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Franciska

4.9
4.9
9 Reviews
$31 to $50
Argentinian
111 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101-4104

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2 people
19:00
Booked 7 times today

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Great for fine wines
  • Good for special occasions
Franciska is a wine bar dedicated to Argentine Bodegón cuisine, a culinary tradition deeply rooted in Spanish and Italian influences brought by immigrants to Buenos Aires at the turn of the century. In our intimate 20-seat space in Portland’s Old Port, we bring people together over thoughtfully crafted dishes made with New England-sourced ingredients and house-made specialties. Our mission is to create a warm, welcoming space where good food, good wine, and good company come together.

Additional information

What 9 people are saying

Franciska reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

9 Reviews
  1. Xavier

    Greater Boston32 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We live close by so we've been walking past it as they've been preparing for the opening and were anxious to try it. We were willing to give some slack since it's brand new and would likely have growing pains. That turned out to be unnecessary. The restaurant looks great. We'd been to both of the location's previous iterations and this is the best yet. Of course, it's small, but that added to the feeling of intimacy and connection. We had conversations with close-by guests at two tables. The noise level was slightly higher than I like it, but we could still easily hear each other across the table. The food was great. We had the very well dressed greens, the bread, a fluke crudo special and empanadas. That was enough to feed two of us. The empanadas were the best I've had in a while. The casing was flaky and crisp and the meat inside was amazing: tender and savory. The pico-like sauce on the side added flavor and was enough for both of us. The fluke was simply prepared with lemon and olive oil. It was so fresh that it needed nothing else. Service was great. Very down to earth, helpful and clearly well versed in the offerings (they had run out of trout, but offered to prepare a similar preparation using the fluke). We shared a bottle of Argentine Malbec that was great, especially with the bread and empanadas. Overall, a great addition to the Middle Street scene. I hope they are successful. We will certainly try to do our part by frequenting them.
    FranciskaResponded 5 days ago
    Hi Xavier, Thank you so much for this thoughtful and generous review—it truly means a lot to us. It's wonderful to know that the space felt warm and intimate to you and that you had a good. We love being part of this neighborhood with so much good food and hospitality around us. We’re looking forward to welcoming you back soon—your presence helps make this place what it is. Warmly, Alex Marchesini Franciska Wine Bar

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  2. Beverly

    Greater Boston21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 11 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Not your usual meat-heavy Argentinian restaurant. Varied and delicious menu. Trout excellent.

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  3. Jessica VIP

    Baltimore1 review

    4.0

    Dined on 10 April 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Interesting wine list, delicious food and a great vibe in a small wine bar. We’ll definitely come back!

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  4. Paul VIP

    New York City5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 6 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This newly opened restaurant is a wonderful addition to the Portland, Maine dining scene. We had a lovely evening at this small, intimate restaurant.

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  5. Jackie

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 4 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went on their second day open and had a great time. The staff couldn’t be kinder! Food was amazing as well. Happy they are in Portland.

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  6. Daniel

    Montreal3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 4 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    For it being only the second night open, we were surprised at how polished and seamless the service and food were. The wine menu is immediately the best in town.

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  7. Serena

    Greater Boston3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 4 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely evening out. The proprietor is friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed talking to him about wines and travels. Space is warm, impeccably clean and inviting. We’ll definitely be back often.

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  8. Scott

    Washington DC12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 4 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Absolutely enjoyed dining here! The food is wonderful and the wine selection is very nice. The owner was our server and he was very friendly and quickly understood our preferences, and we enjoyed chatting with him.

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  9. Meredith VIP

    Baltimore3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 4 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing. New favorite place in Portland!!! So happy to have it

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FAQs

Franciska is rated 4.9 stars by 9 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 7 times today
Google Map for Franciska

111 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101-4104

Additional information

  • Area
    Portland
  • Hours of Operation
    Thu–Sun 16:00–00:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Argentinian, Wine Bar, Contemporary American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
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