to deduct any tips as our waitress wasn't to blame and did everything she could for this situation. However, right as we were handed over the bill, our lovely chef dropped by to give us the final blow - He said that he really appreciated us, as 25% of this restuarant's customers since COVID have been Asian; He loves us Asian customers, as we were always so nice and friendly. I..., as if we haven't had enough of his semi-condescending boasts, he had to serve one more with the subtle racism discuised as...

By far the worst dining experience I’ve ever had, thanks to the abysmal service at Volare. This place is an absolute disgrace, pretending it is something far classier than it will ever be. From the moment my partner and I walked in, it was clear this wasn’t going to live up to the hype.

The service? Pathetic. If you’re under 30 or don’t walk in looking like a business tycoon, in a tailored suit and dripping in jewelry, you’re invisible to the staff. Everyone, from the owner to the host, the servers, and even the busboys, made it blatantly clear that they couldn’t care less about us. People who were seated after us were served first, and we were ignored to the point where it felt deliberate. The waiter actually had the audacity to passive-aggressively hover next to me with a plate because my arm was in the way while I was taking a sip. No polite “excuse me,” no professionalism, just a deadpan stare as if I was inconveniencing him. Meanwhile, I watched the same guy shower some middle-aged white woman with smiles and courtesy as he served her. The double standard was appalling.

Our server wasn’t any better. She never gave us a cocktail menu like she did for other tables, and when I asked for one, she said she’d bring it—but, of course, it never came. I can only assume she decided we didn’t look old enough to drink. Newsflash: that’s what IDs are for. And let’s not forget the water refills—if you can even call them that. Every time, it was done so carelessly that it splashed onto our food and faces.

Now, let’s talk about the atmosphere. If the service didn’t already ruin your night, the decor and ambiance would finish the job. The walls are painted in a nauseating yellow-brown hue that looks like it came straight out of a public restroom, the art is tacky at best, and the music? Italian disco rap blaring through the speakers. Not to mention, the glasses and silverware were dirty. It was like walking into a parody of an Italian restaurant. To top it off, the waitstaff’s formal attire, a whole white-button-up-and-apron situation, felt hilariously out of place, like someone dropped a gazelle into a McDonald’s.

The food? Decent, I’ll admit, but hardly worth the headache. Oh, and I found a hair in my risotto. I didn’t want to complain about it because I knew they probably wouldn’t take accountability.

Volare is an overpriced joke that caters exclusively to geriatric rich folks while treating everyone else like garbage. Go somewhere else—anywhere else. This place doesn’t deserve your time, your money, or your dignity. But if you like punishing yourself, go ahead and make a...

We returned to one of our favorite restaurants in Streeterville for another culinary adventure. We live in this area so we know the restaurants and only return to the ones that surpass our expectations. Volare is a Chicago tradition with a quality, variety and vibe to meet anyones expectations. It was another beautiful summer night in Chicago so we sat outside, which is a great place to watch people and listen to the sounds of summer in the city. The meal begins with cocktails or wine from their extensive list. Authentic Italian wines are available or California depending on your palette and loyalty. I’m a craft beer guy so I start with a Lagunitas brewed right here in Chicago. Fresh hot bread comes out next with Italian olive oil. It melts in our mouth. Bruschetta is always a good test of an authentic Italian restaurant and Volare’s bruschetta is unique and delicious. Grilled bread served with fresh and chunky garlic tomato salsa covered with a thin slice of Parmesan cheese. So good! The entrees were varied and creative. We ordered the lobster fettuccine and seafood linguine. We were surprised to get a whole lobster tail with the lobster dish for only $32! It also had generous lobster chunks mixed in with the fettuccine. The seafood linguine was also chock full of shrimp, scallops and white fish served in a fresh vodka sauce. We could only eat half of our entrees so we had plenty of leftovers. For dessert Volare has traditional tiramisu but we selected the chocolate cake and cappuccino. What a combination! The cake was moist and dense and blended with the smoky cappuccino beautifully. I like to watch how well chefs work together when the kitchen is visible and Volares kitchen is open for patrons to watch. There is a determined work ethic with these chefs, but we also saw laughing and a great camaraderie. Their technical skills were very apparent and it confirmed why our meals were so good and why we come back. Our meal cost only $120, not including our 20% gratuity and this is a great value considering you’ll at least spend this much if not more at any nice restaurant but often will get an average or worse meal for that amount. Volare is a sure bet. There are always lots of new and competitive restaurants to try in Chicago but if you haven’t eaten at Volare you’re missing a diamond in the rough....