Chicago, Illinois: Best French Food Restaurants

The last time I went on a Chicago vacation, I made it my mission to try as much of Chicago's culinary delights. As Illinois' most populous city, I knew this was a chance in a lifetime to try food from around the world. I got to try Chicago Hawaiian food, as well as Russian and Thai food.

But my favorite food in Chicago was Chicago's French restaurants.

The French are known to have a fine knack at creating delicious foods that frame the exquisite flavors of their ingredients. And the French restaurants in Chicago definitely live up to this culinary heritage.

In this Chicago restaurant review, I rated Chicago's French restaurants according to the atmosphere of the restaurant, the attentiveness of the wait staff, and the price and taste of their French dishes. The next time you're vacationing in Chicago, try the best French restaurants that the Windy City has to offer. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!

The Top Five French Restaurants in Chicago:

1. Best Chicago French Restaurant: Chez-Joel French Restaurant

1119 W Taylor St
Chicago, IL 60607

This University Village French restaurant was the best French restaurant I found during my Chicago food adventures. The prices on the menu lean toward the more expensive side, but you definitely will not be disappointed by Chez-Joel's authentic French cuisine.

The waiters and hosts at Chez-Joel are friendly, which helped me a lot when trying to decide which hard-to-pronounce French meal to order off of their huge menu. The restaurant itself is cute and the ambiance is great. This is a very romantic restaurant, perfect for dates.

The food itself is beyond compare. Each dish is carefully prepared, and the chef's attentiveness to the meal's French background is obvious when the food arrives at your table. The menu is filled with delicacies, like fresh fish atop vegetables, or turnip soup. My casual references to the food can't even compare to what it tastes like, and I wish I could tell you the exact names of the meals, but they were as fancy and complicated as the food itself.

If you go to any French restaurants in Chicago, pay Chez-Joel a visit first. Just be warned, it may ruin any French food you try afterwards. It's that good!

2. Best Chicago French Restaurant: Icosium Kafe

5200 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60686

(773) 271-5233

If you're looking for a place in Chicago for delicious French crepes, look no further. This Ravens Wood French restaurant was my second favorite place for French food in Chicago. I loved that they let you do take-out, so it's perfect if you want to order French food and eat it in your hotel room or at a nearby park.

The crepes here are delicious. I've had crepes throughout North America, and this ranks as one of my favorites (my other favorite being a tiny restaurant in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada). My favorite crepe is their spinach and cheese crepes, if you're looking for a light meal. Or, if you're like me and love dessert, try their chocolate hazelnut Nutella crepes. It's heavenly.

The service here isn't exactly extraordinary, but its strong point is you can just order and leave. Prices range in the middle of the board, not too expensive but not the cheapest, either. But trust me, you won't be disappointed by Icosium Kafe's French crepes. They are without compare!

3. Best Chicago French Restaurant: Brasserie Jo

59 W Hubbard St
(between Clark St & Dearborn St)
Chicago, IL 60610

(312) 595-0800

Brasserie Jo's French food is delicious and the people here are warm and friendly. The true test? If you can't pronounce a French word, do they simply smile and ignore it, or do they help you learn it? Here, at Brasserie Jo's, they don't make fun of you and will help you pronounce it. I always say that that is a mark of a truly friendly French waiter or waitress. Beyond the people, the restaurant itself is cozy and nice, too.

Food-wise, you won't be disappointed at Brasserie Jo. The menu has a lot of different options, so I would suggest ordering small and getting lots of different dishes, or sharing a couple dishes with friends and family.

There's lots of parking, as well as valet. There's a full bar, and their drinks are great. It's a somewhat classy place, so don't forget to dress up. But don't worry, it's not too dressy and stuffy.

4. Best Chicago Restaurant: Le Lan

749 N Clark St , Chicago , IL , 60610

This River North French restaurant is rather unique and different from Chicago's other French food establishments. Not only do they serve French food, but it's a fusion of French and Asian cuisine (Vietnamese, to be exact). To say the food can be a little strange would be true, and to be honest, it can seem weird. However, it's delicious and one of the more unique French restaurants in the Windy City.

5. Best Chicago Restaurant: Marche

833 W Randolph St , Chicago , IL , 60607

Marche would be higher on the list, except I found their French food a bit in the pricy range and a little more than justified. Of course, that's my personal preference and you may judge them better than I. The food here is good, but not better than any of the above Chicago French restaurants, so I was forced to put them at the bottom of the list. It's a great restaurant and the interior is beautiful with friendly, helpful people.

More of the Best Chicago Restaurants:

Here are a few more Chicago restaurants serving some of Chicago's finest French food. These restaurants are worth a mention, although I didn't have room to include full descriptions like the above French restaurants:

Café Bernard

2100 N Halsted, Chicago, IL, 60614

Red Rooster Wine Bar and Café

Right next to Café Bernard

Bistro Campagne

4518 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625-2103