Francesca's Intimo is a great Italian restaurant with amazing ambiance. It's a perfect place for date night. FOOD: we stated with the calamari, risotto, and carpaccio. All three appetizers were delicious and I'll definitely get them again. The calamari was fried to perfection. I hate it when it's chewy and that was not the case with their calamari. For my main dish, I got the sea scallops linguine with spinach and tomato cream sauce. It was sooo good. My favorite pasta from there. They did not skimp on the sea scallops. We ordered 4 desserts: tiramisu, lemon olive oil cake, sticky toffee carrot cake, and chocolate torte. All the desserts were good but my favorite was the tiramisu. It's probably one of my favorite place to get tiramisu. Honestly, you probably cannot go wrong with any of their desserts. The one thing I was kind of disappointed with the Hugo spritz but not a big deal. It was weirdly too light for me SERVICE: service was slow in the beginning. It took awhile for the waiter to get to our table. But after that it was great. read more

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I had a wonderful week day lunch at Francesca's in Lake Forest. I'm so glad they are open for lunch. The dining room is classy and comfortable. The service is always fantastic. The food is the best at nice lunch time pricing. They also have a wonderful happy hour week days from 3-6pm. I started with the minestrone soup. The vegetables were cut large and had a really nice crunch. The soup was flavorful and fresh. My entree was the linguine arrabbiata but I asked if they could also add fresh vegetables to it, sort of like a pasta primavera. They did! It had spinach, tomatoes, eggplant, and mushrooms. It was excellent with a nice spicy tomato sauce. It was awesome that the chef customized the dish for me. I highly recommend Francesca's of Lake Forest for lunch. read more

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Felice anniversario! When we were seated, we were wished a Happy Anniversary and presented with a glass of champagne. We shared a roasted beets appetizer (with the most delicious walnut butter), and bread with olive oil. I had an Amore Primaverile Spritz, with Prosecco and passionfruit. For my entree I had the lasagna bolognese, very tender noodles, delicious sauce and delicately cheesy. My companion had a steak, perfectly cooked, with mashed potatoes and broccolini. For dessert, they presented us with a cake. Not cake. An entire cake. It was quite tasty and there were two togo boxes with the leftover pieces. This was a very nice anniversary dinner. read more

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This quaint Italian eatery has a definite upscale vibe to it with a lovely, large outdoor seating area that is nicely shaded during the dinner hours. We sat outside and so we weren't expecting great table service but I was pleasantly surprised how excellent the service was. Chris, our waiter, did a great job and at least three other staff members interacted with us. The meal started with complimentary bread and grated parmesan. We split the Insalata ala Francesca (veggie salad) and opted to split the Pollo Arrosto Ala Romana (roasted half chicken with roasted potato wedges). The chicken dish came in a savory, lightly lemon rosemary sauce with shallots and it was expertly prepared. The skin was nicely crisp and the breast meat portion was a little dry in spots but it didn't detract from the dish in any way. We were too full to order desert but it was tempting with several choices blending Gelato with baked goods. A wonderful dining experience - definitely eat outside if weather permits. read more

Francesca's Intimo - Roasted Chicken and Potatoes - Excellent! - Italian Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

Good Italian in Lake Forest, every dish is fresh, made to order a family feel based on decor and atmosphere. One of the best Italian restaurants in the area. read more

Francesca's Intimo - The food - Italian Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

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I rarely leave reviews, but wanted to thank the staff and our amazing server from last night (Tessa I believe). We don't eat out very often as we love to make our own food. However, this was a wonderful experience, with extraordinary food, and thoughtful service. It was our 35th wedding anniversary, and I can't think of a better place to have celebrated it. read more

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Amazing!!!! Nonna's Meatballs and Dana's Bolognese was fabulous. Louis behind the bar was so good. I highly recommend this place.

Everything you're looking for in family Italian restaurant. The sautéed fish was a hit, and Rigatoni vodka with sausage, creamy as silk and a crowd pleaser. I have to say both Red wines (Montepulciano and Sangiovese) were pretty bad so they need to work on their Italian reds but not deducting given the rest of the experience. read more

Great lunch specials! They have a current lunch option for $25 that includes soup, bruschetta, an entree, and dessert. (Some limitations) plus bread for the table. The food was delicious!! You get one piece of bruschetta with fresh mozzarella, and I had minestrone soup that was hearty and flavorful. For my entree I got pasta with vodka sauce, sausage crumbles, and fresh mozzarella. Lastly, for dessert I finished the meal off with tiramisu. Everything was amazing. I left full to capacity. Service was wonderful. The staff were very attentive to all tables and helping each other out by making sure everyone's drinks were refilled quickly. Love to see them working as a team instead of individual only covering their assigned tables. Definitely recommend! read more

