Mia Francesca Reviews

Decided to try Italian with a couple of friends Pros: - elaborate menu - friendly staff - good location Cons: - not a $$$$ restaurant but I sort of expected something more "prinstine" This is more like a 3.5 but I ll err on 4 due to the good staff and service received

Great dinner, great friendly service, a great date night choice! Jenny was our waitress and was fantastic. 5/5 from us!

what a treat. still serving up style and a solid menu you can rely on. coming here 30 years and love it. they are even open thanksgiving!! a treasure for chicago

We have been in Chicago for a 'freezing' short break pre Xmas and this was recommend to us. Family run, local Italian, we turned up without a reservation about 5-30. It was just getting going and we got a table but it quickly filled up so suggest you do book in advance. The service was fab, really friendly with all the staff joining in. My wife and I had the lentil soup , amazing... and my daughter had the bruschetta which was also excellent. Main for me was one of the special lobster and ricotta filed pasta, my wife and daughter also had pasta, all the dishes were excellent. A complimentary tiramisu too finish was a nice touch. A lot to choose from in Chicago but definitely would recommend this..

The food was amazing (especially the cheesecake), and our waiter Ethan was amazing! He was so thoughtful, and we had a wonderful evening.

Another great meal! Been here dozens of times and consistently great. Jenny was our server this time and was terrific.

Had a wonderful dinner here. We sat at the bar and the service was friendly and attentive. Pasta dishes were excellent and portions were large. Beet salad was very good and well presented. We will definitely be back here on our next visit to Chicago.

Jenny was the best waitress I’ve ever had. Truly unmatched service. The food was excellent, but the service was on a whole other level. 5 out of 5 stars.

A great place for casual Italian dinner. We were there on a Sunday night and the place was packed. Service was excellent. Pasta dinner was very well done and tasty. Will recommend.

The moment you walk in they treat you like family. The food is wonderful and the service is better. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. The food is fresh and delcious. Highly recommend and will return every time I am in Chicago

Our waiter Jack provided my family and I excellent and efficient service. His kindness brightened our day. He knew the menu along with the specials very well and provided us great insight regarding certain dishes. Our experience was as delightful as the food was delicious! We enjoyed many dishes of pasta and chicken, as well as carrot cake and tiramisu. I definitely recommend the lemon shrimp pasta! Our gratitude goes out to Jack and the rest of the restaurant staff!

This place is great at a reasonable price and fresh to boot. Check it out after a Cubs game or even in Winter.

Ambiance, great service, extensive wine list, excellent food. This cozy neighborhood trattoria can will not disappoint!

Very overrated the best park is the Parking for 10 dollars in the city that is not bad. We were giving the wrong special menus and we all were ordering off the wrong specials so when came time to order we were all disappointed. DRINKS are 18 and my meal was only 24. The so have a very good glutton free menu. Too small and so not worth it.

This restaurant has a great vibe! Wonderful staff, prompt service and the food was delicious! My martini was perfect, the rigatoni with sausage was terrific and our profiteroles for dessert provided a great finish to the meal. We'll be back!

We used to live in Chicago's Little Italy neighborhood and always had good meals at the Mia Francesca there. So, on a recent visit to Chicago, with plans to see Blue Man Group, we were excited about having dinner at the Mia Francesca on North Clark. Wow, were we disappointed. My entree came luke warm at best and the best word to describe the service is indifferent. Our server seemed to enjoy hanging out in the back room more than taking care of us, and when he was at our table, he would reach in front of several people to deliver food or the bill. Overall, one big let down.

Visited Mia Francesca on Christmas Eve during our Chicago Christmas Vacation. Place was packed and we were seated promptly at reservation time of 8:30pm. Bruschetta was excellent and so was the Pasta Frutti Mare that our host told me to substitute a blend sauce instead of what was listed on menu. It was perfect. Salmon Acqua Pazza was spectacular. Great place, easy to get to and from food all made for a remarkable Christmas Eve family meal

Excellent experience! From the time we made the reservation until we walked out the door. The staff and Danny were more than gracious, making sure every part of our dining experience was enjoyable. The Cesar Salad was the right amount of dressing and cheese, the chicken cutlet was perfectly pan seared and the salmon was amazing with the light cream sauce. We finished woth the lemon tarts and a chilled lemoncello. Wonderful evening out! We will be back very soon! Thank you! Good food you can find, feeling like you at a friend’s house you cannot! I felt like I was amongst friends!

With there not be many options for a good sit down meal near Wrigley this was a great option belfry a Saturday concert. The place was packed due to the concert. We had a reservation at 5:15. We were running late and called and were told they could only hold the reservation for 15 minutes after the time. We made it at the buzzer about 14 minutes late. We were seated upstairs which you have to go outside to get to. We were at a high boy table which was fine considering the amount of people. We split the mussels which were tasty but it seemed the sauce was hit but the mussels had cooked a bit before adding the sauce. The sauce though was great to dip bread in. I had the rigatoni alla butera which was a creamy tomato sauce with sliced sausage and peas. My wife had fettuccine bolognese. We both really enjoyed our meals. We shared a nice bottle of barbaresco as well. No room for dessert but had a lemoncello before walking to the concert which is only about a half mile away. Definitely a nice stop before an event at Wrigley.

I had not been here in 20 years. Just moved back in town and decided to bring my dad here for dinner. It was as good as I remembered. Both of our meals were great.

Great food as always. Cozy atmosphere. Service was fantastic. Must try bruschetta and the homemade pasta. Love this place!

Oh wow! That mushroom pasta was like sex on a plate. I love this place. I had a birthday party here that was fabulous a few years ago and the place still has it!!!

I love you Jenny! Jenny was beyond great. She tolerated our group of 5 and was one of the best servers we ever had. Will be going back just for Jenny!

The restaurant was amazing, service impeccable. The Lentils- need that recipe! The staff accommodated our change in reservation.

Took my 2 teenaged daughters on a Saturday night which was also a game night for the Cubs. Neighborhood was loud and rowdy and it was pretty loud inside the restaurant as well. We were seated on the 2nd floor in a corner facing a window with the shades down. The restaurant is pretty inside but we didn't have the best view of it. The food was amazing. My daugher's ravioli was the best. I also liked the chicken saltimbocca. We ordered a side of asparagus that was great. I also enjoyed my tiramisu. Would come again, maybe on a less busy night.

My review would have been 5 if not for the sub-par service. I’m not sure if our waiter was new, etc. but we waited an extremely long time for everything. However, every plate of pasta was truly al dente and a dream. Every plate at our table was different but delicious.

