We have been there twice now for lunch and both times were great. There are so many yummy choices on the menu it's hard to pick just one. Our solution? We started with the calimari, which was excellent! Then we each order a dish and share it, family style. The owner is very accomodating, giving us extra plates so our entrees can be passed around the table. And don't leave without trying the tiramisu, the cake is light and spongy and the cream topping is fresh, a real treat. We shared one dessert among 5 people which was just the right ending to a super lunch.
Review Source:Don't miss this fabulous restaurant so close to the city. Â You will want to come back for the food and the service over and over again. Â The menu has so many choices and none will disappoint....melt in your mouth pasta, sausage, chicken and so much more. Â Parking is easy - they will even give you parking passes on Sox game day.
Review Source:Franco's was one of the first places I ever visited based upon its Yelp reviews. I was a newbie back in the summer of 2009 when the BF and I were at a game at US Cellular. Before heading back to our hotel downtown, we wanted to grab some local grub, so we entrusted Yelp...and we were not let down!
We worked up quite the appetite walking the streets of the Bridgeport neighborhood to find the place (and then fortunately were able to walk off our filling meal while on our way back to the train).
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but Franco's was not what I expected...but in a good way. It was a quaint little hole-in-the-wall place that felt like we were stepping into someone's home more than we were into a restaurant. It has a cute vintage bistro type of ambiance, and I dig that because it wasn't trying to be some pretentious Italian novelty. If I lived in Chicago, I think Franco's would be my destination of choice for a gathering of friends or a book club discussion (I know...totally random). So on to the food...
It was VERY good. The BF and I decided to split the Rigatoni Arrabiatta with a side of Italian Sausage for a spicier kick. It is somewhat familiar dish for us, so I feel that I can gauge the flavor well in comparison to others we've tried elsewhere. Everything tasted almost homemade, but yet better--Even the bread was above par. The portions were the perfect size for us to share, and I felt the price was extremely reasonable--only about $15 for the main dish plus the side order.
The service was great too--there was only one server covering the whole room, and she kept busy, however, we were never left waiting for anything, even though we were tucked away in a quiet little corner (it was kinda romantic). This place is a little off the beaten path, but I would definitely dine here again before or after a Sox game, as it's a nice departure from the typical experience downtown.
This is not a bad stop on the U S Cellular Express. Â Food at the park is awful unless you can get into the Stadium Club. Â So, we decided to try this Bridgeport favorite and really cannot figure out what all the fuss is about. Â The chicken marsala had a sauce which tasted as if it were bottled. Â The ravioli was nothing special but the marinara sauce was decent. Â Penne pasta with vegetables was ok as well. Â Did enjoy bringing a good Italian vintage for a modest corkage fee. Â Also, service is good but there are certainly plenty of better Italian choices around.
Review Source:What a wonderful find! We had driven by this unassuming facade many times before & after Sox games and never realized what a marvelous Italian restaurant we had yet to experience.
We were treated to lunch here before an afternoon Sox game recently. What a delightful experience from the bruschetta through the creamy, delicious tiramisu that ended the meal.
Wait to hear the specials before deciding on your order as they all sounded amazing! I had the tilapia with cherry toms, spinach and avocado which was wonderfully fresh and flavorful, swimming in a tasty sauce. Husband had the risotto with shrimp which was a creamy, flavorful rendition. The bread was crusty and hot and served with cheese and olive oil. Can't wait to go back and see what specials they have next time! Service was excellent throughout the meal. They do have outdoor seating but it was not appealing to me on a hot, humid day. Would be great after a Sox game sometime.
This review is only for their Italian Ice featured at the Taste of Chicago 2010. I've never been to the restaurant to try the Italian Ice, but it was not very good at the Taste of Chicago. They only offered two flavors: lemon and watermelon. All the workers fingers were colored with red dye. I'm assuming its from making the watermelon Italian Ice because it was bright red. Artificial coloring is not what I expected. I think Mario's Italian ice is better because its made out of real watermelon, not syrup. I opted for the lemon Italian ice. It was not soft at all. It was more like a snowcone, extremely hard eating it was eating chunks of ice. Â I'm really disappointed because this was featured on Best of Chicago. Its really not very good.
