Very good onion soup, seasonal melon soup, and escargot, trout encroute was beautiful and outstanding, quail grilled flavor delicious. I would order both again. Classic creme brûlée for dessert. People next to us had a large platter of duck, cabbage - it appeared German style - probably Alsatian as the restaurant - it looked fabulous. Crowd and noise are part of the fun. Service was friendly. (One app forgotten, reminded them and they meanwhile brought the same dish to several around us who arrived later; ours came with dinner.) read more

Le Bouchon - Escargot, trout encroute, grilled quail. - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely delicious and fairly priced. One of our favorites! Ambiance and service is also great. Highly recommend!

The best spot in Chicago!! The food is exquisite, service is friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere is exactly what you're looking for from a French restaurant. The French onion soup was truly the best I've ever tasted. It was perfect. We loved all the dishes - beet salad, escargot, tartare, foie gras, and French fries (sounds lame but always worth getting). We were also blown away by the lobster puff pastry dish, but it's seasonal so get it while you can!! read more

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Such a cute restaurant! Food is amazing!! I think they have the best onion soup and mussels that I've tried in Chicago. If you come, definitely try those! The onion soup is flavorful and not too salty or greasy. The mussels are amazing, it is packed with flavors yet light, not too tomato-y. I think I requested extra bread so I can eat them with the bread. They are that good. I didn't care for the escargot and the duck pate, dessert is a little too sweet. Lunch time is very busy so make reservation for sure! I would come back again! Hands down one of the best French restaurants in Chicago! read more

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Lovely little french place with fantastic food! I've been a few times and everything I've eaten is delicious, including the desserts. The french onion soup, chicken, trout, creme brulee, escargots, and foie gras are all some of my favorites. The duck for two is also fantastic if you're hungry and have enough people...it could probably serve up to 3 people as well. The interior space is very comforting and packed like a classic french restaurant too! The cocktails and wine are all pretty solid. In all, it's a lovely spot I would highly recommend if you're looking for some good french cuisine and/or for a special occassion. read more

Le Bouchon - Half chicken (poulet rôti) - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is definitely popping. Cute interior, very tight and packed with people, but for good reason. We had the French onion soup, escargot, trout in puff pastry, steak frites and apple tarte. We enjoyed the complimentary warm baguette and pretty much everything we had. Flavors were very strong, a little salty for me. Service was a bit slow which was understandable since they were so packed. I wish I was able to try more of their menu, everything looked and sounded so good. Definitely check this place out if you are into French cuisine. read more

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Le Bouchon small but warm setting, reminded us of a bistro in Paris. Noise level fine, energetic but not drowning out our conversation. Wait staff attentive and not at all snooty. Great suggestion for reasonably priced wine. Wife and I shared the Pekin Duck for 2. They presented the cooked duck first to ask if we wanted it cooked more, a nice touch. Crispy skin, tasty bird with excellent orange sauce. Spaetzle and cabbage were delish. Easily sufficient to fill us and a yet provide a 2nd meal at home. Son had Cassoulet Toulousain and loved it. His GF had steak and seasoned frites and was impressed. Desserts of Chocolate Torte (rich and delicious) and Profiteroles were very good as well. A good ride from NW burbs but we'll definitely be back. read more

I got a very generous birthday gift certificate to here from my cousins. Neither the wife nor I had ever been to this restaurant. The whole experience was fun, from picking out champagne to having dessert. We started with Rabbit consommé with parsnip tortellini and Escargots (soup de jour). While the consommé was good, the Escargots were one of the best appetizers we have ever had. They were sitting in cups of a butter sauce and were perfectly cooked - not tough and not slimy. I ordered trout with a pastry shell, which was both light and very filling. The wife had the moules-frites, which were also perfectly cooked- there were none of those annoying unopened mussels. The sauce that came with her entree was excellent with the frites. I may have poached several. For dessert, we ordered the apple tart. This was not loaded with a ton of sugar, which we both appreciate. But it did have a dollop of ice cream that provided some sweetness. We had both the Laherte Freres Extra Brut Champagne and Noel Bazin Champagne. Both were excellent, but we preferred the Noel Bazin. We plan to return and try the oysters and maybe the steak frites. read more

