My family and I gathered here today for lunch to celebrate my Dad's Birthday!! I believe we have eaten at Mia Francesca at another location, but this was our first time treating this location and we were pleased! The decor and aesthetic inside is really well done. Hey have a prime real estate spot right on the corner of Touhy and Lincoln, and the best part of this location is there's garage parking attached to the building! Always a plus when a restaurant has parking! (I can't speak to what parking is like on a busy weekend night, but it's definitely great to have parking on site!) Our server was Jeff K and he was so kind and attentive to us the entire dining experience. When he saw that my daughter and I brought a birthday gift, he proactively asked whose birthday it was! When we told him, he secretly told us he will bring something special for him later (which he did). We didn't order any appetizers but were brought complimentary warm bread for the table. Our entire party enjoyed our entrees and the ambiance. The hostess also came over and checked on us to ensure everything was to our satisfaction, and we were never left waiting for anything, and did not feel rushed to move along. I imagine this restaurant had a beautiful vibe in the evening, and the outdoor patio seating will be very popular when the weather stabilizes. Will definitely be back! read more

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My first time to Francesca's for pasta. I almost gave up of finding good, al dente pasta in Chicago. Turns out I had to go only a few miles from home. Came here with a group of friends after watching one of the most amazing movies ever made. We ordered some beets and asparagus for the table. The asparagus was fantastic. Cooked to perfection with the right flavors and splendid texture. I ordered the Rigatoni Pastore but requested to replace the rigatoni with linguine which they did with no problem at all. And yes, it WAS al dante. YAHOOOOO. What made the experience enjoyable was Meredith. Never felt out of place and Meredith took great care of us. Our waters were filled at all times, we were asked about anything we needed but here's the thing; she wasn't hovering over us but yet came often enough to make sure we were doing ok. She was marvelous, friendly and just a good human being. Definitely going to go here again. read more

Great food! I enjoyed the bread with olive oil and cheese! I also ordered the arrabiata pasta and it was great. There are very cute lights and the ambiance was very relaxing. But, I would say that service took a while. Although our server came to get our order early, after we got our food, our server barely came back. My friend also ordered a coffee which never came so that was disappointing. But the food was excellent! read more

Mia Francesca - Italian Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

We've always loved the Francesca franchise, namely in Naperville and Lakeview, and our first visit to this newish location continued that tradition.  Our party of 9 had a dinner already planned and reserved for the Sunday Jan 18 evening right at 5:30pm, and yes, that later coincidentally turned out to be the exact kickoff time of the Bears-Rams divisional playoff game. I called and asked if we could be at a table to watch the Bears game and the receptionist Haisley kindly made a note to have our table set up by their big bar and 2 TV's.  Nice, as it all worked out great, and thank you Haisley! As far as the food, service, and atmosphere, it was all tip-top great.  I used the handy free valet in their District 1860 apartment complex's big indoor parking lot as it was totally filled with Bears fans piled in already to watch the game at the complex's very popular Fatpour sports bar.  Mia Francesca was itself pretty quiet as the game kept the normal crowd size down, and that was fine by us.  I had read from reviews that their dining room can get quite loud, but noise was no issue during our particular visit.  Alex was our fine and attentive server, and also the biggest and most boisterous Bears booster in the house lol.  We had 4 kiddos in our party and they all ordered from the kids' menu and it is quite a nice value.  For $10 - $11, you get an entree like chicken tenders with fries or spaghetti with a big meatball, a drink, and a big bowl of gelato.  Great value and quality as well!  The 5 adults in the group ordered: - calamari appetizer - bruschette appetizer - 2 whitefish entrees - eggplant parmesan - pollo Milanese (mine) - pollo arrosto (roast chicken) - sticky toffee carrot cake - chocolate torte I also had a couple of delectable Revolution Hero hazy IPA's and my niece had a nice pour of a rosé. Warm and fresh complimentary bread was also provided.  Every entree was delicious and beautifully plated as well as generous.  We needed several leftover containers.  The desserts were average size though but nonetheless also delicious.  The pre-tip bill for our party was a very satisfactory $327.76.  We all really enjoyed our outing at this upbeat, spacious, contemporary, and convenient location and we won't hesitate to return. read more