Review Source:We drove by for so many years, and just never thought to try it. It also always looked dark & closed, which is not what it looks like inside at all. It is a small tidy place with warm colors, and super friendly staff. We were treated well, asked no less than a dozen times on how we were doing. We ordered their calamari, pork chops, gnocchi and bow tie pasta in vodka sauce. Their food is fantastic with great sauces, the gnocchi is homemade and pillow, and the pork chop super juicy. Our sweet server, Mandy, had kindly mentioned their lunch specials, which sounded great with sandwiches and other choices. A family owned place, and a treasure for Bridgeport.
Review Source:I had been meaning to try this place out for some time. I live right on Canal, so Franco's is walking distance from my place.
The opportunity had finally come on NYE. My girlfriend and I wanted to do an easy evening with dinner and some movies. We thought, "Hey, Franco's is nearby, why not?"
The service was excellent, in my opinion. There were about three other couples there as well. As you can see from the Yelp photo, the restaurant is about the size of a typical Bridgeport apartment; I like that.
Be sure to ask for the specials. That evening, I had some sort of Penne Sausage dish that was excellent. I believe my girlfriend had the eggplant parmesan, which was great too.
For dessert, we tried the Gelato and were pleased to find that it was good too.
I'll definitely be back. Partially because I live so close, but also because I now know that I don't have to go up to Taylor St. for a decent Italian meal.
-Jim
Franco's is a lovely oasis in a restaurant desert. Â Mainly my partner in art crimes and I needed a place as close to our recent show as possible. Â We were in need of food (ok, wine) in the midst of last minute reception setup. Â Franco's did not disappoint.
I had the roasted chicken and potatoes and enjoyed every bite of garlicky, rosemary infused chicken and spud-like sustenance. Â My veggie gal pal was equally impressed with her beet salad and pasta, and the little lady's husband enjoyed his penne pasta which involved prosciutto and other goodies. Â The best part? Â When we inquired about the absence of bread on our table it was because it was still in the oven getting ready to be devoured. Â Can't beat that. Â Service is super friendly and they have wines in an affordable price range that won't make you want to kill someone. Â I will definitely be back soon.
Having been to Franco's sister restaurant in University Village (Franconellos) I knew that the food was going to be good but what surprised me was the cute ambiance of this location.
We sat inside but there are also seats outside along the side street. There is a small bar upfront and about 10 tables in the entire place. It was slow on the night we were there. Just us and another table but that was okay by me as the service was good (thank you Mandy) and the food even better.
Bridgeport is full of family run businesses and Franco's is no exception. The owner was there and greeted us warmly when we walked in. We had a cocktail (nice and strong, I might add) while waiting for our food while the owner asked us if we lived close by (hmm . . .I kept wondering if she just had never seen us before, or if there was something I was doing that made her think I wasn't from the neighborhood . . .)
There were several specials of the day and since you can't go wrong with a special we ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and the rigatoni with sausage. Both were delicious but the rigatoni won in my book. We also shared a caprese salad that was interesting as it had horseradish in the sauce versus the more traditional balsamic vinaigrette.
At this point we were stuffed and weren't going to have dessert- when the owner came over with the biggest piece of tiramasu I have ever seen and two forks! She said it was their specialty and made at their Beverly location. Well- what's a girl to do? Yep. You betcha. I managed to find the room. Probably the best tiramasu I have had- rich and creamy!
Loved the cute trattoria like atmosphere, loved the friendliness of the people who worked there and loved the food. It is a little pricier than other places in Bridgeport, though. Dinner for 2 with drinks was about $82 before tip, although in all fairness- $22 of it was in drinks.
Bridgeport has lots of these little gems hidden away. I think I'm on a personal mission to find them all!
Franco's surprised me. I'd seen it whilst walking down 31st street several times, but the presence it held on the street always intimidated me a bit. Finally, I looked up the restaurant on yelp, read a few reviews, and decided to jump in and give the place a shot.
