So impressed with the food & service here!! Hope was the best waitress - so sweet & attentive. She also got my husband a free tiramisu for his birthday! Food was awesome - I loved the insalata dulce paired with the veggie/chicken panini. Highly recommend! read more

Want a great gem to find in Helen. Very authentic Italian cuisine. The ambience is top tier . The service amazing. The food was perfect, to the point of asking everyone to hold off a second since every dish was presented perfectly by the kitchen. Definitely stop in. Restaurant upstairs, bar downstairs although there is an upstairs bar service as well. Beautiful views from upstairs of the deciduous Appalachian forest were captivating. read more

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What on earth has happened???? The first time we went with our friends it was fantastic!!! We went with our friends again last night and none of us could finish our meals. The side salad was floating in vinegar even after paying an extra $5.00 for it. My husband and his friend got the steak. Since when do you put an overloaded salted gravy on a steak???? It was the same gravy that was on my friends short ribs. We said something to the waitress and she couldn't offer one explanation or bother to offer us something else. I got the chicken marsala. They took one chicken breast, sliced it in half making it 2 chicken breasts which it was not. It was so over cooked you couldn't cut through it. I has so tuff I had to literally tear it apart with knife and fork. It was hard as a rock. Couldnt even chew it. I got angel hair pasta as a side. I PICKED UP THE GLOB OF PASTA WITH MY FORK! THE ENTIRE GLOB!!! There was no garlic butter, parmesean cheese, nothing on this pasta. It was a dry glob that was all stuck together in a hunk. They don't offer side salads with your entree but they should, most places do. So I paid $5.00 extra for a side salad that had so much balsamic vinegar on it I couldn't eat it. It literally burned my mouth with so much vinegar. They sliced pears up on the side that was not even ripe. Hard as rocks and no flavor. As an appetizer my friends ordered calamari but asked if it had onions in it as most don't. The waitress said she thinks it does but she'll write on it no onions. My friend is highly allergic to onions which we emphatically explained. The plate came and I grabbed it. It had sliced deep fried lemons in it???? Who deep fries lemons?? Fried zucchini and what do you know...it had fried onions all through it!!!! We sent it back. The waitress just kind of looked at it and then looked at us like whats the problem. I was furious. I mean FURIOUS!!!! Im getting madder as I write this. They could have sent her into anaphylaxis!!!! Then the bill was $99 just for me and my husband and no alcohol except a beer for my husband. Even after I sent the salad back and no one could even eat their food because of the salt sauce and tuff chicken. Never EVER again will we go back. Im not going to a place that didnt care that much about their food preparation than to nearly kill my friend. We are done!!!!! It should have told us something when no other customers were there. We had to sit on the deck because they do not have handicapped seating inside the restaurant because the inside of the restaurant is up a very tall flight of stairs. So we sat outside in the freezing wind. They have heaters put there but said they had no prophane in them. That was bs and I know it. The waitress even said she checked and there is prophane in it but didnt know how to light it. The manager came out and said there wasnt any in any of them. Yeah okay. There is what you might call a handicapped ramp to get in but its so steep and not up to code that it took my husband and his friend to push me up it. And to get down it, they had to hold me back. Its that steep. ADA compliant they are not. We'll you got us for a hundred bucks but you wont again. read more

Francesco's Restobar - A side salad I ordered with my meal. But forgot to post a picture of my entree. - Italian Near Me - Helen, Georgia

We were visiting Helen, GA, looking for a light early dinner and drinks. We saw that Francesco's had a charcuterie board that looked tasty, so we ordered it and drinks (I had the Negroni, my wife had a Cosmo). Both drinks were perfectly crafted and the charcuterie was delicious. The decor inside is tastefully done, but it was warm enough to sit out on their covered patio, so we ate outside. They have a well stocked bar with seating area. read more

Francesco's Restobar - Warm bread and balsamic olive oil accompanied our charcuterie and drinks. - Italian Near Me - Helen, Georgia

Francesco's Restobar has brought a fresh, modern dining experience to Helen, GA, and it's clear they've put a lot of effort into remodeling the old Hayloft building. The atmosphere is clean, sleek, and upscale while still feeling comfortable and welcoming. There's a stylish bar downstairs and elegant seating upstairs, which offers a great view of the space. We stopped in just for a drink and an appetizer, and it was well worth the visit! I ordered the Creamsicle Margarita, which I spotted on their online menu (though it wasn't included in the printed one). I'm so glad I asked about it--the drink had a distinct combination of creamy orange creamsicle and traditional lime margarita flavors that blended beautifully. It was unique, refreshing, and something I'd definitely order again. For our appetizer, we had the Calamari Fritto Misto. It was lightly battered, golden, and perfectly crispy, served with house-made marinara and aioli. The portion was generous, the presentation was attractive, and the flavors were spot-on. Pricing was very reasonable for both the quality and the portion size. While it wasn't busy during our visit, service was kind and attentive. The downstairs area was closed at the time, so guests were directed upstairs. I appreciated that they had a number posted to call for service if you are unable to use stairs, which shows consideration for accessibility. We enjoyed our experience and are already planning to return to try more from their menu. read more

