TERRIBLE! I was super excited to come here since family and friends have raved about Francesca's - not this location specifically - but Francesca's in general. Checked in and our table wasn't ready yet. We were early so it was ok. Got seated and it took our waitress roughly 5-7 minutes to come to our table - not busy at all that night. Ordered our drinks/food and got everything in a timely manner. Our server, Yasmine (I think that's how you spell it) asked us once-maybe twice how the food was and then was gone. She would pass by not asking if we needed anything. We asked the food runner for bread and never received it. I should've given the busboys the tip instead of her (I technically shouldn't have given a tip). The busboys were very attentive and asked if we needed anything every 10 minutes. The food was ok. Very bland but the chicken and pork chops were very tender. Tasted the pasta that my boyfriend had and it wasn't that good either. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant location to anybody. LaGrange is a great place to eat but not here. If we had better service then it would compensate for the food. But I guess nothing was in our favor tonight.
(1)
Cheryl R.
We hosted a rehearsal dinner on a Friday night for around 50 people. As the hosts, we were running late and called to let them know. The hostess I spoke with said she would go back and make sure our guests were being taken care of. When we arrived, the party was definitely in full swing. Our servers, Abel and Adolfo, were very professional and attentive. The food was served family style and came out in a timely manner. The food was delicious! The risotto was a favorite, and that's not always easy to do with a group! The events manager, Lauren Walsh, was a dream to work with. We were coming in from out of town and needed to do everything over the phone. Every detail was taken care of, even things I hadn't thought of myself! It's obvious she enjoys her job, she's very good at it. A pleasant experience overall and I would definitely recommend for a group.
(5)
Mary Ann Z.
I was very disappointed in food and the service. I was Francesca's on Saturday evening. First of all I am tired of restaurants that seat you by the kitchen even though they have tables up front available. I guess they think it's a good place to put a couple of women dining alone. Also felt the service was just mediocre as was the food. I had pollo sashi it was served hot and presentation was nice but not all that special. The staff seemed in a hurry to get us out the door even though restaurant was not crowded. I have eaten at other Francesca restaurants and continue to be under impressed.
(2)
Anthony M.
Brought a few out of town guests on Sat night and it was GREAT as usual! Cheerful hostess greeted us....and food and service was top notch!!
(5)
Sam S.
I have eaten at many Frencesca restaurants. This one just can't get it right. I've given them at least six opportunities to serve me a good meal in a timely and efficient manner and they have failed every time.
(1)
Matt G.
Always love but the pork chop was way over cooked Kids eat free Monday's and $10 off wine bottles with a magician. Can't beat it
(4)
Joe M.
Went to our first Beer Dinner and had a great time! Guitar player was great ,beer was delicious and food was outstanding! Communal seating was a great idea..met some wonderful people! Can't wait to attend the wine dinner!
(5)
Char Y.
I came here for a baby shower and thought the mass made portions were substandard. we had salad - more dressing than lettuce!! chicken and potatoes - swimming in a pool of cream and butter, yet tasteless. maybe their normal food is much better...
(1)
Anita J.
I enjoyed a lovely dinner, last night, with their house pinot noir, paired with an opener of their carpaccio; next, one of their rigatoni dishes, with a light tomato cream sauce, asparagus, and mushrooms, including a side of Italian sausage; then, finished with their delightful chocolate torte... All delicious!
(5)
Irene G.
Great place - love Francesca's! Service is excellent at this location and the food is not bad either. We were given the option on where we wanted to sit which earned points in my book just for that. My bf asked if they can put the Bulls game on at the bar for us and they did without question. :) The restaurant is cozy and I enjoyed my experience so much that I chose to have an upcoming private party here!
(4)
Nikki L.
We went there on a warm, Friday night at 7:30pm. Our first sign should have been all the open tables. Our server was ok and our food came out quickly. However, they were clearly rushing our relaxing dinner. Since the restaurant was empty, it was obvious the employees all wanted to go home. Several times we could see the servers peeking over the wall waiting to us to leave and they kept coming to our table waiting for our bill. I didn't realize that I was going to a fire. I could see if we were occupying a table for hours and there was a line waiting out the door, but that clearly was not the case. With all of the great restaurants in downtown La Grange, I certainly will visit one of those restaurants instead of this one again. I will be quite surprised if they are even open in a year, which was obvious with the crowd size on a busy Friday. Truly disappointing.
(2)
Yvette L.
One of the coolest nights for patio dining this summer but we got to bring our dog Molly. $5 martini night so I had two French martinis. They were delicious and not watered down. My husband got "The Brass" (whiskey drink). Pretty good. Limited menu but the food choices cover the major groups. Great service by Claire. Always wanted to try but tons of other restaurants in LaGrange so we can make the rounds and come back.
(4)
Alicia K.
Francesca's Belleza in La Grange is a nice little Italian place, but really wasn't anything too impressive. Service is mediocre (not bad, just not great, either) and the ambiance is pretty standard. Went here with some friends and among the 4 of us, we tried: -SPINACH RAVIOLI - probably the best item at the table and was delicious. The ravioli itself was great, and the sauce they put over it really just made the dish. Had the other dishes been like this, I would give the place a much higher rating. -4 CHEESE PIZZA (bleu cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, and some other cheese + tomatoes) was pretty good but didn't blow my mind or anything. -Some Italian name for pasta with chicken, pesto, and veggies - again, nothing to write home about but not bad either. -The 4th dish was some mini shell pasta dish with mushrooms and sauce and the girl who ordered it didn't eat much and didn't want to take it home. In other words, not impressed. They bring fresh bread to the table with parmesan cheese and oil which is yummy, but, again, pretty standard for an Italian place. Their menu does change about every 2 weeks, so maybe in 2 weeks it will be better. For the price, however, I would make the drive to Maggiano's.
(2)
Tim E.
I have eaten lunch here on several occasions and taken clients here also. Really consistant food that is not "too much" for lunch but gets you through the afternoon The service is alway stellar. On this particular day I had the chicken limon' which was done to perfection. Chicken was super moist, sauce was savory but not overpowering. Excelent meal. I am not a big pasta eater at lunch but my guest informed me that it was great also. In and out in 45 minutes also is nice for a lunch stop. Check it out
(4)
MaryRose D.
We arrived here late afternoon on a Sunday. There was not much activity in the restaurant, but there were maybe 6 occupied tables, one with a large boisterous family. With just two of us, we were an easy table to wait on by comparison. We were, however, seated immediately next to the loud, boisterous family. Unfortunately. Given that, it is understandable that the atmosphere sucked. And given that there were only3 wait staff visible, the service was not great either. Never did anyone refill out water glasses. We were not asked for our order until we had been there for 20 minutes. The food took a very long time to come out (or maybe it just seemed like forever because of the atmosphere and service). But, the food was exquisite. The seasoning was perfect and the depth of flavor was amazing. I had the best fettuccine I have ever had: it was perfectly cooked al dente, had an excellent cream sauce with chicken, and surprisingly crisp to the bite asparagus. It was excellent fare. Unfortunately, the seating location and over burdened wait staff led us to not try desserts. We may try this again at a different hour or different day.
(3)
Melissa B.
I don't know why I keep going here. It's ridiculously over priced with a limited menu. I think you either love or hate this place though. There doesn't seem to be much in between with people that I speak to. I think the service is a little snotty. Maybe it's just me though. My biggest pet peeve are the prices. I can cook better than almost anything on that limited menu for a fraction of the cost!
(2)
Steve H.
My one and only visit to one of Francesca's restaurants in Chicago and I question whether or not I'd ever return to any one of them. Took my mother in law here for her BDay, which really didn't start out right at all. The service is little to be desired and truly anchored this review. First they advertise Valet Parking but the attendant is no where to be found. Asking the high school aged and clueless hostess about the valet and she was as much help asking a brick wall. The runner who delivered our cocktails from the bar could not identify which glasses were which and came up with an excuse that he didn't know as he was 'new to the job' (speaks to the lack of training by management). As for our food, the beef carpaccio was marginal and I expected a lot more considering how well my significant other and I enjoy raw beef appetizers (i.e.. steak tartare) but the caesar salad delicious. Entrees seemed rather meager in size. For a place that is a Chicago Little Italy mainstay, three bite entrees shouldn't exist at Francesca's. Later on two white wine glasses were served to me at room temperature. I complained each time only to have it be replaced by luke warm wine. The waiter's excuse was merely that they were new bottles and didn't have time to chill. Though, if the server / bartender knew that the bottles were not chilled whatsoever, why would the bar even serve them by the glass??
(2)
Michele S.
Well, it is my own fault I was super stuffed. Always a good sign! Had a great asparagus/tomato/onion salad, and could have stopped there. Spinach ravioli was lovely! Sunday night, 630pm, got a table right away. Service was good, but maybe could have been slightly more attentive. Dessert options are a win for whichever you choose. Place was cleared out by the time we left.
(4)
Monica P.
Awesome. Food is great. Service was outstanding. Speechless. I live Italian good and I got the spaghetti carbonara. It was great. Although I was expecting an egg on top so I could break the yolk. However my server Olivia explained to me that the egg was already blended in the sauce. I asked for extra sauce and was accommodated. It was DELIVERED FRESH BY THE MANAGER. Who could ask for better service. All I can say is I will definitely be back on a Friday evening so I can Ms. OLIVIA. SHE IS AWESOME.
(5)
Kristen E.
Oh...I love Italian food, especially at Francescas's! The restaurant has booth, table and high top options. It gets very busy on holidays so if you want an intimate dinner with your loved one on Valentine's Day, you might have to sit too close to another couple! We did, but we still had a wonderful meal, delicious wine and the server was attentive, even though it's busy. We've been there many times and love that the menu has slight changes each time. We are hoping to go next and feat outside on a nice night! We love downtown La Grange!
