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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Came here to check out the carousel bar after seeing it on social media - unfortunately it wasn't moving when we went and my initial interest wore off quickly. Food was great and better than expected! We ordered the Grand Frankie and Frankie Teenie cocktails. I really enjoyed the Grand Frankie but the Frankie Teenie was a miss and extremely weak and watered down. For food we ordered the Calamari to start which was great with crisp squid pieces along with battered lemon and jalapeño slices. the Saffron Bouillabaisse (super yummy with a good amount of seafood and served with crusty buttered bread) and Steak Sandwich (alright but nothing special). Service was good and went very smooth. May come back if we're in the area but hopefully next time the carousel is rotating! read more

Francois Frankie - Saffron Bouillabaisse - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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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

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

I've been many times up here .I discovered it last year when I had to go to Moulin rouge with a couple of friends and I book it for dinner since was in the area of the Theatre. Had my bridal shower there last summer and went there for lunches and dinner with my girls . The last time that I was there was for lunch for the Chicago restaurant week this year . It's a very romantic ambiance and the bar is into a carousel which make this place very unique. The staff it's very nice,professional,caring and helpful about the choices of dishes. I love that when you want to have Moët champagne they give you the small bottles that are served in proper coupe glasses.If you are an Old Fashion lover like me :) this is the spot.Most of the cocktails that we try there are very good. The food it's exquisite and everything that I try there it's very tasty and good. The French fries ,crispy calamari and crispy brussels sprouts chips are the perfect choice as a starter/sharing plates. Love the salmon with spinach, the filet mignon and burger are very tasty and good. The chocolate cake it's a must to end the lunch or dinner if you are a chocolate lover.The banana eclair doesn't go wrong either. Can't wait to go back again. read more

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We walked by this place a bunch and would lovingly refer to it as the carousel bar. Finally stopped in for lunch, and it was one of the best meals we had in Chicago. We honestly didn't realize the bar actually spun until like 15 minutes in, so that was a fun surprise. Get the thick cut bacon appetizer. Just do it. Some of the best bacon I've ever had. We were doing burgers for dinner, so I went with the French dip steak sandwich, which was perfect in every way. Also way more food than I needed, but hey, I was on vacation. Great selection of whiskeys, rums, and everything else. Had a really good spritz as well. Bartender was great and had some good recommendations. Lots of TVs on the wall if you're into sports. read more

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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

Loved every food I tried at this place! Really want to try other menus next time. The environment was also cozy and nice. The server was very attentive. read more

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Good place to grab drinks after work or meet up with friends! There is limited outdoor seating, but indoors is pretty spacious! It looks and feels upscale, but it hives very relaxed vibes. There is a good mix of low and high tables, and seating by the bar. The bar area also has plenty of TVs if you're following a game. My friend and I ordered the same things and had no complaints. We got the Sassy Bee which has a good smoky flavor from the mezcal. We also ordered the French Onion Soup which was just what you'd expect. Overall, I would go back for the cocktails and atmosphere. read more

Francois Frankie - Sassy Bee - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here during restaurant week, and it was great. It was a Monday night, and it wasn't crowded at all. The interior is swanky and romantic, so this is the perfect date night spot. I started with the French onion soup which was the highlight of the night. It was also huge, so that by the time the rest of my meal came, I couldn't eat it! (The left overs were delicious, don't worry.) I also really enjoyed the steak frites and mouse cake. Service was great too! Def check it out. read more

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

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Our daughter brought us here for lunch while visiting in Chicago. She said she's never been here and wanted to try the carousel bar. I don't drink but think my family liked the whatever drinks they ordered. We shared Brussels sprouts, steak tartare, fried calamari and turkey club. I liked the taste of crispy Brussels sprouts but didn't care for fried calamari. It was all batter and greasy. The rest of the food was okay. The service was great. read more

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The bartender Mauricio was simply amazing!!! Such a wonderful experience for a birthday dinner! Thank you so much to you and the other bartender . The food was incredible , the vibes and the service A++++++! read more

Francois Frankie - Old fashioned - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great steak frites, service and cocktails. Loved the Gibson martini. Sit at the bar for the rotating carousel Bartender Hugo was very nice and made amazing drinks As a local I'll be back read more

