The carousel bar? Gorgeous and super cool. The decor and vibe inside? Elegant but not overly fussy. The location? Perfect if you are seeing a show in the theatre district. The Steak Diane? Classic throwback that was exactly as I hoped, absolutely delicious. The croque monsieur croquettes and frites were good. The service? Meh. But they did keep our evening performance time constraint in mind. I want to come back for their happy hour at the bar, which was full of happy-looking patrons. read more

Been walking by this place for a long time and haven't been before as I wanted to do a burger review after seeing them on my buddy's Instagram handle, Windy City Burger Reviews. Same ownership as Taureaux Tavern in the south loop, which I frequent a lot for work lunches, and they have very large portion sizes. Francois Frankie is similar as the burger was big and they gave me tons of fries. A nice vibe in the Loop. Bar wasn't super crowded on a Tuesday night, but a good amount of people dining in. It seemed mostly like a Theater crowd, which makes sense given the close proximity of the Chicago Theaters. Vibe is modern, intimate, and can be casual and dressy with the theater folks. They even had a live jazz band on a Tuesday night before NYE so that was a neat touch. Another neat touch was that the bar rotates slowly like the Space Needle in Seattle. I didn't realize it and I was wondering why the floor was shaking. But that was a fun experience. I didn't care for my Frankie Fashioned as I didn't like the bourbon, but it was well crafted. The Espresso Martini was very good! So overall, cocktails were good. I did not see any happy hour specials so they want this to be more high end. I had the Cochon Volant Cheeseburger. RIP Cochon Volant, which I didn't try before they closed. The burger was very good and it hit the spot. Bun was slightly better than Taureaux as it held together well. Same story tho as it wasn't super fresh. The Wagyu beef patty was good, but it was a little dry. It was slightly overcooked at medium well, but it was still a very good burger. Toppings shine like Taureaux. The bacon and cheese is fantastic. Aioli sauce was solid. I wish the pickle and onions were slightly crispier and had more tang/zest. It was expensive at $30 including the $6 bacon (worth it). Was it worth $30, I don't think so, but if definitely hit the spot and is worth it if you are craving a burger like I was. Fries were crispy, seasoned, and the aioli/ketchup were good. Same exact thing as Taureaux Tavern. Prices are slightly above average for the Loop and Chicago. Overall, I am a fan of both Taureaux Tavern and Francois Frankie. The food is good and hits the spot and the place has good vibes. Definitely a good spot for lunch/dinner in the Loop! read more

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This was a wonderful choice for my fiance and I to have a special occasion dinner! The ambiance is amazing, with starry lights on the ceiling, tufted booths or intimate tables, and of course the carousel bar as the centerpiece of the space. We started with drinks, a French 75 for me and a non alcoholic Belgian beer for him. The bartender was mixing things with flair all evening; at one point I saw him shaking two cocktail shakers at once! The menu is full of classic French dishes; I had the classique steak frites which came with a Bordelaise sauce and herb butter and was cooked perfectly medium rare, and his Amish chicken was tender and lemony. For dessert they brought us a creme brulee, since our reservation had specified the occasion, which was a nice touch. The manager and our waiter were very welcoming and warm. Accessibility notes: not all tables are high tops (yay!); the restrooms are individual occupancy and large enough for a wheelchair; I did notice the brass railing near the steps was slightly wobbly (on the side closer to the host stand). We would definitely return for a classic French food experience in a magical setting! read more

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I came in on a weeknight after work and the place was packed. I was able to get a spot at the bar though. They had live music, which was cool. I ordered the French onion soup and crabcakes, and they were both really good. I was overcharged for a drink, though compared to the price on the menu. read more

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The food was so delicious. Be sure to try the mussels and French onion soup. Our waiter was outstanding and gave us an excellent wine recommendation. The restaurant I'd ADA friendly. read more

Let me start with the service. So impressed with the kindness of people especially when it seems like an outlier these days. Everyone we encountered was great. To calling for reservations to the hostess getting the door for my mom and our waitress, Jennifer. She was amazing! We were seated in the bar area with view of the moving carousel bar and the outdoor patio. In my opinion, we had the best table! We started off with cocktails.i got the aperol spritz and my mom got the rum jungle with banana liqueur. So good! We started off with the bone marrow. We got two giant bones full of marrow with an onion jam and greens. The bones are dog friendly so we brought them home for our pup. For dinner, I got the mussels and frites. My husband got the salmon and my mom got the mushroom pasta with shrimp. The mussels and frites were so good. Loved that the fries were in the mussel sauce. Delicious! My husband's salmon was great. Loved the mushrooms with my mom's homemade pasta. We were celebrating a birthday and received a complementary piece of Nutella bar. Such a nice surprise! It was gobbled up quickly. read more

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Great service. Surprisingly great food because of location. Nice big restaurant. It has all the French bistro favorites and some other unique choices. I am a sucker for an egg salad sandwich. French? Don't think so. The French onion soup was some of the best I've had. I am a French onion soup fanatic. Do you know what they call it in France? "Onion soup." read more

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Came here with a large party to celebrate a friends birthday and the staff was very accommodating. As one of those places that was seen all over socials I had my hesitations about whether the food would live up to the hype. Sadly it didn't exceed expectations. Our waitress was very kind and accommodating with our party. Despite the restaurant being completely empty on a Saturday night, it took a very long time for the kitchen and bar to serve us our food. Appetizers came out and almost immediately the dinner came after. In terms of the food, the espresso martini was the best tasting thing I had all evening. The calamari was pretty good but I was not a fan of the bone marrow and the French onion chip dip barely had any flavor to it. The lobster roll was very dry and the rib dip was also average. read more

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Such a fun spot to have our meal before the ballet with a gabby group of gals! Service was exceptional especially since our large group was all over the place in terms of communication haha The carousel bar wasn't working but was super cool - really loved the decor in here. Normally you'd think a place like this would have mediocre food - NOT AT ALL! Cocktails were inventive and refreshing, the escargot and calamari were so deliciously fresh and seasoned to perfection. The fries are not to be missed with that tasty aioli and my tartare was cut uniformly and flavorful. We also had split desserts - some apply thing that was ridiculously comforting. I truly don't know how I didn't fall asleep at the theatre LOL read more

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Francois Frankie offers a beautiful dining space - love the repurposed carousal - and delicious food. My friend and I ordered the same thing - french onion soup and the beef bourguignon. The french onion soup particularly stood out as fabulous. Of course, the beef bourguignon was also tasty. read more

What a beautiful restaurant! My husband and I went for a quick lunch and cocktails on our anniversary and had a wonderful time! The escargot and lobster roll were some of the best we've ever had. Both full of flavor and seasoned to perfection! The only critique we had was the crème brulee. It was served COLD (fresh out the fridge cold) and had more of a thick pudding texture than the creamy smooth texture you want. It was also topped with a fruit puree that wasn't listed on the menu (that we remembered) and it wasn't the most pleasant. *and we were given a cider that wasn't what we ordered because the menu was listed incorrectly. (Ordered sweet tart cherry and received a spicy pepper jam cider) But that didn't ruin our day at all. Overall we'd absolutely come back to enjoy seafood and a glass of wine! read more

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Early dinner before a show. We got a table at the rear of the dining room which was good as the noise from the bar could be overwhelming if you're close. No foi gras or pate but excellent escargot. Small menu but our choices were both very good (sea bass and crab cakes). Good cocktails and by the glass wines but I found the wine list to be overpriced. Impressive service which would make me want to return. The bar area would make a great cocktail stop after work. read more

This place was lively and great without being too stuffy or pretentious. The rotating bar was really cool and almost gave me motion sickness at one point. Their sazerac drink was delicious, and the steak tartare cheeseburger, and beef bourguignon were really good! The dessert was especially great sweet but crunchy but nutty and with a candle for my birthday. read more

