Francesca's Cucina

Visited for a team event and was not disappointed. Food and service were exceptional. The atmosphere is a throw back with brick masonry and an outdoor patio reminiscent of a vineyard. Appetizers, entrees, specials and a dessert menu to die for. The only knocks at all are that parking can be a challenge and we had to fend off bees and flies sitting outdoors but it won't stop us from coming back and enjoying another wonderful evening with these guys!

The best bread I've ever had! Our server Mark was friendly & experienced. Food was a bit pricey but fantastic & HUGE portions! Recommend making a reservation it was very busy on a Tuesday night!

Interesting Italian American food, but often overwhelmed by too much salt and sugar (for the desserts). The bread is to die for, and even the complimentary salad and soup were remarkable. The decor is very nice, dim lit and brick walls The staff is friendly and hard-working. The food came out very quickly even on a busy evening.

With a party of 7 we all enjoyed their round cabana patio table on a perfect sunny evening and our dinners! The restaurant is tastefully decorated and full of artisan atmosphere inside and out on their large brick patio. Service was very good. We shared Arancini balls with a homemade light red sauce, Calamari and a special Burrata for appetizers. I ordered the scallop special with a mini frying pan medley of thin sliced zucchini, cheese and herbs. Others ordered Roasted Duck, Seafood pasta dish and Scallops off the menu. We finished it off with their Italian Butter cake to share. Signature cocktails were all tasty and creative. I have thoroughly enjoyed their aged beef on another visit. Love this Italian restaurant!

Was visiting town for a friend’s wedding, received recommendations to eat at Francesca’s. Main take away - huge portions. Overly oily / buttery. Chicken with the special pasta dish seemed to just have a huge scoop of seasoning dumped over top - not cooked onto the chicken or dish at all. Scallop special dish cost $50 😳 quite absurdly priced. Total meal with tip $150 — coming from NYC, would have expected a top meal for this price and was unfortunately let down. Maybe would recommend if you split one entree, ask about pricing on the specials menu and skip the pasta or scallop specials. The bread they give you before the meal is delicious, including the tomato dip.

I brought my daughter for her birthday dinner, I made reservations for 6pm patio and noted that it was her birthday through resy. When she arrived the hostess wished her a happy birthday. Loved the little table we were seated at on the terrace just through the French doors and has a great view, unfortunately there are no fans in this area. It was a bit steamy to say the least. My daughter received her drink order Rosie Cheeks promptly. Nice light, citrus, rose perfect for a summer evening. Water, and then eventually bread and salads arrived awhile after ordering as well as my cocktail. It was a full house even on a Monday evening, service takes time but was friendly and attentive to all requests. I ordered the Cioppino which is linguini in a stew base with a plethora of seafood! Clams, muscles, shrimp,scallops and fresh fish, holy seafood! The baby octopuses floating amongst the mixture of seafood took me a little by surprise but I do love calamari! I wish the dish had a little bit more spice to it, a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper would do. My daughter’s filet mignon was cooked to order and her liking. Dessert tray was presented shortly, my chocolate lover went with the layered chocolate mousse cake. It was divine! I may need to come back before that pretzel strawberry cheesecake disappears off the tray! This visit was exceptional, made my birthday girls night.

We waited 30 plus minutes after our reservation time . Our cocktails were average, the red sauce was very bitter like it burnt to the bottom of the pan. We were seated way too close to another party. We could have rubbed elbows with the couple next to us. We got cocktails, appetizers and entrées . Not worth it at all . We will not be back , I don't understand the hype. The food was not good that evening.

Wonderful experience, and great food! My friend and I started off with the fried calamari, and the dipping sauce options were amazing. I opted for the Braised Beef Pappardelle Pasta special and my friend got the Seafood Riggies. Both were extremely flavorful and filling. We ended with the Chocolate Cake. Which was delicious. Overall, the service was great, definitely going back. It’s definitely a place that’s worth visiting again and again.

We went here to enjoy a nice birthday dinner for my wife. atmosphere and decor is nice. The food was good but pricy. what ruined the evening was the music. sitting in a beautiful dining room trying to relax and enjoy an expensive dinner with loud 80's pop music. one would expect nice dinner music complete a nice evening. It wasn't very enjoyable.

