very nice indeed probably the best in Hamilton, good service too. I enjoyed the steak and fries was cooked to perfection

I really enjoyed the brunch here, especially the duck confit waffles. The ambiance was cozy but still felt upscale which was nice. The prices are very reasonable for the quality and portion sizes. The passionfruit mimosa was also yummy. It seems that the menu has changed since I went but I would still recommend this restaurant! read more

The French - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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Very good food. The menu is simple, and the food taste great. To start I recommend the salad Maison and I especially like the steak and fries. read more

Some friends and I had a wonderful dinner the other night. We started with drinks - I tried a couple cocktails. The pear vodka Prosecco drink was my fav. I also had to try the mustard / gin cocktail- very unique and delicious. A few of us shared a dozen oysters from PEI with plenty of fixings. I had the steak frites which was cooked perfectly and tasted even better - yum! My friends both loved their meals and got the chicken and trout. Service was excellent. The ambiance is lovely - from our table you could see the food coming together in the open kitchen. I'm already looking forward to my next meal here! read more

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This place is absolutely amazing; from appetizers to mains and desserts. You can enjoy an excellent service with high quality food. Literally one of the best Creme brûlée I've had. read more

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I really enjoyed dinner here. We were a party of 4, everyone had something different and loved their meal; we had drinks, appetizers and a main course. Everything was delicious and the service was impeccable. Great find in the downtown area, I'd definitely go back. read more

Super tasty food. Highly recommend the steak frites and chicken club sandwich. They will offer you frites or salad - go for 1/2 and 1/2. The salad is delicious and frites come with a great aioli. You won't regret it. read more

I enjoyed my Brunch and Dinner experiences at The French. Small and intimate experience with a full view of an open kitchen in the Main dining area. Reservation is easy using Bookenda. I highly recommend making a reservation. For Dinner: Trout Almondine and Ricotta Gnocchi were delish! Love the crispy fish skin and gnocchi just so pillowy! For Brunch: Duck Waffles and House Baked Scones! Service is top notch. The vibe is lively. A great neighbourhood Bistro in Downtown Hamiliton. read more

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On a recent trip to Hamilton to photograph waterfalls and explore a couple restaurants, The French was our first stop. We had heard about their brunch menu so that was our focus. In an effort to keep it light (for darn dietary reasons), we chose to share the Duck Waffles (Duck, Rosemary blueberry, almond creme fraiche), and a scone (with butter and preserves). I love duck but the components that made up the dish, I would never have thought to put them together. It was a wonderful mix of sweet and savoury. I liked it! The scone was a generous size but a tad dry and crumbly for my preference. Having butter and an apple compote really helped with this. The service was excellent! Our server was friendly and attentive. The ambiance was equally outstanding, with a really nice French bistro feel to it. The patio was just as nice but a bit too cool for outside dining in October. I would come back to try dinner. read more

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Excellent food and service. Lovely spot. One of our favourites and thought of first for special occasions.

We love the French. It's the only place in Hamilton you can go for dinner and expect very very high quality food without it being totally overpriced. Servers are always knowledgeable and answer off the riff questions. Go to: Steak Tartare To Drink: Their Riesling or Pinot Noir (We try to keep things local for wine) read more

I will always enjoy coming here as the food is always consistently amazing and tasting fresh, the staff are so genuine with their kindness and willingness to help their customers. And the ambiance is wonderful as well. read more

We loved our spontaneous visit here. The food was very fresh and while a bit expensive you didn't feel like it wasn't worth it. The Service was great! and the ambiance is like a boutique little cafe and a bit smaller so it doesn't get super loud. It also has outdoor seating. read more

Beautiful place great to go for special occasions. Staff is very sweet and accommodating. Great variety of food options. Well prepared.

First time here! Went here for brunch on a last minute notice. If you want a table for more than 2, reservations are recommended! (Sitting at the bar is an option) The setting had a rustic aesthetic with cement walls and dainty decor. A lot fancier for a brunch, although walking in with a hoodie or sweats is still acceptable. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Crispy Potatoes (can opt out for a salad) for $15 and it was beyond my expectations. The hollandaise sauce was made quite savoury that complemented the potatoes and eggs. Would definitely recommend this restaurant! Look forward to coming back. read more

The French - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Having a Sunday brunch here, the service was excellent (5/5), the duck waffle (5/5) was very good, interesting combination of savour and sweetness. It actually goes very well together. The omelette with smoked salmon (from Norway) was good (4/5) too, the salad comes with it was very fresh. We also tried blueberry lemon tart (5/5) as the dessert (sounds weird? Dessert for brunch?), it was well balanced between sourness and sweetness, tart filled with blueberry, with crepe brûlée on top. Highly recommended. I really want to give it a five, but the coffee was not really good, otherwise it will be perfect and deserve a five star. Definitely a 4.5+ read more

