Mio Modo

November 2025: I went to Mio Modo in St. Charles for my sister-in-law's birthday. I love the Francesca's chain, the food is always spot-on and the decor is always lovely and eye-catching. The bar at this location was stunning! Very beautiful and I loved the plant decor. Our waiter, James, was very friendly and provided great service. He also brought us each Limoncello shots to try at the end of our meal, which we enjoyed. We all loved our food! For appetizers, we shared the calamari and roasted beets. For our entrees we had the lamb shank, ravioli, shrimp pasta, and Francesca's salad with chicken. Every dish was amazing, filling, and the flavors were outstanding! For dessert, we ordered tiramisu, chocolate cake, and the sloppy sundae. I can't say enough good things about Francesca's and I always look forward to dining there!

Came here for a birthday dinner and had a great experience! Food, service and atmosphere were 10 out of 10. Started off with a meatball appetizer that was amazing and also split an Italian salad. For my main dish I got the shrimp linguine and my husband got the winter/fall butternut squash pasta special that was so fresh and flavorful. My best friend got the breaded chicken over the rigatoni and I think that is the dish to get after trying a bite of hers, so incredibly good! Her husband got a rigatoni with sausage that he said was very good. For dessert we got the tiramisu and the sticky toffee carrot cake. Do yourself a favor and get the sticky toffee carrot cake!! So so good! Only thing confusing that I will note to management was the branding. On the side of the building it still says Francesca's and on the menu we had it still said Francesca's. Maybe they are still trying to keep both or just have not fully made the change. Didn't take away from the experience at all but just wanted to make a note!

Absolutely loved this restaurant! The ambiance was beautiful—welcoming, cozy, and perfect for a girls’ night out. The service was just as impressive. Our server Alexandria was amazing and incredibly patient with us while we laughed, chatted, and took our time. You could tell they genuinely cared about making our experience great. The food? Superb. Every dish was flavorful, fresh, and plated beautifully. This place exceeded all expectations, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for great food, great vibes, and even better service. Can’t wait to go back!

We had a wonderful experience at Mia Modo in St. Charles! Our server, Alex, was fantastic—friendly, attentive, and so helpful. The Caesar salad and rigatoni alla vodka were both delicious and full of flavor. Highly recommend! This is my favorite restaurant in St. Charles.

Went in for a nice quick dinner. Service was wonderful and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The decorations and paintings on the wall gave the place a down to earth feel. I definitely enjoyed myself and will be coming back.

This is such a great experience. Loved our server, Dawn, who was attentive, friendly, knew the menu, and was incredibly helpful. We were visiting from out of town and she made us feel welcome at comfortable. The food was delicious and the restaurant was beautiful. Tried the pineapple upside down cake for dessert and it was amazing. Highly recommend!

Brian and team were awesome! Very kind and accommodating. They prepared the outdoor seating for us and the food was great. There were vegetarian options for us. He made sure we were having a good time. We will be back!

Brian was wonderful! He was so welcoming and had us laughing all night! Food was delicious! Drinks and dessert were also so good ! Can’t wait to come back !

Wonderful seafood Great staff Highly recommend it And I'm very picky eater Especially seafood Definitely coming back

We recently hosted a bridal shower here and our experience was wonderful. Our event coordinator, Michael, made every step of the process as easy as it could be, from first contact through the end of the party. Everything was set up for us on arrival so all we had to do was add our personal touches. The staff was warm and welcoming, and very efficient, working quickly but greeting every guest as they arrived to secure drink orders. Our family-style lunch service started right on schedule, and the food was beyond delicious; we're still getting calls about the quality and quantity. It was important that all our guests felt included, and Michael designed separate menus for each of two guests with dietary restrictions so they could enjoy the meal with everyone. I recommend Mio Modo for any special event. It's clear they care about ensuring their clients expectations are exceeded.

Focaccia appetizer, that is all you need to know. Really liked the seating in the back of the building as opposed to the bar, which is beautifully decorated. Good bourbon menu and it's overall just a great spot to dine. Focaccia!

