Fresco at the Gardens

I have been to the gardens before, but never went to Fresco at the Gardens and decided to give it a try. The building is beautiful overlooking the gardens, and the food is delicious and well seasoned. The service is friendly and not too slow. Overall, the food can get pricey, but the atmosphere and view makes it well worth the cost.

Great ambiance, excellent location as it's part of the Anderson Japanese Garden. Both indoor and outdoor seating available. Menu covers a variof food. Experienced chef. Cheerful staff. Must include the restaurant while visiting the garden .

What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. We ate near the fire place at about 1pm. It was not crowded. Service was great, food came quickly, and the views were peaceful. Food was flavorful and perfectly prepared. A great place to meet family or friends.

Although you can, I wouldn't wear jeans and t-shirt to this restaurant. I would dress a little nicer. It's not absolutely necessary but it is one of those places where you can put on your heels for a nice day date. I sat on the patio which was very beautiful. Very nice greenery. We're vegan so Mr Man had a Portobello burger while I had waffles no yogurt toppings and potatoes (I'm sure the waffles are not vegan but it was the best that I can do on this new journey of mine). We were both very happy with our meals. If you are vegan they do not have a lot of vegan options but what we had was very satisfying. If you don't have any dietary limitations you will really enjoy lots of things at this restaurant.

After a very long Thursday I walked into Fresco’s this Friday afternoon and was greeted by very friendly staff. I sat down and had a delicious blackberry mimosa with Lime, it gave it such a zesty touch, I would definitely Recommend it. I than had the “Crab Cake Sandwich” with the house Fresco Salad , the sandwich was fresh, tasty and overall delicious and the salad complimented it very very well. Observing the staff, I saw the manger help the barista, which was nice to see. The staff also all helps each other and does their best to ensure a pleasant experience, I will definitely be back again.

Lovely place for Sunday brunch. Great food and wonderful coffee. Afterwards, a walk through the garden is a delight!

Great breakfast and amazing loaded Bloody Mary. We made reservations the night before, had no wait time and were greeted with a smile. The menu isn’t overloaded with options and everything we ordered came out perfect. Home made sausage patties, crisp bacon and the French toast was hot. Will definitely be back.

Had an amazing time for my birthday! Loved the blackberry mimosa tower. Food and service was amazing! I asked to change my reservation for a later time and they were super accommodating. We walked in the gardens afterwards. Super convenient

Great customer service. Loved my steak salad and Pumpkin Spice Latte. The burger with fries were excellent. Would definitely come back.

Full, delicious breakfast with views of the Japanese Gardens. Everything was fresh and well-prepared. Interesting variety of options. Good espresso and fresh juice. Prices are reasonable for us East Coasters; though our hotel concierge called it pricey, the menu was about average for a good brunch spot in D.C. The interior space is bright and airy. We went on an overcast day, about to rain, and the view was still excellent. Check out the gardens afterward.

While the menu isn't large, all of the food is high quality and very delicious. We had the south of the border hash and the steak salad, and they were all very good. The Americano was strong and delicious. The shaken oat milk espresso was alright, a little weaker on the coffee than I like but still wonderful. There's a lot of variety for drinks. Reservations are definitely required, and dressing a little nicer seems to be the norm. The garden entrance is right in front of the entrance of the restaurant. We ate outside, and the view of the garden is lovely. Service was great - we ordered and had good in 30 minutes. Will definitely be coming back.

One of my favorite restaurants in town. I've never had a bad item here. It's a place I like to bring friends because I know it's always going to be good! The views are also wonderful!

Great food to accompany a relaxing day at the Gardens! I had the surf and turf salad, which was two beef and Cajun shrimp sliders, aragula and Roma tomatoes with white Wisconsin cheddar, and a side of truffle Asiago fries, with Stella Artois draft. Everything else on the menu sounded equally good.

We had a wonderful dining experience at Fresco before heading into the Japanese Gardens. The restaurant was definitely busy, so I’m glad we had a reservation, it made everything smooth and stress-free. The food was absolutely delicious, from start to finish. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully plated. The drinks were just as impressive, refreshing and well-crafted. Best of all, everything was reasonably priced, especially considering the quality and location. It was the perfect way to kick off our visit to the gardens. Highly recommend making a reservation if you’re planning to go on a busy day!

