Chicago, IL
Best French in Chicago.
Harry's top 10 French spots in Chicago score 66–85 on the Harry Score. 2 carry critic or guide backing. Prices run $ to $$$.
French cooking is a bet placed entirely on technique, which is why Harry likes scoring it: there is nowhere to hide. The stock either took two days or it didn't. The beurre blanc either held or it split. He is not paying for the accent or the candle — he is paying for the sauce work.
Ranked by Harry Score, closest French matches first. The Harry Score is a weighted blend of Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions. No paid placements. No affiliate links.
Scores last recomputed
Bistro Monadnock
french · european
325 S Federal St, Chicago
4.7 across 415 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; priced about right for what you get.
$$
Harry
85
Worth It
78
Gavroche
french
1529 N Wells St, Chicago
4.8 across 165 Google reviews; a sensible spend, nothing wasted here.
Caveat: One source so far (Google) — the score firms up as the others report in.
$$
Harry
85
Worth It
78
Petite Vie Brasserie
french
909 Burlington Ave, Western Springs
4.7 across 173 Google reviews; fairly priced for what it is.
Caveat: Only Google has weighed in so far — a single source, so read the score as provisional.
$$
Harry
82
Worth It
77
La Grande Boucherie Chicago
french · european
431 N Dearborn St, Chicago
4.7 across 3.3k Google reviews; ranked #4 of 10,141 locally on Tripadvisor.
Caveat: You're getting an experience. Whether you needed it is up to you.
$$$
Harry
80
Worth It
73
Obélix
french · american
700 N Sedgwick St, Chicago
4.5 across 731 Google reviews; praised by James Beard Foundation.
Caveat: You're getting an experience. Whether you needed it is up to you.
$$$
Harry
79
Worth It
73
Taureaux Tavern
french
155 W Van Buren St, Chicago
4.5 across 475 Google reviews; lively, upscale French eatery with classic fare, a central bar with TVs & a massive….
$$
Harry
75
Worth It
73
Bar La Rue
french · mediterranean
820 W Fulton St, Chicago
4.8 across 3.5k Google reviews; OpenTable diners back it up at 4.6.
Caveat: Google's into it. Tripadvisor isn't. Locals are louder here.
$$$
Harry
73
Worth It
70
Coquette
french
165 N Ogden Ave, Chicago
4.2 across 162 Google reviews; praised by Eater 38 (Eater 38 — New Orleans (2026)).
Caveat: One source so far (Google) — the score firms up as the others report in.
$$
Harry
72
Worth It
72
Léa French Cafe Lake Street
french · cafe
70 E Lake St, Chicago
4.2 across 508 Google reviews; cheap and genuinely cheerful.
$
Harry
66
Worth It
66
Also serves French
La Serre
mediterranean · french
307 N Green St, Chicago
4.8 across 1.3k Google reviews; priced about right for what you get.
$$
Harry
83
Worth It
77
French in other cities
More cuisines in Chicago
More Chicago guides
Questions Harry gets about French in Chicago
- What is the best French restaurant in Chicago?
- Bistro Monadnock tops Harry's French list for Chicago right now, with a Harry Score of 85/100.
- How does Harry Hungry score French restaurants in Chicago?
- Harry Hungry blends ratings from Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions into a weighted Harry Score (0–100). A separate Worth It Score ranks restaurants by value for money. No paid placements, no affiliate links — the ranking is built from public data only.
- Are there tourist-trap French restaurants in Chicago to avoid?
- Harry Hungry flags restaurants where Tripadvisor ratings diverge significantly from local reviews — a common tourist-trap signal. See the tourist trap index for Chicago on Harry Hungry for a full breakdown.