On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: French
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, River EastChicago (Red)
Loading...
The hubby and I had Sunday Brunch here during out Anniversary weekend, and loved it. There was a jazz band there, and the place was packed. The room in the front had a bridal party brunch/luncheon, which was nicely decorated.
The service was good - our server gave us enough time to look over the menu, gave his recommendations and checked in with us at the right times.
They have a prix fixe brunch option, and we went with that. Appetizer, brunch entree and dessert (I can't remember the price, but mid $20's which is great).
The hubby got gumbo, voodoo eggs benedict and pumpkin pie (he asked to sub it). The gumbo was quite good - nice amount of heat and substance. I didn't try the other dishes he ordered though, but he loved them.
I got the goat cheese/endive salad, eggs louisiana and creme brulee. My salad was delicious! Refreshing and rich at the same time. I loved the crisp endive and salad dressing was good too - not too much either.
The eggs louisiana was good... but the crab cake/poached egg combination was quite rich for me. The creole sauce was really good though! I ended up eating mostly the eggs with the sauce. I could've had the dish without the crab cakes to be quite honest. Overall a great dish though.
My dessert... Mmmmm... I just love creme brulee, and this one didn't fail. Delicious.
Oh! I must also mention that they serve bread with butter, jam and a head of roasted garlic! I usually don't enjoy garlic so much, but this was like garlic butter and I smeared it on thick! :)
Perfectly located off of Michigan Ave across from the Hershey's store. Nice little surprise. I was here for early dinner so there was no wait.
Before even eating their food, I already knew this restaurant was incredible just by tasting their fresh baked bread with delicious butter and slow oven roasted garlic. I ate a whole loaf by myself.
French onion soup is the best I ever had. It was not overly salty, cheese was melted perfectly. Must order.
Main course, I had the Cassoulet-
Duck leg confit, braised lamb shoulder, ragout of white beans,
cooked with thyme, rosemary and tomatoes. I am not much of a bean eater, but this was delicious. I ate half and finished the rest when I got home.
Brunch oooolala (*eyeroll*)
I love brunch at Bistro 110. I go a few times a year, mostly in the winter before a day of shopping. I love the little old men roaming around the restaurant playing Jazz. Most of all I love the food.
Let's start with the baguettes and giant head of roasted garlic. It is amazing. Your breath smells for days, but it is so messily addictive. The garlic just melts on the bread like butter. Oh, and if you've worn your eating pants throw on some butter. What the hell.
Next I go for the Prix Fixe menu. I start with an amazing bowl of French Onion soup topped with Gruyére and provolone cheese. I follow this with the Grand Mother's Frittata. This is a simple frittata filled with bacon, sautéed mushrooms, onions, parsley and garlic. Oh my. Then I get the giant slice of chocolate cake to go. Because. well. I can only stretch my eating pants so far.
It really is divine.
It was almost perfect. Attending a Web 2.0 conference in Chicago, one of the presenters mentioned Yelp in her Social Network pitch. I went out to dinner with this presenter and a few others and we were joined by Hurricane Jimena M, fellow DC yelper. We came here.
If only we had consulted Yelp to pick a dining place. I really did not like this place.
On the plus side the service was terrific and I had a splendid mahattan cocktail laced with anisette which is definitely something I will try at home. Also a decent glass of pinot noir. But I was over sold an entree - raviloi and braised beef with snow peas - it was sold as the first glimpse of autumn and it turned out to be the last gasp of a leathery old ox.
Great for when you've got some out of towners around, and everyone needs a break from shopping the clusterfu*k that is the Mag Mile! Stop in, order a French Onion Soup, a Bistro Salad and a glass of white wine to take the edge of your barking doggies.
When I was there last, they seemed to have an awful lot of pumpkin items on their seasonal menu. Unfortunately no one got to try any of them, cause it was so late in the afternoon and the touristy crowds had already picked over everything!
*Slightly* pricey, but still worth it. This is some good Frenchy food!
ATMOSPHERE : Inviting and quaint, the interior is a fusion of French culture and American charm. With three rooms/spaces (Garden room, main dining, and bar) to choose from, you are sure to find a spot that tickles your fancy.
