This is far and away the best restaurant in the entire city of Gainesville. The quality of the food is outstanding; superior to many restaurants I went to in Little Italy, NYC. The price/quality ratio is very, very good: almost every meal is less than $20 and includes free garlic rolls. If you go at lunch, it's even better: for example, I can get a manicotti bowl (which is 75% the size of the full dinner portion) for like 11 bucks. It's ridiculous. I took my family here (mother, mother's "permanent boyfriend," grandmother), all of whom have very different tastes, and they were all completely satisfied and speechless. My grandma got some potato-encrusted fish meal, my mom got baked ziti, and my mom's boyfriend got crispy chicken in lemon sauce. (I got the tortellini). We all shared around the table and all four meals were amazing. They have the best vodka sauce I've ever had. It's fricken awesome. The only warning I give is to stay away from their sausages; they are small and dry and crumbly -- no moisture, no crunch, just bland and not very good. But that is the only item that seems not good to me at the entire establishment. It is difficult to express in words the level of amazingness that this place entails. Go. Try it. If you like manicotti, go get the manicotti lunch and get the vodka sauce with it. You will be back again and again and again, just like me. If you go on your birthday you get free dessert too. For people who care about ambiance, this is a very nice, late-night dinner restaurant. They have live music sometimes and other times they have the jazz channel from sirius radio playing. The kitchen is open; you can see them cooking if you want to watch. Otherwise, nice, dark environment for high class, high quality atmosphere perfect for "date night" or for "corporate dinner" etc while keeping the check more than reasonable. Go!
(5)
Todd K.
First time there. I had the veal parm with fet alfredo. Very nice and casual. Very clean. The service was very good. Might be one of the best Italian places in Gainesville. I'm will definately return. Wife had veal marsala which was also great. One of the better canoli's I ever had.
(4)
Rachel E.
Best chicken Parm panini ever. I wish I could go here more. Decent prices and an intimate setting. Took me forever to decide on my lunch because everything sounded great. Unfortunately I was with a large party so we got seated next to the kitchen. Fortunately it didn't make much of a difference at all, as they were very quiet.
(5)
Jennifer Z.
Unfortunately, this is not authentic Italian food. I have only found that at one restaurant in Gainesville and this is not it! My family took me their for my birthday last year and it was quite the strange experience. The diner was empty. The service was slow. The waitress whispered to each individual while taking our order. We never received any refills on our beverages. And, to top things off, the bill was sky high for mediocre food. We were very disappointed with our experience.
(2)
Doug J.
The Fresh house made gnocchi bolognese is gourmet comfort food. The place is small and cozy with simple and aestheticly pleasing decor. And the personal service was timely and excellent. I plan on returning with friends.
(4)
Scott T.
Bring your pocketbook. Not terribly expensive but more expensive than what I would consider for simple food. Why is that Italian places think they can charge $15 for PASTA? Call me a SNOB, but I am not paying for pasta, fresh or otherwise! I had the Chicken Milanese ( you know from Milan) with simple lemon butter and it came with a side of pasta $17.00. The chicken was I KNOW deep fried or OVERLY browned in a saute pan -- the sides were curling up. I didn't know why this place gets 4 stars as the serve was also OK ... I mean our server brought drinks by hand so when we ordered 4 wines it took 2 trips... really, fine dining is tray service at minimum. So I choked up my $20 and my wife had a nice seafood salad ($15.00) I don't see the value and there was not enough parking spaces in the lot... maybe staff should park elsewhere as the place was empty, but no parking ... I really can not say how disappionting this place was ....
(2)
Carly R.
I hadn't been to Francesca's since 2011, but I had to plan a work lunch for 20 people, and I decided to choose Francesca's. I called a week in advance to make the reservation, and the man who answered the phone was very friendly and accommodating. When we arrived, our table was already set up and prepared for us; we didn't have to wait at all to be seated. They assigned two servers to our table, which meant our drinks were always full and no one was left wanting for anything. The service was impeccable. And of course, the food. I thoroughly enjoyed my eggplant parmesan (nicely cooked and not wet or limp like the eggplant I had at Napolitano's). Everyone else at the table (many of whom had never been to Francesca's before) also expressed how delicious their meals were and thanked me profusely for selecting it as the venue. The portions were perfect for lunch, and I believe everyone left full and happy. The prices on the lunch menu are also very reasonable for the quality of food you are getting. I love Francesca's and love how they handled my large group. It seemed effortless for them. I will definitely be back on my own and when I have large events to plan. (I'm thinking of hosting my small after-wedding lunch here!)
(5)
Steve P.
We love Francesca's. Always friendly prompt service even when busy. Menu is huge. Food is always spot on. We have never had a bad meal. Our go to place for Italian in Gainesville
(5)
Michelle D.
I had the sausage and pepper panini, taste was decent, though for house made sausage they really missed an opportunity to make it delicious. The casing was very difficult to get through, I had to rip it off mostly. The sandwich is very messy. My mother had the house made lasagna and enjoyed it. Our server was great, polite and good service. Espresso was very burnt and bitter, terrible ripoff for 3.25. Cute decor, weak choice of music. The lady's room bathroom has some weird soap that lingers on the hands.
(3)
Sharia H.
Lived in Gainesville for years and I have never experienced better customer service or food. The overall experience was beyond exceptional, the food was the best I have experienced at any restaurant in the area and the service was perfect! We are sure to become regulars!
(5)
Nicole K.
My husband and his brother went up to the gator nationals this year and had to come back 2 nights in a row. They loved it. We will be back next year worth friends.
(4)
San C.
The Italian food here is top notch. I prefer this place over the other chain restaurants in town. However, this place does feel somewhat more formal in ambience, which is ok with me. I also enjoy how they try to have live music for dinner every so often. I just wish there was more parking sometimes (the last time they had live music, their parking lot was full).
(4)
Meg I.
When some friends asked if I'd ever eaten here I said no and my husband had to remind me that we have. So, in a word: unmemorable. The food was OK, but the place seemed to think it was hoitier and toitier than it is. Basically a notch up from Olive Garden. I probably won't go back, but who knows, maybe I already have and I just don't remember.
(2)
Mike W.
I'm not sure where to start with this one. Francesca's is . . . nice, certainly pretty inside, and meets all the basic criteria for more of a fine dining Italian restaurant, yes, but somehow it always feels quite generic to me all the same. The service is . . . fine. The food is alright but not inspired nor all that authentic or . . . well, it reminds me of a nicer restaurant in a "better" hotel. Maybe even a pretty nice hotel. But it's that bland white table-cloth and good wines, fairly-steep prices approach but nothing that really stands out to me. This end of town--the northwest--needs a fine-dining option: it is, after all, aside from Tioga and Haile Plantation (to the southwest) where most of Gainesville's wealth is concentrated. Francesca's should fill that need, and they kinda do, but how does it stack up to Amelia's--especially that Gainesville institution in its heyday? Not well, alas, not so well. Again, it's alright, but nothing that is especially innovative nor strikes a memory for me. The interior while obviously the product (or victim) of an expensive effort to create a beautiful space somehow felt a bit awkward, dark, yet unromantic to me. Overall, I just felt it wasn't working. But the food is ok. Maybe a bit better even than ok. If you're in the area, it's not a horrible option at all but I would like to see something more distinct.
(3)
Naomi G.
EXCELLENT! The pizza is absolutely amazing. I also had a fish dinner (forgot what it's called), but there was sauce and veggies. It was superb! I didn't think I could find such an authentic Italian restaurant in Gainesville, but I did! Besides the food, the ambiance and setting are fantastic. Such a cute place!
(5)
Francesco L.
Mangiacake paradise. been there twice. the second time for an office function. nice atmosphere and service, no complaints. food is just low grade, on par with olive garden. nothing terribly wrong with anything except the coffee (see below) the espresso will kill you. seriously nasty, technically so. i think they run more than one order through a single load in the espresso machine. overall bad value, its not cheap for what you get. if you like olive garden you'll probably be in love with this place. no offense if you do.
(2)
Chris K.
Me and the guys from work have been eating lunch at Francesca's since they opened their doors. I've had five star meals here as well as three star ones. On average they serve above average Italian food. I've been very impressed with the quality of service and how efficient and professional the wait staff are. Everyone is friendly, but not too chatty. My drink is always topped off, usually without me even knowing it. At lunch they usually get us in and out in a reasonable amount of time. To start off a meal I highly recommend their soups and salads (and the bread they bring out). When they have their potato leek soup, I usually spring for it, although it can be a little too rich at times. The salads and dressings are top notch and stay far away from flavorless house salad territory. Some of their main dishes do come drowned in tomato sauce (lasagna), which isn't very appealing, but other dishes do show some restraint. The chicken milanese and chicken parmesan are both generally prepared well. If I'm in the mood for something rich and filling I end up going with their spaghetti. They have a wonderful bolognese sauce, but it is on the rich side. Don't be afraid to give their pizza a try if you're in the mood. My wife and I will go here just for pizza sometimes. It's closer to a thin crust pizza, and you'll usually have enough leftovers for a second meal. Don't be afraid to ask your waiter how the food you order will come out. The wait staff is knowledgeable and can help you avoid a dish that might not suite your tastes. If I'm not in the mood for something super cheesy or saucy, they can help steer me towards something that will work for me. Francesca's isn't the cheapest Italian food in town, but I find that it's worth spending a little extra to get the higher quality food they serve.
(4)
Shannon A.