Francesco's Restobar - Calamari Fritto Misto - Italian Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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I'm a local and it was my first time here. Super impressed. The calamari app is a must have and not because of the calamari but because of the fried lemon slices, zucchini and onions in it. Super creamy Alfredo was delicious! read more

Francesco's Restobar - Bread with oil and balsamic, calamari app, shrimp Alfredo, bolognese - Italian Near Me - Helen, Georgia

Exceptional service from everyone! There is an upstairs & downstairs outdoor patio along with a lot of seating inside. They offered to unlock the downstairs area and let us sit out in the sun if we wanted, but we didn't want to make the server go up and down the stairs, so they found us a place in the sun on the upstairs patio. The drinks were decent. The fried cheese sticks and calamari were both delicious and fresh-tasting. Hope was an excellent server who was there when we needed her, but never rushed us. The bread they bring out is also delicious. Finally a place with good food in Helen after so many previous bad experiences in the area. read more

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The food and service was FABULOUS for our party of 20! Everyone just loved their dishes from pasta, fish, chicken, salads and more. Every dish came out hot and absolutely DELICIOUS!! Sal the manager was amazing to work with and made sure our luncheon went off without a hitch. He even had customized menus for our special event. Try this place. It's AWESOME!! read more

We were in Helen tubing and was looking specifically for an Italian restaurant. This place had good reviews and was a short walk from where we were, right off the main strip in Helen. They have an indoor patio upstairs that we were seated at. The downstairs had an outdoor patio. There were lots of good choices on the menu. We ordered the fried mozzerella to start and they were good. But that's when it started going downhill. They mixed up our wine we ordered (both whites so honest mistake) and did not offer to replace them, insisting they gave us the right kind of wine. They also messed up one of the kids' orders and again did not offer to replace it. My entree was the fettuccine bolognese and the sauce was a bit runny, with some grease. The pasta noodles were pretty good and the portion was a decent size, The food all came out in a reasonable time and the flow of the meal was good. read more

So good! If you are looking for Olive Garden this isn't it. The food was so fresh. Probably the best Bolognese that I e ever tasted. We had fried mozzarella, Bolognese, Shrimp Scampi and Tiramisu. The Bolognese is not your average franchise type sauce. So beefy and flavorful. The shrimp scampi was not just melted butter and garlic. It was fresh vegetables, shrimp in a light lemon butter sauce. Delicate and delicious. Tiramisu is classic and creamy, not soggy. We will definitely be back. **the drink menus is so fun and classic. We had. Hugo Spritz, Summer area and a Carajillo. Try them all! Service was outstanding! read more

Very good. Not exceptional Negative is choice of outside patio or a long flight(s) of stairs to get to indoor dining room Parking is around far side of restaurant. Service excellent Food: I had rigatoni alla vodka with grilled chicken. Very good flavor and large size Wife had shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta. Very good again large portion. Recommended read more

I picked up my order a while hour late coming from Snellville & it still tasted fresh after I heated it! I ordered Caesar salad, the rigatoni alla vodka, mozzarella sticks, and crème brûlée. I hadn't eaten the crème brûlée yet, but everything else was really good and had great flavor read more

Loved the people and atmosphere are first rate. Great bar and food. Problem is 4 people had 4 different meals and all agreed the sauces are way way too salty. Stop adding salt read more

What can I say, I was searching reviews on restaurants in Helen for dinner and there was not much to choose from. This little Italian place caught my eye with its reviews and I said let's give it a try. It was Thursday night and very slow. Meg was our server and she was super fantastic. You see the dishes we had and all tasted very good. The bread that they bring out which is complementary and they brought us two sets was perfectly toasted and such a great start to the meal. I would absolutely come here. The speed that it came out was very efficient but again it was a very slow night in early December on a Thursday. The setting was very nice with nice music playing in the background and the chairs were cushiony, which was very nice of my hind parts :-) Give it a try! read more

Francesco's Restobar - Chicken Piccata - Italian Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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We ate here early on a Tuesday evening. After being seated, we ordered drinks and were also served bread with balsamic olive oil dipping sauce. The food was very well flavored and came out really fast, although it wasn't very crowded. Rigatoni alla Vodka was amazing and the calamari was perfectly cooked with a nice breading that was not overpowering. Service was very good as well. We have eaten at many Italian restaurants and this one is very good. read more

We came in for a birthday dinner while on a little weekend getaway and it was INCREDIBLE! Our server was so sweet and made the best recommendations. We both got a creamsicle margarita and it was delicious. The bread was served warm and we ate that faster than I care to admit. Our meat and cheese tray was good- everything was very fresh. My wife ordered the chicken Alfredo and loved it. It was rich and creamy with well seasoned chicken. I had the eggplant Parmesan with rigatoni alla vodka as a side and both were incredible. I would order just the Rigatoni alone, it was a real show stopper. To finish out the dinner we had the creme brûlée and holy smokes it was just as good as everything else. We were genuinely excited to eat our leftovers the next day. I would absolutely recommend coming here, it has been our favorite meal we've had in a long time. read more

Francesco's Restobar - Chicken Alfredo , eggplant Parmesan with a side of rigatoni alla vodka, and creamsicle margaritas - Italian Near Me - Helen, Georgia

The newest addition to classic staples in Helen GA is Francesco's Restobar. The patio bar and deck give dockside/waterfront vibes in the middle of Helen, and the menu delivers comfort classics and fresh twists on hearty entrees, pastas, wings, salads, and paninos (sandwiches and sides with big flavours). The carefully curated cocktail list is refreshing both for the palette and for something a little different amidst the usual that has become Helen. The service was great, everyone was friendly and helpful. Also serving classic Italian fare, full bar cocktails, beers and wines, everything is delivered in a fresh aesthetic with a chill Italian lounge vibe. Updated review now that second level is open now there's plenty of seating for large parties and a couple of private event spaces. We're back here every three or four nights and can see this being a fantastic addition to your local list! Tourists love it too, so there's always someone new to meet at the bar. read more

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Kind of sad. Had high hopes of having a lovely Italian meal. Got the chicken piccata. It was more a poached chicken breast with only lemon. The capers were raw and placed as an after thought. I understand it's a tourist town but it would have been nice to have that chicken browned and crispy. But it's done ahead of time and placed under a tasteless heated sauce. Sorry guys. No goo read more

Francesco's Restobar - Does this look like chicken piccata - Italian Near Me - Helen, Georgia

My husband and I love Helen for a weekend trip. As much as we love the German food, it was so refreshing to have another choice in town. Abigail was our server and she could not have been more helpful or nice! I was sleepy and needed a pick-me-up, so she recommended the expresso martini which was ON POINT! My husband and I got the fried mozzarella appetizer, super cheesy and oh so delicious. I ordered the Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo and my husband ordered the Chicken Fettucine Alfredo and they were both so great. Creamy with tons of flavor, you could tell that the sauce was made from scratch, which is hard to find these days. We had extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip our homemade bread into (we had eaten most of it, that's why there isn't much on the plate in the picture!). I honestly would give this place a 10/10, between the service, ambiance, and food, it is definitely somewhere we will go back to the next time that we visit Helen. read more

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Drinks, appetizers, meal and dessert excellent. Service excellent. Too bright inside at dinner. Just go, it's sooooo good.

We ate there twice last week. The Fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken or shrimp is extraordinary!! The sauce is velvety smooth and delicious. We topped off dinner with the Crème Brûlée, the best we have ever had!! The servers are well trained and took care of our every need plus we're spot on with their food and wine recommendations. read more

Came here for the first time today with some friends to get a good feel for the place. They had a good parking lot and tons of nice outdoor seating. The establishment was very new and you could feel how much they put into opening this place. The waitress was very kind and sweet. I think she did an excellent job. When the food arrived we ordered the mozzarella frita appetizer and it started off the meal extremely strong. It was fresh and extremely flavorful. I ordered the chicken carbonara and this is where our meals fell short sadly. The pasta and chicken were cooked extremely well however the actual flavors were very mediocre. It looked like it was full of flavor and going to knock me over with flavor but each bite was giving us all very little flavor as much as the flavor that was there was very good it just didn't punch very hard. When the dessert came of creme brulee and it wasn't fully set yet and was a little hot and runny. They seemed to rush this out and I could tell it was very fresh it just needed time to fully cure into that delicious cold custard that everyone loved in a creme brulee. The flavor though was superb. This place really has a ton of potential if they throw in some extra flavor in the entrees and ensure the desserts are ready to be served. read more

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Food was good with very friendly service. Try the shrimp croccanti to start. All the pastas were good. They recommended a good Chianti.