To sea or not to sea? That is the question. And when you ask at Francesca's, the answer is undoubtedly- yes. Stopped in with 7:30 dinner reservations on a Tuesday- unfortunately the table was not ready and we were left to languish at the bar for an extra 15 minutes. This is a common trend at Francesca's. That being said, once we did get seated and the food started rolling in- the wait became worthwhile. I had the Arancini a Seafood Greens to start. Both were good, but the greens could use a little more spice. I had the cioppino as my main course and it was fantastic. A true bounty of the sea. Order it without hesitation. They also don't split checks so be prepared for that. Between that and the slower service, they lost a star in my book. I'm sure I'll be back.

My friends picked this for our girls night dinner. My first time here but I've had their food through catering at my old job before. I wouldn't rush back any time soon, I know I know. The inside was a bit cramped and the dining room we sat at was cramped and loud(due to the amount of people in there lol). The highlights were the cocktails, fried goat cheese fritter, side salad and my friend got the chocolate mousse cake that was good. The service was good. The calamari was rubbery and I didn't care for that(I had calamari a week prior at different restaurant it was delicious). My entree was the lobster ravioli, it was ok nothing special. I wouldn't order it again though. Maybe I'll give it another shot but not anytime soon, unless it was planned for a group outing.

The food here is sooo good!! Like I could binge eat their pizza and wings!!!! Well the service would be better it is pretty good!! It's the overall vibe and experience here that makes it exceptional! I feel so calm and collected here! 8.6/10 would recommend!!

We went here while visiting family in Syracuse. It's very expensive and mediocre at best. Most of the food we had didn't have a lot of flavor or seasoning and the cavatelli was in a beef broth, not a tomato base broth. Just not overly impressed for the price.

Had an amazing birthday dinner at Francesca's! We started with the goat cheese fritters, with crostini and spicy marinara, my favorite in cny. We also tried stuffed hot cherry peppers which had plenty of kick. For dinner, the lobster pasta special with asparagus, lemon, tarragon sauce and plenty of lobster was amazing. The roasted halibut with truffle orzo and broccoli rabe was also fantastic and so flavorful. The chicken Riggies and Wagyu beef ravioli are always excellent choices for homemade pasta. For dessert we shared butter cakes with strawberry sauce and homemade ice cream--crispy edges and tender, buttery inside. So delicious! Our server, Jessica, was attentive and knowledgeable. We have never had a bad experience at Francesca's!

We had an amazing early dinner here utilizing resy online reservations. I had the chicken parm with vodka sauce over rigatoni, fantastic! Our server was excellent. The focaccia bread before the meal was great soft and flavorful. Meals come with a soup or salad I had the Caesar it was great. My daughter had the cheese ravioli and she liked it a lot but it was pricey for what she got. My husband had the eggplant rollatini which he enjoyed as well. I would have loved to try the butter cake (dessert options are presented in a tray right out of 80's restaurant playbook) but we were all too full.

Francesca's is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the area! My husband and I stopped by here during a short weekend trip to Syracuse. It gets super busy here, especially on weekend nights. Even with a reservation, we waited around 15-20 mins for a table. For our meal, we got to try: - Complimentary bread with tomato sauce: Warm and yummy, a perfect starter - Fried calamari: Huge portion. I liked how it wasn't so bready, and the marinara dipping sauce was good - Wagyu beef ravioli: Sooo good. Very creamy and flavorful. I actually think it tastes better the next day after heating up. - Bolognese: Delicious! They do not skimp out on the meat - Butter cake: AMAZING! I was so full by the end of our dinner, but I had to get dessert. This cake is ooey gooey and just heavenly. Definitely not a light dessert. I love how they bring out the dessert tray. Our server was also friendly and moved fast. If you're looking to bring someone out on a date, bring them here. It's very romantic and cozy inside. I wish they played more jazz or slower music!