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So glad we decided to try this place! We went to Paris for our honeymoon and fell in love with its food and bistros. Le Bouchon really made us feel like we were back in France. I love the decor, the tight space, and the busy atmosphere. We didn't have a reservation (7pm on a Friday) but we were able to sit right away at the bar. We tried the Champs-Élysées cocktail as well as their French 75 and the sazerac. All three were great! For food we got the French onion soup, the mussels, and then for our entree my husband and I shared the steak frites. Every single dish was a winner. The server asked if we wanted the steak medium rare and we said sure, though I will say the steak was full-on rare. We did not mind at all though, it was so good. Pro-tip, get the mussels but keep the dish with the sauce to dip your fries in. Our bill ended up being pretty expensive, but it was worth it in our opinion (we did get a lot of drinks.) We will absolutely return the next time we want to treat ourselves. Way cheaper than a plane ticket to France! read more

Le Bouchon - Wine, beer, steak frites. - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a cute tiny little spot. It's crammed but feels like a little Parisian cafe. The complementary bread and butter is absolutely amazing. We also loved the French onion soup. It was decadent! I didn't love the filet o French as it was a teeny bit fishy for me, but my husband said his trout was very good. It's pretty expensive but was a nice visit. read more

Institution of Chicago and I had an amazing meal. Foid, onion soup, beet salad, and duck tacos were all amazing. I will for sure be back.

Best French restaurant I've been to!! May have to make this our anniversary dinner spot every year read more

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Food was fantastic! Definitely recommend the beet salad, escargots, and the duck dinner. My partner had the duck liver beignet, he enjoyed it and said it was bursting with flavor. The juicy red wine paired so well with the food. The servers were so kind and attentive. The ambiance was quaint and comfortable. We will definitely be back! read more

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This place was so good. We got the duck dish for two. Wow! It was delicious. Though, my partner and I did eat the whole thing (minus some sides) and the server was somewhat rude about the fact that we didn't want to take it to go. Otherwise, the service was very good. We got a couple apps as well (oysters and french onion soup), which were tasty. The only thing of note is that the cosmos we ordered, which were not on the menu, were a bit strong. Better than too weak! As some other comments note, it's a very cozy restaurant. You can get lucky and get tucked away a bit, which was our case, but still we were by the wait station. If you want a quiet spot, this is not for you. Highly recommend! Will be back. read more

Went back tonight with friends and we had some amazing dishes, French wine, and a great time! Nice server too! I remembered to take some pics this time. The steak frites was perfect as I thought it might be. That butter! Wow! This is a top 2 French restaurant in Chicago in my humble opinion. Literally, Monday night and jam packed. My friends had the rabbit pot pie and a fish like flaky crust thing that was awesome! Almost like a half croissant? I don't know how to explain it! I'm probably butchering it. But I tried it all... And all was very good! Maybe just look at the pictures~ Goodnight read more

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Food was just ok. Some things were good some were not. Most of the servers were good, but amazing how one rude person can shift your impression of a restaurant. Very loud. read more

Never had a bad meal here in 25 plus years. It's absolutely delicious. Definitely a place you can always count on to bring anyone, anytime. The quality can't be beat and the pricing is very fair. It's fun and really does remind you of Paris, a casual spot in the neighborhood. Thank you Le Bouchon for being outstanding for all these years. read more

Woow spectacular. Went here for the second time and it held up its rep. I changed it up besides the salmon puff pastry but everything else was still very good. I can do without the French onion soup because it was so huge (good for the price) and the crudo since we got so much food we were crawling out of the restaurant. The crab was a surprising favorite and the maple crème brûlée was unbelievable 10/10 love u le buchon read more

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French Onion soup and salads last night for all but one of us and their rabbit dish looked amazing. This long standing staple in the city always hits the right notes. read more

The food was great. The service was fine nothing outstanding but food was great. It's slightly larger than a bedroom so prepare in advance and book a reservation or prepare to wait. I sat at the bar and got bumped by the waitstaff the entire time but I happily ignored it because the food was so good. Again it's not a place for a large party but you'll be delighted you went! read more

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For being in my neighborhood, I've only dined a few times, lunch and dinner. I much more prefer their dinner menu. I like to do family style with a few friends- we tried a number of dishes and liked all of them. Decent portions and definitely flavorful. Above all, if you like French onion soup- get it here. My bf tells everyone about it, and he says it the best! (If he orders French onion soup elsewhere, he ALWAYS compares it back to Le Bouchon's) read more