(4)
Jeff H.
$10 off a bottle of wine on Mondays! The perfect way to start the evening. For starters, the asparagus,tomato and blue cheese salad was superb. Our group ordered spinach ravioli, eggplant rigatoni and orchetta with sausage pasta dinners that were all fantastic. We also had the waiter recommended chicken parmesan, which was not on the menu but available to order. Great recommendation! The breading on the chicken was very flavorful and had a nice crunch to it. All our dishes were served timely and hot, portions were good . Service was excellent. Our waiter was very attentive and helpful. Water glasses always stayed full. Bravo Francesca's! We will be back!
(4)
Erin L.
We had the Proscuttio Brushetta for an appetizer and it was light and delicious. The olive oil that they serve with the bread it so good. It's spiced with a bunch of herbs. I had the Mark West Pinot Noir and it was smooth and light. Pumpkin ravioli was the best I've ever had. I actually almost missed it since it was on the specials menu. I'm so glad our server pointed it out! If you like pumpkin, I highly recommend this dish. Outstanding. A group of teenagers were there playing some Halloween songs on their violins, which was really fun to watch. I was afraid they would be loud, but we were right next to them and could still hold a conversation. Service was a little slow but understandable for a Saturday night. The manager was nice enough to stop and ask us how everything was. I think that's really nice when the managers are visible and actually help out on the dining room floor instead of just stand around and observe everyone. We will definitely be back!!
(4)
Jules H.
Redemption is a beautiful thing...dined here again today with such happiness. Thin crust pizza, wafer loveliness topped with truffle oil, arugula, and fresh shaved parm. Great service from a waiter who made a burger appear after he told me they were out of the burger special...one never knows when begging for meat will pay off. I gambled today and I'm glad I did. Still kinda salty, but water glasses were refilled again and again. And they quickly brought us a small dish filled with lemon slices. Thanks Francesca...I'll be back ;) and you better keep trying!
(4)
Charles B.
Limited Menu, but excellent food. When we were there, there were 8 entries on the prima (pasta) menu and the secundo menu had 2 chicken, a pork chop, and 3 fish entrees. Sizes are large, so in a group I would suggest ordering some pasta dishes and some main course and splitting them.
(4)
Nichole M.
Went for dinner on a Tuesday night and the food was very good. Service was interesting, not bad, interesting. We ordered bruschetta with Ricotta on it and it was outstanding. I would like some more right now actually. For an entree, I had the special spinach ravioli with a three cheese sauce, which was also very good. My mom enjoyed the special pasta with italian sausage, but I thought it didn't have enough sauce on it. It was a bit dry. My boyfriend ordered the rotollo and loved it. The dessert was also excellent, we had an ice cream dish and a puff pastry dish (I can't remember what it was called). The table loved the desserts. The server was very nice, but a bit odd. He talked a lot and leaned to the side while talking to us, which made me slightly uncomfortable. The server's assistant, was very quick and ready to help us. He had Parmesan and fresh pepper ready at any moment. They were both nice, but interesting, like I said. We had a good experience, but the place was empty. I always feel a little strange dining in an empty restaurant. Overall though, we had a very nice time and the food was very tasty. I would definitely come back.
(4)
Cheryl V.
The one point is for the calamari appetizer. We stopped in to use the $100 in gift cards we got for Christmas 2012. Here are my bullet points: Pro's Clean Calamari was excellent and generously served They accommodated us when we wanted to switch tables Con's Ordered the spinach, garlic and olive oil appetizer - I was famished, so the first two bites were incredible! Then I realized the dish was HEAVILY over salted. "Pasta with shrimp" - They left the frickin' TAILS on the shrimp - talk about lazy cooks! And this too was WAY over salted. "Grouper"- again, HEAVILY over salted Inattentive wait staff So we had $27 left on gift card. Left it as a tip!! Cuz we KNEW we weren't coming back! The waiter never came back to the table with a 'thank you for coming, enjoy your evening, NOTHING!' Finally, the manager/owner comes by our table, asks if everything was OK, we say "everything was fine" cuz, well, we were in one of those moods....'let's just get outta here.' Then something in me says, 'no, tell him the truth, everything was overly salty and I can feel my blood pressure racing.' So I get up and tell him and you know what he says? "THANKS!" Needless to say, it will be a cold day in HELL before I eat here again. "KIDS, thank you for the thought, you were very generous, but , no more gift cards from this chain, please." They haven't got a CLUE about customer service.
(1)
Jo R.
The service at this restaurant was exceptionally bad and inefficient. We made reservations for a Saturday night, and still ended up waiting 25 minutes to be seated. Once we were seated we placed drink orders and waited 45 minutes for our drinks to appear. As we waited our waiter stopped by and said drinks would be up "in a few minutes", which was obviously false. Food took a long time to arrive as well but was quite good (hence why the place gets any stars at all). We decided against ordering dessert, assuming we would wait an hour for it. In total, I believe we spent over three hours at this restaurant--most of that time waiting. Francesca's is a great restaurant but visit one managed better.
(2)
Joann J.
I hosted a Bridal shower for my daughter recently, I can not say enough about our experience, From coordinating it with Lauren, to the helpful manager/hostess I met when they served us a sampling of our menu, The food was GREAT, served Hot, which is always a concern of mine, I myself have had luke warm soup etc. served at larger gatherings, (at other restaurants), soup great, salad great and very nice presentation, Pasta awesome, my Husband who is not a fan of eating pasta anywhere but home loved it warmed up the next day, Chicken/roasted potatoes were excellent, Desert (cheese cake) was just right to finish of a great meal, and I also had Punch served, which EVERYONE raved about, in fact I want the recipe, a big thank you to the staff, oh did I mention that the service was incredible, and the place was spotless......J
(5)
Julie O.
I like that they take reservations, and that they seat reservations on time. The host is quite genial and not narcisistic. Nice! The servers are very good and attentive. The salads are great, entrees were good. I'd do it again but I really want to see some standout entrees - maybe the fall menus will be amazing.
(3)
Jessica H.
We were happy when the Francesca restaurants opened Bellezza in downtown La Grange! A welcome addition to the downtown area for sure. Service has always been good, and the food is tasty. Have been there about a dozen times and have never left hungry or wishing I had ordered something different. Always a fan of the hot, crusty bread and oil, the pasta primavera, and most of all, the banana bread pudding. If you have not tried this dessert you need to get over to one of the Francesca restaurants ASAP (they've had it at most of the Francesca's I've been to). It is heaven in the form of a dessert. Seriously to die for. My husband has ordered some sort of hot baked apple dessert with vanilla ice cream from here as well, and while I normally find this to be a boring standard dessert item at a lot of places, Bellezza did it really, really well. Also like that they have live music on certain nights, which is a nice touch.
(4)
Rick H.
The place was mostly average to above average for fine Italian..I've had way worse, i've also had some better. Biggest thing to note was that there was a hair in our parmesan cheese and without us us complaining about it or putting up any fuss or special request, they politely brought us out a free tiramisu at the end of our meal which my mother and i agreed was the hands down best tiramisu we've ever had. The chicken pesto w/ pine nuts and the bolognese were really good, the lobster ravioli was not good at all and had an overly seafood flavor. All in all, i'd go back...from what i hear it's loads better than the other Italian joint kitty corner to this place, and it seemed as such since there was only one table of diners visible from the window and Francesca's had at least 6 tables of diners besides us.
(4)
Jenn C.
People we know were kind to give us a generous gift card to Francesca's Bellezza and we finally decided to come here for dinner. As their menu is simple and changes every so often, we of course ordered what was on the menu. I ordered the salad that was on special and the rigatoni regular. My hubby ordered the rigatoni special and the main difference was the meat and goat cheese that was involved in my pasta. The bread they serve first was decent. Warm, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The salad was light and citrusy. Nothing to wow me, but it was good. The pasta itself came in such a overly large portion and yes most people would love the amount of food, but it was overwhelming for me. And normally I do not complain about too much food! Although good, it had too much rigatoni and too little sun dried tomatoes in the sauce. My daughter who ordered the same thing, although her portion was the same as mine, the balance of the noodles and sauce and everything else looked much more appeasing. I thought the food was good, but I didn't find it to be excellent regardless of plating. It was a gift, so it was nice... I won't say I will not come back because I would like to try some other dishes, however, it would be on the mid to bottom of my list of Italian or Sicilian restaurants to make way.
(3)
Carol K.
Yay! Another one of my favorite places in the city has realized that there is life west of Western and has opened in downtown La Grange! Francesca's Bellezza has been open a couple of weeks now and really did a nice job the other day when I stopped in for lunch. This spacious restaurant with it's loft exposed ceiling and and cozy wooden seating areas will sure become a favorite on this stretch of La Grange Road (Mannheim to those of you to the north) The place was pretty full on the day that I was there. Suburban moms catching up over the rigatoni special of the day, business people arguing about that deal over their oven baked pizzas, and couples holding hands over a glass of wine. We started with the prosciutto plate and I was in heaven! Tons of thinly sliced prosciutto artfully draped on the plate with a hidden surprise of ricotta cheese, greens and tomatoes underneath. Delicious and perfect to share as a starter. For our entrees I went with the fish special of the day which was Tilapia in a light sauce served with mushrooms and spinach. Delicious! My friend had a meatball sandwich- which while good- could have been a little warmer. I loved the warm bread with oil and cheese as well- typical of this chain of restaurants. Service was spot on from our server team, to the manager who hurried over when there was a spill to the hostess who actually thanked us for coming by (genuinely) Parking in the burbs is always a snap- there is a free lot just to the north of the restaurant, or you might even be able to get street parking on La Grange. Great to see one of my favs come to the burbs! You can bet I'll be back!
(4)
Linda A.