I really loved this place. There was live music, a great relaxed yet slightly formal atmosphere, delicious brunch cocktails, and sizable portions. Yes, it is more expensive than 43rd Street Deli; however, I would argue that the food is healthier, more delicious, and more creative. My brunch salad with walnuts, cranberry, and goat cheese was delicious and gigantic! Also, I loved that they offered more than bloody mary's and mimosas; my french kiss cocktail was delicious. My party also ordered the salmon cake hollandaise, polenta cakes, mushroom soup, brioche toast, and eggplant entree. There wasn't a single complaint about the food other than they were too full from eating it all so quickly. :) The staff was friendly, attentive, and brought out orders accurately. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Catherine C.
What a disappointment! I really want there to be a nice place to eat in this part of town, but, alas, this isn't it. In short, it's expensive for what it is, the food, service, and ambiance are bad. First, though it is a freestanding building the decor somehow manages to make you feel like you are in a restaurant in a strip mall. Second, the service and quality of food is much too low for the cost. I had a pasta primavera for $18 that was terrible: it was basically just pasta with olive oil and badly overcooked vegetables. My hubby got the cheese tortillini with an alfredo sauce -- also $18, but at least not remarkably bad. He also got a side of broccoli which was also badly overcooked. We wanted to order a bottle of wine, and found the server and bar tender, whom she consulted, completely unhelpful. They didn't know what the wine was like, and could only provide guesses about bottles were like -- I don't really like to spend $35 on a bottle of wine that I can only get an "I guess it's ..." description of. After ordering the wine, the server did not present the bottle to us to confirm she was opening the bottle we requested, nor did she pour only some of the wine for us to confirm it was acceptable. She showed up, opened the bottle, poured the wine and left. The wait staff and bartender are badly in need of some training on the wine the restaurant carries and the ability to serve it properly. Finally, as others have noted: They have no red sauce that is vegetarian. That is completely ridiculous, making a menu that could have many vegetarian options, including appetizers (of which there are no vegetarian options!), a number of pastas that would normally be vegetarian (manicotti, eggplant rollatini), or even just a cheese pizza leave vegetarians to have to eat alfredo sauce or the primavera, both, as noted above, are disappointing. It really is too bad. I hate to have to drive to the other side of town to eat a decent meal, but at $100 for two people for dinner, I really don't want to be so horribly disappointed with the food, service, and ambiance.
(1)
Adam W.
came here for a business dinner. servings were large, cost was high and taste was bland. i won't go back.
(2)
Shannon M.
I had a terrible first experience at this place and will probably never go back. We saw it had good reviews on yelp and it was just around the corner from us so we decided to try it. It all started When we walked in the door, no one was there to greet us. I understand when a hostess is busy, but the hostess saw us and continued to ignore us. We waited about 5 minutes before we were greeted by anyone. Once the hostess came she said that she had nothing available. Instead if telling a wait time or pointing us towards the bar, she left it at that. The bar was open so we sat down to once again not be greeted by either bartender. After a couple minutes a bartender came out and served two girls that had just sat down. We left after that and 20 minutes of our night wasted and went to macaroni grill which is delicious, cheaper and better service! We didn't try the food and it might be good, but service needs to improve. We live right around the corner and could have been regulars if only they cared a little more about their customers.
(1)
Lee I.
Disappointed! Been too Francesca's several times over the years and it was much better than it was this time. Appetizer was great. Lasagna was so SALTY I could hardly eat it. The quality of food is not as good as it used too be. Will not dine here again.
(2)
James T.
I went to this place on a Monday night. The atmosphere is classy and somewhat dimly lit. The waiter was very nice and went beyond his duties to cut and serve a birthday cake purchased from outside. The menu has a large selection of entrees that seem to be vegetarian. However, that is where the issue is. I learned that the marinara sauce contains anchovies, which unfortunately excludes vegetarians from eating a large portion of their menu (anything with the marinara sauce). The solution was using the alfredo sauce, which was vegetarian and good. I still believe this restaurant would possess greater value for vegetarians especially if the anchovies were to be left out of the marinara or a separate vegetarian portion be created. They do offer vegetarian marinara, but only on Sundays. This should be expanded to all days. Overall, I think this is a decent place. My suggested changes would help this restaurant take a step forward and expand their customer base.
(3)
M J.
Consistently great food and service. I have tried several dishes here and each one of them have been great. Its a hard choice for me to choose when i visit this place. Some things i have had are chicken parmagiana (best chicken parmigiana you will ever eat- sweet sauce and crispy outside), alfredo (must like garlic), mushroom tortellini (best dish in restaurant 10 stars), baked ziti. Soups and salads are also great too. Service is above average. Food 10/10 Service 7/10 Atmosphere 8/10 Pricing 7/10
(5)
Jeff M.
The last couple of times I eaten here the food wasn't that good. What a shame because this place used to be excellent.
(3)
Patrick A.
Does not get any better than Francesca's. Best marinara that I have had in the USA. Great customer service! We will return next trip to Gainesville.
(5)
Matt M.
Gosh, I have never been let down by Yelp before but I guess there is a first time for everything. This was our second choice for dinner because our first choice had a fire and was in need of remodeling. Now there was nothing wrong with Francesca's, there was just not really anything right. Service, while slow, was very attentive and well done. The ambiance is good, although a bit too "wide open" for my personal taste. I asked for a drink that was not on the menu and it was served without question. However, it always comes back to the food. I think I actually saw this menu at my local Italian restaurant in Anywheresville, USA. It was Spaghetti, it was Chicken Parmesan, it was Veal Scaloppini. Just nothing inventive and while the food was good, the lack of imagination and the food just being adequate, made this a 3 star review for me.
(3)
Crystal M.
After years of waiting, we finally went to Francescas for a late Valentines Day dinner on a Thursday night. The building is close to Fresh Market, behind the bank next to Zaxby's. It stands alone. The parking lot was full, and when we went in, we didn't even have to wait. We got a booth, too, which is always small plus. The dining room is dimmed, and you can see the kitchen from the dining room. It takes a strong chef to show his workspace to his customers. Everything was professional, clean, quiet. There is also a side bar area where we saw a few well-dressed people having drinks. Our waiter was nice, though he seemed a little busy. Maybe they were slightly understaffed that day, it took a bit of time between appetizer and entree or when my water was empty, I had to drink some of my boyfriends because it took so long to refill. We got the eggplant rollatini for an appetizer. Before that came out, the complmentary garlic rolls/knots were brought, which makes me wonder why they are one the menu for sale as we got free refills as well. The rolls were good, though a bit hard on the outside for my taste, but still yummy. The eggplant rollatini was listed as an appetizer and a main dish. The appetizer is one large serving which is not really an appetizer at all, and difficult to share. It is a large slice of eggplant rolled up with cheese inside, baked and topped with homemade sauce and cheese. It was good, but I'm not a fan of eggplant, so my boyfriend polished it off. We did note how good the home made sauce was. Our entree were the raviolis (per the Yelp review, I was suckered in!) and my boyfriend got the grouper special. Mine was about 4-6 LARGE stuffed raviolis on a plate covered in the same red sauce and cheese. The pasta is made fresh in house and I suspect the cheese as well... It was delicious, but was too similar to the eggplant rolatini for me to really enjoy it (my fault for choosing it). It was an awesome next day leftover though when the taste was new again. My boyfriends dish was beautiful. It was a large chunk of grouper, grilled, with 2 clams and 2 mussels surrounding it, plated next to a small portion of pasta with cream sauce and large shrimp. I was picking at his dish the whole night, I wish I had ordered it! For dessert, I had the mocha chocolate cheesecake, which was obviously locally made and DENSE as all heck. DELICIOUS. I ate the whole thing there. The bill came to around $100 (with tax and tip), and we were pleased with our experience. A great place for a good date.
(4)
Ping N.
I don't understand how this place is rated so highly. I hate to invoke the OG comparison, but it really is bad. Food was greasy, drowning in either cream or tomato sauce, and the service was bad. It advertises as Northern Italian cuisine, but it distinctly lacks any Northern Italian dishes at all, unless you consider Naples and Sicily to be Northern Italian.
(1)
Marjorie A.
Best Italian restaurant in Gainesville! Charming and refined ambience, excellent food and service. Pastas, chicken dishes, even the vegetarian Pasta Primevera have delicious sauces. The owner host provides a friendly greeting and her husband,the Chef, is responsible for the excellent menu. Just had their pizza which surprised me by being as good as their entrees. There is sometimes very good music played both week nights and weekends. Francesca's. Is our choice for any occasion.
(5)
J M.
Do not waste your time or money. Besides having no flavor the garlic rolls were hard and tough to chew. The waiter never wrote what we ordered and therefore forgot to place the order for our food. I ordered the eggplant Parmesan which after a few bites I realized that it did not taste right. I was right because within about 15 minutes of eating it I got food poisoning .....shaking, diarrhea, etc. My friend ordered chicken Parmesan and meatballs which ran through him as well. I do not believe that the food is fresh here . I read all of the reviews before we went and none of them describe this restaurant.. I think that the health department needs to pay a visit to this restaurant . Unless you want to get sick do not go to this restaurant.
(1)
Thomas A.
My husband and I were looking for a restaurant where we could celebrate our 5 year anniversary- preferably a restaurant where we'd never been before. We scoured Yelp looking for a place, both nearby and rated highly. We started to pass this place by, due to reviews complaining about their prices, but as we were both starving, we decided to give it a shot. We were greeted within a minute of entering the restaurant and chose to seat ourselves at a high-top near the bar. We immediately appreciated the intimate ambiance with a live musician playing guitar. Paul was our awesome waiter, very attentive and taking time to answer our menu questions. We were pleasantly surprised at the large portion sizes- my husband ordered the Chicken Parmesan and I had the Tortellini. Both were excellent and flavorful. A little bit pricey, yes- but again, the portion sizes were well worth it! We ended up leaving with most of both meals to-go. They also give you garlic rolls after you order (complimentary). Paul was consistent as far as checking on us every few minutes and refilling our drinks- super friendly and personable waiter! Honestly, we can't complain about anything here- it was a great experience and we will definitely be back! My husband loves this place.