Went to the location on chestnut street by water tower place. Very good food. Even better service. Not a bad thing on the menu. Definitely will go back and tell others bout my experience.

The restaurant is crowded and noisy BUT of course it would be because it is great. Excellent menu offerings with a nice Chef's Special Menu. Service was good, food delicious with nice presentation. Would certainly return if in the area.

Close to Wrigley Field. The Calamari was excellent. They had really good Pork Chops. Waitress was very nice and polite. Went there after a Cub Game. It was definitely loud in there!

Recommended by friends who live locally -- from salads to pastas, meats and deserts, all was fresh, tasty and portions of a reasonable size. Also accommodating for various food restrictions. Great local spot.

Alfonso was great and the food was excellent as usual. We always enjoy our visits to Mia Francesca. We just want the donuts back!

A group of 5 visited as part of a business trip to Chicago. Everyone raved about their food - from the calamari to the numerous pasta dishes. We sampled the waiters’ recommendations and we were pleased with all selections. The risotto was perfect. The Rigatoni Segreto had a delightful creamy white sauce. The special of the day gnocchi with pumpkin sauce had an amazing lingering taste that forced you to savor every bite. The tortellacci sauce was cleaned up with bread after a delicious chew. There was a very respectable wine list and the wait staff was friendly and attentive. We discussed come back the next day ! (Trip timing did not allow that). Do yourself a favor - don’t sweat about going here - do it.

The good news was the food, which is out of this world home cooked authentic Italian. We had the Francesca salad, the Rigatoni, Tortellini type dishes, Cesar salad - they brought home-baked bread with olive oil and parmesan right away - all DELICIOUS. No complaints about the food. The drinks are a total rip-off - don't order any soft drink or mixed drink, cocktail - they are watered down to the point they are really just water for $5 - $10 -$15 - absolutely ridiculous. Took 3 tries to get my young son a 'ginger ale' - we got tonic water first and then the supposed ginger ale was basically water with a few bubbles on massive mountains of ice. Same thing for my $11 cocktail - had almost no liquor or juice in it - tasted like absolutely nothing - if you want a drink have water or wine because the bartender otherwise dilutes or waters down your soft drink or cocktail to the point that you're just burning money. Our waiter was too busy to pay attention to us. I had to speak to him 3 times to bring what he promised, he forgot to put in my drink order but spent a lot of time and paid a great deal of attention to a young woman with a young daughter instead. That was disappointing. However, the other staff supporting our waiter were lovely - they were friendly and helpful and attentive, brought our food out in a timely way, checked on us and packed up our food after the downpour of rain forced us to pack up and leave as we were in the courtyard in the back. I do suggest you make a reservation and ask for a table in the 'courtyard' - it is a very small seating area outside on a patio between indoor larger parts of the restaurant and it is very pretty. Food is great - I would return for that and some of the staff being very friendly. We were there after a Cubs win and the crowd were mostly Cubs fans - as the place is very close to Wrigley - they were drinking and rowdy and the place was packed but the atmosphere was largely jovial, if too crowded and a bit noisy inside. Would not have been relaxing with kids to sit inside in what ended up feeling like an upscale bar in that part of the restaurant.

We love this restaurant for it's fantastic staff and food. We never miss a chance to eat here when we're in town. It's an easy walk from Wrigley Field too after an afternoon game.

Tom was very friendly, helpful, and fun! We enjoyed our experience immensely I would recommend it to anybody. The whitefish is amazing. FYI.

The food was very good, although a little lacking in presentation. I would hearily recommend the asparagus salad with blue cheese. This is a small place, so be prepared to get cozy with the neighboring tables.

From the start, our dining experience was excellent. Our interaction with the hostess was great- seating 7 of us (one couple and a family of 5 including 3 kids) with the COVID restrictions in place was tricky, but they accommodated us perfectly and without a hitch. Ellyn was our waitress and she was absolutely charming, attentive, and did everything she could to go above and beyond. The recommended burrata appetizer was fantastic and my wife couldn't stop raving about the steak carpaccio & avocado starter. Oh, and I can't forget about the warm bread and herb infused olive oil! We couldn't get enough, but had to hold back to enjoy our entrees. The steak special (8oz filet w/ pasta side) was exceptionally priced and ever so delicious. The restaurant manager personally visited our table to ensure we were having the best dining experience possible. There were a couple minor mishaps, which really didn't phase us; but the way the staff responded - providing a free tiramisu dessert, a round of limoncello for the adults, and even removed an item from the bill was incredible! We look forward to our next dining experience at Mia Francesca!

Ate with family and the dinner was delicious. Victor was our server and he did a great job. Food was great and the atmosphere was a lot of fun. Finished the night with an espresso and tiramisu.

We have been to Mia's on many of our visits to Chicago and always have a good time and great meal. It's a little bit of a trip from the city center by public transportation, but we're always glad we made the trip. It's worth a trip to this neighborhood to enjoy this fine food at a good price. They have a medium size but excellent menu. This time we decided to share two dishes. The Pasta Siciliana ($15.95) was excellent and the amount was plenty to share. For a main, we ordered the Veal Medallion dish with polenta ($32.95). It was so tender and delicious. Mia's is a short walk from the Belmont metro station or a few yards using Bus #22 to the Aldine/School Street stop, just a few yards walk. The bus does take longer.

Dined here initially on moving to the neighborhood last year and had a dismal experience. Given the proximity to our home, decided to give them a second chance. Calamari starter very basic, bland and chewy. Only way to eat was to drown it in sauce. The pasta is very dense and feels like cement in your stomach. The Frutti Di Mare dish at $39 was insulting in terms of portion, taste and quality. The seafood itself, apart from the scallops was a mess ruined by a heavy sauce. Tiny tasteless mussels and shrimp. I will say the staff is pleasant and attentive however the ambience is ruined by the kitchen staff consistently smashing plates and hardware. A small carafe of table wine for $48. Offensively overpriced. Sadly, a total waste of time and money. Both times we had upset stomachs afterwards.

We’ve been to Mia Francesca twice now, and both times had a truly wonderful experience. First of all, the staff is warm, welcoming, and accommodating, but also have all the style of a fine dining restaurant. Second, the food is great, and the menu includes things you don’t find at bigger places, like fried artichoke hearts. Third, the entrees are special: last time I had a risotto with seafood that was out of this world. Desserts were good too, but not as good as the rest of the menu. Don’t know about the wine list, but the cocktails were great. And the cost is not cheap but worth every penny.