I brought my daughter for her birthday dinner, I made reservations for 6pm patio and noted that it was her birthday through resy. When she arrived the hostess wished her a happy birthday. Loved the little table we were seated at on the terrace just through the French doors and has a great view, unfortunately there are no fans in this area. It was a bit steamy to say the least. My daughter received her drink order Rosie Cheeks promptly. Nice light, citrus, rose perfect for a summer evening. Water, and then eventually bread and salads arrived awhile after ordering as well as my cocktail. It was a full house even on a Monday evening, service takes time but was friendly and attentive to all requests. I ordered the Cioppino which is linguini in a stew base with a plethora of seafood! Clams, muscles, shrimp,scallops and fresh fish, holy seafood! The baby octopuses floating amongst the mixture of seafood took me a little by surprise but I do love calamari! I wish the dish had a little bit more spice to it, a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper would do. My daughter's filet mignon was cooked to order and her liking. Dessert tray was presented shortly, my chocolate lover went with the layered chocolate mousse cake. It was divine! I may need to come back before that pretzel strawberry cheesecake disappears off the tray! This visit was exceptional, made my birthday girls night.

Cute restaurant in Syracuse. Highly suggest making a reservation because wait times can go quite long, due to how busy it can get. Walking into the restaurant it was much more spacious than I had thought it was. We were greeted by the hostess quickly, but had a reservation ahead of time, which allowed us to be seated promptly. It was quite loud in the restaurant, but not unbearable. The waitress was very quick to approach my wife and I, which was great. After ordering, we quickly received our drinks and bread, which was amazing. I ordered the calamari, bolognese, and butter cake, all of which were very good. Calamari was great, but nothing stood out to me that set it apart from other calamari that I've had. Do not be tricked by the picture, the portion of the bolognese was massive. I love how the sauce was full of meat, which made it all the more worth it. If you stop by, you definitely have to grab the butter cake, so delicious, probably my favorite thing here.

Had a great birthday meal here last night. Service, food, and drinks were on point. All of us tried a season cocktail that we enjoyed. Burrata and stuffed hot peppers were a nice start to the meal. I got the daily halibut special with truffled carbonara risotto and broccolini. It was delicious! Not many places around here offer this and it's one of my favs. Finished off with their amazing butter cake which you should absolutely leave room for. My only complaint would be that it is quite loud and cramped in here on a busy night.

Everything was fabulous! Our server Heather was wonderful. The bread is an addiction by itself! I had the cavatelli with hot sausage which was delicious(I will be eating this for 2 more days) my husband had the chicken parm and loved it. We will be back in the area next summer for the NY American Legion conference and will definitely be back again!!

The terrace is a pleasant space that was made difficult to enjoy. The music was too loud and completely ill-suited to a convivial dining experience. If I wanted to dine at a nightclub blasting EDM I would, but believe me, I don't! We could barely hear each other talking over the ear-shattering decibel level. For a restaurant supposedly specializing in Italian cuisine I was disappointed. The food was far more American-Italian, both is preparation and presentation. Most of the portions were enormous, far more than most people could eat at one sitting. That is NOT the Italian way! The veal parm was not a beautifully prepared piece of veal scallopini lightly breaded and fried, served with a silky marinara but a hugely thick veal chop left on the bone, pounded into oblivion, and then deep fried and served with an uninspired tomato sauce on a bed of pasta. The risotto was mushy--although the fava beans and mushrooms were generous and tasty. Oddly, the polenta tasted like cream of wheat with sugar in it. The wedge salad was over-dressed, swimming in a puddle of creamy blue cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar which produced an overly sweet aftertaste, masking the tanginess of the blue cheese. The Caesar salad was typical for a middling American restaurant: sopping wet with a creamy dressing, store-bought croutons, and shredded parmesan, not shaved or grated Parmigiano Reggiano. On a positive note the fried calamari was very good and fresh, and the tomato sauce delicious with a nicely spicy edge. Another positive note: our wait staff was exceptional and Jessica in particular was a pleasure to deal with and treated us with the utmost courtesy and professionalism. Big UPs to Jessica! Francesca's is not cheap; at these prices, one would expect fine dining. It falls far short of that goal.