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steak tartar: 3.5/5 a little bit tasteless from my opinion Cured salmon:4.5/5 perfectly cooked! Sauce is a little bit too sweet tho Steak frites: 3.5:5 average steak, fries is good Chicken breast:5/5 juicy and tender chicken breast, great flavour! Overall nice service, nice food and great atmosphere. Would recommend. read more

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I have virtually no sense of Hamilton's culinary landscape. Until recently, I'd only been on weekends to visit friends and eaten around the Mac campus. The French was a revelation. Refined cuisine at a reasonable price - something very rare in Toronto, but more common in Hamilton where things are generally cheaper and young entrepreneurs are determined to make a name for themselves (or so I hear). I visited The French with family, who'd been just a few days before. The gnocchi - which apparently is their star dish - came highly recommended. It did not disappoint. Rather than the traditional potato filled variation, these were done with house made ricotta which amplified the pillowy texture one expects from excellent gnocchi. Certainly a brilliant twist on a classic. The cream sauce was perfectly balanced and well portioned, which was a nice surprise as cream sauce can very easily become too prominent in my opinion. What really made this dish stand out though was the parsley bread crumbs spread generously on the top. They provided an unexpected crunch which contrasted beautifully to the gnocchi. Finally, some sliced mushrooms added a very enjoyable springiness. The Beet and Chèvre salad was an unexpected and bold invention - chèvre cheese blended with apple framed the frisée and beet salad, which was a brilliant way to add depth to the salad without drowning it in dressing. For desert, we had the lemon and blueberry tart. I didn't go as crazy about it as the other dishes, but my family did. Regardless, it was very good. Overall, The French was a fantastic introduction to Hamilton cuisine. I look forward to coming back. read more

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Came here at night for dessert and the servers were super nice letting us pick anywhere to sit as it wasn't too busy but still quite a few people there eating late night dinner Decided to order the White chocolate and Raspberry cheesecake which was absolutely yum! Definitely will have to come here and try the main courses as well but the dessert was definitely a right choice! read more

The French - White Chocolate and Raspberry cheesecake - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Nice/clean/friendly spot for dinner! I wanted to check out Hamilton, Ontario and the food! I stumbled upon this place and decided to give it a try. The service was great! Really excellent customer service and helpful staff! My waitress recommended I get the lamb burger so I gave it a try. It didn't disappoint. It's not super greasy or heavy like a regular beef burger. It's very juicy and has unique taste. I definitely recommend giving it try! I also got a a side of fries which were okay but nothing special. Anyway, this place is neat. Definitely give it a try. read more

The French - Lamb burger - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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Visited on 09/10/21 Delicious; every dish we ordered was cooked perfectly. It was clear that a lot of thought was put into to the flavorings and it clearly pays off! Here are the highlights: - Foie gras parfait - The sourness from the grainy mustard was pleasant; you could control exactly how sour you wanted it to be. - Trout Almondine - Crispy skin and a soft interior that; a perfectly cooked trout. - Duck Confit - (my favorite) The outside of the duck was crisp and the inside was very tender. It was made better with their use of a slightly sweet raspberry sauce. The whole thing melted in your mouth. read more

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Went for dinner and drinks on a Saturday night. Atmosphere is nice. Service was good and attentive. Food - our table shared a cheese app. The cheeses were great. They give us a couple different types of chips & crackers. The flax seed crackers were too overpowering in my opinion and I didn't care for the app. While my friends and family enjoyed their mains, I didn't. I had the Veggie Paella and it was underwhelming with little flavour. I didn't finish it. Drinks - we ordered some cocktails for the table, off-menu: old fashioneds. They were just ok. But we ordered some shots by asking the bartender to make us something good and she really delivered. They tasted great. We ordered a second round. And we were really impressed with the service and presentation. She came over to serve us our shots and took the time to tell us about the recipe as we were really interested. The glasses in which the shots were really nice too. Overall, good experience. I'll go back for drinks and brunch. read more

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I've been to the French a few times - once with out of town friends and another time on a lovely date. I found the atmosphere really comfortable and inviting. They have a nice selection of wine and I enjoyed their service and recommendations. I would say that this is a suitable restaurant for a special evening. I had the steak frites, which were super delicious and melt in your mouth buttery. I had friends who tried the tuna salad and gnocchi. I think the steak was definitely the star but the gnocchi was also deliciously creamy and rich. Overall the food and service was good! I would return in the future if I wanted a comfortable and nice evening. read more