Great service from Chris P! Haven’t been back here in 20 years but it was just as delicious as I remembered. Highly recommend the lentils.

Quaint restaurant. We were treated so I didn’t pick this place. Initial service had me wondering but then the food came and everything was great. I started with the mozzarella heirloom tomato (in season!) salad followed by the tuna dinner (requested rare but got medium) which was still excellent. Their lobster ravioli was an amazing special (I stole a bite). We were going to skip dessert but amusingly ended up with two - molten lava cake and profiteroles with pistachio gelato...both were a clear wow. It was a bit noisy inside as we came after a Cubs late inning victory and there were young (tired?) children. That said I would come back here with my wife and if the weather was great I’d sit out back in their outdoor patio.

Mia Francesca's has been in this location for over 25 yrs. and some of the smaller details show it. The entry to the outdoor patio needs a minor refresh. The restaurant is on the smaller side, very romantic and features a private room upstairs. The menu changes frequently and often has delicious specials. Drinks are superb and the outdoor private room is perfect for small parties.

Delicious food, great vibes and wonderful service. Our waiter Alfonso gave great recommendations and was super helpful and patient when I was indecisive 😆 love this neighborhood spot!

Admittedly, Chicago has an abundance of excellent Italian restaurants. But Mia Francesca distinguishes itself from a very crowded field. My wife and I enjoyed a delightful meal there on August 1st. White tablecloths in the dining room. More casual dining on the outdoor patio. Both had one thing in common: tasty Italian food. We started with crispy calamari, followed by a creamy burrata salad. Delightful. My wife loved her linguine with a chilled tomato sauce. I was thrilled with my shell shaped pasta with ham, peas and wild mushrooms. Some of the best pasta I’ve ever enjoyed. Throw in an extensive wine list and attentive service from Antobelli, and it was a meal to remember.

Great night on the patio. Alfonso took great care of us. He was able to make a birthday dinner seamless and warm. Look forward to being back.

We were guests at a wedding rehearsal dinner on a Friday night. We were up in the second-floor separate dining area which you enter from a set of stairs to the left of the main entrance to the restaurant. They served us lots of different pizzas which were good but in that Neapolitan style which is so popular - they were a little too doughy and not crispy enough for my liking. The dinner was sparse. We feel bad for the parents of the groom. The caprese salad for a table of six came out with three tomatoes and three slices of mozzarella. Everyone had to cut a piece in half. Next was the vegetable rigatoni. It came out on a super wide and long plate and basically had one layer of rigatoni and some dry sautéed vegetables. No sauce, no flavor. Next came a delicious chicken limone with spinach. The spinach was perfectly cooked, not overly done as so many places do but not raw either. It had nice large slices of garlic and a good sauce of butter and lemon. The only problem was that here again it came out with four small chicken breasts (halves) already cut in half so pretty much everyone got only half of a small breast and had to fight for another piece if they wanted more. Best dish of the night was the profiteroles. Crispy choux puff pastry filled with ice cream and a delicious dark chocolate sauce. Not sure if the restaurant portions are like this or if it just happened because it was a party.

Great menu, I had the whitefish and it was excellent. My teen had the spaghetti, also excellent. Nice wine list, service was good, not great. Overall a very nice experience. Outside seating is available.

Audrey was our server and couldn’t have been more gracious!! The service was fantastic and the food was delicious! We will definitely be back!!

A little hole-in-the-wall restaurant we found on trip advisor. Friendly server (Danielle) answered all of our questions about the menu and made suggestions about what to order. We went with her suggestions and were very pleased with the food and the flavor. We were impressed with the hustle and bustle of the crew and everyone seemed to be working together to give all customers a great experience. Overall great food, reasonably priced, and parking on the street.

The food is ok, nothing special. The service is good. BUT, you have to like having dinner with disco music so loud that you can't carry on a conversation with your friends across the table. Repeated requests to turn it down were not successful. We are not going back.

Excellent staff, great atmosphere and excellent booze selection! Must-see spot in Wrigley. Make sure to try the homemade limoncello!

Jenny was amazing !!! So attentive, personal, and sweet! Loved having her and will be back again! Service and food were 10/10

Mia is so solid, always great food , service and atmosphere. Music is great but not loud. Staff is attentive. The Bar tender Chrissy is fun, knowledgeable and on top of the flow for the evening This place is one of my favorites

Katrina is the best server I had in a long time. We just absolutely love her. She made this dining experience a 5 star at Francesca’s!!

This was my first time eating at Mia Francesca’s, although I visiting Chicago often. The food was amazing and the wine was great! The staff and bartender were very polite and accommodating. I definitely recommend Mia Francesca’s!

We brought 12 people to Mia Francesca's for a family dinner and had a wonderful time! The room was inviting...a little noisy but that was great since we had four Grandkids along and they are not exactly quiet! The menu had all of the Italian favorites and the staff was efficient and helpful. It happened to be right around the corner from our condo that we were renting in Lakeview! What a fun evening!

Found this restaurant on Trip Advisor and was not disappointed! Great smallish neighborhood restaurant. We were lucky to get a table early on a Tuesday night. Reservations would be a good idea. Food was amazing. Carpaccio was exceptional. We also had Two pastas and a pizza which were excellent. Service was also excellent. Waiter Tom took great care of us. Great menu with salads, pizza, pastas, chicken and seafood. Would definitely return!

Katrina was a cheerful and good wait person and the food was terrific! Th outdoor patio was very pleasant and the service was well timed.

Stopped here with 6 people before Cubs game. Local Italian place with good food and a nice wine selection. It's a small place and you are packed in pretty close. Service was good and server knowledgeable about menu. Everyone enjoyed their meal and the wine. Would go here again. We also valeted car here for the Cubs game (couple of block walk to field) which was a reasonable price of $20 but they close early so if you plan to go out afterwards you might consider this, Only issue I had is they tried to double charge me for valet saying we did not pay when car was dropped off. Probably because they didn't have change initially and marked ticket wrong. I refused to pay and eventually they handed over my keys.

Long standing traditional restaurant in a fun neighborhood. High quality food at reasonable prices. And a great spot to bring the family, meet friends, date night or a special occasion.

My wife and I have been here a number of times we always have dinner at Francesca’s for her birthday It’s an annual event that we have doing for year The hostess greater is with a happy birthday to my wife and that was itNo other acknowledgment nothing It was a total let down You guys just blew us off on this very special day for her Someone was really asleep at the wheel We use to love this restaurant but after last night you really let us down

This restaurant has truly authentic Italian food, and the chefs are happy to change the dish to tailor to your tastes. The pastas are perfectly cooked al dented and the ingredients are fresh. The kitchen is small and literally squeezed into the interior dining room but that’s part of the ambiance. There is also a back outdoor patio that you can sit within if the interior is too noisy. This is a must stop in Chicago.