(5)
Happy C.
Seriously, I implore you to go here. This is by FAR the most amazing Italian food in Gainesville. Probably the best Italian food this side of Italy if you really want to know. I had the salmon and I kinda want to marry it. Either the salmon or the garlic knots. Or, both. Polyandry! As you know, I am absurdly addicted to garlic knots and I dream about these at night. Our server rocked the house and the night was perfect. This would be a great anniversary spot or just a really nice first date. I'd totally bone on the first date if a boy brought me here. Yes, the salmon is THAT good.
(5)
Shreyas J.
I went for a lunch here with my research group and my adviser. I had chicken Milanese pasta and house salad for lunch. Chicken was really good but I though the portion was too small. I don't remember what the salad dressing was but it was very very different and tasty. I liked the ambiance. This is the place where you can go for dates, casual business meetings, or project discussions. Tables and booths are separated enough to allow privacy in conversion. The lunch options in menu are alright but other options for me were very pricey.
(4)
Heather K.
Excellent true Italian food! I am a New Yorker transplated in Florida. We went to Francesca's while we were in Gainesville for my daughter's triathlon. I looked on Yelp to find out where the best places were for dinner. I was thoroughly pleased with the service. We had 7 people in our party-3 adults, 1 teenager and 3 children. I ordered the fried rice ball for an appetizer which was heavenly! (I get these in NY too) It came with this excellent marinara sauce that I could drink:) My friend and I ordered a lemoncello martini which was AMAZING! Then for an entree, I ordered baked Ziti (with ricotta) and a side of meatballs. I couldn't believe my eyes when my entree came out...it was baked perfectly and huge! My two daughters both ordered the pizza from the kid's menu. It was delicious and ENORMOUS! They could've definitely shared one. I brought the leftovers home and ate it for the next two days! I can't wait to go back again.
(5)
Ari E.
Authentic Italian cuisine and a wonderful atmosphere with great service and friendly staff. Highly recommend! Though it is a bit dressier than casual.
(5)
Catherine C.
This is kind of what I think most people would expect to get when picturing an outing at an Italian restaurant in a small town in the South. It wasn't bad overall as far as food goes, but considering how hard it is to mess up pasta, not bad isn't saying a whole lot. I really have no complaints about this place, but knowing what great Italian food can be like, I just can't rate it better than a 2.5, maybe 3 stars at best because the people working there were so nice. I had the eggplant parmesan, which came with a side of pasta, and I picked the angelhair pasta with marinara. The eggplant parmesan was okay, the cheese was a little heavy and greasy. The side of angelhair was cooked properly and the sauce was okay. Service was friendly and fast, portions were very generous, prices were probably a little high for the quality but not outrageous. Decor was a little outdated and depressing- in reading the other reviews I'm surprised that some people thought this was a dressy place- I didn't feel like this was a fancy restaurant by any stretch of the imagination. I liked that you could see the kitchen from the dining room- that's always a cool design setup. The restaurant was clean, bathrooms were fine, parking was spacious. The tablecloth has a paper covering and they provide crayons for kids and adults who feel like coloring while waiting for their meal, which is fun. I want to like this place more, but I wasn't really impressed by the food. I wish I could send the whole restaurant staff on a trip to Italy to taste the magic!
(2)
Noah P.
I came back again. And, AGAIN, the food was unbelievable. This place is the BEST! I always love coming here to eat. I only wish I lived close so I could eat hear more often.
(5)
P B.
My husband & I had lunch here after a medical appointment. This was our first visit here & selected it as we enjoy Italian food. Liked the atmosphere as it's kinda cozy. Love that they use linens. Was somewhat taken aback by the "greeter/host" as he was wearing dark slacks & a maroon colored t-shirt, which was long (wasn't tucked in). Not too professional in my opinion. Our server was indeed attentive. Was disappointed that they don't have flavored ice tea, but our server offered to put grenadine in the tea, & it was great. We both ordered a ceasar salad--the croutons were stale. My husband ordered the homemade lasagna & said it was good. I had the eggplant parmesan & it was good. The small hot rolls they serve are delicious. All in all, we enjoyed our meal experience, but did find that it took a while before we got our food--a little too long for lunch time.
(3)
Xine F.
Francesca's is nothing short of amazing. I've watched it morph from a fledgling starter restaurant to a full fledged spot of deliciousness. I moved out of Gainesville, but every time I even drive through, I stop in. The garlic knots took me by surprise; they are light and airy, as opposed to being a dense, thick bread. Of course, that just makes them more useful when sopping up the left over marinara sauce (which you will want to do. I promise.) My first experience at Francesca's involved the Eggplant Rollatini. I don't even like eggplant, so I was very hesitant to try it out. Turns out, I can eat eggplant by the plateful when it's stuffed with cheeses and paired with the amazing marinara sauce that the owner makes. My daughter ordered the Fried Mozzarella, and much to my delight, it wasn't sticks of mozzarella that were heavily breaded and barely gooey. They were hunks of mozzarella, breaded and when you but into them, mozzarella poured out at a healthy rate. I probably ate as much of it as she did. Since that first trip, I have had the Ravioli Al Forno no less than every other trip. I get chided for being so boring, but the ravioli is seriously, seriously delicious. However, I think my most favorite dinner on the menu is the Tortellini Al Forno.It is AMAZING. It is rich and flavorful and makes me giddy. I was actually challenged to eat an entire dish of this by myself. I was confident that I would be able to, but about half way through it hit me how full of delicious tortellini I was. I kept trying, but this dish is so rich and filling that I didn't make it. It was okay, though; it meant I had more to eat the next day for lunch!! (This dish can easily be split into two or three meals.) I am a lover of Tiramisu. I haven't really met a tiramisu that I didn't at least like, and Francesca's tiramisu is no exception. I haven't even tried any of their other desserts. I would be perfectly content to just eat the tiramisu every time. It is completely yummy. Two major selling points about Francesca's for me are that the owners are local and they buy as much local, fresh food as they can.They live and work in Alachua and have obviously poured their hearts and souls into providing the good people of Gainesville with hearty, delicious, amazing Italian food. Someone said the food is "low grade" and "on par with olive garden." I don't agree with either of these statements since Francesca's food is made in-house and at least partially with local foods. Chain Italian joints don't care what's fresh or in season. The food at those places is mostly just reheated after coming to them frozen and slapped on a plate for you at exorbitant prices. I, too, implore you to give Francesca's a go. The food is delicious, authentic, fresh, tasty, and filling. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Alexa R.
I have to admit, as a resident of the Italian Market in Philadelphia, I was not sure how authentic the food at an Italian restaurant in Florida would be. Needless to say, I was blown away! We started with fried calamari, which was lightly fried and the calamari was delicious, not rubbery. For dinner, I have eggplant rollatini, which was delicious albeit a little overcheesed. My sister had eggplant parm and was delighted and my Dad ordered the veal saltimbocca. We all left full and happy. My sister and I had flown in from Philly and did not arrive in Gainesville until 10. By the service and the food we received, you would have never known that we were among the last tables to be seated.
(4)
Ken D.
We had a recent meal here and it was excellent. Several months back we had a meal here and it was equally as good. The service was excellent and there is a good feel to the place. We had eaten here over a year ago and the food was just so so but we are very pleased that we gave it another chance. BUT.... One of my peeves with restaurants lately is literally getting screwed on wine prices. It used to be double retail, not wholesale, not too long ago but many places have escalated to triple retail. On our recent visit one of our favorite wines was priced at $30 and I can buy it all day at Wards Market for $8.99. Francesca's shame on you!!!
(4)
Vicki M.
Came about 1 1/2 hours before closing. Was seated with bread and water, order wine and placed dinner order...Ask for more bread and was told they don't like cooking bread this late, so would have to wait 20mins. Why are you open then?? Food was good, but we decided to order a cannoli and our waiter informed us, that he didn't think anyone would order it, so he ate the cannoli cream. WTH?? Whatever!! There's lots of other places to choose from. Won't be back, but if you try it, go early, maybe at opening time.
(2)
Jorge U.
2 entrees with added house salads, two glasses of iced tea, and two glasses of wine. No appetizers and no dessert. Total including tip was just under $100. This place definitely isn't cheap and while the food was fine, it wasn't anywhere near rockin' it enough to be worth shelling out that kind of cash.
(3)
Kevin W.
Ok, so I finally went to dinner here. It was time for my boyfriend and I to celebrate our completed home with the builder and this was her first choice. We started our with the calamari which is pretty good and settled in with the wine list. I always want Italian places to have more Pinot Noirs but alas, it isn't meant to be. Then for dinner, I selected the shrimp and scallop pasta which was divine in a fantastic alfredo sauce. Johnny picked the Lobster fra Diablow (of course $$) and loved it. Kara Sutton (our amazing and fabulous builder) had a traditional chicken parmesan. Overall, this is a really nice place with good food. It's a bit pricey and a little out of the way for me, but certainly one of the better Italian places around. Certainly beats the crap out of Olive Garden (yuch!) and Carrabas (meh). The service was great (Michael Clay) and the atmosphere was decent. Not quite 5-starts but really good. Still really weird that all the servers wear chef jackets...
