Food (4.8/5) - Food was very good. Everything we ordered was cooked perfectly. It's a tad bit on the pricier side for what you get, but would still return for special occasions! Service (4.5/5) - Overall the service was pretty solid. It does feel a bit slower perhaps due to the ambiance of the restaurant. Ambiance (5/5) - We loved the ambiance of this restaurant. It is a very open bistro and if there is music playing, you can't hear it because the restaurant is filled with a pleasant background chatter from others. Francesca's does a great job setting a vibe where you want to connect and be present with the people you come with. read more

See all

Went there for Easter Lunch/Breakfast, (what ever you want to call it). They converted their restaurant into a very expensive OCB (I didnt book this place) -Food was average, -Several times ran out of plates or they were rushing to clear tables because they wanted your plates, -LONG line for a two sided buffet (to the entry door) -Uncomforitably crowded, I'm going to say if there was a fire someone would have died because of the table setup on the upper side and the sheer amount of people inside the main eating area. -The even was poorly managed for the$60 + tip + drink / pp read more

Two things, 1. Service 2. Food 1. The service was outstanding. Couldn't ask for better service. The crew worked together to accommodate a large party of about 20. There were no mishaps or fumbles. We really appreciated it. 2. The food was ok at best. Whenever you see everyone in your party shaking salt and pepper, flavor is needed. The food was good. Just need to work on seasoning the food a little better. Overall, the service really made up for the food deficiency. I would actually go back. I recommend going just to see if you agree with what I wrote. read more

Food was delicious, the service was excellent and loved the ambience. It looked like the owners or managers were constantly walking around, making sure that everything was running smoothly, making sure that everybody enjoyed their meal. My linguine was Al Dante perfecto and with large shrimp, and a great portion. read more

Francesca's Tavola - Linguine with shrimp - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Went to Francesca's Travails today 5/15.. Had the cod pesce special, that's all it was was a 3 to 4 ounce portion of cod with off flavored calamari with canned tomato sauce and frozen peas poured on it.. it was salty with bland flavor. The desert for my sister was cheap fried dough with ice cream and chocolate sauce... The best part of the meal was the Negroni... I use to eat at Mia Francesca's in the city and had eaten the Arlington Heights location before. The food was like going to Olive Garden but over priced. There are other Italian restaurants that are better. read more

Service was great- ambiance is a little too loud for my taste. Tried to have a nice family dinner there with our kids and felt like we had to yell to hear one another. Pasta dishes were filling and sauces were great. The flatbread pizza app was a bit too oily for my daughter. read more

See all

We stopped in for happy hour and ended up getting bruschetta and a salad . The salad was delish and crisp with a delightful red wine vinaigrette on the side . I loved the way they cut the bread thin for the bruschetta . It had a great crunch . The holiday spritz was light and the perfect compliment to my meal . The decor is super festive and warm and the seating is comfortable. The down sides were we had to ask for fresh ground pepper and cheese more than once , one of the waitstaff smelled each time they walked by which was unpleasant to say the least , and our waitress messed up the bill more than once which was stressful for me . Overall it's a great restaurant. Service and cleanliness need to be addressed to make it more stars for me . read more

A few of us from out of town met up with some local friends for a great dinner at Francesca's Tavola in Arlington Heights. Chicago is one of the best food cities in the country and this Italian restaurant didn't disappoint! We started with an excellent bottle of Chianti and appetizers. The Sophia's sausage and peppers were outstanding, the sausage was just so good! For my entree, I chose Bucatini All' Amatriciana. Bucatini has become my new favorite pasta and this dish was prepared very well! Whether you're local or just visiting the area, I definitely recommend stopping here at Francesca's Tavola for a great dinner! read more

Francesca's Tavola - Bucatini was a great dinner choice! Delicious! - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Nice atmosphere and courteous service but really a limited and unfortunately uninspired menu. My dinner guest invited me here wanting me to try it not knowing the name of the restaurant. As it turned out I was at their Lincolnwood location not too long ago and ordered the same chicken dish as it turned out. My dinner guest ordered a ravioli. I quickly recognised that I had been there because the menu looked familiar but didn't want to be rude and suggest another restaurant . Can't say the food was bad, the 1/2 chicken was good but think I was looking for a more traditional Italian fare like you see on the east coast or more like you see at mom and pop red checker board tabled places. read more