I got into the restaurant at about 1:20pm on an empty stomach. The restaurant was empty, and I was given the option to sit anywhere I'd like. I picked the fourth table down on the eastern wall, which gave me a nice view out the window whilst also giving me a chance to admire the scenery of the restaurant. I really enjoy the style of this place. Fine array of liquor options against the wall behind the bar, a few nice paintings can be found throughout the restaurant. Like I said, nice place.
I ordered the gnocchi, and I don't really have a lot to say about it. It was good, it didn't take a terribly long time to make, everything was just fine. It came with bread, the bread was warm and good. Yeah, I'm not much of a foodie.
After eating, I got a rum & coke. That was also good. I'm always bothered by the amount of ice bartenders put in these things, and I feel self conscious about drinking out of that tiny cocktail straw because my head is so big and i never feel masculine doing that, especially with a mixed drink.
But, yeah. Franco's is just great. Go there, man, or woman, whatever you are. And if you're one of those others, send me a private message here on yelp, I'd be happy to accompany you to Franco's since the south side can be a bit intimidating for some people, and I love all of the alternative lifestylers.
So, I've passed by this restaurant nearly everyday on my way home from work for about three months now. I started to wonder if this place was the Willy Wonka Factory of the restaurant world, because I never once saw anyone go in , nor anyone come out. They did have an open sign on though so surely someone has to be going in and out of the place right?
Well Aaron S. and I ended up here last night after hitting the just opened Rocky's for a beer. It's small and unassuming, and almost feels like you are walking into someones home. The waitress was on the phone so she said to sit anywhere and she would be with us in a moment. We instantly noticed how warm it was inside and contemplated for a second the option of sitting outside just because it was so nice and cool out, I think next time if the weather is as nice again we just may. Even with the risk of bugs and smelling traffic fumes. (which are the two things that always prevent me from eating outside)
The waitress came to our table and apologized for the wait while she was on the phone, which was cool, but it's not like Aaron and I were in a rush or anything. She gave us menus and offered to read us the specials, and they all sounded good, which made the decision of picking dinner a little harder! In the end I went with the "Steak Al Fomo" and choose the "Shrimp Diablo" in hopes that it would be close to the priest stranglers we had at Rosebud.
Nice hot bread, olive oil, and parm cheese were brought out. That bread really was fantastic, It was so good in fact that Aaron S. and I did get a second helping of it. The food did take awhile, so I would not recommend eating here if you are in a rush, it wasn't an absurd wait or anything though.
The friendly waitress did ask us if we were enjoying our food a few times, and pointed out that the steak I ordered was her favorite. It was excellent. It had a perfect char on the outside, perfectly cooked portobella mushrooms on the top, and a small touch of provolone cheese. It was unique and quite tasty. They also cooked it to my specification, which was medium. It also was perfectly seasoned, and tender, with just a very very slight chewiness. Yum! The potatoes that came along with it were great as well, and were really good for soaking up the steak pan juices that were on my plate.
2/3's through our meal the staff asked if they could open the door, which was awesome because we were sitting in the breeze. Actually I wish they had done it sooner, because I know Aaron was uncomfortable and I was getting there (neither of us tolerate heat well at all).
At the end of the meal I was very relieved that they did not take away the remainder of the second helping of bread, because I used a piece or two to soak up some of that wonderful steak juice that was left on my plate, that is the only way to end such a meal in my book!
It was a nice choice for our date night.
(I made sure to give Aaron lots of kisses when we left too)
After finally deciding to sit down and have a meal here in the restaurant, I admit that I enjoyed the food, the service, and we actually saw one other table of people eating here - thereby breaking the cycle of being the only person in the place. Â Of course this time I had my girlfriend with me as well, but seeing other people inside actually made me feel better about the place.
She went with the steak, which turned out to be quite delicious as usual. Â I didn't recall the cheese and mushrooms the last time I remember getting a steak from here, but it was a nice touch. Â I went with the diablo shrimp dish, hoping it was going to be just like the diablo seafood pasta dish I had at Rosebud/Ballo's a few months ago, but it wasn't the same. Â Yes, it was still quite good, but there's a different between good food and the food you were expecting, but I can't fault Franco's for that.
