Franco’s Pasta Cucina

This place may be in the back of a food court but the pasta is good enough to sustain a restaurant. I’m not talking about the salad or the lasagna or the chicken but the pasta. specifically the pasta sauce.

This place is located inside the food court in back left hand corner, which gets pretty busy during lunch time (so time your lunch accordingly).
They make their pasta fresh per order — not actually fresh pasta but I mean it’s not already made and they’re just microwaving it.
I got the gnocchi in Alfredo sauce and linguini with spicy clam sauce. Both dishes were really good. I would have to say the linguini was the better of the two though cause the pasta was nice and al dente and even though it didn’t look like there was any sauce, you def tasted it. The clams didn’t really taste like anything though.
The gnocchi was really yummy too, it had the right texture and the portions is the same amount you’d receive at a restaurant. I added chicken to this order ($ 2.00 extra) but they ended up being cubes of chicken that were sort of dry. I assuming it’s just frozen block chicken. Alfredo sauce was good, not great. A bit too separated for me. But this is me being really critical. Make it a combo and you get salad, a drink, and bread. Not a bad price, it being about $ 10 for a meal.
Overall for food court food it was good. Better than other Italian restaurants I’ve been too, that’s for sure!

Food here is delicious!!!
They prepare everything to order and use home made family recipes.
The shells with Italian sausage was very delicious and you can request the level of spice you can handle. The sauce is so good you will want to use the garlic bread to soak up the sauce!
A must try

This is a must-​have in Irvine. Not kidding, I work nearby and have their pasta at least once per week.

Hey Franco Fans. Francos is opening on Saturday too. Call them for hours. Now you can get your salmon pasta fix on the weekend.

Their pasta is SO GOOD. For a little store in the corner of the food court, they definitely know how to make a good pasta. I’ve tried their salmon bowtie, their chicken pesto, fetticini Alfredo. all were good. The meal comes with a salad, drink, garlic bread, and the entrée. The entrée by itself still comes with the garlic bread. The only thing about their pasta is it might be a bit too oily, but maybe that’s what makes it good.

Lets get down to it. Food was good. Especially for food court food. Problem is this is not the place to go for a quick eat because it is in the food court. waiting 30 – 40 min for food is not convenient when trying to grab food during your lunch break. But if you somehow luck out and manage to be one of the first ones there then this place is amazing. Like the other reviews Pasta is good. But Garlic Bread lacks flavor big time.

The food is fresh but I wish they would add more sauce. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs with little sauce. Also ordered the pink sauce and barley had enough. The side salad was drenched in dressing but overall ok good

To my surprise, my pasta dish did NOT taste like a food court meal (as it is located in a very diverse food court).
I ordered the lemon linguine combo (10 bucks plus some change) that comes with a salad, piece of garlic bread and soda. I did not care too much for the salad, though it has a nice dressing and decent proportion.
The bread was just bread… Nothing special. Almost feel like I could buy it from the store and put it in the oven myself.
But what surprised me the most was my actual pasta (that was generously served… Good portion for the buck!) The chicken was not chewy, and it was extremely tender. Quite flavorful, white meat. The sauce had a delicious zest to it, and was true to white sauce. The pasta was perfectly cooked. In under 8 minutes, my dish was ready and tasted as if it was homemade.

Great food for lunch. Excellent pasta. Owner knows your name and it is made to order. You can get in and out for a quick lunch and plenty of seating in food court or outside.

Not bad at all for food court munchin’!!! I had the Chicken Pesto Pasta combo. It comes with a small salad, garlic bread and drink all totaling around $ 9. The sauce was rich and tasty, the pasta cooked well and the chicken was tender. The salad however could be improved on. It was just regular greens and Italian dressing I believe. The garlic bread though, had me wanting more! Crispy, hot and buttery!
The staff was super friendly and helpful and the food came out quick. They offer daily specials and a wide array of different Italian pasta dishes. I would definitely come back again.

Had the special of the day which was pasta and sausage. It’s nice that they cook it right in front of you. The sauce was light and the pasta was just right.
The sausage was already in the ready to serve keep warm pan so that may have made it a little harder. Nothing special with the sausage.

I met up with a friend for lunch the other day, and we chose Franco’s mainly because my wife recommended it. She apparently ate there at least once a week back when she used to work in the area.
I got the Seashell Pasta with Italian Sausage. The pasta was cooked well and the sausages were really good. The sauce was great as it was, but I wouldn’t mind a little heat if I ever eat this again.
My friend got the Gnocchi Alfredo with Chicken, which was one of the specials that day. The sauce was creamy and delicious. And the texture of the gnocchi was spot on. I love gnocchi, and Franco’s knows how to make it.
Our combos came with salad (which was fine), garlic bread (which was fine), and a soda (which was… refreshing).
Definitely not bad considering it’s in a food court. My only complaint was that the portions were a bit on the small side. If the dishes had about 25% more food, it would have been perfect. But I’m just a fatty that way…

I love Franco’s Pasta! This is one of my favorite places to eat lunch during my work week because they have managed to blow the roof off of my food court meal expectations. Why 4 stars then? Well the food court that it’s located in is pretty awful for atmosphere, unless you really love plastic chairs and a ton of sweaty business people (pretty sure they don’t have AC).
I usually stick to the seashell pasta with spicy sausage, as first recommended by other Unilocalers here. It’s already pretty spicy, but I always add a packet of the chili flakes for good measure.
At around $ 9 for a combo, you’ll get your fair share of delicious pasta, a drink, garlic bread and a salad to curb your hunger pains. The salad is always very fresh, especially for a food court, and I appreciate the additional shavings of carrot on top. Yum.
The girls that work here are a treat as well! I’m definitely a Franco Fan.

