Bistro Campagne is always consistent The food is always outstanding and the servers are well trained I usually get the Amish chicken with mushroom ragout and onion frites which is excellent, but easily enough food for 2 meals My most recent visit I had the steak frites which was delicious My guests had the cassoulet (also delicious) and the fish stew, which they loved They shared w generous charcuterie board and I had the steak tartare which I love For dessert we had the creme brûlée which was ethereal My only tiny gripe is the bussers consistently appear to rush the dinner, taking cocktail glasses before they're empty and clearing plates before everyone is finished read more

Called Bistro Campagne at 6 PM on a Friday to see if they had a table for two. We were told the earliest reservation was 8:45 PM, so we showed up around 7:30 fully prepared to wait. The restaurant had been recommended several times in Chicago Reddit communities, so I was expecting much more. We walked in and the restaurant was half empty. Bistro Campagne has been around since 1992 -- 34 years. And honestly, it shows. While the patio is cute, I wouldn't describe the interior as "quaint." It felt dated and overdue for a makeover. Maybe 34 years is an impressive run, but after this meal, I'm wondering if it's simply time to retire. The food was even more disappointing. The escargot was the only genuine highlight of the entire meal. The steak tartare was almost comical. What an absolutely measly portion of raw beef. I understand the price of beef has gone up, but picture the size of a regular smashed hamburger patty. That's essentially what you get. And before I could even finish it, the waiter came over and took the plate away. Then came the bizarrely rushed service. We couldn't even have a conversation across the table without being interrupted. The waitress who took our order, along with another employee, repeatedly came over while we were still eating our appetizers, clearly trying to rush us along before the mains arrived. Why? This was a Friday night and the restaurant was half empty. There was absolutely no reason to rush us. A good restaurant knows how to pace a meal. Let people enjoy their appetizers, have a conversation, and then send out the mains. Instead, we felt like we were expected to wolf down our food and get out. And the irony? Despite being interrupted every five minutes while eating the appetizers, the waitress never even checked on us once the mains arrived. We eventually had to flag her down ourselves just to get the check. The steak frites was the first major letdown. The steak itself was tender, I'll give them that, but it was severely under-seasoned and the sauce was completely flavorless. Tender meat doesn't make up for a bad sauce and zero seasoning. The fries were mediocre at best, and the supposed "aioli" tasted like straight Hellmann's. The famous chicken dish was better than the steak, but that's not saying much. It was just okay. From what I could see, it appeared to be essentially one flattened/pressed piece of chicken with a mountain of thin curly fries dumped on top. Nothing about it justified the reputation. And then, to add insult to injury, I passed a Red Hot Ranch on the way home. Honestly, if I could have jumped out of the Uber, walked into Red Hot Ranch, and ordered a burger, I genuinely think I would have had a better meal. Overall, this was one of the most disappointing meals I've had in Chicago in a while. Maybe Bistro Campagne was the shit back in the day. But that was then. Chicago has changed, and there are plenty of restaurants now serving better food, with better service and better value. 34 years is a hell of a run. But after this meal, Bistro Campagne may want to consider calling it a career. Cute patio. Good escargot. That's about where the positives end. Save your time and your money. There are much better places to eat in Chicago. read more

I had been wanting to go here for years and as a lover of French food I was happy to try it out! I am a French food snob tho- They have the most lovely patio and it makes you feel like you are in Europe. We went for my dad's birthday and it was insanely hot, but beautiful out there. I adored the bread and butter service and I loved that it came with three butters- so so good! The Amish chicken was extremely heavy, but a bit cold. Very flavorful. I tried the steak frites and it was decent, but I've had better in other restaurants in the city. My favorite was for salad lyonaisse. It's a warm salad with potatoes, poached egg, frissee and bacon. Genuinely so so good! We also tried the crème brûlée and bread pudding. Both were really good and I do think I would come back in the winter because the food was extremely heavy. To the point where I was actually incredibly nauseous and it was really concerning lol. I think I had too high expectations for this place, but it was still good! I also was just in France for three weeks so I'm a harsh critic and I just like Le Bouchon better whoops read more

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Had the best experience on the patio for their Tuesday special of bottomless mussels. Comes with mussels in a white wine sauce, a fresh baguette, and fries. We paired it with the chenin blanc and it was perfect for a summer Tuesday night. Staff was super friendly and accommodating and the ambiance was absolutely dreamy. read more