I can fault them for a rather steamy and warm seating area inside, which was thankfully quelled a bit 2/3 through our meal when they opened the door to the patio and the lovely evening cool breeze came in. Â Strange that they asked us 10 times to make sure it wasn't too cold when they opened the door, but never asked if it was too warm when they saw my dabbing beads of sweat off my forehead. Â Of course, I was eating pasta that the menu labels as "SPICY" in all-caps, which wasn't all that hot, spice-wise. Â It did its job and I could tell there was some spice to it, but not forehead-sweat-inducing levels of spiciness.
I should mention the bread. Â Which I've always enjoyed, even if they don't slice it all the way through and you're left with half-slices of bread and a breaded chunk of crust. Â It comes with lovely bottles of oil and a cup full of Parmesan cheese for sprinkling. Â Man, did I eat a lot of Parmesan cheese tonight! Â Oh yes, and I got a side order of potatoes - which are like fries, which means I should probably try them. Â I liked the potatoes, though I prefer a slight more crunchy exterior when it comes to roasted potatoes, and I'm not big on rosemary.
We had just finished with the bread and the waitress said our food would be out shortly - would we care for more bread. Â I was in the mood, so we got more bread. Â And it just confused me that they waited until we were pretty much done with THAT bowl of bread before bringing out the food. Â Sometimes I like bread WITH my food - especially my girl, who was soaking up lovely steak juices with the bread at the end of her meal. Â I was just worried that the "shortly" time period after getting bread the first time and eating all of it would be long enough for us to almost finish the second round of bread.
I know that fast food isn't good mostly for the reason that it's fast - but slow food is no excuse even if it's good food. Â Either way, I didn't mind because I'm one of those people who will fill up on free bread because I know I can always take my leftovers home - but I can't take home extra loaves of free crusty bread with olive oil and dippin' cheese.
I always get my money's worth when it comes to food - remember?
Well, I was certainly full by the time we were done - so there would be no attempt at dessert. Â Perhaps the next time.
All in all, a lovely date night and much better service than before, even if the food still seemed to be slow coming out. Â And next time it's that nice outside, we might dine al fresco. Â I don't mind the chance of bugs if it means a nice cool breezy environment for eating.
Oh, and apparently there's ANOTHER person with my EXACT SAME NAME who lives IN Â MY NEIGHBORHOOD - because the waitress commented how creepy it was that I had the same name as a guy who lives in her building a few blocks away. Â And it's not me. Â And it's certainly not the fictional main character from the movie Mean Girls.
(That movie ruined my enjoyment of Googling my name because now it leads to girly fan sites of tweens who love that character from that damned movie.)
I was visiting my friend who moved to Bridgeport recently and after several glasses of wine and some cheese we decided we needed something with some more substance and opted or a late dinner somewhere in the neighborhood. I had heard of Franco's from yelp (thanks yelp!) so we headed there. As we pulled up the place was empty so we thought perhaps they were closed, however they were not.
It was strange being the only diners in the restaurant but the service was friendly and attentive. The restaurant is quaint and I love that they have an outdoor area. It was a little too muggy this trip but I will sit out there next time.
And yes there will be a next time. We started off with fried calamari. I only recently started eating this and will only do so if a friend really wants it, however I have to say this was among the best I have had (Kuma's gets best). It was crispy on the outside and didn't leave you with that greasy feeling. Well done!
For my entrée I had the gnocchi which had a lovely tomato sauce and ricotta cheese. It was excellent and so fresh. My friend had a shrimp pasta dish that was a special and it was also very good.
4 stars for service and food. Next time we will go a little earlier though so we aren't the only ones there! And this time we will leave room for the homemade tiramisu!
A hidden gem in the Bridgeport neighborhood! :)
My husband and I first discovered this restaurant about 9 years ago. We totally fell in love with this place and have been regulars ever since. The food is amazing and the prices are what is to be expected for such a great place. I've gone to many Italian restaurants in the downtown area and this restaurant can beat them anytime. The owner and employees are super friendly and service is great. Salads and pastas are delicious. Try the pork chops! YUMMMMM!! The tiramisu is to die for! I truly recommend this great restaurant. You will not be disappointed. My husband and I have taken friends and family there and they loved it. When I want to go to a good quality Italian restaurant without having to pay those expensive downtown parking places and prices this is the place to go!