Francesca's Tavola - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

See all

Unfortunate for us there was a funeral lunch at the same time as our birthday luncheon. Although we were on the other side of the restaurant a speaker was right over our table so we loudly heard every eulogy. There were many! Food was excellent and service was attentive. But we could not talk to our small group of 6. read more

visited for the first time with a group of 9 adults and 2 babies on a sunday afternoon (friend made a reservation earlier in the week). i was worried about the stroller placement but there was space next to us in the booth so it worked out. our baby wasn't ready for a high chair yet so it was nice to place him in the stroller while we were eating (until he became fussy). we started off with some simple bread with olive oil/parm. i ordered the linguine con cozze and my husband got the pollo sassi. i liked my pasta - there was a good amount of mussels. my husband said he wished he got something else - maybe the rigatoni alla vodka. our waitress accidentally forgot to put in one of our friends' orders and gave her a free soup as she waited. it was pretty hot inside the restaurant so it would've been nice if they ended up comping her dish completely but it's okay. the manager and/or owner came by to check in on us and gave our babies some bibs which were cute. overall, friendly staff + above average food. read more

Francesca's Tavola - Linguine con Cozze - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

We have been to Francisca's many times and always enjoy their food, the environment, and the staff. Today I had the pasta with Vodka Sauce & it was so good. My boyfriend had the Bolignase spaghetti & he enjoyed it. The portion sizes are very good. The bread is incredible (warm, crispy outside, and soft inside). There were possible storms, so ate inside, but the outdoor garden is gorgeous! Plenty of free parking, and they also offer free valet. read more

See all

The food was not what we expected to be. The service was okay but the rest didn't impress us. Was first time in town. read more

My husband and I went to Francesca's Tavola to meet some friends. Francesca's Tavola is a well-known restaurant and legend in Arlington Heights. On a weekend evening there are many times where you will see the parking lot at capacity. To start we were brought out bread and an olive oil and seasoned mixture. I ordered the Paccheri alla Vodka e Salsiccia (VODKA SAUCE, BASIL, MOZZARELLA, CRUMBLED SAUSAGE) and my husband ordered the Fettuccine Limone e Gamberi (ROCK SHRIMP, LEMON, CHILI FLAKE, CHIVES, GARLIC, AND BREAD CRUMBS). I thought my dish was pretty good but my husband's could have used a little more seasoning. The food itself deserves a four star rating. I'm giving Francesca's Tavola two stars because of service and price. Our server (and trainee server) were very nice, but while we were eating we were asked at lest ten times if they could take our plates. One time were asked about our plates by two different people only 20 seconds apart. It got to the point where I thought they might be running out of dishes in the back. When I notice this and it interrupts our conversation, it's a problem that needs to be addressed. The other issue standing in the way of receiving a higher rating are the prices. I feel that the prices are too high compared to what we got, especially compared to other Italian restaurants in the area. The dishes were not large and I had no problem finishing my meal and had room for dessert. The dessert menu prices were outrageous! So, we decided to go elsewhere for dessert. read more

See all

It's OK Italian food for a "chain" restaurant. There are lots of Francesca's. Francesca's Tavola is just outside of downtown AH and has their own parking lot. It can get pretty filled up during dinner on the weekends. The restaurant itself is pretty spacious with space for larger tables and a private party room. The bar is set a little lower than the entrance and has seating there too. The hostesses were nice and friendly. We made a reservation and were quickly seated in the main dining room. The bread is really good! Warm, soft, and crusty, perfect with olive oil and parmesan! We started with the fried calamari and really appreciated the inclusion of all the parts, not just the rings of the calamari. It was a good start to our meal. I ordered the shrimp with pasta, hubs ordered the pork chops. Both dishes were just ok. His chops were dry and chewy so he didn't enjoy his meal. My shrimp and pasta were just ok. It seemed like there was something missing because it didn't wow me. Maybe because it was a busier night the attention to details were lacking? We've eaten here several times prior and have had inconsistent meals. Sometimes it's decent making us wonder why we don't eat here more often and other times we leave completely underwhelmed wondering why we spent so much on an "ehh so-so" meal. This meal was definitely an eh, so-so meal. People kept taking away our plates and asking us if we were done every time we set down our forks. We felt so rushed and hurried. We had empty water glasses and were surprised with so much attention to remove our plates, there was no attention to keep glasses filled. Maybe it was a way to get tables quickly rotated? There were several larger tables around up and the noise level made it harder to hear each other. One larger table had a group of 6 men who were trying to talk over each other. It got louder because other people around had to speak louder to be heard over them, including us. I wished the manager or hostess could have stepped in to remind the group they are in a restaurant. Overall, this was a disappointing meal and experience. Not sure if we will return again. There are so many other Italian places in and around Arlington Heights. Perhaps this review will remind me of the experience. read more