Francois Frankie - Steak tartar was like a steak ceviche and good! The sazarec was delicious-bitter but also tasty! Good old fashioned. - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Why did I not know there was a carousel bar in Chicago?! As soon as I learned about it, I had to check it out. Though it is nowhere near as grand as the Hotel Monteleone's carousel bar in NOLA, it is charming in its own way. It's smaller and rotates slowly, one full rotation per hour, and is very fun. The rest of the restaurant is elegant: very small, but nice. Sadly, I had poor service at the bar, even though it wasn't too crazy when I arrived. My friend and I later moved to a table for dinner, and service was also lackluster, although our server was very nice and we could tell he was swamped. Fortunately, the food made up for it: my friend loved her steak frites and my cheeseburger was fantastic. I will definitely come back here soon. read more

Francois Frankie - Carousel bar - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Solid spot for a team dinner if you have a group of meat lovers. I ordered the bouillabaisse because I wasn't feeling a heavy steak and glad I did. The broth was super flavorful and the grilled sourdough was delicious. The dish had a ton of mussels but had sausage instead of fish so slightly different from the traditional dish. The burrata and Brussel sprout chips were also nice apps. The only odd thing that I'll call out is that they ran out of the chicken dish on the menu. The interior is interesting. You have a carousel on top of the bar mixed in with a modern look with traditional dark steakhouse vibes with the big booths. Service was attentive though as our glasses were always topped off. It was on the emptier side on a Monday night so no issues with reservations. read more

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Overall a bit of a unique place with three separate sections; the actual carousel bar, tables in the same section, then a dining area. Service was very prompt and respectful. Food was outstanding; I highly recommend focusing on the French style dishes. The meat is low fat; top quality. I got a steak. The vegetables were fresh. Our waiter stopped by regularly - but didn't push. Always checking to see how we were doing and if we needed anything. read more

Went just for drinks of a Friday night, and sat in the little "window pit" The server was so super pleasant, and quite funny and attentive. Drinks were excellent, which is really all we had, as well as a calamari appetizer (which was very good) loved the sassy bee (a little spicy which was great, could've been more :) We all tried a bunch of cocktails which were all wonderful. Wanted to sit at the bar, just wasn't enough seats for the four of us, but the carousel was so pretty! Would love to come back for dinner! read more

Francois Frankie - The bar! - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Visited on a Monday evening for dinner to celebrate my birthday. We were seated right away in a nice little corner which allowed us some privacy. It was a nice looking restaurant with dim lighting and gave it a more grown and sexy vibe. We were given waters and menus to look over. I ordered a French 75 and he ordered a beer on tap. The menu looked really good, but unfortunately I wasn't too hungry so we order calamari for an appetizer. I then ordered a Caesar salad with light cheese as my entrée and he order the lobster roll with smashed potatoes. The appetizer came out as a nice portion. The calamari was crispy and flavorful and we enjoyed. Entrees came next. My salad was the perfect portion for me as I was continuing to enjoy the calamari. My husband enjoyed his lobster roll and mentioned that it had a good portion of lobster and not just a little and the flavor was good. Smashed potatoes were pretty good too. We were also given complimentary champagne to celebrate my birthday. Overall this was a great experience with great food, service, and ambiance. read more

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Technically 2.5+ stars, but 3 seems a little generous. The three tvs on the wall aren't helping the upscale bistro atmosphere they seem to be going for. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail were well cooked and presented, though a little smaller than some of the other Frenchy bistros in town. Also, the cocktail sauce was rather too salsa-like in consistency and could have had more flavor. The frites with the mussels and frites had a reheated texture to them. The mussels were fine, but were, again, smaller than those at the other bistros in town. The broth was a little spicy for my taste, but they did advertise "Espelette pepper", so I guess that's on me. The presentation was a little wonky though in that the frites are just piled alongside in the same bowl as the mussels; so you're in luck if like a bunch of broth-soaked frites at the bottom. Add to this, a watered down drink and getting the wrong bill, and Mon Ami Gabi is starting to look great in comparison. read more

The service was absolutely great, I made a reservation for my friends birthday , and they took such great care of us. The environment was nice calm and it felt intimate. Food was amazing , the birthday girl still talks about the food especially that French onion soup and already wants to come back . Highly recommend giving this place a try! read more

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Lunch with colleagues with a reservation made before. Easy atmosphere for conversation and a nice variety on the menu to choose from. Service was a bit slow and a drink order didn't come out until after the appetizer, but it could have been due to the lunch rush. Everyone loved their food and the cookie skillet is a must have. read more