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A disappointing experience! Everything was fine until dinner arrived. We were seated promptly by a friendly hostess and the restaurant is lovely with convenient valet parking although signage for it was lacking. Our waitress was friendly and helpful, but a bit inexperienced. Our asparagus appetizer was excellent as was the warm bread. We decided to share a pasta with the meatball starter for dinner ( I am a lover of meatballs). The pasta arrived lukewarm and the meatballs were uncooked---both were redone. The Alfredo was excellent but the meatballs were inedible both in taste and texture. They were, of course, taken off our bill, but our evening was spoiled by this entire experience. We were especially disappointed because we've dined many times as the original Mia Francesca in Lakeview and we were looking forward to a special.evening out. The only thing these two locations have in common is the name read more

Fantastic service, bartender was super friendly and helpful and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Food was pretty good. It didn't knock my socks off or anything but it was good. One big disappointment is the olive oil lemon cake was supposed to have vanilla whipped cream and it was served with reddi whip cake itself was good but as a whipped cream connoisseur I was disappointed read more

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My sister and I had a great meal here on Christmas Eve. We actually had a reservation elsewhere, but we were inspired to cancel it in favor of Mia Francesca since those unnamed others seemed to hope we wouldn't come. Mia Francesca was a very lively place for a holiday gathering, and the staff was highly professional and exceedingly positive. That goes double for our server Claudia, who is the kind of server that probably gives restaurant managers huge amounts of confidence when they are working. Claudia was VERY on top of everything, despite an overwhelming crowd. I got Rigatoni Alla Buttera and my sister got the Alla Vodka. We both loved ours; the fresh mozzerella on the Alla Vodka was probably the most impressive bite of the night for us. Oh, but wait, we started with Nonna's Meatballs. Those are fantastic. And for dessert we got profiteroles filled with gelato as well as lemon olive oil cake. Everything really really good. I am so glad that a certain other Italian restaurant in Skokie was not keen on our business because this place really hit the spot. read more

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We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Mia Francesca! From start to finish, everything exceeded our expectations. The food was incredible--fresh, flavorful, and with so many great offerings on the menu, there's truly something for everyone. A special shoutout to our server, Shannon, who made the evening unforgettable. She was warm, attentive, and went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. Her recommendations were spot-on, and her genuine kindness made us feel so welcome. We loved it so much that we've decided to host our rehearsal dinner here! It's the perfect combination of delicious food, inviting atmosphere, and exceptional service. We couldn't recommend Mia Francesca more highly read more

I came here for restaurant week with my friend. The food was delicious and for the restaurant week deal, it is definitely worth it! The pasta was my favorite and it was so much I had to take it home. The gelato and tiramisu were both delicious. I will say it was pretty cold inside only because we were sat by the window. The inside is beautiful, and the service was excellent. Everyone was attentive and polite. I would like to come back and try something new! read more

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Exceeded expectations by a long shot. I ordered the rigatoni alle verdure. It arrived still warm with very fresh bread. The dish was drizzled in a light sauce and sprinkled with a generous helping of pine nuts. All the best vegetables -- broccoli; tomatoes; red, green and yellow peppers; zucchini; squash; and some leafy greens. Rigatoni on the soft side of al dente. And it was reasonably priced, to boot. This is a new addition to the list of local favorites. read more

Came here for a late Mother's Day dinner! This was my first time dining in the new plaza since they built it. Although on a busy street, there is parking inside the garage of the plaza. The interior is super cute! It's nicely decorated and very clean. Our waiter was nice, however, service was slow even though they only had like 8-10 tables. Our entrees took a while to come out. The food here is solid. Everything was delicious and portion sizes were generous. I barely made a dent in my pasta. For dessert, you must get the blondie! So decadent. The profiteroles were a hit at the table too. Love that its served with pistachio gelato! Overall great addition to the neighborhood! read more

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I went to this restaurant a few years back but it had a different name. All the decorations were exactly the same which is kinda weird but not a big deal. The reason I gave this place 2 stars is honestly it's low quality food at an expensive price. They had a restaurant month deal that was 30 dollars for an appetizer, entre and dessert. On paper it seems like a good deal but honestly it what you get isn't worth it. I got rigatoni with sausage in a vodka sauce. The mozarella that came on top was really cold I'm assuming it was frozen. The rigatoni was just standard rigatoni most likely from a box and cut up Italian sausage. The sauce was bland. The Caesar salad tasted like a Caesar salad it was good. The tiramisu was good but most likely store bought. The host was really nice and helpful. The waitress wasn't really around but not her fault. She was the only waitress in the restaurant and the location is actually pretty big. I don't think I would go back. Lots of better Italian restaurants in the area. read more

