Came here with family for a post-Thanksgiving meal before everybody left town. Since they wanted to get on the road around 7pm we came at 5pm. There was nobody in the restaurant, and we were seated and served immediately. There's a lot of tables and such cute decor, but I imagine it gets busy on a popular night so I'd recommend making a reservation. We ordered a bottle of wine, and so many pasta dishes (that I cannot remember the names of). I tried a bite of everything and they were all delicious! The wine that our server recommended was sweet, but went perfectly with what we had. We also got a Caesar salad which was interesting... it was fresh but not quite what I was expecting. Probably wouldn't order it next time, but would definitely come back for the pastas. At the end of the meal we also got a couple of desserts to split. The Tiramisu was delicious, and the Profiteroles (?) with pistachio gelato were AMAZING. I would definitely get these again and recommend ordering if you go. read more

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Quaint trattoria type eatery... Menu selections were varied and appealing. Food was ample and well presented. Ambiance was appealing but noise level was high and table spacing made it difficult to hear and be heard. If you want a good meal this is your place.. If you want a place to have a private, intimate and perhaps romantic conversation this may not be your place... read more

I just had my fathers memorial dinner here and all I can say is wow. We rented their private room which is an intimate space that is separate from the restaurant. The service and food far exceeded my expectations. For a food and beverage min of 1,500 - we had a private server who was with us the whole time and made sure we had everything we needed. He set up the room, times service (we had a lot of late arrivals) and helped us pack things up. He even made sure to check to make sure our toddler was taken care of. And he was just overall such a great vibe. Everyone was so kind and understanding as we really ran behind schedule. Also, the food was pretty good. The stand outs were the meatballs, profiteroles w/ gelato, tiramisu, and Pollo Sassi. The private space itself was the perfect for our party of 16. I wish I took pictures which is a big fail on my part. Very grateful for the Mia Francesca team. Thank you so much! read more

Mia Francesca - Profiteroles with ice cream - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped here last minute, and I'm glad we did. The sausage with peppers were amazing, I'm still thinking about them. We also ordered the pollo allá romana & bolognese, the chicken was phenomenal, bolognese was okay. Would definitely come back. read more

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Sat at the bar, where full service was available. Dinner was brought quickly. Service was great. And the pasta hit the spot. This was a real Caesar salad, anchovies included. Place was hopping on a Monday night. Very busy and totally get why. read more

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We chose Mia Francesca for dinner after a celebration of life for a former employee. We started with many appetizers, including the muscles calamari and burrata. All were quite delicious along with the House bread that is served. We then shared a chicken with artichoke hearts and mushrooms entrée and the featured gnocchi was spicy crab. Both were absolutely fantastic. We finished off the night with tiramisu and the lemon olive oil cake. The restaurant space is small and bustling. Always an upbeat experience. Our server was super friendly and very engaging. One of my favorite places for dinner in the city. read more

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So yummy! Ileana was a great server. The food was very good and the setting was great.

The food was amazing!!! Ileana our server was amazing, she was very attentive and quick. The place overall was great and I would highly recommend to anyone having visitors. read more

Delicious cozy pasta dinner! I got the linguine scampi and it tasted fresh and light. It's a good ambiance, with attentive and friendly service. Ileana was our server and took great care of us! We will definitely be back. read more

What a great venue and restaurant! The staff are all super accommodating and friendly. My bf's family had their son's graduation lunch here and it was such a great experience. They chose the lunch option with 2 appetizers, 1 salad, 2 pastas, 1 entree and 1 dessert. Everything was delicious and fresh with generous portions for family style that could feed 6 people per table. You could also order refills of anything. The standouts for me were the sausage rigatoni, the bruschetta, and the spinach ravioli. The ravioli had a 4 cheese sauce that reminded me subtly of blue cheese but it went so well with the spinach filling in the ravioli. There's paid street parking around the area. The only downside to the experience was the pace for the lunch. It started at 1 pm and didn't end until 4 pm because of the pacing of the food. Appetizers started coming out at around 1:30 pm, the salad came at 2 pm, the pasta and entrees came around 2:45 pm. Dessert came at around 3:30 pm so the lunch finished at 4 pm. I do wish that the food came out at a better pace so the meal wouldn't be so long. They definitely check to see if people want refills on wine or more drinks quite often. That's probably where they make the majority of the money. They have an extensive wine list and I really enjoyed the Pinot Grigio. I would definitely recommend coming here for your next large gathering or big event. They are very reasonably priced and the staff are all very professional and helpful. Thanks again for a great meal! read more