Bistro Campagne - Bottomless mussels - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Checked out Bistro Campagne for their restaurant week! The place is very cozy inside, perfect for a winter meal. Our waitress was super attentive and truly knew the menu inside out. Some of the standouts that I would definitely come back for were the French onion soup and steak frites. The gnocchi is definitely unique - I personally really liked it but it may not be for everyone. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't recommend the crème brûlée - maybe I just got unlucky coming in on one of the coldest days of January but I felt like mine wasn't properly warmed up so it kind of had a cottage cheese texture I didn't love to it read more

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A perfect date spot with a great wine list and classic French dishes. Don't skip the bread service as the lemon butter is delicious. The cassoulet provided a great hearty meal. The duck fell right off the bone for a great bite with the bean and sauce base. The gnocchi was a great combination of flavors in one bite. read more

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I don't know how I've missed Bistro Campagne! It's been in Lincoln Square since 2002, and I feel like more people should be talking about this spot! It's so cozy inside - dim lighting and candles on the tables and an old rickety house feel. On a cold winter day like today, I could spend a while here. We started with the bread service - a warm baguette, butter, and garlic. We had the simple salad with basil vinaigrette which was very light and refreshing. We couldn't pass up on the French onion soup - a perfect broth and the fresh herbs on top made it super tasty. For our main courses we had the slagel farms cheeseburger (only the best of the best when it comes to meats) and the gnocchi which was unique, rich, and comforting. We can't wait to come back! Closed on Mondays. read more

Bistro Campagne - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went back to Bistro Campagne and brought 4 more people. Everyone had a fabulous meal and enjoyed themselves. Wonderful food, good service. This truly is a mom approved, no fault place. read more

My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025! Restaurant: 4/50 Month tried: January Favorite dish: Pot de Crème au Chocolate We came here for restaurant week 2025. The restaurant seems quaint and European but is actually much larger than we thought! Looked like a nice patio too worth checking out this summer! The food was pretty classic French food. The onion soup was good as was the trout almondine. My party didn't love the muscles. Dessert was my favorite course - the pot de creme was sublime. Definitely a solid choice if you're in the area with great vibes and a good drink list! read more

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I had never had French food before, but wow, Bistro Champagne was amazing. Everything was so good. The service was great, and our server was super attentive, giving us recommendations based on what we liked. I got the steak frites, and it was hands down the juiciest steak I have ever had. The French onion soup? Unreal. It completely ruined every other French onion soup for me in the best way possible. The bread service was also incredible. It actually reminded me of the bread from my family's hometown in Mexico, which made it even better. Oh, and the macaroni? So good. Super creamy and flavorful without that strong, overpowering cheese taste that some places have. On top of all that, the vibe was perfect. It is dark, cozy, and romantic, which just made the whole experience even better. read more

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When I moved to Lincoln Square in 2006, I so envied people who got to eat in the garden at Bistro Campagne. They had no vegetarian options then, and for a while after, so I thought I never would. Last month at Square Roots, my BF and I stopped to look at the menu and they had veg options! I was excited and we reserved for the next week. Sadly, I still haven't been to the garden. It was a beautiful night, but rain had been in the forecast, so the didn't open the outdoor portion. Nonetheless, I got to have dinner there! The interior is that of cute neighborhood place. Some of the architecture makes it feel almost like it was one the 1st floor of a house. Service was pleasant and attentive. I thought the food was good. The bread was amazing. I had the ratatouille, which was very tasty and came with more bread (carb party!). I hope to check out the garden soon note that I know there will be something on the menu for me. read more

Lovely spot to hold an event! I recently attended a baby shower here and everything was simply lovely. Atmosphere is picturesque. Staff are friendly and attentive. Food was out of this world good! Avocado toast was bright and fresh with a perfectly poached egg. Can't wait to return to try a dinner service. read more

Bistro Campagne - Avocado toast - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Superb! It's hard to find good bouillabaisse and this spot nails it. Everything we ate was top notch, not TOO traditional but never veering too far from French classics. Ambiance A+ and service was excellent! Will be back ASAP! read more

After three years living in Chicago I had no idea of all the really accomplished French Restaurants this city has. I knew the "steakhouse" thing and the "Thai food" thing amongst all of the other cuisines this city offers, but "French" was never on my radar; until last night! My wife felt like having French onion soup, steak tartare and escargot for dinner. Me, being an obedient husband started looking high and low for exactly that. Little did I know that Chicago packs such a wallop with so many top notch French restaurants that I could have mistakenly thought I was on the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) in Paris. That being said: * They make one hell of a London dry gin Martini! On this extremely cold night, it was perfect * French Onion Soup with Brioche crouton, gruyere cheese-it was one of my favorites * Their Steak Tartare was excellent * The Escargots Au Beurre D'Ail Snails with pernod-garlic butter was delicious The service was excellent and the atmosphere, for being in Lincoln Square was very French. I will definitely come here again, but certainly after I try a few more French restaurants Chicago has to offer. read more