This place is a hidden gem. Â The food and service are great, and it's also a good value. Â Appetizers and pastas are inexpensive, especially in light of the quality ingredients. Â Meat and fish dishes are reasonably priced. Â Similar restaurants in other neighborhoods or suburbs tend to be much more expensive.
Review Source:Franco's is all about the food. Â Whenever I eat here, I have the pleasant sensation that I'm getting away with a crime. Â It's like, I just had the best plate of pasta OF MY ENTIRE LIFE and you want $11? Â Really? Â You're SURE about that...?
Yes, Franco's is small, and the service is "folksy" but the food just cannot be beat, and the prices are more than reasonable. Â Try the penne with prosciutto. Â It's crazy-good. Â And the caprese salad is the best in Chicago.
I must admit I entered this place with some trepidation. Â Time Out had mentioned the iffy service, and when I had called to make a reservation, it had been gruffly pointed out that I wouldnt need one. (for Friday at 7?)
Luckily my doubts were very quickly forgotten. Â Our waitress was a total sweetheart, switched our tables to the outdoor patio, and even provided us with a parking pass. (a sox game was going on) Â The list of extensive specials made the menu far from your standard fare. Â Being the veggie that I am, I really enjoyed the salad and was glad to find their were no issues with vegetarian substitutions. Â I know my husband really enjoyed his pasta with sausage and goat cheese. Â Rich yummy coffee and standard grade tiramisu finished off the meal. Â Definitely a tucked away gem.
2.5 stars...
I ate at Franco's last night with my boyfriend after a friend wouldn't stop raving about it...
He had the Franco's Steak.
I had the Rigatoni with added chicken. (Might not be rigatoni...what's the long spiral spaghetti pasta? Â That was it.)
We both had a glass of wine and a cup of coffee and split one canolli for dessert. Â The bill came to $88.00 bucks. Â I didn't really feel like the place merited an $88 buck bill and here is why:
Steak looked undercooked, bad soft rock best of the mid-90's on the radio, odd smell of bleach for a little while as busboy cleaned something behind counter, women who appeared to work there camped at a two-top with a palm treo that kept ringing LOUDLY, and very-very bland rigatoni. Â It was as if they put canned chopped tomatoes on my pasta and it was watery. Â The chicken also might have been from a bag of pre-cooked, pre-chopped type of thing.
I had high hopes for Franco's as a friend raved about the Franco steak on the menu, but now I know we just need to take him out for steak at a couple other places so he'll have a broader steak perspective.
Maybe Franco's was having an off night; but being Friday night I'm not sure why that would be. Â I did notice the small outdoor seating for summer and thought it would be nice to eat there on the street, but don't know if I'll be back.
Since Franco's is less than 5 minutes away from my house, I come here as often as I can. They have well prepared food that I can usually count on. Even though Franco's is small, you never have to wait long for a seat so its a great place to try out on the weekend when you're starving, and without a reservation anywhere else in Chicago. They always have great specials in addition to their already lenghty menu. I usually get some kind of fish dish or the white clam sauce linguine. I've had a few of the other pastas and they're pretty good. I'm not a big fan of the calamari they have but I do get the baked clams once in a while. They have a good tiramisu as well. They have the BEST, warm, crusty yummy bread ever. Sometimes i have crazy cravings for it. yes... for the bread. I'm a carb junkie. The atmsphere is really nice. Great place to bring the family to or even a date.
Review Source:This place is a little gem along 31st Street, an area that has been "discovered" and is rapidly becoming a new South Side hot neighborhood. Â
It's a small storefornt with a few outdoor tables for alfresco when weather permits. Â
Fantastic pasta and traditional Italian dishes. Â Comfortable, intimate atmosphere and a great place to grab a bite before a Sox game. Â Also check out Trattoria 31...(the old Grazianos space) a few blocks west for another good Italian spot with more of a North Side vibe. Â I'd have written about it seperately, but it's not listed here.
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