Not bad for an Italian joint in a food court! Their orange colored vodka sauce is pretty tasty and infused with tons of garlic which I love :) It could be a tad salty for some but the flavors are there. The garlic bread that comes with the meal is superb too — crunchy but still soft.
The meatballs are pretty good too, so definitely try those out.
I’ll definitely be back here again and would come more often if they were open for dinner. Wish they were :(

Came here during my lunch break like the majority of the customers, didn’t expect it to be in a food court, thought itd be a sit down restaurant. There are a few other places in the court and its kinda of a dinky looking foodcourt. But anyway, came because of the reviews talking about large portions and priced under $ 10. I ordered the linguine combo which was a sea bass and salmon linguine with slightly spicy (not at all) marinera.
Ordered togo over the phone and it was ready by the time I got there. Sat down at one of the many tables and opened my box. Was pretty disappointed at the portion size :(thought there would be more, but I was just really hungry and had greedy eyes.
The food was very delicious, the sauce was amazing, not spicy but hey they have to serve everyone that sauce so not complaining. They give hot chilli packets so all good. A good amount of fish and I was filled up after eating. Like I said, I only had greedy eyes.
Id definitely come back!

Franco’s Pasta Cucina is located in an Irvine Food Court. They have good Italian food here at food court prices. Nothing on their menu is over $ 10. They have both meals and combos. A meal comes with pasta and garlic bread and comes with a cheaper price. The combo comes with a pasta, salad, garlic bread, and a soda. The most expensive thing at Franco’s is the seafood pasta combo at $ 8.35. I used to come here a long time ago when this place was actually owned by the Pasta Nazi, Franco. But, Franco retired. The restaurant is now run by a nice woman. I recently revisited this place and ordered an Rigatoni with Italian Sausage, their special of the day. After I ordered and paid, I stepped away from the registered and watched.
Franco’s Pasta Cucina is no normal food court restaurant. They cook everything to order. They have one stove, or cooking station that is manned by a woman, the owner. As the orders the comes in, she makes the sauce in small little saucepans. She knows her craft well. I could see her adding salt, pepper, marinara sauce, and other secret ingredients to the saucepans in making each order. She knew the exact proportions to add without tasting the sauce. She even had time to say «Hi» to me as I was watching her make the food. She asked me which order was mine, and she cooked it up and personally gave it to me.
I quickly took my food and did what all Unilocalers do. I took photos of it. It was a generous portion of pasta. It came with 2 Italian Sausages. The sauce that she made was perfect. It was just the right amount of spices. I liked it that it had a little spiciness to it. It was a great lunch. The salad was a basic bagged salad with some Italian dressing. But, it seemed like a bargain to add in the salad.
Franco’s Italian Pasta Cucina is a great little food court operation. Their hours are from 10AM to 2:30 PM. They are closed on weekend. I definitely need to come here more. Great food and even better prices!

Since my bad experience, I decided to give this little place another shot. I’ve been back twice and it hasn’t been too bad. I did notice that they do re-​use their sauce pan. Knowing that now, I’m more careful and just explain to them upon ordering that I’m highly allergic to seafood.
My first re-​visit I got spaghetti and meatballs. It was very good and the meatballs were huge. I did need to add a little salt because I thought the sauce was just a little under seasoned but probably just my own taste. For the meatballs, wow– they have a kick! If you’re worried about bad breath for the remainder of the day then skip the meatballs because you’ll be tasting them for hours even after brushing and mouthwash. If you don’t care, they’re worth it but don’t get too close to anyone.
My second re-​visit, I got the shells (substituted rigatoni) and Italian sausage. This one is so far my favorite. Perfect everything! $ 10 for the pasta, garlic bread, small salad, and small drink. Not too shabby.
Again– this is a FOOD COURT. Very similar to the ones you find inside the mall so if you’re looking for a relaxing sit down place, this is not it. I always take my food to go because it’s always so loud and the tables are often not wiped down.

Truly delicious italian food.
I LOVE coming here for lunch during work. Despite it’s less than stellar appearance (located in a foodcourt for surrounding businesses), this place cranks out spectacular italian food day after day. Each dish is made-​to-​order.
If you’re a fan of sausage, I would highly recommend their shells with sausage in spicy marinara.
Warning: The smell of the sauce will fill any room you bring your lunch into! Although it smells delicious… I tend to hide my leftovers away in my desk to avoid any complaints. :)

I came to this area looking for Renzo’s but it was closed so we came here instead!
Food: I got the Seashell + Sasuage and my friend got the Linguini Combo!
In my opinion, the Shells were a bit on the tougher side, but it was still a great meal due to the amount of sausage and solid marinara sauce that went with it.
It comes with a salad which I did not care for, and garlic bread that was just mediocre.
Service: The staff was really nice and you can tell they try really hard in pleasing everybody despite the lunch rush.
Atmosphere: It’s in a food court, so not much to really say, but I did enjoy reading an interview with the chef that was posted on the wall. It added to the overall feel as I got to hear a bit more about who the chef actually was.
Pricing: I’m a bit conflicted to be honest. It’s around $ 9 for that full set of pasta + small salad + bread + drink, which seems pretty good. But when it comes to pasta, I was never a fan of paying that much since it’s so cheap to make.
Overall Opinion: I think this place is solid if you work nearby, but nothing too special to come out of your way to find. It fits the pasta cravings that you might encounter, as well as giving you a good amount of meat. All in all, this place is A-​OK and I wouldn’t mind coming here again to try some of the other pastas.