Chicago Food Review | Francesca's On Chestnut 🍝

Planned a last-minute Thanksgiving trip to Chicago and booked this Italian fine-dining spot in advance—didn’t want a repeat of our Tokyo Christmas Eve no-reservation disaster! Located next to 360 Chicago, perfect for dinner after watching the sunset from above. Thanksgiving night was packed! From the bar to the main hall, every seat was taken. Even with a reservation, we waited almost 30 minutes past our time (and we arrived 30 minutes early hoping to be seated sooner 😅). We were eventually seated in the basement near the bar—unfortunately, servers kept bumping into our chairs while coming and going 🥲 🍤 Linguine agli Scampi – Prawn pasta with a mild spicy kick. Loved the sauce—tangy from cherry tomatoes upfront, with a gentle heat in the aftertaste. The prawns were firm and springy. Really enjoyed this! (I was actually looking for the seafood pasta with mussels mentioned in other reviews but couldn’t find it—maybe it's seasonal?) 🦑 Calamari Fritti – Classic fried calamari, but with a twist! The texture was soft rather than crispy, yet not greasy or soggy. Seasoning was light enough to let the squid flavor shine. Recommended! 🍝 Linguine Arrabbiata – My friend’s order—he said it was just okay, pretty standard pasta. 🍰 Tiramisu – Delicious! A must-try. Overall, I really liked the flavors and seasoning here. Would return if there’s no wait, but think twice if the line is long. Prices are a bit steep—two mains, two desserts, and an appetizer came to around $70 per person. 📍 Address: 200 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611 #Chicago #ChicagoTravel #ChicagoEats #ChicagoFoodie #ExploreChicago #ItalianFood