Nothing to write home about. The service was ok, but the food was average at best. We went for restaurant week. Unfortunately, they ran out of the salmon appetizer and the pasta so we were down to only two options for our first and second courses. The pea soup was terrible. No flavor. The escargot had decent presentation but wasn't fresh. When served, it wasn't hot anymore either. The salmon entree tasted like banquet food. The steak frites was ok, steak was over cooked but well seasoned and the fries were good, fresh cut fries. The chocolate desert was ok. The best part of the experience was the Panna cotta. Really nice, light and refreshing dessert. read more

There is definitely love and attention to detail in every bite. Excellent French cuisine with a modern twist. Nice outdoor seating in addition to a lively interior. read more

The food in this minimalist restaurant was absolutely outstanding. The menu featured some vegetarian dishes, in addition to pork, chicken, fish, and steak. The appetizer selection was creative and varied. We ordered "bread service" which was served on an attractive wooden plate with a variety of flavored salts and creamy butter. The bread was freshly baked and delicious! I had the pork tenderloin, which was outstanding, cooked to perfection, and divinely flavored. My husband enjoyed his escargot and the duck-chorizo sausage. We did not have dessert, so cannot comment on that. The chef came out several times and interacted with the guests in a witty way, which made the experience feel extra special and exciting! (I happen to think Chefs are cool, anyway!) read more

AMAZING!!! Our family went here for our Thanksgiving Dinner, and it was just outstanding! The food was absolutely spectacular! We enjoyed the usual Thanksgiving fare, but there were other selections on the menu that were offered, and I am sure were just as wonderful! You will not be disappointed when you join these great people for dinner, whether it be for a holiday dinner, a special date, or just because! The service is top notch as well! I highly recommend indulging on an out of this world experience, and dine at this world class, one of a kind establishment! read more

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AMAZING Went for Father Day brunch which is usually a disappointment day for food but not this time. Everything was perfect not one dish I would improve on or switch. Aboyer is a great find and a direct competitor of mine since I own Valor which is 5 minutes away. We have our work cut out for us to keep up with them which we do and will but let me say this place is a must try. Best brunch I have ever experienced ever. The service was just as good as the food also if I could give 6 stars I would. I hope they have great success they deserve it. We tried almost everything on the menu and we did try every dessert and would highly recommend all of it. Well done Chef read more

Solid french place and one of the better ones I've tried in terms of food and definately for service. I started with 3 appetizers consisting of octopus carpaccio, stuffed roasted quail, and the escargot agnolotti. My favorite was the octopus, the flavor combinations with the avocado and pickled onions complimented the deliciate sweet flavor of the octopus. The quail was cooked nicely; I enjoyed the foie gras risotto with it which was creamy and flavorful. The agnolotti was a bit underwhelming, the sauce was a little too rich and strong to pair with the escargot, a simple garlic butter sauce would have paired better with this dish. For my entree, I tried the berkshire pork which came with a slice of pork belly, broccolini, creamy mashed potatoes, and morel mushrooms. The pork was cooked perfectly, super tender and a wonderful grilled flavor. The pork belly was tender as well, loved the mashed potatoes and broccolini with it. I also sampled the lamb which was cooked well, only thing with the entrees, they were kind of small, so I recommend trying a lot of the appetizers to feel satisfied. For dessert, I finished with the souffle glace and chocolate truffles. The souffle was a frozen souffle with candied orange peel and pistachios. The flavor was great, it was smooth and nicely balanced with the pistachios. The truffles had the perfect texture and wonderful balance of bitter and sweet flavor. I'd come back to this place to try some other apps and I'd also come back to try the other two restaurants that are located here. read more

Professionally managed by Chef/ Owner Michael, this restaurant always hits its mark. The food and ambiance are consistently maintained at a high level. read more

