We visited Franco's Ristorante back in November, and honestly... it's the definition of classic Italian comfort food done right. The vibes are cozy, neighborhood-spot energy, and the service makes you feel like a regular even on your first visit. We ordered the Franco's Pizette, Chicken Giardiniera, Chicken Milanese, and the Pipette à la Vodka -- and every single dish delivered. The chicken was crispy yet tender, the giardiniera had the perfect kick, and that vodka sauce? Creamy, rich, and absolutely addictive. The portions were generous and everything tasted fresh and homemade. This is one of those places where you can tell they take pride in the food -- no shortcuts, just solid Italian cooking that leaves you full and already planning your next visit. If you're looking for a Chicago Italian spot that feels comforting, flavorful, and consistent, Franco's Ristorante is a must-try. read more

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Cute little Italian restaurant in Bridgeport. Great service, authentic food. Not pictured: Cesar salad. read more

Franco's Ristorante - Eggplant Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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IInconsistent Excellence Marred by Baffling Service Lapses I've been to this establishment several times now, and I've noticed something curious: when you hit it on the right night with the right team in the kitchen, the food can be genuinely impressive. The flavors are there, the execution is solid, and you walk away thinking you've found a hidden gem. But the quality isn't consistent enough to rely on, which suggests the kitchen's performance depends heavily on who's running the line that particular shift. That said, I could forgive uneven food quality. What I cannot overlook is what happened during my most recent visit, which has honestly left me bewildered and frustrated days later. I came in to order takeout and decided to have a Manhattan while I waited. My kids were with me, and the bartender was wonderful to them--made them fantastic kiddie cocktails, was friendly and attentive. It was shaping up to be a pleasant experience. Then I took one of my children to the bathroom. We couldn't have been gone more than three or four minutes. When we returned, my Manhattan was gone. Not sitting there half-finished where I'd left it. Gone. The bartender had thrown it away. I stood there staring at the empty bar top, genuinely confused. There was no asking if I was finished. No "are you still working on this?" There was still easily half the drink remaining. My coat was still on my chair. My kids' drinks were still there. Every signal indicated I was coming back, yet someone made the decision to toss a $12-15 cocktail I'd been enjoying. When I pointed this out, the response was casual, almost dismissive--as if throwing away a customer's unfinished drink while they step away for a moment is somehow standard practice. No real apology, no offer to replace it, just a shrug of acknowledgment that yes, they had indeed discarded it. I'm still thinking about this days later, which tells you something. It's not about the money, exactly. It's the thoughtlessness of it. The complete lack of basic hospitality instincts. You don't throw away someone's drink when they're clearly still there, still a customer, still present in your establishment. This is restaurant service 101. I want to like this place. The potential is there. But until they can maintain both consistent kitchen quality and basic standards of attentive service, I can't recommend it with any confidence. There are too many other options in this city where you don't have to gamble on which version of the restaurant you're going to get on any given night--or whether your drink will still be there when you return from the restroom.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

This was my first time going to Franco's for a work lunch and it was really good. I had a dirty martini which was made the way I like it and the Vesuvio with pork option. You can also get it with chicken, but I got it with pork and it was delicious. Our servers were very prompt and attentive in the vibe was very just chill. There was a lot of the older crowd, but it was safe there for them to eat. I'd more than likely go back just to enjoy more of the menu. Everything looked delicious. The bathrooms were neat and clean, and there were street parking, but it was limited. read more

Franco's Ristorante - Vesuvio with Pork chop - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good neighborhood restaurant. It's small so a reservation would probably be a good idea but I didn't make one and they were still able to seat us. The service was quick and friendly. I loved the all the photos on the wall. The food was good but the fried calamari is a must! The soup of the day was a seafood chowder and it was also delicious. read more

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Prompt polite service in an old school Italian South-side restaurant serving delicious Fried Calamari!!!! Love this place!!!! read more