Le Bouchon - Steak Frites, Moules à la Provençale (mussels), Croquette de Canard (duck), Gnocchi Parisienne - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went for our anniversary today. The sublime--the bread hot and crispy, the escargot were delicious and the butter was perfect for dunking the bread. The Steak Frites with Sauce au Poivre and it was delicious. But the star was Fjord Troute en Croute. OMG! It was divine and quite a healthy large portion that can be split by two people. All was followed with a wonderful apple tarte with vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce. The tarte pastry was crispy but solidly held the apples thinly baked in it. If you are looking for a truly genuine taste of vanilla this tarte has it. Katelyn, our server, was wonderful and even gave a complementary dessert wine to celebrate the occasion. The staff was attentive and kept the service moving along. Know that this is a small space that gets very noisy. I was concerned about the loudness of conversation because my husband has Alzheimer's but he was able to deal with noise level. Just a word of caution for people who have trouble with loud spaces like this one. I did ask Katelyn if there was an ideal time to avoid the loud noise and she recommended coming in the spring or summer. It would helpful if there were a noise level score posted for restaurants so a smart choice can be made prior to a reservation. read more

Le Bouchon - Fjord Troute en Croute - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this place. My favorite wine at any restaurant! Will recommend! Will revisit when in Chicago!

Went to this place weeks ago and I'm still thinking about it. So delicious and great service! Highly recommend. We got the escargot (great mouth feel with the butter, nicely seasoned, with enough juices to dip brea in after), ponnes tonnato special (delicious, unique), and the duck for 2. Everything was great and we had some duck leftover to take home. Topped it off with the apple tart and left thoroughly satisfied. Restaurant was cozy and not gimmicky, very charming. read more

Le Bouchon - Bread - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came to Le Bouchon with my best friend for a catch-up dinner and overall it was a good experience. The restaurant is tiny tiny and always busy, so space is tight and you sit VERY close to surrounding tables. Service was attentive, but maybe a little on the short side/to the point, not a bad thing, just noticed. The food was overall good - the summer salad was super fresh and delicious the agnolotti was cooked perfectly and was flavorful but unfortunately the steak frites, both the steak and the fries was too heavy on the salt. The soufflé was perfectly cooked, but a little bitter/on the dark side for my liking. Not sure I'll be back, too cramped and a tad disappointed in the steak frites, but I can see why it is a popular Chicago spot and would definitely encourage people trying and forming their own opinion. read more

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Incredible French onion soup - super cheesy. The rabbit pot pie also delicious and super rich! Great ambience, quick service. Only negative was how close the tables were to the other tables, a bit close quarters. read more

My friend and I came here on a Monday at around 5pm without a reservation and it was an hour wait. It wasn't that bad since Le Bouchon is located in Bucktown, so we just killed our time walking around the neighbourhood. This is a small bistro and the seats are a little tight, but that is what gave me the home-y and cozy vibes. The restaurant was crowded but everyone was just minding their own business eating and the noise level wasn't high. When we read the menu, we found out that you get 1/2 price off wine bottles. It was a shokakko to us since we didn't plan on coming here on a Monday because we knew about the deal. We ordered Domaine Raspail for the wine and truite des fjords en croûte, tuna tartare niçoise, and escargots à la bourguignonne for our main dishes. Bread and butter were served as an appetizer. The sauce for the escargot was so good, creamy and garlicy. I loved the white flowers on the tuna tartare and the trout dish was amazing as well. The staff is welcoming and friendly here and we liked the interaction we had with them. When the food arrived, we spent so much time taking photos that the waitress jokingly said "eat this (tartare) before it gets hot, and this (escargot) before it gets cold". We felt like kids who just got caught by their mum haha! I look forward to coming back. read more

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We met our lovely waitress Claire in our neighborhood last weekend and looked forward to our reservation all week. Highly recommend a reso! We knew we were in the right place when a line was outside for 5PM dinner on a Saturday...and it was easily a top 5 meal we've had in Chicago. Charming and cozy with tons of natural lighting, it's pretty much perfect inside. You feel totally taken care of but also left alone by the superb wait staff. We started with Paper Planes and French 75s, mussels with bread, beet salad and the onion tart (must orders for apps!); followed by Beaujolais, steak frites au poivre and cassoulet. Still thinking about every bite! read more