Lovely restaurant with a carousel bar inside! Reminds me of New Orleans except I don't think they specialize in Cajun food. Went for restaurant week located in the Chicago loop. It's got a dark ambiance, great cocktail list (I'm pregnant so I didn't have any :\ ), the service was really great. Our starter the Brussels sprouts were not great, I love grilled, crispy sprouts but they were served in a cute little bouquet thing but they were like shredded or something. It was literally like eating seaweed - no flavor at all. Second course was the salad, no complaints can't ever go wrong there. The French onion soup is supposed to be there hot ticket dish. I enjoyed it but it needed more broth all I could taste was the bread. I like FOS but this needed more soup less bread apparently people love it. It was also very, very cheesy. My friend ordered a vegetarian soup for CRW now that was amazing! I ordered the salmon and my friend has the truffle gnocchi was incredible. My salmon wasn't moist but it was good. The spinach did it for me, and made up for the sprouts. I loved the banana eclair, probably could have even added caramel sauce to it. Overall, of course I'll be back great vibes, nice music, really pretty and can't wait to try other things. read more

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Saw yelp review and visited THAT same day. Beyond extraordinary boutique filled with the fashionable and the fun!

Service was very good and the ambience is also nice. I had the cauliflower risotto and greens salad, both large plates and good. Warning, the risotto has an impressive amount of butter and cheese And for dessert I ordered the raspberry roll which is really a warm pastry and didn't like it much. Overall a nice meal. read more

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I reached out to the Francois Frankies team while exploring unique wedding venues after being captivated by their carousel bar during a trip to Chicago. Reaching out to them was one of the best decisions I've ever made! CJ (Carole), is one of the most passionate and dedicated event coordinators I've ever worked with. As someone working in the hospitality industry myself and having collaborated with hundreds of vendors, I can confidently say that CJ and her chef team at Frankie's elevate hospitality, culinary artistry, and ambiance to an entirely new level. I shared some Pinterest board images with the team before our tour, and I was absolutely amazed and thrilled to see that they brought every vision I had to life--and then some! They even came up with additional ideas to make our wedding an unforgettable experience for our guests. Having worked with many hospitality groups, I cannot praise CJ and the chef at Francois Frankie enough for going above and beyond to make us feel like family and royalty. I eagerly look forward to my next trip to Chicago to enjoy an amazing craft cocktail and a delicious plate at Francois Frankies! read more

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I can't wait to return to this restaurant. I had the absolute best ribeye ever at this spot. I went on a weekday. Our reservations were for 6:15, so I thought we'd have enough time for our 7:30 show. We were on time and seated immediately, but service was slow. They were not crowded either. I was pleasantly surprised to walk into a DJ playing deep house. It wasn't too loud and the music genre changed gradually over the 70 minutes we were there. They have a cool carousel bar, but it was not rotating when we were there. My friend and I enjoyed everything. She had the potato leek soup and Amish chicken. I didn't care for the chicken. It was baked to perfection, but too bland for my palate. I had the ribeye, which was phenomenal! The quality was great and I asked for medium and it was prepared perfectly. I frequently order steak at places where the expectation of a medium steak should be just that, medium. It's usually medium-well, sometimes well! Not only was the ribeye cooked to perfection but the seasoning was on point. The fries were really good, crisp and delicious. Our drinks were delicious. The service could have been better. The waiter was condescending when I asked about cocktail ingredients. I ordered a side of asparagus that did not come, nor was it mentioned, but it wasn't on the bill. There was a 3.5% service charge on the bill. When I asked why it was there, I was briskly told the city allowed it so that they could keep their doors open. I would have preferred to pay more for my food or drinks because the prices were very competitive. The food quality, atmosphere, and great drinks made up for the service. Plus it is literally around the corner from Cadillac Palace Theater. read more

Went here for an after-work date night with my wife and we had a pretty good time! I wasn't wowed by any part of the experience, but it was still a nice dinner. We made reservations for an earlier dinner and the place wasn't too busy around 5:30pm on a weekday, but it started to fill up. The space is nicely decorated and I really enjoyed the carousel bar as well as the string lights towards the back of the restaurant where we sat. It has an upscale and swanky vibe with the marble, velvet, leather, and gold accents around. After being seated, we took a look at the menu and I opted for the Amish Chicken and my wife wanted a Caesar Salad with chicken. We also got dessert - a skillet cookie and a raspberry roll. While we waited, I noticed the space was quite lively and loud, so it was a bit hard to hear my partner. It was a bit of a wait for the food, but not too long. Both dishes were plated wonderfully and looked great. One issue we had was my wife asked for dressing on the side but it came with it on. No biggie, but not ideal. Our waiter was able to fix it promptly which we appreciated. Lastly, the desserts! Both were tasty - again, nothing spectacular but enjoyable. Overall, I thought things were a little overpriced, but it's downtown Chicago so what are you going to do lol. I'd visit again, especially if we were going to see a show at the Cadillac Theatre. All in all, it's an enjoyable, semi-pricey experience with good ambiance, but perhaps a bit too loud for some. Worth a visit if you're interested! read more