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They had one waitress serving alone for a Sunday afternoon. We tried the restaurant month menu and the kid's menu for my children. My kids both ordered pasta with butter, a side of broccoli, and the mac and cheese bites to share. These should not be called mac and cheese bites because there is no mac inside. It's only balls of cheese. I could tell the broccoli had not been washed or prepped at all because I found a bug and some of the stems were black on the bottoms. The salad part of our restaurant week order came quick and that was decent. It took awhile for our entrees, though I'm not sure if that's because there was only one waitress. At one point our waitress checked in on us and we couldn't even answer because we didn't have our food yet. For my entree I ordered the salmon and it was okay. My husband and I both ordered tiramisu which was included with the restaurant month deal. At first they brought only one tiramisu out and served it to my husband. Then we asked about mine and the hostess brought it out. And then later when I looked at our receipt, the waitress charged us for a separate tiramisu! The hostess fixed it before we paid but overall it wasn't a great experience and we won't be going back. read more

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So I went to this location with my sister in law and husband to celebrate the new years since we had spent holidays in Orlando with family. We walk in and because we had no reservation we were given the option to sit at the bar and we decided to sit to stay and have dinner there. Our bartender Adrian was super nice although my sister in law criticized the way he made a dirty Martini she said it was not cold enough. My sister in law is one of those that complain about everything so I really didn't pay attention to her complaints. He treated us awesome and although I'm not drinking any alcohol he made a very good non alcoholic drink and I was good. The ambiance and service was great very cozy and well decorated restaurant. For starters we had calamari fritti and roasted beets. Both very delicious. My sister in law and husband had Cesar salad. I had the delicious cod fish with mushrooms and spinach. My wife had linguini pasta with shrimp scampi also very yummy. My sister in law had the salmon with asparagus and her husband the chicken limone. We all loved our dinner, than came deserts. I shared with my wife a sloppy Sunday which was do die for it had on the outside spilled frozen chocolate with nuts and vanilla gelato with candied pecan yummy. My sister in law and husband share profiteroles cream puff with pistachio gelato and chocolate sauce . This is one great restaurant to revisit on a special occasion with a loved one, it's a little pricey but so worth it. read more

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Always liked Mia Francesca. Been to many of them. It's really good solid Italian food alongside excellent waitstaff and pretty decent ambiance. Which is why I'd like to point out that the Lincolnwood branch is officially my favorite now. Yes it's set at the outskirts (barely) of Chicago...but it's worth the drive. The space is phenomenal. You get tons of ceiling height and a wrap-a-round glass walled dining room that blows away any Francesca's in their stable. Best atmosphere around. You get free parking in the building...and if that fills up there's plenty of street parking on Lincoln. We've been going there for date night almost a year now. Finally used it for an event recently (100 people) and got nothing but compliments and expressions of "I didn't know this was here...and we'll be back" Put this restaurant in your rotation for a try-out now. You'll come back over and over.... read more

Came here on NYE for a nice dinner before the countdown. The front desk was super nice when I told them we were going to be late because of traffic. When we arrived, we got seated right away in a small room at the back. The waiter were friendly and came back with our drinks and food in no time. We ordered the meatballs, the cod and pastas (the scallops in the pasta were so yummy and big). They all tasted good - no complaints. The espresso martinis were good (strong). I would have to say that the seating arrangements were a little cramped and tight though. Definitely reserve a table ahead of time and try out this place if you are in the area. Another plus is that they have an enclosed parking right next to the restaurant. read more

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Food was pretty good. My friends and I went for restaurant week. Portions were good for the price as well. Service was a little slow-ish given that they weren't busy too much it seemed like. It's a cute low-key date night place. I would go back. read more

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Charming Italian restaurant with a modern twist on some classic dishes. Food was very good. Portion sizes appropriately sized so we left full, but not uncomfortably over stuffed. Service was good. Parking is conveniently located. Reservations are accepted. read more