We ordered catering from Francesca's Tavola for a family Christmas party last month and had an excellent experience. The catering coordinator, Katherine, was friendly and helped us to decide what to order. Our e-mail inquiries were answered within minutes! The food was ready on time and was hot, fresh and delicious. We ordered a Caesar salad, the filet medallions, chicken Romano and ravioli vodka. Portions were very generous and our guests raved about the food. I highly recommend Francesca's Tavola's catering! And no review would be complete without a shoutout to our favorite server, Becky! read more

Booked our valentines dinner here for my wife and I 2/15/26 and boy was it horrible. We ordered some Caesar salad to begin with and as I was eating through mine I noticed a bug in my salad! We brought it to the attention of the manager and the best they did was take the plate off our bill and our drinks were free. When we noticed this they had brought out our main course and we pretty much lost our appetite after that... I ate the ravioli spinach and guess what I woke up with the next morning... stomach pains. Vday ruined. Staff was nice but they need to do much better in other areas read more

Francesca's Tavola - Bug in my Caesar salad I ordered - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

See all

Beyond disappointed. Made a Valentine's Day dinner reservation over a month ago. Showed up 10 minutes before my reservation time and there was a line from the inner front doors to the valet stand. All allegedly of all people who have reservations and they're just waiting to check in. I was able to speak to the girl at the front desk where she told me that even though I had a confirmed 6:45 PM reservation it would be 35 minutes before I would be seated "maybe." All while there are more open reservation slots available on Open Table! Beyond ridiculous, I was so excited to come here, not to be dramatic, but this seriously ruined my Valentine's Day. And to top it off, finding anywhere that will have an available table at this point would be difficult. Frozen pizza in my brand new outfit and makeup it is. read more

Austin was an amazing server. The food was delicious! We also had a takeout order which was well packed and still warm.

Best Italian ever! The food was exceptional! The sauce on both of our entrees was amazing! It's a relaxing atmosphere and ambiance, too! Our server, Julio, made our evening so memorable. He was attentive and knows the menu, including the wine list! The Limoncellos were a delicious way to end the evening. It's a MUST when you visit Arlington Heights! read more

Francesca's Tavola - Cheers! - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

I liked the food very much. But a bit pricey for the buffets. At least lower it by 5 bucks.

For starter, we turned into the wrong side? It had less parking space and I thought we could loop around but you can't. I mean at the time the lot was pretty empty, but it would have been such a nuisance to try to back up if it was full. Anyway, we were seat shortly after checking in. We were served with warm bread, rosemary infused oil, and cheese. We had ordered burrata with Brussel sprouts, clam linguine, and a type of pasta that looks like a big rigatoni but like a pappardelle in vodka sauce, and sausage and peppers. The burrata sat on top a bed of warm roasted Brussel sprouts. The Brussels were well seasons and well roasted. The burrata was creamy and delicious, however, I had to add a touch of salt to elevate the dish a little. The sausage and peppers were decent. We ate it with the bread and it was great. Nothing crazy special about it really. The clam linguine was also decent. I do appreciate that even though it's Manila clams, there were a good amount of them in there. Felt like I was shelling it for awhile. The noodles were al dente. There were so much sauce on my plate and it was very butter forward. I've had a few clam linguine where it was salty after awhile, but this wasn't overly salty. The pasta in vodka sauce was great actually. I've actually never had this type of pasta and I dig it. Could be cooked for like a teeny bit longer for me, but otherwise okay. The sauce was good and coated all the pasta well. It's creamy, flavorful. We were seated up the stairs to the right and at first it was fine because we were seated at a table for 2 right by the railing. Then next to us as an empty round table. Then shortly after, it was occupied. We were so close to our neighbors that if I extended my arms, we would be hugging. That entire area was so cramped and crowded. I was watching waiters/waitresses struggling to pass by. Idk why they thought it was a good idea to have that many tables so close to each other. I was not a fan of that at all. read more