The French - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Since we've discovered The French earlier this year, we've been going quite often for Sunday brunch. I can officially say we're never disappointed with the service, ambiance and of course the food. To start, the location is absolutely perfect with ample parking space right in front of the restaurant. When you arrive, you instantly feel like you're in Paris. The inside is decorated so well with marble and rustic tables, touches of gold and lots of black and white stripes. Every one of our greeters have been a joy to speak to. They are friendly, accommodating, and fast. The food is of course delicious as well - there's a little bit of everything for everyone: veggie and meat options for all! Overall, we always have a great experience at The French and I would definitely recommend going if you're in the area. Or, you can travel an hour to get there like my husband and I because it's just worth it read more

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Hmmm... so many glowing reviews elsewhere.. here's mine. 12 of us for a Christmas lunch.. Ordered a glass of the $15 Cabernet from California. It's dreadful- no body, no tannins, no flavour.. undrinkable for me. There wasn't anything better! One would think in a French resto there would be at least a choice of a couple of good Cabernets? Especially since so many of the dishes were red meat? On to that.. many ordered steak frites. To which all the meat was cold. I complained, and got back a measly, overcooked piece of meat, also the steaks were consistent, some got huge ones, others tiny. Over all it was "fine" absolutely not stellar. Service was good, although they got cranky at the end and everyone could sense it. This is my second time, not sure I'd go back.. read more

Everything we had was delicious. As a bistro, this it touch to beat. Superb kale salad; foie gras was excellent and the steak frites made the meal. Nice service, enjoyed the wine list. Everything for a good night out. So, we went back a few days later. I find that this can be risky as the impact of the food in a new restaurant is not as dramatic as the first visit. It was great again. This time, the croquettes, again the foie gras, and then the duck breast with wine by the glass. This is such a great place to have in you city. Enjoy. read more

We went there for a Sunday brunch. The restaurant has a nice ambience to it emanating the Sunday brunch vibes but unfortunately that is the only good part. The food was really average. I had the Smoked Salmon Toast and it was really just Ok! I make better salmon toast with frozen smoked salmon from Costco. The other item we had was tostada rancheros and that also gave me no reasons to write home about. Overall an average experience. I might not visit this place again! read more

Nice and clean dining environment, very friendly staff and most importantly, great food! The appetizer salad and the Tuna I ordered was awesome! The Lemon Tart was also great! Loved the dinner there! read more

The French - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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I came here for brunch on a Sunday with a girlfriend. What a nice spot to relax and catch up with friends while enjoying your food! They also have a patio area during weather seasons. I ordered the tostada rancheros ($16.50) and my friend ordered the Englishman ($16.25). Not a cheap brunch for sure for the portion sizes, but I think the environment calls for this type of pricing. The tostada was great! It had a perfectly cooked poached egg, guacamole, lime cream, cheddar cheese , salsa and black beans on a tostada, served with crispy potatoes on the side. All the ingredients together created harmonious flavours; the potatoes were not crispy enough though which was unfortunate. In terms of the Englishman, my friend enjoyed her dish as well! However, if you do choose to dine here for brunch in the future, I would suggest getting something else on their menu; the Englishman had two eggs, sausage, bacon, homefries, bean and toast. As you may be thinking already, that sounds like a very basic breakfast that you could make at home or get at a different brunch place for a drastically cheaper price. But of course , if basic breakfast is what you enjoy, then you can trust that The French makes it well! In terms of service , the waitress was friendly but nothing too special to mention; service can also be slow at times, as I had to flag her down for coffee refills and she didn't check on our table much at all. Overall, I do recommend trying their brunch. It's definitely not a place I'd frequent weekly due to their prices but if you're not in the area often and you're looking to find a brunch place, this is a great option. read more

The French - Tostada rancheros - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Even though I live in Vancouver, I've been here twice for dinner. Both times my meal was outstanding and the service was excellent. The vibe is cool, upscale without being snooty or stuffy. Music is lively and energetic without being too loud. The Trout Almondine, Confit Pork Belly, Ricotta Gnocchi, and Creme Brulee were all spectacular. I highly recommend The French! read more

The French - Albacore Tuna Nicoise - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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This place was gorgeous! Quite fancy and seemingly tailored to a more adult audience than a family one. Not that you can't bring them, but the atmosphere was more intimate and quieter. The place is also designed quite nicely and gives a very comfy vibe. My friends and I were food hopping, so we only got one item: escargot. The escargot itself was cooked well and tasted good. However, the herbs were quite powerful that it took away from the escargot a bit. I won't say too much more as I would like to try more food on the menu next time. They had specials on certain days and specials depending on the season too. The service was amazing which is why I enjoyed my time here so much. We had a conversation going with the waiter about other good food places for us to explore. He also knew the menu thoroughly and about the specials as well. I appreciated how knowledgeable he was! read more