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They set four of us at a table for six right by doors in and out of the kitchen. In the back, it was less than ideal, and we felt very strange sitting there. Service was slow not sure if they had enough servers or if our server was just not up to snuff. It's a long time to take a drink order, our meal order, etc. We asked for a special dish that we had seen on their website and when it came out it was nothing like the dish that had been served at another Francesca's restaurant - the chicken, Siciliano - so they show it on their website and yet when you order it, they say they can make it and it comes out nothing like the dish that is described or the one that we had at a different Francesca's. The servers and kitchen staff should know a dish or they should say they have to check first before they tell you that they can make it for you and then bring you some thing weirdly different than what they describe on their own website. My dish was cod with mushrooms and spinach and a few grape tomatoes... It was light in flavor, and way too light in salt. It was cooked well, however it was so boring and almost identical to a white fish that they served with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli it was strange. So the fish choices are either fish with or without broccoli? Dessert was a cold carrot cake. It was fine however it would have been great if they had warmed it first! read more

Stopped by Francesca's for a date night and it was just as cozy as I remembered. We started with the brushcetta and Caesar salads. Bruschetta was delish! I was a bit disappointed in the salads though - we've had them before and the parm used to be fresh and they were parm shreds, this time it was just grated parm which took away from the flavor a bit. And it lacked a bit of salt. I ordered the spinach rolli and my partner for the agnolotti - both delicious, the rolli could have used more sauce, but the agnolotti was like heaven. The tiramisu for dessert was amazing as always! read more

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Wonderful food and atmosphere. The burrata was shared and I had the flounder with spinach and tomatoes. It was a large portion. I thought service was great and food was priced well for quality and portion size read more

Food was solid and tasty. Had the special rigatoni with peas and was delicious. I love the fair prices and solid portion sizes. The pomodoro looks amazing and going to have that next time. Bruschetta was good but the bread was a touch soggy and not toasted enough but plenty of flavor. Service was great and super attentive. The ambiance was quaint and cozy. This location is very nice and a bit tight but that's ok. Their Northbrook location really needs some work top to bottom. This place was great read more

If you're looking for good Italian with a wonderful ambiance, try this location out. We stumbled onto this spot during a work trip. We ordered four appetizers to split, a pasta, and a salad and it was more than enough. The calamari was light and airy, and cooked perfectly. The sausage and peppers was amazing with great flavor and cooked perfectly to give it a bite (be sure to mop the sauce up with the bread). The meatballs were flavorful and not dense or heavy, with a tomato sauce and whipped ricotta. Overall this was a nice place for a dinner. read more

Excellent service with patience. Spaghetti Bolognese was so good the 18 yo cleaned the plate. read more

Great food! Even better service with the ambience being casual yet elegant! Have been here many times! Always leave with a full belly

I had an amazing experience at Francesca's for Valentine's Day. Our server was Chris and he was outstanding. The food came fast on a very busy night and Chris our server was helpful in choosing the dish that would fit us best. He was very friendly and attentive to our table in the mist of one of the busiest nights of year. I would recommend this place 10/10 and our server Chris was excellent. read more

Just got back from enjoying happy hour on the patio. Great value, sure- but the food was first rate. The fried artichoke- unbelievably light. The stuffed peppers delivered so many perfect bites- so fresh. Also- the pineapple upside down cake with warm caramel and crème fresh could be the thing that unites this country- 10 out of five stars! read more

Third time I've been here. Delicious Italian food every time. Conveniently located. Plenty of parking space and so close to work. Wait staff courteous and friendly. Forget to take pics but finally remembered. We ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and it was delicious!! Flavorful!! read more

Francesca's Intimo - a plate of food on a table - Italian Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

We loved the ambience and the food was magnificent, but the attention from the staff and waiters was what really made the experience memorable. Our waitress was Nati V, and she was very warm, welcoming, and attentive all throughout the course of our dinner. She made sure we felt at home, checked in on our table regularly, but not too often, and had great suggestions when we were discussing our antipasti. Would definitely recommend, and definitely dine in again! 10/10 experience. read more

My partner and I did not feel welcome to this establishment. We did not enjoy the service along with how we were treated since it felt like they were serving children. The food was not worth the money unfortunately. The waitress did not seem to know their way around the menu. We felt very very rushed to order even though dinner service just started. The music was fine and not too loud. The lighting was also a date night vibe. read more