BOTTOMLINE: Reasonably priced, a dinner meal will run between $25-40. Small but quality wine list and food was fantastic! Dinner starts with fresh bread with a whole roasted garlic a and garlic butter to spread...scrumptious! The french onion soup was also an incredible apetizer and loaded with cheese for all of us cheese lovers to indulge in. I had the 1/2 roasted duck with peaches asmy entree. The Foie deau grille sauce over top was delish!
CUSTOMER SERVICE: I sat at the bar and the bartender was extremely friendly, helpful, and attentive. The chef himself delivered the entree personally with a "Dinner mylady" to boot!
All in all I had an excellent dining experience. Bon Au Petit!
I live in Chicago and had walked by this place many many times and finally decided to try it for dinner. The food, service and ambiance were all below average. I didn't even enjoy the bread with roasted garlic that everyone else has raved about and I love garlic. With all of the great restaurants in the city, don't bother going to Bistro 110.
Decided to do the heavy lunch, light dinner schema again. After standing at the top of the world in the John Hancock building's Signature Lounge (while the view was very impressive - their food choices were not), we decided to walk around a bit and eventually stumbled into this restaurant. Hey French onion soup in a cast iron bowl - heck yeah, I'm there...
Bread is served with a whole head of roasted garlic - you can never go wrong with roasted garlic - sweet 'n spicy, and it gets rid of all your worms too!
For the appetizers, had:
- Artichoke Baked with Brie - The artichoke was a bit over-steamed to the point it was pretty water-logged, however the melted brie dijon mustard seed sauce was absolutely suburb. This is a close second to my favorite grilled artichoke.
- French Onion Soup (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - baked in a cast iron crock with a gratin of Gruyere and provolone was a very tasty start. The onion soup was a combination of white and green onions. The cheeses were rich and exactly the right amount to satisfy any cheese-head.
- Escargots en Croute - These slippery suckers were finally put to rest baked in a rich maitre d' butter sauce and topped with a flaky pastry puff.
Entrees:
- Bistro 110 Steak Frites - A New York strip top with a huge slab of shallot-parsley buddah. This was tender and juicy - but a NY will always take second to a good rib-eye in flavor. It was served with homemade thinly sliced pommes frites and a chili-style steak sauce on the side.
- Duck Confit with roasted sweet peaches - This was quite moist and exceptionally cooked without the gaminess.
The service:
Very professional, however a bit upper-lip stuffy. But hey, we're in French restaurant would you expect anything different? So the atmosphere fit the bill. And I never had to ask to have anything refilled - Servers were always on the ball.
Here's the deal.
The food was fantastic. But honestly the best part was the server. Sean was his name. I have never had such a great waiter. He was very patient and professional- and was just great at his job.
Food suggestions:
Wood roasted NY steak rolled in peppercorn. Amazing.
The profiteroles dessert.
Don't be turned off by this restaurant because of it's tourist location. The food is top notch. There is also an outdoor patio where once a month they do a food and wine pairing- all you can drink for $25.
You've just been yelped in.
Stopped for cocktails and their signature roasted garlic. Both were first class, as was the bartender.
Bistro 110 has been dependably terrific for many years, and our intention was to stay for dinner. But we didn't stay because the menu pricing is just too darn high end for what it is.
How did I never write a review for Bistro 110? It's funny because, I always think of out of towners when I think of Bistro 110. I have three friends that don't live here but say this is their favorite Chicago restaurant.
It is very good. Inside or outside, I always have a great time. I've been for both lunch and dinner. The meal is always stellar. I would highly recommend for a romantic meal, business lunch, or a group dinner. It is consistently great.
I end up at Bistro 110 at least once a year, usually for brunch, but sometimes for lunch or dinner. All in all, I find it to be one of the most consistent restaurants in this section of the city and there's something for everyone.
Brunch: Good for groups or couples or people with children. The musicians are marvelous and have tons of personality. I find the $22 prix fixe to be a pretty good deal even though I am usually full after one course. On most recent visit, our waiter, Dave, did an excellent job at meeting the needs of 5-very different people (some of us picky!)
Lunch: I've had a long date here (nice, subtle service) and taken some relatives who remarked after a long day of sightseeing that there's nothing better than a Croque Monsieur. I love the selection of salads.
