Francesca’s Bryn Mawr is the 8th restaurant in "The Family of Francesca Restaurants". The original partners of Mia Francesca, Scott Harris, Michael Noone and Terry Alexander have reunited to bring the Edgewater neighborhood a restaurant with a contemporary, casually sophisticated trattoria ambiance, good, rustic cooking, friendly service and fair prices. The menu features the zesty earthy cuisine of Rome and the surrounding areas of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio.
Located in the Historic District on Bryn Mawr, the building was built in 1927 as the Bryn Mawr Apartment Hotel. It contained 231 one, two and three room luxuriously furnished apartments. The building also included nine stores along the entire Bryn Mawr Avenue front. The building underwent a complete restoration in 1999.
It is the perfect place for groups to get together! You can order off the menu (for parties up to 16) or let our Party Planner help you with a special event.
"Francesca's is a favorite of mine, which is why I chose it for a Mother's Day dinner courtesy of my son. But despite the warm greeting at the door, there was very much an assembly-line feel to the evening. I understand it's a very busy night, but I only mention it because the restaurant promised a special experience on the holiday. More staffing was perhaps in order. It didn't help that my entree, penne with asparagus, was pretty much flavor-free. (My son's cappellacci special, however, was terrific.) It was not enough to keep me from returning, but it was a disappointing meal."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"Francesca's on bryn mawr is great before going to redtwist and city lit theatres; offering nice "dining partner" discounts. Thanks for supporting the Chicago arts scene!"
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: romantic, special occasion
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"My friends & I always eat dinner here when we have tickets for a nearby theater. The bar serves very good cocktails, and the food is excellent, the menu interesting, the portions very generous--fried calamari is delicately battered, salads are made with fresh, local greens, and this time I had a creamy penne dish (Norcina) with delicious sausage, which tasted homemade. The place has a friendly neighborhood vibe, but it's also upscale enough for a special occasion or a date. No pretentiousness, just good, friendly service."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"Waiter was friendly, helpful, and attentive. I went with his recommendations for wine, pasta, salad, and dessert, all of which was delicious. Will definitely go back many times."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"We always like the food at all their places we've tried but this location can be easier to get into & they have a back room that's a bit quieter. We were 8 & could all converse. Never had a bad dish."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2010
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"Great Calamari, and always love the warm, freshly baked bread. Martini's are awesome, great fish dishes as well at very reasonable prices. Very fun and friendly staff, some of the nicest waiters and waitresses ever. Always a joy and never disappointed. The roasted chicken is always a good go-to dish as well, and don't pass up the tomato, blue cheese, aspargus salad."
Dined on 04/25/2013
2001
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"We had an outstanding waiter who was friendly, attentive w/o being oppressive, knowledgeable and very accommodating to the range of preferences and limitations of our group. Salmon and minestrone were yummy."
Dined on 04/23/2013
2007
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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"I love francesca's on bryn mawr. one of my favorite restaurants in the city. all of the staff is so friendly and makes a true connection with you. i also love how often they change their menu. ive never had the same thing twice. francescas is one of my favorite things about living in edgewater."
Dined on 04/21/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch
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"Brought nine people for a birthday dinner celebration. Requested a table in the back room for more privacy and less noise. That request was met, the service was attentive, friendly, but not overbearing. Food was delicious, as usual. Very conducive to conversation, we had a great experience."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"Very nice place! Menu specials were very good and simple, classic Italian dishes. The booth seating by the window was cozy and romantic.good date place."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem, romantic
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"I ordered a specialty cocktail - the Bella Vita, and the veal medallions as my entree. Sorry to say both were quite a let down, particularly the veal as it was over cooked (I wasn't asked how I wanted it cooked, but it came out well done and dry). I also ordered a glass of chianti, which was very poor quality and not enjoyable to drink. This was my first time visiting a Francesca's location, and I was very disappointed because I had heard such great things about it. Not worth the price. I won't return."
Dined on 04/12/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, great for lunch
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"The food was really good. The gnocchi and bruscetta, in particular, were delicious. Our waiter was very helpful and attentetive without bothering us. We will definitely be back!"
Dined on 04/13/2013
2007
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"The food is consistently good here and I am a regular. Sometimes I am annoyed at the almost total absence of meat entree options on their menu, but their regular options change regularly, service, food quality and ambience are always reliable and at the upper end of the spectrum. They have occasionally made a mistake and they always do the right thing in correcting it, which I appreciate."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2007
Special Features: neighborhood gem, notable wine list, hot spot
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"Anchoring the Bryn Mawr Historic district for what now seems like forever (but really, it's only been since the Nineties) Francesca's Bryn Mawr continues to offer well executed Northern Italian food at a good value.
Do not miss the calamari fritti as an appetizer. I've said it before: they're the best in town. Pastas are huge and eminently shareable, especially if you plan on ordering one of the rather large entrees as well. On this visit, I ordered a ravioli special and my partner chose Tilapia Saltimbocca; we then shared back and forth.
