Barcello’s
1647 N. Milwaukee

The Basics
Where you’ll find it: 1647 N. Milwaukee in Wicker Park. Near the busy intersection of Milwaukee, Damen and North Ave. (773) 486-8444.

When it’s open: 11 a.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday; 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Sunday; 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Monday through Thursday.

Reservations: Accepted, but on the night we went, it wasn’t necessary.

What you’ve heard: I used to order pizza from there, and it was always pretty good. … I read about it on lthforum.com, a big foodie website, which mentioned that a really well-respected chef had just bought it and revamped the menu.

Visual Aids
First impressions: It had a very open, colorful layout. The exposed brick, cool bar and great photographs made it really eye-catching. … It seemed a bit empty for a Saturday night in Bucktown, but nicely decorated. … I originally thought it would be a more casual Italian restaurant, so I was suprised when I walked in and it was a bit more formal. … Small, but very quaint. Bright walls yet dark setting.

The atmosphere: It was pretty quiet, but it was also very new, so maybe word hadn’t got out yet. And too cold. … There seemed to be a good mix of people, young and old. It wasn’t too full, but seemed to be very welcoming. … The vibe was trendy, but it was a bit quiet, almost to where others in the restaurant could hear our conversation.

The Experience

At your service: Our waiter was very nice and helpful, explaining the menu and what popular orders were. In addition, when there was a major delay with one of the main courses, he offered a free appetizer to pass the time. When we declined that, he comped our dessert. … Our waiter was very diligent and really went out of his way to be attentive and helpful. … Our waiter made it a first priority that we dined well. The only complaint was that one of the dishes wasn’t served with the rest. We waited a bit for the other dish to be served, and when I started eating again, my food was slightly cold. … Very friendly staff. It was apparent that everyone’s goal (from the hostess to the waiter) was to make sure that we had the best time possible. They refilled our water promptly, yet didn’t keep bugging us, either.

Get your drink on: BYOB, but we didn’t know! Now I know to bring wine for next time, as they’re waiting on their liquor license. … Great Diet Coke!

Menu variety and prices: Mainly typical Italian dishes of pasta, chicken, risotto, calzones and pizza, and a few interesting main courses. The main courses seemed to be pricey, but most everything else was very reasonable. … There are antipasti and mozzerella selections and some crazy pizza toppings, but also the usual suspects. ... All pizzas are individual-sized. It’s not the usual Italian-enough-for-five-people sort of place. Prices were reasonable — around $8 to $15 for main courses.

Description of what you did decide on: The mushroom risotto had lots of potential but was a bit tougher than I would’ve expected for risotto and could’ve used a bit more flavor. The use of different kinds of mushrooms was superb though. … I’m always a fan of the penne vodka, and I was pleased. Good-sized portion. Nothing overwhelming, but enough to fill me up. … I had the pepperade pizza (with roasted onions and red peppers). Tons of toppings. Crust was a bit too thin and crispy for my taste, but quite tasty. Plus we had the strawberry beignet dessert, which was a great concept, but the strawberries weren’t great (out of season maybe?) … My dish was delicious! I had pasta in a red cream sauce. There was a good amount of food.

Something that caught your eye: The bar was really good-looking. With a funky mirror above it and adorned with bright green bottles of water (it is BYOB, after all!), it really stood out. ... I loved the cucumber they put in your water glass. … I liked the black and white pictures hanging on the walls. Good contrast with so many colors in the restaurant.

What you’ll tell your friends: Take a few friends and enjoy the mellow ambience with a good bottle of wine — just don’t expect it to be the best Italian food you’ve ever had. … I’d go back, but give it a few weeks for them to sort out the kinks. I would stick to pasta instead of pizza. … Pretty good, but not on my tops for Italian food. It’s a good local place to hit on the weekend when you don’t want to leave the neighborhood. … Bring a good bottle of wine since it’s BYOB.

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