We enjoyed Mother's Day brunch at Aboyer, and the kitchen did not disappoint. Our meals ranged from breakfast fare to steak, and all was cooked to perfection and delicious. Bloody Marys were amazing. The brunch menu even accommodated kids with a crepe option. Certain aspects of the more contemporary vibe were a bit lost on my parents (who don't know french press coffee from pour over coffee from just plain old drip coffee) and service was a bit leisurely, even for brunch, but one could not argue with the quality of the food and the value of the meal. Bread service was quite good (I usually balk at paying for bread but this was a well-curated and generous selection) and desserts unusual but again, delicious. We look forward to coming back on a date night and enjoying the bar! read more

Very disappointing - overpriced, pretentious, food is mediocre at best. The only tasty dish was a crab cake appetizer. My husband ordered chicken liver mousse, there was a plate with salami sausage (!) and a tiny piece of chicken mousse. For entree I had white fish which was not really fresh, and my husband's steak was not impressive. Our waiter told us that entrees come without a side (not true), so, we ordered a serving of French fries, which were worse than the one you can get at McDonalds. Their previously delish soufflé was nothing special either. I buy frozen lava cakes online, and they taste very similar. read more

My husband and I ate here last weekend and it was delicious.... we both had the soft shell crabs and they were some of the best I have ever eaten! The restaurant is transformed.... upscale modern farmhouse chic with a lively crowd and great bar! Quite a change from its previous incarnation! This is a place you can frequent....it's not just a special occasion restaurant anymore! We will return again and again! read more

Only 3 stars for what it is. It's supposed to be a top notch French brasserie but it really only seems to satisfy one of those criteria: it's French. We enjoyed the menu choices. Were I rating a restaurant with no expectations, maybe I'd give it 4 stars. The mixed drinks were not well made. The much reviews bread service cost money and then you get a couple small pieces of bread each. One of which wasn't even good. Stick with the French baguettes, people. The escargot appetizer we got was not good at all - no real flavor and the sauce was just, floury, I guess. The steak was good but nothing special, chimichuri Bernaise was bland. My wife's Coq au Vin was pretty good but still kinda bland. You get the idea. This is French food! The sauce, at least, should really make you moan! Service was fine, though a bit spotty. Valet is $8?! Even tho you can park yourself right next to it. So, yeah, I realize Chicagoland lacks a good selection of French restaurants, and maybe the more upper scale George Trois restaurants are better, but Aboyer does not help this scarcity. read more

Aboyer in Winnetka was amazing. We enjoyed a beautiful summer night last night at Le Patio Aboyer in Winnetka with new and old friends. The fire was perfect and we loved Chef Michael Lachowicz incredible creations from the amazing Softshell Crab Paella, his "to die for" Duck Pate with Pickled Mustard Seeds, rich Cervelas of Lobster & Scallop, delicious melt in your mouth Lamb Chops with Carmelized Garlic and the light and flavorful Baby Beet Salad with Roasted Rosemary Pine Nuts and Goats Cheese. I highly recommend if you're looking for a beautiful and delicious night out. read more

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We have a shared history with Michael going back to Le Deaux Gros, Le Francais, Restaurant Michael; now Michael has reinvented himself with George Trois (excellent), Silencieux, and Aboyer. Aboyer is the faster food option of the 3, and much less formal than its predecessor, but Michael has found a good niche for a nice but fairly quick dinner. His frito misto is outstanding and other dishes live up to high standards. Get on his mailing list because his specials are often special. read more

Crazy long wait to even get acknowledged by our server. And after being acknowledged, then another 5 minutes to a drink order, then water after that.. Ugh. We ordered; Foie Gras Poele, lobster/scallops appetizer, cheese board & lyonnaise salad. The cheese board & Lobster/scallops were the best. We waited 7-10 minutes as our drinks were empty...where is the server, as I'm typing, still waiting, and never asked about an entree, etc. Crazy!! I will tell you that our server was in the weeds. Food was SLOW to come out & just average...think Miramar. And we didn't feel like this is a place we need to come back too. Just went to Del Rio In Highwood & the food & service was so amazing by being decent food & present service . There is your comparison. It was /is our Anniversary & I cant recommend Aboyer for a special occasion. It's a fair review. I've been to Elizabeth, to Alinea, to Oriole no comparison here. Just saying..get us a HELLO in 5 minutes. Did not happen. I realize Chef is not happy with bad reviews, but, you need to know this. I would've told Sergio or our server that we are disappointed..but, I'm still waiting for our check..,10 minutes later.. read more