I took my mom here for dinner at it was delicious! Everything came out hot and cooked perfectly. The staff was extremely nice and welcoming as well. The interior was updated and fresh, and it was absolutely packed so I recommend placing a reservation.

My friend and I had a wonderful experience this weekend! The food was amazing, omg the sauce was life changing. The service was fantastic, she paced everything perfectly. The tables were a little close together, the people next to us even said something. It was awkward how close we were. The decor is nice, it is a lovely place.

Great Italian spot in St Charles with a trendy interior! Came with a big group and got lucky that it was a Tuesday, 50% off bottles of wine. Our server, Donna, was lovely and handled our lively group well! We actually ran into her daughter who was the bartender of the bar we went to after as well which was such a funny coincidence. For apps we ordered the meatballs and carpaccio. The meatballs were delicious along with the bread that came with them. The carpaccio was a little strange, since it had avocado, parmesan, capers, and mushrooms as toppings. I feel like usually with a raw beef dish you want to highlight the meat's quality and leave it pretty plain but regardless, it wasn't bad and at least there was a lot of it! For an entree I ordered the Rigatoni alla Melanzane which was great, the eggplant was cooked perfectly. Overall, we had a great experience at Mio Modo!

Made new friends over a fantastic meal! We ended up ordering the Sea Bass, Half-Chicken, Lasagna, and Chicken Parm to share. Service was attentive and wonderful. The place was lively yet quiet enough for us to enjoy our conversations.

Nice ambiance, though when crowded it's quite loud. Service is great. Smaller/ more limited menu. Olive oil quality served with the bread is very nice. I had the kitchen make me a pasta primavera, which was good though the red sauce did have cream in it, which I was trying to avoid. The rigatoni was a bit undercooked. I think it's a decent spot to try if you're in the area.

Started off a bit bumpy with a long wait, but it was worth the wait. Very good experience here overall. The food was very good and the service was great. The manger Lisa is wonderful and very accommodating. I have been going here over 30 years.

Great ambiance, service & food! We had a party of 8 and everyone loved their meals! The Paloma cocktail & the black cherry vodka cocktails & espresso martinis were great! The salmon pasta, carbonara, rigatoni a la vodka and the steak special were amongst the favorites. The tiramisu (not sure why it's called table side) was very tasty. The pricing was reasonable. Would definitely recommend.

Lovely restaurant in St. Charles. Mary Beth greeted us warmly (even though we showed up for a late dinner). Ambiance was nice and the food was great! Beautiful bar area and artwork around the restaurant. Mary Beth made our experience excellent.

Celebrated my daughters' birthdays, Saturday dinner. Party of 12, about $700 with tip. We're not heavy drinkers, mostly water and soda, so the bill was mostly food. Most of us enjoyed our entrees, ingredients were fresh, dishes and appetizers were delicious. I wouldn't say it was awesome. Service was really good, they made sure we had drink and bread refills, and changed out our plates after appetizers. The food itself took a bit too long to prepare and cook.

We recently ate here for the first time since their reopening. Food is still great. It's a little quieter, but still pretty loud. Service was good. The sun was in our eyes and they were quick to accommodate and lower the shades. We will have to add this place back into the rotation.

Went out with some friends on a Wednesday to celebrate a birthday. We had never visited Mío Modo before, but by the end of the night we were already talking about when we'd be back. We loved the atmosphere, the interior (the design is beautiful!), and the food. Happy Hour has a great selection, and the food was delicious. Highly recommend the bruschetta with honey! We had a wonderful server that was incredibly kind and attentive. One of the people in our party has a legit wheat allergy, and he was very knowledgeable of all the ingredients and dishes. Overall, we'd come back and loved our experience!

If you can catch the Pollo Milanese special, grab it. Between the greens topping, perfectly breaded chicken breast and vodka sauce with pasta, your taste buds will thank you.

This is our favorite restaurant restaurant in St.charles. We love traveling to St. Charles to see our friends at the company Christmas party each year. The food and drinks and the ambiance are great. The staff is very kind and attentive to everyone. My ex- bosses are regulars here and always have the Christmas party at this location, and we are always treated very nicely.

Great ambiance, great service, even better food. Definitely will go back. Got the vegetable soup which was fantastic and a salad. Others got pasta which they loved. Waitress was attentive and friendly

Modern feel Italian restaurant located downtown St. Charles. The decor is great, casual feel and not overly loud. Drinks are great, tried the Sofia Loren and the rum punch. Momma's Meatballs as an appetizer- it's a like a whole meal in itself but so good! Pasta entrees - I asked for a modified linguine with shrimp instead of clams which they were able to do with no problem. Service was on point from the moment we walked in 10/10. Will definitely be back!!

Good- nice ombiance for the area! The salmon was amazing but the vodka pasta needed more flavor. The Burrata was not a burrata dish. It was an eggplant parm. The server walls wasn't very knowledgeable about the menu.

Worked with Michael Wrobel at the St Charles location for our daughter's baby shower on March 30, 2025. His communication throughout the planning process was exceptional. Food was plentiful and we received many compliments on its quality and the room ambience. Overall we were very pleased with our experience and would recommend Mio Modo to friends looking for a place to dine or an event to host.

Solid place for Italian food in downtown St Charles. Great ambiance and great staff. Only thing I didn't love was their drinks - I felt like some of their cocktails were more like me goofing around than something to sell. But eh my mistake ordering and not complaining. Love their Chicken Parmesan. An overall reliable solid experience.

Disappointing as a long time patron to this restaurant that they stop seating guests and making food in their kitchen over an hour before the restaurant closes. In my experience restaurants seat patrons until the time the restaurant closes. Speaking from experience as a long time waitress and server in hospitality and customer service, it makes a difference.

VERY impressed with this Italian for suburban food. We had the mussels with linguine which were perfect and I LOVED the red sauce. My fiancé had the large chicken dish with vodka pasta and it was great. For dessert the pistachio gelato was out of this world :)

The food, service and ambience were all just ok. However we won't be going back. The Yelp reviews and pictures of the inside all suggested a more upscale experience. It turned out to be just your typical suburban restaurant. All very casual, no doubt precipitated by the staff, all of whom were wearing jeans and t shirts. Not in line with the prices they charge.

Service was amazing, delicious wine and the burrata and agnolotti pasta were out of this world. Will be back!

Soooo good! Nice atmosphere and great service. We got so much food and everything was amazing!

Really fun spot! Fair warning: it is LOUD and crowded!! Totally packed and with a fun, festive vibe at 7 pm last night, a Saturday. So if you are looking for a quiet date night spot, this might not be the place. But if you want the most delicious pasta dishes you have ever eaten, plus amazing service ( loved our adorably attentive and charming bus boy, too) then this is your place. We started with the soft cheese flatbread appetizer that comes with a chunk of honeycomb, out of this world. Then each had pasta dishes- the vodka one and the truffle one (vegetarian) and those were truly the most delicious pasta dishes I've ever tasted. Pricy! But delicious. Free parking in the garage across the street. I agree the menu took some time to decipher, and I would have appreciated a few more vegetarian entrees, but there are many vegetarian sides. The noise level was uncomfortable for me, but my date asked to have us moved to a corner where it was less crowded and then we could hear each other. $109 plus tip for: 2 glasses wine, 1 shared appetizer, and 2 pasta entree. Definitely a "special occasion" spot for me as I'm on a budget. Could have easily spent $200 or more. One menu item, a steak, cost $100. So we each chose a cheaper pasta option and skipped sides and dessert to keep the bill manageable. Totally worth it! I'll be back when I can afford to splurge again!

Food Service Ambiance All top notch! Would visit again for sure. Already recommended to my friends and colleagues. -Sam

I recently went here for my friend's birthday. The inside is super cute, but small and it gets PACKED. Even though our reservation was at 6, we weren't seated until 630 for a group of 3. They have no places to really sit while you wait unless you want to go to the bar, but it was slammed, so we just sat by the hostess. The service took forever for our initial order or even to be greeted. For drinks, I got the Sophia Loren, which was very weak and then I got the Isabella Rossolini which was way too strong. There didn't seem to be a lot of consistency at the bar. However, despite the poor service and subpar cocktails, the food was super tasty. They give you bread at your table which is one of my favorite things about Italian restaurants. So delicious! To start we got the bruschetta which was light. You can tell the mozzarella was made in house by its freshness. For my entree, I ordered the Creste De Gallo Alla Vodka. I hadn't heard of this type of pasta before, but the noodles really did look like the top of a rooster's head. The sauce was so rich and full of flavor. The sausage added a ton of flavor. I could only eat half though because it was rich. My husband was very happy. For desert, we got the chocolate cake and cannoli. Both were super tasty. The chocolate cake was my favorite. Overall, the food was top notch, but they can work on their cocktails and service a bit more.

The ambiance of this place was a solid 8/10! I loved the vibes how friendly the staff was. Service was super quick as well. Food quality was good, not mouthwatering but good enough where I would return. Overall, had a good experience and would recommend for friends visiting the area.

Oh my god how did I miss this one , I come to St Charles almost every week and today we were going to Leesa and it was closed for Memorial Day and happend to see this gem and all of a sufd m has become my fav here , good job guys delecious

The days of stuffy Italian restaurants are officially over. Fantastic, comforting food in the heart of St. Charles for any occasion. Environment: This place is cozy yet modern and looks amazing after the rebrand! Front of house was bustling and looked great for a date night. Back of house was a bit quieter and more family friendly. Service was attentive and pleasant. Food/Drink: We started with the house special mushroom soup, calamari fritti, and lentils and spinach. The soup was phenomenal and perfect for a cold winter day. Calamari came with ample pieces while the lentils and spinach were slightly undercooked and would skip. Mains included the creste de gallo alla vodka and the absolute star of the night, the agnolotti tartufi- with a rich cream sauce and just the right amount of truffle (though you can truly never have enough). We finished with the chocolate torte which was a bit dry but the tart cherries and vanilla gelato carried the dessert. Espresso martini was on the sweeter side and nothing special. Rating: 4.5/5 but giving a 4/5 for just missing the mark on the drink, lentils, and dessert. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu!

I hosted an engagement party on Saturday night at Mio Modo and could not have been any happier. The staff was attentive all night long and the food was delicious. Working with Michael to set all of this up, (I was in another state and had never visited St. Charles) made the process so easy and flawless. I could go on and on with descriptive wording about the food, the service, the private room, the staff but I will sum this up quickly-you need to go to Mio Modo and enjoy a lovely evening with friends or family. It is worth it.

We've been to this place a number of times. Mary Beth took excellent care of us, very attentive, friendly, and helpful. My wife and I split the Happy Hour Bruschetta and Mussels. They had raised the price of the mussels and reduced the quantity from the last time. We also split the salad and the entree. We like that they will split it for you in the kitchen at no extra charge. Our entree was the halibut. The halibut was excellent, the peas left something to be desired, a little on the dry side. I realize food prices are going up, I don't mind paying extra for top quality food when we go out, but they should not cut corners.

This is definitely a gem in St. Charles. The service is always so friendly and the food is amazing.

First time at this place and even though it's not a huge restaurant it is perfect for a night out. There's TVs playing your favorite games on one side and a gorgeous bar in the middle of the whole place. Not to mention the food was amazing. Very nice staff and will definitely be coming back one day.

Had the best experience at Mio Moto after having a bridal shower in their Venetian Room. The space was beautiful and cozy! The food was delicious! Service was top-notch! Very easy to reach staff with any questions during planning, which led to a stress-free event! Staff working event were professional and very nice! Would highly recommend!

It was so good because I loved the noodles and we got a to go bag perfect place too eat for 10 years

This was my second time at mio modo. Our waiter Jaime is always so kind and hospitable. He always makes it a great experience. I love the flavor of their fresh pasta and the desserts are all delicious. My one problem is we were hoping to get the same pasta we had the last time we visited but it was no longer available. It seems like they change their menu often.