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This is a cute lil neighborhood spot in Lake View East. The decor is super charming and homey. Service was great - the server was super friendly and the food came out fast. My friends and I were pleased. I tried the lenticchie e spinaci and the veal marsala dish. Unfortunately, I think the veal dish is discontinued? The veal was super tender, however, underseasoned. The lentil spinach dish was good but too salty for my taste. The food here is cooked well and fresh, but there's def a seasoning issue. Would rate this 3.5 stars if I could. read more

Mia Francesca - Lentils n spinach dish - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been eating at Mia Francesca's restaurant for decades, my experience last night was terrible. Poor service, I was even sitting at the bar and had to ask to get my drink refilled, when it came to getting my bill and paying it took far too long. The food was mediocre at best. What a huge disappointment! I won't be going back. read more

We decided to dine at Mia Francesca before attending a Saturday performance of Cavalier Rusticana and Paglliacci at the Lyric Opera, Chicago. My wife and I hadn't dined at this location in over 10 years. We have always had positive experiences, great food, and excellent service here. Tonight was no different. We arrived for our reservation shortly after 4:30. We were greeted at the door by the hostess and immediately taken to our table. Our server, Mike, came to our table and introduced himself. He was pleasant, attentive, and spoke in a deep baritone voice. My wife commented to him about his mellifluous voice. Mike shared that he was in the performing arts and majored in theatre in college. He asked if we wanted to order drinks and told us to take our time when we asked to look at the menu a bit longer. We opted to start our dining experience with a bottle of Via Castello 19 Castelli Romani Rosso, a Sangiovese Blend. The wine was slightly dry with a sweet finish. Excellent start to our meal. What made the wine more enjoyable was Mike's presentation and pouring of our wine. Mike was trained well and understood that when pouring the wine you twist the bottle at end to prevent spillage. Mike also explained that you should show the wine label when pouring toward the customer and that your fingers should be positioned at the bottom of the bottle. Nice touch! After sampling the wine we ordered our appetizer. We chose to start with Cozze alla Marinara, mussels in a spicy garlic marinara with rustic bread. Outstanding! The mussels were perfectly spicey with garlic and a rich tomato sauce. While we sipped our wine we were impressed again by Mike. In between customers Mike was checking other tables spacing the forks and knives and lining them up Mike would return periodically to check on us and always telling us to "take our time, there is no rush."Mike did this consistently with all the customers he served. He told the customers next to us "to take their time no rush. When I dine out I like spread things out when I'm ordering and take my time." Mike's continual refrain to all his customers was "it's ok if I give you time between this course and the main course." This was a pleasant surprise and made for a more enjoyable and relaxing dining experience. Bravo Mike! Also, Mike knew the menu very well. He gave the customer next to us multiple recommendations on dishes. I cannot express enough how Mike's attentiveness to quality and service brought so much joy to our dining experience. While we continued to enjoy the warm bread with olive oil and Oregano we decided on our main courses. My wife ordered Dana's Bolognese. It's a thick spaghetti noodle with a rich tomato meat sauce, basil, and pecorino. Her dish was hot, flavorful, thick with meat and a tinge of heat. I ordered the Salmon alla Fresca. My dish was a pan seared Atlantic salmon with asparagus, avocado, red onions, and tomatoes. The presentation was exquisite. My dish was hot and the salmon was cooked to a medium perfection and dripping with notes of flavor brought about by the combination of ingredients. One of the best combinations of flavors I've ever tasted in a salmon. I should also make mention that the portion sizes were good. I prefer quality over quantity and that's what we were given. Thank you! While eating our dishes I ordered the Liguine agli Scampi to take home for my son. Mike checked on us and asked "when should I bring your dish do you want to wait or should I bring now?" I appreciated Mike's attentiveness. Throughout our meal Mike and the bus boys kept our table clean and quickly removed empty dishes. After finishing our meal we decided to order dessert. Mike gave his dessert recommendation's and told us "this one you can share." The Sticky Toffee Carrot Cake was the winner. Mike highly recommended it and stated it was his personal favorite. The cake is described on the menu as "carrot cake meets La Dolce Vita". It was a perfectly spiced carrot cake topped with candied walnuts, a kiss of orange zest, and sour cream gelato. It is the closet you will ever get to heaven in a bite. It's often said that "the best memories are made around a table." If you dine at Mia Francesca ask for Mike to be your server. I guarantee if you do you will leave having enjoyed a great meal and impeccable service. Thank you Mike! You made our evening. read more

Good Food ! Went in snow glad they were open ! Scampi was good !!!