The wine list is mostly Italian, and not inexpensive. Fortunately, all of the wines sold by the glass are also offered by the bottle, which comprises the affordable part of the list."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic
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"Although we were expecting a traditional brunch buffet, we found the brunch menu to be very unique and the food was awesome!! We highly recommend Francesca's."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2009
Special Features: great for brunch, neighborhood gem
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"We went to Francesca's for their Easter Brunch. We brought along our 4 month old son, and we weren't sure how it would go. The staff was so accomodating with a booth that would fit our car seat and space for our stroller as well. They were so welcoming and inviting, we really had such a great experience. And the bread pudding was amazing too!"
Dined on 03/31/2013
2005
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"Loved the ambiance of Francesca's Bryn Mawr. The dress code was casual. We sat in the back of the restaurant which was cozy and inviting. The area to the front of the restaurant was louder and more bustling. We were seeing a play across the street so our server was very attentive to our needs. Food was served in an efficient, timely manner. We ordered from the specials menu and the ravioli special and the fish special were exceptional. We have dined at Francesca's in Barrington several times and feel both establishments deserve a 4+ rating."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2008
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"The food came in 15 mins a little early but for such great food we made plans to catch a movie right after and it saved our night. Less than an hour and completely satisfied and happy. Great restaurant great service! Will go again! Used opentable app as well"
Dined on 03/09/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"We've been to this Francesca's twice now, and have enjoyed both times. The menu has enough variety to find something for everyone. The food is very well prepared, and the wait staff is attentive.
We find this a safe bet to take friends who haven't been there before. Always enjoyable."
Dined on 02/16/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining
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"This restaurant is a standout for me. My partner and I celebrate nearly every special event here. We love the ambiance, the food is always good. The menu changes often, I think it's monthly now, could be every two weeks though. I know that recently changed. They have food specials each week, 1/2 price bottles of wine on Thursdays. We love it!!"
Dined on 02/14/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"My wife and I had a wonderful Valentine's Dinner at Francesca's! Very friendly hostess, great server, wonderful food. I had the salmon and my wife the scallops & shrimp dish. Scrumptious. Also, the bruschetta was excellent as an appetizer."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2011
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"We went on the Saturday night of Restaurant Week and walked away with very mixed feelings, but will go back. We ordered off the prix fix menu and the only choice that wasn't outstanding was the pasta. The appetizers, main course and desserts were excellent and we will go back for that reason alone. Our service was horrendous and the server we had was clueless about the menu items and wine list. They had a printer malfunction and didn't get our main course for a half hour after our pasta and when we told him we didn't want the main course our luck changed. Linda the manager took care of us for the rest of the night and comped our meal. She was over the top friendly and the best part was you could tell it was genuine."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, romantic
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"We went to Francesca's for an early Valentine's Day celebration during Chicago Restaurant Week. We'd been to Francesca's Forno, which we liked for its vibrancy. This is a very different place, quiet and comfortable. The food was straightforward but very good, especially the spinach pasta and the sautéed calamari. Service was attentive (the place was mostly empty on a Sunday evening) but not intrusive."
Dined on 02/10/2013
2009
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"Like the other Francesca's: dependable and delicious, an Italian bistro with a limited menu that assures attention and high quality every time. In this instance, the wait staff helped get us to a play on time and helped us in other, much-appreciated ways."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2005
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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"Another solid experience w/Francesca's. Had the best server we'd had in sometime. Attentive (but not overly) w/a lot of personality. Ask for Kristen. She'll help enhance your posiive Francesca's experience."
Dined on 02/01/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"Elegant restaurant, great for special occasions, family outings or a date night. I went on this occassion for my girlfriends birthday and we have great service, plentiful food and an amazing desert."
Dined on 02/01/2013
2010
Special Features: neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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"Staff was friendly and amazing. Just disappointed in the menu. I was there a few weeks earlier and the menu was different. I wanted the lobster ravioli or the gnocchi neither were available."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2012
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"Helpful and friendly service. Food met my expectations for variety, taste, and presentation. Ambiance met my expectation for restaurant setting in dynamic neighborhood."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2007
Special Features: hot spot
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"Good food. good service. only complaint: Please add some Jazz, classical etc. or something less pop radio /90's rock to your background music. the current selection of music is very wrong for the setting and interfers with dinning and ambience. I have heard this complaint from many other diners. Other than that...keep up the good work!"
Dined on 01/26/2013
2008
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"A great go to spot in the neighborhood that can be casual or a little more. The good is generally great, particularly the spicy tomato sauce for the mussels. Salads and pastas are always done right. The secondi selection can be hit or miss, but generally it's a hit.
Edgewater is a strange combination of restaurants, but Francesca's is one to always count on."
Dined on 01/19/2013
2008
Special Features: neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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