Came here on Saturday night but the restaurant is closed. No update on Google or Yelp or their own website

We made reservations for the dining room at 4:15 (they open at 4PM). We made the reservations 3 days out for a Saturday dinner and had to go with this time slot because any time later did not have dining room availability. We were promptly seated and our waitress Samantha (who was great) took our drink orders. I liked that there are several bottles on the menu from Italy that are DOC and DOCG. For starters, we ordered the fried calamari and fried goat cheese. The calamari was cooked perfectly, but it lacked flavor. The sauce it came with was good. Overall, it was decent and I'd get it again. The fried goat cheese was great. The sauce it came with had a spicy kick to it that I really enjoyed. I was torn between egg plant rollantini, gnocchi, and ravioli, so I asked Samantha what she recommends, and she flat out told me they're all good, but there isn't a lot going on with them. They are what they are and that's it, which is okay if that's what you want, but based on our conversation, she knew I wanted something really satisfying. Side note, their eggplant rollantini is cooked with the skin still on the egg plant. Anyway, I ordered the Gemelli Angeloro, at Samantha's recommendation and substituted the grilled chicken for a chicken cutlet. The dish is made up of twin pasta, utica greens, prosciutto, extra-virgin garlic olive oil, toasted breadcrumbs, romano cheese, splash of tomato ragu, and of course the fried chicken cutlet that I asked for. It was great and I thought the portion size was perfect. My husband had the Chicken MVP. It's a chicken parm with vodka sauce and a pesto drizzle and rigatoni in their vodka sauce. The sauce was a little too loose for my liking, but it had good taste and it was uniquely their own vodka sauce. Overall, a great dish and we can see why it's so popular. Finally, for desserts we had their famous butter cake, which comes with their homemade icecream and we had the chocolate mousse cake. The butter cake is out of bounds outrageous. It lived up to the hype and honestly, but didn't make me feel absolutely destroyed after eating, which is surprising because it must be about 3500 calories (it was a special occasion, don't judge). The chocolate mousse cake was decadent. I know that word gets thrown around a lot when describing chocolatey deserts, but this thing, it was rich. Like Warren Buffet rich. If you love chocolate, don't hesitate to get this, but make sure you try the butter cake that someone orders at your table. We also had cappuccinos, which I thought were great because she was heavy on the espresso and lighter on the foam. I had a great time. The dining room, while crowded, still managed to feel somewhat intimate. By the way, the outside patio is beautiful. The next time we come back we have already decided to get some of the specials because they all sounded great. And we will definitely request Samantha be our waitress.

Wonderful experience, and great food! My friend and I started off with the fried calamari, and the dipping sauce options were amazing. I opted for the Braised Beef Pappardelle Pasta special and my friend got the Seafood Riggies. Both were extremely flavorful and filling. We ended with the Chocolate Cake. Which was delicious. Overall, the service was great, definitely going back. It's definitely a place that's worth visiting again and again.

Have eaten here several times over the years. The past couple times I have not been impressed. The waiter was like a robot meaning no personality, talked fast . He was efficient but not personable. I did not like the bread with all the spices in it and the dipping sauce was too hot. I ordered baked cabatelli and it came out looking burned and the shredded cheese on top didn't melt so I knew it was fake cheese. The sausage in the cavatelli was so spicy hot that I couldn't taste any other flavor. This experience solidified my thought that this restaurant isn't as good as it used to be. I'll give it a three but could be less.

Francesca's was the perfect venue for my wedding reception. For over a year, I was a thorn in the catering manager Celia's side to coordinate menu, decorations, schedule, seating, everything that goes into a reception. The space was stunning, the food and drink was incredible, and the staff were beyond charitable, all for a fraction of the price of most other wedding venues. Two weeks later, guests are still coming to me raving about their experience at Francesca's.

Definitely a hidden gem! My favorite Italian restaurant in the Syracuse area. Coming from a real Italian, this place passes the test! The ambience is very cozy, with Italian and modern decor. A lot of fresh dishes made from scratch. Food is excellent. I love how they bring a dessert tray out so you can visually see all the different options. I would recommend the homemade gnocchi in pink vodka sauce every time. The butter cake is to DIE FOR

We have all been to this location at least 7-8 times over the last two years....Went there to celebrate Mother's Day & my wife's birthday on Mother's Day: 05/11/2025. It was busy as expected and a little too loud seated inside on this cool/damp day. My son and his partner of 18 years joined us for this wonderful occassion. We started with Utica Greens & bacon wrapped scallops...all good.... We had a few different cocktails, which were also good. The "fresh bread" now served here was yuk. It was covered with melted butter and garlic and literally dripped butter as we tried to eat it...we never actaully ate much of the bread, which is not the norm, we normally ask for more. Why they changed bread type/recipe is beyond me? We ordered our main courses as follow: Chicken Parm, Chicken Rigi's, Veal Chop Parm and the daily special surf & turf. Size of plated food was great, but we ALL agreed the flavor was BLAND... Not sure if a new chef, recipe or what? No clue why ALL the main dishes were bland and lacked the "normal" fantastic tasting food at this location???? We spoke with a few other folks at other tables [who we knew] and they all made the same complaint. We all took home a doggie bag and the following day spiced up each leftover dish the way it properly should be and it was ok for leftovers. Service was excellent as was the normal ambiance, but you can't eat ambiance so you best square away your main dishes or folks are going to flee your location. Paul Clapper