We are having a family reunion in Chicago, and hitting a bunch of restaurants. The best experience we have had by far is at Mia Francesca. The food was great (loved the sausage and peppers appetizer, my chopped salad was great, the pasta and chicken was great too). Our waiter Jack helped direct us to incredible dishes and provided a great evening for us. And we were outside in the sweet backyard area.....was perfect for a crowd to hang out and have a nice meal together. read more

A local Italian spot in a rather quite neighborhood with some the of most fun staffs I've met. A group of us went in for a birthday dinner, our waitress recognized our energy and occasion and matched it by buying us a round of limoncello as well as buying one for herself! It's delicious and a great, great start to the meal. We shared the Bruschetta and Calamari Fritti as appetizers. The calamari was fresh and perfectly fried while the bruschetta was very refreshing. The mains were also equally pleasing and delicious. I tried the Pork Shoulder, which was a big serving of meat but super tender and flavorful, and the Pasta Special for the day that was full of lemon and very bright. The two dishes went hand-in-hand. Their dessert menu looked amazing as well but we didn't get any (next time pistachio profiteroles...) All around a great spot for a great time! read more

Mia Francesca - Costoletta di Maiale Sassi - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent service & tasty pasta in this cozy East Lakeview trattoria. From getting WiFi passwords for the kids to the speedy arrival of dishes, service was spot on. Food was equally impressive. The Italian chopped salad boasted a tangy vinaigrette, fat artichoke chunks and crispy bacon. The spaghetti with creamy ragu screamed ultimate comfort food. Rigatoni with spicy sausage was a favorite, too. Kids meal is a steal - $10 for a kids Bev, entree and gelato! Love this neighborhood institution. It gets better with each visit! read more

Mia Francesca - Spaghetti - A dish of spaghetti with tomato-based sauce and grated cheese is served on a white plate in a restaurant setting. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent food selections! This place is bigger than it appears! Ask about the back room - it's great for larger parties or more private and secluded vibe! The food is above and beyond some amazing Italian food! Servers were great! read more

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I recently booked the coach house at Mia Francesca on Clark for an intimate dinner w/ my friends/ fam for my wedding celebration.The dinner was amazing from start to finish. First, the SERVICE!!! The staff there is so so friendly and professional. Ellen, Paisley, Scott honestly everyone was on our table, smiles, well wishes, and even hugs! All as they worked their butts off! The food was superb! We did 5 courses and well the food is always consistant, homemade & very fresh! I thought the pricing was very fair for what we got. The couch house, newly renovated, was cheerful, open air & cozy w/ lots of exposed brick & flower planters. Katherine is a fab~tastic event planner:) Highly recommend! Thanks Scott Harris and his rockin' team! read more

This is my idea of what a neighborhood Italian restaurant should be. It's intimate, stylishly decorated, and has all the fresh ingredients you would expect in a real Italian restaurant in Italy. We started with a Caesar salad and an Insalata Francesca. Both were excellent salads with crisp, fresh lettuce, and delightful dressings. For entrées my companion had the Carpaccio, which she said was the best she's ever had. That's high praise coming from a true Carpaccio aficionado. I had the Frutti di Mare Acqua Pazza, and it was just what I wanted, an assortment of fresh shellfish with a slightly spicy and very fresh tomato sauce. We finished with a dessert that we envied when we saw it at the table next to ours, the Sloppy Sunday. It wasn't exactly Italian, but it was sure delicious, with chocolate and caramel and nuts smeared all over the outside of the glass that you could scoop up and add to the vanilla gelato inside. Delicious! read more

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Cute spot - we got to sit on the patio, which was beautiful and I liked how removed it was from the street/public. Service was friendly and helpful, food and wine was great. read more

We went on a Saturday night and were glad we made a reservation. The place was packed - a little too packed, honestly. The food was great, the service was good, but it's not a five star because of the crowding. A trip to the bathroom required skirting tables and dodging servers, as there's no actual PATH to it. read more

Made reservations and was seated 30 minutes late despite multiple other groups arriving after us and being seated immediately. Restaurant is so over crowded - expect to be sitting on top of another stranger. The food was pretty mid to be charging those prices, better off going somewhere else for true Italian. read more

We took an Uber up to see Wrigley Field and have dinner here on a Sunday night. We had reservations, but there were still a couple open tables. There's something about the acoustics of their dining room that made it louder than it seems like it should be, but you get used to it quickly. We ordered the Polpette al Fiorre (beef & pork meatballs, sauce, ricotta, served with toasted bread), Insalata Miata con Pera (greens, sliced pear, candied pecans, blue cheese, vinaigrette), and wine to start. The pears in the salad were a bit too hard and lacked flavor, but the meatballs were great. We shared the Creste de Gallo alla Vodka e Salsiccia (pasta, vodka sauce, basil, mozzarella, sausage) and Mezze Rigatoni alla Melanzane (pasta, tomato sauce, eggplant, mozzarella, basil). The vodka sauce was perfect and everything was well made. Good meal and I would recommend it if you are in the area looking for Italian. read more

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We'll never NOT go here, but they have to bring back the lasagna. Everyone is awesome. Don't fill up on bread!

Service: Audrey was great, she was kind, attentive, and personal! She was good recommending dishes and tweaked things to accommodate our tastes Food was great! read more

Most definitely my favorite spot I've been in Chicago yet. Mia Francesca is a simple but elegant neighborhood Italian restaurant. It's intimate and elegant, though not stuffy in the slightest. My group and I visited while celebrating a birthday. High on spirits, our waitress met us at our level and ended up buying us a round of limoncello shots (and did one herself)! She had that sort of attitude and air to her like you'd have known her for years. We started off the night with some Bruschetta and Calamari Fritti, both of which set the stage for what was next to come. The only way I could properly describe the Paccheri alla Vodka e Salsiccia is that it transported me to another plane of existence. If this is the state I died in, all worries, regrets, and missed opportunities would have faded away into bliss ignorance. Never have I had a vodka sauce so tender to the soul that I actively spooned up the rest, long after the paccheri itself was gone. And no, this was not just the wine and limoncello talking, it's as if I almost achieved a state of enlightenment. So, if that's not enough to drive your expectations up the wall, I don't know what is! I know there's so much more in Chicago to eat and explore, but you better believe I will make it my mission to return next time I visit. read more

Mia Francesca - Paccheri alla Vodka e Salsiccia - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent as always. Service was exceptional as was the food. It looks so tiny on the outside but when you get inside and see it, there's quite a bit of seating. Always pleasant and welcoming. Can't recommend enough. read more

We hosted the welcome dinner for our wedding in the Coach House room of Mia Francesca recently and had a lovely time! Katherine, Mia Francesca's Event Planner, was responsive and easy to work with in planning our event. The Coach House was the perfect private space for our welcome dinner, the staff was attentive, and the food was delicious. We would recommend hosting your private event here or coming by for a meal! read more

One of my new favorite spots. Delicious food, complimentary bread, affordable bottles of wine, attentive service, clean bathrooms, and good vibes. The affogato was so rich and worth it. read more

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WOW! From the moment I walked into this restaurant I knew it was going to be good. For one it smelled incredible and two, the place was PACKED! The decor was beautiful with half a car jutting out of the wall, flashing its lights. Tables were packed close together and everyone was clearly having a good time. So if you're looking for a quiet, romantic place to eat, avoid dinner time here. It was truly crowded from 5pm on. My daughter ordered the 100 layer lasagna and it was baked to perfection! So cheesy with a delicious bolognese. So good! I ordered ricotta stuffed gnocchi with a delicious bolognese and basil. Amazing!!! One of the best Italian dishes ever! read more

Mia Francesca - 100 layer lasagna. Notice the car in the wall in the background - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Justin was amazing! Food was even better! Visiting my older sister in Chicago, and came for a concert and she recommended we came here. Next time I'm in the Windy City I will return to Mia read more

Mia Francesca - Rolli & vodka rigatoni - The table features Italian cuisine including pasta, stuffed zucchini, and bread, with glasses of red wine, water, and a bottle of water. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Visiting from Los Angeles and had the best experience at Mia Francesca! The food was delicious, and Elena and Alfonso were so welcoming and attentive. read more