Food and service great!One of the few places that uses guanciale in their pasta carbonara ! Reservations a must ! Very crowded on the weekends. read more

Business trip turned dinner with the work fam. Super quaint restaurant adjacent to a hotel. Menu selection is good, not to grand yet offers variety. Meatballs, yes! Pasta, yes! Oh and their salmon cooked perfectly. Known for their wine selection. I'm not much of a drinker but had a 1/2 glass of pinor and a 1/2 of chardonnay, both delish. I couldn't be here and not try. read more

Had a great experience at Francesca's Intimo on Saturday night. We were a party of 8 with a 7 pm reservation. When we checked in the hostess said it would be a few minutes until our table was ready. After about 15 minutes one of the managers, Vesela, told us that our table was still not ready and to have a seat at the bar and enjoy a cocktail compliments of the restaurant. The bartender, Luis, took great care of us. Finally after another 30 minutes, Vesela, told us our table would be ready soon and thanked us for our patience. Once seated, we were told to order appetizers compliments of the restaurants. Our waiter, Erick, was fabulous and took great care of us. Everyone truly enjoyed their meals. We all agreed, we will definitely go back because of the great service and food. read more

We sat at the bar, and this was probably the only complaint I had. There were a few open tables but maybe they were reserved. I can't complain too much since we just walked in with no reservations. The service was prompt and my drinks were always refreshed. We started off with calamari which was perfectly crispy. Both entrees were good and portions were decently sized. The banana bread pudding was soooo good! I cannot recommend that enough. It had toffee chunks and was served with a hazelnut (or was it Nutella??) ice cream. I absolutely loved it and would come back just for that. The chocolate cake was okay, good textures but I didn't find it to be amazing. read more

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Great atmosphere, great service, great food!! Vegetarian friendly! It was a nice little place, with a very sophisticated look

A little ambiance, some good Italian... you know the drill. Francesca's looked the part, I'll give them that. Nice décor, very... establishment. But the food? Oy vey. First, the calamari--soggy doesn't even begin to cover it. It tasted like they'd just waved it near some hot oil, and instead of crisp, it was floppy and underwhelming. The marinara sauce was fine, but it couldn't rescue the calamari. Then came my Agnolotti Quattro Formaggi. It was just... mushy. And the brown butter? Where was it? A hint of something vaguely nutty, maybe? My partner's Rigatoni alla Vodka wasn't much better. The sauce was watery, and the sausage overpowered everything else--like a sausage convention on a plate. And the service... let's just say it wasn't exactly attentive. We had a reservation, yet they tried to seat us by the kitchen. When we asked for a different table, they huffed and puffed before shuffling us to one that was only slightly less awful. Our waiter? Seemed like she was doing us a favor just by taking our order--barely made eye contact and couldn't answer basic questions about the menu. The busboys, though, were a saving grace; they kept our water glasses full and were genuinely attentive. Now, I'm not saying the place is a total disaster. It's a nice enough room, and if you're looking for a fancy atmosphere and don't mind paying a premium for mediocre food and service, then go ahead. But for the prices they charge, you expect a certain level of quality. We've had much better Italian food down the street at half the price. If you actually want a delicious, authentic Italian meal, I'd suggest you look elsewhere. Just my two cents. read more

The absolute BEST service! Food was perfect. Hearts of palm salad is unlike any other. Prettiest Italian restaurant and outdoor patio. read more

Francesca's Intimo is a wonderful restaurant. This afternoon, I was visiting with an old friend I hadn't seen in a long while. Not only were the bruschetta and lentil-goat cheese appetizers delicious--like super delicious--but we just had appetizers and coffee, while we sat an talked for almost three hours!!! Nati, our server, was patient and thoughtful: we never felt rushed, were never disturbed in our long talk, but Nati also made sure we were always happy and attended to. It's a great restaurant, and Nati is an exceptionally good server. (Note that I am using Yelp because although Francesca's uses reviewtrackers.com, the QR code didn't work.) read more

