4. Restaurants

Francesca’s Famiglia

100 E Station St, Barrington, IL, 60010
  • (847) 277-1027
  • Store is closed

Francesca’s Famiglia Menu

  • Antipasti
  • Insalate
  • Paste
  • secondi
  • Pizze

Healthy Meal suggestions for Francesca’s Famiglia

  • Antipasti
  • Insalate
  • Paste
  • secondi
  • Pizze

Visit below restaurant in Barrington for healthy meals suggestion.

Barrington House Bed & Breakfast ( 203 Dundee Ave )

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Yakuza G.

    Francesca's is one of our favorite places in Barrington. The food is always good, and (almost) always the wait staff is extremely attentive. Our family dines here at least once per month. The salads and appetizers are fresh and wonderful. The pasta and entrees wonderfully seasoned and prepared with care. Don't worry if their menu pasta selection lacks something you want - just ask, and they generally will prepare what you want - the sign of an excellent Italian restaurant. Only once have we had poor service - and management made up for it by discounting the bill (unasked).

    (4)

  • Sean V.

    Francesca's always delivers. Great food. Great drinks. Great service. The Barrington location is my favorite but all are good. It is pricey though I must say. I rarely get out of there under $100.

    (4)

  • K B.

    Food was good, but services was sloooooooow. They were not busy and I was with two kids it was painful, do not got there with kids who are hungry! Waiting 20 min for bread! They need to know how to cater to kids if they want families to come in..we will not be back.

    (1)

  • Jack T.

    Perfect place for the Olive Garden crowd. But wait Olive Garden has better service!

    (1)

  • bob t.

    Great pasta, an excellent wine list and overall great service. My favorite place in town.

    (4)

  • Lori N.

    Wonderful food...great service...upscale without being stuffy.

    (5)

  • Bon J.

    You're not going to have a bad meal at this place. Good meals fairly priced, decent staff, good bar area. Quality experience. If they had a better staff, this place would be 4 1/2.

    (4)

  • Carli W.

    Very good food. Even better service. Its expensive...but there are less expensive options like the pizza (which is great!) on the menu as well. I can't wait to go again!

    (4)

  • Lynn P.

    First bad experience ever in Barrington restaurant. Felt so strongly I wrote a letter, not even acknowledged. Guess customers don't matter to them. Terrible, slow service by a waiter with major bad attitude, seemingly because we had one glass of wine instead of vats. The pasta, I could have made it myself. Been patronizing their restaurants for 15 years, and they didn't care about me so F them.

    (3)

  • M M.

    This place is awesome. Great location downtown, not a ton of parking however. There is not a ton of seating so definitely make reservations. I had the salmon and my date had a pasta dish. The food is top quality as is the service. Date spot for sure....Definitely the best restaurant in Barrington!

    (4)

  • Eric T.

    I love the Italian food scene in Barrington; this place is one of the reasons why. I've been a regular over the years, and I can say with the utmost confidence that the food here is always fresh and filling - never a time to be disappointed. Two dishes I'd like to highlight on my most recent trip here, the calamari fritti and quattro stagioni pizza. The calamari batter is so light and the portion is HUGE - definitely not complaining ;). The pizza on the other hand has everything you can ask for - prosciutto, artichoke, mushroom, olive, egg. There's an over easy egg right in the middle of the pizza and the waiter will come sprinkle that yolk just. right. over. everywhere. Love It. You can definitely get a sense of family when you come here (I searched up for famiglia meant in Italian and indeed it means family). Whether it be the first warm plate of bread that they bring out with the killer olive oil to the friendly waitstaff, you just can't get enough off that in this busy world. Hope this place will always keep up the good work.

    (5)

  • Spencer H.

    My absolute favorite restaurant in Barrington. My first experience here was not that great but every time I have been here after has been amazing. I usually come here every Friday & it is always packed. I would recommend reservations especially on a weekend night. One of the main reasons my first experience here was not excellent is I didn't really see anything on the menu I was familiar with or cared a lot for. My second visit here I asked for something that wasn't on the menu with was gnocchi with vodka sauce. I can say with out hesitation that this place served me the absolute best gnocchi with vodka sauce that I have ever tasted. Another one of my favorites here is the clams. They serve two different kinds of clams. One of them is served in a red marinara sauce & the second is served in a white creamier sauce. They do have a full bar here & serve champagne by the bottle. Their champagne prices by the bottle are reasonable. We usually order a bottle of Vueve Clicquot for $90. This is definitely cheaper than some champgane prices in the city. Lastly the service here has always been phenomenal. Between the service the food & the atmosphere I really enjoy eating here & will continue to come here on a regular basis. I also like the outside seating that they have available in the summer. It makes coming here for lunch even better.

    (5)

  • Rob B.

    Francesca's, be it this location in Barrington, or the other locations I frequent, is it as far as this level of Italian restaurant is concerned. I LOVE this place so much and while I was there Saturday they had gnocchi on the menu, which is a can't miss! The food is consistently great whether its the rigatoni, the gnocchi, or any other pasta dishes. The bolognese sauce is probably my favorite, but they have others that come and go depending on the evening. I don't usually order off any other menu than the straight pasta entree menu, but I just cannot bring myself to miss out on a tasty plate of the night's pasta special. The other item you do not want to miss is any salad with blue cheese crumbles on it. I used to work in the cheese industry and I've tasted many blues. The blue Francesca's uses compliments their salad SO well with the sweet fruity notes. When we dine here, we usually do have a reservation just because you never know what might be going on locally be it a group party at the restaurant or folks stopping by after a street fest. You can certainly show up well-dressed and not feel out of place, but for a casual night its ok too.

    (5)

  • Suzanne T.

    Very disappointed. With all of the great restaurants to pick from in this price range why did I go last night? Because the food and service has ALWAYS been top notch. Our server was so distracted and unorganized she forgot to bring wine, messed up our orders, that we waited forever to get--and were COLD, and while we waited for our entrees came to the table and asked, 'are you ready to order yet?"---as if she'd never been there. We saw more of the bus staff than her and when we did, she was clue less. Never told us about the specials. Starters and salads were tasty-as always, but SUPER skimpy--new kitchen staff? cost cutting? We were celebrating and made the restaurant aware of it in writing and on the phone but our server only acknowledged it AT tip time, just before she brought our cake. Never again. Goodbye Francescas!

    (2)

  • Dave L.

    Food was wonderful. Service great. Pretty good wine list. The menu is limited. However, this means they focus more on their offerings. The only reason for the four stars is that we ordered one of the most expensive wines and when we asked to have the wine decanted, the waiter took the bottle away from the table and then brought it back with the decanter. Small thing, but open the wine at the table and leave it there. The one thing I loved the most here us the fact that they treated us like we were regular customers. They made us feel like we mattered and that our experience was important. This is something you rarely find in restaurants these days.

    (4)

  • Jon B.

    I went to lunch on a Wednesday afternoon to celebrate my sister's birthday. Also in attendance were my mom, aunt, and son. All of our orders were fresh and delicious. Great environment as we were seated by a wall of windows. The best part, though, was the service. Our waitress, Alexandra, was so efficient, friendly and funny! Our busboy, Chase, was also so friendly and attentive. They made for such an enjoyable celebration. We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Hank M.

    While it's not bad - it's not all that great - Barrington so sadly so has so few food options. It's straight on Franchesca's branded food that I would describe as somewhat overpriced and inconsistent dish over dish over time - I eat here often and come up with the same refrain - who is in the kitchen ? While it's Italian - it's incredibly Hispanic on all fronts. I wish they would become a gourmet Hispanic restaurant - we have nothing like that here. Identity issues but that being said they appear to do well - but again the food - restaurant choices are so slim that almost average could be considered great. Open up up new restaurants in Barringtin! Please !

    (2)

  • Gail B.

    I have always enjoyed this restaurant. Not tonight. They had a wonderful Ravioli special I had REALLY been looking forward to. Sold out at 6:30. Really? The chef couldn't plan better? I ordered my second choice and it was so bland, I couldn't believe it. I left hungry and ticked off. Should have stayed home and made Bertolli.

    (1)

  • Omar A.

    I have been to Barrington location twice and Arlington Heights twice... Pretty much the same Went to Barrington in Mother's Day and in summary. The kitchen was insanely slow and got my order wrong twice I think we are done here... Good luck with your meals

    (2)

  • Kay H.

    Always great service and great food! Went there last night for dinner. They were packed but still very attentive and we enjoyed our entire family dinner! They have done a few things to lower the noise level and we appreciate that too. There are always super nice healthy options; we do love that since most of the time we want to eat gourmet healthy.

    (5)

  • Peter K.

    Food is consistently bad. We live down the street and I wish it was better. I would like to give them our business. Simple things like appropriately salting and seasoning the food is challenging for them. I refuse to go back.

