Francesca's Restaurant   

A rare night in the North End for my wife and I. Looking for the "right" restaurant, we passed by Villa Franchesa, a reincarnation of a restaurant we used to visit (and liked alot) a decade or more ago. Very disappointing. The seating was right -- al fresco on a warm summer night. The waitress (Russian, I believe) tried, but clearly didn't know the menu. The service was a bit rushed and impersonal. And the food (a shared salad, garlic bread, chiani and seperate pasta dishes) was bland. Perhaps worse...20 minutes later, we both had quesy stomachs. The price -- with tip over $90 -- was pretty outrageous given the quality of our food and experience. The North End is bustling with attractive restaruants. Do yourself a favor and choose one other than Villa Francesca.

Last Saturday my friends and I wanted to go to Francescas for another friends b-day. We were seated next to a table of really rowdy customers. They were talking so loudly that we as well as everyone else in the room couldn't hear each other speak. This is an upscale restaurant in the North End not a sports bar downtown. We complained to the mgr. he did in fact go over to the rowdy table and ask them to keep their voices down and about 30 seconds later it was back to high volume once again. My friends and I were completely disgusted by the unprofessionalism of this establishment and when we voiced our opinions to the mgr. he told us that they had spent $1000.00 in the restaurant and that is why he didn't ask them to leave, or at very least be a little more stern when speaking to them regarding their outbreaks, instead all he did was kiss their butts. So basically because these idiots spent so much money they ruined everyone else's meals and speaking of meals.. Ours was just ok. Nothing that I couldn't have made in my own kitchen. However our waitress was wonderful, matter of fact I felt really bad for her having to put up with those losers. I've never seen such a horrible display of unprofessonal management in such a lovely upscale restaurant and because the mgr. seemed so fit to put money in front of the customers lets just say that none of us will be frequenting Francesca's again.

Just because it's in the North End doesn't make it a great place. I mean, it's not bad, but it's not the best. Try it out, don't take my word, I'm not the end all say all.