We love this place. Came in for lunch yesterday and it's packed. We waited 20-25 mins. Service is great..Food taste good as always but our food is cold not even warm😥😔

Had a great dining experience! The food was delicious, but what really stood out was the service. Our waitress Yoselyn was absolutely amazing—friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. We’ll definitely be back!

Visited the Anderson Japanese Gardens this past Saturday afternoon and found this lovely eatery located in the Garden’s visitors center. The atmosphere is beautiful with window views of parts of the garden that make you feel like you are outdoors. (There is outdoor seating as well) The interior is beautiful, and at the same time casual. The service was excellent, even though it was quite busy. The food was outstanding. We had a Mushroom Swiss Burger with fries and Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce. Both were hot and quite tasty. The burger was cooked to perfection and the fries looked and taste like they were homemade. The eggs were also excellent and the hollandaise sauce was subtle and served on the side. The prices were reasonable for a tourist attraction in Illinois. I highly recommend a visit to both the Gardens and the “Fresco at the Gardens” if you are in the area.

Brunch at Fresco was a win. I had the grilled Cuban panini and coffee—extra points for the fresh cream they brought out. Our server was on it and somehow always knew when my cup needed topping off without hovering. My partner had the South of the Border Hash and The Hulk juice (kale, mint, beet—bright and earthy in a good way). Both were flavorful and felt like something you couldn’t get just anywhere. We didn’t have a reservation but were seated in about five minutes, which gave us a chance to check out the garden-themed shop and wander around the Anderson Gardens lobby. Once we sat down, the views were unreal—huge windows looking out into the trees. It felt peaceful and tucked away, even with the whole restaurant being one open space. Prices were totally fair for the experience. After we ate, we took a walk through the gardens (separate entry), which made the whole morning feel like a little getaway. Definitely a spot I’d come back to.

While at Anderson Gardens make sure you eat at Fresco! The restaurant features a large selection of breakfast and lunch options that make choosing tough, that's a good thing! The chef created menu brings in flavors from all around; chorizo breakfast hash, Asian bowl, bacon burger etc. As this is a Japanese garden, there are some nice tea offerings as well as lots of house pressed juice options. You can even do a juice flight if you can't decide. It is definitely popular, so reservations would be recommended, especially if you have a family group. The place was full on our Saturday visit, yet service was pretty good and the food came out pretty quickly. I will definitely be planning on eating here when we come to see other blooms later in the season.

Food was good, a tad on the expensive side. I got the crab cakes and it was small for a meal so I would add and side next time. Everyone else enjoyed their food. The view was alright from the patio, was able to see some of the garden but not much. Waited a hot second for the server but her vibe and quick services there after made up for any negatives. Would eat here again. The gardens were beautiful, a little crowded at the time we went and very expensive for the price. Would probably not pay $15 again even though I love a good garden, should get free entry with a meal.

Food was delicious. They do reservations on open table. Indoor and outdoor dining. The juices are yummy. The sangria was on point! Lovely experience. I had dirty water glasses but Waiter replaced all glasses immediately. Frittata was firm but not dry Surf and Turf sliders are a must try.

This restaurant is not associated with the gardens but if you're eating here there's a good chance you just took a walk. The food here is not bad. Upscale with enough volume to satisfy most eaters. My surf and turf burger was nicely made, with a good bun and acceptable toppings. The fries were average. Some of them were nice and crunchy but some were not. Service is good. Our waitress was nice and professional but it take almost an hour for our food to come out. Interior atmosphere is very nice with numerous windows and light coming into the space. The seats were kind of uncomfortable. They felt a little too high for the tables. Bathroom was clean. If it were up to me I probably wouldn't eat here twice. I'm more likely to eat at the cracker barrel on 90. But if it's your first time at the gardens and you really can't think of a place to eat the Fresco will probably be just fine.

I enjoyed the salmon BLT for a Sunday brunch. It was good although the fact that it was a wrap vs. between bread was unusual. It would be better if it came accompanied by some other than chips too. Otherwise the service was great and one couldn't ask for a better setting to sit outside and enjoy a meal with good company.