    (1)

  • DrA Y.

    Awesome bread, great service, delicious entrees! Even my picky kids loved their meals. Will come back soon!

    (5)

  • Doug R.

    How this restaurant survives is beyond me. It's supposed to offer authentic Italian food, but it doesn't. The Caprese had dry, tasteless Wisconsin blue cheese on it, instead of mozzarella. The carpaccio was sliced so thin that it needed surgery to get it off the plate. There was something advertized as "branzino" - a prized fish from the Mediterranean. It turned out to be a soggy, and sorry Chilean Sea Bass. The manager blithely explained he uses Google to write the "Italian" in his menu! When asked for a recommendation on wine, the waiter went straight for the most expensive which further discussion revealed he knew nothing about. A real disappointment!

    (1)

  • Thomas L.

    What a Valentines Day disaster. I had a 6:45 reservation. Showed up at 6:30, the lady said they were not checking in the 6:45 crowd, so I should come back in 15 minutes to check in. Fine, squeezed between 30 people in the waiting area, stood at the crowded bar. Ordered a Sauvignon Blanc, got a Chardonnay. Politely told the bartender, he rudely got me another glass. At 6:45 I go back to check in, the lasy says 15 minute wait for my table. At 7:05 I ask again, told to keep waiting. At 7:15 I hear them seating the 7pm people, so I politely remind them I have a 6:45 reservation. The lady has the nerve to tell me I am going to have to leave the bar, get in a line by the door, and wait behind 6 other couples with 7pm reservations. They had no clue what they were doing at this place, what a joke. Finally sit after complaining, get a table with bread and cheese, no oil. That takes a while. Order a glass of wine and meals at same time, wine never shows up. Salads arrive, and then we wait....and wait...and wait...people seated after us get their appetizers, salads, entrees, drinks and checks before we finally mention I have no wine, and where are our entrees! No apology, just a shrug and "everyone is waiting." Well, the food was mediocre, the service was aweful, and the experience was lousy. Never, ever again. What a sorry pitiful excuse for a restaurant. Amateurs. Go somewhere else and get better service, food and atmosphere for less money.

    (2)

  • Kate L.

    Yuck. I'd been dying to try Francesca's for a while because of their gluten free menu, but picking up food from here was a total disappointment! I got the gluten free Penne Aalio e Olio. The description on the menu said it had fresh garlic, diced tomatoes, and spinach. Sounds good, right? The gluten free pasta actually had an okay taste, but it was terribly overcooked so the penne was just shreds of pasta. I know gluten free pasta is delicate, but that's really not acceptable for pasta from a restaurant. Also, there were hardly any tomatoes, and the spinach was really really soggy. The garlic was in a giant clump at the bottom of the dish, so when I discovered it and tried to spread it out, the flavor was overwhelming. I felt like a fire-breathing dragon. Maybe I'd come back and give them another chance, but at $14 a dish (with tax), I think there are a bunch of better options out there. I should have listened to the other reviews!

    (2)

  • T. F.

    I dropped in for lunch while exploring the area and saw something I liked on the extensive menu outside. I go in to order and the waiter tells me they change their menu every few weeks. Interesting :) However, it is not the correct week for my dish. He says he will see if the kitchen can hook me up.... Delicious!! A plentiful steaming dish of pasta carbonara comes out. The bread was hot and soaked up the olive oil perfectly. The decor is very "Italian", but not as nauseating as most Italian chain restaurants. I will definitely come back!! Plus, the people watching in Barrington is choice!

    (5)

  • Michele B.

    They get a star for trying to put out the steam that was coming from my ears. We called and asked how long the wait was for a party of 4 on Saturday, they said oh, about 15 minutes. Seriously, we even called a second time and again "about 15 minutes" so we put our name in and said we would be there in a few minutes because we were in the area.. So when we got there and the place was packed we walked up to the hostess and gave our name and she said we can't find it, so the other girl came and looked in the book and in the computer and couldn't find our name. The manager came up and said oh we don't take names until people are actually here. We told him about our conversation we JUST had with his staff and he said he would oblige our request and it would be a few minutes. We waited and waited and after a bit I went and asked the hostess how long it would be and she said "well we said 15 minutes and it has been only 12 minutes. !!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say we waited and one of the managers or assistant manager not sure who, kept coming buy and saying "only a few more minutes, we're clearing a table now" "only a few more minutes, tables are leaving now" " we will be seating you shortly", etc. etc. I kid you not, I would have rather cut our losses and been told the truth and made it another time. Finally seated 50 minutes later! Well, the other couple at this point was so hungry they could have cared less what we ordered. So we started with calamari, it was served nicely and fresh and pretty timely. We finished our appetizer and were waiting with empty glasses (both water and wine) for our waiter to take out order. We flagged him down twice. We were given the "one minute sign". Finally, we ordered!! Nothing exceptionally difficult. A chicken dish, ravioli, a salad and some lamb chips. IT TOOK OVER 40 MINUTES. When the waiter came to the table and I asked if there was a problem he said "the manager knows that you have been waiting" "it's not my fault". Seriously?? When the food arrived you could tell it had been under the heat lamps for a long time because the ravioli was dry around the edges. The manager arrived and said he was sorry and would love to buy us a Limoncello after dinner, we graciously accepted, acknowledging his attempt to make things right. When our waiter returned to clear the table, we asked for the check, not knowing when or if he would return again. Another manager came to the table and apologized and asked if we would please accept dessert for our troubles. My appetite was pretty well shot by this time, but again we accepted. 10 minutes later, dessert, we were asked if we wanted coffee. We ordered cappuccino and regular coffee. While we waited, the Lemoncello arrived, from the other manager. One hand didn't know what the other was doing. But they tried. Well the end to a perfectly horrible experience, the coffee was cold!! I was here once before and gave it a good rating based on the food and service back in 2011-what changed? Looking at some of the other reviews, it seems like a lot. Thanks for trying, but too many wrongs did not make it right. I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Taylor M.

    I was confused at first why this Francesca's had lower ratings than other the others. I have been to several locations and this was by far the worse. The service was horrible. I came here with my boyfriend on a double date with my parents. It was a Saturday night so I called and asked how long the wait was, the girl on the phone said 15 minutes. I then asked if they do call ahead seating so I could put my name on the waiting list and head over. She said yes and took my information. When I arrived they claimed they do not do call ahead seating or reservations and the wait was now 25 minutes. I was frustrated and they told me that they would get me seated as soon as possible. Well our 15 minutes quickly turned into over an hour with someone telling us you will be next a couple times. The service sucked. Our waiter kept forgetting about us. The table next too us was a bunch of obnoxiously drunk and loud 40 year olds. It took about 40 minutes and we asked about the food. once we asked it was brought out immediately... my pasta was burnt like it had sat under the fryer. I would give them one star, but the manager tried to appease us by giving us a free dessert platter. But, needless to say, I will not be returning anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Carol R.

    Wonderful service, delicious food, elegant atmosphere. What more could you want? Highly recommend!!

    (5)

  • Denise D.

    There were three of us for a late lunch on a snowy Friday afternoon. Our server was very nice and thorough, but our lunches took a very long time. Shortly after we placed our order, a group of kids (around 9 or 10 years old who should have been in school, I thought) came in. They were loud (but not as loud as one might have expected) and held up the kitchen a while, I suspect. When we left, the host apologized to us about the noise and explained that the group was the final "exam" of an etiquette class. The food was good--I had a veggie panino with goat cheese and it was lovely. My friend ordered the three course prix fixe and said it was the best meal she'd had in a long time (they had a special menu in honor of their anniversary). Something on her plate involved meat balls. I did not try it. I loved the crème brûlée, which made it all worthwhile for me. I've been to Francesca's Fortunado in Frankfort and that experience didn't make me super excited to try Francesca's Famiglia, but I was glad I did. Except for the long wait on our food (and the unexpected group of children nearby), it was a tasty experience with good service.

    (4)

  • Jen J.

    It's a little far for dinner but we love this family restaurant as there aren't many great restaurants in the burbs, service is good & I like the manager's personal hello, he always remembers our family no matter how long it's been since our last visit.

    (4)

  • Susan F.

    We have dined at Francesca's several times. Always on the weekend, usually Sunday and various dinner times-early to later in the evenings. We continue to dine at Francesca's but with disappointment. We dined recently on the Sunday after Christmas. We thought it would be relaxing but not so. The food and the service do not disappoint. The noise level and children running in the restaurant are a problem. The child next to us bumped into our table and I quickly grabbed my wine so it would not tip over. The children at another table ran around our table bumping into the chair. One child threw pieces of bread on the floor. The parents did not pick up but left for the servers to do. The children are not yet civilized to be taken to a tablecloth restaurant. I do not know what management can do about the unruly behavior. It is too bad because we enjoy the food. We do not think we can dine at Francesca's in Barrington again

    (3)

  • Heidi N.