(4)
Jeffrey A.
This is probably the best Italian food in the area. It seems like there is always some sort of event going on here, but the place has ample seating. That said, make sure you make reservations on the weekends, as this is a big spot for graduation and celebration dinners for UF students. The food is pretty decent, probably best to stick with the traditional Italian dishes (parm, spaghetti, ziti, etc) and the staff is curteous and quick. The wine list leaves something to be desired, but the desserts are pretty good (Tiramisu is rather good). For Gainesville, it is pricey, but if you aren't a college student or used to bigger city prices, it really isn't that bad for the amount of food you get.
(3)
Andy R.
Service is OK and ambience is Gainesville-good (heavy and old fashioned, but decent). The food is mediocre at best, made with industrialized ingredients and covered with blankets of melted cheese. It might be a reasonable place to take your grandmother.
(2)
Sugar B.
Garlic knots rock! Huge portions. Cozy atmosphere. Try to sit in a booth
(4)
Daniel S.
Very very good food! Very italian, great service. I have had the Baked Ziti Romano, the Tortellini, the Ravioli, the Goat cheese and roasted red peppers. Very very good place.
(4)
Camilla B.
While the food was excellent, the service was not. We had to request water, clean napkins and finally, the check.
(3)
Lizard C.
Great atmosphere, and the service is exceptional. No lunch menu, so it is pricey for lunch. Great selection on the menu of subs, pasta, meat, seafood, etc. The pasta is homemade and cooked to perfection. I have enjoyed every meal. The lasagne is not as good as mine, but passes. The ziti had a bit too much cheese for my taste. The specialty dishes have been amazing. I agree that the bread is nothing special. The prices are reasonable for dinner.
(4)
Franny E.
Best italian food i've ever had. Went here for my after-graduation lunch and my family agrees that I couldn'tve picked a better place. Quiet, and dimly lit but very cool atmosphere. Garlic rolls are addictive, and every dish tastes so fresh and delicious.
(5)
Debra B.
Delicious food! I had seafood lasagna & my husband had ravioli with beef tenderloin. Both were that night's specials& were outstanding & the pasta made in house was very very good. The tiramiso (spelling?)dessert was large, plenty to share. Garlic rolls were yummy.Service was excellent.We ordered appetizer, salads & entrees which was too much food. Next time we would either get salads or appetizer, not both. A really great place!
(5)
Jay P.
Went the other day and enjoyed the food, although it was a bit overpriced. The manager (and waiter) was great and service good. Food was served hot and tasty. I will say I was actually not impressed with the garlic knots like some. Leonardo's knots are far superior. The pizza is good, as was the ravioli. Beer was reasonable, but selection lacking. Sam Adams was the only domestic available, unfortunately. For a restaurant to cater to the desires of customers, at least bottled Bud or something of the like should be made available. Many people would rather drink bottles anyhow. Overall good, but not a place I would say is a must go place.
(3)
Cory S.
Went because we had a Groupon deal but was not disappointed. Their sauce is some of the best I've had at a restaurant and the setting was unlike most restaurants in Gainesville. Definitely worth going back to again.
(5)
Tiffany A.
I give it a 3 star because this isn't a place that i'm dying to go to often, but I seem to like this place a lot. This is where I go when i'm craving REAL Italian food because they do it RIGHT. The menu is certified Italian...from appetizers to entrees to dessert. You get complementary garlic knots to start off your meal. And when they bring you your order, be careful not to burn your tongue! I say that in a good way. The food comes to you burning hot, and I'm always tempted to take the first bite right away, consequently burning my tongue. The food is good, it seems authentic. I prefer it over the typical Olive Garden or Carrabas (which, besides the millions of pizza places, is pretty much what Gainesville has to offer 'Italian' wise). The atmosphere is dimly lit, so definitely harbors a romantic feel. Good for a date or romantic evening. Quite often there is live music that I have thoroughly enjoyed every time. Service is so-so. They don't treat you special, but they do their job. Like I said, I don't come here often, but when I do I leave satisfied. So satisfied that I have to unzip my pants/skirt so my stomach can breathe when I get in the car. 'Nuff said.
(3)
Mitchell M.
This is probably one of the finest family owned and run Italian restaurants I have ever eaten in. Great owners, great Italian food and nightly specials with great service. Try the eggplant rollatini and the shrimp parmesan. They have a full bar but try the Dynamite Cabernet with your meal. You will not be disappointed with this fine Italian Restaurant.
(5)
Carlos V.
Great pasta!!!!!
(5)
Kevin B.
My friends in Gainesville LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Francesca's so I went along for the ride a couple of nights ago. I too am now a fan! The calamari is to die for. The garlic rolls (more like garlic knots) are also delish. The special that night was a lamb shank with risotto. The presentation was impressive with the bone sticking right up in the center of the plate. JT, our server, was very knowledgeable about the wine selection and was attentive. If I lived in Gainesville, Francesca's would be on my "frequent diner" list.
(4)
April O.
This past Friday, my husband and I noticed that the building under constructions across the street from Ichiban and Los Margaritas seemed to be completed. Neither of us knew what a "trattoria" was, but we were interested. Fast forward to Sunday at 5:45 p.m. I was hungry and in the mood for rich food. We visited La Table Rouge, but unfortunately they were closed. But hey, that "trattoria" place is right over there, why not visit? Like Fresco's, Francesca's is fairly small. (Not QUITE as small as Fresco, but still, nothing on the scale of Olive Garden or Carrabba's.) The store was hardly half full when we arrived, and within three tables of being completely full by the time we left. If you're seated between large parties like we were, you may even feel mildly claustrophobic. Both the wine and dinner menus are solid--lots of options, but not so many that you feel overwhelmed, or worse yet, that they're just calling the same piece of meat by six different names. We had the fried mozzarella, veal scalloppini ala francesca, wild salmon alal francesca, and tiramisu for dessert. My husband and I came to the same general consensus about our meals--the food is good, the sauces are good, the dessert is good, the bread is exceptionally bland. Fortunately you'll probably be using the bread to sop up the sauce from your meal, especially if you get the veal scalloppini. The brandy sauce is mildly sweet and yet mildly savory and goes beautifully with the veal cutlets. Mmmm! Service is very in-tune, the pacing of entrees is well-timed, and managers are actively approaching tables to make sure that customers are enjoying their meals. This restaurant opened not quite a month ago, but business is good here. Word is spreading about the place and they seem to be attracting large groups, so you may find that reservations are needed.
(4)
Jon R.
A very nice ambience and the food is good, not great, but good. A bit pricey for what you get. Service is efficient and pleasant. Some items a bit too salty, some bland. Garlic rolls strong, but they were happy to supply some without garlic. Cloth napkins a plus, paper tablecloths a minus. Overall a B- for food, B+ for service.
(3)
Apple C.
Good food, w hich is a solid deciding factor. Tasty alfredo, as well as a variety of other goodness. Why only three stars, then? 1) The prices have risen some time over the last 6 months (since the last time we'd been there, which had been a while), to a point where instead of "on the high end for an everyday meal but worth it occasionally" the prices are "for a date night/special evening out". (Especially when considering any add on's or beverages) That's fine, I just won't get there but once a year now, instead of once a month or so. 2) Had a very odd waiter one evening when we went with a group of friends. Trying to be jovial and joking around in a completely condescending and awkward way, not at all professional. I asked to change out a sauce on the side of pasta, and he stopped me to ask in a snotty tone whether I knew there'd be an upcharge for that (and called me hon. The man was probably younger than I am...). Implied that the table was too poor to buy wine when we just didn't want any - ("No wine? I'll take the menu. It's not for everyone's wallet"). Tried to get us to buy dessert and upon our decline said something like "Well I had to try guys, the managers like me to ask and my tip likes the extra movement". All of which I would've chalked up to a new server, but the next time we came, we were introduced to the same person as our server for the evening, "one of our best", at which point we promptly requested to work with someone else. Also to clarify, was with a group of friends who were all business casual. Though even if we were in flip flops and torn jeans I'd still be extremely put off to be treated that way.... One bad waiter doesn't make me avoid the entire restaraunt, but it does put it lower on my list of options unless someone is very explicitly craving italian, lest other servers be similar... But with all that said, if you like Italian, there is definitely nice ambiance and good food to be found. 3/5
(3)
Kiran C.
Great atmosphere and good service. We had a very nice waitress. I ordered the salmon with fettuccine. The sauce was covered in a cream sauce that didn't have much flavor. The salmon was excellent on a pile of spinach which was also nice. The Tiramusu was good here too. I would recommend splitting it with someone. The mozzarella sticks were pretty decent. The sauce with the mozz slabs was tasty and helped boost my salmon. Only 3 stars for me though because my friend's dish also seemed to be just cream sauce and starch. More veggies with the dinners and less cream sauce options would make this place better. Still has good potential though and not sure how it stacks up against the other italian places but probably pretty good.
(3)
kristen n.
While the atmosphere is pretty understated, the food & the service was AWESOME... The tortellini rocked my world and our waiter was as good as it gets. They also had live "jazz" ... not italian but more like a bit of soft samba, you know a lot of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. Even they were great.. 2 non-descript dudes singing & playing acoustic guitar at the perfect volume... this place is a hidden gem.
(5)
N M.
This is by far and away the best Italian food in G'ville. Sorry Fresco, but Francesca's has an authenticity and consistency unmatched in town. The gravy (red sauce) is the real deal, and the Alfredo sauce is every bit the terrific heart attack on a plate that it should be - a real special treat. Kind of pricey, but the value is there.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Nick M.