I love that if you do not see what you like on their daily menu that they will make you just about anything if youask. Had the Calamari for the first time - it had a very light batter and was very fresh - would recommend.
(4)
Nelson A.
Francesca's is the best. I like pasta. (my daughter wrote this)
(5)
Recensore D.
I ordered the pesce ai funghi (tilapia w/ mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach) dinner and the pasta pomodoro, which was perfectly al dente prepared. Tilapia was outstanding as was the pasta. I also feel their "Eat and Earn" Program is thoughtful... "Francesca's gives back to the community with it's "Eat and Earn" program! Organize and register your non-profit organization to dine at Francesca's and receive 15% of the dinner bill back as a cash donation! Today, a portion went Community Nurse organization. Eccellente!!! =)
(5)
Jenn M.
If I could give 3.5, I would but it's definitely not worthy of four stars. The food is okay, honestly. It's not the best Italian I've ever had but it's not Olive Garden (don't get me wrong, there is a place for Olive Garden). The restaurant is incredibly cozy and has a nice feel to it. The staff is friendly and attentive. The menu changes quite frequently but on this visit we started with the bruschetta with tomatoes, cheese and avocado. It was pure heaven! The cheese was soft and creamy and everything was seasoned perfectly. The addition of the avocado was a nice diversion from the basic dish. I had the pasta with peas, mushrooms and ham and it was really good. This dish can easily be too salty and the cream sauce is hard for a lot of places to get right but this place did. Hubby said his dish was "eh". Who doesn't want dessert??? Well, I did, until I actually received it and realized that I had made a big mistake. I ordered what was described as cream puffs with pistachio gelato. What I expected was a few tiny cream puffs... with cream... and a little side of pistachio gelato. What I received was a desert big enough for six people. There were three gigantic shells of a cream puff, filled with three huge mounds of pistachio gelato. Nary a "cream" in sight. It was entirely too much, especially in contrast to hubby's perfectly portioned, banana and chocolate bread pudding with banana-caramel gelato. His desert was heaven on a plate. Mine was difficult to eat, a mountain of sweetness and just not all that great. All in all, it was a nice meal (especially since it was an adult meal sans kid) but I don't know that it would be worth coming in from the city for. Certainly not Taylor street Italian standards.
(3)
Chip B.
Mother's day is a challenge, and for a moment we thought we were in for a disappointment. The place was PACKED but we were pleasantly surprised that they were able to seat us after short wait. Server (Israel) was very professional and the appetizers and drinks were promptly served. Food was delicious. Manager on staff made extra effort to be sure everyone was pleased with the food and the service. I look forward to next meal here. La Grange should be proud to have this caliber of restaurant in the city and should dine here often.
(4)
Juan Manuel G.
Good service. Price is reasonable. Quality food
(4)
Bill P.
OK, nothing to rave about, decent quality but menu is limited. My chicken dish was ok, waitress wasn't real friendly or outgoing, I thought she was better suited working at a pizza restaurant, which is not a criticism of her but she just didn't quite "fit" at this type of restaurant. Probably just fine for a drink and a appetizer, though!
(2)
Angela U.
We went here with friends on a Saturday night, and it was a great restaurant. Good service from our server Mike. The food was reasonably priced. It was easy to visit, not too noisy and just the perfect amount of intimacy. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Matthew G.
Not very impressed. I went here thinking it would be similar to the old restaurant that was there a couple years ago (Via Bella? which was really nice). This place wasn't as nice: - paper tablecloths - rude server - very limited menu (hand-written and photo copied on a piece of 8.5x11" paper) The food was good, so if you don't mind spending a moderate amount of $$ on decent food while receiving poor service and eating on paper table cloths like at a pancake breakfast, try it out.
(2)
Brent S.
The 8+ times I have eaten here I have never had anything that wasn't fantastic. The double edged sword is that the menu is constantly changing so I will probably never have the dish I fall in love with every time ever again! This also forces me to step out of my box every time dine here. The bread comes out almost too hot to handle which is awesome, the plate of Parmesan is accompanied by an herb infused olive oil, thus allowing you to mix your perfect dipping brew. Then I ordered a mushroom and pasta shell dish that was unbelievable. Servers are always top notch, can't say enough good things about this place!! Will be back very soon!
(5)
Lisa H.
I ate here on Friday with friends and my husband. Our waiter was very slow the place was more then half empty and it took more then I would say 5-7 mins to get drinks. Our food was all very good mine was a little too spicy for me but it was noted as spicy. After reading other people reviews I now understand why the menu was so small there was only 6 entrees, 6 pastas, 4 pizzas and a bunch of salads. The limited menu made it difficult during lent for my husband and I to eat on a Friday as I can not eat seafood. All and all the food was price well, tasted good but the service was not good, our server had to be reminded twice to bring an additional drink to the table so long that the guest was done eating by the time it got there. After reading other reviews you might be better off picking up food and taking it home where you can be your own good waiter.
(3)
Swim Dad I.
Wonderful, hearty Italian fare. Great service with customization of dishes welcomed rather than groaned at! Consistently a great dining experience.
(5)
Timothy J.
I love this place. Great roasted fish and the best beef carpaccio I've ever had. The one disappointment is their house salad, not very good dressing and not a lot of variety in the ingredients. Service is also excellent. We have been there a dozen times since it opened in March.
(5)
Karen P.
My husband and I decided to go out at the last minute and we live in the western suburbs. I asked him to call and see if we could obtain a table for 2 around 7pm. The hostess said 7:30 would be a better option and there might be a short wait. There is complimentary valet parking for La Grange restaurants, which was very convenient. When we arrived, we were fortunate to not have a wait because a couple came in after us and said they were a half hour late for their reservation and the hostess said it would be a short wait. (whew!!!) Which was a good thing for us, because we were very hungry. The server came right away and took our wine order. Iced water, fresh grated parmesan cheese,and basil infused olive oil were placed on the table with fresh, really hot, hard crusted Italian bread. Yum! The server pressed us to order but the menu was hand written and kind of hard to decipher what to order, so we needed just a little time. Our wine was delivered and we sat. Where was our server? I told my husband to "cool his jets" and enjoy the ambience and the bread and wine. Our server finally came after 10 minutes to take our order. (In the meantime, my husband grabbed one of the bussers and asked him to get him another glass of wine. Then, the manager came over and brought my husband's glass of wine.) I ordered the special of the day, steak, medium, layered with garlic and lemon spinach as the bed, then the steak, then a grilled portobello mushroom, covered with gorganzola sauce. It was perfectly prepared. I was surprised the spinach was al dente but so flavorful, as well as the steak. It was not an overly portioned size, either, which is fine with me. It was probably 6-8 oz. cooked. I had also ordered the special massimo salad that was sliced beefsteak tomato, layered with roasted/grilled red onion, arugula lettice, topped with roasted eggplant and sprinkles of gorgonzola cheese, with a hint of olive oil and red wine balsalmic vinigrette. Fabulous! My husband ordered the sausage and penne, which is a favorite by many patrons. He said it was very good but would have liked more sausage than pasta. He topped it with parmesan cheese grated by the server and it looked delicious. However, the sausage was hiding or not seen. So, I agree, this dish needs improvement in providing at least a 6-8 inch link size of Italian sausage. For dessert, my husband ordered the apple pie and cinnamon gelato which was plated perfectly and was devoured within minutes! I ordered the traditional Tirimisu and was not disappointed. It is definitely the best Tirimisu in Chicago. This Tirimisu had a beautiful texture with the soaked cookies. The marscapone cheese was creamy and not sickingly sweet. It was topped with milk chocolate/ dark chocolate combined, (and not Nestle or Hershey tasting chocolate--it tasted like a higher quality chocolate), with some powdered cocoa for the effect. I did not taste any alcohol like rum or amarretto, which is fine with me because some Tirimisu is overpowered with the alcohol soaked cookies. Absolutely wonderful dessert. I was on cloud nine! I highly recommend this restaurant for a casual dining experience, with family, friends, and celebrations. However, be patient with the service. Ask for more sausage in the penne if you are disappointed. We will return maybe for a special occasion but not again as a couple's night out. Atmosphere is totally not inviting. The atmosphere has not changed since Francesca's replaced Via Bella. It is very loud, no decent music (!) and a mix of very young couples, younger families (sitting and making a mess(!) of the table), with a few middle aged couples. Service definitely needs to go up to speed and perhaps, more polished, which would make this restaurant a better dining experience. This is why I rated it 3 out of 5 stars. The food would be a 4 and service/atmosphere a 2.
We took my in-laws there for their 50th Anniversary. The manager comped us two dessert trays and champagne for my in-laws. The staff there made the day very special for our family, and we really appreciate it. The food was really good and the bill was extremely reasonable to boot. We will definitely return.
(5)
Jacques C.
Very pleasant service, just OK food. I ordered the fried calamari as appetizer, and it was excellent, tender and crunchy at the same time. Mushroom Pizza was just OK mostly because the cheese flavor (fontinella, probably) was too strong for the mushroom topping. The fish my spouse ordered was well cooked. We may be back.
(3)
Brian B.
Is this the 100th Francesca in the Chicago Area? Seriously. Doesn't matter though -- the food is good. They've re-vamped the fomer Via Bella space, opened it up, got rid of the drop ceilings to expose a nice arched vault ceiling space. The food was good... I had lamb. It was rich, very tender. My other dining partners had a sausage dish and a pesto & scallop... wonderful. Service was efficient. The only bummer was, for a chain restaurant in the suburbs I was surprised that the cost was higher than I expected. Entrees ranged from 16 to 25 dollars unless you're going veggie, which should be a sin in a good Italian place.
(4)
Myra M.
