Stylish contemporary Italian with standout pastas, steaks, and attentive service; pricing is premium and some diners note saltiness and occasional service slowdowns.
Ascione Bistro Skokie exemplifies grade A standards through exceptional food quality anchored by silky pastas, properly seared steaks, and rich lobster risotto that drive repeat visits, paired with outstanding service attentiveness and exceptional design quality that create a polished, warm dining room. While consistency shows occasional variation in execution and pricing sits at premium levels, the restaurant ranks among the region's finest neighborhood destinations, delivering confident Italian-American cooking with genuine hospitality.
Ascione Bistro Skokie feels warm and bustling, a stylish room with multiple nooks where a packed Saturday still reads polished. Service earns real affection: “Our server walked us through specials and never let glasses go empty.” It is lively without chaos, though some nights swing toward high energy. The cooking leans elevated Italian comfort with prime steaks and seafood rather than theatrics, a truffle-forward pasta lane that wins repeat customers. Expect silky tagliolini, rich lobster risotto, crisp calamari, and a properly seared strip. Specials rotate and can be pricey. A handful of diners flag salt levels or occasional overcooked seafood, but most describe meals as confidently executed and worth the splurge. Families do fine here thanks to a kid-accessible core of smash burgers, pastas, fries, and chicken piccata. Note the reality check: happy hour deals apply only at the bar, which can conflict with highchairs or little ones. If your kids prefer simple flavors, stick to the burger, plain pastas, and sides.
Area vibe: Revitalized suburban downtown serving locals and destination diners; upscale but welcoming, with growing evening foot traffic.
Safety: Generally safe, well-lit main streets with steady activity in evenings; no systemic safety issues in reviews.
What's nearby: Near theaters and shops on Lincoln/Oakton; bar scene inside; free valet mentioned; easy access for pre/post-show dining.
Order the truffle tagliolini, lobster risotto, a Tuscan steak, or the smash burger depending on how fancy you want to go.
Expect upscale-casual dress, recommended weekend reservations, free valet, and happy hour limited to the bar.
A stylish, warm dining room with a lively bar and nooks, but it can get noisy on weekend nights.