Franchescos Ristorante - (Near Rockford, IL)

Jill Belter Excellent experience and we will be back. Awesome food. I had the Korean bbq chicken bowl and it was amazing!

Delaney Winterstein We had the most wonderful experience thanks to our server, Josh. From the moment we sat down, he was warm, attentive, and genuinely invested in making our night special. Every recommendation was spot on, he checked in at the perfect times without ever hovering, and his friendliness made us feel so welcomed. You can tell he truly loves what he does — the kind of service that elevates an entire meal. The food was amazing, but his energy and professionalism was what made the evening unforgettable. We left talking about how we can’t wait to come back! If you’re dining here, you’ll have a stellar experience. We can’t recommend this place enough!

karina k The place is beautiful! I can’t wait to come here when it’s warm bc it’s right on Lake Michigan so the views are amazing. Today it’s 2/5/2025 and it’s cold in Chicago but the night view is pretty also w the lights on the restaurant and the outdoor seating area. Inside it’s cozy and warm. Even the bathroom has a heater that was on so it was nice and warm while washing hands. It’s a huge space and great for weddings and parties. And the reason they have 5 stars?! They have a great chef who doesn’t over salt the food! And the flavors are very good. We had Poblano beef stew $19 and the flavors were popping! The tomato sauce was cooked for a good while bc you can taste how much love and variety went into just the base of the stew. The rice was done just right and the carrots were stewed well where they didn’t smell or taste like carrots which I hate. And the addition of fresh cabbage and sprouts and the soft cooked butternut squash was a perfect add in. The beef was tender and cooked well … just wished there was more beef in this dish. The elote (corn) was good also with cheese on top … just a bit too much lemon maybe? But either way the corn was tasty. The Cobb salad $16 had high quality chicken that did not taste like plastic petrified stressed out chicken but it was tender and tasted real. I usually ask for dressing on the side but forgot but it was ok bc they didn’t drench it in dressing thank you. And it was tasty. The chicken Tinga tacos $14 were very filling with a ton of good chicken (again) and a tiny dab of cheese and dab of cilantro but it needed a little more veges in there like onions and more cheese would have been nice. The cheesecake was very unique and good! Toasted grapes with rose petals and fresh cream and graham cracker like base for the cake. I wished a little less graham cracker crust and a little more cheesecake. I wasn’t sure about the taste of the rose petals with the cheesecake but it was interesting but the grapes were very good and brought a nice juicy flavor to the gooey cheesecake. But it was very good on the whole.?Overall a romantic and nice experience w good food and ambience and lovely staff who were attentive. Thankful to be able to dine out.

Ashley S I thoroughly enjoyed my restaurant experience here! The service from the waiters were excellent and ambience were nice. The food was crafted expertly and although there were a couple of dishes I didn’t vibe with I still enjoyed experiencing them. Each wine paired nicely with the courses and were the perfect pour. Everything just flowed naturally the entire evening. There were more dishes than what I’m posting but go try for yourself! I’m glad I was able to try this spot out in Chicago!

Tara Baldovin I have been here for dinner three times and every time it has been a 10/10. The food is flavorful, fresh, creative, and I never leave wanting more. My favorites are the carpaccio appetizer and wild boar entree. Their cocktails are delicious as well. The staff is genuinely friendly and they make a point to make everyone feel welcomed. I also think that they are fairly priced given the excellent quality of the food and portion size. Peoria is lucky to have Connected.

Mohammed Ghannam From start to finish, this was an amazing dining experience! The food was absolutely incredible perfectly cooked steaks, bursting with flavor, and sides that were just as impressive. What really made the night unforgettable was our waiter, Payton. Attentive, friendly, and genuinely knowledgeable about the menu, Payton made sure everything was perfect without ever feeling rushed. Exceptional service paired with exceptional food, couldn’t ask for more!