5 star food, 3 star service. Called this morning to make a reservation and and promptly arrived on time. It wasn't so busy, but apparently is a popular place because they said it was empty 30 min ago, but now there were no more spots outside. So we were seated at the far table closest to the door where we had a good view of the juice bar and check in counter. It was close to 15 minutes before someone came to take our drink order. It really looked like either they weren't prepared for the people, or had never done this before. I'm thinking the former. They have a consolidated menu, and things here are pricey, but you're paying for the experience. A good variety of things to choose from, all breakfast/brunch type food. I ordered The Hulk drink, but they didn't have some ingredient that the waitress said they would have to make, and she would let me know later if it was "made". I didn't hear what she said, but isn't all food there 'made' for people to eat? Not sure what happened with that, but my wife got the fresh squeezed OJ and it was tremendous! During our long wait to place the order, I saw the staff hangs out by the juice bar, and one guy was eating a donut from one hand, and pouring chocolate sauce on some other fancy drink with the other. Of course he had to have his mask down to eat the donut, but this all seemed like it shouldn't be up for public display. My Covid senses were activated and I quickly formed a questionable opinion about the front end staff. Now to end on a positive note. The food is AMAZING! I had pork tacos with eggs, and my wife had a made-to-order omelet. All fantastic and prepared beautifully like you would expect a costly meal to be. And it came quick too. I also liked that they let you check out right at the table, so you don't fork your card over and they disappear in the back. Mixed feelings here, but would probably go back and wait for an outside table on the nice day. We've been to the gardens before and they are very nice.

Food was very good, a little pricy. Service was not great, our server barely checked on us or asked if we needed anything. They do change the menu to add new things per season as this was our 3rd time here. The view is also very nice id you sit by the windows.

Very nice ambience and decor. Place was filled with people on a Thursday noon and we were seated pretty quickly. Drinks came soon enough but the food took some time to arrive. I ordered a small freshly squeezed orange juice and it was the perfect size for me. It had very little pulp in it but not too sweet, and very fresh. 5/5 I also ordered a Portobello mushroom burger which was the only veg option available. The burger itself was good, with a lot of veggies. The side salad was a little sweet for me, which I could've done without. Overall, the burger was good as a vegan or vegetarian option. 4/5 The 4 stars are for the good ambience, overall good food (especially the juice). Cons: I reduced 1 star because of the slightly slow service and the sweetness of the salad that came along with my burger. They could also have a few more vegetarian options which would've been nicer to choose from. Overall good place and I would visit again and recommend to others.

A beautiful location with good food and a varied menu. We sat by the window and truly enjoyed our meal. Be sure to check out the specials - we both ordered our meals from the specials and we're very happy with the results. Service was prompt and courteous but not so attentive as to be constantly interrupting our conversation. A great spot for lunch.

Beautiful dining area with great views of the gardens! We came for a little impromptu lunch and we were seated right away. Be careful if you sit next to the windows as the vents make it very very cold. I had the Fresco Breakfast with a half waffle and my mother had the Turkey Club, no arugula, no tomato, no fried egg. I really enjoyed the flavorful bacon, but the sausage was so heavy and greasy that I really didn’t eat it. It doesn’t say it comes with potatoes, but it does and they are very good. The turkey club is actually a hot sandwich, even though it doesn’t say that and turkey clubs should be cold. It was a bit heavy for lunch food as well. The pickle that came with the sandwich was very dry and unappetizing looking, but they are supposed to look like that according to the waiter. I wish the menu was more detailed because I don’t think it accurately depicts what you get. Also, the food is terribly expensive.

Overall, good experience. The potatos were awesome. Eggs were good. Bacon was good. Sausage was good. Pancakes and syrup were subtle in flavor. Steak and eggs were good and cooked as requested.

It's Western food for breakfast and a brunch. The salmon wrap was good. The prices were reasonable. The restaurant has a great view of the garden. Very nice souvenir shop, in Japanese style. I have lived in Japan for over 3 years.

Spontaneous need for food brought my kid and me here. And I am excited to come back. Small menu with breakfast and lunch served all day. Juice fresh pressed in house, and spirits are available. Prices seem reasonable for beverages. Food prices are par for a nicer restaurant, which is unfortunate as a casualty of our economy. Potatoes were crispy outside and tender inside. Everything cooked to perfection. Options for all eating habits from vegetarian to carnivores. Sitting outside is a wonderful experience and escape in nature. 2 breakfast, 1 tea, and a latte was $56.00 + tip.