Dinner: Go after 8 and enjoy the lighting and attentive service. The staff is up to par on wine knowledge. I hear they're also known for beer but somehow I never go for that when here...
Bistro 110 is one of those places that you don't go to, even when you've lived in Chicago for a couple of years. My sister lived right by it for four years and never went. Then, you move away and suddenly you're all over Bistro 110 like flaky pastry on escargot.
Overall, I have to say, I was not overly impressed. It's not great for the restaurant when the best part of the meal is the bread+roasted garlic combo (which, by the way, was outstanding). The escargot was pretty "meh" and my entree, the cassoulet was a little disappointing -- kind of like chili. My sister had the lamb which was comparatively delicious but not even all that outstanding.
I was also distressed because, when we got there, we were told there would be a 10 minute wait. I stared down two empty tables and eventually, in 10 minutes, we were led to one of them. It was all very odd.
So, overall, GREAT roasted garlic, mediocre appetizer and entrees, and strange service.
Not a bad place off the Mag Mile for a nice, yet affordable lunch. The salads are good and the desserts are heavenly. LOVE the garlic that comes with the bread - it was so good, I even threw caution to the wind and ate it during a business lunch!
I wouldn't go to this place if I didn't happen to be in the area, though.
I haven't been to Bistro 110 in over a year now.
Why?
There are far superior restaurants that offer authentic french cuisine for much more reasonable prices. I used to think this was THE place to go just because the service was impeccable. It's always crowded no matter what time you go, but the servers never rush you and give you the attention you deserve (for what you're paying). I'm not saying I'll never go back however - it's just that there are about 100 other place I'd prefer to go.
The roasted garlic and olive oil that they start you out with it just about the best thing they offer. Their bread comes out warm and fresh also. If I did come to eat at Bistro 110 again, it'd be purely for their appetizers. Their mussels and french onion soup are very good. The endive and goat cheese salad is really too. For entrees I've had the scallops, steak frites, and duck leg. The scallop entree and steak have always been good - but not great.
The one thing that will get me to come back is the decadent slice of chocolate cake they give for birthdays and other celebrations (I went once and told our server that I got a new job and she came out with a slice of cake on the house!) Heavenly. It's three layers of moist chocolate cake with two layers or rich chocolate and an outer layer of chocolate with toffee candy sprinkled on the edge. YUM.
Overall, not the best representation of authentic french cuisine, but it's not bad - it is afterall a Levy restaurant - always reliable in terms of service and ambience and generally good about quality of food.
When my friend recommended to eat dinner at Bistro 110 I was immediately reminded of a few of my friends from Seattle who always talked about this place. It is definitely a tourist trap. My friends who live in Chicago, however, never even thought of stepping foot into this place. I'm glad I did though.
We had to sit at the bar for about 10 minutes because we had to wait for a meeting to be over. The bar area was cute. There were about 7 people already sitting there having a couple drinks watching the Bears game recap.
The bread that's served when we were seated was definitely not warm the way it's supposed to and it was super hard. The roasted garlic that comes with it smelled sooo good. Maybe next time I'll actually get a chance to try it. :)
I ordered the wood-grilled salmon as my entree and loved it. It was a little burnt on the corners, but I don't like to complain so I just sucked it up and ate it. The roasted vegetables that came with it was surprisingly tasty. The squash was my favorite! My friend got wood-grilled chicken and he said it was good. The vegetables were the same so I assume that they were just as yummy as mine!
We agreed to not get dessert, but took at the dessert menu anyways. Everything sounded delicious. However, we were too full to risk ordering it.
The service is good. Nothing to complain about.
I stood at the top steps that led to the restrooms for about five minutes because there were about 5-6 doors, all with signs on them.. in the same cursive-y font. A nice employee had to help me figure out which one was the right door.
The interior of the place is nice. Lots of peach, beige, and orange.
Oh, and good luck finding parking. :)
B.
I think this is a good choice for anyone shopping on Michigan Ave. and looking for a convenient location with good food at not outrageous prices. I had the onion tart/guiche lorraine combo and both were appropriate sized portions that were well-prepared. My two quests had chicken salads and both were very satisified with the quality of ingredients and the preparation. Service was friendly and prompt. Water glasses were kept filled. As others have noted, the roasted garlic delivered with the bread is a nice touch.