Franco's Ristorante - Fried Calamari - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went there for a business lunch for a large party expected to be there for at least 2 hours. The space is tight but comfortable. We were seated in the back booth and they fit 10 of us there. Highly recommend the whipped ricotta as the appetizer. I had the pasta buttera which was delicious. Others had larger entrees. Almost everyone had left overs for the next meal. They also had lunch specials available which are not listed in the online menu. Great experience overall. read more

This is an absolutely amazing hidden gem that not many people know of. We had an early dinner here and everything was wonderful! The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff were warm, friendly, and very attentive. The atmosphere was inviting, with the option of both indoor and outdoor seating. Interior gives you the feeling of old Italian restaurant. All the food we tired were amazing!! read more

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The food is top notch. Been here twice, both times the food was top notch. Outside and inside dinning. Very friendly staff.

Made a reservation for 7:30 on a Wednesday and was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the Penne Buttera which was absolutely amazing and a aperol spritz. Fastest service I've ever encountered for a dine in Italian restaurant. Food and drinks were out within minutes. Ordered a side of gelato with the chocolate cake which was not that great. Wish it was sweeter. I really wish they still had the lava cake on the menu. read more

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Franco's is a nearby restaurant that my family loves to go to! My favorite item to get every time is the chicken giardiniera; the chicken is crispy and the giardiniera gives it such a good kick of spice and flavor. It comes with potatoes as well, and they're perfectly seasoned. They also give free bread when you dine-in; we love dipping the bread in olive oil and cheese. The service is always very friendly, and the food comes out very quick. The staff is always checking up on us and refilling our waters. The ambiance is cozy and small, so I'd make sure to call ahead if there's any tables available. The decor gives off an Italian restaurant vibe, and there's outdoor seating as well. read more

We were welcomed with warm bread accompanied by what it seems freshly grated parmesan and a dish of olive oil for dipping, a simple yet irresistible starter. The parmesan alone was enough to make the entire loaf disappear within minutes. The dish that stood out the most to us was Noona's Meatballs. They were tender and juicy on the inside, they were perfectly complemented by a lightly dressed vinaigrette side salad. Franco's Pizzette had a sweeter tomato sauce that worked beautifully with the pizza's soft yet satisfyingly crisp crust. Our Fettuccini Alla Franco didn't stand out to me too much. While the sauce was more subtle but flavorful, the noodles were tougher and clumped together in certain spots. Despite that minor hiccup, the meal overall was excellent. Our waiter was also attentive and sweet, giving us suggestions on what to order from different categories of the menu. read more

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Great local spot! Blends into the neighborhood very well so much so we passed by it like it wasn't there. The food was really good, I believe the said the pasta was homemade. The calamari was very tasty and a great start to the meal. The server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. The Salmon was amazing, overlook it on the menu. Smal quaint place with a family vibe. read more

Franco's Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Filling hearty, and delicious! Franco's Ristorante was pretty much a trendy spot for the neighborhood. You could immediately tell the regulars and newbies. Very much a steady flow with customers in & out. We were seated outside the restaurant due to air conditioning issues, which wasn't a problem it was about 530ish so the sun has already started to set. It felt beautiful outside. Nice patio seating that spoke Italian culture. As soon as we stepped in the in the restaurant we were immediately greeted. Our waitress was sweet and very polite. She suggested her favs and we went from there. She was very attentive and patiently waited for us to place our order which we are talkers lol! We ordered the Bucatini which consisted of Calabrian Chilis, Crumbled Sausage, Roasted Garlic, Fresh Tomatoes! Fantastic aroma which tickled my nose hairs! Literally could taste all the spices and hot and ready it was! We Also ordered the Chicken Giardiniera which was Breaded Chicken Cutlet, House-Made Giardiniera, Roasted Potatoes! Boy! The hearty entree was nothing short of amazing flavorful combo! The chicken was so tender and two huge fillets that made the entree even more sweeter. The Giardiniera peppers just complimented the dish so well. In great company with great food and great customers service is ALWAYS good in my book! They also had a nice wine menu. Check em out! read more