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Joined a friend here for her birthday dinner. Nothing seemed that appetizing to me and I didn't want to get a burger so I settled with the Scottish Salmon with sautéed spinach. Delicious but I just can't get passed the fact that the entire entrée was so small, as you can see on the pic. Salmon has typically been my go-to dish even at upscale restaurants and it never looked like this. This was $28?! Shame. My friend Steak Frites looked mouthwatering though. Valerie was our waitress. Very nice and helpful. I liked her. The food/experience was 3 stars, but I added another star for Valerie. read more

Francois Frankie - Scottish Salmon - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

For an upscale meal in an eye-catching restaurant you're going to find it hard to top what Francois Frankie offers. We had lunch here on a normal weekday and enjoyed our meal. Arriving at open, literally the first people in the door, we were able to enjoy a serene dining room for a bit before the lunch rush filled in. Our waiter was very inviting and attentive, at the start. After reviewing the menu and deciding to go with the restaurant week pre fixe (which was a great deal, we quickly ordered before settling into conversation. The lunch crowd began to fill in and our waiter slowly gathered more and more tables under his watch. This is where things took a turn for the painfully slow. )We waited, and waited, and WAITED for our appetizer course to arrive. After that, even longer for our entrees, desserts, and we had to flag him down for the bill. There was no mention of any reason for this laggard service level so I really have no idea as to the underlying issue. The food was very tasty, don't get me wrong, but we did not expect a weekday lunch to last upwards of two hours. If you're interested in a classy place to grab a bite, one with a really neat carrousel bar!, then stop in. Just be sure to leave more than ample time for your meal because you're going to be there a while. read more

I came with a small group of friends on a Thursday night. We made a reservation and were seated quickly but didn't see a server for about 15 minutes. We came because we thought the bar would spin because they call it a Carousel Bar, and it does, but not noticeably. No biggie, we should have known sitting people on a spinning bar wouldn't make much sense lol. The fan favorites were the Amish Chicken and French Onion soup. The flavors were there and I did enjoy everything that was brought, but it wasn't much of a well rounded standout. As far as what we didn't enjoy- the burger was mid, the steak was a bit over cooked, and the layer of what tasted like a chocolate rice cake under the chocolate mousse was not good. I would come back if invited (and would be excited about the Amish Chicken!) but I wouldn't personally crave this or make the reservation myself. read more

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Nice weekday spot for a business lunch--nice atmosphere, fast service. Food wasn't especially memorable but it was good. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to dine here again, but I would gladly go if I was in the neighborhood. read more

I've been here a few times since my work in the same building as this joint. The rotating carousel bar is a fun interesting thing about this place. All the staff and service has always been wonderful. I came here for Restaurant Week this year and all the food was amazing. I had the french onion soup, salmon, and the apple pie. Coming here for Restaurant Week is a steal. I dropped in to grab lunch the other day and got the Wagyu steak sandwich. It was sooo good! The dip they give you is made from French onion soup! They give you a ton of fries with it and I ate a few as the sandwich was quite filling. Can't wait to come back here for happy hour when they open up again! read more

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Perfect spot for a pre-dinner show. We were in a hurry and they were able to expedite our order for a large group. Everyone enjoyed their food and drink, and the service was great. read more

This is an interesting almost-French-bistro with some American items as well. A charming carousel bar is the centerpiece; it slowly revolves, about once an hour. There is absolutely no acoustic treatment anywhere, and the walls are glass, mirror, and metal, so it can get very loud. The environment was much better as the evening went on and it started to empty out. The triple creme camembert and the crispy brussels sprouts were delicious hors d'eouvres. Caesar salad is a very generous portion. My entree, the lobster cioppino, was delicious. The broth was redolent with fennel, and the lobster was plentiful. The wine list is a bit eclectic, but our waiter, who was also the sommelier, did a great job of finding something to our taste. read more

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Came here for lunch with a coworker and it's a fun spot. The highlight of this place is their bar spins around. Like Literally you will be sitting here and look up and you're on the other side of the room and you don't even feel yourself moving. I first experienced this in New Orleans and thought the concept was super cool! Ordered the crispy Brussel sprout chips and the salmon salad and it was so good. The salad was super delicious and super filling. They don't have an extensive menu but if all their items are as good as the food I ordered then maybe don't need to. I will be back soon. read more

Went here for happy hour. Service was good and friendly. Had the shrimp cocktail. They were tasty.