See all

I hosted a birthday party for my girlfriend, with 20 people attending. Katherine's assistance and expertise ensured the venue and service were well organized. The service team, Kenny, Juan R and Raya, were attentive and pleasant. And the food! Ravioli ai Spinachi is my new best friend! Equally appreciated by all were the meatballs, bruschetta, chicken limone and cheesecake dessert. Thank you all for making this an event we will always remembe. read more

Here few months ago & back for lunch ...service was impeccable...had crispy chicken panini on French baguette..flavor of roasted garlic delicious with cheese.....with fries ..my friend had fried eggplant marinated tomatoes fresh mozzarella...she said cooked to perfection .. Lunch was DELIZIOSO !!! I will have to try a dinner next time as have an expanded menu... read more

My family and I had dinner here last night, and I have to say the food was very good! The service was just as wonderful. It was our first time, and we enjoyed every second of it. Pedro, our server, was exceptional--so attentive, caring, and kind. Trust me, you'll fall in love with this restaurant. Grazie! read more

Went here for the first time to attend an Arlington Heights Chamber networking event. The food was great! But even better was the thoughtfulness, friendliness, and exceptional service from my server Aspen! Aspen took the time to ask what organization I was representing and what connections I was seeking to make that evening. They even introduced me to a few folks that night and kindly asked if I would like an escort out to my car to avoid walking through the dark parking lot at night. Ask for Aspen when you dine there! And to the management, I highly recommend keeping them on for as long as possible. I've been attending networking events at restaurants and bars for years, and this was above and beyond any experience I've had. read more

Our group of 10 recently enjoyed a fabulous celebratory dinner at Francesca's Tavola. The food was superb with generous portions, and everyone who tended to us was beyond kind. We especially loved the lentils and goat cheese. We'll be back! read more

Food and service was amazing. The restaurant looked great and had a great vibe. Our server, Aspen, was so friendly and helpful. Aspen was very attentive and really made our first time dining here an incredible experience! Generous portions of food and really great drinks. We will definitely come back again! read more

Francesca's is SO good. My husband and I had a date night here and had a blast. Their food is absolutely delicious and is a good portion size. Service was very friendly and attentive. Our dinners did take a bit to come out and our server brought us a dessert to make up for it on the house- which wasn't expected but we very much appreciated! Even on a Wednesday night, this place was busy!! A definite recommend for a delicious dinner read more

Francesca's Tavola - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

See all

We had a wonderful time at Francesca's Tavola in Arlington Heights. It was a beautiful evening, still sunny and warm. We sat outdoors at a very nice patio they set up. I particularly liked their attention to allergies. They had a gluten-free menu and pointed out anything with milk. (Neither of which I can tolerate.) We had a variety of things. I skipped the appetizers, and when they brought bread to the table, they had gluten-free pitas they brought for me. Dipped in olive oil, they tasted like real pitas. For the meal, I ordered pasta (gluten-free) and steamed clams. Funny, they must have been out of clams since they served mussels. Mussels weren't on the menu, and I prefer them to clams anyway. Everyone else at the table was also impressed. We only waited a few minutes and were seated very quickly. The service was awesome. So was the food. I'm surprised by some of the reviews with lower ratings. We didn't find anything we disliked. We will return and hope that our experience will be repeated. This time, Francesca's did not disappoint. read more

Francesca's Tavola - Gluten-free pasta with mussels. Yum. - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Started with our server Fabian...friendly, funny and accommodating. All the food was excellent.... Items had, bucatini carbonara... Some of the best I've ever had, meatballs, Bolognese and shrimp scampi. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