The restaurant provides outstanding french bistro style food with great service and reasonable prices. In the warmer weather the outdoors patio is just a great place to have dinner. My experiences there have always be wonderful and it has encourage me to make many visits to enjoy the great food, lovely wine list and beverages and the outstanding wait staff. It's a not to miss place to dine well. read more

Aboyer was one of the most enjoyable meals I've had in quite some time. We went for my wife's 35th birthday and everything was so thoughtful, genuine and delicious! The hostess was lovely. Right when we sat down on the beautiful patio (near a fire pit with an amazing live music duo!), a manager/owner greeted us and wished us a wonderful experience, and he was so genuine. I was really impressed. The service was impeccable. The food was outstanding! The Sommelier was so gracious and knowledgable. Again, such a thoughtful, genuine and excellent restaurant. Thank you to Aboyer for making my wife's birthday so memorable! We WILL be back soon. read more

What a treat in every sense. We have sometimes been disappointed during restaurant week but not this time. Aboyer is lively but not noisy as noted by some other reviewers. We were greeted warmly at the door and shown to our table without delay. The tables are set a bit closer together than I normally prefer but somehow it works. But the food is the star. The special menu showcased great menu items in every course and my wife and I were not disappointed with a single course, from the cheese puff starter to the coq au vin (my wife said it was delicious) to my salmon. The desserts were just as delicious. The dark chocolate cake and olive oil cake were excellent. Service was attentive and courteous without being cloying. Definitely a keeper. read more

I live in Chicago but go up to the north shore to go to Aboyer every few months because it's one of my favorite restaurants. If lived closer, I think I would be having dinner at the bar every single week. The food is consistently fantastic - it's one of those places where you can't go wrong when ordering. The patio is so charming in the summer, and the restaurant is so warm and cozy year round. read more

We had 7:30 reservations for 6 last night (Saturday)...were seated at 8:15 after we prodded the staff several times. The wait staff was not attentive. We were seated over 10 minutes before anyone came by. The food was very good. However, the chef/owner was incredibly rude. He actually yelled at us while we were paying the bill. I'm sure why he thinks so highly of himself and thought that it was OK to treat us this way. There are plenty of restaurants in the suburbs and in the city that serve excellent food of all cuisines without having an obnoxious chef/owner berate you. If you are looking for a pleasant dining experience with excellent food I suggest the you go to any other establishment. STAY AWAY FROM ABOYER. read more

I so wanted to love this. Winnetka needs a place like this. But when our table of four all walked out disappointed, it was a real let down. Service was lovely and I enjoyed their mocktails. We got the bread service which was acceptable but nothing to rave about. Roasted beets looked good, but when my husbands eats and says nothing, that means he had nothing to say about it. I ordered Pea Soup, served lukewarm. Maybe intentionally? Everything was under seasoned and they did not have neither salt nor pepper on the table. I don't want to ask because I heard it insults the chef. Shared the Legume Du Jour. again, flavorless. Husbands trout was fishy and my son in law was not crazy about the beef he ordered. Pomme Frites was the biggest disappointment. Shoe string potatoes with a dipping sauce. I ask you, how do you dip a shoestring potato into Bernaise Sauce? Decided against ordering dessert. Figured it would be a further disappointment. I'm sorry Chef, but I expected to be blown off my feet. read more

Best place to eat during covid. Everything is clean and the service is amazing. The patio is secluded and the space between the tables allowed my entire party to feel safe and private. Try the filet mignon! Service was outstanding. This is an important restaurant that everyone should visit! read more