Amazing restaurant all around! Great food, atmosphere and all around experience…oh and Jenny is the best!

Mediocre experience a year ago. Tried MF again and had a very nice dinner. Pork shoulder special, barramundi special, and a GF pasta dish were all very good. Nice red wine special. Service from S was much better than waiter on previous visit.

We arrived at 5:10 on Thursday and were promptly seated in the packed main dining room. We ordered an exquisite thinly sliced steak appetizer and some wine. It was really outstanding so we decided to share a caprese salad--spectacular. My main course of fettucine with mussels topped with spicey tomato sauce was very good and came out piping hot. My wife's stuffed pasta was the daily special but it was delivered cold--the server had it promptly heated and returned. We shared the very fresh mixed berries for dessert. Overall, the food was very good and the place was jammed full of people--perhaps a little too crowded for my taste.

Truly a great experience on many levels. Great menu with many creatively cooked seasonal items. Comfortable surroundings , where you can actually have a conversation with out yelling across the table. Fun service that is knowledgeable, attentive and just fun to have around. We will be back to this "little" gem

Good golly, that was delicious, and the service was amazing! I always love a restaurant that has a staff helping one another, and that was what was going on tonight. They worked like a well-oiled machine. Anyway, everything we had was fantastic. We had the bruschetta, the spaghetti bolognese, the vodka pasta, and the four cheese ravioli. All of them were stand-outs. Without a doubt, we will return if we’re ever in the area. 10/10!!!

Went there on Christmas Eve. The restaurant was festive and warm. The food was delicious. Very fresh, hot and filled with wonderful flavor.

Went to the limoncello class...it was soooo fun!!! The instructor gave us so much information and he makes amazing chocolates.

We were extremely happy how the rehearsal dinner turned out, it was perfect. The food was delicious. The staff was professional, helpful and organized. The overall experience exceeded our expectations. The Mia Francesca team was a pleasure to work with!

Had dinner with friends before attending a concert in the neighborhood. Service was top-notch, food was delicious. We were seated upstairs which is more "quiet" than the downstairs seating -- which we appreciated. Was pretty busy downstairs. Will dine here again!

Very high quality food and great service. The restaurant was full on a Monday night. Great local place from the looks of it and the portions are huge. Definitely come back whenever in Chicago.

Great vibes! Our server Alfonso was so sweet. Love this place!! We had the best tiramisu here and the pasta we had was delicious

Mia's is one of our favorites in the neighborhood. We frequently visit and always get a pasta and fish to share. The meal is always fantastic. My boyfriend, in particular, likes the Stuffed Peppers as an appetizer. It's not always on the menu - but ask! The carpaccio is also fantastic. We always order it when we go. I cannot recommend this enough. Be sure to check it out.

Neighborhood gem with menu that changes frequently. Always excellent. Great for casual or nice dining. Wonderful atmosphere.

Food was okay. Our server did a good job taking care of our group of 12. Ambiance and music made it even better. We were here to Celebrate our Anniversary!

This was one of the first restaurants in Chicago that became a personal favorite of mine, several years ago, when I started visiting Chicago regularly. Restaurants like Mia Francesca are one of the reasons Chicago is such a great restaurant town. My dear friend Richard, who introduced me and my family to thls place, suggested it again this trip. We had a fabulous dinner. My friend had the roast chicken. It came with a delicious rosemary scented gravy. I had a pasta dish,sorry, I don't remember which one, with palomino sauce and mushrooms. It was excellent. Richard had pasta also. They vary the menu every few weeks so you locals won't get bored. We ordered mussels for an appetizer, and they had no problem delivering it with a white wine sauce instead of the advertised tomato. And more bread, please, for dipping! If I have any cautions for you, I would say, make reservations, it's a busy place. And it's noisy! Not a place for quiet or romantic conversation. You go there to be one of the boisterous, happy crowd. Enjoy! Oh and if this was helpful, may I have a "Helpful" vote? Thanks!

This little Italian gem is always on my list when I come back to visit Chicago. When I lived in Chicago, I lived just around the corner .... Mia is special. The food will never disappoint. You can sit in the front area where it's loud and bustling or choose to sit tucked away in the courtyard in the back, where it's peaceful and quiet. Tonight we had a lobster special, it was amazing. We topped off the meal with limoncello and tiramisu.

Amazing food and amazing service. Alfonso was fantastic and very attentive on a busy Saturday night.

The worst place to go in Chicago. Badly served, the awful food came refined in five minutes from the kitchen with bad taste. The wine in a glass came without knowing what we were drinking. We regretted going there, we should have returned the food and left. Mia Francesca is ripped out of our options. Very sad to see this decay.

In visiting friends and we went to Mia Francesca for brunch. It confounds me why anyone would pass up brunch here. Mia has traditional egg dishes however some have an Italian flare that sets them apart. They also offer several pasta dishes for those who want lunch instead of breakfast. The service is very attentive and the peach Bellini is divine! If you’re looking to escape the usual breakfast (or worse, buffet style brunch which guarantees lousy food) check out Mia.

Ten of us were placed in a corner near the kitchen..it was hot and noisy, but that said, the service was excellent and the food, some gluten free dishes included, were all very good.

The food and vibe were both very good. Smaller place with great service. The tables are very close together but the food was excellent. Everyone was happy with their meal. Their ravioli special was great. The Caesar salad and bread was average. Their dig and goat cheese salad was really good. The rigatoni wand sausage pasta was excellent. The Chicken ( pollo alla salvia) was tender and delicious. The deserts were delicious. The brownie was delicious as was the tiramisu. The pumpkin cheesecake as very good. Overall great experience. We would eat here again

We went there last night and got there about 6pm and was greeted by very accommodating staff. Luckily, we were seated and we did not have to wait on a Saturday night. We were seated outdoors, it was such a great ambiance and our server was busy but still great. My husband and I loved our entrees, we both had chicken with roasted potatoes and a side of pasta which was really good. I totally recommend this restaurant, the staff is great.

On a Tuesday there are half-bottle wines to complement the fresh Italian foods--pizzas, apps, rissotto, pasta, seafood, meat entrees. Something for everyone served with friendly attention.

This was our second visit here while visiting Chicago and have to say the quality of the food is as good or better here than many larger more expensive establishments. The local area restaurant has very friendly service and excellent preparation of Italian cuisine. Now that we have been back a second time Mia Francesca will be on our list to visit and dine each time we visit Chicago.