After spending hundreds of dollars on dinner in the garden, where they don't take reservations, the manager came over and rudely told us he needed our table because people were starting to line up and asked us to leave. We have just finished our dessert and coffee and we're about to leave anyway He didn't offer us seats at the bar or your normal sort of conversation and he was so crass in the way that he informed us that we were being kicked out of our table. I gave him my feedback on the way out, and he smiled and acted smug.. there are so many wonderful restaurants in Chicago. The service is awful at BC. At the end of the unprofessional, and they had a three dollar operation fee to your check. Just skip it! read more

Get. The. Cheese. Y'all it all was amazing but that cheese platter??? Incredible. This was the king of meal where every other bite we would stop and do a lil dance because it was so delicious. We've been back a few times but this was our first time on their lovely patio area and even though it was really really windy outside their house closed space tampered the elements significantly (and the kind host let us stand out their first and test if we'd like it aaand we did so thank you to them!) Service here goes for a bit more of a traditional French spot so you'll order everything at once and then they'll course it out. Don't expect a whole lot of back and forth with servers in an American diner kinda way- that being said Maud was our server and was so kind, knowledgeable, there if we needed them, and made sure we were taken very good care of. 5/5 we will be back. Final note- the prices lined up perfectly with what we got I felt like we honestly got a deal. read more

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Great cozy neighborhood bistro with classic French fare. We got the french onion soup, escargot, and lyonnaise salad to start and I got the trout and my husband the steak frites for mains. Soup and snails were tasty if not life changing, the lyonnaise salad was great, and the trout was fantastic. Husband enjoyed the steak as well. We were super full so naturally got some sorbet and a chocolate pot de creme to split, both delicious. Service was great and the space is really cool, looks like an old home. We live nearby and would definitely come back read more

Bistro Campagne - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My family and I have a Christmas dinner back in December We have made a tradition to go there every year after we watched a concert next door. We love the restaurant Great atmosphere Great food Great service read more

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Food is great. The appetizers here are to die for. Great place to go with your friends and family. The ambiance inside is nice. Baguette and butter, french onion soup, and steak tartare -. read more

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Food --. Fantastico! Service. -- impeccable. Ambience -- From first bite (Onion Soup) to last, (Creme. Brulee) , we were transported in time ( back 20 years) and space (Paris) Merci par tout. read more

As a returning customer, I recommend Bistro Champagne for an intimate night out. My wife and I especially love the cozy atmosphere and charming service. They offer classic French dishes, but also have some modern fusion and regional French options. I really enjoyed their take on Bourride, a fish stew with black cod, clams and fennel. read more

Restaurant Week Menu Review I attempted to score a reservation ahead of time once I saw their restaurant week menu, but they were fully booked by the time I went to look. For the 2025 restaurant week, the menu was $45 and I found it to be a good value. I decided to come solo on a Friday night a little after 5pm before I headed to a movie in the area. I grabbed a seat towards the end of the bar near the host stand (which was a big mistake, but I'll go into that later in the review). I was very impressed by the cocktail menu. Many French restaurants I've visited in Chicago only have a handful of classic cocktails on their menu (which isn't always a bad thing), but Bistro Champagne clearly put a lot of thought into their offering. I had the French Manhattan and Marooned cocktails. The Marooned was a tiki-style cocktail and was my favorite out of the two. Food Review- French Onion Soup (9/10) Flavorful broth and balanced cheese/bread/broth ratio. Steak Frites (8/10) My steak was cooked to the correct temperature and was tender. The fries were really good. The steak frites weren't the best I've ever had, but slightly above average. Creme Brulee (10/10) Perfect in every way! Service- The service I received from the bartender was very attentive and pleasant. The food courses came out at the appropriate timeframes. As mentioned earlier, I was sitting at the bar near the host stand. I was mainly reading emails and scrolling social media in between courses, but I often overheard the conversations coming from the host and other employees that spent time near that area. The phone was at the host stand and there were many people calling in trying to get reservations. In one instance, It appeared that one diner wanted to try to get a reservation for 1 for their birthday. I was really put off by the tone and conversation the staff was having after the conversation with that potential diner. As someone who has personally dined alone many times, I don't see why the staff found it so weird that this customer wanted to spend their birthday there solo. The customer may be dining alone by choice or may not have someone locally to go to dinner with. I didn't always hear details of the other conversations the staff was having, but the group of 2-3 by the host stand came across very immature and unprofessional in general. Especially in instances after getting off the phone with customers. Bistro Champagne has great food and drinks, but I can't see myself eager to come back anytime soon. I am just thankful that Chicago has other outstanding French restaurants that consistently deliver an excellent dining experience. read more

