Delicious Italian and cozy spot in the heart of downtown barrington. We had a nice family birthday dinner on a Friday evening here. We started with a bottle of Chianti, tasty complementary bread, and some appetizers. Service was great, and they allowed us to bring in our own cake - they cut and had candles for it as well! The burrata, calamari, and mussels were all excellent appetizers to share in our big group. We also had the Francesca's salad to share with our entree, and this was a nice portion as well. The ceasar salad was tasty and large too. I got shrimp on it which were okay. The linguini con calamari was delicious with a nice kick. The linguini scampi was also a group favorite. My dad's pork chop was scrumptious and well cooked. Everything was great and perfect for a celebration or nice night out! read more

Francesca's Famiglia - Ceasar salad with shrimp - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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Our friends threw us a wedding party here and the food was incredible! I have not been here in years but the appetizers (especially the bruschetta) was delicious! The pasta was also fresh, flavorful. I loved the ravioli. The real highlight for me was the soft, creamy tiramisu and cheesecake. The ambiance is beautiful, and I would love to host my own events there in the future. read more

Charming, yes. There is outdoor seating and inside has the potential to be cozy. However, we found it to be very noisy inside and while the food was good, the prices were way too high. $27 for rigatoni? $37 for a piece of cod? Drinks were also over $15. My friend (who is hearing impaired) had to read lips the whole time we talked. We won't be back. read more

Love all the Francesca restaurants! This one is cozy. Loved the white fish and veggies. The service was ok. Waiter had no idea about wine which was kind of odd since they have an extensive wine list. read more

Loved it! The service was perfect! The food was delicious except my husbands chicken was a little greasy. The place had lots of full tables but didn't feel cramped at all. read more

Came here for an event luncheon. Bread was so warm and fluffy. They gave us the vodka penne and it was delicious. Loved it. The salad was iffy, not a big fan of overdoused dressing and large random veggies but hey it did the job. great service. would probably come here as a dinner date another time read more

I've only visited Francesca's once, but if I had to use one word to describe my experience there, I would say it was "fine." We had two different servers which made things confusing because they clearly weren't communicating and didn't know if one had taken orders, if we asked for anything, etc. They're apparently known for their chicken parm, yet don't put it on the menu? And then the night we went they were sold out of it. Either you offer it and put it on the menu, or you don't offer it at all. The linguine agli scampi was way too spicy - I know it has chili flakes, but I put chili flakes on a lot of my food and it's never as spicy as that dish was. Again, wasn't the worst meal I've ever had, but I certainly won't be in a rush to go back either. read more

Food was amazing and Joanna gave us great service. Definitely will be back again with family and friends read more

Francesca's Famiglia - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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We just stopped in at the restaurant with a 3:15pm Resto and it was practically empty and we sat there for 15 min without even a drink order... we left... so disappointing as we were literally about to order one of each from the menu, since we were starving. read more

The only good part about this restaurant was the service. The staff is amazing, it's to bad the food isn't just as good. The meatballs were clearly microwaved. The sauce tasted like it was out of a can. The rigatoni vodka sauce was bland, and the noodles were hard and chewy. The espresso martinis were not good. Thankfully the staff is lovely and the place is beautiful but the food... no thank you! read more

Really nice ambiance, warm and friendly . The dining area is quite large so we didn't have to wait , waitress was exceptionally nice and made suggestions. She checked on us often enough but let us have our time too. The bread was so good , apps came quickly and the tiramisu was fire. Had better pastas but the service made up for it! read more

My husband and I are frequent visitors of this Francesca's location. Tonight (12/26/25) as I was passing the hostess stand, I overheard a woman in a red sparkled blouse admonish the hostesses. Every time we have come in, we find these girls to be lovely. They greet us coming in as well as on our way out. Maybe they did something to warrant her scolding but i don't feel this should've been handled in the middle of the entryway of the restaurant. As a customer I found her tone to be both unprofessional and off-putting. Up until that point, our dining experience with our food and our server was excellent as always. read more

We've been regulars at Francesca's Famiglia for years--mostly because we live nearby--not because the food is amazing (it's just average and overpriced). But last night was the final straw. We had a reservation and showed up on time, only to wait 45 minutes without being seated. The place was packed beyond capacity, and the front-of-house staff was clearly overwhelmed. To make things worse, they kept telling new walk-ins it would be a "10-minute wait," while we had already been standing there for nearly an hour. No manager in sight. No real communication. Just chaos by the bar and hostess stand with frustrated guests packed in shoulder to shoulder. I don't blame the young staff trying their best--I blame a complete lack of management and planning. Sadly, we won't be back. It's disappointing because we live so close by. But after this, we'll be taking our business to GiGi's in Barrington--better food, better service, and they actually honor reservations. read more

Food was good , As well as the Ambience. Service was particularly notable... as one of our guests was a bit elderly and manager escorted her safely to the waiting transportation.... Wonderful read more

Madeleine was amazing! incredible experience. We had the meatballs and rigatoni, both were delicious

This was our first time and it will be our last. $31 for chicken franchese that could have used more seasoning. If u like to over paid Francesca is the place to go. read more

Love this restaurant. The food and staff are great! I love the calamari, antipasto salad, pasta. The best fish!

Madeleine was amazing she was friendly, knowledgeable, compassionate she's a great server.

Wonderful experience at Francesca's start to finish. We were greeted at the door by the hostess, Lia, with a warm cheerful smile. The friendly service continued throughout dinner by our waitresses Brittany and Cindy as well as the rest of the staff. The food came out quickly and was as amazing as usual. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

I dont post often unless there's a reason.. we ordered gluten free dishes.. the atmosphere was great, service was great, but the food was less than ok.. it was very salty and the quality was lacking read more

went out on a valentine date. too expensive. dinner for 2. should not be $100. No drinks just water. No appetizers. terrible parking. not accessible for an disabled woman. Parking took a while to locate. can't walk with an cane on uneven pavement. terrible! read more

Madeline was an amazing server. So polite and attentive, not to mention the best nail! 10/10 would request her as our server anytime! read more

After coming here for lunch today, I realize why there were only 2 tables with clients. The rest of the restaurant was completely empty on a Friday lunch hour. Service was deplorable. Not just bad, that would be an understatement. Server disappeared the entire time. We ordered a glass of wine when we sat down, she never came back during the entire lunch to see if we wanted more. We were only halfway through our salad when the main dish was served, and our dirty dishes were never removed. I ended up putting them on the table behind me. Server never came back to check on us. Finally came back and wanted to know if we want a dessert (because I had mentioned to her beginning and also told her it was my girlfriend's birthday). and nothing. A Happy Birthday or candle would have been nice. She dropped off the check but we wanted coffee and she only came back 10 minutes later to get payment. I told her how bad the service was and we wanted coffee, and her response was "I sent the bus boy to see if you needed anything". Isn't that her job? This is the second time this has happened to me at the restaurant. I wanted to give it a second chance and now realize it's not worth it. And clearly that's why the restaurant is empty on a Friday afternoon lunch read more

Excellent! Food, service, atmosphere. All great! Ivan and the whole staff very attentive! Delicious food! 5 stars. ***** read more

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The food was great, the service was excellent. Our server was very kind and accommodating. The ambiance was clean and elegant. I enjoyed this experience at this location read more

This was beyond amazing! Cerbando H was our server and he was so sweet! It was my boyfriend's birthday and every restaurant we tried going to, was more than an hour wait. Thankfully I thought of Francescas!! It's my boyfriends favorite restaurant and i'm glad we went. The service was exceptional and the manager was so so kind to us! Will definitely be going back here in the winter! The food was also beyond! I always go for the pasta alla vodka and they always make taste amazing! The ambiance is perfect like always. The lighting and setup is also so so pretty! Thank you guys for making my boyfriends night very special :) read more

Francesca's Famiglia - caprese salad - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

A wonderful Tuesday evening feast. My wife and I entertained my cousin's spouse and we couldn't have chosen a better restaurant. We shared two appetizers that were set up for 3 people. The PEI mussels were served on grilled toast with tomatoes, spinach and a great seasoned broth. Delicious! The meatballs(3) were also plated with toast, marinara, and ricotta. Very tasty! These were from a special happy hour menu along with the Malbec and Chardonnay wines we enjoyed. Entrees included chicken a la Romana, a seafood fettuccini, and Francesca's shrimp and sea scallops. Our cousin really loved her shrimp and pasta dish. My chicken, which I have had in the past, is a full half roasted bird in a great rosemary infused cream sauce with roasted potatoes. My wife's shrimp and scallops(huge) were served over a bed of seasoned spinach and a rich buttery garlic broth. All of us took home substantial leftovers. We had a great dinner!! We finished with good coffee and a shared dessert of profiteroles (3) with pistachio gelato and chocolate sauce. We expected a nice meal out but enjoyed a very satisfying celebration of good food and great company. We're very lucky to have such a great restaurant in the area. Our server Brittany is outstanding and the restaurant really shines as a special occasion eatery. We will definitely eat there in the future. read more

This spot has a great ambiance. Lovely staff and very delicious food. Can't wait to return!

Great local business lunch spot. Great salads and love their Italian chopped salad and tiramisu. They also ice cream dish that was the best, I don't see on their menu . Either is their great carpaccio appetizer. read more

The D'Andrea / Kunz Families hosted a Baby Shower with their closest Family and Friends and the ambiance, cuisine and service was spectacular! Joanna, David and Britt were gracious, thoughtful, professional, assisted all the way through, and were an overall pleasure to work with! We definitely recommend your restaurant for dining and private events! read more

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The service was absolutely terrible. We were here for 20 minutes and no one served us with an add to ask for a waitress. After that, the food did not come out for another 2 hrs. They did not seem like they cared about us and it was a terrible terrible experience. I don't recommend!!!!! Do not come here. When we finally got our food, it was terrible. read more

Francesca's Famiglia - Very dirty table - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

Went here for lunch and the Caesar salad combo with the fresh tomato pasta that they have is something I dream about ! Especially paired with rose! Outside views were great . read more

we went on Labor Day at 7 pm. I had trouble deciding between the meatball appetizer being made into an entree vs the Cod that was already on the menu. My reservation with the cod is that I didn't like olives. I ultimately decided on the meatball entree since the waiter said it is a popular request. The waiter then returned about 10 minutes later and asked for clarification on what I had ordered, and quickly informed me he had accidentally ordered the cod. I reluctantly said that's fine, just make sure there are no olives on the cod please. About ten minutes later, we received our dinners. My husband ordered the ravioli which was good but very small. I received the cod with olives all over the plate. I just picked the olives off and pushed them to the side. Since it was a smaller portion than expected, I waited patiently and I ordered a side of mashed potatoes. We had difficulty getting the waiters attention So we asked the bus boy. The waiter finally came and took my order for mashed potatoes. In the meantime my husband was completely done eating his ravioli since the portion was so small, so we waited while the waiter ran around the restaurant trying to take care of almost every table in the establishment. It had been awhile, and I still hadnt received my mashed potatoes. i finally received roasted potatoes swimming in some sort of gravy. While they were decent, I was disappointed. I wanted a second glass of wine but no one came to wait on us after that. We paid the bill and tipped normally. On the way out, I tried kindly talking to a manager to just inform her of all the mistakes, not to complain, but received a very indifferent, nonchalant response. It led me to believe this must happen all the time. My husband and I have both worked in the food and beverage industry for a long time so we understand how holiday weekends can be...and this clearly was a very understaffed holiday. It just disappointed me that no one seemed to care they missed the mark with us multiple times in the same visit. read more

We walked in at 8:00 and they said they were closed, there were multiple people dining and tables open. The hours are listed as 9:30 on weekdays, you can see that online and even on the door when you walk in. Very interesting, won't be wasting my time here ever again. read more

Such a cute restaurant! Very spacious and I cannot wait to sit out on their patio when it gets warmer! The staff is very friendly and food is great too. I love their mussels appetizer! read more

Francesca's Famiglia - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

Service is great here and the food is good - Yes it is Italian but I love their burger and salad. Good lunch options.

Food was delicious! Portions were also perfect! Service was great! Overall an amazing experience!

Lovely local fine dining Italian restaurant. Service is always attentive and kind. Food is always top notch. read more

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This płace is close to home so I really, really tried to give it a chance. But all of the times i've been there in the last year have been an utter disappointment. Mediocre, overpriced food. Super creepy middle-aged man manager. Generally disinterested front desk staff. (Some of the wait staff are outstanding but that unfortunately doesn't make up for the shortcomings) Most recently, they canceled my reservation for my kid's college grad brunch 2 hours before the reservation time (forcing me to miss half the grad ceremony to find an alternate restaurant for our party). The manager actually admitted that the mess was caused by them NOT CHECKING THE RESERVATION BOOK when they booked a much larger party and that they discovered the mistake days earlier but didn't call in a timely fashion. Yet the only solution he offered was bar seating or a reservation several hours later. read more

Frustrated Guest!! I live close by and my wife and I offered to take a friend of ours new to the village to one of the restaurants we enjoy. It was this past Sunday, February 18th. The restaurant was not full, just 4-5 tables. Knowing it was not crowded I assumed we would have great service! Very disappointed! Drinks took much longer than anticipated for a slow restaurant at the time. We ordered our go to Caesar salad and that was good as always! We did not see mushroom flatbread on the menu but knew it was good as we had it in the past. We asked the waiter if they have it as it was not on the menu. He said yes so we ordered it. It was horrible and definitely not what we've experienced before. It only had 6 -7 mushrooms on it and they were not the quality mushrooms we had in the past on the flatbread. We moved onto our entrees and those were fine. I was never offered a 2nd glass of wine which I would've had as we were having good conversation and dessert next for my wife and friend. I don't eat dessert but another glass of wine would've been nice. My wife said the desserts were fine. As were half way though desserts they turned up the lights near the front window section which also made the ambiance in our area brighter. At this time since there was only us and one other table we felt they were giving us the hint that they were closing. We asked for our check as we were now frustrated. The check arrived and to my surprise the pizza was a kids pizza! I would've said something if the manager stopped by to welcome, visit or check on our food. As we leave the restaurant with no goodbye or thank you for joining us I see that the manager is at the bar doing paperwork. Should I go back?? I read more