I was a huge fan of Restaurant Michael before it was retooled as Aboyer, but COVID intervened before I could try out the new iteration of the restaurant. In the last few weeks, I have at last had the pleasure of discovering what Chef Michael has created. During two visits, one on a weekday, one on a weekend, I got to not only experience the food, but also see the dynamic. The restaurant definitely benefits from the new, post-COVID outdoor area, which nearly doubles the available seating. Weekday was fairly quiet, though far from empty, but the weekend was bustling, with every seat, indoors and out, occupied. But as attractive as the place is, I was there for the food, and that did not disappoint. The Boursin-stuffed roasted chicken Bercy was splendid, and the creamy, buttery pomme purée was as decadent as any I've ever had. Would have liked maybe a tablespoon more dressing on the Salade Lyonnaise, but the flavorful lardons and croutons meant that it was still a delightful treat. Then on a return visit, I had the bistro steak frites, opting for the au poivre option (the other is chimichurri). Wow. What a sensational rendition of this dish. Meat was perfectly medium rare, sauce was flawless, potatoes were magnificent. With that, had the haricots verts au beurre noisette, which were perfectly tender crisp and flavorful, with toasted hazelnuts amplifying the flavor of the browned butter. I can see ordering this combo multiple more times. As a splurge, ordered dessert (don't do that often), but the chocolate-hazelnut mousse gateau made me glad I tried it--truly beautiful to look at and even better to eat. Already planning a trip back. read more

Aboyer is outstanding. The food is always perfectly prepared, and the flavors are awesome. Service is extremely attentive without being overbearing because they work on a team concept, meaning that everyone owns all the tables to make sure of a good experience. This is exactly what I would expect from Michael Lachowicz. read more

Ate at Aboyer one week ago. Not so Great! Checked the bill when I got home. Aboyer adds a 2% Surcharge to the bill as. pre-tax supplement for "Employee Health Benefits"? Is that Legal? Can't the George Trois Group afford to pay their employee"Health Benefits?" North Shore Residents do you believe that's fair? read more

For our 50th wedding anniversary, we chose Aboyer's patio to celebrate. Our kids planned the evening, which was spectacular and memorable. Aboyer's service and food are superb. Aboyer's patio with twinkling lights and heaters is ideal for relaxing and enjoying delicious food and drink. Chef Michael and crew - you outdid yourselves! read more

I went for dinner during Chicago 2021 restaurant week and was extremely disappointed with the food and service. I ordered beef stroganoff which was a terrible version of beef stroganoff and did not taste like beef stroganoff. I was given a butter knife to cut the beef and then asked the server for a steak knife instead and was told the butter knife is the only knife they have. I didn't eat the beef stroganoff after the first taste and for not getting a steak knife. The server saw I didn't eat my dinner and did not bother to ask why. You would expect that being restaurant week the restaurant would want to give their best impression but unfortunately that was not the situation this time. I wI'll not dine there again. read more

Wonderful French Brasserie in the burbs - finally!!! Enjoyed several "starters" and wine and made a meal out of it. Lovely atmosphere, great wine list and everything from the kitchen was deliciously and meticulously prepared and plated. Only complaint would be the noise level (specifically the music played) was just too loud! They can easily take it down a notch as everyone seemed to be very engaged in lively conversation. read more

We picked up the best dinner we've had during the pandemic.... Aboyer's chilean sea bass with curry, wild rice, wedge salad, and a fabulous cookie. read more

We went on a Wednesday and the restaurant was not full which made it even more surprising that the service was so poor. We had a reservation for three and were meeting a friend. The staff apparently couldn't be bothered to tell us for about 15 mins that our guest was waiting in another part of the restaurant. We had to ask to give our orders for something to drink after waiting another 15 minutes. The same for placing our meal order. It wasn't as though the staff was under pressure, our waiter/Maitre D spent a lot of time lounging against the bar checking his cell phone. Such a pity for the kitchen staff who produced good food. If it wasn't for the food, I would have given only one star. read more

Nothing about this place was enjoyable. The staff is cold, unwelcoming, and inattentive. The food is bland, thoughtles, mush. Everything was mealy and tasteless. We had an 8:30 reservation and we're not seated until 9. The host never checked in on us or updated us while we waited, and when we asked him what was going on he might as well have said "sucks to be you..." The waiter talked like he had a mouthful of marbles, and completely ignored my wife the entire meal. Worst experience I've had at a restaurant in years. read more

Poor service; mediocre food that took a LONG time to come; rude chef. I was disappointed and would not recommend nor return

The food is average at best and the service was as inept as I can ever recall receiving. I would not return.