This beautiful restaurant used to be staple for us pre-Covid. The food was always excellent and the setting and service was really special. Over the years I'm not sure if the management or the chef has changed but we have been really disappointed with the level of food. We had a somewhat bad experience with the food a few years ago but gave them a pass because of the pandemic. We went there again a week ago and after being served a charred burger and stale frites, I am forced to write this review. Our sever was the only saving grace. She was great and I have no complaints about her. read more

Bistro Campagne - Burnt burger - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Have been wanting to try out Bistro Campagne for a few months now and was able to finally try it during Chicago Restaurant Week 2024. For the menu it was actually a very well priced deal on CRW. Large amount of food with delicious flavors and high quality ingredients. So much to the point that we took half of our main courses home and they kept very well in the fridge for the next day. Lovely restaurant and cute atmosphere. Felt like we were back in France. read more

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We had a lovely dining experience with overall satisfying food. We opted for outdoor patio dining on a cool summer night, and the vibe was wonderful. The service was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. We focused on small plates to try a variety of dishes. The highlights were the Steak Tartare, the Chicken Liver Pate, and the French Onion Soup. The escargot had a lighter flavor than expected but was still rich and garlicky. The poached scallop had too many competing flavors and felt like a slight miss. We were quite full by the time we reached the gnocchi, but we still enjoyed its flavor which included hearty vegetables, mushroom, and goat cheese. Overall, it was a very satisfying meal, and we were happy with the variety we got to try out. read more

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This was a nice little bistro on Lincoln Avenue, essentially a single-family dwelling refashioned into a restaurant. Very nice ambiance and decor, and looked much like a neighborhood French Bistro might look. There is an outdoor patio/garden for al fresco dining when the weather co-operates ... we couldn't sit there because of the cold, but it sure was attractive. We started out with drinks (all 4 and 5 star selections from their small but nicely curated wine list), and appetizers of the Cheese Plate (5 stars and a wonderful beginning of five cheeses to go with a small baguette) and Bread & Honey (5 stars although we probably didn't need the bread offering since the cheese plate came with some). This bistro is another dining establishment that has gone to a paid-for bread service where bread used to be pretty much free ... but that said, the bread was very nice. For mains our table of three had the Gnocchi Parisienne (a 2 star offering that took quite nice gnocchi and breaded them lightly ... the breading sort of ruining the whole point of soft pillows); Mussels (a 3 star offering that just wasn't the cleanest of mussels ... too much sand in many of the mussels making for a crunchy mouth feel); and the last had the Croque Madame (a 3 star entree that was nice but unremarkable). For dessert we shared a Pot De Creme (a 4 star serving of chocolate mousse with a nice dollop of flavored whipped cream on top) and a single scoop of sorbet (5 stars and some of the best sorbet we've had in years). All in all a nice evening on Lincoln Avenue. Didn't especially like their music list played in the background, but that is a small quibble. If we return we'll try the onion soup and fish offerings ... some of the more French offerings at the Bistro. read more

We always have a great meal at Bistro Campagne, the ambiance feels like walking into someone's living room and the service is very friendly & relaxed (in a good way) yet attentive. Because it's such an intimate space it's so comforting to eat there. I always get a roast chicken dish of some sort and bottle of wine and I've never been let down. read more

Excellent meal at Bistro! First time dining at Bistro and at a French restaurant - they definitely set the bar high for French restaurants. We booked about a month early for our anniversary so I would recommend booking early. Friendly host and staff greeted us with champagne and anniversary wishes which added a personal touch. Our server was professional, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. We started with the French onion soup (when in.... France?) which was excellent. My boyfriend ordered the steak frites; typical dish although it was cooked well. I ordered the salmon which was probably the best salmon I've ever had dining out. Both filling dishes. The ambiance is romantic and quaint. Their patio space looks beautiful and we both bummed it was cold out otherwise I can definitely see the patio space looking like the place to be in the summer. The restaurant is a little small which made the rooms a bit loud for dining, but every conversation was filled with laughter, clicking glasses, and happy expressions about the food. Overall just a good experience. read more

Bistro Campagne - Salmon - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Got a cozy table for myself right away, friendly staff, escargot & accompanying bread were delicious, and the gnocchi was incredible! Had to take some home to enjoy again later read more

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Great cozy spot for a date. Excellent food with a great outdoor spot in back. Ample parking across the street too!