Amazing! Had the filet mignon. Scrumptious. The salads are also very nice, both light and full of flavor. Creme brulee for dessert, also excellent. Downsides: small restaurant, so it's very crowded. Also, it's better to have a reservation because it's pretty hard to get a table. But it didn't stop me from giving this place 5 stars!
Had a lovely family dinner here while on a weekend getaway to Chicago. I had the scallops over polenta and spinach - which was delicious. I was a little under-whelmed with my appetizer - the romaine salad....it was so-so. We had a large group and I thought the service was excellent.
Also kudos for the roasted garlic and nice crusty bread that they bring to the table.
Tuesday afternoon in the city, around 4:15ish...not a lot of dinner crowd out yet.
The positives +
+ Beautiful day for outside seating.
+ Prompt, friendly service
+ Great cocktails
+ Love the baked garlic, olive oil, butter, and bread.
+ Shared the Grilled Steak Frites 110 with my husband, tastes just as great as it always does.
Room for Improvement -
- When is that god awful tarp/building stuff going to be done above this restaurant, it seems it has had scaffolding in front of it for over a year.
It was a good solid meal to also enjoy the beautiful streets and weather of Chicago. :)
Yelping from Chicago this week and my first meal was at Bistro 110.
I had the awesome onion soup and the always fabulous artichoke baked with Brie in a Dijon sauce. I had forgotten about the great bread and that they bring a large head of roasted garlic to spread on the bread like butter. I had to restrain myself with the garlic as I have business meetings in the morning, but the whole meal was drool worthy! The service was perfect.
Artichoke....with brie and a Dijon sauce!
I really love Bistro 110 when I am in Chicago because it…
Read more »
Where do you want to eat? Bistro 110 is across the street and it's good. And it sure is! All the bistro stuff you want and more in a charming, but large space. They were out of an entree and offered to make it special for one of us, and did a great job. A nice wine list and the food was just what we wanted and the staff was very nice to us, and professional too. A big bar and the bartender made special drinks for us while we waited. A good Chicago experience!!
Whenever my Dad is in town we always dine here. Probably because of the location. Dad's from Hawaii and doesn't like to walk far (I mean, let's face it...we don't have to walk far to get anywhere on an island).
I'm a fan. It has a very sweet, warm, and comforting ambiance and the service is friendly and helpful. The food is fine, but just fine. Dishes are done as they should be...but nothing spectacular. In the past, I've had the Nicoise Salad entree, Pan Seared Ahi Tuna, and the Wood Roasted Salmon 110 and they were served as they were listed: you get what you expect.
There is one thing I would RAVE about: the soft-shelled crab hour d'oeuvres. The once-hard shell molts in to the perfectly soft prickles of a casing...mmm...making the crab's flesh quite vulnerable, it just soaks up the bistro's delish broth. Just perfect.
Really liked this restaurant. Staff is friendly, quick and very attentive.
Food was delicious. I had the duck a l'orange, nothing bad to say about it, it was really good. Everyone else's food look good as well, and must have been because we all were very happy with our orders.
For appetizers we ordered the Bistro Salad, Pizza de la Maison (recommend it), and the Traditional Mussels Marinieres (Steamed with Chablis, shallots, garlic and herb butter; served with French fries) It was the first time I eat this, recommended by someone at the table, and loved it.
Do try their specialty drinks, the Bistro 75 (I think that's what it's called) is awesome.
Only bad thing is that we really wanted to have their Artichoke Baked with Brie but they were all out. I'm taking one point off for not having enough supplies.
i liked the warm bread with a whole roasted garlic. it was so good that we ate two of them while we were waiting for our food. french onion soup was delicious. however, salmon filet was bland, no sauce or anything top of it. it was just typical of salmon with a lit' bit of oil..that's it..nothing special. i ordered crepe chicken (dunno exact name T.T) it was salty that i had to drink two glasses of water. i heard that this restaurant is #1 brunch cafe in chicago, so maybe i expected too much?, but their food and service was just OK.
I've lived in the Chicago area my whole life, so I had heard of Bistro 110, but had never given it a try.