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Restaurant was busy that day but server was still attentive and always circling to check on us. A plus! Price wise is high but I'm not going to ding the stars and my rating is for the food which were good! read more

My husband and I sat at the bar at Mia Francesca and enjoyed cocktails and appetizers. My first impression: the restaurant is bright with large windows, modern, and has great decor. I love how the restaurant is setup with high tops tables and banquettes. And the bar is beautiful! Our bartender was very friendly, offered menu recommendations, and made great drinks. I loved The Benito, I've been on a Mezcal kick lately. We enjoyed two appetizers: The Burrata and Sophia's Sausage and Peppers, both were amazing! I loved the toasted pine nuts and pesto with the burrata. For dinner we shared the Insalate Alla Francesca. I love endive, so this salad stuck out on the menu. It was very light and refreshing. This is the third time I've dined at a Francesca's but this is the first time I've dined at the one in Lincolnwood. Looking forward to going back and trying more on the menu! read more

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Very pleasant experience and the food was better than I expected at a chain restaurant. The atmosphere is also quite nice, not too loud. My seafood linguine was excellent, with al dente pasta. My wife's salmon impressed. We appreciated the complimentary lemoncellas after dinner. Very polite, caring service. Thanks! read more

Stopped by for a late Saturday lunch. Sat at the bar, with Jeff, he was AMAZING!! My friend and I both got the Italian chopped salad, and it was so good! The restaurant is really cute. I will definitely be back and will definitely be asking for Jeff!! read more

The service was amazing & the ambiance was great as well. It looks so nice inside and fancy. It is on the pricier side which I didn't mind too much. We went during their happy hour and it was good. The pasta I ordered was not my favorite but I am open to going back to give it another try only because the appetizer I got was pretty good. Overall I'd recommend for a date night just to try! read more

My wife and daughter went to this restaurant for an Italian meal, and I'd say it was very good. Well prepared, the service was really, really nice, and the ambience was quaint and quiet. I enjoyed the experience there and would definitely go back. read more

An unforgettable dining experience thanks to Jeff and Alejandro! From the moment we walked in, Jeff and Alejandro made our evening feel truly special. Jeff's warm welcome and deep knowledge of the menu immediately set the tone -- his recommendations were absolutely spot on, especially the house-made pasta and the appetizer pairing that brought everything together perfectly. Alejandro's attention to detail and genuine hospitality took everything to the next level. He was attentive without being overbearing, made sure we had everything we needed, and even shared some background about the dishes that made us appreciate the food even more. We enjoyed his humor and he also makes an incredible French and Dirty Martini. Their teamwork and passion for what they do came through in every interaction. It's rare to feel this well taken care of at a restaurant. Jeff and Alejandro are a huge part of what makes this place shine. We'll definitely be back -- and asking for them by name! Grazie mille! read more

Mia Francesca - Italian Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

Ten or more visits have confirmed us as big fans of Mia Francesca. Of course, we eat and drink exclusively at the large, roomy bar with delightfully efficient and chatty-enough bartenders/servers like Megan. Food is consistently excellent, with their meat lasagna, their chicken Caesar salad with refreshing house dressing, and their perfectly roasted half-chicken as our particular favorites. Tuesday sees all their wines at half-price, an obvious benefit. There is plenty of indoor garage parking and some nights a valet is provided. This is all to be expected of a recommended Italian restaurant. Fresh, delicious foods prepared to order and served in an elegant, yet unpretentious environment by friendly, charming people is the truth underlying all good reviews. Right? A real and true highlight of our visits though, is Paisley, the warmly friendly and genuine managerial sort who remembers names and some pertinent facts of regulars and makes us feel at home, like part of the extended Mia Francesca family. Paisley is kind and generous and lovely, a person who behaves in a professional manner like a daughter we never had and would be proud to call our own. Paisley would be an excellent nurse. Do eat and drink and enjoy this superb Scott Harris restaurant. Indoors or outdoors, it's one little Italian place you don't want to miss. read more

Made our dinner experience serene, satisfied our pallets and totally satisfied in all areas.

My wife made a reservation for our wedding anniversary. We left feeling very disappointed and creeped out. The first issue was the lack of parking or even seeing the valet. For our cocktails, I specifically asked the waiter if the martinis use the traditional martini glass. The waiter assured me they do, but when my martini was brought out it was not a traditional glass. I would have ordered something else. The food was average or a bit below average. The parmigiana cheese bowl had no spoon and was not very good cheese. As someone else posted there are so many better Italian restaurants in Chicago that you can pass on this one. Since it was our anniversary, we were brought a free dessert that was not edible. The atmosphere has a cold franchise feel and was not very creative, plus it was a bit chilly. The waiter knew it was our anniversary but he seemed entitled to flirt with my wife at the table! That was the creepy part. He also talked way too much. We are still processing our feelings on the "yuckiness" of the creep. I would avoid this place because the food is not that good and the service is questionable. read more

This location has the old school Taylor St quality but with updated vibes. Ashley in the front of the house is always there to great you with the warmest sincere welcome, whether you are regular or not! The food is on point and the carpaccio tastes EXACTLY as it has for the past 20 years, talk about consistent and delicious. The specials are always worth a try and the ambiance is fun and the decor is really well done. Oh & parking is awesome! read more

Tried to recreate a great meal from 15 years ago in the city location for my wife's birthday. Started poorly by being offered a high top when reservation was specifically for a low top. Then taken to our table which unfortunately was freezing due to the hvac return. When told about it waitress spoke to the manager who told her there was nothing he could do. Good service would have been to come to our table himself but nothing. Server was pleasant but when told we would get more bread none came. When asked about it brought cold bread while a loaf was heating. Food was simply okay. Needed salt and pepper. Had to ask for pepper after none offered with salad that was bland. Don't get the beef carpaccio. Not good at all. Milanese is lots of food but pasta with vodka sauce underneath was cold and not a good combo with the breaded chicken (which was good) and the arugula topping did not have enough oil to give it any flavor. Asked for another coke but never got it until it was obvious server forgot. Tiramisu was the wrong dessert choice which is bad thing for Italian restaurant. Overall, would not recommend. This place is a nice space but drafty with good environment but service personifies the adage that you can't get service in suburbs and food was simply blah. This is definitely not unreasonable hospitality. read more

I am giving only 3 stars due to the fact that the food is extremely bland. Someone get the chef some salt, fresh garlic, basil, and pepper pleazzzze! The drinks are decent and the ambiance is wonderful! Staff is friendly. My husband was overall disappointed with the food and prices. We will likely only be back for drinks and a few appetizers but no entrees. read more

Get some gf options for your bread service. The limited amount of choices for a person who is gluten free makes it a more difficult to choose this Italian restaurant over others in the area. If you prefer sitting outside they have a great patio option. Wine list isn't bad either. Live some of their cocktails as well. read more

This is a very lively Italian restaurant that stays open fairly late. It was packed on a Saturday night, but we only had to wait 5 minutes to get a table. The portions are quite large so it is a fairly good deal too. read more

Mia Francesca - Dove Va Negroni - Italian Near Me - Lincolnwood, Illinois

Everything! Excellent service from Meredith and Paisley at the bar and all of the staff. Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Delicious food, beautiful space. Can't wait to return! Thank you all. read more

Understaffed. Mixed up order several times. Food was ok, not great. Loud. Ordered raviolis and received about 6 raviolis. They tasted no different than what you get in a frozen bag. Sauce was good though. But for $22? Could have used bread to soak up all the leftover sauce as it barely dented my appetite. read more

Awful service. Staff wouid rather be on their phones than help customers. I would never come here again.

Good food. We had Amanda as a server and she did a great job. We will be back definitely

This is now my fave of the three restaurants at this building location. Nice ambience and service. The food is above commercial American Italian chain quality, and I would definitely go back. If I had one rec it would be to upgrade their bread! read more

Food Poisoning! We were already disappointed as the food was very bland and mediocre, especially for the price. To add insult to injury everyone who ate the muscles at our table was up all night throwing up and had diarrhea. Horrible experience! read more

So I dined with 4 others at Francesca in Lincolnwood. Talk about disappointment, this place is so loud and the menu is so bad, let me explain. 1 steak 1 chicken 2 fish and the rest is way overpriced pasta on the menu. Service a 6 out of 10. atmosphere 5 out of 10. noise 1 out of 10. Definitely not worth the $$$ read more