Franco's Ristorante - Buccatini and Chicken Giardniera - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wait staff were punctual, attentive, and cheerful. They made our experience better. We came on a Thursday for an afternoon lunch. Found free parking across the street. We ordered a lot of food but noteworthy was the caprese salad for the generously sized pieces and fresh tomatoes and the ricotto tuffo with the crunchy toasted bread was a nice blend of cheese and honey. read more

Was able to snag a reservation for 2 on a Saturday night! Will be going back! The eggplant parm was delicious and the tiramisu was to die for! read more

Celebrated my birthday at this restaurant it was very nice. Clean. service was good. My daughter told him it was my birthday and they gave me a complementary slice of tiramisu. I love tiramisu. The dishes were delicious. I forgot to take pictures, but here's a picture of the cake. read more

Franco's Ristorante - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Franco's Ristorante is the kind of old-school Italian joint that Chicago was built on, and after one dinner here you'll swear it's been run by the same family since Capone was still walking around. Tucked on Taylor Street (actual Little Italy, not the tourist version), Franco's is where the neighbors, the cops, the lawyers, and the made men all eat together and nobody bothers anybody. You step inside and time stops: red-and-white checked tablecloths, Chianti bottles in straw baskets hanging from the ceiling, faded photos of Frank Sinatra and the '85 Bears, and the smell of garlic sizzling in olive oil that hits you like a warm hug from someone's nonna. The accordion player shows up on weekends, the owner Franco Jr. still kisses every regular on both cheeks, and your waiter has a South Side accent thick enough to spread on bread. The food is pure Sunday gravy heaven. The baked clams are plump, lemony, and loaded with garlicky breadcrumbs -- you'll fight your date for the last one. The veal saltimbocca is so tender it should come with a permission slip, draped in prosciutto and sage like it's going to the opera. Chicken Franco (their signature) is pounded thin, sautéed with artichokes, mushrooms, and a white wine lemon butter that you'll be mopping up with crusty bread long after manners say you should stop. Pasta portions are comically huge -- the rigatoni alla Franco in vodka sauce is creamy, spicy, and borderline addictive. Everything comes with soup or salad, warm bread that never stops arriving, and spumoni at the end whether you have room or not. Prices feel like they forgot to update the menu since 1995, and the house Chianti is cold, cheap, and perfect. Franco's doesn't have a website that works half the time, they don't take reservations after 7 p.m. on Fridays, and it's cash-only half the night -- and you'll still wait an hour for a table because nobody wants to eat anywhere else. That's how you know it's real. This isn't trendy Italian. This is the Italian your grandpa brags about, the one you bring your new girlfriend to meet the family, the one you hit after every baptism, graduation, and wake. Franco's is love, tradition, and red sauce served with a side of Chicago history. I've been coming here since I was a kid in the booster seat and I'll be here until they carry me out. Franco's isn't just dinner -- it's home. Grazie, Franco. Never change. See you Saturday night, same corner table. read more

The service was amazing! Everyone was very kind to me and my family! Worth to try, food is perfect too!! thank you all:) read more

Franco's is an intimate Italian restaurant in the heart of Bridgeport. Their pasta entrees are solid. The pan seared salmon and chicken masala were solid choices. read more

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Been going here for years. Great food and staff. Parking is usually not a problem on the street nearby.

I had the fettuccine alfredo and it was super creamy without being too heavy. The pasta was cooked just right and the sauce had that buttery, cheesy flavor I was hoping for. I added grilled chicken and it was juicy and seasoned well. Everything came out hot and fresh. The server was kind and checked in a couple of times without hovering. The portion was generous and I even had leftovers. I'd definitely come back for this dish again. read more

Franco's Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped for lunch today. Very cool place, nice calm vibes. Italian for sure! We shared fried calamari, hubby had cream of chicken soup and the steak burger. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with fries. Loved the pesto sauce on that. Server was attentive and gave us a little history on the place! read more