If you are tired of alcohol, the berry and rosemary mocktail with Ginger Beer makes Aboyer worth a visit, as does the outstanding sorbet. Based upon the selection of cheeses, which was excellent, I would order the cheese board appetizer after the sorbet, but order a bread service with the cheese in order to have enough bread. All the food is good here, but next time I think I would be tempted to skip the main course and order a salad and a quail from the appetizer menu. If you want to have the special, don't delay in ordering. I would have loved to have tried the paella special, but it was sold out. Fine job of getting food to the table hot and fresh and all at once for a fairly large party. PS: If you aren't tired of alcohol, plenty of good cocktails and wine choices. read more

BEST...MEAL...EVER!!! We go to restaurants for 3 things: good food, nice ambiance & great service. The Aboyer team surpassed all 3! Food: Every single item we tasted was incredible (Bread service, cheese board, Coq Au Vin, Legume Du Jour, side of herbed potato gnocchi & chocolate truffles) and the sommelier picked us out the perfect wine after discussing what we liked: Clos de Napa Rutherford Napa Valley, California. Yummy!! Ambiance: The room is classy yet casual. Nice background music played at a level that didn't hinder conversation. Muted tones with enough color to make it lively. Clean and great lines. It just felt comfortable to be there. Service: I saved the best until last. From the moment we walked in, to the moment we left, we were treated as guests and family. Friendly yet professional. The Maitre D was professional, the servers knowledgeable and polite, event the owner and chef stopped by twice to chat and make sure everything was perfect....and it was!! Will we go back? YES, can't wait! Wish I could could give it more than 5 Stars read more

We had dinner here on a recent Saturday night and I would give the food 4 stars - yummy, not too heavy, portions just right, etc. Three stars for experience and service. While the room is nicely decorated, it felt flat and low energy despite the restaurant being almost full. The servers lacked personality and seemed confused about their roles, who should be taking orders, etc. Michael L made the rounds of the room a couple times which was a nice touch, but his energy wasn't reflected in his staff or the overall experience. read more

No Ketchup For Pomme Frites, Really? I am not one to ask for A.1. or Lea & Perrins Steak Sauce in a fine steak house, but I do like ketchup with my pommes frites. My wife and I went to Aboyer with dear friends for the first time last Saturday night. We had been to Restaurant Michael many times throughout the years and always enjoyed it. I regret to say that we were disappointed in Michael Lachowicz's Aboyer and was particularly bothered by the response from our waiter when I requested ketchup for my fries. I have been to fine restaurants and bistros all throughout the world, and never once was I told, even in Paris, that "we don't serve ketchup here". Well, excuse me, but Chef Lachowicz should serve ketchup and certainly should not make a customer feel uncomfortable or embarrassed for requesting it. Putting the ketchup issue aside, the food was pretty ordinary and the noise level was extremely high. We ordered the half chicken (nothing special and rather boring), lobster roll served on not terribly fresh brioche rolls (there was very little lobster and it wasn't sweet tasting at all), and coq au vin, which was good. The spring salad and roasted beets were also good. All in all, a disappointing culinary experience. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g36897-d17708969-r703709706-Aboyer-Winnetka_Illinois.html# read more

My wife and I celebrated concluding our Covid vaccination process with dinner at Aboyer last night. It was our first "date night" out in over a year. Happy to say it was a terrific experience. The tables are nicely spaced, reassuring in this pandemic. Staff were properly masked, sanitizer available and everything sanitized between guests. Masks required to enter (bravo!). We had the restaurant week offerings, potato soup and Faroe Island salmon for me, pear salad and tenderloin pappardelle for my wife. Food was outstanding. Some of the best salmon I've ever had in fact. Dessert was delicious. Service was attentive without being intrusive. Conversationally friendly with the spacing of the tables. We were able to linger over our meal and enjoy the occasion. Just a stellar evening all the way around. We had made these plans prior to knowing they would have a Restaurant Week menu which was fortuitous. It is well worth trying. read more

