Rosebud on Rush Italian Restaurant - Chicago, IL: Rosebud on Rush Italian Restaurant is located on Rush Street in Chicago, hence the name, and is a popular lunch spot for shoppers in nearby Michigan Avenue. It has a cozy and inviting ambiance, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a nice authentic Italian meal. Their menu is quite extensive with the list of Italian dishes just going on and on. Best of all, prices are very affordable—pasta dishes range from $14.95 to $19.95 (for a clam linguine), while meat dishes range from $19.95 to $24.95 (for dishes like Scampi all Milanese or Scampi all Francese). The wine list is also extensive, with a wide selection of wines by the glass and a much better selection of wines by the bottle.

We went to the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon and it was virtually empty. There were only three other parties in the restaurant. They had an outdoor café as well as seating upstairs and downstairs, in a room called Cocktails & Cabaret. The lower level had a bar atmosphere while the upstairs had a more homey touch with warm lighting, white tablecloths, paintings, an oval dome, and windows overlooking Rush Street. We were quickly seated at a table by the window, but it wasn’t much in the way of people watching since the streets were as empty as the restaurant on that particular day and hour.

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Before we even ordered, they brought out a basket of freshly made and aromatic bread. It was so good I almost filled up on it, leaving only little room for lunch. For starters, I ordered Minestrone, a hearty Italian style vegetable soup that was as filling and scrumptious as the bread. I could have easily called it quits after the hearty bread and soup but since I was there to check out the food, I had to order a main dish. I opted for the Cavatelli Arrabbiata “8-Finger” ricotta dumplings and spicy marinara sauce with fresh chili, pancetta and white wine. Fortunately, (or unfortunately, on a famished occasion) the dish was incredibly tiny, but it sure was unbelievably tasty; easily put, it was bombastic. My partner had the Linguini alla Vongole, linguine pasta with whole and chopped clams in a spicy tomato sauce. It was almost as delicious as mine.

Service during lunch was spotty and our server gave us the impression that he preferred to be at home for the day, wishing we weren’t there. His attitude surely wasn't one that made us feel welcome. Luckily, the food made us happy that we were there. At lunch, Rosebud on Rush is quite casual, but I could imagine it being a bit more upscale at dinner. Because of the unenthusiastic service, I’ll have to give Rosebud on Rush a rating of Between Bombastic and Not.

What I liked: Food, Prices, Ambiance

What I didn’t like: Service

Rating: Between Bombastic and Not

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