We had driven past the restaurant multiple times. It was just by chance that friends made reservations here when we switched our plans from Tuesday to Monday night. What a lucky change. The ambiance is wonderful-- definitely made a Monday night get together feel weekend special. The service is welcoming, attentive and knowledgeable. And the food--impeccably prepared and presented. All together it made for a perfect evening. We highly recommend you check it out. read more

Get the Braised Short Rib Dip, it's delicious and something I'd come back for in the future.

Nice place for lunch portions are smaller and a but lesser quality. As before very appropriate restaurant for lunch or late afternoon drinks. read more

Took my friends here last week. We had a great night. We all picked different entrées so we could try each other's. Every one of them was delicious. Our server was very attentive and friendly. The moving bar is such a great hit for everyone to watch and enjoy. I highly recommend Francois Frankie's for a great girls night out. read more

Service was excellent ambiance good (OK). So, so. Food,can only speak to the steak sandwich. Ether make the bread roll smaller or give more meat Like 6 ounces not 31/2 ounces only three and half ounces for the money not worth it order something else. And the 31/2 percent sir charge come on the pandemic is over - stop it already!!!!! Who gets that money the waiter told me he didn't get any of it so it goes to the owner shame on you !!!!!! read more

Overall, great experience. I made a reservation for 8 over a month ago. I got a nice reminder and the table was ready when we arrived. Atmosphere was nice for a group gathering-- not too loud so we were able to carry a good conversation. There were a mix of dishes ordered and everyone seemed to enjoy. For appetizers we ordered Brussel Sprout Chips and the Burrata. I personally enjoyed both. The Brussel Sprout Chips were crispy and had just the right amount of salt. For dinner I had the Spicy Vodka Rigatoni. It was delicious-- cooked perfectly al dente and super hot when it arrived at the table. read more

The restaurant has a beautiful setting. Staff very attentive. Held a bridal shower there. Food was fabulous I highly recommend you give it a try if you ate headed for the loop read more

Fantastic place. I tried 4 separate appetizers and they were all very good. Shrimp cocktail with very fresh shrimp and potent horseradish. Fresh oysters. Excellent side Caesar salad. Excellent bacon dish. I highly recommend this place. read more

I used to work across the street in the old AT&T building before this place existed. I don't get over to this part of the loop very often and I happen to walk by one day and saw this place and did a double take lol. I thought it was great a new bar opened in the area as it was long over due. Me and a good friend decided to stop by a few weeks ago. I got there before him and grabbed a seat at the bar. The bar is fully stocked with all the good stuff and it actually moves. One minute you're sitting there and the next minute you realize you're on the other end of the place. You don't even realize you're moving...pretty cool. The service started pretty slow, but once the guys got to us they were pretty cool in their recommendations. Manhattan was pretty good and it helped me work up an appetite. I went with the Burger Francois which is a burger with pimento cheese and bacon along with pickles. Sounds good but definitely wasn't great and I finished it because I didn't want to waste it. I won't let the meh burger keep me from coming back as I think I would like to try some other stuff on the menu. They have good drinks here though. Plus the carousel bar is with coming back for. read more

I booked Francois Frankie through Tock. It was very easy process. When I got there I was greeted politely and was escorted to my table where one of my friends were already seated. I love how they seat you even when not all of your parties are there - that is one of my pet peeves with restaurants. My friends enjoyed their cocktails and I just stuck with an Arnold Palmer. My friends got the burger and the steak frites and they really liked their food. I was going to have dinner elsewhere so I just wanted to snack on something and I got the Brussels Sprouts chips.... OMG they were so good! I'm not a fan of vegetables especially Brussels Sprouts but I ate it all. I was just trying to be healthy lol. I definitely recommend Francois Frankie. read more

Went for dinner with a party of 5. We started with cocktails. I had my traditional Old Fashion. Very well prepared. We had an off the menu appetizer of escargot. Cooked perfectly and very tasty. I ordered the steak frites. I ordered it medium rare. It was cooked perfectly and topped with a herb butter. The herb butter brought out the taste of the steak. I had th4 Carmel Apple Crumble for dessert with coffee. It hit the spot. The staff was was very friendly and attentive. The chef came out to the table to check on our meals. A nice touch. This is a place I will definitely visit on my next trip to Chicago. read more

Went here for Chicago Restaurant Week, and it was SO good! Absolutely recommend the French onion soup and braised short rib. read more

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