See all

Always a delicious treat to dine at any location of this Chicago area legend. I mentioned how my parents were celebrating recent birthdays, and we were treated to two desserts without any prompting. Amazing service and tasty food! read more

Had lunch here with my coworkers and the food was pretty delicious. The service was very good as well and love the ambiance. Definitely, one of those restaurants that I would recommend and return too. read more

Francesca's Tavola - Italian Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

See all

They have just remodeled the restaurant to its detriment. The bar used to have a lot of booths to sit in. And it was warm and inviting. Not so much anymore. All high top tables now, and not enough. I am sure they will put more in, but it is just like any other bar now. And to get rid of the two corner booths and put in a single table for 10 was ridiculous. Not used all night while we were there. The booths were a great place to have a quiet meal, now that the old ceiling is gone it is way too loud in there. And sitting at the high tops you look directly into all the people sitting at the tables in the restaurant side. Terrible job in the bar area. We will not be rushing back. It used to be our "go-to" restaurant as we live close. No longer. Bring the booths back! As we watched people walk into the bar area, you could tell they were all surprised in a negative way. The saving grace in that area is Juan and Kenny! Still great servers and great food. Too bad atmosphere is horrible now. read more

We came in on a Sunday afternoon and had a unique experience as there was a birthday party and a baby shower going on. We decided to just walk in as we were out and about and used Yelp to find a nearby restaurant. When we walked in we stood there for a few minutes at the hostess desk waiting for someone to seat us. Servers were running and super busy so it's totally understandable. Once seated, the Server Assistants brought us waters and bread and a plate of shredded Parmesan. Our server came by a few minutes later to get our drink orders. We ordered Pepsi and decided to put in the order for calamari. The calamari was a bit chewy but the flavors were delicious. Suddenly we see our server with her apron off and leaving and another gentleman came by to take our order about 10 minutes later. Our food did come out pretty quickly after that so it worked out great. We decided to share the two pasta plates. The cavatelli pieces were too large and were a bit undercooked. However the ones pieces that were cooked well were divine! The lamb sausage and the sauce was amazing! All in all, we had a great time. I think our experience was affected by the different events, so I'd love to come back and try other dishes when it's a little less busy. :) read more

See all

Food was fantastic! Service was even better!!! Daniel's service was the best We were celebrating our 29th anniversary and they made us feel so special. read more

Fabulous food and service! Our server, Ross, was fantastic!! Had the half chicken and lasagna. Highly recommended.

Having never been to Francesca's before, I was instantly pleased by their amazing online menu to really showcase an easy experience. While the parking situation was a bit tight for a busy day, there is plenty of local parking garages and a brief 5 to 10 minute walk over to the restaurant! Francesca's is a very classic Italian restaurant with various options for pastas and Italian classics. My partner and I ordered the steak Carpaccio for an appetizer, with the Rigatoni alla Vodka and Linguine con Cozze. Everything we had was extremely flavorful and packed to the brim on the plate! For flavor, Francesca's doesn't miss. While our server was very attentive and on point, the other wait staff (who brought water, bread, cleared plates), tended to hover a bit too much, sometimes even taking plates when we werent fully done. While it was busy, it did seem to try tk rush our experience there. However, we still had a great time at the restaurant and would definitely come back for the food itself! read more

Francesca's is one of my favorite Italian restaurants! My family and I have been coming to this location for years. The service is consistently great, and so is the food. I can't remember if they include it on the menu anymore, but you can still create your own pasta. That's usually how we order. If they have the ingredients, they'll make it! I actually used to do the party planning at the previous company I worked for and we had our Christmas party here. They were really easy to work with and everything was set up great. Service was excellent. Atmosphere is pleasant and the lights are dimmed for dinner service. There's a lot of neat Italian wall decor and they also have a bar area where you can sit and order drinks. read more

Busy family owned restaurant. So attentive. Excellent service from hostess to servers to the water lady. Food was mediocre at best. I had spinach with ravioli special, blah. Husband had spaghetti with meat, boring. No salad or starter, $30 for a main course, expected a bit of sizzle or specialness. Olive Garden level food with 5 star service. read more