    I've been here for dinner several times. Most recently twice within three nights, once with my husband and the second time with a friend. Both times were great! Cute little Italian restaurant in downtown Barrington. The minestrone soup is very tasty, their bread is awesome and I've never had a bad entree. Last night Montana waited on us and she provided excellent service. We were there for over two hours and never felt rushed. Smaller menu but seems to change often. Outdoor patio seating :)

    (5)

  • Katy B.

    Our favorite Friday night stops. We enjoy sitting at a high top table near the bar and having some fantastic Italian food.

    (5)

  • Adwait K.

    I have a general dislike of Italian food but this place completely brought me to the other side. The only Italian places I remember are all the Olive Gardens and some hole in the wall place in Wheeling (on Hintz Road, disgusting). Right from the get-go, this place was awesome. The servers were all extremely friendly. We ordered a two glasses of reisling, salad and a shrimp bisque for starters. The salad was nice but the bisque was out of this world!! Of course, we were given the usual bread and butter and olive oil before this. It was fresh and warm. :) Then for main course we had some chicken tortellini dish and i think a "pollo alla salvio" or something. Both of these dishes were unbelievably tasty. It just left you with a very satisfied feeling. I kept wanting to stuff my face but resisted and got it packed for lunch the next day. Also, I had to save some space in the tummy for dessert. To bring the meal to a close, we ordered a creme brulee and a coconut cake with caramel sauce and creme anglais. I cannot even begin to describe how delicious the cake was. It was quite a big piece too and was garnished with a few mint leaves. I always eat these if provided - nature's mouth freshener. The creme brulee was just as good as any. I definitely would go back here. It was worth every penny and I really want to try all the different entrees. So glad to have discovered another gem in the suburbs.

    (5)

  • Jeff S.

    Always consistent. Staff is always very helpful and will cater to your dining needs.

    (5)

  • Honest T.

    We came for Valentine's Day and it was our first experience here. First and foremost the place was packed, which some may find appealing. Maybe it means they have good food? Too bad there were SO many people waiting to check in, the lobby was literally packed. Barely room to breathe. We finally checked in for our 6:45 reservation at 7pm (yes we were on time and yes it took that long just to get to the hostess stand). Were seated at a decent table and promptly ordered drinks. My husband didn't like his and sent it back for something else. Mine didn't come as ordered. So both drinks had to be sent back. We ordered the calamari, which we found to be incredibly over cooked and didn't even finish. The house bread and seasoned olive oil was delicious though. We had been seated for about 30 minutes (maybe longer). Finally had to ask or waiter if we could order our entrees. He seemed surprised. Food took a while but both our dishes were bone-in so would take longer than usual, they get a pass on this one. The atmosphere could have been more romantic. The place was very loud but family friendly. We saw plenty of kids there. Prices were about $15-$20 for a pasta dish and $25+ for a entrée. All in all a great more fresh version of the chain Italian restaurants. Would be interested in dining there on a night other than Valentine's Day.

    (3)

  • Judy C.

    I started dining at Francesca's after Sam's Club had special deals on their gift cards, kinda like Groupon where you can purchase a $50 gift card for $30. This Francesca's is in Barrington, Illinois and is situated in downtown Barrington so it is a busy establishment. The food is a little overpriced, however, the discounted gift cards keeps it within the market price. The Calamari Fritti and Mussels Pomodoro have great flavor. I found that their Chicken entrees tend to be overcooked. The pizzas and salads are ok but nothing special. The pasta dishes are tasty and rich but plan to run 6 miles the next day to kill those calories! Overall, good place to go if you want to dine with the elite people in Barrington.

    (3)

  • Sherry A.

    This is our go-to favorite restaurant! Any special occasion or just a weekday out for dinner! Honestly I feel like we're going to a second home--we are always welcomed, the food is consistently good, the bar is consistent (which is one of my pet peeves about restaurants if it's not!) and the overall atmosphere is just warm, friendly and homey! I have so many favorites on their menus but if I don't feel like pasta the 'egg pizza' is always a safe and wonderful go-to! Love love love this location! Only been to one other and that is wonderful too, but this one is 'home!'

    (5)

  • Nirvana C.

    This place was amazeballs. The food was fantastic, the atmosphere was very family-friendly, and our waiter was a gem.

    (5)

  • Shawn K.

    It's a really good Italian restaurant. They have a homely type of feel excellent service and they have great dinner specials highly recommend this place

    (4)

  • Laurie L.

    Favorite place to eat in B-town. Bar seating is a nice place for good eats on a week night. Make sure to get a reservation on the weekend. Love the arugula salad!

    (5)

  • Barbara Z.

    We moved into the area and decided to give this retaurant a try. Background music is great... wine was good... but that's all. Glasses were less than sparkly clean. We split a pizza as an appetiser. I don't eat frozen pizza, but I bet that is better than what we were served. It was a soggy mess. My husbands pork chop was as dry as shoe leather, not edible and my roast chicken came out floating in heavy cream sauce. I guess for some who like cream sauces, this would be a treat. I'm not a fan and as the menu said nothing about the cream sauce, it was a dissappointment to us. I say us, as after determining the pork chop is not edible I thought we could at least split the roast chicken. Service is spotty. People ask how everything is, but are in such a hurry to walk by the table, you can never say what the problem(s) are. We were hoping this would become our new fave in the area, but no such luck. The search for a good Italian restaurant in the Barrington area is still on. Great (not inexpensive) dissappointment and we will not be back.

    (2)

  • Kathleen L.

    My husband and I have been here a couple of times and the food, service, and atmosphere have always been wonderful. But this past Friday night we decided to get take out...I ordered a dish off of their gluten free menu, I believe it was the al pomodoro (sp?). It was supposed to have a 'spicy tomato basil sauce'. Upon tasting it, I realized something was very, very wrong with this dish. 1) It had no spice whatsoever. Ok, no big deal, I can add spice. But as I took another bite it became clear that the chef had dumped about a pound of salt in the sauce. Now I love salt. I usually add salt to my dishes (bad, I know) but this dish was inedible. I was upset because the GF pasta itself was wonderful. It had great texture and was cooked perfectly. I wish I could've eaten it but there was no way anyone could eat this. I called the next day to speak to the manager. He was not in and I was told I would get a call back at 3 pm that same day. I never did. I called back that Monday. I was cranky upon calling because no one had called me back when they said they would. "Stash" answered, the general manager. He listened to my explanation and he was extremely kind and understanding. He thanked me for bringing it to his attention and told me to stop in and he'll cook me a new one. I went in that evening after work to pick up the new dish. Stash offered me a glass of wine while I waited. He was really so, so sweet and generous. As I waited, I noticed every one of his customers that walked thru the door gave him a huge smile and handshake (and a hug!) He brought me out the new dish, this time a different one, a veggie GF pasta with a garlic herb broth. It was fabulous!! Stash certainly made me want to come back despite the poor dish I was given. He makes his customers feel right at home.

    (4)

  • Katie L.

    My family loves this place for our Italian fix. We have been here many times. The only problem sometimes is the service, we have had some waiters that are not too good. One time we actually handed our tip to one of the bus boys because he provided a much superior service. The calamari is the BEST, you must get it. We have loved all of their pasta dishes and have had everything from the tomato based, cream and olive oil type sauces. They always add enough seafood in their seafood dishes. The chocolate cake dessert is great too if you are looking for an extra treat. This place is good for kids too - I love seeing families bringing their kids and teaching them good manners. Love it!

    (4)

  • Steve S.

    Loud, very loud. Crowded - can hardly walk between tables - they must be over the fire code limit - no way you can pack that many people in there. Was there on a Sat night for a bday dinner with a group of 10 and there were several other groups - I felt sorry for any couple trying to have a nice dinner/conversation. Just way to jam packed to enjoy yourself. Food was ok, nothing to write home about. Portions are grossly huge. Bread was hard as a rock but 1,000 degrees inside Service was fair at best. Menu tries to be too trendy. No decent choices for kids either. Hard to read the sloppy hand written menu too. Could be really good with a few minor improvements, but I won't be back. No way a 4 star place!

    (2)

  • Nicole F.

    I will start this review by saying that the only thing that saved this from a one start review was the food. We have been to the city locations many times and had great service and great food. I work in the area and all my co workers frequent this Francesca's. So on my way back from the city I stopped in for lunch. We were seated right away, but We waited awhile before we were greeted. We figured maybe the server had been double sat or something. While we are sitting there waiting we see the manager go around to all the tables dining except ours!? Thanks guy. It looked like maybe only one server was on and another woman was helping her out but she wasnt actually serving tables so im not sure what was actually happening. All i know is we almost walked out in between our app and entree because it took almost 30min. Our total time being there for a burger and a meatball sub was an hour and a half. Thanks but no thanks. There are plenty of great restaurants in the area that give much better service.