The French - Escargot appetizer - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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Confession: I'm not a brunch person. It's waaay too much hassle at certain places in the GTA, line out the door, noise, too much pomp and circumstance. Instead, I prefer a more relaxed atmosphere...without much of a wait. And that's what I got at The French! I arrived shortly before 1:30pm on Saturday and there was no line at all. Most of the seats on the patio were taken - with the exception of the full-sun spots. So I sat indoors and enjoyed the beautiful setting. Staff were friendly, food arrived in a relatively timely manner. My only complaint was that a corner/edge of the salmon toast was burnt until black. My Turkey Club was pretty good. Fries weren't all crispy, but delicious, and came with an aioli sauce. Overall, The French was everything I liked in brunch without the hassle. Prices were just under $20 per entrée. read more

So this is my second time here. I had a great experience the first time, and was expecting a nice, relaxing brunch with the bestie. I wanted to give this place 2.5 stars, but since that's not an option, I'm going to go with 2 since it was such a different experience than the first time. 1) When we got to the restaurant, we were brought to a small 2-person table by the kitchen. Totally fine if the restaurant is filled, but there were lots of other 2-person tables scattered throughout the restaurant. We requested to be moved to one of the empty ones at the front that were a little larger, and the hostess told us it "had already been reserved." But logically, couldn't those people just take our current table or any of the other empty 2-person tables? So we went back to our small 2-person table by the kitchen. 10 min later the hostess came back and told us we could take one of the other ones in the front. So ok, I guess that was fine. 2) Our server basically never came back again to refill our water or coffee. The coffee was very average and considering I got 1.5 cups for $3.25, would not say it was worth it. She appeared once to ask us how the food was when she came back with the hot sauce and ketchup. This service however got significantly better when - 3) I got the omelette with egg whites and smoked salmon, and the egg white was undercooked/still runny. I thought it might've been the goat cheese, but nope, definitely gloopy egg white. They were good about bringing out a new one though, but by this time my friend had already finished her meal. Overall, I was pretty disappointed by this experience and the service. Will probably hesitate to come back here, but then again, the first time was amazing. read more

We arrived post brunch. That in between period between lunch and dinner. At that time of day, they were only serving off the snack menu. We were quite ok because we were coming in for drinks as we walked the streets of Hamilton. We ordered a charcuterie and cheese plate with walk olives. The house flax seed crackers on the cheese plate were quite scrumptious with the goat cheese. The bread on the charcuterie plate was divine. The server asked us unprompted if we needed more. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Great spot for our afternoon stroll. read more

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The decor and food is amazing! Absolutely amazing! We decided to mix it up a bit, so we ordered the Pain Perdu, Avocado Toast, Frites, and a freshly baked croissant. All of it was exquisite! However, we were ignored for so long at the beginning that we almost walked out. It took a long time to get menus and even longer to have someone take our order. It wasn't even that busy. We literally watched as two servers would clear or help at other tables and then walk past us. Then the service was okay, but slightly chilled. For these reasons, we won't be back. The food and decor WERE AMAZING, but it's Hamilton and 2/3 isn't good enough here. read more

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I've been wanting to check this place out for a while, and I finally got to go last night. I immediately loved the stone walls and warm atmosphere. The front of the restaurant looks like it opens up to a patio, which will make it a great spot for the summer! I had the fully loaded eggplant with spiced lamb as an appetizer, which was phenomenal. Eggplant haters don't be turned off by this dish - it's 90% lamb. For my main I went with the ricotta gnocchi, which had a super soft and pillowy texture and a delicious truffle sauce. Another solid addition to the Hamilton restaurant scene! read more

The French - Fully loaded eggplant with lamb and chiles - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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I love the French! Particularly the chefs menu is a great route to go! Also a very cute place. I love the king williams stench. This is definitely a Hamilton favourite! read more

I recently discovered this gem and it blew my mind! Brunch is 10/10, service is excellent. Can't wait to go back! read more

The French - Duck waffles - Bistros Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

I was pleasantly surprised at how amazing Hamilton has become. Everything was fantastic from the time I made a reservation to the end of service. I drove in from NY State to meet one of my girlfriends for breakfast to catch up. The hostess was was friendly and sat us promptly. The server came right over to our table to take our drink order and suggested a grapefruit mimosa. The juice was fresh squeezed and not processed. I had the eggs Benedict with home fries and the portion size was perfect. There was the right amount of sauce and the eggs were not over cooked. The service was fantastic and our server was super personable This has now become my favorite go to spot to meet my friends from Toronto and worth the 2 hr drive to get there from NY State. Love how hip Hamilton has become. read more

Excellent decor and service, and more importantly the food was so tasty! Onion soup was on point, and ricotta gnocchi and the beef tenderloin were perfect. It is kids friendly and staff were very attentive too. read more

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