Very disappointing, even upsetting. Here's what happened: I was hosting two friends for their birthdays. We ordered white wine, which was delivered immediately and nicely chilled. We then ordered our entrees -- two salmon and lamb sausage -- directly after we got our wine. At the 20-minute mark, no entrees yet; I inquired. I was told that one of the entrees was under-cooked, so the kitchen was redoing it. At the 40-minute mark, our food was finally delivered. However, my white wine, which I had been nursing very carefully waiting for my food, and barely imbibed as a result, was now at room temperature. I asked for a fresh glass, which was quickly delivered, also nicely chilled. When the bill came, I was charged for both glasses. I talked discretely to our waiter about it. Then, he sent out the big guns. The chef/owner, or at least a very large man in a white chef's coat, came to our table, and in front of my guests, castigated me for not wanting to pay for the two glasses. When I said I waited 40 minutes, which rendered the original glass unenjoyable -- even undrinkable -- his response was that everything is cooked to order, and, clearly irritated as well as raising his voice, said he never heard of anything so silly in his life. I was embarrassed and abashed. I paid the bill, and although the food was good, the service and the rudeness of the chef/owner was indefensible. Don't go there -- so many restaurants to choose from where the food will be at least as good, but you'll be treated well, not badly, as I surely was. read more

The food was mediocre and the service was awful. I did like the updating they've done to the space, but that's probably the only positive thing I can say about it. We had an 8:30 reservation and weren't seated until 9. When we asked what was going on the host was completely unapologetic. Didn't offer to comp our drinks at the bar. Didn't even apologize. How hard it is to say you're sorry?? (And I'd like to add that they charge you a fee for cancellations within 24 hrs but then have no issue not honoring the reservation themselves....) Then our waiter came, but he muttered so my husband and I could barely hear him. Didn't explain anything on the menu. Didn't welcome us. Just stood in the corner next to my husband looking bored (and only speaking to my husband which we both thought was odd). And then the food comes.... We ordered the acorn squash custard, which I was expecting custard in a piece of acorn squash. Or maybe for it to taste like acorn squash. But it was just bland wobbly mush. The mushrooms on the side were the only thing in the dish that had flavor. We also ordered the rabbit sausage, which was dry but flavor was ok. However, whatever was on the side was inedible. We also ordered the hanger and frites for our main and I was so disappointed. I always think of fries at French restaurants as being long and thin and crispy. These were fat steak fries. Fine, just not what I was expecting. The cut of meat was not great, but it was cooked correctly. The chimmicurri on the plate was not traditional and whatever spice they added was not an improvement on the classic. There aren't a ton of nice restaurants in this area, so it's disappointing our experience at Aboyer was so awful. read more

Where to start. First, make sure you call ahead and ensure you are not assigned the table right inside the front door. You will constantly be moving your chair in for people entering and exiting the restaurant. You will also be doing so for wait staff as its also a main thoroughfare for them, right by the table. I hate restaurants that feel the need to squish every last possible table in to the space. I get that its a brasserie style place but there is brasserie style and there is ridiculous. I asked to be moved but they were full so there were no other tables. They went too far with their table placement. The food is okay but my "olive oil cake" dessert was actually a banana dessert. I like bananas but I wanted an olive oil cake. I had the Agnolotti appetizer, which included escargots, which were very bland. The dish lacked any interesting sauce or flavor. My cassoulet was pretty good but the rest of the experience was so bad that it outweighed it. I ordered a glass of Willamette pinot but either their choice of Willamette pinot was horrible or I was served the cheaper California pinot instead. It tasted very fruit forward and heavy, more like a CA pinot. My wife wouldn't let me "make a scene" so I didn't send it back. I did mention afterward that my second glass of wine needed to be something else because this glass "was awful." The server just smiled and no one apologized or offered to take it off the bill. Overall the bad table, the bad wine and the mediocre food, as well as the very high prices for the suburbs, means I'll never be going back to this place. read more