The staff is so kind and engaging. They have the best wine list that we have found here in Helen. We ordered the mozzarella sticks and they were handmade and just delicious. The marinara was so good too. I'm picky about red sauce and I loved it. I had the Carbonara and it was great. Nice to have something other than German food here. The place is really nice and has a great vibe. We have been there twice and are planning to go back again before we leave. Once again I have to say the staff Salvador and Hope especially were really awesome. read more

We have been here several times and it's always exceptional food and service. We definitely recommend having dinner here and ask for Hope! She is by far the best of the best! read more

This place is amazing; to include the food, the service and the ambiance ! We arrived in Helen on a Saturday night after an 8 hour drive, hungry and knowing nothing about Helen other than it was a Bavarian town. We decided to walk and noticed Francescos was open and had outside seating with heat lamp. Greeted like we were locals and encouraged to relax, we decided on wine and light fare. The meatballs are exceptional and the veggie chicken pesto panninne is the best ever! We are here for the week and make it à must stop almost daily! Salvador is à truly hands on Manager and the staff: Brenda, Abigail, Meaghan and Mayra Valena will make you feel like no less than family. This restaurant is clean and welcoming. Wish we could bring them home with us! This is a must stop! read more

Tabitha was our server and she was very kind and accommodating. We ordered shrimp scampi, chicken fettuccine alfredo, and chicken wings for the kids and everything was great. read more

We really enjoyed our lunch. The carbonara was delicious. Hope (the server) was patient and gracious. We will definitely go back if we're in the Helen area. read more

4 of us are here in a Friday night. Two of our meals were inedible. The eggplant for the eggplant Parmesan was not prepared correctly, so it was bitter, tough, and could not be eaten at all. The Caesar salad was completely coated with very salty breadcrumb dust, which rendered the salad inedible. The "light garlic sauce" on one of our pasta dishes was simply Alfredo sauce, but it was edible, once we adjusted our expectations. The vodka sauce was not vodka sauce, either. The wines (we tried several) were not very good. We asked our server to find out the brand name, and learned that they were $7/bottle cheap wines. Even on a Friday, the place was not busy, but for some reason we had to sit at our table for more than 15 minutes after being seated before any server acknowledged us. We have had some really nice dining experiences in this little town, but this was NOT one of them. read more

Great food. Can't wait to to see Nicole again!! Will try some new dishes soon! Highly recommend eating here!

Had dinner and drinks last night. Service and food excellent!! Have to have their fried calamari!! They ate a winner in area...

Our young waitress was the nicest person we met while here and everyone is pretty nice, the place is perfect for families and my kids still talk about the chicken Alfredo. read more

We enjoyed a delicious grilled chicken with apple n pear slices in this lovely new place in beautiful Helen . Very sweet local waitress that knew her specialities well . A soft atmosphere at lunchtime read more

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It's alright. We went at 9 so it was kinda close to closing time. The butter pasta wasn't too bad, and the carbonara was eh, but the Calamari was definitely worth stopping in for. read more

Hands down the best food and drinks in town. Everything was amazing! Service (Abigail) was amazing also. Pumped to come back.

Great food & staff was very friendly! Loved all the options on the menu and the patio area had a great vibe.

We tried this restaurant once and agreed not to return. flatbread was good - however - both the carbonara and chicken piccata were way too salty and the chicken consistency was as if had been sitting in liquid too long. there was one shared female male bathroom on the second floor - very unappealing to share one bathroom for the entire upstairs and bar. had one mixed drink and couldn't taste the alcohol in it at all. service was good, tiramisu was good - atmosphere - for a restaurant the lighting was way too bright with the LED typical blue white awfulness .. they desperately need dimmers or softer light. this was a miss for us .. if you love salty limp food ~~ and sharing bathroom with opposite sex this place is for you . need some work on atmosphere- facilities and the food - my gosh people stop the salt please - it can always be added. read more

BEST Caesar salad ever!!! Meatballs weee cooked perfectly and the marinara sauce was amazing!!! We arrived 45 mins before closing but the service was excellent!!! read more

Our food was delicious! YUM! We shared a Caesar Salad topped with slices of Grilled Chicken, Parmesan, Croutons and a tasty dressing. We both loved our dinner entrees; I had the Parmesan Chicken & Pasta and Lloyd had the Shrimp Scampi Pasta. Both were delicious! Our waitress was very attentive and friendly! The manager stopped by our table to ask if everything was satisfactory. It was so nice to be able to eat outdoors on such a nice day. We will definitely be coming back as regular customers. read more

The food is always good. Yesterday we split a salad and pannini. The salad had peach and pair slices and candied walnuts. Mmmmmmm. The panning was a grilled/pressed sandwich containing chicken sliced cherry tomato and mozzarella. We sat upstairs in the cute dining room for lunch. read more