    (2)

  • Shaun S.

    Met friends from Crystal Lake here for dinner. I'll call him Guisseppe to protect his innocence, because I still think he's in the witness protection program... He's an Italian from NY, living in Chicago... hmmm? Anyway, we were celebrating his wife's b-day and had a very nice dinner, server had a great sense of humor and was able to play with us through the night. 2 1/2 hrs later, a bottle of prosecco, bread, salad, boat loads of pasta and some yummy desserts, I was entering food coma land. One neat thing too is the photography in the place. Lots of portraits (street style), food shots and in general just a very nice atmosphere with friendly folks. Definitely won't be hard to get them back there again. And on Sundays apparently kids eat free, so bring 'em if you got 'em!

    (4)

  • Vicki K.

    Taking into account Aaron's review, perhaps the service was lacking because my daughter is half "ethnic"......but even so, the food was horrific.....and for those of you that use Open Table - take note that they edit and censor their reviews....I tried to post a similar review on their site, but they refused to post it because of "liability" issues, in the fact that I mentioned that there was sand in the mushrooms and the oil was rancid.

    (1)

  • M-J W.

    My husband and I enjoyed our dinner. It was delish! Gets busy on a Saturday night around 6:30 pm. Go earlier if you want to beat the crowd.

    (5)

  • mauricio o.

    much better experience than the other francesca's that i have been to(at least 4 others on many occasions) matilda in the bottle : ) the server was busy but he managed to deliver on time. I actually thought the handwriting on the menu was sooo nice that it almost ruined my meal knowing that my penmanship can never compare good location.. nice staff.. good food.. easy choice

    (4)

  • Carol B.

    My friends and I love Francesca's. The atmosphere, main entrees and even the appetizers are so delicious. The staff is delightful and they do aim to please their customers. If you are looking for a warm inviting home-town atmosphere with great food and drinks, this is the one.

    (5)

  • Patty R.

    One of our Fav's, my husband never orders off the menu. They always make him Chicken Parm, there fish is out of this world and they Have a Gluten Free menu. Try it you will Love it!

    (4)

  • Bart E.

    A group of us ending up here on a personal referral. We had a early dinner around 5 when we got there the place empty. Luckily I split a dish with one of my friends and when it was all said and done we both had food left over on our plates. Not one person in our group finished their plate. And it was not because we did not try. The food was amazing. Everything was cooked perfectly you could taste the freshness of the ingredients. I got a pasta dish with scallops and shrimp with a light creamy pesto sauce. Just AWESOME! If I ever make it back to that neck of the woods I WILL be eating there.

    (5)

  • Yasoob A.

    When I go out for Italian food, I believe that the simpler the dish harder it is to make it great. But here from the appetizer to the entree the food was outstanding. We had the bruschetta which was the best that I've had. We tried the pizza next, we made our own spinach and artichoke. This was great. The entree was a garlic, tomato, basil pasta which had the right amount of everything. Overall one of the best Italian dinners I have had. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Jim S.

    Fantastic service. Manager is a class act. Food is consistently solid. For sure the best Italian restaurant in the area.

    (4)

  • Rich W.

    My brother, sister-in-law & my nephew took me here for dinner on a Friday night as a belated birthday treat. My nephew & I had medallions of veal which we both enjoyed. They were quite flavorful and complimented by the sides. My brother & S-i-L ordered from the days specials. My bro, had lamb shanks with mashed potatoes and vegetable. It was not very "Italian", but the taste of it that I had, made me wish I had ordered the same. So, what's "Italian" anyway? I guess there were some hints of a tomato based gravy. My s-i-l had Grouper, a fish that I like very much. She didn't eat all of hers and asked if I wanted to finish the remaining portion of it, which I did. When I tasted the grouper when it was first served, it seemed very good, but after it was served, half-way through the meal, it had taken on a rather "fishy" taste. I mean like it lacked freshness. Grouper is not a fish that retains freshness well. In fact, I normally only eat it when I visit an area near to where it is caught . The herbed olive oil for bread dipping is fantastic. My bro tells me that they go here for dinner quite often when they want to just "go out to eat". One of the other pluses of this location is that it is connected to free village indoor parking .

    (4)

  • Ali L.

    Save your money. If you really want to experience a Mia Francesca restaurant head to the one on Clark or even the Lake Forest location. The Barrington location has atrocious food and service. Couldn't even find a decent pasta dish to order, so I got the roast chicken. Tasted like airplane food. And I didn't think it was possible to screw up bruscetta, but they did---under seasoned and bad quality tomatoes.

    (2)

  • Dean H.

    Whole family loves this restaurant. Great food at a perfect price. Feel like we know the staff and are always welcome.

    (5)

  • Mike W.

    Never anything less than an excellent experience with the service and the food...like the cheery and white linen ambiance, and would kill for the lentil/spinach starter. I always overorder, which is a positive sign. Entrees are excellent, pasta portions (the Mrs. always orders pasta) are ridiculous, and kids eat free with each 'adult' entree ordered on Sundays. Love the kid's cheese pizza, too. A bite of the kids' gelatos afterward, and we're set.

    (4)

  • Ron J.

    I'm going to buck the four star trend here and say that a rating should be based upon several factors and one of them is price. You cannot possibly find a better Italian restaurant in the area for the money, period. I have tried a lot of Italian fare over my many years and for me this is my local favorite so far. You always get a delicious meal that is freshly prepared with sauces that are incredibly well blended and flavorful. Yes, I agree that the menu can be sometimes limited but no matter what you choose from the available offerings you should never be disappointed. And the price? I'm not aware of anywhere I can find fresher foods more specially prepared and in the $14-21 price range than here. Yes, it is a chain in the Chicagoland area but to claim that it is better in one location than another is certainly possible but hard to totally believe since they all use a similar menu. Regardless, if you are looking for a deliciously prepared meal that is not your typical pasta and red sauce fare then I do suggest you give this place a try.

    (5)

  • Chase H.

    Live I. Barrington and eaten here maybe 10 times. Consistently excellent. Keep it up !!

    (5)

  • Christophe C.

    Surprisingly good! Was a breath of fresh air here. Restaurant was half full this Sunday evening and most parties had at least one child. Lots of families around here. I didn't experience any difficulty with the speed and the server was very helpful (charming even, may I say), but I can imagine how hungry folks would see different. However there's also the subtle things -- the freshness of the bread, the playfulness of the presentation, the preemptory plate of fine Parmesan, the crispness of the salmon outside with an absolutely fresh inside.

    (4)

  • Mary T.

    We were a party of two and were seated in a room with a group of 18 and a group of 12. The group of 12 which was behind was louder than the group of 18 to our right! Another family was seated in the same area of the restaurant and after 5 minutes, they got up and carried their plates out to another section (we should of done the same) Restaurant was busy, but host should of recognized any small party would of been better seated in another area. And because of the large groups, we waited on for everything...we had to ask several times for bread and water. When dinner arrived food was hot and flavorful, but the loudness of the table behind us was VERY hard to ignore. Normally we linger with desert, coffee and after dinner drink....not on Saturday night! In hindsight if the host does not pay attention to the area where you are being seated, you should speak up.

    (1)

  • Rob L.

    Always a great place to eat... Menu always has something a little different and tasty. Can't go wrong with really any of the options. The staff is always friendly and very welcoming. One of my favorite spots to eat any day of the week!

    (5)

  • Tom S.

    We have been coming here since they opened. The food is always great but it is time for a menu change. An Italian Restauarant without veal? Back room is noisy but overall A good value - just don't go expecting anything new

    (3)

  • Kate H.

    I think this is the best Italian restaurant in the area. The asparagus and cucumber salads are very fresh and light, and the pasta dishes are consistently good. Come to think of it, I've never had a disappointing dish here ever! I love the decor, with photographs of Italy on the wall. It's a great restaurant for a night out with friends or older family or for a date night! I wouldn't encourage bringing children here because it is more of a romantic/classy restaurant.

    (5)

  • Carri N.

    Drinks are always good. Great wine selection, too. Although my other half isn't a huge fan, I love this place. Pasta dishes are always flavorful & service is very good, too.

    (4)

  • Sean P.

    I can't say that the night was a bust but it wasn't what I expected when I think fine dining in Barrington. The food was good but not great and the services was nice but slow. I would go back though to give it a second chance.

    (3)

  • Amanda C.

    This may or may not have been my first Francesca's chain experience, I can't recall. Anyway, I thought it was OK. Honestly, my food was not very good (I could have just made it myself and I'm not a great cook) but it seemed as though the others in my party enjoyed theirs. I had the Rigatoni Siciliana with eggplant. Also, while our server was kind, I didn't like how that person touched my back and others in my group as they stood behind me. Some people just don't like to be touched by strangers. Overall I'd go to Ciao Baby if looking for Italian in Barrington.

    (2)

  • Chase H.

    Live I. Barrington and eaten here maybe 10 times. Consistently excellent. Keep it up !!

    (5)

  • Christophe C.

    Surprisingly good! Was a breath of fresh air here. Restaurant was half full this Sunday evening and most parties had at least one child. Lots of families around here. I didn't experience any difficulty with the speed and the server was very helpful (charming even, may I say), but I can imagine how hungry folks would see different. However there's also the subtle things -- the freshness of the bread, the playfulness of the presentation, the preemptory plate of fine Parmesan, the crispness of the salmon outside with an absolutely fresh inside.

    (4)

  • Suzanne T.

    Very disappointed. With all of the great restaurants to pick from in this price range why did I go last night? Because the food and service has ALWAYS been top notch. Our server was so distracted and unorganized she forgot to bring wine, messed up our orders, that we waited forever to get--and were COLD, and while we waited for our entrees came to the table and asked, 'are you ready to order yet?"---as if she'd never been there. We saw more of the bus staff than her and when we did, she was clue less. Never told us about the specials. Starters and salads were tasty-as always, but SUPER skimpy--new kitchen staff? cost cutting? We were celebrating and made the restaurant aware of it in writing and on the phone but our server only acknowledged it AT tip time, just before she brought our cake. Never again. Goodbye Francescas!

    (2)

  • Dave L.

    Food was wonderful. Service great. Pretty good wine list. The menu is limited. However, this means they focus more on their offerings. The only reason for the four stars is that we ordered one of the most expensive wines and when we asked to have the wine decanted, the waiter took the bottle away from the table and then brought it back with the decanter. Small thing, but open the wine at the table and leave it there. The one thing I loved the most here us the fact that they treated us like we were regular customers. They made us feel like we mattered and that our experience was important. This is something you rarely find in restaurants these days.

    (4)

  • Jon B.

    I went to lunch on a Wednesday afternoon to celebrate my sister's birthday. Also in attendance were my mom, aunt, and son. All of our orders were fresh and delicious. Great environment as we were seated by a wall of windows. The best part, though, was the service. Our waitress, Alexandra, was so efficient, friendly and funny! Our busboy, Chase, was also so friendly and attentive. They made for such an enjoyable celebration. We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Hank M.

    While it's not bad - it's not all that great - Barrington so sadly so has so few food options. It's straight on Franchesca's branded food that I would describe as somewhat overpriced and inconsistent dish over dish over time - I eat here often and come up with the same refrain - who is in the kitchen ? While it's Italian - it's incredibly Hispanic on all fronts. I wish they would become a gourmet Hispanic restaurant - we have nothing like that here. Identity issues but that being said they appear to do well - but again the food - restaurant choices are so slim that almost average could be considered great. Open up up new restaurants in Barringtin! Please !

    (2)

  • Gail B.

    I have always enjoyed this restaurant. Not tonight. They had a wonderful Ravioli special I had REALLY been looking forward to. Sold out at 6:30. Really? The chef couldn't plan better? I ordered my second choice and it was so bland, I couldn't believe it. I left hungry and ticked off. Should have stayed home and made Bertolli.

    (1)

  • Omar A.

    I have been to Barrington location twice and Arlington Heights twice... Pretty much the same Went to Barrington in Mother's Day and in summary. The kitchen was insanely slow and got my order wrong twice I think we are done here... Good luck with your meals

    (2)

  • Spencer H.

    My absolute favorite restaurant in Barrington. My first experience here was not that great but every time I have been here after has been amazing. I usually come here every Friday & it is always packed. I would recommend reservations especially on a weekend night. One of the main reasons my first experience here was not excellent is I didn't really see anything on the menu I was familiar with or cared a lot for. My second visit here I asked for something that wasn't on the menu with was gnocchi with vodka sauce. I can say with out hesitation that this place served me the absolute best gnocchi with vodka sauce that I have ever tasted. Another one of my favorites here is the clams. They serve two different kinds of clams. One of them is served in a red marinara sauce & the second is served in a white creamier sauce. They do have a full bar here & serve champagne by the bottle. Their champagne prices by the bottle are reasonable. We usually order a bottle of Vueve Clicquot for $90. This is definitely cheaper than some champgane prices in the city. Lastly the service here has always been phenomenal. Between the service the food & the atmosphere I really enjoy eating here & will continue to come here on a regular basis. I also like the outside seating that they have available in the summer. It makes coming here for lunch even better.

    (5)

  • Rob B.

    Francesca's, be it this location in Barrington, or the other locations I frequent, is it as far as this level of Italian restaurant is concerned. I LOVE this place so much and while I was there Saturday they had gnocchi on the menu, which is a can't miss! The food is consistently great whether its the rigatoni, the gnocchi, or any other pasta dishes. The bolognese sauce is probably my favorite, but they have others that come and go depending on the evening. I don't usually order off any other menu than the straight pasta entree menu, but I just cannot bring myself to miss out on a tasty plate of the night's pasta special. The other item you do not want to miss is any salad with blue cheese crumbles on it. I used to work in the cheese industry and I've tasted many blues. The blue Francesca's uses compliments their salad SO well with the sweet fruity notes. When we dine here, we usually do have a reservation just because you never know what might be going on locally be it a group party at the restaurant or folks stopping by after a street fest. You can certainly show up well-dressed and not feel out of place, but for a casual night its ok too.

    (5)

  • Taylor M.

    I was confused at first why this Francesca's had lower ratings than other the others. I have been to several locations and this was by far the worse. The service was horrible. I came here with my boyfriend on a double date with my parents. It was a Saturday night so I called and asked how long the wait was, the girl on the phone said 15 minutes. I then asked if they do call ahead seating so I could put my name on the waiting list and head over. She said yes and took my information. When I arrived they claimed they do not do call ahead seating or reservations and the wait was now 25 minutes. I was frustrated and they told me that they would get me seated as soon as possible. Well our 15 minutes quickly turned into over an hour with someone telling us you will be next a couple times. The service sucked. Our waiter kept forgetting about us. The table next too us was a bunch of obnoxiously drunk and loud 40 year olds. It took about 40 minutes and we asked about the food. once we asked it was brought out immediately... my pasta was burnt like it had sat under the fryer. I would give them one star, but the manager tried to appease us by giving us a free dessert platter. But, needless to say, I will not be returning anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Carol R.

    Wonderful service, delicious food, elegant atmosphere. What more could you want? Highly recommend!!

    (5)

  • Eric T.

    I love the Italian food scene in Barrington; this place is one of the reasons why. I've been a regular over the years, and I can say with the utmost confidence that the food here is always fresh and filling - never a time to be disappointed. Two dishes I'd like to highlight on my most recent trip here, the calamari fritti and quattro stagioni pizza. The calamari batter is so light and the portion is HUGE - definitely not complaining ;). The pizza on the other hand has everything you can ask for - prosciutto, artichoke, mushroom, olive, egg. There's an over easy egg right in the middle of the pizza and the waiter will come sprinkle that yolk just. right. over. everywhere. Love It. You can definitely get a sense of family when you come here (I searched up for famiglia meant in Italian and indeed it means family). Whether it be the first warm plate of bread that they bring out with the killer olive oil to the friendly waitstaff, you just can't get enough off that in this busy world. Hope this place will always keep up the good work.

    (5)

  • Kay H.

    Always great service and great food! Went there last night for dinner. They were packed but still very attentive and we enjoyed our entire family dinner! They have done a few things to lower the noise level and we appreciate that too. There are always super nice healthy options; we do love that since most of the time we want to eat gourmet healthy.

    (5)

  • Peter K.

    Food is consistently bad. We live down the street and I wish it was better. I would like to give them our business. Simple things like appropriately salting and seasoning the food is challenging for them. I refuse to go back.

    (1)

  • DrA Y.

    Awesome bread, great service, delicious entrees! Even my picky kids loved their meals. Will come back soon!

    (5)

  • Thomas L.

