Top Best French Restaurants in Countryside

"A favorite of the late Julia Child and a beloved date spot for a young Barack and Michelle Obama, Le Bouchon has been a sanctuary of sumptuous French fare for a quarter of a century in Chicago. Serving lunch and dinner, the menu is in French and English and includes many of the best traditional dishes: soupe a l'ognion, steak frites, confit de canard and moules frites. Favorites among diners include crisp duck for two, rabbit, escargot, steak frites and bouillabaisse."

"Take it as a good sign that there’s usually a line at this small neighborhood bistro. It’s because guests know the wait is worth it. Beef bourguignon dumplings, Alsace onion tart, cheesy onion soup, and a whole roasted duck for two are just a few of the highlights."

"This Michael Mina-run brasserie may be inside the luxe Waldorf Astoria hotel, but that doesn’t make it a stuffy affair. Just keep an eye out for the “Chariot de Rosé”—a roving bar cart of rosé hand-picked by the somms. Diners are a mix of done-up travelers and foodies looking for a quiet, civilized meal (though they’re as amped as twenty-somethings at a taco truck to tuck into Michael Mina's classic French preparations)."

"Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing. Visit Margeaux brasserie and experience classic, French dining at its best. Nestled on the third floor of The Waldorf Astoria Chicago, this restaurant features an exotic menu filled with exquisite food devoted to retaining the classic French vibe while the bar is filled with a dynamic cocktail menu."

"Three floors above the lobby of the swank Waldorf Astoria is restaurateur Michael Mina's ode to 1920s-era Paris. Classic Parisian bistro fare (escargot, steak frites, duck breast) gets a contemporary spin. Foie gras comes as parfait with preserved cherries and cornichons."

"France comes to Hyde Park thanks to this upscale eatery located in a South Side strip mall. Chef and owner Mary Mastricola’s menu promotes seasonality and diners can look forward to rabbit pate, trout grenobloise, lavender-honey roasted chicken, and an all-French wine list. Early birds will also get the best bang for their buck as a three-course prix fixe special, priced at $38 per person, is offered daily between 5 p.m."

"Located in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago campus, la petite folie serves traditional, classically prepared and artfully plated French food. The quaint atmosphere belies its shopping plaza locale but the free and easy parking is a plus. Duck (including the duck breast salad) consistently gets high ratings among regular diners as do the lovely pastries."

"By law, no building in Chicago can be built on the lake side of Lake Shore Drive. However, one developer found a loophole and built Lake Point Tower, one of the tallest residential buildings in the world. Up at the top, on the 70th floor, Cite’ serves up excellent French-inspired American haute cuisine."

"The french-influenced restaurant does fare a little on the pricey side, but the views of Navy Pier at night are incomparable to any other nighttime aerial view. The popularity of bookings spike on the nights when Navy Pier has fireworks."

"Restaurants Contemporary American Lincoln Square. Chicago has a few far-flung places where chefs have carved out personal enclaves for high-level fine dining. But perhaps none were born with the maturity and finesse of this 34-seat, off-the-beaten-path BYOB from husband and wife Chris and Nina Nugent."

"Goosefoot puts the pairings for its French-inspired tasting menus in your hands with its BYOB option, but you can visit Goosefoot Food & Wine nextdoor for excellent wine opions. The dining room is open and accepting reservations."

"Great money wise and you get a huge variety of things to eat--not just Chinese food. Their Won Ton Soup is the bomb!"

"Daily story times and Critter Connections that let kids touch and feel animals keep families coming back to Peggy Notebaert. Those, and the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, where butterflies of all kinds, colors and sizes fly around and even land on visitors. Hands-on exhibits let kids learn about water, rivers, the environment and a climbing structure keeps them active."

"Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is one of the top things to do in Chicago with kids. Located in Lincoln Park museum, this is a great museum that creates hands-on experiences for the kids to enjoy themselves as well as learn something along the way. The museum is an informative curation of Illinois’ natural history and ecology."