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This is one of my go-to spots before heading to the theaters! The food is always outstanding and I love the atmosphere. If you get a chance, sit at the carousel bar - it (very slowly) rotates! read more

Francois Frankie - Mussels & frites - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely the rotating bar, the staff was such a vibe!!! The drinks were on point and staff was welcoming. I strolled in here just from the outside view I was intrigued. The carousel bar is amazing! I came for the drinks but stayed for the food. read more

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Had the best time at this unique bar. Mauricio and company were fantastic. Great cocktails, conversation, and ambience. Excellent whiskey selection as well. Lots of birthday celebrations going on tonight added to the joyous atmosphere. This is likely one of two carousel bars in the whole country. If you're looking for memorable night out or an impressive date night, this is your spot. read more

Francois Frankie - Bar - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Service and drinks were great. We went before dinner had an app and cocktails and lived the bar moving. We went around almost one full time. Takes about an hour to go around. It's moving slow but super cute in the middle of the city. read more

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After passing Francois Frankie many times we finally stopped in for dinner. The dining room has an old Parisian feel to it. The staff was friendly and efficient. We were there on a Monday night and the restaurant as a whole probably only had 15 people in it. We started with an order of the croquettes. The order came with three and were plated very nicely. We agreed we'd order them again. My husband had the steak and frites. I had a bit of the steak and it was very good. I ordered the mussels and frites. It was all good. The frites come with ketchup and mayo. We were full so we opted to not order dessert but there were many tempting options. Over all it was a good experience. The bill wasn't bad but put the restaurant in the special night out category. read more

Nice ambiance. Carousel bar seems festive. Service acceptable. Food satisfactory if you are going here due to proximity to theatre district. We are so spoiled by the great restaurants available here in the city that this pales in comparison in my opinion. Come here for drinks but skip the food imo. read more

Don't waste your time or money. Great ambience, BUT the food is overpriced and subpar. Ordered calamari and got maybe 5 pieces as it was bizarrely mixed with other fried foods you wouldn't want to eat like lemons and jalapenos. Ordered mussels and got a pile of French fries, MAYBE 10 mussels and a tablespoon of sauce... It was inedible. Everything else we got was just fine, not great, fine...but we could have gotten all of it somewhere else for half the price. We won't return. read more

Tried the braised short rib and it was fantastic. Didn't need the knife to cut it, came out hot and tasted delicious. Got a glass of red which was a great pairing. Ambiance was nice, a place you could dress nicely for, or casually for. Definitely would recommend! read more

Francois Frankie - Braised short rib - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here with a group of 8, which can be difficult for a restaurant to handle, but the service was excellent. I swear my water glass never hit halfway because they were constantly filling it! Same with the wine. We ordered a couple bottles for the table and when our glasses got low they immediately filled them back up. For appetizers we got the burrata and the crispy Brussels sprouts. The Brussels sprouts were one of the best things I've ever eaten. They almost melted in your mouth! For my entree I got the salmon and this is where they lost a star. The salmon was delicious, but I originally ordered the Amish chicken and was informed they only had one chicken left and it had already been ordered by another person in my party. This just seemed really strange since it was 6pm in the evening. How do they only have 1 chicken at dinner time? Overall I would definitely return here when I find myself in Chicago! read more

Great spot. We ate here on a Monday night (group of 8). There was lots of availability. The food was delicious and our sever was excellent! They regularly topped up our drinks and were super attentive. Gender neutral bathrooms available. read more

Francois Frankie - Amish Chicken - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very disappointing visit. Being by myself I decided to have dinner at the bar. Service at the bar was extremely slow, bartender never asked if I wanted a second drink. Food was rather bland and bartender never stopped back to see how my meal was, if I needed anything else. Had to stop gentleman clearing tables for salt and pepper. Was looking forward to a nice dinner and this wasn't it. Reall made me miss the restaurant in the Sonesta even more. read more

