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You know that point when a television show introduces a main character’s long-lost sibling out of nowhere? This person might be flashier and more exciting than the character you’ve come to love, but ultimately, after serving a purpose plot-wise, he or she fades into the background. Gibsons Italia, an upscale Italian spot in River West, is like the TV twin of Gibsons Steakhouse. While it isn’t bad, it’s not as reliable as the original.
We can’t talk about Italia without first discussing the original Gibsons, which is about as iconic and popular in Chicago as the ’85 Bears. It’s been around since 1989, and looks like it. There’s a massive collection of celebrity photographs in the entryway (you’ll see a lot of shoulder pads in those pictures), and there are old-school phone jacks in the dining room. Patrons here range from people in suits to tourists in sweatshirts, and even though it’s in the Gold Coast, it’s not fancy or overly expensive. It’s a great, classic spot for a steak and a six-pound slice of carrot cake.
Gibsons Italia differs from it sibling spot in a few significant ways. The main one, obviously, is its Italian theme - the menu here features antipasti, pastas, and entrees like veal Milanese and pork Fiorentina. But the space itself is also a departure from the dark, old-fashioned ambience of the Steakhouse. Italia’s interior is bright and modern, with three floors, a retractable roof, and giant windows looking out on the river.
All these things seem promising. But unfortunately, the Italian dishes here are somewhat boring, and vary wildly in terms of quality. Starter-wise, some menu items - like the meatballs - are quite good. But others, like the arancini (which are dry, and have an overpowering gorgonzola filling), are disappointing. Same deal with the pastas and entrees: there’s a fusilli served in a flavorful beef sugo, but the spaghettini al pomodoro is bland and skippable. The veal Milanese is thick, and so is its breading, making it unpleasantly dry overall.
Luckily, Italia recognizes that it can’t completely abandon its sibling, so there’s a significant section of the menu devoted to Gibsons steaks. Like the steaks you’ll get at the Gold Coast Gibsons, these are very well-cooked, so our recommendation is to focus on the red meat when you’re here. In other words, this is a handy spot for when you want a Gibsons steak with an impressive river view - or when you don’t want to risk being surrounded a group of sweaty people who just finished a Chicago walking tour. Generally speaking, though, we’d send you to the Steakhouse instead, for its overall stronger menu and classic Chicago feel.
Gibsons Italia serves good steaks and disappointingly average Italian food in a really pretty setting. Even if you’re not directly comparing it to its likable sister spot, it’s a bit underwhelming. But when you do compare it to the original, it’s clear that while Italia - like that fictional TV twin - might be OK for guest appearances, it isn’t strong enough to have its own series.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Sandy Noto
Meatballs
Beef Carpaccio
photo credit: Sandy Noto
Acqaurello Arancini
photo credit: Sandy Noto
The Iceberg And Gorgonzola DOP
photo credit: Sandy Noto
Fusilli
photo credit: Sandy Noto
Caserecce
Spaghettini
photo credit: Sandy Noto