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I stopped in for a quick afternoon snack. I had the fried calamari. It was fresh and perfectly fried. They also served me fresh warm baguette with an olive oil/parmesan dip. My food came out quick. Deanna, was friendly and the restaurant has great atmosphere and decor. It would be a great place for a date night. I highly recommend. read more

Always love coming here. One of the best contemporary Italian restaurants. Note that there is a specific chef menu that changes and always has great new options. read more

Just a short walk from my son's apartment, he and his friends took us here for dinner on our first night in Chicago. Because they weren't sure about the timing of our arrival, they didn't make reservations. The place was surprisingly fully booked on a Wednesday night, but the hostess was so kind to squeeze us in. She asked us to come back in about 45 minutes. Everyone else who came after us without reservations was turned away. We were started with some bread and olive oil, then we ordered the Fried Calamari and Nonna's Meatball -- both prepared well and delicious but I have to highlight the calamari. By far the largest and best calamari we've had, lightly coated with batter and perfectly fried. For our entrees, we had the Pipette "Little Pipes" alla Vodka, Spicy Penne Pesto, Tortellini Carbonara and Bucatini. It was all so good! Although the dessert menu looked tempting, unfortunately we were too full. We'll have to try it next time. Service was relaxed as we enjoyed time with our son and his friends. It was a lovely start to our Chicago visit. read more

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Absolutely amazing food and lovely ambiance. Service was great and food absolutely delicious. Got a Tiramisu for my birthday and it was so great. Can't wait to be back! read more

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This was a delightful little Italian establishment in a corner building in the heart of Bridgeport on 31st Street that can be easily reached with a short walk from White Sox park. There is a lot of street parking available also. Nice old-style interior shows someone took a little time to decorate. There are only a few waitstaff working the room, but they were handy and attentive, and did a nice job. They have a full-service bar and can pretty much make you anything that interests you ... but I'd stick with the wines that were nicely priced with decent pours. After starting and sharing the Caprese Salad (3 stars only for the generous balsamic glaze as the tomatoes were a bit woody), one in our party had the Nonna's Meatball Salad (a 5 star offering of very nice greens with three of the house meatballs that were excellent ... meat and a salad in one dish), another had the Pipette alla Vodka (a 4 star offering only because it could have been hotter ... the taste was there but the temperature was off), and the last had the Risotto Special (another 5 star offering of delicious risotto). The Pistachio Copa and Cannoli Cake were the desserts our table shared, and they shined. So what's not to like: good food, nice wines, great atmosphere, nice prices, and fine service all in a wonderful neighborhood setting near Sox park. Give this place a try. read more

Beautiful restaurant. Excellent service. The food is good but not superlative, but when back in the area, I'd love to dine there again.

The menu is a creative masterpiece! Every dish is a work of art, and the flavors are perfectly balanced. This place is a must-visit for any food lover. read more

We found the best place to celebrate our sis' last week in Chicago at the most quintessentially Chicago Italian spot, Franco's. The ambiance, food, and service were absolutely perfect without pretension. Fried calamari was light, crispy and tender. Ensalata Caprese and fresh hot bread with olive oil & Parmesan were also excellent starters. Everyone was elated by their pasta dishes. We love Franco's! read more

We came in for an early dinner for date night. It was super calm and quiet. It was nice! I have always lived close to Franco's and drove by it tons of times on my way to the highway close by but I finally got the chance to try them! They welcomed and sat us. The bread and olive oil came very fast. The bread was warm and very good! We ordered drinks and got a Peroni beer and a spiced pear margarita. The spiced pear margarita was very tasty and had flavors reminiscent of fall. Not too strong where I couldn't drink it. Well balanced. We ordered fried calamari as our app. It came out pretty fast. The breading was light and crispy and the pieces were nice sizes. The marinara sauce came in a small lavazza cup and spoon to spoon onto the calamari. I thought that was nice so I can decide to dip or spoon on the sauce as I please. For entrees, we got Chicken Marsala and Chicken Parmigiana. The portions were very good. The chicken was thoroughly cooked and everything came out nice. I had enough sauce so I can dip bread in too. Both came with pasta and it was a good amount compared to the amount of chicken. The entrees came out fast also but looked like care was put in and tasted good! Temperature was just right. Overall, the whole dinner was nice. The food came out fast! I usually have to wait a longer at Italian restaurants but the food came out fast and the quality was good. So kudos to that Franco's! read more