I would like to start with the positive. That was our waitress..... She was professional, accommodating and just excellent considering the situation she worked with. She deserves 5 stars and should get her own rating scale. We showed our appreciation through appropriate gratuity and compliments. Now here is the truth about this restaurant and the other SHH facilities I have dined at. Crowding was clearly a safety violation for the staff and patrons. No one could walk through the entryway to get to the "host's stand" nor back out through the exit. Patrons were irritated, sarcastic and anxiety ridden due the fact that everyone was in a tight cramped space rubbing up against each other and getting their feet stepped on by inebriated people at the bar. I just kept my mouth shut. There was a huge bunch of red foil heart balloons in the walkway that was bouncing off people's faces as the strings hooked onto patrons limbs. LOL I felt like I was pushing through Chuckie Cheese. The main difference is that instead of drinks in plastic cups, they were in sparkly glasses spilling on you. 5 stars on the Pretty cocktail glasses! The restaurant was loud and conversation nearly impossible. We were seated at a table the size of a night stand in a small walkway. Chairs were back to back and tables flush against a sticky wall. The paper menu balanced on the mini candle at the table. That's safe.... The menu options were repetitive. There was no rhyme nor reason to the options. There was one common item on the menu that I have ordered often from different SHH restaurants. The Mussels. So we started with that and it was not at all how I have ever had it prepared for me before. They were small and tasteless, in a tiny bit of cloudy water that had no taste with a piece of maybe spinach in the dish? About 25% of the mussels were empty and the meat was not in the bowl. Huh? Do not believe the advertised review pics. That is not what you get. We ended up ordering: Some sort of Bruschetta with a ton of figs on it, maybe some goat cheese and a tiny slice of Coppa. Hopefully not from the recall. A small mixed green salad with some nuts and pear. Great concept if the pear was ripened and didn't taste like a sliver of potato. A watery, milky and mushy pasta with button mushrooms that was advertised as Porcini and wild mushrooms. A flavorless water logged "risotto" with mushy broken up bland scallops. Mushy watery stewed tomatoes and 2 run of the mill shrimp. The dish was cold and it was actually disgusting and insulting to try to pass it off as Italian food or anything edible for that manner. We did not want to complain to the waitress as she was so competent and hospitable. We just wanted to just get the heck out of there because the place was becoming more unpleasant by the minute and we were actually paying for this. This was supposed to be an intimate and enjoyable experience and it was nothing but a nauseating disaster. Oh, I forgot to mention that the wine glasses that they use in their restaurants are nice, so they got that goin' for them. I Would have probably enjoyed the wine much more if they would have filled it higher than an inch. The waitress was kind enough to get the two "meals" deducted from our bill, however it was not even about the cost. What this review is about is the fact that I have dined at multiple SHH restaurants, recommended them to associates and friends and l even had a loved one's memorial dinner after their passing at their facility. Every time I have dined at one of their locations there was always an incident with the food being terribly prepared, the staff being inappropriate with one of my family members or the management and cooks/ chef being flat out disrespectful and rude to me. I have always been a person who likes to see a "family" business succeed, but unfortunately after all of the grace I have given this particular business. They certainly did not live up to their Francesca's slogan. We received a call from management for another chance. What does that even mean? We come in and give them more money? I can see why they have chosen to rebrand a couple times and to be perfectly honest, there is no amount of line dancing, piñatas, fancy murals, or trendy disco balls that would be worth experiencing the hypocrisy that is SHH ever again. The owner of that facility should be thankful that most diners in the area do not know what true Italian cuisine is. Save your $$$, time, self respect and taste buds. Next time..... Olive Garden!!!! ;) I wish them much luck & change in their future management and endeavors. Your once loyal, Ex Customer. read more

Francesca's Intimo - Italian Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

My boyfriend and I came for Lake County Restaurant Week. Overall, I would recommend it! Free bread was warm and delicious, and came with cheese. Definitely had to stop myself from filling up on the bread! First off: Meatballs. Oh my goodness. If you order one thing, make sure it's meatballs. I just picked a random appetizer, and I got lucky. It's a perfect classic Italian meatball. I got salmon for my entree, which was delicious and had a nice crust to it, but was cold and raw in the middle. I didn't mind, necessarily, but I wish they would have asked my temperature preference. My boyfriend got rigatoni with sausage. Rigatoni was cooked al dente, and the sausage was heavy on the fennel. Dessert was tiramisu, which had a lovely melt-in-your-mouth quality, and pistachio profiteroles, which were pretty solid. There was a strong hit of sweet almond taste in the profiteroles which I found off-putting, but you might enjoy. The restaurant is very small (Intimo is right) and was absolutely packed. Despite this, service was great! All three courses came out very quickly. While they do have a kids menu, the vibe was much more "date night" than "family friendly". I would definitely come back, bring my parents with me, and order meatballs for the table! read more

Francesca's Intimo - Salmon, bread, and rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

We've come here multiple times throughout the years. One of our favorites. The food is always good and the service always friendly. But last visit was particularly outstanding so I thought it only right to rate it again to confirm. It started with a wobbly table that was reconstructed on the spot, with such aplomb as to be heartwarming. The food was even better. We wondered if the restaurant's extended presence had created a decline recipes or attention to detail or any similar effect. Answer, no. The food was wonderful, each dish having a distinctive, really wonderful flavor. Service was friendly and laid back. A very delicious and comfortable way to spend an evening. We're going back again and again. read more