Enjoyed this quaint spot from a local recommendation. Could tell that the staff really cares. Our server, Audrey, accommodated our allergies and sensitivities really well. Additionally, the service was incredibly quick. The appetizers (Bruschetta and Francesca Salad) were the best part of the meal. read more

While in town in Chicago, we stopped by for dinner at Mia Francesca because it was where our friends got engaged over 20 years ago. We are so happy we did because it was a lovely experience. Kyra was our server and she was great. She helped us decide on what to have because everything looked delicious. We started with cocktails. We had an Empress martini and an Espresso martini and they both were cold and strong and a great start to our dining experience. Kyra suggested as a first course the Meatballs and their Antipasti. Both were delicious and fresh. The meatballs were tender and juicy and came with a delicious pomodoro sauce and bread to mop up any extra sauce - amazing. The Antipasti came with Cippolini onions and spicy peppers and we also tried the Gigante beans. The beans were tasty and creamy and they came with artichokes and olives and the onions were soft and sweet and had the right amount of spice. For our main we split the Chicken Milanese and our daughter had the Paccheri alla Vodka e Salsiccia and we also had an order of the arugula salad - I LOVE arugula salad. The salad was crisp, and cool, with the right amount of lemon and a generous amount of cheese. They split the Milanese for us which was great. The Milanese was everything a Milanese should be, a well seasoned and breaded chicken cutlet with perfectly dressed greens and shaved parm. Perfection. The Paccheri a la Vodka was creamy and toasty with delicious meaty bits. We were stuffed but it was my daughter's birthday so we celebrated with a Sloppy Sundae and it was so yummy and enough for us all. Great service, drinks, and food. We had a lovely time at Mia Francesca and cannot wait to return. read more

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Francesca's is always a solid dining spot. It's been years since I've been to this location and it's exactly like I remember it. Tables are jammed a bit too close together for my taste, but service was great last night. We came for the Restaurant Week menu and every course was delicious. The wine list is extensive and cocktails are good as well. There's a reason this place has been around for so long. So good, so good! read more

Was visiting Northwestern last week with my daughter and a friend in SF highly recommended Mia Francesca. It was worth the drive and traffic on our way to the airport. I had the Linguine Con Vongole and my daughter had the Mafalde Bolognese. It was AMAZING!!! It was the best Vongole I ever had and it is my daughter's favorite Bolognese! Highly recommend, especially if you are visiting out of town and want amazing Italian food. Service is top notch! read more

Mia Francesca - Linguine con Vongole - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you're looking for authentic Italian in Chicago, look no further than Mia Francesca! My table ordered the Calamari Fritti ($18) and Polpette della Nonna ($16) to share. The calamari was breaded perfectly and the seasoning complemented the squid. The polpette was soft but robust and came with creamy ricotta cheese and tomato sauce. I ordered the bucatini ($23) and was blown away! The flavor combination of egg yolk, parmesan cheese, chives, evoo, and guanciale was absolutely perfection. I often take home leftovers, but I finished my plate. I didn't get to try my tables entrees, but everyone left happy and full. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and had outdoor seating options. The servers were well informed and attentive. This place is quite popular, so make sure to call in for a reservation in advance. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Mia Francesca - Bucatini alla Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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From the moment I walked in I felt unwelcome. We were not welcomed, we sat at the bar while waiting for our table. The bartender asked if we would be eating at the bar but never offered to take our drink order or made eye contact from that point on. Once we sat down the food was rushed out before we got our drinks. We ordered appetizers, pasta for the table and mains for the table. Everything came at one time. There was so much food on the table that the food runner spilled water everywhere trying to make room. When I asked why everything came at once I was told I should have asked for it to be coursed out. We were forced to grabbing our own plates and silverware from empty tables all night as the server was so busy with his 13 other table to bring us what we needed. Being told about the serve being over worked helped us to understand the lack of attentiveness but it is not an excuse for the establishment being woefully understaffed and the steps of service being fumbled from start to finish. The food was good but truthfully not worth going back for. read more

Really good food. Pretty weird service. They sat us right in the door way which would make you think that our waiter couldn't miss us. But he was very hot and cold. We tried to order wine for so long. Then when we finally got his attention he was always around us for a few beats. Then we never saw him until 20 min later we finally ordered. But when we got the food it was delicious! And more than enough for leftovers which I adore. Would love to go back and see more of their space other than in front of their entrance. read more

Mia Francesca - Menu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois