Franco’s Italian Restaurant

Not Even Pica Can Excuse a Second Visit to This Place.
Charmless atmosphere.
Adequate but not attentive servers.
Forgot the included garlic bread.
Twice.
Dismal salad: Preplated and refrigerated in house. For days, judging by the Limp Rating.
Pizza crust: Poppin Unfresh, Unseasoned and only partially baked.
Spaghetti: Reheated pasta with a ladle of terrifically underwhelming chunky sauce.
Chicken parmigiana: Prefried poorly trimmed (fatty with tendons) chicken patty with a (sing it with me) Ladle of Terrifically Underwhelming Chunky Sauce.
Pizza/​Parm Cheese: Old, previously frozen. That’s why it melts into clotted strings instead of melting and blending into a lovely buttery mass.
Sanitary Practices: Baked-​on gunk on both knives and a fork.
Carry me back to old Portabella.
On Highway 59.
In Foley.
I’d have pasta and pizza from Domino’s before I’d go through this experience again.

Fantastic food and great service — I really enjoyed the friendly staff, home made tasting food, and the quick service. If you are in the mood for delicious Italian food in Pensacola, I recommend!

This Italian restaurant was off the chain! I was craving some spaghetti and meatballs and this did not disappoint! I would have taken a picture but I ate it so fast because it was so amazing!
Don’t let the antiquated ambiance or empty parking lot turn you away! Franco’s is the place!!!

This is the worst «Italian» restaurant I’ve ever been to. The baked ziti I ordered has the look and texture of a stouffers frozen dinner; unfortunately it did not have the same taste. It was terrible. It didn’t feel baked at all, very soggy. The red sauce was horrendous. The only decent thing I ate was the two pieces of garlic bread I had.
As for the service, it was alright. I felt rushed to order, as the waitress asked what I wanted to eat before I even ordered a drink and it wasn’t busy at all.
It boggles my mind that this place is able to stay open when it is flanked by outback and Mcguire’s (especially Mcguire’s, similarly priced and the food is beyond compare). Will not return and will definitely advise everyone I know to visit any of the other (better) Italian places in town.

My family ate here before going to a show at the Saenger. No, the atmosphere isn’t «upscale» but I liked it because it had a homey retro feel to it. Our orders included chicken parm, eggplant parmesan, shrimp parmesan and pizza. We enjoyed all of our dishes but you may not if you don’t like lots of cheese and red sauce. The shrimp were large, fresh and delicious. Get the house Italian dressing, it’s delicious. We can’t wait to go back and try more of the seafood dishes!

My 1^st time eating here and I was not impressed. I ordered chicken/​shrimp Alfredo and seemed as if they’re serving frozen dinner. Not seasoned w/​garlic & herb or olive oil tastes like just salt. The side salad that comes with it is PATHETIC, looks like it’s from a bag (only had 1 cucumber slice, 1 tomato wedge :-(
I’m not going back.

I ordered the chicken Alfredo and the chicken tasted like frozen grilled chicken strips you buy at Walmart. The Alfredo sauce was bland and mediocre at best. My stepfather ordered the grouper and he said it was excellent along with the house italian salad dressing. The French bread was great but overall I will not be back. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was casual and relaxed.

Outstanding food and service reminds me of the good old days when people cared. I can not wait to come back again

Very, very disappointed! Expensive, greasy, nothing like italian food. i lived in Italy for a decade. sad to say olive garden is better than this and I hate olive garden. the smell in the restaurant was disgusting! I am sorry I’m leaving this review, im not a hater, but this was absolutely terrible.

So the atmosphere of this place isn’t as fancy as I was expecting, but it was cozy for sure.
The sweet tea was delectable, and the water didn’t taste like butt.
We had the fried calamari as an appetizer. It was plain and clean and had no frills. It was perfectly breaded, seasoned just right rings with some cocktail sauce to dip them in.
We shared two main entrées. First we dug into the main sampler. There was lasagna, ravioli, spaghetti with a meatball, eggplant parmigiano, a couple manicotti, a link of sausage, and some other stuff that looks like penne stacked up in a square.
It was a ton of stuff, that was on an arguably too small plate, but each thing had it’s own unique flavor that was honestly some of the best I’ve ever had.
The second thing we shared was a linguine of seafood. Shrimps, scallops, clams, and mussels with some lightly sauced noodle. Delish. Every tasted super fresh. Also, the garlic bread and the salad dressing was super on point.
Go here.

If you don’t like this place I’m assuming you think Olive Garden is «real Italian food.»
I remember when it was previously Marchello’s by NAS. The building isn’t fancy but the food is amazing. (Most restaurants care more about the décor than the actual food quality these days.).
The lasagna is to die for!

I was looking for real Italian food and this was the place to get it. The service was fast and attentive. I particularly enjoyed the spaghetti and meat balls. The sauce was homemade and I was glad it wasn’t real spicey. The meatballs very tender. The pizzas arrived quickly and hot. They didn’t last long at our table. Very friendly atmosphere. While we there, the host greeted lots of regular customers. If I lived near here, I would definitely be a regular customer. You should go there!

Favorite Italian lunch spot. Not for all those national chain Olive Garden/​McDonalds loving people. Inside could use a update but food is good, service is good, and they respect your time during lunch. I enjoy taking people there for a business lunch.

I love Franco’s! This my favorite Italian restaurant in the area. The owner is from Italy and everything is handmade by him! (With the exception of deserts) I have been to Italy myself and this place is definitely authentic Italian. Everything I have ever gotten here has been delicious. I also love the atmosphere and the service. If you want a good meal, go to Franco’s!

We went there for Mothers Day after Church. Only because everywhere else was packed out. It wasn’t bad, but they definitely need some updating on the inside and outside of the building. The food was above decent, but the building is whats earning my low score

Food is consistent, which is half the battle with most restaurants. The interior could use a bit of an update but the food is good. Franco, the owner is a very nice man who cares about his customers. We will be back.

This restaurant was a childhood favorite in its previous incarnation as Marchello’s. Most of the pastas are the same, and even though the pizza is different it is interesting, and not a bad choice on a Sunday when many places are closed.

Definitely not a place to go for a great lunch experience. The place has a very grubby atmosphere and the meals you can heat up in the microwave taste better than what is served here. Plenty of other restaurants in the area that would be a better choice, for example McDonalds… and I am certainly not a big fan of that place .
However, our server was pleasant & the manager with the huge mustache did a good job of interacting with customers, asking how their meal was. The restrooms were decently clean, which was a huge surprise, and the Dt Pepsi was cold. Other than that, no real redeeming qualities .
Would not return.

All Italians should come from the motherland and burn this joint down. They open up a can of Chef Boyardee, heat it up in the microwave, and then charge you $ 12 for it. totally disgusting. I dont know how this place stays open.

Is there a way to give 0 stars? This (dog) food they served can’t even be considered Italian food. It was absolute horse shit! It was disgusting and uneatable. I had the eggplant parm and my wife has the lasagna. The only reason we didn’t send it back or demand a refund was because we were there as guests at a dinner party. We stopped eating after 3 bites, politely asked for a to-​go box and threw the Rest away as soon as we left the restaurant. Both dishes were repulsive. They even managed to have their side dish of spaghetti taste worse than the main dish. How is that possible? Chef-​Boy-​ardee covered in dog poop probably would have tasted better. Stay away.