Overall place is good, but overpriced. My “signature” burger had an overburdened patty, even if it was cooked to medium. But it is convenient to have a restaurant inside of the garden, very good experience. But fruits inside of pineapple is an amazing finding! Also it is very uncommon to find the place with very good tea in the pot, this one has one. Combine it with ice cream and you would have a bright day! As a suggestion - would be nice to have a discounts for the garden visitors or vice versa.

Fresco at the Gardens had very tasty food, but it wasn't worth the price tag. Add the price tag to the dirty silverware and the poor service, equals an okay outing. It's a beautiful location, easy to navigate to the restaurant, but the parking is absolutely horrific. I can't quite shut the door on this business just yet, I have a second visit planned.

Man, I was really hoping to love this place. We were traveling around the area and saw the amazing reviews so stopped in for Saturday brunch. Ambience and service are really great (waitress super super nice and a beautiful fireplace on, high ceilings and view of garden) but price point for the quality just wasn’t worth it imo. Ordered an original Bloody Mary - it was super watery and vinegary with a strange taste (I’ve had so many bloody marys over the years and this was the first one ever i’ve had to send back). I was excited for the eggs Benedict but unfortunately the poached egg was completely cooked through (pic included) and our meals were lukewarm. Big gripe for me when I order an $18 eggs Benedict where the eggs aren’t even poached. Maybe the kitchen/bartender was just having an off day. If I lived in Rockford I may give it another try with other menu options, but I wouldn’t go here if you’re out of town. If you come here for brunch, I’d steer clear of the Bloody Mary and eggs Benedict. I saw burgers and paninis on other tables that looked better.

We have been coming to the Gardens for many years but this was our 1st time eating here. I guess I had higher expectations. We waited over 45 for our food while everyone else around us received theirs and by the time we got our food the restaurant was almost empty already. It is what it is, I was a server for 10 years so I get it. But it wasn’t a good day for our waiter apparently. We asked for more water and crayons and from his facial expressions, it was pretty much an inconvenience. We were there for Almost 2 hours and only saw our waiter three times and that was including to give us our check. The hostess was great though I really appreciate her kindness! My food was OK, It didn’t come out hot or warm at all but my daughter’s food was pretty good. I think we will definitely be back. The environment was great and to sit by the window with a nice view. Just hoping for a little bit better service next time.

Would definitely not recommend this restaurant! Poor quality extremely slow service and I specifically ordered no mayo and after a 45 minute wait didn't send it back since wasn't sure how long it would take to remake. Also the bacon was like rubber obviously NOT cooked. Unfortunately this was a terrible experience and it did not live up to the hype.

They get one star because I was very disappointed to find out they have eliminated the surf n turf sliders and the blackened salmon tacos my two fav dishes !!! Franchescos if you see this message please bring these back !!!! Thanks in advance … ps I’ll leave a review every day until they are placed back on the menu

We had reservations at 1130am we waited over an hour for our table; Donna the manager then sat five of us at a 4 top and added a chair or we could wait. She wouldn’t put two tables together. She was rude, ruined our annual experience. She shouldn’t be in that role. Doesn’t understand the concept of service of an 1130am reservation

I had a lobster roll, it was kind of strange. I would say it’s more of a lobster salad roll. I never had a lobster roll cold, it was advertised to come in a New England roll, but it was more like a ciabatta bread? The bread was cold, the salad was cold. Usually it’s hot lobster with butter and a toasted bun, this was legit a cold salad. If it was listed as lobster SALAD roll then I would not have gotten it. The coffee is delicious though.

We come here regularly and have been for many years. Always had great food & great service, it is one of our favorite places. This last time we came we had to walk out and go somewhere else. We sat for 30 minutes while a waitress went to tables on both sides of us. (There were probably 5 tables filled w people so not very busy yet and wait staff standing around talking to themselves ). My husband went to the hostess and ask for a waitress and was told she'd sent someone over. The waitresses stood looking over at our table and talking then left. After some more time I had decided enough waiting and gathered our things and started leaving. My husband stopped at the hostess area and told her we were not waiting any longer (close to an hour now) her reply was "Ok, sorry" and that was it!😳 We drove to Beloit to a place we had been wanting to try and had a great meal. We sent a letter and it's been 2 weeks going on 3 now and STILL NO RESPONSE. I am completely stunned w this. We've come for many years and will have to think long and hard to come back! 🤯