I found this gem yesterday thanks to an instagram post. It looks like a house turned into a fancy little restaurant. You know how the wood floors make noise, well that's this place. The rooms also have that reinforced doorway that you see in old houses. As soon as you walk in you will see a big bar and tables with white table cloths. You can wear casual clothes or dress up without feeling like you are over or under dressed but you won't see very many people wearing ball caps and jerseys. If you eat here be adventurous. There's so much to try and it's all very good. The customer service was excellent from the hostess who greeted us to the buser who removed our plates. Foie de Volaille was excellent the dab of jelly was a fantastic touch. My friend ordered the steak with bone marrow, it was delectable! I tried a bit of it and was sad I couldn't have the whole thing. Just yum! Please enjoy! read more

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Beautiful ambiance, quaint and makes you feel at home. Great menu, everything sounded delicious. Came here for restaurant week, and I enjoyed myself, but the creamy chocolate dessert was my highlight. read more

They asked for our review on their service, we gave it, they weren't happy. Hey, shitty service at an established restaurant on the northside fine. Don't ask us for a review then get offended at our response. (We left a generous tip.) The bouillabaisse was $48 and not worth it. read more

Cute cozy interior, sweet staff. Had an extensive drink menu (wine, apertifs, digestivs, cocktails, and beer). Got the cornichon martini (great), PEI mussels (ok), salmon (good), steak frites (good), and pain perdu/bread pudding (ok). I had heard rave reviews about this place but sadly wasn't blown away by the food. I'd return for the ambience and to try some of their other drinks and appetizers/sides. Street parking was quite easy in the surrounding area on a Wednesday night, and it's not too far from the Brown Line. read more

Bistro Campagne - Pain Perdu - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My wife and I dined at Bistro Campagne last night in celebration of our wedding anniversary. When we were seated, the manager (owner?) brought us 2 glasses of champagne. Very nice touch. We started with the fromage board. The cheeses and spreads were delicious. My only criticism is we ran out of bread quickly. A bigger baguette or added crackers would have helped us enjoy the spreads more. My wife ordered the salmon and I got the steak frites. I get nervous ordering strip steak as it can be a bit tough but it was very tender and flavorful. The salmon was tasty too. The service was on point. Attentive but not pushy. This place has been on my radar for years. Now I feel bad that we haven't dined there sooner. We will definitely return. read more

RATING: 8.5/10 We came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and it was the perfect meal! This restaurant is a hidden gem and once you walk in, it feels like you're in a cozy cottage in France! We ordered multiple plates to share: -Pain et Miel - BEST BAGUETTE IVE EVER HAD (and I've been to Paris). The various condiments created such unique flavor pairings which I appreciated -Escargot - your standard garlic butter snails, nothing to complain about. -Steak Tartare - STANDOUT DISH--loved the acidity of the sauce -Tartine de Brie Aux Pommes - very interesting textures and flavors but not my personal favorite. -Steak Frites - very standard steak frites--good but nothing special. Overall, a wonderful experience trying authentic French dishes although the pricing was a bit steep for the portions. read more

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Excellent food. Don't let the exterior fool you. When you walk in you realize it's much more than you thought a hidden gem.

Oui! This is a wonderful local French bistro with a very interesting dining spaces (it seems like it may have been in a former single family home?). There's also a front and back patio for al fresco dining. Bistro Campagne is extremely popular so reservations are highly suggested! We've been here many times before but the most recent visit was during Restaurant Week 2023. We started off with a couple of cocktails and the bread with honey and salted butter. From the restaurant week menu, I got the onion soup, trout and chocolate pot de creme. Wow! The soup is always good, and the trout was amazing (never had it before). I had a taste of my husband's chicken and it was a little too salty for my taste (plus all the fried onion strings on top did not help it). Our server was super friendly and all the staff members were very attentive. There is a municipal lot across the street and there's plenty of street and side street parking. Nearest L stop is the Lincoln Square Brown Line stop. read more

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Perfection in every course, from the deceptively basic" salad with a light refreshing basil vinegarette to the creamy gnocchi that manage to be satisfying without overwhelming, and the most magnificent dessert finish, with the creme brulee that was well-balanced without being overly sweet! Of course the ambience and wait staff were something to rave about as well! #chicagorestaurantweek read more

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The most underrated restaurant in Chicago. Been here twice and can't stop talking about it!! First time I went here, I had the trout and my husband had the steak. Both were incredible and easily the best trout I've had. Most recently, I got the chicken and my husband got the veal. We also started with the escargot and all of it was truly so good. The patio in the summer is always so pretty. This would be my top choice for a nice date night in the city. read more

Bistro Campagne - Chicken - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois