Favorite dinner spot. Amazing food always; everything on menu is great! Cocktails are always fun and yummy. Also, they have lucky draw every hour? for a table in the restaurant to get a free desert. It gets busy even on weekdays, so always make a reservation! read more

Same great menu as all the other Francesca's restaurants! Francesca's is a great Italian restaurant with an intimate, romantic atmosphere. I had the Pollo Arroyo alla Romana which was good, and my lovely wife had the Penne Diavola con Pollo - which was great! read more

I have been several times and have been pleased everytime. It is a great place for the family to have a great, authentic Italian dinner. The desserts are great and the ice cream was AMAZING. It was very accommodating for allergies- mine was gluten which can be hard at Italian restaurants. I would definitely go back with my family again! read more

Francesca's Intimo is hands down, my favorite restaurant in the LF/LB area. I love how the menu changes often and is always related to the time of year. The prices are also reasonable unlike some other restaurants in the area. read more

If you are expecting an intimate little Italian place leave those expectations behind. It's loud, busy, crowded, and again LOUD! Limited menu which always surprises me when we try a different Francesca's. food was good, but ambiance was icky. We did have a reservation but still had to wait 45 minutes. Really? What's the point? I am pretty much done with this group of restaurants. read more

It's been two years since I've been back to Lake Forest and this restaurant has been on my mind since. After a long day at work, I came here and say at the bar and had a really fantastic dinner. There is absolutely nothing I can complain about here. You owe it to yourself to go! read more

I have never had a bad meal here. The food is quite good, and some of it is almost inspired. Prices are not cheap, but not out of hand. Only criticism is that the service is slow sloww slowwwwwww. read more

This place is first class all the way around - the food was fresh and well prepared. My wife and I ordered the roasted corn and tomato, blue cheese and asparagus salad. We went off menu on the pasta and they didn't even flinch at the request. Our server was excellent. Cannot go wrong here!!! read more

Absolutely amazing food. Will definitely be back. Been here several times. Very consistent and always fresh with the changing menu.

Always good. Super consistent. Have eaten here 60+ times over the years. Excellent staff, most have been here a long time. Nice location, with great outdoor seating in the season. Menu changes often and they staff is always willing to accommodate requests as long as the kitchen has the ingredients. read more

This place was AMAZING! Sure dining space was a bit - err... intimate, but the value here is outstanding. Service was friendly and knowledgeable, and prices more than fair. I felt I had to tip significantly more than standard considering my experience here. The wine list is extensive, and the menu well thought out. We got lucky during our visit and had no wait, but I expect there are many times where tables could be backed up for an hour or more. I'm not sure if reservations are possible, but it'd be worth calling in advance to try. read more

This is easily one of the best Italian restaurants I've ever been to. The original Fancescas is in Downtown Chicago and is just as unbelievable. read more

You'll want a reservation for Friday or Saturday night. We've been many times and the food is consistently great. I've been to several of the Francesca's Restaurants. This is one of my favorites. read more

Very good Italian food in Lake Forest. Standouts are calamari, pasta verdure and seafood dishes. Expect a wait on weekends, so make a reservation. Tiny restaurant is bustling. Our family enjoys this restaurant very much . read more

Francesca's does not disappoint. The menu here is typical of all Francesca's. I enjoy a good cut of veal and this place delivers. Food was excellent for the other guests at the table. read more

Gave north 3 stars but I think this Francesca's is superior. Nice ambiance but even better food. Really solid dishes prepared well. Good Italian in lake forest. read more

I stop by to have a glass of wine, ended up having the carpaccio, quite possibly the best one I have ever have, but it was the friendly staff that made it truly memorable. This little restaurant in Lake Forest has it really down. Will be back and definitely bring my friends and family. read more

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

Food was very delicious and service was surprisingly speedy considering it was dinner hours.

Just returned back from a lunch with five work colleagues. The service was wonderful and attentive. Around the table we chose quite an array--from tilapia to a chicken sandwich to 2 different pasta dishes. They were all well prepared and very tasty. My only complaint is that the tables and space are very small. Luckily we all kind of like each other, so this wasn't a problem. read more

Good menu, gluten free options and they will make special orders. Nice carry out too.

Great food in a warm inviting atmosphere. I enjoy the food very much. Fish, chicken, and pasta are always excellent. Pricing is more than fair. Go give them a try!! read more

Really good place! Servers were really nice and attentive. The organization to get seated was horrible, we had to enter the restaurant and wait in a small hallway while our table was getting ready while people could barley get by. Besides that, the food was okay, really nice atmosphere. Everything was as expected, nothing too amazing, I would go there if invited would rather go someone else if possible. read more

What can I say except that Francesca's Intimo is honestly the best. We love the delicious food and awesome wait staff. Javier, Gina and the team are so sweet and friendly. We've dined in, catered, attended cooking classes, partnered with them for business and even held our daughters 1st birthday party there! We love this place! Keep up the good work guys! read more

Although the restaurant is small and can get crowded pretty quickly, the rotating menu and rich Italian flavors are great! I highly recommend the carpaccio -- very good. And the gelato is a perfect way to end the night, especially the hazelnut! read more

A bit of a bummer. I came here tonight with my parents for my mother's birthday. We called ahead for a reservation and have been waiting over thirty minutes for a table. The front of house seems unorganized. Hopefully our meal will be better. read more

I have been a long time customer of Francesca's in Lake Forest and my frequent dining enjoyment goes far beyond the good food and ambiance. Lisa is the Manager of Francesca's Intimo in Lake Forest and she is by far one of the BEST at her profession. Not only is Lisa personable and caring to her customers , after you meet her it seems as though whomever she comes in contact with you feel like you've been friends for a lifetime. I recently planned a large birthday surprise dinner party for my wife and Lisa worked out every detail to perfection including a magnificent dessert tray and delicious chocolate lava cake with lots of ice cream. Paul, our waiter was unbelievable and our food was served in a timely fashion by the entire Intimo crew. Francesca's Chef does a terrific job with all his dishes and I particularly enjoy the Salmon. Thank you to one and all at Francesca's for a job well done, and a memorable birthday dinner celebration. Jim Wall Libertyville read more

The food was fabulous!! The service was Good, that was the story when they first opened and that's why nobody complained about the small space but lately something has changed the food is OK and it doesn't have the same feeling anymore maybe they have changed the chef or something its 2 bad read more

My wife and I had dinner at Francesca's Monday (11/5) evening and were extremely glad we did. Being a chef myself, I guess I tend to be a little more critical of the surroundings, atmosphere, service and of course... the FOOD! I was not disappointed in any of those categories. My wife ordered the tilapia and I ordered the veal. My veal was cooked perfectly. The creamy herb polenta kind of got lost a little in the delicious wine reduction sauce, but never the less, it was still tasty. Luis (server) recommended a wine that would go great with the veal and he was "spot-on". I have prepared many wine tasting/paring dinners in the past and Luis did a fine job. My wife and I will be back in the very near future to try out more of their wonderful appetizers and entrees. I highly recommend this restaurant for those of you who are looking for an Italian delicacy. Respectfully, Chef Clay ps. Lisa Joyner (General Manager) was extremely hospitable and I greatly appreciate the professional courtesy she bestowed to my wife & I. read more

cool place for Italian. Usually crowded. Great menu and specials. It's cozy and warm and friendly. I love the fish and pasta. read more

One of my favorite restaurants, I could eat here every day. The service is wonderful, the food is consistently great (I have never had a bad meal at any location). I love coming here and it's easy to park and head in. I like to grab a reservation because sometimes this place gets busy! read more

Consistently good. I've been there with a large groups and as a party of two, and each time the service has been fantastic, and so has the food they put out. I would say definitely close to being the best restaurant in Lake Forest. Maybe it is the best, but it's that the competition isn't very competitive that is the problem. read more

I ate at this location a few days ago and at their Naperville location (La Sorella de Francesca) in September. Both times I found the food to be very salty. On both occasions I ordered the chicken entree and I found it to be very dry and smothered in a sauce to compensate. 15 years ago I liked these restaurants, but I think it is not nearly as good as it once was. The prices are very fair, but that's not enough to make me want to go back again. read more

Very nice place. My wife and I dine here regularly and like the food/service very much. The problem we have with this place is that they insist on playing classic rock music during dining hours. While that might be something the staff enjoy we certainly do not. read more

Intimate restaurant. Small space with great ambiance. Bruscetta was delicious and Ahi entree tasty! I had a business dinner on a Monday night and place was busy, so service left something to be desired. But, food was great, restaurant provided a nice, intimate ambiance and we had a great dinner. read more

I've eaten here many times as you can always expect good food at a very fair price. It will never thrill but it will never disappoint. The menu isn't adventuresome but all of the basic dishes I've tried have been consistently good. Order one of the pasta dishes and I can guarantee you'll have leftovers for the next days lunch. The only real issue is that even with reservations, at the peak 6:30-8:00 time period, you end up waiting crammed into a tiny bar area. You are much better off going early, but the best time to go is late, around 9pm when the crowds have begun to exit, the noise level drops and the wait staff is more relaxed as they see light at the end of the tunnel. read more

I made my reservation with a comment on Open Table that we only wanted outdoor seating last Tuesday. They accepted our reservation and we arrived on time only to be told that it was " first come basis " only for outdoor seating. We ate the indoors and had a very mediocre meal with out any apologies from the management. We will never return to this restaurant. read more

The food is very good and worth a wait. However, if you have made reservations for the "second seating" beware. You may find yourself standing in a very small space waiting for a long time. (thus the 4 stars instead of 5) My rec is to go to this restaurant but go early with reservations. If you have more then 4 people in the party make a call to the manager to make sure they can accommodate you at the time requested. The service is top notch. They like to make their customers happy and keep them coming back. My favorite dish of the night...the cocoanut cake...yummy! My husband is going back for the lamb chops. read more

Service was good, our server was friendly and engaging. Food was unremarkable upscale Italian food that could be mistaken for a lot of other Chicago chain Italian restaurants. read more

Molto bene! That's the very least I can say about this place. Recommended in a pinch by a complete stranger, me and a friend decided to try this place while trying to find dinner before an event. And let me just say, I will be forever grateful to that stranger whoever she was. Walking in this place any questions you have about why the use of "intimo" is completely dispelled. You basically enter the door and fall into the laps of those patrons who've chosen to eat at the bar. The space is that cozy. There is a slightly more spacious main dining area but I wouldn't recommend going there to discuss confidential government information, as you'll definitely be overheard by your fellow diners. However, while small and cozy the space is lovely. White table linens, fine china and cutlery, warm candlelight and, my favorite, the artwork is a collection of black and white photos of elderly Italians (at least I think they're Italian). The menu is small (one page) but impressive. There are a selection of starters that include the traditional calamari and bruschetta amongst the more unexpected carpaccio and asparagus. There is also a tempting selections of salads that could easily satisfy as a main course (they looked quite filling and fresh); particularly the caprese salad I saw someone devouring at a neighboring table. Then there is a small selection of specialty pizzas (5 including a make-your-own 2 topping). You'd be tempted to skip over this section, but I warn you not to make such a mistake. Simply read the ingredients of these gems and you'll know that these are not your son's pizzas. The menu is then rounded out with a selection of pasta and main dishes that sounded absolutely divine (Tortellaci Tre Funghetti, we will meet soon). The wine selection was very nice as well with satisfying selection of reds, whites and sparkling that can be purchased by the glass or by the bottle, and a separate selection that are offered by the bottle only. As we didn't have much time we decided to keep it simple; individual pizzas and wine. My companion ordered the Quattro Stagioni. and since I have a strict rule about ordering the same dish as anyone (you can't share if you both have the same), I ordered the Pizza della Foresta. T he best part of going out to eat with someone whose palate is just as curious as your own is that there are no qualms about sharing. The Quattro Stagioni was a decadent combination of prosciutto, artichoke, mushroom, olive and egg. My friend surprised me by proving she's a surprising culinary genius and added eggplant, simply because she "really likes eggplant". The combination of ingredients in this dish is enough to impress, but it goes the extra mile with the show it puts on when served. Fresh from the oven with that quivering golden egg still cooking from the residual heat nestled in the center. The waiter then proceeds to mix the egg up in the middle of your pizza, letting the heat of it start to firm up the yolk. When the server starts to cut it up for you the egg is just firm enough not to run all over the plate (in such a classy restaurant you can't expect them to let their patrons sit there with egg running down their chins). Thank goodness my friend was put into a state of catatonic bliss by the taste because it gave me a chance to steal a piece. My goodness, was this pizza good! It was salty and creamy and crispy and... everything. I guess the trend word would be "umami" but it surpassed even that in my opinion. Just perfection! This is what Italian pizza always wanted to be but just never knew how. My friend washed it all down with a glass of Chardonnay that she described as "heaven". While I have to honestly admit that I preferred my friend's pizza to my own, I can't say I was at all disappointed. In fact I was quite delighted with my Pizza della Foresta. A simple pizza but it packs quite the taste-bud wallop. Wild mushrooms, plum tomatoes and Fontina cheese just create this harmony that just works so well together. I love mushrooms but I know that they can be a bit touch-and-go. Over cooked and they become these gelatinous slimy blobs that just kind of coat the tongue with a almost moldy taste. Don't even get me started on canned mushrooms. But these mushrooms were perfect. They were cooked to perfect tenderness that enhanced their earthy flavor and provided a nice meatiness to a meatless dish. The Fontina gave just the right amount of saltiness and creaminess., and the tomatoes added a much needed fruity brightness to bring it all together. This is how you elevate pizza night to the next level. I paired my dinner with a wonderful 2012 Zinfandel that was dark and rich with really deep notes of juicy berry. You can see why we were far too stuffed to even look at their dessert menu so I have no review about that. But if they do desserts as well as they do their pizzas I doubt you'll be disappointed. I hope you'll take the time to visit Francesca's. I know I will again and again and again. read more

I used to really enjoy eating here, this was the last time. Service from checking in through the whole meal was extremely poor, food just adequate. Must be under new ownership, as everyone performed poorly and nobody seemed to care, have had better service at Portillo's. Hopefully it changes hands again, but until then it would a waste of time and alot of money to eat here. read more