I came here right before the kitchen closed. I was seated and not rushed. We had a very attentive waiter Grant who informed us of specials and great plates. The food was so fresh even for a late dinner. I would have gotten dessert but opted out THIS TIME. The ambiance in there was very chic. I hear they play music on Tuesday so I WILL definitely come back. Again I didn't feel rushed to order or to leave I loved that! I love it my name is Franke and they call me Francois I wanted to hock the plate so bad but didn't lol! read more

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My very first taste at restaurant week this year . It was a nicely curated three course meal( but do keep in mind that the steak is a small 5 oz size as it is for a Lunch set ) Me and my friend picked the Brussels sprouts crisp, the onion soup, both ordered the steak frites and tried the chocolate mousse and banana eclair! ( both so delicious:) ) I think it is a steal for the price of $25 ! Though still not as good as the price in Paris, but definitely good enough for Chicago! read more

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I had high expectations for this place after all the raving reviews about the food and service, however it fell very flat to me. I usually don't give such low ratings to establishments, but the service here really drove it down. My friend and I came in for lunch and were seated quickly. Our server was We ordered our drinks and appetizers. I really enjoyed the onion soup, and it was a great starter to my meal. I also had the steak frites, and the steak was cooked well! However the fries were so-so. The reason I'm giving such a low rating is because of the next part. My friend and I both ordered the same drink, however hers tasted much stronger than mine? I found the inconsistency to be surprising. We brought this up to our server, and she began to give us an attitude...we didn't even ask for it to go back or whatever, it was just something we wanted to share. I was gonna proceed to just drink my friend's drink if anything. Our server then just took my friend's drink back and went to the bar to make the drink. I had a full view of the bar from my seat, and I saw her shooting dirty looks at our table while conversing with her co-worker!! The drink was then brought back to my friend, and it was much better. After witnessing how her mood changed and how she acted, it just dampened our experience. The dessert we had totally factored into that too -- as it was so underwhelming, and the flavor was lacking. After this experience, we would not recommend or return. read more

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Stopped into Francois Frankie pre theater. Glad to have found a couple seats at the lovely Carousel Bar. The bartenders were hospitable and the drinks were very good. The carousel moves ever so slowly but yes it does move. Really great place to stop for a drink. Can't wait to go back for dinner. read more

The food was terrible, the prices were high, and the server was extremely loud! It was a bad experience.

Had a date night here and everything we ordered was delicious! Escargot had amazing flavor. Fresh east coast oysters. Hot and super cheesy French onion soup. And deliciously seasoned and cooked steak frites (which heated well for leftovers)! Drinks were the Frankie Fashioned and Francois goes to Hollywood. Wasn't a fan of the Hollywood drink, it was like a super sweet aperol spritz. I did try a glass of the NZ Sav Blanc which was fruity and refreshing! Also, the carousel doesn't move. We were there for 2ish hours and it doesn't move. A little disappointing but it's a cute bar. read more

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The atmosphere here is tops. The rotating carousel bar is a cool centerpiece whether you're sitting there or not. The food was totally fine and our server was good. However, the male host and the woman, who seemed like some kind of manager, were so rude that it was off putting. If my friends weren't already sitting, I would have left. They seemed angry that I was asking for a table but didn't communicate any reason why that was so inconvenient for them. It was very, very weird. It definitely put me off coming back here. read more

I came because of a review I saw saying it was the "best burger". This was absolutely not even close. I paid for the $6 thick cut bacon to be added and was given the most disgusting lard sandwich in return. The bacon fat was not rendered, especially in the middle. This led to every bite being filled with pure, cold fat and it coated my mouth in a vile film and taste. I couldn't even tell how the burger was supposed to taste as the lard was so overwhelming. My boyfriend told me that his was very bland and unseasoned so I am assuming mine was too. The only good thing was the cook on the fries, as they were very nice and golden and had a crispy outside and a fluffy center. They did end up extremely over salting them which ruined the entire item. They should maybe use the extra salt on the fries and put it in the burger instead. I did my best to eat all of the burger as I didn't want to waste $30 on a burger... and in total we wasted around $75 on absolute garbage. I felt very ill afterwards for a few days and filled with regret that I got the bacon. It is unfortunate as the restaurant was very modern and had a gorgeous atmosphere, the service was superb, but their food was a disaster. read more