Everything was great! We have been going to many of the Mia Francesca’s restaurants over the last 20 years and always love it. We have been sad to see many of the restaurants close but are happy to see the original is still open. Kudos to Jack for his wonderful service and for being to kind to us!

This was the top rated TA restaurant close to Wrigley, and it was as good as its ranking. First let me say this was not a tourist restaurant, this was eating local. We had reservations but walking in it felt like you were part of the neighborhood. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. I had an Italian Old Fashion to start. The food and the drinks were great. I hated the game was starting because I would have like to stay longer. However, we did get to have some of their limoncello with the manager as they were so fun after we told them we were there from NW Florida. It was good food which you can find other places, but this was for sure the best and friendliest atmosphere we had of any meal on our trip. For that reason, I highly recommend you visit when in Chicago.

A short walk south of Wrigley field, but a long way from the noise and rowdiness. Small dining area, tactfully decorated. Many interesting menu choices, which are changed periodically based on the seasonal nature of some ingredient (we were told). Quality olive oil for dipping. Great, fresh, and tasty lentil salad. Good-enough artisan pizza. $40 for two of us. Attentive service. Definitely recommended!

This is our regular date night spot in our neighborhood of Lakeview. They have great pastas and the menu is always changing. Sometimes they have homemade pasta but not always. They're flexible so if you don't see what you want on the menu, just ask and they may be able to make it. Recently they had soft shell crab - I had it put over pasta and it was delicious and lemony!

Audrey our waitress was awesome and as always the food was the best! Will continue to come back here again and again. If you can score a table on the patio - it’s 100% worth it

Very attentive staff from beginning to end, Italian food Chicago style at its family best, from the risotto to burratta to pasta to deserts and wine, this place is still a winner, forget about it, you will not be dissapointed...

Outstanding service by Ethan and Abby! All four of Ethan’s recommendations (meatballs, agnolotti, pappardelle and cheesecake) were delicious! One of our very favorite restaurants!!

We came to celebrate our mother’s 80th birthday. She ambulates with a walker, moving quite slowly, and needs assistance. The entire staff was so helpful and created a festive atmosphere for her. Huge shout out to Scarlett and Isaiah who were so attentive and lovely! An excellent evening that the birthday woman so enjoyed. We will be back.

Wow Kendra was amazing & the food was on point as always! Love the lentils, martinis, vodka rigatoni, and a delicious caesar!

I have been a fan of the Mia Francesca family for many years. I was introduced by a friend who is a world traveler and quite a food and wine connoisseur. My first experience was on Taylor St. and it was amazing, with the wonderful 'Little Italy: surroundings. My favorite is the location on Clark St. While Chicago has no shortage of wonderful Italian restaurants, this little gem sits in Lakeview and it's fun, lots of action vibe. It is a beautiful spot but can get a little noisy on the peak weekend days, but that just adds to the atmosphere. The food never disappoints. Melt in your mouth pasta and truly authentic sauces. A very nice wine list is also offered .I live in the Western suburbs but this is always a go to place when coming into the city.

Great place. Had soup special and rigatoni. Wife had salad and linguine. Both were amazing. Would definitely go back.

Ethan was a fantastic server that gave great food recommendations! Wonderful spot and will be back for sure!

We had an enjoyable dinner in the garden of this favourite Italian restaurant which got quickly busy for our early evening dinner. We nibbled on some complimentary bread and oil whilst choosing 2 pasta dishes. A seafood pasta and a special of prawns with asparagus and mushrooms. Of the 2 dishes the special was the better with a rich sauce though both were enjoyable and filling. Service from Victor was friendly and helpful and we did not feel rushed. A plus was 50% off wine night - we choose a decent Chardonnay from Sonoma. At $110 for 2 we thought this good value - worth booking as it gets busy.

I love this place! I come up to Chicago at least once a year to visit family and I always make them take me to Mia Francesca. The food is exceptional! I think it would be impossible to order something bad. Furthermore, they have a good wine selection. The inside is a little small on the inside, so I would recommend making a reservation. When I was visiting earlier this month we had an excellent meal. We ordered the calamari and bruschetta for apps. For entrees we all got something different and everything was fabulous. I had the Penne alla Caruso and OMG it was so good!

Not often do you have a restaurant hit on all aspects of a dining experience as Francesca's did. Jorge took care of us like family! Our group had chicken, salmon, veal, and bass- every plate cleaned! Appetizers were amazing, calamari, bruschetta and prosciutto. Will make this a regular stop when in Chicago.

I first ate here back in 1996 when I first moved to the Lakeview neighborhood. It is one of my favorite restaurants and I always try to visit when I'm in town. It is worth taking the Red Line (to Belmont station) up from your downtown hotel to try this gem. Get away from all the tourists and see what real Chicago is like. I love Italian food (coming from upstate NY) and I have never had a bad meal here. I arrived for an early dinner before the crowds since I was dining alone this time. I was seated promptly in a window seat and was well taken care of. I had the rigatoni with spicy sausage and mushrooms (minus the peas) and it was fabulous. I even ate the leftovers COLD the next day in my hotel room for breakfast and it was still great! I also had the hearts of palm w/avocado salad. Nice and fresh and full of flavor. Their menu is always changing so you can try new things all the time. Great establishment in the neighborhood, wonderful servers, chefs and food! This is true Chicago to me - this is home!

We recently held my daughters Bridal Shower and Mia Francesca's on Clark. It could not have gone better. We used the private upstairs room which worked out perfectly for a group of 25 +/-. Katherine Woods, the event planner was great to work with. They were flexible with the menu options and made excellent suggestions. The staff the day of the event was wonderful. Ellen the bartender was on top of everything. She had a great attitude, took care of us with a smile and even took great pictures. From the appetizers to the main course the foods was absolutely delicious. It was served family style and there were plenty of left overs they packed up so we could take home. Sure came in handy that night when we heated everything up. I totally recommend Mia Francesca's for your event.

We keep going to Mia Francesca over and over because it one our local Italian restaurants. All the menu items are great. The service has always been terrific. The management knows what they are doing and keep up the excellent work! See you in a couple of weeks.

We stayed in Chicago recently and went to Mia Francesca twice, returning because the food was so good (the calamari is particularly excellent) and reasonably priced. One small gripe, on both occasions the main course was rushed out to us after the appetiser. On the second visit it came before we had even finished the appetiser. The waiter starter clearing the appetiser to one side mid-mouthful to put the entrees on the table.

It was a chilly rainy night. We stopped in for dinner and some wine. It was delicious. We all ordered the same thing too which is highly unusual for us. We had a half moon pasta dish with a tomato cream sauce with prosciutto, onions and peas in it. We had some flavorful Parmesan chased on top. It was amazing. Just the perfect meal on a rainy Sunday evening.

Mia Francesca is a traditional Italian restaurant right in the heart of Chicago. We had a 530 reservation on Saturday but they were unable to seat us when we arrived so we waited in the upstairs bar for 15 minutes! But after some complaints they put things right and seated us. Our server was great and very pleasant and we were served complimentary bruschetta and tiramisu later. The food is excellent we had the bruschetta, eggplant pasta that was nicely spiced with tomato sauce, calamari and seasonal salad! Good selection of reasonably priced wine by the glass! Overall an excellent experience! One issue is that the restaurant is tightly packed with tables close to each other and can be noisy… so not very intimate!

My brother and his wife often eat here. The patio is in the rear of the building and very relaxing. (The dining room is rather loud.) My husband had a build-your-own-pizza which was good just not my crust type. I had the lemon chicken. It was very good with cooked spinach. I am not a cooked spinach eater but ate all of this! For dessert we had cinnamon gelato. Better than any cinnamon ice cream I've had.

I hope it was just an off night for them. We have previously dined at the Francesca line of restaurants in Frankfort and Bolingbrook, and have had nice experiences at both. We chose this location due to its proximity to our son's apartment. We were taking him out for a birthday dinner. The glass of white wine I ordered was warm. We never received bread. When we finally asked for it, it arrived with the dinner. When the dinner was originally served, it was the for the wrong table. When we received the 3 entrees, my husband's was cold at the bottom. I had the risotto carbonara. It was decent, but a very small portion for the price. I am not a huge eater, but was still very hungry after I ate it all. I ended up eating a lot of that bread to make up for it. For the price, we just expected an overall better experience.

Local Chicagoan who grew up going to Mia Francesca’s. This is consistently the BEST meal. The menu is seasonal, and always has creativity woven into each dish, plus the classic dishes are incredible. Chris did a great job and was super attentive as our server. Always impressed with the hospitality here. Will be back a million times more!

Server Chris did an outstanding job. Seating was quick. Food was hot and delicious. Restaurant was very lively for Christmas Eve. Staff and patrons together cooperated for a memorable experience.

Mia Francesca has been our favorite neighborhood Italian for decades. It never disappoints--always great food and service in a bustling trattoria atmosphere. -The tables by the windows are sun-drenched at dusk and ideal. -Bread is always warm and fresh, served with good extra virgin olive oil. -Nice selection of Italian wines. -Risotto specials are always interesting and perfectly executed. -Delicious pizzas--our favorite is the quattro stagione--with prosciutto, artichoke, olives and egg on top. -Pastas are always fantastic and a nice al dente--rigatoni with Italian sausage and fresh cheese is to die for. -Fish specials are always fresh and well prepared. -Veal is also always good. -Homemade tiramisu is luscious and moist and an excellent way to complete an excellent meal. -It does get crowded and loud--so be prepared for that--but it lends the environment an exciting energy. We will continue coming for many more years to come!

Great cozy ambience and friendly service from Chris! A strong martini and Caesar salad are what I’m looking for in a Chicago Italian classic.

Got the fagottaro linguine and it was amazing. Highly recommend this place for the fresh taste of the food and the environment and service. Bread and appetizers are delicious. God bless this location.

I have been to several of ho s classes. I look forward to learning about new wine regions and wine every month. I highly recoythis for a girls night or a date night

Audrey was incredibly attentive server to our large group. Seriously one of the best experiences I have had in the city!

Seven at our table; we all ordered different dishes. Portions were generous, very tasty and fresh. I chose the 1/2 roasted chicken which was presented moist and savory,I loved it. The pasta dishes looked and smelled great.Everyone was quite pleased. No one had room for dessert, we scraped our dishes to the pleasant end.

Grabbed a great dinner before the 8 PM Blue Man Group show a couple of blocks away. The place is small, crowded and noisy. If you can get past that - the food is terrific, the wine list is great and the wait staff is top notch. Would visit again when in the area.

We visited this restaurant on a Sunday, having visited their Taylor Street location a number of times. Food was average. The specialty pasta of the night had way too much garlic and was all around uninspired. My adult son had a pizza with an egg in the middle which he enjoyed as it was a unique concept with prosciutto, olives and cheese. Minestrone soup was hot but average in taste. Service was good. The quarters are very tight for wheelchairs and a wheelchair user may be challenged going over the ramp without assistance. A wheelchair user could not get into the bathroom-so the accessibility of it is a moot point. If you are in Wrigleyville, worth going to but if not, don't go out of your way. Italian restaurants are plentiful in Chicago providing-stiff competition to this place. If located elsewhere, I would likely give it a better review.

Server was very accommodating and the ambience of the place was very calming and felt authentically Italian. A nice night for anyone looking for Italian food in Chicago.

We got the recommendation from a lifetime Chicago lady and it was a very good one. Old style Italian American food and service. Very impressed with the wine list too.

Victor was amazing! Great recommendations and excellent energy. The food was delicious and the dirty martinis were even better.

Always a great place for years as we have come back for decades. Audrey was spectacular and the food never disappoints. Don’t miss a visit

Food was delicious! We had the best server, Katrina! She was so attentive to our table and made sure we had an amazing time!

Audrey was great. Always had a smile on her face. The food was amazing. We had dessert as well. Every bite was outstanding.

Just got back to our hotel and my wife and I both can’t stop talking about how much we enjoyed our meal. Great service and a menu that can make anyone happy. We will definitely be back when in town.

We just had our engagement party at Mia Francesca's this past weekend and it was phenomenal. The staff was fantastic and super accommodating. All of my guests had drinks when needed and the food is of course fantastic. We did an appetizer banquet and open bar, everyone had such a great time. The private room upstairs is a beautiful place to have an event! Thank you for making our night memorable and fun!

Friends and I came on a jazz night and they didn’t disappoint! The vocalist, Holly McGuire, was amazing and our server, Eliza, was so welcoming. It was my first time here but I’ll be back!

We met here recently to go for a special dinner to celebrate an engagement. Not only did we enjoy the pasta but our server, Melvin, made arrangements to bring out a cookie baked in a skillet topped with ice cream and a candle! It really made our dinner even more special. ( there was a cost for the cookie but 4 of us shared it and it was well worth the price!)