This is far and away the best restaurant in the entire city of Gainesville. The quality of the food is outstanding; superior to many restaurants I went to in Little Italy, NYC. The price/quality ratio is very, very good: almost every meal is less than $20 and includes free garlic rolls. If you go at lunch, it's even better: for example, I can get a manicotti bowl (which is 75% the size of the full dinner portion) for like 11 bucks. It's ridiculous. I took my family here (mother, mother's "permanent boyfriend," grandmother), all of whom have very different tastes, and they were all completely satisfied and speechless. My grandma got some potato-encrusted fish meal, my mom got baked ziti, and my mom's boyfriend got crispy chicken in lemon sauce. (I got the tortellini). We all shared around the table and all four meals were amazing. They have the best vodka sauce I've ever had. It's fricken awesome. The only warning I give is to stay away from their sausages; they are small and dry and crumbly -- no moisture, no crunch, just bland and not very good. But that is the only item that seems not good to me at the entire establishment. It is difficult to express in words the level of amazingness that this place entails. Go. Try it. If you like manicotti, go get the manicotti lunch and get the vodka sauce with it. You will be back again and again and again, just like me. If you go on your birthday you get free dessert too. For people who care about ambiance, this is a very nice, late-night dinner restaurant. They have live music sometimes and other times they have the jazz channel from sirius radio playing. The kitchen is open; you can see them cooking if you want to watch. Otherwise, nice, dark environment for high class, high quality atmosphere perfect for "date night" or for "corporate dinner" etc while keeping the check more than reasonable. Go!
(5)Todd K.
First time there. I had the veal parm with fet alfredo. Very nice and casual. Very clean. The service was very good. Might be one of the best Italian places in Gainesville. I'm will definately return. Wife had veal marsala which was also great. One of the better canoli's I ever had.
(4)Rachel E.
Best chicken Parm panini ever. I wish I could go here more. Decent prices and an intimate setting. Took me forever to decide on my lunch because everything sounded great. Unfortunately I was with a large party so we got seated next to the kitchen. Fortunately it didn't make much of a difference at all, as they were very quiet.
(5)Jennifer Z.
Unfortunately, this is not authentic Italian food. I have only found that at one restaurant in Gainesville and this is not it! My family took me their for my birthday last year and it was quite the strange experience. The diner was empty. The service was slow. The waitress whispered to each individual while taking our order. We never received any refills on our beverages. And, to top things off, the bill was sky high for mediocre food. We were very disappointed with our experience.
(2)Doug J.
The Fresh house made gnocchi bolognese is gourmet comfort food. The place is small and cozy with simple and aestheticly pleasing decor. And the personal service was timely and excellent. I plan on returning with friends.
(4)Scott T.
Bring your pocketbook. Not terribly expensive but more expensive than what I would consider for simple food. Why is that Italian places think they can charge $15 for PASTA? Call me a SNOB, but I am not paying for pasta, fresh or otherwise! I had the Chicken Milanese ( you know from Milan) with simple lemon butter and it came with a side of pasta $17.00. The chicken was I KNOW deep fried or OVERLY browned in a saute pan -- the sides were curling up. I didn't know why this place gets 4 stars as the serve was also OK ... I mean our server brought drinks by hand so when we ordered 4 wines it took 2 trips... really, fine dining is tray service at minimum. So I choked up my $20 and my wife had a nice seafood salad ($15.00) I don't see the value and there was not enough parking spaces in the lot... maybe staff should park elsewhere as the place was empty, but no parking ... I really can not say how disappionting this place was ....
(2)Carly R.
I hadn't been to Francesca's since 2011, but I had to plan a work lunch for 20 people, and I decided to choose Francesca's. I called a week in advance to make the reservation, and the man who answered the phone was very friendly and accommodating. When we arrived, our table was already set up and prepared for us; we didn't have to wait at all to be seated. They assigned two servers to our table, which meant our drinks were always full and no one was left wanting for anything. The service was impeccable. And of course, the food. I thoroughly enjoyed my eggplant parmesan (nicely cooked and not wet or limp like the eggplant I had at Napolitano's). Everyone else at the table (many of whom had never been to Francesca's before) also expressed how delicious their meals were and thanked me profusely for selecting it as the venue. The portions were perfect for lunch, and I believe everyone left full and happy. The prices on the lunch menu are also very reasonable for the quality of food you are getting. I love Francesca's and love how they handled my large group. It seemed effortless for them. I will definitely be back on my own and when I have large events to plan. (I'm thinking of hosting my small after-wedding lunch here!)
(5)Steve P.
We love Francesca's. Always friendly prompt service even when busy. Menu is huge. Food is always spot on. We have never had a bad meal. Our go to place for Italian in Gainesville
(5)Michelle D.
I had the sausage and pepper panini, taste was decent, though for house made sausage they really missed an opportunity to make it delicious. The casing was very difficult to get through, I had to rip it off mostly. The sandwich is very messy. My mother had the house made lasagna and enjoyed it. Our server was great, polite and good service. Espresso was very burnt and bitter, terrible ripoff for 3.25. Cute decor, weak choice of music. The lady's room bathroom has some weird soap that lingers on the hands.
(3)Sharia H.
Lived in Gainesville for years and I have never experienced better customer service or food. The overall experience was beyond exceptional, the food was the best I have experienced at any restaurant in the area and the service was perfect! We are sure to become regulars!
(5)Nicole K.
My husband and his brother went up to the gator nationals this year and had to come back 2 nights in a row. They loved it. We will be back next year worth friends.
(4)San C.
The Italian food here is top notch. I prefer this place over the other chain restaurants in town. However, this place does feel somewhat more formal in ambience, which is ok with me. I also enjoy how they try to have live music for dinner every so often. I just wish there was more parking sometimes (the last time they had live music, their parking lot was full).
(4)Meg I.
When some friends asked if I'd ever eaten here I said no and my husband had to remind me that we have. So, in a word: unmemorable. The food was OK, but the place seemed to think it was hoitier and toitier than it is. Basically a notch up from Olive Garden. I probably won't go back, but who knows, maybe I already have and I just don't remember.
(2)Mike W.
I'm not sure where to start with this one. Francesca's is . . . nice, certainly pretty inside, and meets all the basic criteria for more of a fine dining Italian restaurant, yes, but somehow it always feels quite generic to me all the same. The service is . . . fine. The food is alright but not inspired nor all that authentic or . . . well, it reminds me of a nicer restaurant in a "better" hotel. Maybe even a pretty nice hotel. But it's that bland white table-cloth and good wines, fairly-steep prices approach but nothing that really stands out to me. This end of town--the northwest--needs a fine-dining option: it is, after all, aside from Tioga and Haile Plantation (to the southwest) where most of Gainesville's wealth is concentrated. Francesca's should fill that need, and they kinda do, but how does it stack up to Amelia's--especially that Gainesville institution in its heyday? Not well, alas, not so well. Again, it's alright, but nothing that is especially innovative nor strikes a memory for me. The interior while obviously the product (or victim) of an expensive effort to create a beautiful space somehow felt a bit awkward, dark, yet unromantic to me. Overall, I just felt it wasn't working. But the food is ok. Maybe a bit better even than ok. If you're in the area, it's not a horrible option at all but I would like to see something more distinct.
(3)Naomi G.
EXCELLENT! The pizza is absolutely amazing. I also had a fish dinner (forgot what it's called), but there was sauce and veggies. It was superb! I didn't think I could find such an authentic Italian restaurant in Gainesville, but I did! Besides the food, the ambiance and setting are fantastic. Such a cute place!
(5)Francesco L.
Mangiacake paradise. been there twice. the second time for an office function. nice atmosphere and service, no complaints. food is just low grade, on par with olive garden. nothing terribly wrong with anything except the coffee (see below) the espresso will kill you. seriously nasty, technically so. i think they run more than one order through a single load in the espresso machine. overall bad value, its not cheap for what you get. if you like olive garden you'll probably be in love with this place. no offense if you do.
(2)Chris K.
Me and the guys from work have been eating lunch at Francesca's since they opened their doors. I've had five star meals here as well as three star ones. On average they serve above average Italian food. I've been very impressed with the quality of service and how efficient and professional the wait staff are. Everyone is friendly, but not too chatty. My drink is always topped off, usually without me even knowing it. At lunch they usually get us in and out in a reasonable amount of time. To start off a meal I highly recommend their soups and salads (and the bread they bring out). When they have their potato leek soup, I usually spring for it, although it can be a little too rich at times. The salads and dressings are top notch and stay far away from flavorless house salad territory. Some of their main dishes do come drowned in tomato sauce (lasagna), which isn't very appealing, but other dishes do show some restraint. The chicken milanese and chicken parmesan are both generally prepared well. If I'm in the mood for something rich and filling I end up going with their spaghetti. They have a wonderful bolognese sauce, but it is on the rich side. Don't be afraid to give their pizza a try if you're in the mood. My wife and I will go here just for pizza sometimes. It's closer to a thin crust pizza, and you'll usually have enough leftovers for a second meal. Don't be afraid to ask your waiter how the food you order will come out. The wait staff is knowledgeable and can help you avoid a dish that might not suite your tastes. If I'm not in the mood for something super cheesy or saucy, they can help steer me towards something that will work for me. Francesca's isn't the cheapest Italian food in town, but I find that it's worth spending a little extra to get the higher quality food they serve.
(4)Shannon A.
