When it comes to zine stores, goat history, and cat towers in floor-to-ceiling condo windows, Bucktown has it all. But it’s always been low on the “neighborhoods with sceney restaurants” scale. That is, until Deliz opened with its shadowy dining room, smokeshow tiramisu, and revolving door of date nights. It’s a good place to feel hot, but even better, the food is often a standout in a city where pasta and steak have tough competition. The crowd of this two-story Italian steakhouse is a fun jumble: On one visit, we saw casually dressed residents and hype-seekers in fur coats, a family dinner where the dad had four giant rings, and couples eying each other in between bites of excellent pastas to the sound of “Mr. Sandman” (the untz-untz version). And the menu is full of standards you’d see at other Italian restaurants and steakhouses. Some are even exceptional, like a creamy, balanced cacio e pepe and a juicy NY strip. Something does feel dated about this place, however. It’s a bit like a West Loop restaurant starter pack that was opened a decade late. Animal print on some seat cushions and the bathroom walls? Check. A giant, framed version of that famous photo of Sophia Loren eating spaghetti? Yup, at the top of the stairs next to some candles. But like (most) spots in the realm of “clubstaurant,” a dinner is never dull here. And for a lot of diners, the dress code is “feeling yourself.” Deliz is in the former Etta space, including those two floors that are sometimes too big for service, so it’s not unusual for some dishes to take a while to arrive at your table. Come on a weekday night instead, when usually only the first floor is open, and the low lighting holds Deliz to its intimate best. While this place is key for any type of landmark date night or chatty catch-up, Deliz warrants a spot in your back pocket for more casual occasions, too. Especially if you live in the neighborhood.