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In the heart of Bridgeport, I took my best friend for a nice evening and dinner. What a treat it was to be here! The chopped salad was excellent. The calamari were fried just right. The veal Limone was heaven sent. My best friend thoroughly enjoyed her dish (sorry I forgot what it was). Service was spot on (our waitress was very attractive. A plus!). I will be back. An excellent place to start a romantic night with the one you love or to celebrate something special with family/friends. read more

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Order: ORECCHIETTE - Chicken, Spinach, Tomatoes, White Wine Sauce | 20 Such an intimate Italian gem!! Bar seating looked fabulous & will shoot for it next time we go, but loved our experience at a table. Seating is cozy and almost community / family feeling, which is part of what I absolutely adore about Italian culture & dining! We went here the night before bf ran the Chicago marathon & it served him super well - he ran an awesome race!!!! We were the lamest but also quickest patrons, splitting one Orecchiette dish that we both loved. I ordered a side of Alfredo sauce because all day I was joking that we would carbo-load the athlete with a dairy-based entree pasta like Michael Scott does for a fun-run in The Office, but eventually came to crave it!!! So he went without the Alfredo sauce, while I enjoyed mine with the addition of a little cream sauce. Such a great spot! I don't do a ton of Italian food because it can make you feel so heavy (probably because it's so delicious that I overeat!), but I really think when you eat quality, fresh Italian food you can feel amazing after, which we absolutely did. Highly recommend!! read more

Franco's Ristorante - ORECCHIETTE - Chicken, Spinach, Tomatoes, White Wine Sauce | 20 (add Alfredo Sauce if you're feeling thick & fabulous) - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My colleague and I came here for dinner while on a trip to Chicago. I have to say it is defintely one of the best Italian restaurants I've had so far. I will definitely be back for some more spicy pasta with chicken and shrimp. Love it, love it, love it! read more

I recently catered my Easter dinner. I specifically asked the woman(Deannna) I ordered with if I would receive heating instructions as I would pickup on Saturday and heat up for Sunday. She said yes. When I arrived my food was hot. The young lady said she didn't know I would be having it the next day. She asked the cooks about reheating and of course those instructions were incorrect because the food was cold still. Nonetheless, the food was delicious and in abundance. You can't go wrong with Franco's! read more

We came here for dinner and was able to make a reservation on the same day. I got the vodka pasta and I really liked it. But the best part was probably the bruschetta Pizzette. It was so juicy and flavorful. The reason why I'm giving four stars instead of five is because the service was not the best. The waiter forgot to bring something to the table that we had asked for and was very quick when taking our order. Almost to quick that I couldn't finish my sentence before he walked away. read more

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Great food and atmosphere. The server was very attentive and provided great advice. Nice neighbor restaurant. Definitely will be back

Really good classic Italian food. I have dined in and ordered takeout and both were good experiences. We tried the spicy penne pasta which was a favorite, the orichiette, and the sausage and peppers. It was great comfort food for the cold weather. read more

An old Italian gem tucked away in Bridgeport. This place offers many of the classic staple dishes. There's a small bar when you first walk in as many of the neighborhood regulars usually sit at and chit-chat. So far, one of my favorite dishes is the chicken Giardiniera. We also enjoyed the grilled calamari which was fresh not rubbery like some places serve. Pasta dishes are great. I've yet to have a bad dish here. The dessert pistachio copa was amazing as I accompanied it with a double shot espresso. All the staff are friendly and welcoming. As soon as you're seated you're greeted with menus, water and warm bread w/ a side of olive oil and parm. I am only mad it took me so long to finally try this place after countless times I've passed by on 31st. read more