We just had our rehearsal dinner here for about 27 people. The nice thing about this restaurant was that it has a private room. Originally we were thinking of having our dinner at Prasinos but when we compared prices, it made our decision a lot easier. They come with a variety of packages to choose from and the prices are reasonable. Plus the event coordinator was incredibly nice to work with. The day of the dinner the service was great, as well as the food. There was enough food for everyone and the food wasn't cold. I received compliments for choosing this restaurant. Overall I really do feel like I got exactly what I wanted for the right price. I recommend this place for future private dinners.
(5)
Pam K.
I was excited to eat here because the pics on their website look so appetizing, but I was disappointed. I was there for lunch Monday afternoon and started with the bruscetta and green bean salad. The salad was disappointing -- it didn't have much flavor at all, I think it could have used something more than just olive oil as a dressing. My friends had the caprese sandwich, one with a side salad and the other with fries. The sandwich bun was huge --- much bigger than what was needed based on what was inside the bun. The presentation was not appealing either -- maybe they could have cut the sandwich in half and made it look better on the plate. We had the profiteroles for dessert -- again because the picture on the website was so appealing -- but they came out looking just so so. The taste was fine, not great. If any of their food was actually presented in a similar manner to what is advertised I think my rating would have been higher because we eat with our eyes too. The place just seemed tired.
(2)
Will V.
This is a new location of the Mia Francesca's family of Italian restaurants. They are still working out some kinks with the service and the kitchen, so I'm being a little forgiving here. It took a few minutes for a server (not our server) to come around to take our drink order, and when the manager brought our drinks, he told us they were on the house, with apologies. We only waited for a few minutes, so it really wasn't a big deal. When our server finally came to the table, he apologized again. We told him we were easy, but that turned out to be a mistake, because he didn't really seem to pay that much attention to us after that. The food was OK. The salmon in tomato sauce was well done, but not as spicy as I would have expected from the description on the menu. The Margherita pizza was not as good as it has been at other Francesca's locations, there was too much cheese, and the flavor just wasn't up to par. I'm looking forward to returning to see if they work out the kinks at this location. But the other locations are so good, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed.
(3)
Susan M.
very good. consistent with most other francesca's locations i've dined at. we had good martinis at the bar, bartender was very accommodating and sweet. once seated, we started with calamari -- to be expected - light, tasty, great sauce. i had the basil/tomato pizza while my friends had the pumpkin ravioli (WOW fab) and lemon chicken (i heard that was good also). for dessert we had choc chip bread pudding (the best bread puddin eva) and the apple pie, i think??? honestly, i don't remember, but it was good too, just not as memorable as the bread puddin. overall a good experience. :)
(4)
D T.
LOVE, love it here. So excited to hear one opened around us, as long as it wasn't like the one in Elmhurst. :-) I'm a big fan of the company and we are frequent visitors. Like all MF's, the menu changes, but not as much as the Chicago location. The mussels are great; the red sauce is addicting. Fried calamari is one of the best I've had. They always have some delicious appetizer with prosciutto and a delightful bruschetta. The Ceasar salad is kind of off...they put roast peppers on top. Obviously they can come without, nut not a fan. The Quattro Staggione pizza is fabulous. Don't let the egg freak you out-it's delicious. For entrees I usually order a fish or roast chicken. They will prepare the fish however you like. Like you can get the salmon prepared the way the tilapia is, or you can get it prepared very simply. I always get roast potatoes on the side too, they're so yummy. Same goes for pastas. They will do any pasta with any sauce. Which is why I force my daughter to get a pasta so I can have half and still enjoy my fish! My husband usually gets a pasta unless they have the chicken with prosciutto and mozzarella. There aren't many meat options. My very picky, very Italian grandfather had a pork chop there and loved it though. They also have Pomelo by the glass-big bonus. The kicker is, I am not a huge dessert person. I like salt and after overordering my meal, I will sample someone's dessert, but usually don't have room for my own. But they have the BEST desserts ever. All of them. I always get the banana chocolate chip bread pudding. Profiteroles are amazing, tiramisu, etc. Damn I'm forgetting half of them. Just order one of each.
(4)
Domenic A.
5 PLUS stars is what Francesca's in LaGrange is. It was my 1st time there (this past Wednesday) and it won't be my last. From the moment we walked in we were treated like family. The manager Andrea greeted us as if we had been friends for years. She showed us to a table and before we were even settled the busboy had water on the table. Our server Benny was very knowledgeable and guided us thru the menu. We chose the Rigatoni w/ sausage (just like mom use to make) and the chicken lemon. The tiramisu was a great finish to a wonderful evening. As we were leaving Andrea told us about all the specials that Francesca's has during the week. Of course we will be back.... Thanks Andrea, Benny and the Crew at Francesca's for making my night!!!!!!!!
(5)
Ken T.
Dined 03/22/12. It was not busy. Hostess seated us right away. Waiter gave us a piece of paper with mostly illegible writing on it and called it a menu. The menu was worn and dirty. (One would expect that if photocopy menus were being handed out, we could at least get a fresh one). Ordered dinner, asked specifically for no parmesean cheese to be added. Dinner arrived via the busboy with parmesean cheese on it. I managed to remove the ribbons of parmesean and waited for the waiter to come back and check on us. He never did. The busboy filled our water glasses often. The busboy brought us containers to bring home our leftovers. Our waiter eventually showed up with the bill. I told him about the parmesean (I am allergic) and he proceeded to defend himself, stating that he wrote it down on the order to the kitchen and told me a story about a patron who had specified that no peanuts be in his dinner, but the kitchen added them anyways. He offered to replace my dinner as we were ready to leave. Terrible waiter, mediocre food, high priced for what we got. We won't be going back.
(1)
k b.
I only write reviews if a place exceeds expectations or lets me down. I wish I could say this was a positive visit, but I was very disappointed. We waited to go to Francesca's till they had had time to work out the "bugs" of a new business. It didn't help. The food was just OK, the wine was great, the space was very nice. But the eat-and-get-out attitude left a lot to be desired. We had not even received our appetizer before we were asked what we wanted for an entree, and the appetizer was only half gone when the entree arrived. Seriously, the help needs lessons in the normal pace of a meal. They actually tried to remove the appetizer plate to make room for the entree. Italian restaurants are not hard to find, and to my way to thinking only have the service aspect to distinguish themselves. Francesca's in LaGrange failed. I will go to Marconi's from now on where they know that rushing the courses does not make for happy diners. Too bad. . .
(2)
Cute K.
Received a gift groupon to try this place. I enjoyed the swordfish but my husband was not excited about it. The entrees were pricey for what you got. We also tried a shrimp and pasta dish with tomato basil pesto which was very tasty but the shrimp a tad overcooked. The Bella vita cocktail was worse than yellow cough syrup, just horrible, seriously undrinkable, but they graciously allowed an exchange for a glass of wine. Until today I had never met a fruity cocktail I could not drink. The bread and spiced olive oil and Parmesan starter hit the spot and my husband says the Parmesan was the highlight of the meal. The large bar TV took away from the romantic ambiance and seemed out of place in a restaurant charging $20 for a bowl of spaghetti. We had made reservations for 6:30 and we were seated right away which was nice. I might come back to try lunch with a girlfriend sometime.
(3)
Scott S.
I can honestly say that for the three times I have been here, I, nor anyone else with me (family and friends), has had a bad meal. You get what you pay for and while the entrees are not the cheapest in downtown LaGrange, they are excellent.
(5)
Diane O.
Unfortunately the poor waitstaff outshines the chef. The food was good but the service was rude. Who wants to beg for the next drink? Perhaps it was a bad day for the staff but I had a terrible experience. They need a more polite and positive attitude with their servers before I will return. With so many options in the area why go out and be treated poorly. My $100.00 would have been better spent at Vie.
(1)
emily b.
i'm torn between 2 stars and 3, sadly.... the actual space is great.... fresh, clean, welcoming. it's so true, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to a space. i went on a tuesday evening, and it was surprisingly not-empty. we were seated fairly quickly, and had water and bread on the table almost immediately. that was the end of any sort of "speedy" service however. the rest of the night was spent waiting for our server to take our order, then waiting for them to bring our order...waiting for our check.... etc etc. i'm all for the european way of dining, but this was just slow. i noticed each of the tables surrounding ours was experiencing the same thing. the food was ok. i got the asparagus pasta dish, which was severely lacking the asparagus, my friends both got one of the spaghetti entress which they seemed to enjoy. parking was easy, and people were friendly enough, but i wouldn't go out of my way to go back. as brian b mentioned, it's not exactly a "deal", and, in my opinion, nothing about it felt especially unique. la grange, can't you branch out from ice cream parlors and italian/pizza places next time you open a new spot? please? on a more positive note, they do seem to be quite involved in the local community (15% of our dining costs that night were donated to a local youth agency, which is wonderful).
(3)
Kelvin R.
If you're looking for a place a little better than Olive Garden... This is it. The food is average and the atmosphere is contrived (fake hand-crafted menus offering reheated fare).
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Elizabeth M.
I used to love this place, but the past two times I have been there it's been a big disappointment. Our server took at least ten minutes to greet our table and get a drink order. The food was mediocre at best. The tortellini tasted like something you buy in the frozen section of the grocery store. My pasta dish had lettuce in it. It was supposed to be sautéed escarole, but it was raw lettuce. Gross. I do have to say that the manager was very attentive and stopped by our table several times. Thank goodness, since our server didn't. My kids ordered pizza, which is always yummy. I think we will stick to pizza from now on unless they step it up in the kitchen. The only other thing I would order again is the new fried brussel sprout appetizer, that was really good.
(3)Tracy R.
TERRIBLE! I was super excited to come here since family and friends have raved about Francesca's - not this location specifically - but Francesca's in general. Checked in and our table wasn't ready yet. We were early so it was ok. Got seated and it took our waitress roughly 5-7 minutes to come to our table - not busy at all that night. Ordered our drinks/food and got everything in a timely manner. Our server, Yasmine (I think that's how you spell it) asked us once-maybe twice how the food was and then was gone. She would pass by not asking if we needed anything. We asked the food runner for bread and never received it. I should've given the busboys the tip instead of her (I technically shouldn't have given a tip). The busboys were very attentive and asked if we needed anything every 10 minutes. The food was ok. Very bland but the chicken and pork chops were very tender. Tasted the pasta that my boyfriend had and it wasn't that good either. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant location to anybody. LaGrange is a great place to eat but not here. If we had better service then it would compensate for the food. But I guess nothing was in our favor tonight.
(1)Cheryl R.
We hosted a rehearsal dinner on a Friday night for around 50 people. As the hosts, we were running late and called to let them know. The hostess I spoke with said she would go back and make sure our guests were being taken care of. When we arrived, the party was definitely in full swing. Our servers, Abel and Adolfo, were very professional and attentive. The food was served family style and came out in a timely manner. The food was delicious! The risotto was a favorite, and that's not always easy to do with a group! The events manager, Lauren Walsh, was a dream to work with. We were coming in from out of town and needed to do everything over the phone. Every detail was taken care of, even things I hadn't thought of myself! It's obvious she enjoys her job, she's very good at it. A pleasant experience overall and I would definitely recommend for a group.
(5)Mary Ann Z.
I was very disappointed in food and the service. I was Francesca's on Saturday evening. First of all I am tired of restaurants that seat you by the kitchen even though they have tables up front available. I guess they think it's a good place to put a couple of women dining alone. Also felt the service was just mediocre as was the food. I had pollo sashi it was served hot and presentation was nice but not all that special. The staff seemed in a hurry to get us out the door even though restaurant was not crowded. I have eaten at other Francesca restaurants and continue to be under impressed.
(2)Anthony M.
Brought a few out of town guests on Sat night and it was GREAT as usual! Cheerful hostess greeted us....and food and service was top notch!!
(5)Sam S.
I have eaten at many Frencesca restaurants. This one just can't get it right. I've given them at least six opportunities to serve me a good meal in a timely and efficient manner and they have failed every time.
(1)Matt G.
Always love but the pork chop was way over cooked Kids eat free Monday's and $10 off wine bottles with a magician. Can't beat it
(4)Joe M.
Went to our first Beer Dinner and had a great time! Guitar player was great ,beer was delicious and food was outstanding! Communal seating was a great idea..met some wonderful people! Can't wait to attend the wine dinner!
(5)Char Y.
I came here for a baby shower and thought the mass made portions were substandard. we had salad - more dressing than lettuce!! chicken and potatoes - swimming in a pool of cream and butter, yet tasteless. maybe their normal food is much better...
(1)Anita J.
I enjoyed a lovely dinner, last night, with their house pinot noir, paired with an opener of their carpaccio; next, one of their rigatoni dishes, with a light tomato cream sauce, asparagus, and mushrooms, including a side of Italian sausage; then, finished with their delightful chocolate torte... All delicious!
(5)Irene G.
Great place - love Francesca's! Service is excellent at this location and the food is not bad either. We were given the option on where we wanted to sit which earned points in my book just for that. My bf asked if they can put the Bulls game on at the bar for us and they did without question. :) The restaurant is cozy and I enjoyed my experience so much that I chose to have an upcoming private party here!
(4)Nikki L.
We went there on a warm, Friday night at 7:30pm. Our first sign should have been all the open tables. Our server was ok and our food came out quickly. However, they were clearly rushing our relaxing dinner. Since the restaurant was empty, it was obvious the employees all wanted to go home. Several times we could see the servers peeking over the wall waiting to us to leave and they kept coming to our table waiting for our bill. I didn't realize that I was going to a fire. I could see if we were occupying a table for hours and there was a line waiting out the door, but that clearly was not the case. With all of the great restaurants in downtown La Grange, I certainly will visit one of those restaurants instead of this one again. I will be quite surprised if they are even open in a year, which was obvious with the crowd size on a busy Friday. Truly disappointing.
(2)Yvette L.
One of the coolest nights for patio dining this summer but we got to bring our dog Molly. $5 martini night so I had two French martinis. They were delicious and not watered down. My husband got "The Brass" (whiskey drink). Pretty good. Limited menu but the food choices cover the major groups. Great service by Claire. Always wanted to try but tons of other restaurants in LaGrange so we can make the rounds and come back.
(4)Alicia K.
Francesca's Belleza in La Grange is a nice little Italian place, but really wasn't anything too impressive. Service is mediocre (not bad, just not great, either) and the ambiance is pretty standard. Went here with some friends and among the 4 of us, we tried: -SPINACH RAVIOLI - probably the best item at the table and was delicious. The ravioli itself was great, and the sauce they put over it really just made the dish. Had the other dishes been like this, I would give the place a much higher rating. -4 CHEESE PIZZA (bleu cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, and some other cheese + tomatoes) was pretty good but didn't blow my mind or anything. -Some Italian name for pasta with chicken, pesto, and veggies - again, nothing to write home about but not bad either. -The 4th dish was some mini shell pasta dish with mushrooms and sauce and the girl who ordered it didn't eat much and didn't want to take it home. In other words, not impressed. They bring fresh bread to the table with parmesan cheese and oil which is yummy, but, again, pretty standard for an Italian place. Their menu does change about every 2 weeks, so maybe in 2 weeks it will be better. For the price, however, I would make the drive to Maggiano's.
(2)Tim E.
I have eaten lunch here on several occasions and taken clients here also. Really consistant food that is not "too much" for lunch but gets you through the afternoon The service is alway stellar. On this particular day I had the chicken limon' which was done to perfection. Chicken was super moist, sauce was savory but not overpowering. Excelent meal. I am not a big pasta eater at lunch but my guest informed me that it was great also. In and out in 45 minutes also is nice for a lunch stop. Check it out
(4)MaryRose D.
We arrived here late afternoon on a Sunday. There was not much activity in the restaurant, but there were maybe 6 occupied tables, one with a large boisterous family. With just two of us, we were an easy table to wait on by comparison. We were, however, seated immediately next to the loud, boisterous family. Unfortunately. Given that, it is understandable that the atmosphere sucked. And given that there were only3 wait staff visible, the service was not great either. Never did anyone refill out water glasses. We were not asked for our order until we had been there for 20 minutes. The food took a very long time to come out (or maybe it just seemed like forever because of the atmosphere and service). But, the food was exquisite. The seasoning was perfect and the depth of flavor was amazing. I had the best fettuccine I have ever had: it was perfectly cooked al dente, had an excellent cream sauce with chicken, and surprisingly crisp to the bite asparagus. It was excellent fare. Unfortunately, the seating location and over burdened wait staff led us to not try desserts. We may try this again at a different hour or different day.
(3)Melissa B.
I don't know why I keep going here. It's ridiculously over priced with a limited menu. I think you either love or hate this place though. There doesn't seem to be much in between with people that I speak to. I think the service is a little snotty. Maybe it's just me though. My biggest pet peeve are the prices. I can cook better than almost anything on that limited menu for a fraction of the cost!
(2)Steve H.
My one and only visit to one of Francesca's restaurants in Chicago and I question whether or not I'd ever return to any one of them. Took my mother in law here for her BDay, which really didn't start out right at all. The service is little to be desired and truly anchored this review. First they advertise Valet Parking but the attendant is no where to be found. Asking the high school aged and clueless hostess about the valet and she was as much help asking a brick wall. The runner who delivered our cocktails from the bar could not identify which glasses were which and came up with an excuse that he didn't know as he was 'new to the job' (speaks to the lack of training by management). As for our food, the beef carpaccio was marginal and I expected a lot more considering how well my significant other and I enjoy raw beef appetizers (i.e.. steak tartare) but the caesar salad delicious. Entrees seemed rather meager in size. For a place that is a Chicago Little Italy mainstay, three bite entrees shouldn't exist at Francesca's. Later on two white wine glasses were served to me at room temperature. I complained each time only to have it be replaced by luke warm wine. The waiter's excuse was merely that they were new bottles and didn't have time to chill. Though, if the server / bartender knew that the bottles were not chilled whatsoever, why would the bar even serve them by the glass??
(2)Michele S.
Well, it is my own fault I was super stuffed. Always a good sign! Had a great asparagus/tomato/onion salad, and could have stopped there. Spinach ravioli was lovely! Sunday night, 630pm, got a table right away. Service was good, but maybe could have been slightly more attentive. Dessert options are a win for whichever you choose. Place was cleared out by the time we left.
(4)Monica P.
Awesome. Food is great. Service was outstanding. Speechless. I live Italian good and I got the spaghetti carbonara. It was great. Although I was expecting an egg on top so I could break the yolk. However my server Olivia explained to me that the egg was already blended in the sauce. I asked for extra sauce and was accommodated. It was DELIVERED FRESH BY THE MANAGER. Who could ask for better service. All I can say is I will definitely be back on a Friday evening so I can Ms. OLIVIA. SHE IS AWESOME.
(5)Kristen E.
Oh...I love Italian food, especially at Francescas's! The restaurant has booth, table and high top options. It gets very busy on holidays so if you want an intimate dinner with your loved one on Valentine's Day, you might have to sit too close to another couple! We did, but we still had a wonderful meal, delicious wine and the server was attentive, even though it's busy. We've been there many times and love that the menu has slight changes each time. We are hoping to go next and feat outside on a nice night! We love downtown La Grange!
(4)Jeff H.