Le Bouchon - One side of the restaurant. - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food is everything you'd expect! I love the warm rolls fresh out of the oven. My beet salad was out of this world (I didn't imagine that'd be possible) I had the trout en croute. I thought it'd be tasty, but it beat my expectations by a mile! My husband had the salad lyonnaise and foie All the food was excellent The space is incredibly cramped. I was inadvertently hit 2-3 times from the people sitting at a table very close to us. I may have hit them too trying to get my coat out. The service was efficient but not friendly I'd only go again if I could pick a less busy time read more

Overall, a great experience! My partner loves French cuisine and I treated him out for a birthday dinner! The restaurant resembles those in France, however, the space is very tight for how loud and crowded it gets. Just be aware of you might be seated few inches away from another table. We are not too bothered by it but may be less enjoyable for some others. The food was amazing! - Mussels is a must! The broth is very flavorful. Unlike a white wine based mussels, this have a bit more creaminess to the sauce. Would recommend to get the fries along with it as there are extra sauce! - Caramelized onion tart is very good. The onions are cooked perfectly so the sweetness are brought out, and the side salad is sour to help refresh the palate. - Foie Gras is also delicious. It is seared Foie gras on top of brioche bread. The fruity sweet fruit sauce helps to balance the fattiness of the Foie gras. - Rabbit pot pie, enough to share for 2! We were a little ambitious with appetizers so definitely had to take half of this dish to go. Very delicious roux based sauce. - Frog leg in garlic butter sauce. A little bit salty for my taste, but the meat is very juicy. Definitely would be back to try more dishes from their menu! The food is great, and Monday they have half-off bottle of wine. read more

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Our 1st time and it was delicious! Easy on street parking in a nice neighborhood. We shared an appetizer, then I had a fabulous half chicken dinner while she enjoyed fish in pastry We will go back read more

Incredible meal. Super cute inside - small and intimate and they have an open window to the kitchen so you can see all the food being prepared. They make the bread fresh and it was so good. The food is 10/10. They are not exaggerating when they say it's the best French onion soup in Chicago. Huge portion as well. Everything we got was amazing. The onion tart was incredible and I highly recommend the tar tar. it was more like "hamburger" style but it tasted fantastic. Highly recommend! read more

Le Bouchon - French onion soup - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was excellent, group of 4, had mussels, trout and Steak, all great. Service was excellent, our waiter knew his wine, we took his advice and didn't disappoint. My friend doesn't like Roe and said didn't want it on trout. The waiter still brought it but served in a separate dish and insisted she try trout with it. Well, these people know their food/flavors, my friend was astonished she loved it with the Roe. All in all, this place doesn't disappoint. read more

Le Bouchon - Crème brûlée - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for a lunch service and it was as tasty as the recommendations said! I ordered the mussels, which was great, and had a taste of the puff pastry trout (by far the best part of our meal). I also shared a French onion soup, which was a bit too cheesy for my liking. Want to come back for a dinner service for sure! read more

The ambiance was amazing- also was very busy until probably 10 pm. The food was great - the best dish was the French onion soup. The escargot was also delicious. For our entree we had the steak frites and cassoulet - good but most strongly recommend French onion soup. Service was good and would love to return read more

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This place is a gem! One of my favorite meals in Chicago. We shared the classic frog legs which are bathed in a lemon garlic butter. The frog legs were so tender, but my favorite parts were the crispy bits. Definitely order this dish. For my entree I ordered the fish en croute (I don't remember if it was salmon or trout). This dish was amazing - flaky fish, perfect pastry, and delicious sauce. Can't recommend this place enough. read more

Le Bouchon - Frog legs - French Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This has become a definite choice every time I travel to Chicago. As usual both the food and service were outstanding.

I travel around the country trying to find the best french onion soup. I must say, this place is up there 1st or close second. I had 2 orders of the french onion soup. The vibe, the people from waiter to bartender, they were all great. Made our experience that much better. From now on, read more

I'm mad I did not know about this gem sooner! Went with a group of friends for dinner and every dish was utterly fantastic! A couple stand outs would be the Duck Liver Mouse, Escargots, and Sweet Corn Agnolotti! Must haves! Huge shout out to Amy and the Le Bouchon team for making our night wonderful! Amy thank you for your wine pairing suggestions as our dinner progressed! We will be back... honestly, I'm craving it again already! read more

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Food was fine, BYOB corkage fee is silly expensive. Ambience was meh. Service was real bad, yikes. Go elsewhere.