Really surprised & disappointed at our rushed through meal. Used to be really fantastic place to eat, but our service & meal was literally no better than Olive Garden. Menu changed; majority of items kept but skimmed down offerings for sure. Our server turned on us when they realized we were not drinking ($$$) & didn't bother informing us of the specials even tho they said they would & appeared overworked yet the restaurant was not busy. My rotini was not cooked thoroughly & oh wow possibly 4 sprigs of spinach included in the meal where spinach is the staring item. The total disappointment was the once great Francesca Special salad; it was served with average if not poor lettuce quality, no endive, no blue cheese, no flavor. This salad used to be so unique, it was our go-to whenever dining. This sad meal ruined it for us. Funny part is all the hauty tauty of LF think this place is worth it bc it has outside seating. Hard pass now. read more

We've been eating at Francesca's Intimo for many years because the food is always good and fresh. Never had a bad meal there. But over the last couple of years, we have noticed a steady decline in the level of service. For example, we dined here last week and it took 10-15 minutes for us to be greeted even though it was not yet busy and servers were loitering around chatting with the bartender. I wanted a martini and was starting to shake! Once our dinner was served, there was no check back to see if we were satisfied with our food and how it was prepared. Our waitress seemed frazzled and distracted even though she had open tables. Toward the end of our dinner, a young man who I assumed is the manager but looked more like a high school bus boy did a drive by asking if we were enjoying our meal. He didn't even stop with any authenticity and just kept going to the next table - checking the box. I'm not sure if Francesca's changed ownership over the last couple of years or what is going on, but it's nothing like the restaurant we used to visit with certainty of a great meal complimented by good service. Please make Francesca's good again! With all the new and very good restaurants in town, you need to raise your game. read more

Love the Vodka Sauce. Our server was friendly and recommended a nice Chianti. Also, surprised us with a Birthday Dessert.

The food here is fantastic! The pasta is so fresh! Staff was very nice and our server was fantastic! Will be back.

Great service and food always consistent quality when I go back. Ambiance a plus as well

There are many Francesca's in the Chicagoland area but for us, Francesca's Intimo, in Lake Forest is at the top of the list. It is small, but it has a nice evening dining out vibe, and overall , it fits a special night out dining. My wife and I have been here many times over the past years and we decided to celebrate our anniversary there last night (Saturday night which is the busiest and noisiest night of the week.) We were seated quickly upon arriving for our 7:00 reservation at a table on the upper level which is where we usually sit. Our waiter, Chris a tall very nice looking and busy young man, took our drinks order. Drinks were brought by a runner, which seems to be the service: waiter takes the order and someone else brings the order. We split the Old School sausage and peppers as our appetizer. which was terrific, and for our main course, the spaghetti bolognese which we also split. This was a great version of a sauce that is steeped in Italian culinary history. My wife and I finished the entire plate we were both very pleased with it. Yum!! With the pasta, recommended by one of the managers, I had a very nice glass of an Italian red wine blend. We finished our delightful anniversary meal with the Lemon Olive Oil cake. Again, yum. A big plus for the restaurant are the very nice and accommodating managers that are constantly in motion looking to be of help anywhere that is needed. Our waiter Chris was also quite nice but very busy. You can nit pick any restaurant but with all the important stuff being so good, I will not do this. In this current world of dining out, you see that prices for both the food and wine have gone up and to my mind if you are paying a premium price to dine, the restaurant should be on point. Last night Francesca's Intimo was just that. On Point. We will return in the summer to enjoy dining al fresco in their beautiful outside area but during the week when it is less hectic. Francesca's Intimo, thank you so much for a lovely anniversary dinner and evening. read more

As expected for the prices. I had the COSTINE DI MANZO CON POLENTA --Braised short rib, porcini brodo, mascarpone polenta, grana padana, celery and parsley leaf. Possibly a smaller portion since it was takeout? And possibly missing the celery and parsley leaf or it was part of the rue. The cream sauce was delicious. The mascarpone in polenta is too rich for my tastes; it takes away from the depth of the porcini brodo, in my opinion. We also tried the SPIEDINI DI BISTECCA E FUNGHI -- Marinated beef tenderloin, cremini, cipollini, Calabrian aioli. That aioli has a mighty spicy kick! Nothing special. I was surprised to learn that this is a chain. read more

Great food, service and ambiance. Also a great place for a date or celebration. Seating is comfortable and cozy. read more