I really loved this place. There was live music, a great relaxed yet slightly formal atmosphere, delicious brunch cocktails, and sizable portions. Yes, it is more expensive than 43rd Street Deli; however, I would argue that the food is healthier, more delicious, and more creative. My brunch salad with walnuts, cranberry, and goat cheese was delicious and gigantic! Also, I loved that they offered more than bloody mary's and mimosas; my french kiss cocktail was delicious. My party also ordered the salmon cake hollandaise, polenta cakes, mushroom soup, brioche toast, and eggplant entree. There wasn't a single complaint about the food other than they were too full from eating it all so quickly. :) The staff was friendly, attentive, and brought out orders accurately. I will definitely be back.
(5)Catherine C.
What a disappointment! I really want there to be a nice place to eat in this part of town, but, alas, this isn't it. In short, it's expensive for what it is, the food, service, and ambiance are bad. First, though it is a freestanding building the decor somehow manages to make you feel like you are in a restaurant in a strip mall. Second, the service and quality of food is much too low for the cost. I had a pasta primavera for $18 that was terrible: it was basically just pasta with olive oil and badly overcooked vegetables. My hubby got the cheese tortillini with an alfredo sauce -- also $18, but at least not remarkably bad. He also got a side of broccoli which was also badly overcooked. We wanted to order a bottle of wine, and found the server and bar tender, whom she consulted, completely unhelpful. They didn't know what the wine was like, and could only provide guesses about bottles were like -- I don't really like to spend $35 on a bottle of wine that I can only get an "I guess it's ..." description of. After ordering the wine, the server did not present the bottle to us to confirm she was opening the bottle we requested, nor did she pour only some of the wine for us to confirm it was acceptable. She showed up, opened the bottle, poured the wine and left. The wait staff and bartender are badly in need of some training on the wine the restaurant carries and the ability to serve it properly. Finally, as others have noted: They have no red sauce that is vegetarian. That is completely ridiculous, making a menu that could have many vegetarian options, including appetizers (of which there are no vegetarian options!), a number of pastas that would normally be vegetarian (manicotti, eggplant rollatini), or even just a cheese pizza leave vegetarians to have to eat alfredo sauce or the primavera, both, as noted above, are disappointing. It really is too bad. I hate to have to drive to the other side of town to eat a decent meal, but at $100 for two people for dinner, I really don't want to be so horribly disappointed with the food, service, and ambiance.
(1)Adam W.
came here for a business dinner. servings were large, cost was high and taste was bland. i won't go back.
(2)Shannon M.
I had a terrible first experience at this place and will probably never go back. We saw it had good reviews on yelp and it was just around the corner from us so we decided to try it. It all started When we walked in the door, no one was there to greet us. I understand when a hostess is busy, but the hostess saw us and continued to ignore us. We waited about 5 minutes before we were greeted by anyone. Once the hostess came she said that she had nothing available. Instead if telling a wait time or pointing us towards the bar, she left it at that. The bar was open so we sat down to once again not be greeted by either bartender. After a couple minutes a bartender came out and served two girls that had just sat down. We left after that and 20 minutes of our night wasted and went to macaroni grill which is delicious, cheaper and better service! We didn't try the food and it might be good, but service needs to improve. We live right around the corner and could have been regulars if only they cared a little more about their customers.
(1)Lee I.
Disappointed! Been too Francesca's several times over the years and it was much better than it was this time. Appetizer was great. Lasagna was so SALTY I could hardly eat it. The quality of food is not as good as it used too be. Will not dine here again.
(2)James T.
I went to this place on a Monday night. The atmosphere is classy and somewhat dimly lit. The waiter was very nice and went beyond his duties to cut and serve a birthday cake purchased from outside. The menu has a large selection of entrees that seem to be vegetarian. However, that is where the issue is. I learned that the marinara sauce contains anchovies, which unfortunately excludes vegetarians from eating a large portion of their menu (anything with the marinara sauce). The solution was using the alfredo sauce, which was vegetarian and good. I still believe this restaurant would possess greater value for vegetarians especially if the anchovies were to be left out of the marinara or a separate vegetarian portion be created. They do offer vegetarian marinara, but only on Sundays. This should be expanded to all days. Overall, I think this is a decent place. My suggested changes would help this restaurant take a step forward and expand their customer base.
(3)M J.
Consistently great food and service. I have tried several dishes here and each one of them have been great. Its a hard choice for me to choose when i visit this place. Some things i have had are chicken parmagiana (best chicken parmigiana you will ever eat- sweet sauce and crispy outside), alfredo (must like garlic), mushroom tortellini (best dish in restaurant 10 stars), baked ziti. Soups and salads are also great too. Service is above average. Food 10/10 Service 7/10 Atmosphere 8/10 Pricing 7/10
(5)Jeff M.
The last couple of times I eaten here the food wasn't that good. What a shame because this place used to be excellent.
(3)Patrick A.
Does not get any better than Francesca's. Best marinara that I have had in the USA. Great customer service! We will return next trip to Gainesville.
(5)Matt M.
Gosh, I have never been let down by Yelp before but I guess there is a first time for everything. This was our second choice for dinner because our first choice had a fire and was in need of remodeling. Now there was nothing wrong with Francesca's, there was just not really anything right. Service, while slow, was very attentive and well done. The ambiance is good, although a bit too "wide open" for my personal taste. I asked for a drink that was not on the menu and it was served without question. However, it always comes back to the food. I think I actually saw this menu at my local Italian restaurant in Anywheresville, USA. It was Spaghetti, it was Chicken Parmesan, it was Veal Scaloppini. Just nothing inventive and while the food was good, the lack of imagination and the food just being adequate, made this a 3 star review for me.
(3)Crystal M.
After years of waiting, we finally went to Francescas for a late Valentines Day dinner on a Thursday night. The building is close to Fresh Market, behind the bank next to Zaxby's. It stands alone. The parking lot was full, and when we went in, we didn't even have to wait. We got a booth, too, which is always small plus. The dining room is dimmed, and you can see the kitchen from the dining room. It takes a strong chef to show his workspace to his customers. Everything was professional, clean, quiet. There is also a side bar area where we saw a few well-dressed people having drinks. Our waiter was nice, though he seemed a little busy. Maybe they were slightly understaffed that day, it took a bit of time between appetizer and entree or when my water was empty, I had to drink some of my boyfriends because it took so long to refill. We got the eggplant rollatini for an appetizer. Before that came out, the complmentary garlic rolls/knots were brought, which makes me wonder why they are one the menu for sale as we got free refills as well. The rolls were good, though a bit hard on the outside for my taste, but still yummy. The eggplant rollatini was listed as an appetizer and a main dish. The appetizer is one large serving which is not really an appetizer at all, and difficult to share. It is a large slice of eggplant rolled up with cheese inside, baked and topped with homemade sauce and cheese. It was good, but I'm not a fan of eggplant, so my boyfriend polished it off. We did note how good the home made sauce was. Our entree were the raviolis (per the Yelp review, I was suckered in!) and my boyfriend got the grouper special. Mine was about 4-6 LARGE stuffed raviolis on a plate covered in the same red sauce and cheese. The pasta is made fresh in house and I suspect the cheese as well... It was delicious, but was too similar to the eggplant rolatini for me to really enjoy it (my fault for choosing it). It was an awesome next day leftover though when the taste was new again. My boyfriends dish was beautiful. It was a large chunk of grouper, grilled, with 2 clams and 2 mussels surrounding it, plated next to a small portion of pasta with cream sauce and large shrimp. I was picking at his dish the whole night, I wish I had ordered it! For dessert, I had the mocha chocolate cheesecake, which was obviously locally made and DENSE as all heck. DELICIOUS. I ate the whole thing there. The bill came to around $100 (with tax and tip), and we were pleased with our experience. A great place for a good date.
(4)Ping N.
I don't understand how this place is rated so highly. I hate to invoke the OG comparison, but it really is bad. Food was greasy, drowning in either cream or tomato sauce, and the service was bad. It advertises as Northern Italian cuisine, but it distinctly lacks any Northern Italian dishes at all, unless you consider Naples and Sicily to be Northern Italian.
(1)Marjorie A.
Best Italian restaurant in Gainesville! Charming and refined ambience, excellent food and service. Pastas, chicken dishes, even the vegetarian Pasta Primevera have delicious sauces. The owner host provides a friendly greeting and her husband,the Chef, is responsible for the excellent menu. Just had their pizza which surprised me by being as good as their entrees. There is sometimes very good music played both week nights and weekends. Francesca's. Is our choice for any occasion.
(5)J M.
Do not waste your time or money. Besides having no flavor the garlic rolls were hard and tough to chew. The waiter never wrote what we ordered and therefore forgot to place the order for our food. I ordered the eggplant Parmesan which after a few bites I realized that it did not taste right. I was right because within about 15 minutes of eating it I got food poisoning .....shaking, diarrhea, etc. My friend ordered chicken Parmesan and meatballs which ran through him as well. I do not believe that the food is fresh here . I read all of the reviews before we went and none of them describe this restaurant.. I think that the health department needs to pay a visit to this restaurant . Unless you want to get sick do not go to this restaurant.
(1)Thomas A.
My husband and I were looking for a restaurant where we could celebrate our 5 year anniversary- preferably a restaurant where we'd never been before. We scoured Yelp looking for a place, both nearby and rated highly. We started to pass this place by, due to reviews complaining about their prices, but as we were both starving, we decided to give it a shot. We were greeted within a minute of entering the restaurant and chose to seat ourselves at a high-top near the bar. We immediately appreciated the intimate ambiance with a live musician playing guitar. Paul was our awesome waiter, very attentive and taking time to answer our menu questions. We were pleasantly surprised at the large portion sizes- my husband ordered the Chicken Parmesan and I had the Tortellini. Both were excellent and flavorful. A little bit pricey, yes- but again, the portion sizes were well worth it! We ended up leaving with most of both meals to-go. They also give you garlic rolls after you order (complimentary). Paul was consistent as far as checking on us every few minutes and refilling our drinks- super friendly and personable waiter! Honestly, we can't complain about anything here- it was a great experience and we will definitely be back! My husband loves this place.
(5)Happy C.
Seriously, I implore you to go here. This is by FAR the most amazing Italian food in Gainesville. Probably the best Italian food this side of Italy if you really want to know. I had the salmon and I kinda want to marry it. Either the salmon or the garlic knots. Or, both. Polyandry! As you know, I am absurdly addicted to garlic knots and I dream about these at night. Our server rocked the house and the night was perfect. This would be a great anniversary spot or just a really nice first date. I'd totally bone on the first date if a boy brought me here. Yes, the salmon is THAT good.
(5)Shreyas J.
I went for a lunch here with my research group and my adviser. I had chicken Milanese pasta and house salad for lunch. Chicken was really good but I though the portion was too small. I don't remember what the salad dressing was but it was very very different and tasty. I liked the ambiance. This is the place where you can go for dates, casual business meetings, or project discussions. Tables and booths are separated enough to allow privacy in conversion. The lunch options in menu are alright but other options for me were very pricey.
(4)Heather K.
Excellent true Italian food! I am a New Yorker transplated in Florida. We went to Francesca's while we were in Gainesville for my daughter's triathlon. I looked on Yelp to find out where the best places were for dinner. I was thoroughly pleased with the service. We had 7 people in our party-3 adults, 1 teenager and 3 children. I ordered the fried rice ball for an appetizer which was heavenly! (I get these in NY too) It came with this excellent marinara sauce that I could drink:) My friend and I ordered a lemoncello martini which was AMAZING! Then for an entree, I ordered baked Ziti (with ricotta) and a side of meatballs. I couldn't believe my eyes when my entree came out...it was baked perfectly and huge! My two daughters both ordered the pizza from the kid's menu. It was delicious and ENORMOUS! They could've definitely shared one. I brought the leftovers home and ate it for the next two days! I can't wait to go back again.
(5)Ari E.
Authentic Italian cuisine and a wonderful atmosphere with great service and friendly staff. Highly recommend! Though it is a bit dressier than casual.
(5)Catherine C.
This is kind of what I think most people would expect to get when picturing an outing at an Italian restaurant in a small town in the South. It wasn't bad overall as far as food goes, but considering how hard it is to mess up pasta, not bad isn't saying a whole lot. I really have no complaints about this place, but knowing what great Italian food can be like, I just can't rate it better than a 2.5, maybe 3 stars at best because the people working there were so nice. I had the eggplant parmesan, which came with a side of pasta, and I picked the angelhair pasta with marinara. The eggplant parmesan was okay, the cheese was a little heavy and greasy. The side of angelhair was cooked properly and the sauce was okay. Service was friendly and fast, portions were very generous, prices were probably a little high for the quality but not outrageous. Decor was a little outdated and depressing- in reading the other reviews I'm surprised that some people thought this was a dressy place- I didn't feel like this was a fancy restaurant by any stretch of the imagination. I liked that you could see the kitchen from the dining room- that's always a cool design setup. The restaurant was clean, bathrooms were fine, parking was spacious. The tablecloth has a paper covering and they provide crayons for kids and adults who feel like coloring while waiting for their meal, which is fun. I want to like this place more, but I wasn't really impressed by the food. I wish I could send the whole restaurant staff on a trip to Italy to taste the magic!
(2)Noah P.
I came back again. And, AGAIN, the food was unbelievable. This place is the BEST! I always love coming here to eat. I only wish I lived close so I could eat hear more often.
(5)P B.
My husband & I had lunch here after a medical appointment. This was our first visit here & selected it as we enjoy Italian food. Liked the atmosphere as it's kinda cozy. Love that they use linens. Was somewhat taken aback by the "greeter/host" as he was wearing dark slacks & a maroon colored t-shirt, which was long (wasn't tucked in). Not too professional in my opinion. Our server was indeed attentive. Was disappointed that they don't have flavored ice tea, but our server offered to put grenadine in the tea, & it was great. We both ordered a ceasar salad--the croutons were stale. My husband ordered the homemade lasagna & said it was good. I had the eggplant parmesan & it was good. The small hot rolls they serve are delicious. All in all, we enjoyed our meal experience, but did find that it took a while before we got our food--a little too long for lunch time.
(3)Xine F.
Francesca's is nothing short of amazing. I've watched it morph from a fledgling starter restaurant to a full fledged spot of deliciousness. I moved out of Gainesville, but every time I even drive through, I stop in. The garlic knots took me by surprise; they are light and airy, as opposed to being a dense, thick bread. Of course, that just makes them more useful when sopping up the left over marinara sauce (which you will want to do. I promise.) My first experience at Francesca's involved the Eggplant Rollatini. I don't even like eggplant, so I was very hesitant to try it out. Turns out, I can eat eggplant by the plateful when it's stuffed with cheeses and paired with the amazing marinara sauce that the owner makes. My daughter ordered the Fried Mozzarella, and much to my delight, it wasn't sticks of mozzarella that were heavily breaded and barely gooey. They were hunks of mozzarella, breaded and when you but into them, mozzarella poured out at a healthy rate. I probably ate as much of it as she did. Since that first trip, I have had the Ravioli Al Forno no less than every other trip. I get chided for being so boring, but the ravioli is seriously, seriously delicious. However, I think my most favorite dinner on the menu is the Tortellini Al Forno.It is AMAZING. It is rich and flavorful and makes me giddy. I was actually challenged to eat an entire dish of this by myself. I was confident that I would be able to, but about half way through it hit me how full of delicious tortellini I was. I kept trying, but this dish is so rich and filling that I didn't make it. It was okay, though; it meant I had more to eat the next day for lunch!! (This dish can easily be split into two or three meals.) I am a lover of Tiramisu. I haven't really met a tiramisu that I didn't at least like, and Francesca's tiramisu is no exception. I haven't even tried any of their other desserts. I would be perfectly content to just eat the tiramisu every time. It is completely yummy. Two major selling points about Francesca's for me are that the owners are local and they buy as much local, fresh food as they can.They live and work in Alachua and have obviously poured their hearts and souls into providing the good people of Gainesville with hearty, delicious, amazing Italian food. Someone said the food is "low grade" and "on par with olive garden." I don't agree with either of these statements since Francesca's food is made in-house and at least partially with local foods. Chain Italian joints don't care what's fresh or in season. The food at those places is mostly just reheated after coming to them frozen and slapped on a plate for you at exorbitant prices. I, too, implore you to give Francesca's a go. The food is delicious, authentic, fresh, tasty, and filling. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Alexa R.
I have to admit, as a resident of the Italian Market in Philadelphia, I was not sure how authentic the food at an Italian restaurant in Florida would be. Needless to say, I was blown away! We started with fried calamari, which was lightly fried and the calamari was delicious, not rubbery. For dinner, I have eggplant rollatini, which was delicious albeit a little overcheesed. My sister had eggplant parm and was delighted and my Dad ordered the veal saltimbocca. We all left full and happy. My sister and I had flown in from Philly and did not arrive in Gainesville until 10. By the service and the food we received, you would have never known that we were among the last tables to be seated.
(4)Ken D.
We had a recent meal here and it was excellent. Several months back we had a meal here and it was equally as good. The service was excellent and there is a good feel to the place. We had eaten here over a year ago and the food was just so so but we are very pleased that we gave it another chance. BUT.... One of my peeves with restaurants lately is literally getting screwed on wine prices. It used to be double retail, not wholesale, not too long ago but many places have escalated to triple retail. On our recent visit one of our favorite wines was priced at $30 and I can buy it all day at Wards Market for $8.99. Francesca's shame on you!!!
(4)Vicki M.
Came about 1 1/2 hours before closing. Was seated with bread and water, order wine and placed dinner order...Ask for more bread and was told they don't like cooking bread this late, so would have to wait 20mins. Why are you open then?? Food was good, but we decided to order a cannoli and our waiter informed us, that he didn't think anyone would order it, so he ate the cannoli cream. WTH?? Whatever!! There's lots of other places to choose from. Won't be back, but if you try it, go early, maybe at opening time.
(2)Jorge U.
2 entrees with added house salads, two glasses of iced tea, and two glasses of wine. No appetizers and no dessert. Total including tip was just under $100. This place definitely isn't cheap and while the food was fine, it wasn't anywhere near rockin' it enough to be worth shelling out that kind of cash.
(3)Kevin W.
Ok, so I finally went to dinner here. It was time for my boyfriend and I to celebrate our completed home with the builder and this was her first choice. We started our with the calamari which is pretty good and settled in with the wine list. I always want Italian places to have more Pinot Noirs but alas, it isn't meant to be. Then for dinner, I selected the shrimp and scallop pasta which was divine in a fantastic alfredo sauce. Johnny picked the Lobster fra Diablow (of course $$) and loved it. Kara Sutton (our amazing and fabulous builder) had a traditional chicken parmesan. Overall, this is a really nice place with good food. It's a bit pricey and a little out of the way for me, but certainly one of the better Italian places around. Certainly beats the crap out of Olive Garden (yuch!) and Carrabas (meh). The service was great (Michael Clay) and the atmosphere was decent. Not quite 5-starts but really good. Still really weird that all the servers wear chef jackets...