    What a Valentines Day disaster. I had a 6:45 reservation. Showed up at 6:30, the lady said they were not checking in the 6:45 crowd, so I should come back in 15 minutes to check in. Fine, squeezed between 30 people in the waiting area, stood at the crowded bar. Ordered a Sauvignon Blanc, got a Chardonnay. Politely told the bartender, he rudely got me another glass. At 6:45 I go back to check in, the lasy says 15 minute wait for my table. At 7:05 I ask again, told to keep waiting. At 7:15 I hear them seating the 7pm people, so I politely remind them I have a 6:45 reservation. The lady has the nerve to tell me I am going to have to leave the bar, get in a line by the door, and wait behind 6 other couples with 7pm reservations. They had no clue what they were doing at this place, what a joke. Finally sit after complaining, get a table with bread and cheese, no oil. That takes a while. Order a glass of wine and meals at same time, wine never shows up. Salads arrive, and then we wait....and wait...and wait...people seated after us get their appetizers, salads, entrees, drinks and checks before we finally mention I have no wine, and where are our entrees! No apology, just a shrug and "everyone is waiting." Well, the food was mediocre, the service was aweful, and the experience was lousy. Never, ever again. What a sorry pitiful excuse for a restaurant. Amateurs. Go somewhere else and get better service, food and atmosphere for less money.

    (2)

  • Kate L.

    Yuck. I'd been dying to try Francesca's for a while because of their gluten free menu, but picking up food from here was a total disappointment! I got the gluten free Penne Aalio e Olio. The description on the menu said it had fresh garlic, diced tomatoes, and spinach. Sounds good, right? The gluten free pasta actually had an okay taste, but it was terribly overcooked so the penne was just shreds of pasta. I know gluten free pasta is delicate, but that's really not acceptable for pasta from a restaurant. Also, there were hardly any tomatoes, and the spinach was really really soggy. The garlic was in a giant clump at the bottom of the dish, so when I discovered it and tried to spread it out, the flavor was overwhelming. I felt like a fire-breathing dragon. Maybe I'd come back and give them another chance, but at $14 a dish (with tax), I think there are a bunch of better options out there. I should have listened to the other reviews!

    (2)

  • Amanda C.

    This may or may not have been my first Francesca's chain experience, I can't recall. Anyway, I thought it was OK. Honestly, my food was not very good (I could have just made it myself and I'm not a great cook) but it seemed as though the others in my party enjoyed theirs. I had the Rigatoni Siciliana with eggplant. Also, while our server was kind, I didn't like how that person touched my back and others in my group as they stood behind me. Some people just don't like to be touched by strangers. Overall I'd go to Ciao Baby if looking for Italian in Barrington.

    (2)

  • Michele B.

    They get a star for trying to put out the steam that was coming from my ears. We called and asked how long the wait was for a party of 4 on Saturday, they said oh, about 15 minutes. Seriously, we even called a second time and again "about 15 minutes" so we put our name in and said we would be there in a few minutes because we were in the area.. So when we got there and the place was packed we walked up to the hostess and gave our name and she said we can't find it, so the other girl came and looked in the book and in the computer and couldn't find our name. The manager came up and said oh we don't take names until people are actually here. We told him about our conversation we JUST had with his staff and he said he would oblige our request and it would be a few minutes. We waited and waited and after a bit I went and asked the hostess how long it would be and she said "well we said 15 minutes and it has been only 12 minutes. !!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say we waited and one of the managers or assistant manager not sure who, kept coming buy and saying "only a few more minutes, we're clearing a table now" "only a few more minutes, tables are leaving now" " we will be seating you shortly", etc. etc. I kid you not, I would have rather cut our losses and been told the truth and made it another time. Finally seated 50 minutes later! Well, the other couple at this point was so hungry they could have cared less what we ordered. So we started with calamari, it was served nicely and fresh and pretty timely. We finished our appetizer and were waiting with empty glasses (both water and wine) for our waiter to take out order. We flagged him down twice. We were given the "one minute sign". Finally, we ordered!! Nothing exceptionally difficult. A chicken dish, ravioli, a salad and some lamb chips. IT TOOK OVER 40 MINUTES. When the waiter came to the table and I asked if there was a problem he said "the manager knows that you have been waiting" "it's not my fault". Seriously?? When the food arrived you could tell it had been under the heat lamps for a long time because the ravioli was dry around the edges. The manager arrived and said he was sorry and would love to buy us a Limoncello after dinner, we graciously accepted, acknowledging his attempt to make things right. When our waiter returned to clear the table, we asked for the check, not knowing when or if he would return again. Another manager came to the table and apologized and asked if we would please accept dessert for our troubles. My appetite was pretty well shot by this time, but again we accepted. 10 minutes later, dessert, we were asked if we wanted coffee. We ordered cappuccino and regular coffee. While we waited, the Lemoncello arrived, from the other manager. One hand didn't know what the other was doing. But they tried. Well the end to a perfectly horrible experience, the coffee was cold!! I was here once before and gave it a good rating based on the food and service back in 2011-what changed? Looking at some of the other reviews, it seems like a lot. Thanks for trying, but too many wrongs did not make it right. I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Denise D.

    There were three of us for a late lunch on a snowy Friday afternoon. Our server was very nice and thorough, but our lunches took a very long time. Shortly after we placed our order, a group of kids (around 9 or 10 years old who should have been in school, I thought) came in. They were loud (but not as loud as one might have expected) and held up the kitchen a while, I suspect. When we left, the host apologized to us about the noise and explained that the group was the final "exam" of an etiquette class. The food was good--I had a veggie panino with goat cheese and it was lovely. My friend ordered the three course prix fixe and said it was the best meal she'd had in a long time (they had a special menu in honor of their anniversary). Something on her plate involved meat balls. I did not try it. I loved the crème brûlée, which made it all worthwhile for me. I've been to Francesca's Fortunado in Frankfort and that experience didn't make me super excited to try Francesca's Famiglia, but I was glad I did. Except for the long wait on our food (and the unexpected group of children nearby), it was a tasty experience with good service.

    (4)

  • Jen J.

    It's a little far for dinner but we love this family restaurant as there aren't many great restaurants in the burbs, service is good & I like the manager's personal hello, he always remembers our family no matter how long it's been since our last visit.

    (4)

  • Mary T.

    We were a party of two and were seated in a room with a group of 18 and a group of 12. The group of 12 which was behind was louder than the group of 18 to our right! Another family was seated in the same area of the restaurant and after 5 minutes, they got up and carried their plates out to another section (we should of done the same) Restaurant was busy, but host should of recognized any small party would of been better seated in another area. And because of the large groups, we waited on for everything...we had to ask several times for bread and water. When dinner arrived food was hot and flavorful, but the loudness of the table behind us was VERY hard to ignore. Normally we linger with desert, coffee and after dinner drink....not on Saturday night! In hindsight if the host does not pay attention to the area where you are being seated, you should speak up.

    (1)

  • Rob L.

    Always a great place to eat... Menu always has something a little different and tasty. Can't go wrong with really any of the options. The staff is always friendly and very welcoming. One of my favorite spots to eat any day of the week!

    (5)

  • Tom S.

    We have been coming here since they opened. The food is always great but it is time for a menu change. An Italian Restauarant without veal? Back room is noisy but overall A good value - just don't go expecting anything new

    (3)

  • Kate H.

    I think this is the best Italian restaurant in the area. The asparagus and cucumber salads are very fresh and light, and the pasta dishes are consistently good. Come to think of it, I've never had a disappointing dish here ever! I love the decor, with photographs of Italy on the wall. It's a great restaurant for a night out with friends or older family or for a date night! I wouldn't encourage bringing children here because it is more of a romantic/classy restaurant.

    (5)

  • Carri N.

    Drinks are always good. Great wine selection, too. Although my other half isn't a huge fan, I love this place. Pasta dishes are always flavorful & service is very good, too.

    (4)

  • Sean P.

    I can't say that the night was a bust but it wasn't what I expected when I think fine dining in Barrington. The food was good but not great and the services was nice but slow. I would go back though to give it a second chance.

    (3)

  • T. F.

    I dropped in for lunch while exploring the area and saw something I liked on the extensive menu outside. I go in to order and the waiter tells me they change their menu every few weeks. Interesting :) However, it is not the correct week for my dish. He says he will see if the kitchen can hook me up.... Delicious!! A plentiful steaming dish of pasta carbonara comes out. The bread was hot and soaked up the olive oil perfectly. The decor is very "Italian", but not as nauseating as most Italian chain restaurants. I will definitely come back!! Plus, the people watching in Barrington is choice!

    (5)

  • Susan F.

    We have dined at Francesca's several times. Always on the weekend, usually Sunday and various dinner times-early to later in the evenings. We continue to dine at Francesca's but with disappointment. We dined recently on the Sunday after Christmas. We thought it would be relaxing but not so. The food and the service do not disappoint. The noise level and children running in the restaurant are a problem. The child next to us bumped into our table and I quickly grabbed my wine so it would not tip over. The children at another table ran around our table bumping into the chair. One child threw pieces of bread on the floor. The parents did not pick up but left for the servers to do. The children are not yet civilized to be taken to a tablecloth restaurant. I do not know what management can do about the unruly behavior. It is too bad because we enjoy the food. We do not think we can dine at Francesca's in Barrington again

    (3)

  • Heidi N.

