Francesco's Hole In The Wall

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#2 of 88 Restaurants in NorthbrookItalian, Vegetarian friendly, $$ - $$$

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Francesco's Hole In The Wall

Review

At a glance

Opens in 52 min

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Website

+1 847-272-0155Improve this listing

About

Features

CUISINES

Italian

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Parking Available

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Takeout

Location

254 Skokie Blvd, Northbrook, IL 60062-1612

Parking Available

Does this restaurant serve Tuscan food?

Yes

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Hours

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Opens in 52 min

Sunday

4:00 PM - 8:45 PM

Monday

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:15 PM

Tuesday

Closed

Wednesday

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:15 PM

Thursday

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:15 PM

Friday

11:30 AM - 2:15 PM5:00 PM - 10:15 PM

Saturday

5:00 PM - 10:15 PM

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4.4

266 reviews

Excellent

175

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Vertebrat

Chicago6 contributions

Find this little hole in the wall for phenomenal staff, nice atmosphere, and truly great Italian food!

Feb 2025 • friends

Went for dinner with a friend and it was just fantastic. The place was packed, which means they’re obviously doing something right. The staff were friendly and incredibly helpful. Definitely ask the wait staff for recommendations if you’re unsure what to order since the menu regularly changes. I’m vegetarian and was recommended their eggplant Florentine (which wasn’t on the menu board) and it was delicious. I grew up with my Nonna’s cooking and this restaurant is legit!

Written February 23, 2025

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DNR100

2 contributions

Great Italian food

Jun 2021 • none

First off, I want to address the prior comment about the restaurant's seating policies. It's a very popular place and you don't arrive 5 mins before it opens, you need to get there at least 30 mins before to ensure a table, particularly on a Friday. Who cares that they reserved tables for special customers, it's their restaurant, their rules. Obviously they have loyal clientele and they cater to them. You sound like an entitled jerk. I've been to this restaurant multiple times over the past 20 years as my relatives live in the area and the food has always been great. The seating can get cramped and it's noisy when full and, sure, it would be nice to be able to make reservations but the food makes up for that.

Written June 4, 2021

Scott W

Katy7 contributions

Great meal!

Feb 2020 • solo

I love restaurants like this that are so tucked away and friendly to both regular and new customers alike. Highlights of my meal included no individual menus, a very efficient server, and a very tasty pasta and salad dinner. Would definitely return!

Written February 18, 2020

Kayla

2 contributions

Unsettling & Unimpressed

Jun 2024 • friends

Recently, 3 friends celebrated a birthday at Hole in the Wall. Reservations are not taken so a wait can be expected. We waited over an hour. The place is unassuming & very small but has a reputation for good, Italian cuisine. After some time a server asked “could I offer you ladies drinks? You’ve been waiting for quite a long time.” We appreciated “the offer” thinking it was comped. After a bit we were seated. Service was good. Warm bread was delivered as we studied the giant chalkboard menu. One friend raved about the Chicken Piccata so we all 3 ordered it. Soon after our food arrived that same friend stopped eating and said disappointedly “this isn’t Chicken Piccata! No capers & mushrooms!” We were all served the wrong chicken dish! She told our server who told the owner. His response was “there’s a new guy in the kitchen. Comp them a dessert” 🙄 Really?! The “not chicken piccata” was tasty but still NOT what we ordered. The owner strolled between cramped tables schmoozing with guests. Our table was repeatedly passed by. Ignore the elephant in the room much?! That was odd. Our 1 comped dessert arrived. Delicious! The bill totaled…$195ish + gratuity for 3 NOT chicken piccatas & 3 glasses of basic Pinot Grigio and clearly the “offered” drinks earlier were NOT comped after all and no adjustment (but a single dessert) was made for 3 wrong food orders! YIKES! The next day I called to discuss our bill. Francesco, the extremely rude & crabby owner took the phone and loudly told me to “stop bitching and wasting our time! You’ll get a $25 gift card and nothing more”. Before I could say a word…HE HUNG UP ON ME! hmmm…that went well. 😡 Gift card??? I’ll pass.👎🏻

Written June 19, 2024

Chicagonative_7

1010 contributions

Semi-private supper club

Jul 2022 • couples

The regular customers have priority which is fine with me but the attitude of management continues to get away with rudeness for decades. We haven’t eaten here in over 20 years and likely won’t again for another 20…. After kissing the Pope-esse’s ring we were seated and the server was great. Strong drinks but a limited beer selection. The special salad was nothing special in ingredients or flavor. The white fish was excellent and the pasta with meat balls very good. The chicken parmigiana was average with a thin sauce. Bread was garlicky and very good. Parking hasn’t improved either…. Old school place which takes care of their many regulars and offers ‘conditional seating’ to others as if they are doing you a favor. They could still take good care of their regulars without the disdain shown us. With nothing overwhelmingly good to return for, we’ll head to one of many other Italian places nearby in the future.