Bam! Make sure you have a reservation, or you'll be eating at the bar like we had to (Aww, shucks). If there are daily specials in any category get them. They will not disappoint. The prices reflect the quality of ingredients and care in preparation, so be ready to part with some coin, for some awesome authentic food. And the penalty for eating at the bar was the engaging, yet not overbearing bar staff, who were as excellent as the fare.

Not so secret to locals, but if you're in Syracuse for a business meeting and need a place to host, hit this place up: I was in this town for work and I took my local rep here per his suggestion. This was a great dining experience. Did the Calabrian ribs over polenta. Super tender. Great take on ribs. Wasn't like American BBQ, but very Calabrian as I would imagine. Tender, pull apart. Nice sauce. Over a great polenta. You don't live polenta, you've never had it down well like this. Main dish was filet gorgonzola. What can go wrong with a dish like this? The filet was nice and rare. Two filets both cooked to my liking nice and rare. The pasta was as good as you can make it. Extra lil bit of veg and panko in the dish. My friend who is a regular always gets the bolognese and that dish is consistent. We sat at the bar and phenomenal service. Drinks tended too, food rec's. Outside garden was poppin. Artwork on the walls and overall decor very Modern Syracuse. This city will be a food scene soon, a destination for foodies; whether that's good or bad- Come eat at Francesca's. I endorse this place If you're a local or a traveler try it. Very walkable and Uberable/Lyftable proximity Eat here!

My first time at Francesca's was a wonderful experience for my birthday. There was a wait and they blocked off walk ins so make sure to make a reservation. I don't like how there is a cancellation fee of $30 if you don't make your reservation though. The price of everything is also on the higher end and dress nicer as well. When you first walk into the restaurant you are greeted by a packed bar with retro flooring and a wooden ceiling. It's gorgeous with a variety of different little "rooms" you can sit in. However, there isn't much room to wait for your table and it was brutally hot out. The food was a mixture of amazing and okay. Bread was delicious and served with tomato oil. Both of our meals got italian wedding which was delicious. However, the calamari was a bit lackluster in flavor. I got the Chicken Francese which didn't have much flavor at all even with a lemon squeezed. My boyfriend got Cioppino and loved it. Next time I think I will stick with a pasta dish.

place blew any other italian food i've ever had out of the water. im italian and grew up in an all sicilian neighborhood so that really is a big claim. jess was an absolutely amazing server! my friends and i will definitely be back

**DURING COOLER MONTHS ESPECIALLY - MAKE RESERVATION** Stopped here while in town for a convention. We usually do Italian on Saturday night, so this was one that Cuppies had found and relayed for consideration. I made a reservation for 8pm, and we headed there after the convention was over at 7. Street parking is available other than their small lot nestled in between the buildings. We found spots about two blocks down and walked up. Even with reservations you're going to wait a while for a table to open up - we were early and the bar area was slammed. The bar area is sand which between two dining rooms - and a back patio area as well. It's very loud being so busy - so expect to talk louder than usual. At about 8:15 we were sat in the back dining area and ordered some drinks and appetizers. I ordered a Four Roses old fashioned which was TURNED UP - I didn't look at the price but I got my money's worth without question. They also provided table focaccia bread and dipping sauce. We ordered several appetizers (heard ya): Goat cheese fritter: exactly how it sounds - pretty good - large chunk of cheese with crostini for dipping. I had one and decided that was good for me (4/5) Stuffed cherry peppers: Cuppies pick - I didn't have but the rest of the buds reported that they were good and had a decent kick to them (4/5) Meatballs: stuffed with cheese these came out pretty lukewarm in terms of temp. Of course the one I had didn't really have much of any cheese inside it. (3/5) Burrata: Large burrata lump on top of halved tomatoes with basil and balsamic; served with crostini. Very very very fresh and was probably one of my favorite burrata I've eaten (5/5). For my entree - I ordered the chicken parmesan which is my main go-to when it comes to Italian places. served on riggies (rigatoni) - it came with a LARGE piece of chicken. The sauce was a little odd to me - or possibly the cheese that gave it a sweet hint on some bites? But overall good. For dessert there were several options - and all desserts are made ***IN-HOUSE*** by a pastry chef. I went with the chocolate mouse pie - which was so incredibly good: creamy, rich and a large slice. Wow. Finished it off with a large cup of coffee and paid the bill. I wish I would have paid attention to our waitress' name - very nice and attentive: hair braided back and with a thick upstate-NY accent. She was great. Overall this place was solid. Would recommend while in the SYR NY AREA.