    I've been here for dinner several times. Most recently twice within three nights, once with my husband and the second time with a friend. Both times were great! Cute little Italian restaurant in downtown Barrington. The minestrone soup is very tasty, their bread is awesome and I've never had a bad entree. Last night Montana waited on us and she provided excellent service. We were there for over two hours and never felt rushed. Smaller menu but seems to change often. Outdoor patio seating :)

    (5)

  • Katy B.

    Our favorite Friday night stops. We enjoy sitting at a high top table near the bar and having some fantastic Italian food.

    (5)

  • Adwait K.

    I have a general dislike of Italian food but this place completely brought me to the other side. The only Italian places I remember are all the Olive Gardens and some hole in the wall place in Wheeling (on Hintz Road, disgusting). Right from the get-go, this place was awesome. The servers were all extremely friendly. We ordered a two glasses of reisling, salad and a shrimp bisque for starters. The salad was nice but the bisque was out of this world!! Of course, we were given the usual bread and butter and olive oil before this. It was fresh and warm. :) Then for main course we had some chicken tortellini dish and i think a "pollo alla salvio" or something. Both of these dishes were unbelievably tasty. It just left you with a very satisfied feeling. I kept wanting to stuff my face but resisted and got it packed for lunch the next day. Also, I had to save some space in the tummy for dessert. To bring the meal to a close, we ordered a creme brulee and a coconut cake with caramel sauce and creme anglais. I cannot even begin to describe how delicious the cake was. It was quite a big piece too and was garnished with a few mint leaves. I always eat these if provided - nature's mouth freshener. The creme brulee was just as good as any. I definitely would go back here. It was worth every penny and I really want to try all the different entrees. So glad to have discovered another gem in the suburbs.

    (5)

  • Jeff S.

    Always consistent. Staff is always very helpful and will cater to your dining needs.

    (5)

  • Honest T.

    We came for Valentine's Day and it was our first experience here. First and foremost the place was packed, which some may find appealing. Maybe it means they have good food? Too bad there were SO many people waiting to check in, the lobby was literally packed. Barely room to breathe. We finally checked in for our 6:45 reservation at 7pm (yes we were on time and yes it took that long just to get to the hostess stand). Were seated at a decent table and promptly ordered drinks. My husband didn't like his and sent it back for something else. Mine didn't come as ordered. So both drinks had to be sent back. We ordered the calamari, which we found to be incredibly over cooked and didn't even finish. The house bread and seasoned olive oil was delicious though. We had been seated for about 30 minutes (maybe longer). Finally had to ask or waiter if we could order our entrees. He seemed surprised. Food took a while but both our dishes were bone-in so would take longer than usual, they get a pass on this one. The atmosphere could have been more romantic. The place was very loud but family friendly. We saw plenty of kids there. Prices were about $15-$20 for a pasta dish and $25+ for a entrée. All in all a great more fresh version of the chain Italian restaurants. Would be interested in dining there on a night other than Valentine's Day.

    (3)

  • Kathleen L.

    My husband and I have been here a couple of times and the food, service, and atmosphere have always been wonderful. But this past Friday night we decided to get take out...I ordered a dish off of their gluten free menu, I believe it was the al pomodoro (sp?). It was supposed to have a 'spicy tomato basil sauce'. Upon tasting it, I realized something was very, very wrong with this dish. 1) It had no spice whatsoever. Ok, no big deal, I can add spice. But as I took another bite it became clear that the chef had dumped about a pound of salt in the sauce. Now I love salt. I usually add salt to my dishes (bad, I know) but this dish was inedible. I was upset because the GF pasta itself was wonderful. It had great texture and was cooked perfectly. I wish I could've eaten it but there was no way anyone could eat this. I called the next day to speak to the manager. He was not in and I was told I would get a call back at 3 pm that same day. I never did. I called back that Monday. I was cranky upon calling because no one had called me back when they said they would. "Stash" answered, the general manager. He listened to my explanation and he was extremely kind and understanding. He thanked me for bringing it to his attention and told me to stop in and he'll cook me a new one. I went in that evening after work to pick up the new dish. Stash offered me a glass of wine while I waited. He was really so, so sweet and generous. As I waited, I noticed every one of his customers that walked thru the door gave him a huge smile and handshake (and a hug!) He brought me out the new dish, this time a different one, a veggie GF pasta with a garlic herb broth. It was fabulous!! Stash certainly made me want to come back despite the poor dish I was given. He makes his customers feel right at home.

    (4)

  • Katie L.

    My family loves this place for our Italian fix. We have been here many times. The only problem sometimes is the service, we have had some waiters that are not too good. One time we actually handed our tip to one of the bus boys because he provided a much superior service. The calamari is the BEST, you must get it. We have loved all of their pasta dishes and have had everything from the tomato based, cream and olive oil type sauces. They always add enough seafood in their seafood dishes. The chocolate cake dessert is great too if you are looking for an extra treat. This place is good for kids too - I love seeing families bringing their kids and teaching them good manners. Love it!

    (4)

  • Doug R.

    How this restaurant survives is beyond me. It's supposed to offer authentic Italian food, but it doesn't. The Caprese had dry, tasteless Wisconsin blue cheese on it, instead of mozzarella. The carpaccio was sliced so thin that it needed surgery to get it off the plate. There was something advertized as "branzino" - a prized fish from the Mediterranean. It turned out to be a soggy, and sorry Chilean Sea Bass. The manager blithely explained he uses Google to write the "Italian" in his menu! When asked for a recommendation on wine, the waiter went straight for the most expensive which further discussion revealed he knew nothing about. A real disappointment!

    (1)

  • Steve S.

    Loud, very loud. Crowded - can hardly walk between tables - they must be over the fire code limit - no way you can pack that many people in there. Was there on a Sat night for a bday dinner with a group of 10 and there were several other groups - I felt sorry for any couple trying to have a nice dinner/conversation. Just way to jam packed to enjoy yourself. Food was ok, nothing to write home about. Portions are grossly huge. Bread was hard as a rock but 1,000 degrees inside Service was fair at best. Menu tries to be too trendy. No decent choices for kids either. Hard to read the sloppy hand written menu too. Could be really good with a few minor improvements, but I won't be back. No way a 4 star place!

    (2)

  • Nicole F.

    I will start this review by saying that the only thing that saved this from a one start review was the food. We have been to the city locations many times and had great service and great food. I work in the area and all my co workers frequent this Francesca's. So on my way back from the city I stopped in for lunch. We were seated right away, but We waited awhile before we were greeted. We figured maybe the server had been double sat or something. While we are sitting there waiting we see the manager go around to all the tables dining except ours!? Thanks guy. It looked like maybe only one server was on and another woman was helping her out but she wasnt actually serving tables so im not sure what was actually happening. All i know is we almost walked out in between our app and entree because it took almost 30min. Our total time being there for a burger and a meatball sub was an hour and a half. Thanks but no thanks. There are plenty of great restaurants in the area that give much better service.

    (2)

  • Shaun S.

    Met friends from Crystal Lake here for dinner. I'll call him Guisseppe to protect his innocence, because I still think he's in the witness protection program... He's an Italian from NY, living in Chicago... hmmm? Anyway, we were celebrating his wife's b-day and had a very nice dinner, server had a great sense of humor and was able to play with us through the night. 2 1/2 hrs later, a bottle of prosecco, bread, salad, boat loads of pasta and some yummy desserts, I was entering food coma land. One neat thing too is the photography in the place. Lots of portraits (street style), food shots and in general just a very nice atmosphere with friendly folks. Definitely won't be hard to get them back there again. And on Sundays apparently kids eat free, so bring 'em if you got 'em!

    (4)

  • Vicki K.

    Taking into account Aaron's review, perhaps the service was lacking because my daughter is half "ethnic"......but even so, the food was horrific.....and for those of you that use Open Table - take note that they edit and censor their reviews....I tried to post a similar review on their site, but they refused to post it because of "liability" issues, in the fact that I mentioned that there was sand in the mushrooms and the oil was rancid.

    (1)

  • M-J W.

    My husband and I enjoyed our dinner. It was delish! Gets busy on a Saturday night around 6:30 pm. Go earlier if you want to beat the crowd.

    (5)

  • mauricio o.

    much better experience than the other francesca's that i have been to(at least 4 others on many occasions) matilda in the bottle : ) the server was busy but he managed to deliver on time. I actually thought the handwriting on the menu was sooo nice that it almost ruined my meal knowing that my penmanship can never compare good location.. nice staff.. good food.. easy choice

    (4)

  • Carol B.

    My friends and I love Francesca's. The atmosphere, main entrees and even the appetizers are so delicious. The staff is delightful and they do aim to please their customers. If you are looking for a warm inviting home-town atmosphere with great food and drinks, this is the one.

    (5)

  • Patty R.