Written July 6, 2022

karen m

Buffalo Grove31 contributions

Always sooo good

Jan 2020 • friends

Hole in the wall is always so consistent. Went there last night for dinner and would go back again tonight. Food always taste fresh and menu changes all the time but beware get there early or late as it is very small and always busy but worth the wait. I had a pasta dish with crumbled sausage and eggplant and it was outstanding Love this place!

Written February 1, 2020

Tkrums229

6 contributions

Would NOT recommend this restaurant to anyone!

May 2021 • none

I called on Friday night to make a reservation and was told that they seat on a first come basis. My wife and I arrived 5 minutes before they officially open and found that all but two tables were occupied. The hostess told me, and other customers, that the two tables that were not full were reserved for their "regular" customers but we could sit outside, in a tent. When I questioned this I was told that the owner saves the inside seats for regular customers, that come2-3 times per week. My wife and I left, along with a number of other customers. To say the least, my wife and I will never go back. This is the most unprofessional restaurant I have ever visited.

Written May 17, 2021

Venture41456

1 contribution

service

Mar 2020 • couples

went to dinner with my wife. she was 10 minutes behind me from her job. they wouldn’t seat me until she was there but sat a party of six with only one person there and others without a complete table. told me it was their policy but didn’t really didn’t adhere to it. seems they prefer their regulars but won’t admit it.they didn’t want to discuss. very inconsistent with their policy. been there many times but not again.

Written March 9, 2020

Traveler30975048110

16 contributions

Top notch Italian

Jan 2025 • family

Top notch the “hole” way around- service is great, food outstanding with a ton of options and variety. We had to try the desert and it didn’t disappoint either. Go go go!

Written January 25, 2025

Brad P

Dallas170 contributions

Worth the visit - for sure!

Oct 2023 • business

Oh yes - this place is worth the visit. Stopped in on a business lunch. The food was excellent and the atmosphere is unique. Small inside - but add to the charm.

Written November 27, 2023

Meceebee

Michigan458 contributions

Ok, WOW amazing authentic Italian!!

Jul 2022 • business

100% worthy of the 5 star review. Quick service, amazing food and great atmosphere! I had the Chilean Sea Bass and the Butter Cake. All done to perfection.

Written July 16, 2022

MHA306

Northbrook18 contributions

Great Food - Noisy Atmosphere

Sep 2021 • none

For our wedding anniversary, we decided to reprise Hole-In-The-Wall. Due to COVID, they have erected an outside tent for those who want. Dinner in the tent was a 30-minute wait, while inside was no wait (a first for the several times we have been there), so we picked inside - a big mistake As usual, the food was excellent. However for a half-empty restaurant, it was exceedingly difficult to hear each other (perhaps a table at the side by the wall might have been better), and this totally spoiled the evening.

Written September 3, 2021

Flyin Ryan

Toledo202 contributions

Worth the wait.

Dec 2019 • family

Worth the wait. Our family is visiting family in Illinois and we had a free night to go out. We are so glad we picked Francesco’s, we waited about 45 minutes which we were expecting. The place is small but the food was amazing. We all shared Francesco’s salad, and the calamari, octopus and shrimp appetizer. Both delicious. All the dishes were very good and the desserts were amazing. We’ll definitely be back when in town.

Written December 27, 2019

manisfeld

Northbrook297 contributions

Small, noisy but great food

Dec 2019 • none

This terrific restaurant is tiny (hence the name) and seems to fill up soon after it opens at 4:00, and no reservations are taken. Seems that "seating" is in about 90minute rotations. There is very little space to wait, but waiting for a seat is well worth it. Food, from a menu hung on the wall, is absolutely superb. Great atmosphere

Written December 22, 2019

Betischendorf

Libertyville45 contributions

Worth the Wait

Dec 2019 • couples

This is a small Italian restaurant that has great food, great service and a great ambiance. We had to wait a while for a table, they don’t take reservations, but it was worth it. They didn’t rush us even though people were waiting. Check it out.

Written December 12, 2019