Never been disappointed here. The food is fresh and very tasty. The ambience is warm and cozy and the service is excellent. I'll definitely be back!

Went there last night for the first time in years, and it was outstanding. The pasta was excellent. So was everything else.

We enjoyed our dinner at Mia Francesca. The gnocchi was amazing! It was our favorite. The desserts was very good as well.

We are returning locals and wanted to stop in one of our reliable favorites. Sometimes reality doesn't live up to your memories. Mia Francesca was even better than we remembered it. I ordered the shrimp special with some trepidation because I wasn't sure if our waiter (Chris) representation about the size of the shrimp was accurate. It was. 7 huge shrimp nestled on a bed of spinach with cherry tomatoes in a white wine sauce. It was simply perfect. My son ordered pasta with mushrooms, but due to a fortuitous error in the kitchen was served a different pasta dish that he liked even more. We knew going into Mia Francesca that we would have an excellent meal, and I really want to send a shout out to our server Chris, who made the night extra enjoyable. His enthusiasm about each dish was contagious. He made us feel welcome and special. Thanks.

Had the Ossobuco ravioli and it was perfectly al dente and the flavours were incredible. Definitely give the Brussels sprout starter a try too and the melted cookie dessert. Great service as well!

We have eaten at Mia Francesca twice in the last month before attending a Cubs' game. This place is reliably delicious. The specials are always good. Last visit, we were lucky enough to be there for Happy Hour-food and drinks. There were $5 meatball and Bruschette alla Romana appetizers, Caesar salad, and pick your own ingredient pizzas. They also had $5 wine and cocktail specials. Each of these food selections was very fresh and good. The pastas (especially Rigatoni alla Paesana) and salads here are always fantastic. Highly recommend!

We visited today after a theater trip with our 9 year old. For me, the Gluten free menu was extensive and wonderful. Our son has a dairy allergy and they were very accommodating, even on an amazing birthday dessert (try the apple gelato!) my husband had the Quattro stagioni and loved it. Staff was very friendly and there is a free appetizer if you show a ticket from Blue Man Group. Great job!

Celebrated our anniversary there this week. Fantastic service and food. Really a wonderful night. Appreciated that they have so many wonderful gluten free options as well!

Great place to eat/drink before Cubs game. Happy hour specials and 1/2 off bottle wine in Tuesdays. Food was delicious. What a treat!

Great casual night out at the refreshed Mia Francesca. We went regularly 10 years ago and really enjoyed the visit back. Great Roman style chicken

Our waiter J was an amazing, consummate professional who displayed a true zest for not simply the service industry but MF as a whole! He was knowledgeable in menu items ranging from drinks and entrees to desserts and aperitifs! His timing with checking in with us was complete perfection, and while my Father is ready natured, he is a good snob and J met his every polite expectations. It was indeed ik to celebrate my daughter HS graduation at MF, a celebration enhanced by Js service, kindness, aptitude and grace!

We have eaten here three or four times; always when we visit our daughter in Chicago. Her and our favorite restaurant. My wife ordered a halibut dinner . . . it was cooked perfectly, served with mixed veggies. Daughter ordered ravioli filled with scallops. I chose a pork chop special. We shared bites among us, all were exquisite, distinctly flavored and done to perfection. We had to wait a while for a table, but this time we were given the choice to go out back into a small courtyard and have a drink at a bar there (Who knew?) as we waited for a table. Worked great. We paid for our drinks and were not finished when our waitress came to show us to our table. Francesca's is always busy and a bit noisy, but the food is outstanding and worth a short wait or a little noise.

LOVED the food, as always-but the service was WONDERFUL. Chris was so charming and knowledgeable about the food and wine. Highly recommend!🤩

We visited on a Friday night. The restaurant was very busy and we were seated about 30 mins after our reservation. It was another 10 minutes until our server came by. It was a weird dynamic where it seemed like our server was also making our drinks while trying to serve at least 8 other tables with roughly 24 covers. I’m not sure if they were down a bartender. The manager was attempting to greet and make nice with others who had been waiting a while which was nice to see. The food was great although the carpaccio didn’t have much flavor. With quality service this could have received higher ratings but it was no single individual’s fault, just poor management.

Jhony was amazing and we haD so much fun chatting with him at the bar. Hands down will return for the great food and service.

Was visiting an old friend in Chicago and he booked Francesca's. We walked from my hotel and the area was alive. There had just been a Cubs game and their were people everywhere. The restaurant was really busy with people stopping in for a pizza and pasta after the game. The staff were great, very knowledgeable about the menu and wine. We were the last to leave and they did not rush us. Would love to go back.

The limincello class led by instructor Mike Roberts was great. Very informative and fun. Loved the coach house location at the rear of Mia Francesca. They served plenty of small bites (Cesaer salad, bruschettas), amazing lemon/blueberry chocolates made by Mike, and of course limincello to drink. Plus you take home the bottle you make. I will be returning for more classes. This was a great value and a fun memorable evening.

Love the food here, the best Italian in Wrigleyville. Katrina was an awesome server too. Great spot to dine after a Cubs game.

We were a larger party (9) for a post-matinee theater experience on the day after Thanksgiving. The place was hopping! Overall for a crowded space the acoustics were not too bad. Several of us were early so we sat at the bar to wait for the rest of our party and the table to be ready. The bar stools were practically on top of the nearby tables. I have no idea how the wait staff made it through! There is just a single stall toilet which may mean a line, but the bathroom was very clean. The restaurant is Zagat rated so expectations were high. Perhaps too high. Some items were excellent--pizza, funghi con polenta appetizer, pasta of the day, and the tiramisu. Others were good--Caesar salad, sea bass, strip steak. Some drinks were good; the Italian Collins was sweeter than I expected, and a "spicy" drink was not too spicy. The online menu only lists wines so I cannot recall the exact drink. Service was excellent.

First, my appreciation goes to the host who sat me a table right next to window, which I greatly appreciated. Especially since I did not have a reservation and the restaurant was still well occupied at 9:30pm. The service was attentive. The menu offers a good selection: from anti pastas, salads, pizza, pastas and entrees, many are not cream based and there was at least one vegetarian ravioli dish that I noticed and debated on ordering. There were many menu items I would have liked to try but I settled on a nice minestrone-which was clearly homemade and would rival Jamie Oliver. It had very nice flavour and was a reasonable portion for an appetizer. I had a salmon dish for my entree. The salmon was cooked to perfection and served on a bed of spinach with a beautiful balsamic reduction and diced tomatoes. It was delicious and satisfying. Again, good portion size-substantial but not overwhelming. They had some kind of homemade coconut cream desert which I should have ordered to go but I did not, and I am kicking myself for that. I give the restaurant four stars because I have very high standards and if I give a restaurant five stars, it knocks my socks off repeatedly. This was a great restaurant experience though. This meal, plus a bottle of pelligrino came to about $37.00 before gratuity which I found to be very reasonable. Oh! The bread and olive oil...amazing.

We had a very nice meet and greet with a new member of our team. Food was delicious, the setting perfect, Connor was very attentive and made the perfect Aperol Spritz.

My wife and I love Italian ristorantes. And not just because my wife if half-Italian. From appetizer to entree to dessert, we always find what we want when we want it, a taste for every occasion, even when we are adhering to our usual more fish/less meat philosophy. Mia Francesca is one of our favorites. Located at 3311 North Clark Street, in the Lake View East or Boystown neighborhood, south of Roscoe, north of Belmont, it has been satisfying customers since 1992 with Italian comfort food featuring a cuisine from Rome, Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio, a full bar and patio and a plush upstairs dining room. Mia Francesca is a member of Scott Harris' Francesca's Restaurant Group, which has 27 locations in three states. We recently dined with friends at the Francesca's in New Lenox. Open from 3 to 9 Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 on Friday, 11:30 to 10 on Saturday and 11:30 to 9 on Sunday, the Clark Street address doesn't disappoint. We started with bruschetta, garlic toast with tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella, and Caesar salad with roasted peppers, garlic croutons and shaved parmesan. For an entree, my wife chose grilled salmon with tomatoes, avocado, red onions, olive oil, basil and lemon over grilled asparagus with roasted potatoes. I opted for the sauteed whitefish with a lemon white wine sauce, capers and sauteed spinach with roasted potatoes. For dessert, we shared portions of profiteroles, delicate cream puffs served warm with pistachio gelato and chocolate sauce, and baked cinnamon apples with puff pastry, toasted almonds, caramel sauce and vanilla gelato. Whatever you do, don't pass up dessert.

Alfonso was amazing. He made our experience so personable and fun. Service was excellent and my family and I had an awesome time. Great food, great company and great ambiance.

Tried to get my hotel to recommend a place but nothing so just looked on the maps and found this place googled and the reviews are spot on. Good staff, good food and a happy place to go on a sat night. As a Brit I found it intense the noise the speed of service but all worked and the waitress and team did everything I would have expected and more and don’t get here in the uk. I had ravioli my wife a pizza both spot on and well flavoured. The queue also said this place was a neighbourhood favourite Thanks to all at Mia Francesca

We were looking for a nice dinner before the theatre and searched nearby. Mia Francesca came up and it looked good, as we have dined at Francescas in Arlington Heights and West Dundee. We were not disappointed. We were two couples, all had fish and all loved it. We sat outside on a lovely evening. Dinner, wine, dessert and service were all good. I recommend it.

Awesome experience! The atmosphere, food, and service was phenomenal! Shout out to Audrey for ensuring we had a great time!

Went here with friends last week. The food was good, they have a selection of Italian pastas and main dishes. The calamari and rugala salad as apetizers were great. One of our companions had a gluten allergy and their special menu was really large. Our main complaint was how cramped the room felt. The space isn't large to begin with and there were to many tables, hard for the staff to maneuver. And the noise level was incredible, really annoying when you have to yell to your friends for conversation.

We recently had dinner at Mia Francesca. The food was wonderful. The service was the best we've ever encountered. The perfect mix of attentiveness and privacy. The cost was also very reasonable. We will definitely revisit Mia Francesca on our next trip to Chicago.

This is a great treasure. The staff are terrific and the food better. We went with a child and they were kind enough to customize the meal for a child's taste buds. We will be back and recommend you check it out.

Great Italian fare near Wrigley. Dinned with friend. Food and service was outstanding in this tight energetic dinning spot. Home made pasta and desserts were fresh and tasty. A small garden dinning area and another bar/small dinning room is in the back.

For many years we have favored Mia Francesca's for a reliable Italian cuisine. However my birthday dinner was not up to the expected level. After serving drinks and taking our order our well cooked calamari quickly appeared, We wanted to order wine with dinner but no waiter for over 20 minutes. Our entrees arrived, then we ordered a bottle of wine. My Pork tenderloin was tough and not interesting. My husband's Conchiglie alla Carrettiera was not any better. So...Poor service, not great food. Hope it was just an off night.

We had lunch here after my mother-in-law's memorial service. They were very helpful in planning this party for 40 people. The food was excellent, especially the braised lentils (seriously, people hear lentils and think negative thoughts, but trust me on this) and the eggplant parmigiano. The staff was friendly and attentive, and also very receptive to all requests. They packed up the very large amount of leftovers in an organized way and left out large bags for guests to take home some of this wonderful food. This was excellent because not one drop of that food should have been wasted.

Reservations recommended. The restaurant is small and a little tight but guest are ok with this as you will experience a wonderful Italian dinner. We shared plates and we able to taste authentic Italian flavors. The portions are large so passing a plate is easy. The wine list is filled with rich, robust Italian wines that pair well with your pasta dishes. They offer a daily special if you want to try so stingy new and different. Our evening was delightful, even though it was a small, vibrant room.

The staff was very friendly and the service was fine, though we did have to flag down another server to refill our waters at one point. No complaints about the cost - $116 (before tip) for two glasses of wine, an appetizer, a salad, two pastas and one dessert. The atmosphere was nice, and we ate outside on the rear patio. I did wince every time a staff member would drag a garbage can past a couple sitting at a corner table, bumping into the gentleman each time. The third time the customer decided to just help them with the door. TIP TO MANAGEMENT - how about removing one table from the patio rather than having your customers repeatedly deal with garbage cans being dragged within inches of their meals? As to the food, that's what was so disappointing, given the reviews we'd read. The BRUSCHETTE ASPARAGI E RICOTTA didn't have a lot of flavor. We didn't bother finishing it, which is saying a lot for people that usually fight over such appetizers. The INSALATA GHIOTTONA appeared to have been made the day prior, or perhaps the day before that, with everything looking wilted. And I guess in an attempt to make up for it, they drowned the salad in dressing. Out two pasta dishes weren't terrible, but were not anything we would recommend to anyone nor would consider ordering again. For big fans of Italian food, they were disappointing. I never put salt on anything, but the SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA seemed like it needed some. The food highlight was sadly the lemon sorbet. I see that they have multiple locations - have they spread themselves too thin to maintain quality?