Francesca's is one of my favorite sit-down restaurants in Syracuse. It has a moody, dimly lit atmosphere that's perfect for date night and offers stellar Italian food. I could eat their free focaccia for my entire meal, but their filet gorgonzola is too good to pass up. Do not skip dessert here!! Their seasonal dessert menu (where each option is presented to you on a tray) is amazing, and my mouth still waters when I think about our apple dessert. Getting a reservation ahead of time is the way to dine here as it can get busy, but I think it's completely worth the extra planning. I always try to come here whenever I get the chance

Wow !!!! Such a great meal and impeccable service. The only thing that would have made it better was a table outside in what one could sum up as a secret garden. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate so we will have to trade that for another visit. Apps and dinner were delicious. We wrapped up dinner with butter cake. The butter cake was nice and crispy with a side of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Next time I would get it without Strawberry sauce as it was very sweet and overpowering. Street Parking is available but can be challenging. Looking forward to our next visit.

The food was great and the espresso martini even better! The only reason I gave 4 stars is because of the music playing. It was really loud, making it hard to have a conversation...and the selection seemed very random. Kind of killed the atmosphere.

Not worth the hype! Atmosphere did not match the price of the food. It was crowded, loud, and Def Leopard and Shaboozy was playing to de enhance the experience! To add to it, the salad was gritty and sandy. Basically, the food was average or less. Definitely not as authentic as we hoped.. I would not recommend.

The butter cake is genuinely the best thing I have ever eaten in my entire life. The rest of the food is amazing too but I would go back a million times solely for that butter cake.

This was one of the best meals ever! Our server was absolutely delightful, friendly, and prompt. She seemed to anticipate our needs every single time. The ambience is perfect here. And the food, well, spectacular is an understatement. Wonderful flavors, everything was super fresh, and the dessert was one of the best things I have ever tasted in my life. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of it L O L. This restaurant is a Syracuse, Italian staple, highly sought after, and worth every penny. Strongly recommend.

This place is great! Tons of food, all super rich and filling, but worth it. Definitely need a reservation.

There's nothing I love more than sitting out back on the patio at Francesca's! Such a vibe! Our waitress, Tina, was one of the better waitresses I have had in a long time! And lastly, the food - a well oiled machine!

I'll keep this review short as I've done reviews before, but updates are important. Food incredible, Dessert heavenly. The outside eating area, Gorgeous. Service provides smooth operations. It's just constantly wonderful. I still feel the music is too loud inside, but maybe I'm just old now! I highly recommend getting a reservation and you're able to reserve for inside or outside. It's guaranteed to be busy no matter when you go. Enjoy!!

Went here the day before valentines. We got seated in the back room. It was sooooo dark. The service was quick. I enjoyed the free bread and dipping sauce. My vodka ravioli was good, but small. The cheese has a weird zing though. Would probably not order again. I loved the vodka sauce though. My husband's fettuccine Alfredo was very large. The Italian soup was good. As well as our dessert.

This restaurant is always full, so make a reservation if you want to get a table. We've been coming here for quite some time and it's consistently good. You'd think that would be a very positive endorsement, but the trouble is that it used to be consistently great. We don't live in Syracuse, so we only frequent this restaurant a couple of times a year. We may have just picked off nights the past two or three times we've been there, but the food lacked the punch in the face flavor that we'd become accustomed to whenever we dined here. If you've never been here before, you'll likely walk away very satisfied, but they set the bar so high for us that the last few visits have been a bit disappointing. If you visit, you'll find a nice atmosphere and the service is very good. The servers sample every special that's on the menu, so that when they give recommendations they know what they're talking about. Hoping that the next time wows me like it used to.

Went here per a recommendation. It was good, not great. Very overpriced, though. Womp womp.

went here this past friday for a friends birthday, this is my second visit to francesca's. the back patio is huge and beautiful during the warmer months. our server was great, ver nice and attentive, everything came out in a timely fashion. their cocktails are pricey, $15 each and they don't list that anywhere, personally i think transparent pricing is important. they also don't list prices of their specials. the food is great, no complaints there. i love the complimentary focaccia and sauce, it just appears that you get the same amount of bread if you have 2 or 6 people. all entrees include a side soup or salad which is nice, $3 up charge for a caesar just be warned. i ordered the chicken francaise and it was great, other members of my party got the lobster ravioli and a pasta special and loved their meals as well. overall, it's a great italian spot, popular so make reservations, but be prepared to spend a pretty penny. (extra non-cash adjustment as well, not sure if it was listed on the menu but it's pretty standard these days)

Have been here a number of times throughout the years and have always had a great time. Recently went here to grab some drinks and do dessert after dinner because we love the butter cake. We were lucky to find two seats at the bar. The Staff at the bar were busy but friendly. In total my husband order two old fashions with bullet bourbon and I got one specialty cocktail off the list and we got a butter cake to share. In the end the check came to $78 with tip (20%). They do not list the drink prices and two old fashioned came to $39. I never say something but this time I did and they said this is their average cost for the old fashions. Needless to say, the butter cake was great, the prices unfortunately are getting out of control as you can get a whole bottle of bullet rye Bourbon for 49.99. I write this review as a fyi incase anyone else wants a old fashioned without sticker shock or can be prepared when they go there and planning to get an old fashioned.

Awesome ambiance. I definitely recommend a reservation if you're coming on a Friday night, but there's seating at the bar and we were able to be seated right away as a group of two at a high-top. They always have fun drink/food specials and the food here is divine. Service was efficient and professional. Dress to impress, fun for date night! Oh, and definitely get dessert!

Just sat down & like it already ambiance is so nice the feel the vibe the setting & then the food we ordered a bunch of APPS XANT COMPLAIN. GOAT CHEESE FRITTA AMAZ.... Everything was top knotch Execellent place. !!! & don't forget dessert. Butter cake is insane. Never tasted anything like it !!!.

Angelo Angeloro owned Angeloro's Cafe on State Street, which remained open from 1910 to 1989. His wife, Francesca Angeloro, was the kind of Italian grandmother you see in movies: warm, huggable and constantly pushing more food on your plate. Francesca's homemade meatballs, marinara sauce and gnocchi dinners set the standard of Italian cuisine for her twin grandsons, George and Gary Angeloro. When George grew up, he wanted to open an Italian restaurant like his grandfather's in the heart of Syracuse's Little Italy. In the early planning stages of the restaurant, George and a business partner kicked around the name Alimentos, meaning "food" or "nourishment" in Italian. When the partner couldn't come up with enough money to open, the twins' father bought the building and the restaurant became a family-owned business instead and George decided to name the restaurant Francesca's Cucina instead, after his grandmother's kitchen, where his love of cooking and eating began. Francesca's has been a staple in Syracuse and the Little Italy area since 2004. My wife was recently given a gift card to Francesca's for her birthday. We have been to Francesca's Pizza location several times and enjoyed everything, but never to the sit down Italian location itself. We decided to go this past weekend. Reservations had to be made, and we made them for 4:45 PM. Plenty of on street parking available, but we were able to pull into the small side parking lot specifically for Francesca's customers next to the restaurant. We were able to be sat immediately when we arrived. Fresh bread and sauce served as an appetizer, both very good. I ordered the braciole, thin pounded pork stuffed with Utica greens with a side of parpadelle pasta in a red wine tomato sauce. My wife order the chicken & shrimp dish, sautéed chicken scallopini and jumbo shrimp with shallots, garlic, wild mushrooms, and roasted red peppers, finished with a sweet Marsala cream sauce, served over linguine. It took a while for our food to come, probably a good 45 minutes. There were not many tables full when we were sat, but they did fill up eventually. Our food was brought and surprisingly, we were both disappointed with our meals. My Utica greens had no heat to them, were very watery, and the sauce on my pasta didn't have much flavor. My wife's Marsala sauce was better, but even she felt let down by her dish. Perhaps we were just expecting more because of Francesca's reputation, but nothing was out of this world good to us. Nothing was bad, but we just expected more. On the other hand, we both got desserts, my wife the butter cake and I chose the triple chocolate cake, and both were absolutely delicious. Our server was friendly and, while the price was high for a meal we found mostly disappointing, they are comparable to similar restaurants. I don't believe that we would go again. We have yet to have amazing Italian food in Syracuse.