    One of our Fav's, my husband never orders off the menu. They always make him Chicken Parm, there fish is out of this world and they Have a Gluten Free menu. Try it you will Love it!

    (4)

  • Bart E.

    A group of us ending up here on a personal referral. We had a early dinner around 5 when we got there the place empty. Luckily I split a dish with one of my friends and when it was all said and done we both had food left over on our plates. Not one person in our group finished their plate. And it was not because we did not try. The food was amazing. Everything was cooked perfectly you could taste the freshness of the ingredients. I got a pasta dish with scallops and shrimp with a light creamy pesto sauce. Just AWESOME! If I ever make it back to that neck of the woods I WILL be eating there.

    (5)

  • Yasoob A.

    When I go out for Italian food, I believe that the simpler the dish harder it is to make it great. But here from the appetizer to the entree the food was outstanding. We had the bruschetta which was the best that I've had. We tried the pizza next, we made our own spinach and artichoke. This was great. The entree was a garlic, tomato, basil pasta which had the right amount of everything. Overall one of the best Italian dinners I have had. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Jim S.

    Fantastic service. Manager is a class act. Food is consistently solid. For sure the best Italian restaurant in the area.

    (4)

  • K B.

    Food was good, but services was sloooooooow. They were not busy and I was with two kids it was painful, do not got there with kids who are hungry! Waiting 20 min for bread! They need to know how to cater to kids if they want families to come in..we will not be back.

    (1)

  • Jack T.

    Perfect place for the Olive Garden crowd. But wait Olive Garden has better service!

    (1)

  • bob t.

    Great pasta, an excellent wine list and overall great service. My favorite place in town.

    (4)

  • Lori N.

    Wonderful food...great service...upscale without being stuffy.

    (5)

  • Rich W.

    My brother, sister-in-law & my nephew took me here for dinner on a Friday night as a belated birthday treat. My nephew & I had medallions of veal which we both enjoyed. They were quite flavorful and complimented by the sides. My brother & S-i-L ordered from the days specials. My bro, had lamb shanks with mashed potatoes and vegetable. It was not very "Italian", but the taste of it that I had, made me wish I had ordered the same. So, what's "Italian" anyway? I guess there were some hints of a tomato based gravy. My s-i-l had Grouper, a fish that I like very much. She didn't eat all of hers and asked if I wanted to finish the remaining portion of it, which I did. When I tasted the grouper when it was first served, it seemed very good, but after it was served, half-way through the meal, it had taken on a rather "fishy" taste. I mean like it lacked freshness. Grouper is not a fish that retains freshness well. In fact, I normally only eat it when I visit an area near to where it is caught . The herbed olive oil for bread dipping is fantastic. My bro tells me that they go here for dinner quite often when they want to just "go out to eat". One of the other pluses of this location is that it is connected to free village indoor parking .

    (4)

  • Ali L.

    Save your money. If you really want to experience a Mia Francesca restaurant head to the one on Clark or even the Lake Forest location. The Barrington location has atrocious food and service. Couldn't even find a decent pasta dish to order, so I got the roast chicken. Tasted like airplane food. And I didn't think it was possible to screw up bruscetta, but they did---under seasoned and bad quality tomatoes.

    (2)

  • Dean H.

    Whole family loves this restaurant. Great food at a perfect price. Feel like we know the staff and are always welcome.

    (5)

  • Mike W.

    Never anything less than an excellent experience with the service and the food...like the cheery and white linen ambiance, and would kill for the lentil/spinach starter. I always overorder, which is a positive sign. Entrees are excellent, pasta portions (the Mrs. always orders pasta) are ridiculous, and kids eat free with each 'adult' entree ordered on Sundays. Love the kid's cheese pizza, too. A bite of the kids' gelatos afterward, and we're set.

    (4)

  • Yakuza G.

    Francesca's is one of our favorite places in Barrington. The food is always good, and (almost) always the wait staff is extremely attentive. Our family dines here at least once per month. The salads and appetizers are fresh and wonderful. The pasta and entrees wonderfully seasoned and prepared with care. Don't worry if their menu pasta selection lacks something you want - just ask, and they generally will prepare what you want - the sign of an excellent Italian restaurant. Only once have we had poor service - and management made up for it by discounting the bill (unasked).

    (4)

  • Sean V.

    Francesca's always delivers. Great food. Great drinks. Great service. The Barrington location is my favorite but all are good. It is pricey though I must say. I rarely get out of there under $100.

    (4)

  • Bon J.

    You're not going to have a bad meal at this place. Good meals fairly priced, decent staff, good bar area. Quality experience. If they had a better staff, this place would be 4 1/2.

    (4)

  • Carli W.

    Very good food. Even better service. Its expensive...but there are less expensive options like the pizza (which is great!) on the menu as well. I can't wait to go again!

    (4)

  • Lynn P.

    First bad experience ever in Barrington restaurant. Felt so strongly I wrote a letter, not even acknowledged. Guess customers don't matter to them. Terrible, slow service by a waiter with major bad attitude, seemingly because we had one glass of wine instead of vats. The pasta, I could have made it myself. Been patronizing their restaurants for 15 years, and they didn't care about me so F them.

    (3)

  • M M.

    This place is awesome. Great location downtown, not a ton of parking however. There is not a ton of seating so definitely make reservations. I had the salmon and my date had a pasta dish. The food is top quality as is the service. Date spot for sure....Definitely the best restaurant in Barrington!

    (4)

  • Ron J.

    I'm going to buck the four star trend here and say that a rating should be based upon several factors and one of them is price. You cannot possibly find a better Italian restaurant in the area for the money, period. I have tried a lot of Italian fare over my many years and for me this is my local favorite so far. You always get a delicious meal that is freshly prepared with sauces that are incredibly well blended and flavorful. Yes, I agree that the menu can be sometimes limited but no matter what you choose from the available offerings you should never be disappointed. And the price? I'm not aware of anywhere I can find fresher foods more specially prepared and in the $14-21 price range than here. Yes, it is a chain in the Chicagoland area but to claim that it is better in one location than another is certainly possible but hard to totally believe since they all use a similar menu. Regardless, if you are looking for a deliciously prepared meal that is not your typical pasta and red sauce fare then I do suggest you give this place a try.

    (5)

  • Judy C.

    I started dining at Francesca's after Sam's Club had special deals on their gift cards, kinda like Groupon where you can purchase a $50 gift card for $30. This Francesca's is in Barrington, Illinois and is situated in downtown Barrington so it is a busy establishment. The food is a little overpriced, however, the discounted gift cards keeps it within the market price. The Calamari Fritti and Mussels Pomodoro have great flavor. I found that their Chicken entrees tend to be overcooked. The pizzas and salads are ok but nothing special. The pasta dishes are tasty and rich but plan to run 6 miles the next day to kill those calories! Overall, good place to go if you want to dine with the elite people in Barrington.

    (3)

  • Sherry A.

    This is our go-to favorite restaurant! Any special occasion or just a weekday out for dinner! Honestly I feel like we're going to a second home--we are always welcomed, the food is consistently good, the bar is consistent (which is one of my pet peeves about restaurants if it's not!) and the overall atmosphere is just warm, friendly and homey! I have so many favorites on their menus but if I don't feel like pasta the 'egg pizza' is always a safe and wonderful go-to! Love love love this location! Only been to one other and that is wonderful too, but this one is 'home!'

    (5)

  • Nirvana C.

    This place was amazeballs. The food was fantastic, the atmosphere was very family-friendly, and our waiter was a gem.

    (5)

  • Shawn K.

    It's a really good Italian restaurant. They have a homely type of feel excellent service and they have great dinner specials highly recommend this place

    (4)

  • Laurie L.

    Favorite place to eat in B-town. Bar seating is a nice place for good eats on a week night. Make sure to get a reservation on the weekend. Love the arugula salad!

    (5)

  • Barbara Z.

    We moved into the area and decided to give this retaurant a try. Background music is great... wine was good... but that's all. Glasses were less than sparkly clean. We split a pizza as an appetiser. I don't eat frozen pizza, but I bet that is better than what we were served. It was a soggy mess. My husbands pork chop was as dry as shoe leather, not edible and my roast chicken came out floating in heavy cream sauce. I guess for some who like cream sauces, this would be a treat. I'm not a fan and as the menu said nothing about the cream sauce, it was a dissappointment to us. I say us, as after determining the pork chop is not edible I thought we could at least split the roast chicken. Service is spotty. People ask how everything is, but are in such a hurry to walk by the table, you can never say what the problem(s) are. We were hoping this would become our new fave in the area, but no such luck. The search for a good Italian restaurant in the Barrington area is still on. Great (not inexpensive) dissappointment and we will not be back.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Classy
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Italian Cuisine

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.

Francesca’s Famiglia

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