(4)Jeffrey A.
This is probably the best Italian food in the area. It seems like there is always some sort of event going on here, but the place has ample seating. That said, make sure you make reservations on the weekends, as this is a big spot for graduation and celebration dinners for UF students. The food is pretty decent, probably best to stick with the traditional Italian dishes (parm, spaghetti, ziti, etc) and the staff is curteous and quick. The wine list leaves something to be desired, but the desserts are pretty good (Tiramisu is rather good). For Gainesville, it is pricey, but if you aren't a college student or used to bigger city prices, it really isn't that bad for the amount of food you get.
(3)Andy R.
Service is OK and ambience is Gainesville-good (heavy and old fashioned, but decent). The food is mediocre at best, made with industrialized ingredients and covered with blankets of melted cheese. It might be a reasonable place to take your grandmother.
(2)Sugar B.
Garlic knots rock! Huge portions. Cozy atmosphere. Try to sit in a booth
(4)Daniel S.
Very very good food! Very italian, great service. I have had the Baked Ziti Romano, the Tortellini, the Ravioli, the Goat cheese and roasted red peppers. Very very good place.
(4)Camilla B.
While the food was excellent, the service was not. We had to request water, clean napkins and finally, the check.
(3)Lizard C.
Great atmosphere, and the service is exceptional. No lunch menu, so it is pricey for lunch. Great selection on the menu of subs, pasta, meat, seafood, etc. The pasta is homemade and cooked to perfection. I have enjoyed every meal. The lasagne is not as good as mine, but passes. The ziti had a bit too much cheese for my taste. The specialty dishes have been amazing. I agree that the bread is nothing special. The prices are reasonable for dinner.
(4)Franny E.
Best italian food i've ever had. Went here for my after-graduation lunch and my family agrees that I couldn'tve picked a better place. Quiet, and dimly lit but very cool atmosphere. Garlic rolls are addictive, and every dish tastes so fresh and delicious.
(5)Debra B.
Delicious food! I had seafood lasagna & my husband had ravioli with beef tenderloin. Both were that night's specials& were outstanding & the pasta made in house was very very good. The tiramiso (spelling?)dessert was large, plenty to share. Garlic rolls were yummy.Service was excellent.We ordered appetizer, salads & entrees which was too much food. Next time we would either get salads or appetizer, not both. A really great place!
(5)Jay P.
Went the other day and enjoyed the food, although it was a bit overpriced. The manager (and waiter) was great and service good. Food was served hot and tasty. I will say I was actually not impressed with the garlic knots like some. Leonardo's knots are far superior. The pizza is good, as was the ravioli. Beer was reasonable, but selection lacking. Sam Adams was the only domestic available, unfortunately. For a restaurant to cater to the desires of customers, at least bottled Bud or something of the like should be made available. Many people would rather drink bottles anyhow. Overall good, but not a place I would say is a must go place.
(3)Cory S.
Went because we had a Groupon deal but was not disappointed. Their sauce is some of the best I've had at a restaurant and the setting was unlike most restaurants in Gainesville. Definitely worth going back to again.
(5)Tiffany A.
I give it a 3 star because this isn't a place that i'm dying to go to often, but I seem to like this place a lot. This is where I go when i'm craving REAL Italian food because they do it RIGHT. The menu is certified Italian...from appetizers to entrees to dessert. You get complementary garlic knots to start off your meal. And when they bring you your order, be careful not to burn your tongue! I say that in a good way. The food comes to you burning hot, and I'm always tempted to take the first bite right away, consequently burning my tongue. The food is good, it seems authentic. I prefer it over the typical Olive Garden or Carrabas (which, besides the millions of pizza places, is pretty much what Gainesville has to offer 'Italian' wise). The atmosphere is dimly lit, so definitely harbors a romantic feel. Good for a date or romantic evening. Quite often there is live music that I have thoroughly enjoyed every time. Service is so-so. They don't treat you special, but they do their job. Like I said, I don't come here often, but when I do I leave satisfied. So satisfied that I have to unzip my pants/skirt so my stomach can breathe when I get in the car. 'Nuff said.
(3)Mitchell M.
This is probably one of the finest family owned and run Italian restaurants I have ever eaten in. Great owners, great Italian food and nightly specials with great service. Try the eggplant rollatini and the shrimp parmesan. They have a full bar but try the Dynamite Cabernet with your meal. You will not be disappointed with this fine Italian Restaurant.
(5)Carlos V.
Great pasta!!!!!
(5)Kevin B.
My friends in Gainesville LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Francesca's so I went along for the ride a couple of nights ago. I too am now a fan! The calamari is to die for. The garlic rolls (more like garlic knots) are also delish. The special that night was a lamb shank with risotto. The presentation was impressive with the bone sticking right up in the center of the plate. JT, our server, was very knowledgeable about the wine selection and was attentive. If I lived in Gainesville, Francesca's would be on my "frequent diner" list.
(4)April O.
This past Friday, my husband and I noticed that the building under constructions across the street from Ichiban and Los Margaritas seemed to be completed. Neither of us knew what a "trattoria" was, but we were interested. Fast forward to Sunday at 5:45 p.m. I was hungry and in the mood for rich food. We visited La Table Rouge, but unfortunately they were closed. But hey, that "trattoria" place is right over there, why not visit? Like Fresco's, Francesca's is fairly small. (Not QUITE as small as Fresco, but still, nothing on the scale of Olive Garden or Carrabba's.) The store was hardly half full when we arrived, and within three tables of being completely full by the time we left. If you're seated between large parties like we were, you may even feel mildly claustrophobic. Both the wine and dinner menus are solid--lots of options, but not so many that you feel overwhelmed, or worse yet, that they're just calling the same piece of meat by six different names. We had the fried mozzarella, veal scalloppini ala francesca, wild salmon alal francesca, and tiramisu for dessert. My husband and I came to the same general consensus about our meals--the food is good, the sauces are good, the dessert is good, the bread is exceptionally bland. Fortunately you'll probably be using the bread to sop up the sauce from your meal, especially if you get the veal scalloppini. The brandy sauce is mildly sweet and yet mildly savory and goes beautifully with the veal cutlets. Mmmm! Service is very in-tune, the pacing of entrees is well-timed, and managers are actively approaching tables to make sure that customers are enjoying their meals. This restaurant opened not quite a month ago, but business is good here. Word is spreading about the place and they seem to be attracting large groups, so you may find that reservations are needed.
(4)Jon R.
A very nice ambience and the food is good, not great, but good. A bit pricey for what you get. Service is efficient and pleasant. Some items a bit too salty, some bland. Garlic rolls strong, but they were happy to supply some without garlic. Cloth napkins a plus, paper tablecloths a minus. Overall a B- for food, B+ for service.
(3)Apple C.
Good food, w hich is a solid deciding factor. Tasty alfredo, as well as a variety of other goodness. Why only three stars, then? 1) The prices have risen some time over the last 6 months (since the last time we'd been there, which had been a while), to a point where instead of "on the high end for an everyday meal but worth it occasionally" the prices are "for a date night/special evening out". (Especially when considering any add on's or beverages) That's fine, I just won't get there but once a year now, instead of once a month or so. 2) Had a very odd waiter one evening when we went with a group of friends. Trying to be jovial and joking around in a completely condescending and awkward way, not at all professional. I asked to change out a sauce on the side of pasta, and he stopped me to ask in a snotty tone whether I knew there'd be an upcharge for that (and called me hon. The man was probably younger than I am...). Implied that the table was too poor to buy wine when we just didn't want any - ("No wine? I'll take the menu. It's not for everyone's wallet"). Tried to get us to buy dessert and upon our decline said something like "Well I had to try guys, the managers like me to ask and my tip likes the extra movement". All of which I would've chalked up to a new server, but the next time we came, we were introduced to the same person as our server for the evening, "one of our best", at which point we promptly requested to work with someone else. Also to clarify, was with a group of friends who were all business casual. Though even if we were in flip flops and torn jeans I'd still be extremely put off to be treated that way.... One bad waiter doesn't make me avoid the entire restaraunt, but it does put it lower on my list of options unless someone is very explicitly craving italian, lest other servers be similar... But with all that said, if you like Italian, there is definitely nice ambiance and good food to be found. 3/5
(3)Kiran C.
Great atmosphere and good service. We had a very nice waitress. I ordered the salmon with fettuccine. The sauce was covered in a cream sauce that didn't have much flavor. The salmon was excellent on a pile of spinach which was also nice. The Tiramusu was good here too. I would recommend splitting it with someone. The mozzarella sticks were pretty decent. The sauce with the mozz slabs was tasty and helped boost my salmon. Only 3 stars for me though because my friend's dish also seemed to be just cream sauce and starch. More veggies with the dinners and less cream sauce options would make this place better. Still has good potential though and not sure how it stacks up against the other italian places but probably pretty good.
(3)kristen n.
While the atmosphere is pretty understated, the food & the service was AWESOME... The tortellini rocked my world and our waiter was as good as it gets. They also had live "jazz" ... not italian but more like a bit of soft samba, you know a lot of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. Even they were great.. 2 non-descript dudes singing & playing acoustic guitar at the perfect volume... this place is a hidden gem.
(5)N M.
This is by far and away the best Italian food in G'ville. Sorry Fresco, but Francesca's has an authenticity and consistency unmatched in town. The gravy (red sauce) is the real deal, and the Alfredo sauce is every bit the terrific heart attack on a plate that it should be - a real special treat. Kind of pricey, but the value is there.
(5)