Carl was out of this world with customer service and relatability! Gorgonzola gnocchi was amazing!

Francesca's came highly recommended and did not disappoint. The food and service were on-point. Try the Butter Cake for dessert. It was fantastic!

My wife and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary at Francesca's Cucina. We made our reservations through a link on their website that brought us to the Resy app. It was easy to guide through the system to reserve our time. We reserved a table located on their patio. I highly recommend reserving a table on the patio. The ambiance is amazing! A warning though. If there is rain, you do not automatically get a table indoors. If there isn't a table open, you will need to go somewhere else so make sure you call ahead. Once seated we were promptly served iced water and focaccia with a marinara type dipping sauce. Our waitstaff also took our drink/cocktail orders as well. We enjoyed a Margarita and an Espresso Martini. Our main entrees were fantastic. We did try each others orders and we both had positive things to say. My wife ordered the Lobster Ravioli with Pink Vodka Sauce. There was a generous portion of lobster in each bite of the ravioli. The ravioli was covered with the perfect amount of sweet and tangy vodka sauce. I ordered The Delmonico, a 16 oz cowboy ribeye. I ordered it medium-rare along with onions and a garlic, herb compound butter. The steak was grilled to order and was tender and flavorful. Could it of been a bit more cooked to medium rare? Possibly, but I would always choose a bit more rare then the option of a more well done steak. This is my option and that is why I didn't take a star away from this review. Desserts options were brought out to us and they looked amazing! We didn't order any desserts this evening for we chose to enjoy ice cream from one of our favorite parlors in Syracuse. I'm sure they would of tasted amazing and look forward to trying some on our next visit. The service we got was second to none. The staff are prompt and friendly and really want you to enjoy yourself, your company, and your food. Parking tip~ Parking may look tight being that it looks like street parking only but if you drive to the end of the block there are Francesca's only dining parking lots on the side street.

It's a crime that this place is at 3.8 stars on here. Must be haters, I don't get it. I've eaten here many times and been here for special events. The food is very consistent, the service is good and the outdoor eating area in the summer is one of the best spots in Syracuse. I'll highlight their Utica greens and the butter cake but everything here is good.

Our adult daughter requested to go here for her birthday, we had never been here before. We had made reservations, and were seated promptly. One end of our table was positioned over a air conditioning vent, which was blasting cold air on everyone's legs. The hostess did have that turned down for a little while, then it came back on. The restaurant is split up into a few small rooms, which were so dimly lit, I literally had to turn my phone flashlight on to read the bill. Because the rooms are small, it is VERY loud in there. There was music coming out of some speakers, but you could not discern what it was over the roar of the customers conversing. We also couldn't hear a thing our waitress was saying. The service was punctual. The waitress brought out some form of bread with a small plate of red sauce. The bread was so hard, I could not chew it. Our food arrived piping hot, but was mediocre at best. I had the chicken parmesean, it was tough and chewy, and lacked flavor. My wife and daughter had the chicken "MV", that is made with a vodka sauce. They both said it was "ok", but not great. For dessert, we split a wedge of a mixture of chocolate ice cream and other things. Nobody had any alcohol to drink. The total bill for five people came to $225.00 including the tip. We were not impressed, and will get a better experience for our hard earned money elsewhere next time.

One of my favorite restaurants. Everything I have ever tried from here has been delicious. The service is always top notch and there is a nice ambiance. You will have to make a reservation because they do get quite busy especially on the weekend. One downside is sometimes the back dining room gets very loud so if you have anyone in your group that has hearing issues it becomes hard to have a conversation. Drinks are always excellent and they have a cocktail menu for each season.

Best Italian restaurant I have visited! The staff are so friendly and make you feel right at home. The food was absolutely exquisite!