Mia Francesca

I've loved this place for years. Before I even moved to Chicago, my Dad and I would always go here to eat. Now, it's become my go-to Italian restaurant - PERFECT for a date. They support the Open Table reservation system, which works like a gem - on this note, when they make a reservation for you, they hold it for you. Absolutely no waiting. This is a HUGE +1 for them - they keep their word.

Firstly, the place is well laid out. Their primary dining area is a little tight and loud (some may find this a negative), but that's all the fun of it. I actually enjoy being around so many people, laughing, and enjoying themselves. It has a great, well-lit vibe. If you're looking for moody and quiet, this isn't the place. The staff has always been so friendly and never stressed - which could play into poor service. Food comes relatively fast, as expected, water / wine is filled quickly, and they're always considerate of your experience.

Overall the food is great. I don't think I've ever ordered something that I didn't like - I always take leftovers. The menu itself is limited - probably 6-10 items per section, but who needs extreme quantities of options? They have everything, your taste may want. FYI, the tiramisu is phenom.

In the summer the also have a patio area in the back. This is my one gripe. I once took a date here who crashed onto her knees because she tripped and fell down the almost unnoticeable steps leading out to the patio. Gotta have that fixed or otherwise make them more apparent. They're so small and short that one wouldn't even call them stairs or steps. They also have a secondary, upstairs dining area, but it doesn't take away from the experience and doesn't feel like you'd be sitting in some "economy class" dining room, to put it in perspective.

Top notch place, not overly expensive, but just right and the food will always please.

Mia Francesca is one of the more creative Italian places I have found so far. They have interesting combinations of flavors to put an original spin on traditional Italian dishes, all while doing this at a reasonable price. I will definitely be back!

They really didn't pull out any stops for restaurant week. The menu was just ok and the food was passable. Service was decent but I have had much better Italian all around. Will likely not return.