$10 off a bottle of wine on Mondays! The perfect way to start the evening. For starters, the asparagus,tomato and blue cheese salad was superb. Our group ordered spinach ravioli, eggplant rigatoni and orchetta with sausage pasta dinners that were all fantastic. We also had the waiter recommended chicken parmesan, which was not on the menu but available to order. Great recommendation! The breading on the chicken was very flavorful and had a nice crunch to it. All our dishes were served timely and hot, portions were good . Service was excellent. Our waiter was very attentive and helpful. Water glasses always stayed full. Bravo Francesca's! We will be back!
(4)Erin L.
We had the Proscuttio Brushetta for an appetizer and it was light and delicious. The olive oil that they serve with the bread it so good. It's spiced with a bunch of herbs. I had the Mark West Pinot Noir and it was smooth and light. Pumpkin ravioli was the best I've ever had. I actually almost missed it since it was on the specials menu. I'm so glad our server pointed it out! If you like pumpkin, I highly recommend this dish. Outstanding. A group of teenagers were there playing some Halloween songs on their violins, which was really fun to watch. I was afraid they would be loud, but we were right next to them and could still hold a conversation. Service was a little slow but understandable for a Saturday night. The manager was nice enough to stop and ask us how everything was. I think that's really nice when the managers are visible and actually help out on the dining room floor instead of just stand around and observe everyone. We will definitely be back!!
(4)Jules H.
Redemption is a beautiful thing...dined here again today with such happiness. Thin crust pizza, wafer loveliness topped with truffle oil, arugula, and fresh shaved parm. Great service from a waiter who made a burger appear after he told me they were out of the burger special...one never knows when begging for meat will pay off. I gambled today and I'm glad I did. Still kinda salty, but water glasses were refilled again and again. And they quickly brought us a small dish filled with lemon slices. Thanks Francesca...I'll be back ;) and you better keep trying!
(4)Charles B.
Limited Menu, but excellent food. When we were there, there were 8 entries on the prima (pasta) menu and the secundo menu had 2 chicken, a pork chop, and 3 fish entrees. Sizes are large, so in a group I would suggest ordering some pasta dishes and some main course and splitting them.
(4)Nichole M.
Went for dinner on a Tuesday night and the food was very good. Service was interesting, not bad, interesting. We ordered bruschetta with Ricotta on it and it was outstanding. I would like some more right now actually. For an entree, I had the special spinach ravioli with a three cheese sauce, which was also very good. My mom enjoyed the special pasta with italian sausage, but I thought it didn't have enough sauce on it. It was a bit dry. My boyfriend ordered the rotollo and loved it. The dessert was also excellent, we had an ice cream dish and a puff pastry dish (I can't remember what it was called). The table loved the desserts. The server was very nice, but a bit odd. He talked a lot and leaned to the side while talking to us, which made me slightly uncomfortable. The server's assistant, was very quick and ready to help us. He had Parmesan and fresh pepper ready at any moment. They were both nice, but interesting, like I said. We had a good experience, but the place was empty. I always feel a little strange dining in an empty restaurant. Overall though, we had a very nice time and the food was very tasty. I would definitely come back.
(4)Cheryl V.
The one point is for the calamari appetizer. We stopped in to use the $100 in gift cards we got for Christmas 2012. Here are my bullet points: Pro's Clean Calamari was excellent and generously served They accommodated us when we wanted to switch tables Con's Ordered the spinach, garlic and olive oil appetizer - I was famished, so the first two bites were incredible! Then I realized the dish was HEAVILY over salted. "Pasta with shrimp" - They left the frickin' TAILS on the shrimp - talk about lazy cooks! And this too was WAY over salted. "Grouper"- again, HEAVILY over salted Inattentive wait staff So we had $27 left on gift card. Left it as a tip!! Cuz we KNEW we weren't coming back! The waiter never came back to the table with a 'thank you for coming, enjoy your evening, NOTHING!' Finally, the manager/owner comes by our table, asks if everything was OK, we say "everything was fine" cuz, well, we were in one of those moods....'let's just get outta here.' Then something in me says, 'no, tell him the truth, everything was overly salty and I can feel my blood pressure racing.' So I get up and tell him and you know what he says? "THANKS!" Needless to say, it will be a cold day in HELL before I eat here again. "KIDS, thank you for the thought, you were very generous, but , no more gift cards from this chain, please." They haven't got a CLUE about customer service.
(1)Jo R.
The service at this restaurant was exceptionally bad and inefficient. We made reservations for a Saturday night, and still ended up waiting 25 minutes to be seated. Once we were seated we placed drink orders and waited 45 minutes for our drinks to appear. As we waited our waiter stopped by and said drinks would be up "in a few minutes", which was obviously false. Food took a long time to arrive as well but was quite good (hence why the place gets any stars at all). We decided against ordering dessert, assuming we would wait an hour for it. In total, I believe we spent over three hours at this restaurant--most of that time waiting. Francesca's is a great restaurant but visit one managed better.
(2)Joann J.
I hosted a Bridal shower for my daughter recently, I can not say enough about our experience, From coordinating it with Lauren, to the helpful manager/hostess I met when they served us a sampling of our menu, The food was GREAT, served Hot, which is always a concern of mine, I myself have had luke warm soup etc. served at larger gatherings, (at other restaurants), soup great, salad great and very nice presentation, Pasta awesome, my Husband who is not a fan of eating pasta anywhere but home loved it warmed up the next day, Chicken/roasted potatoes were excellent, Desert (cheese cake) was just right to finish of a great meal, and I also had Punch served, which EVERYONE raved about, in fact I want the recipe, a big thank you to the staff, oh did I mention that the service was incredible, and the place was spotless......J
(5)Julie O.
I like that they take reservations, and that they seat reservations on time. The host is quite genial and not narcisistic. Nice! The servers are very good and attentive. The salads are great, entrees were good. I'd do it again but I really want to see some standout entrees - maybe the fall menus will be amazing.
(3)Jessica H.
We were happy when the Francesca restaurants opened Bellezza in downtown La Grange! A welcome addition to the downtown area for sure. Service has always been good, and the food is tasty. Have been there about a dozen times and have never left hungry or wishing I had ordered something different. Always a fan of the hot, crusty bread and oil, the pasta primavera, and most of all, the banana bread pudding. If you have not tried this dessert you need to get over to one of the Francesca restaurants ASAP (they've had it at most of the Francesca's I've been to). It is heaven in the form of a dessert. Seriously to die for. My husband has ordered some sort of hot baked apple dessert with vanilla ice cream from here as well, and while I normally find this to be a boring standard dessert item at a lot of places, Bellezza did it really, really well. Also like that they have live music on certain nights, which is a nice touch.
(4)Rick H.
The place was mostly average to above average for fine Italian..I've had way worse, i've also had some better. Biggest thing to note was that there was a hair in our parmesan cheese and without us us complaining about it or putting up any fuss or special request, they politely brought us out a free tiramisu at the end of our meal which my mother and i agreed was the hands down best tiramisu we've ever had. The chicken pesto w/ pine nuts and the bolognese were really good, the lobster ravioli was not good at all and had an overly seafood flavor. All in all, i'd go back...from what i hear it's loads better than the other Italian joint kitty corner to this place, and it seemed as such since there was only one table of diners visible from the window and Francesca's had at least 6 tables of diners besides us.
(4)Jenn C.
People we know were kind to give us a generous gift card to Francesca's Bellezza and we finally decided to come here for dinner. As their menu is simple and changes every so often, we of course ordered what was on the menu. I ordered the salad that was on special and the rigatoni regular. My hubby ordered the rigatoni special and the main difference was the meat and goat cheese that was involved in my pasta. The bread they serve first was decent. Warm, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The salad was light and citrusy. Nothing to wow me, but it was good. The pasta itself came in such a overly large portion and yes most people would love the amount of food, but it was overwhelming for me. And normally I do not complain about too much food! Although good, it had too much rigatoni and too little sun dried tomatoes in the sauce. My daughter who ordered the same thing, although her portion was the same as mine, the balance of the noodles and sauce and everything else looked much more appeasing. I thought the food was good, but I didn't find it to be excellent regardless of plating. It was a gift, so it was nice... I won't say I will not come back because I would like to try some other dishes, however, it would be on the mid to bottom of my list of Italian or Sicilian restaurants to make way.
(3)Carol K.
Yay! Another one of my favorite places in the city has realized that there is life west of Western and has opened in downtown La Grange! Francesca's Bellezza has been open a couple of weeks now and really did a nice job the other day when I stopped in for lunch. This spacious restaurant with it's loft exposed ceiling and and cozy wooden seating areas will sure become a favorite on this stretch of La Grange Road (Mannheim to those of you to the north) The place was pretty full on the day that I was there. Suburban moms catching up over the rigatoni special of the day, business people arguing about that deal over their oven baked pizzas, and couples holding hands over a glass of wine. We started with the prosciutto plate and I was in heaven! Tons of thinly sliced prosciutto artfully draped on the plate with a hidden surprise of ricotta cheese, greens and tomatoes underneath. Delicious and perfect to share as a starter. For our entrees I went with the fish special of the day which was Tilapia in a light sauce served with mushrooms and spinach. Delicious! My friend had a meatball sandwich- which while good- could have been a little warmer. I loved the warm bread with oil and cheese as well- typical of this chain of restaurants. Service was spot on from our server team, to the manager who hurried over when there was a spill to the hostess who actually thanked us for coming by (genuinely) Parking in the burbs is always a snap- there is a free lot just to the north of the restaurant, or you might even be able to get street parking on La Grange. Great to see one of my favs come to the burbs! You can bet I'll be back!
(4)Linda A.
I love that if you do not see what you like on their daily menu that they will make you just about anything if youask. Had the Calamari for the first time - it had a very light batter and was very fresh - would recommend.
(4)Nelson A.
Francesca's is the best. I like pasta. (my daughter wrote this)
(5)Recensore D.
I ordered the pesce ai funghi (tilapia w/ mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach) dinner and the pasta pomodoro, which was perfectly al dente prepared. Tilapia was outstanding as was the pasta. I also feel their "Eat and Earn" Program is thoughtful... "Francesca's gives back to the community with it's "Eat and Earn" program! Organize and register your non-profit organization to dine at Francesca's and receive 15% of the dinner bill back as a cash donation! Today, a portion went Community Nurse organization. Eccellente!!! =)
(5)Jenn M.
If I could give 3.5, I would but it's definitely not worthy of four stars. The food is okay, honestly. It's not the best Italian I've ever had but it's not Olive Garden (don't get me wrong, there is a place for Olive Garden). The restaurant is incredibly cozy and has a nice feel to it. The staff is friendly and attentive. The menu changes quite frequently but on this visit we started with the bruschetta with tomatoes, cheese and avocado. It was pure heaven! The cheese was soft and creamy and everything was seasoned perfectly. The addition of the avocado was a nice diversion from the basic dish. I had the pasta with peas, mushrooms and ham and it was really good. This dish can easily be too salty and the cream sauce is hard for a lot of places to get right but this place did. Hubby said his dish was "eh". Who doesn't want dessert??? Well, I did, until I actually received it and realized that I had made a big mistake. I ordered what was described as cream puffs with pistachio gelato. What I expected was a few tiny cream puffs... with cream... and a little side of pistachio gelato. What I received was a desert big enough for six people. There were three gigantic shells of a cream puff, filled with three huge mounds of pistachio gelato. Nary a "cream" in sight. It was entirely too much, especially in contrast to hubby's perfectly portioned, banana and chocolate bread pudding with banana-caramel gelato. His desert was heaven on a plate. Mine was difficult to eat, a mountain of sweetness and just not all that great. All in all, it was a nice meal (especially since it was an adult meal sans kid) but I don't know that it would be worth coming in from the city for. Certainly not Taylor street Italian standards.
(3)Chip B.
Mother's day is a challenge, and for a moment we thought we were in for a disappointment. The place was PACKED but we were pleasantly surprised that they were able to seat us after short wait. Server (Israel) was very professional and the appetizers and drinks were promptly served. Food was delicious. Manager on staff made extra effort to be sure everyone was pleased with the food and the service. I look forward to next meal here. La Grange should be proud to have this caliber of restaurant in the city and should dine here often.
(4)Juan Manuel G.
Good service. Price is reasonable. Quality food
(4)Bill P.
OK, nothing to rave about, decent quality but menu is limited. My chicken dish was ok, waitress wasn't real friendly or outgoing, I thought she was better suited working at a pizza restaurant, which is not a criticism of her but she just didn't quite "fit" at this type of restaurant. Probably just fine for a drink and a appetizer, though!
(2)Angela U.
We went here with friends on a Saturday night, and it was a great restaurant. Good service from our server Mike. The food was reasonably priced. It was easy to visit, not too noisy and just the perfect amount of intimacy. We will definitely be back!
(4)Matthew G.
Not very impressed. I went here thinking it would be similar to the old restaurant that was there a couple years ago (Via Bella? which was really nice). This place wasn't as nice: - paper tablecloths - rude server - very limited menu (hand-written and photo copied on a piece of 8.5x11" paper) The food was good, so if you don't mind spending a moderate amount of $$ on decent food while receiving poor service and eating on paper table cloths like at a pancake breakfast, try it out.
(2)Brent S.
The 8+ times I have eaten here I have never had anything that wasn't fantastic. The double edged sword is that the menu is constantly changing so I will probably never have the dish I fall in love with every time ever again! This also forces me to step out of my box every time dine here. The bread comes out almost too hot to handle which is awesome, the plate of Parmesan is accompanied by an herb infused olive oil, thus allowing you to mix your perfect dipping brew. Then I ordered a mushroom and pasta shell dish that was unbelievable. Servers are always top notch, can't say enough good things about this place!! Will be back very soon!
(5)Lisa H.
I ate here on Friday with friends and my husband. Our waiter was very slow the place was more then half empty and it took more then I would say 5-7 mins to get drinks. Our food was all very good mine was a little too spicy for me but it was noted as spicy. After reading other people reviews I now understand why the menu was so small there was only 6 entrees, 6 pastas, 4 pizzas and a bunch of salads. The limited menu made it difficult during lent for my husband and I to eat on a Friday as I can not eat seafood. All and all the food was price well, tasted good but the service was not good, our server had to be reminded twice to bring an additional drink to the table so long that the guest was done eating by the time it got there. After reading other reviews you might be better off picking up food and taking it home where you can be your own good waiter.
(3)Swim Dad I.
Wonderful, hearty Italian fare. Great service with customization of dishes welcomed rather than groaned at! Consistently a great dining experience.
(5)Timothy J.
I love this place. Great roasted fish and the best beef carpaccio I've ever had. The one disappointment is their house salad, not very good dressing and not a lot of variety in the ingredients. Service is also excellent. We have been there a dozen times since it opened in March.
(5)Karen P.
My husband and I decided to go out at the last minute and we live in the western suburbs. I asked him to call and see if we could obtain a table for 2 around 7pm. The hostess said 7:30 would be a better option and there might be a short wait. There is complimentary valet parking for La Grange restaurants, which was very convenient. When we arrived, we were fortunate to not have a wait because a couple came in after us and said they were a half hour late for their reservation and the hostess said it would be a short wait. (whew!!!) Which was a good thing for us, because we were very hungry. The server came right away and took our wine order. Iced water, fresh grated parmesan cheese,and basil infused olive oil were placed on the table with fresh, really hot, hard crusted Italian bread. Yum! The server pressed us to order but the menu was hand written and kind of hard to decipher what to order, so we needed just a little time. Our wine was delivered and we sat. Where was our server? I told my husband to "cool his jets" and enjoy the ambience and the bread and wine. Our server finally came after 10 minutes to take our order. (In the meantime, my husband grabbed one of the bussers and asked him to get him another glass of wine. Then, the manager came over and brought my husband's glass of wine.) I ordered the special of the day, steak, medium, layered with garlic and lemon spinach as the bed, then the steak, then a grilled portobello mushroom, covered with gorganzola sauce. It was perfectly prepared. I was surprised the spinach was al dente but so flavorful, as well as the steak. It was not an overly portioned size, either, which is fine with me. It was probably 6-8 oz. cooked. I had also ordered the special massimo salad that was sliced beefsteak tomato, layered with roasted/grilled red onion, arugula lettice, topped with roasted eggplant and sprinkles of gorgonzola cheese, with a hint of olive oil and red wine balsalmic vinigrette. Fabulous! My husband ordered the sausage and penne, which is a favorite by many patrons. He said it was very good but would have liked more sausage than pasta. He topped it with parmesan cheese grated by the server and it looked delicious. However, the sausage was hiding or not seen. So, I agree, this dish needs improvement in providing at least a 6-8 inch link size of Italian sausage. For dessert, my husband ordered the apple pie and cinnamon gelato which was plated perfectly and was devoured within minutes! I ordered the traditional Tirimisu and was not disappointed. It is definitely the best Tirimisu in Chicago. This Tirimisu had a beautiful texture with the soaked cookies. The marscapone cheese was creamy and not sickingly sweet. It was topped with milk chocolate/ dark chocolate combined, (and not Nestle or Hershey tasting chocolate--it tasted like a higher quality chocolate), with some powdered cocoa for the effect. I did not taste any alcohol like rum or amarretto, which is fine with me because some Tirimisu is overpowered with the alcohol soaked cookies. Absolutely wonderful dessert. I was on cloud nine! I highly recommend this restaurant for a casual dining experience, with family, friends, and celebrations. However, be patient with the service. Ask for more sausage in the penne if you are disappointed. We will return maybe for a special occasion but not again as a couple's night out. Atmosphere is totally not inviting. The atmosphere has not changed since Francesca's replaced Via Bella. It is very loud, no decent music (!) and a mix of very young couples, younger families (sitting and making a mess(!) of the table), with a few middle aged couples. Service definitely needs to go up to speed and perhaps, more polished, which would make this restaurant a better dining experience. This is why I rated it 3 out of 5 stars. The food would be a 4 and service/atmosphere a 2.
(3)Katherine R.
I've been to Francesca's Forno a few times and think it's great. That insalata con uovo is one of the best salads I've ever had. So, when I was in La Grange recently I figured this wouldn't be too far off. I was right, God I'm smart. Unfortunately I wasn't really hungry so I didn't order/eat as much as I normally do (see review of Risqué Café). My companion and I ordered the special bruschetta for an appetizer. It was different from the bruschetta they offer on the menu- this one had huge, fresh tomatoes, globs of mozzarella, etc on crunchy, but not rock hard crostini. Is it crostini or crustini? Having a brain fart right about now...Anyways the bruschetta was really good. I ordered the pizza margherita- mozz, tomatoes and fresh arugula. It was fantastic. I had some leftover for later that night too and it was still great. There was just enough cheese, just enough tomato and the bottom wasn't burnt. All ingredients of a great pizza. The arugula really makes the pizza though. The combination of the creaminess of the cheese and the bite of the arugula... imponente! My boyfriend got his classic, sausage and rigatoni, which I tried and it was really good. It had the perfect amount of spice that went with the creaminess of the sauce. Service was good, no complaints there. Five stars for (the Francesca's family of places) consistently great food and always good service. Grazie mille Francesca's!
(5)Maureen E.
We took my in-laws there for their 50th Anniversary. The manager comped us two dessert trays and champagne for my in-laws. The staff there made the day very special for our family, and we really appreciate it. The food was really good and the bill was extremely reasonable to boot. We will definitely return.
(5)Jacques C.
Very pleasant service, just OK food. I ordered the fried calamari as appetizer, and it was excellent, tender and crunchy at the same time. Mushroom Pizza was just OK mostly because the cheese flavor (fontinella, probably) was too strong for the mushroom topping. The fish my spouse ordered was well cooked. We may be back.
(3)Brian B.
Is this the 100th Francesca in the Chicago Area? Seriously. Doesn't matter though -- the food is good. They've re-vamped the fomer Via Bella space, opened it up, got rid of the drop ceilings to expose a nice arched vault ceiling space. The food was good... I had lamb. It was rich, very tender. My other dining partners had a sausage dish and a pesto & scallop... wonderful. Service was efficient. The only bummer was, for a chain restaurant in the suburbs I was surprised that the cost was higher than I expected. Entrees ranged from 16 to 25 dollars unless you're going veggie, which should be a sin in a good Italian place.
(4)Myra M.
We just had our rehearsal dinner here for about 27 people. The nice thing about this restaurant was that it has a private room. Originally we were thinking of having our dinner at Prasinos but when we compared prices, it made our decision a lot easier. They come with a variety of packages to choose from and the prices are reasonable. Plus the event coordinator was incredibly nice to work with. The day of the dinner the service was great, as well as the food. There was enough food for everyone and the food wasn't cold. I received compliments for choosing this restaurant. Overall I really do feel like I got exactly what I wanted for the right price. I recommend this place for future private dinners.
(5)Pam K.
I was excited to eat here because the pics on their website look so appetizing, but I was disappointed. I was there for lunch Monday afternoon and started with the bruscetta and green bean salad. The salad was disappointing -- it didn't have much flavor at all, I think it could have used something more than just olive oil as a dressing. My friends had the caprese sandwich, one with a side salad and the other with fries. The sandwich bun was huge --- much bigger than what was needed based on what was inside the bun. The presentation was not appealing either -- maybe they could have cut the sandwich in half and made it look better on the plate. We had the profiteroles for dessert -- again because the picture on the website was so appealing -- but they came out looking just so so. The taste was fine, not great. If any of their food was actually presented in a similar manner to what is advertised I think my rating would have been higher because we eat with our eyes too. The place just seemed tired.
(2)Will V.
This is a new location of the Mia Francesca's family of Italian restaurants. They are still working out some kinks with the service and the kitchen, so I'm being a little forgiving here. It took a few minutes for a server (not our server) to come around to take our drink order, and when the manager brought our drinks, he told us they were on the house, with apologies. We only waited for a few minutes, so it really wasn't a big deal. When our server finally came to the table, he apologized again. We told him we were easy, but that turned out to be a mistake, because he didn't really seem to pay that much attention to us after that. The food was OK. The salmon in tomato sauce was well done, but not as spicy as I would have expected from the description on the menu. The Margherita pizza was not as good as it has been at other Francesca's locations, there was too much cheese, and the flavor just wasn't up to par. I'm looking forward to returning to see if they work out the kinks at this location. But the other locations are so good, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed.
(3)Susan M.
very good. consistent with most other francesca's locations i've dined at. we had good martinis at the bar, bartender was very accommodating and sweet. once seated, we started with calamari -- to be expected - light, tasty, great sauce. i had the basil/tomato pizza while my friends had the pumpkin ravioli (WOW fab) and lemon chicken (i heard that was good also). for dessert we had choc chip bread pudding (the best bread puddin eva) and the apple pie, i think??? honestly, i don't remember, but it was good too, just not as memorable as the bread puddin. overall a good experience. :)
(4)D T.
LOVE, love it here. So excited to hear one opened around us, as long as it wasn't like the one in Elmhurst. :-) I'm a big fan of the company and we are frequent visitors. Like all MF's, the menu changes, but not as much as the Chicago location. The mussels are great; the red sauce is addicting. Fried calamari is one of the best I've had. They always have some delicious appetizer with prosciutto and a delightful bruschetta. The Ceasar salad is kind of off...they put roast peppers on top. Obviously they can come without, nut not a fan. The Quattro Staggione pizza is fabulous. Don't let the egg freak you out-it's delicious. For entrees I usually order a fish or roast chicken. They will prepare the fish however you like. Like you can get the salmon prepared the way the tilapia is, or you can get it prepared very simply. I always get roast potatoes on the side too, they're so yummy. Same goes for pastas. They will do any pasta with any sauce. Which is why I force my daughter to get a pasta so I can have half and still enjoy my fish! My husband usually gets a pasta unless they have the chicken with prosciutto and mozzarella. There aren't many meat options. My very picky, very Italian grandfather had a pork chop there and loved it though. They also have Pomelo by the glass-big bonus. The kicker is, I am not a huge dessert person. I like salt and after overordering my meal, I will sample someone's dessert, but usually don't have room for my own. But they have the BEST desserts ever. All of them. I always get the banana chocolate chip bread pudding. Profiteroles are amazing, tiramisu, etc. Damn I'm forgetting half of them. Just order one of each.
(4)Domenic A.
5 PLUS stars is what Francesca's in LaGrange is. It was my 1st time there (this past Wednesday) and it won't be my last. From the moment we walked in we were treated like family. The manager Andrea greeted us as if we had been friends for years. She showed us to a table and before we were even settled the busboy had water on the table. Our server Benny was very knowledgeable and guided us thru the menu. We chose the Rigatoni w/ sausage (just like mom use to make) and the chicken lemon. The tiramisu was a great finish to a wonderful evening. As we were leaving Andrea told us about all the specials that Francesca's has during the week. Of course we will be back.... Thanks Andrea, Benny and the Crew at Francesca's for making my night!!!!!!!!
(5)Ken T.
Dined 03/22/12. It was not busy. Hostess seated us right away. Waiter gave us a piece of paper with mostly illegible writing on it and called it a menu. The menu was worn and dirty. (One would expect that if photocopy menus were being handed out, we could at least get a fresh one). Ordered dinner, asked specifically for no parmesean cheese to be added. Dinner arrived via the busboy with parmesean cheese on it. I managed to remove the ribbons of parmesean and waited for the waiter to come back and check on us. He never did. The busboy filled our water glasses often. The busboy brought us containers to bring home our leftovers. Our waiter eventually showed up with the bill. I told him about the parmesean (I am allergic) and he proceeded to defend himself, stating that he wrote it down on the order to the kitchen and told me a story about a patron who had specified that no peanuts be in his dinner, but the kitchen added them anyways. He offered to replace my dinner as we were ready to leave. Terrible waiter, mediocre food, high priced for what we got. We won't be going back.
(1)k b.
I only write reviews if a place exceeds expectations or lets me down. I wish I could say this was a positive visit, but I was very disappointed. We waited to go to Francesca's till they had had time to work out the "bugs" of a new business. It didn't help. The food was just OK, the wine was great, the space was very nice. But the eat-and-get-out attitude left a lot to be desired. We had not even received our appetizer before we were asked what we wanted for an entree, and the appetizer was only half gone when the entree arrived. Seriously, the help needs lessons in the normal pace of a meal. They actually tried to remove the appetizer plate to make room for the entree. Italian restaurants are not hard to find, and to my way to thinking only have the service aspect to distinguish themselves. Francesca's in LaGrange failed. I will go to Marconi's from now on where they know that rushing the courses does not make for happy diners. Too bad. . .
(2)Cute K.
Received a gift groupon to try this place. I enjoyed the swordfish but my husband was not excited about it. The entrees were pricey for what you got. We also tried a shrimp and pasta dish with tomato basil pesto which was very tasty but the shrimp a tad overcooked. The Bella vita cocktail was worse than yellow cough syrup, just horrible, seriously undrinkable, but they graciously allowed an exchange for a glass of wine. Until today I had never met a fruity cocktail I could not drink. The bread and spiced olive oil and Parmesan starter hit the spot and my husband says the Parmesan was the highlight of the meal. The large bar TV took away from the romantic ambiance and seemed out of place in a restaurant charging $20 for a bowl of spaghetti. We had made reservations for 6:30 and we were seated right away which was nice. I might come back to try lunch with a girlfriend sometime.
(3)Scott S.
I can honestly say that for the three times I have been here, I, nor anyone else with me (family and friends), has had a bad meal. You get what you pay for and while the entrees are not the cheapest in downtown LaGrange, they are excellent.
(5)Diane O.
Unfortunately the poor waitstaff outshines the chef. The food was good but the service was rude. Who wants to beg for the next drink? Perhaps it was a bad day for the staff but I had a terrible experience. They need a more polite and positive attitude with their servers before I will return. With so many options in the area why go out and be treated poorly. My $100.00 would have been better spent at Vie.
(1)emily b.
i'm torn between 2 stars and 3, sadly.... the actual space is great.... fresh, clean, welcoming. it's so true, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to a space. i went on a tuesday evening, and it was surprisingly not-empty. we were seated fairly quickly, and had water and bread on the table almost immediately. that was the end of any sort of "speedy" service however. the rest of the night was spent waiting for our server to take our order, then waiting for them to bring our order...waiting for our check.... etc etc. i'm all for the european way of dining, but this was just slow. i noticed each of the tables surrounding ours was experiencing the same thing. the food was ok. i got the asparagus pasta dish, which was severely lacking the asparagus, my friends both got one of the spaghetti entress which they seemed to enjoy. parking was easy, and people were friendly enough, but i wouldn't go out of my way to go back. as brian b mentioned, it's not exactly a "deal", and, in my opinion, nothing about it felt especially unique. la grange, can't you branch out from ice cream parlors and italian/pizza places next time you open a new spot? please? on a more positive note, they do seem to be quite involved in the local community (15% of our dining costs that night were donated to a local youth agency, which is wonderful).
(3)Kelvin R.
If you're looking for a place a little better than Olive Garden... This is it. The food is average and the atmosphere is contrived (fake hand-crafted menus offering reheated fare).
(3)