Who needs Prozac when you have Mio Modo!? This restaurant sent my dopamine and serotonin levels through the roof. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this place is truly "the pride of the fox". St Charles is filled with wonderful restaurants along the Fox River. While Mio isn't directly on the River, the aesthetic of the restaurant is stunning. Brick walls, mid century furniture and stunning chandeliers make this place a design champion. We began with honeycomb focaccia. This was incredible. Sweet- pastry like dough filled with soft cheese and enhanced with the perfect crispy crust. Highly recommend this dish. We also ordered the burrata which is always a classic but slightly unremarkable. The restaurant brings complimentary citrus olives and balsamic topped Parmesan cheese to the table. Both were lovely. My friends ordered minestrone which they said was of the best they've had. I ordered the francescana salad. Blanched veggies on top of lightly dressed endive and romaine topped with blue cheese. This salad was slightly out of my comfort zone, but I was a huge fan of the nutritious green starter. For our main course, we paired cacio e Pepe with a gorgeous Italian Sangiovese Cabernet. I highly recommend both the wine and the classic Roman pasta dish. While paccheri noodles are an unusual choice for this pasta, I loved the texture and flavor of this great dish. I would be remiss not to mention the table side tiramisu! What a fun presentation, and the dessert totally slapped! The mascarpone cream was particularly decadent. We ended our fabulous meal with complementary limoncello. While I'm not typically a limoncello fan, Mio's was the Goldilocks champ. Not too sweet, not too syrupy, not too sour. Everything about this restaurant was perfection. Our waitress, Dawn, was upbeat, charming and extremely good at her job. She even helped us make a reservation for Saturday night, and I just can't wait to go back! Mio Modo is an epic Italian restaurant. Do yourself a favor and visit this incredible establishment immediately!

Cute Italian restaurant near downtown St Charles. The outside has a large mural on the side of the building. When you step in, the inside has a large bar with cute greenery all an overhang. We started out with the bruschetta which was good, but I have had better. Then ordered bread for the table. The French bread they brought was cut into very thin pieces you could pull off and it was amazing! I had the Create De Gallo Alla Vodka pasta and it was excellent. The sauce was a creamy red sauce. I don't usually like sausage that much, but this sausage had a mild flavor to it and seemed of high quality, not super fatty or greasy. I would definitely recommend the meal. However, please not that some of the pictures in the yelp reviews show this as a creamy white sauce. I was a bit mislead by the other reviews. This was not a white sauce. I also had a red sangria with the meal. I would certainly skip that next time. It was a bit tart and I have had much better sangria elsewhere. The folks I was dining with also liked their meals and that group had actually dined there only 2 days earlier and wanted to go back already, Overall, I would go back to this Italian place.

Very cute restaurant! Love the vibes, high top tables, wrap around bar, booths. It reminds me of Italy (nope never been) but I think most restaurants would be similar. No patio, or outdoor seating parking lot is behind the restaurant. The service and food were great. Friendly, attentive staff. One of the dishes I ordered was some type of steak salad but it was the complete opposite, any menu questions I would ask.

Mio Modo is more than just a restaurant; it's an experience that elevates your visit to St. Charles. Whether you're visiting this charming town for the first time or you're a seasoned local, Mio Modo's brunch is a must-try. The combination of inviting ambiance, impeccable service, and delectable farm-to-table brunch offerings make it the perfect place to kick off your day trip in St. Charles. Menu items I tried: Nutella Waffle Focaccia Di Recco Thick Cut Bacon Mimosa Mocktail Moscato

Ugh. When this place was Francesca's it was amazing and we had many family celebrations there. We finally tried it after the overhaul and I'm just so sad. The menu is totally different and doesn't have any of the classics- even chicken alfredo is gone (my daughter's favorite). The portions were tiny, prices way higher and the wow factor is gone. Food was just mediocre. Staff was super nice and it certainly is beautiful but I feel like they tried to fix what wasn't broken and now it is. Not a single person in our party said they want to go back. What a bummer.

Mio Modo is the modern reincarnation of the old-school Italian restaurant Francesca's. I think they were trying to reinvent themselves to appeal to a younger crowd and be able to compete at an elevated price point. The renovated space looked a little cramped when you walk in, but it's actually pretty huge when you go to the back area that's available for group events and additional seating. The décor was more modern than the former old-world Italian feel, and the energy most definitely felt like the place to be on a Friday or Saturday night. We were tempted to order the entire menu but were able to limit ourselves to just a few items. Fettunta - Basically elevated Texas Toast (in a good way). Slightly charred edges and pillowy soft in the middle. Nonna's Meatballs - There's no need to order the Fettunta because the meatballs also came with another 3 pieces of toast. The meatballs themselves were tender and when paired with the whipped ricotta, it was just delicious. Focaccia di Recco - I was picturing a plate of focaccia slices, spreadable cheese, and honeycomb similar to what they have at Gia Mia, but this was more like crispy flatbread filled with cheese. Sophia's Italian Chopped Salad - Now this is my kind of salad. There was just a mound of crispy prosciutto on top and most definitely did not taste healthy. Thick Cut Bacon - I'd call it more of a pork belly steak than bacon at this point. The bacon was juicy/fatty/smoky as expected. Since the bacon was so thick, it did lose a lot of crispiness, so don't expect to be similar to more traditional strips of bacon. Pollo Milanese - We ordered this thinking it would be the best of both worlds, having both a meat element along with rigatoni vodka pasta on the side. The Milanese was a little bland, and the pasta needed a ton more sauce. It was one of the weaker dishes of the night. Table side Tiramisu - I personally feel like the whole table-side preparation element is a bit gimmicky. I can always appreciate a well-made square of tiramisu and care most about the taste. Instead, there was just too much focus on the presentation and showmanship. A server rolled out a table of ingredients and then basically laid down a few soaked lady fingers and then scooped some whipped mascarpone mixture on top. They need to just keep it simple. Overall, I'd give Mio Modo 3.5 stars. The atmosphere, drinks, and appetizers were top notch, but the main courses were a little on the bland and underwhelming side. It seems like a great place to hang out, drink, and munch on some small bites.

Huge space and will be loud in the evening. Small tables get overcrowded with decor, so there is less space for food and water. Prices are high, so plan accordingly. We ordered buratta bruchetta, and it was good. Ordered mushroom pasta vegeatrian, which was really good. Also ordered side of the potatoes dish that has good curry. Both of these dishes were tough to share without a spoon. Finally, I got the Sicilian sandwitch, which was huge. I liked the pistachio gelato, but brownie was too dense for me.

We visited Mio Modo for my birthday and were pretty underwhelmed. We had heard so much hype but it just didn't match the expectation. The ambiance was super cute and I loved the old bar in the middle. Our server was very kind but also pretty slow. It was probably 20 minutes between her taking our drink order to coming back to talk to us about food. The food was completely okay. But just okay. We ordered the vodka pasta with sausage and the salmon. The salmon was good but overcooked from what we were told it would be. The portion was also small and lacked a starch. The pasta was also just fine. It felt very under seasoned and the vodka sauce I make at home is much better. Overall it was a cute spot with an interesting twist on some Italian dishes but it didn't wow us enough to come back with so many awesome options in the area.

Had a party of 6 with reservations. The hostesses were clueless and not very welcoming. Just stood there and waited for you to initiate conversation- not a hello! More interested in their phones and their hair. Food was average. Good, just not par with the prices. Appetizers were better. Entrees were lacking flavor expected from the previous Francessca's experience. Waiter was distracted a lot. Missed beverages for entire party. Service was very quick. Almost too quick with entree after apps. Desert was very good. While waiting for our table, the bar was a mess. Too focused on people eating at the bar and not attentive to waiting patrons. Overall , pricey. Food was average. Ambience was nice. A little loud. Probably won't return. Free valet.

Excellent food and service. Highly recommend and will return. Calamari is delicious and fresh