I went here last night for our 5 year anniversary, and I'm so glad we did. I made reservations on Open Table and told them it was our anniversary. The hostess and waitress both went out of their way to wish us well, ask how long we've been together, etc. It really made the dinner start out special for us.
They were not busy at all, so the hostess asked if we had a seating preference and we chose the windows. It was a bit of a tight squeeze with the tables to either side of us, but it was fun to people watch.
We started with cosmos, which were made well, but not the absolute best I've ever had. Their cheese platter is decent, though a little smaller than I anticipated, and the brie was nothing special. The other two cheeses and preserves were great though.
The bread and garlic, as other yelpers have already pointed out, is phenomenal. I could eat that all day long.
Bottle of wine with dinner... the wine list is fairly wide-ranging price-wise, which is good cause we are definitely bottom of the price range diners. We were able to get a decent bottle for $50 or so.
I had the halibut with fava beans and tomato coulis, and it was excellent. The steak au poive was also very good.
Dessert was the creme brulee, big enough for the two of us to share and still not finish it.
The service was great, very attentive without being too in your face or annoying.
I would definitely go back, and would feel comfortable recommending it to anyone else looking for a nice night out. It's not too hoity toity but still felt special. That's a good mix.
Only complaint really is the ladies room was kind of gross. Otherwise, it was a great experience.
This place isn't great, honestly. The food is mediocre at best.
But, there's something that brings me back here every time I am in the city - and it isn't just the proximity to Bottega Veneta. OK...OK...maybe that and the proximity to Nordstrom is part of it. But, every time I am here, I genuinely have a great time, whether I am by myself or in a big group.
I can definitely say the food's gone downhill since I've been coming here (8 years or so, I think), but the service is great, and it's a wonderful welcome to the city. Good wine pours, serviceable food, but a great atmosphere, especially on a cold night.
Skip the escargot and the steak - go with the onion soup and the rack of lamb, if they have it. And order a bottle of wine, or two, relax, and go with it.
Let's see, this is a great place if your shopping on Michigan Avenue and want to grab a drink or quick bit to eat. I wouldn't suggest sitting in the actual restaurant but the bar area is nice. They have creative cocktails, AMAZING Scallops and awesome warm garlic served with warm bread it's to die for. I don't really like much beyond the scallops, the fries are good. The service is always top notch.
Went here with 9 other people, all of whom were from out of town. I have always contended Bistro 110 is a tourist trap...and it is. The food is mediocre. There are much, much better options in Chicago. The french onion soup is always good. Tonight I ordered the wood grilled salmon and it was good. A few people at the table got the steak and frites and said their steaks were cold. I've been here before (never on my choosing) and I cannot say I would ever choose to go to this place. For a group this size, the service was very attentive and properly paced.
I really enjoy this place. Huge restaurant, good wine list, nice atmosphere, and friendly & helpful staff.
The fries are amazing! I also love the Ravioli de Champignons, Sauce aux Morilles -- fabulous flavor. The chocolate cake is really good and definitely big enough for 2-3 people to share.
Why is it called Bistro 110? Simply because it's at 110 Pearson street. At the Chicago Water Tower Park that is.
This is an excellent place to stop in for lunch. While we were a little envious of the couples that got the three tables with the open window overlooking the entire park plaza, we were very happy with our lunch. We ordered a gumbo which is most memorable.
A lot of people do now know that Gumbo, a New Orleans creation contributed in part to black or African settlers (many against their will) based on Okra (from which the African word comes), a veggie brought to the US with the slaves, is actually a creation of the French CANADIANS that came down the Mississippi. So trying a Gumbo at a French Bistro in Chicago was a treat. And it was quite excellent.
I am going to duck out now before someone slams me on my historical account of Gumbo in relation to America, New Orleans, Africa and Canada (yet it IS true), and just tell you, you won't go wrong here. Prices are fair, service is top notch and the food is an excellent adventure... (Pst.. I was quite tempted to give this 5 stars, but I like to save those........)
Two thumbs up!
Have food allergies?
Worried about where to go out to eat?
Still want to go out to eat?
GO HERE.
Seriously.
I have some ridiculously complicated food allergies. When I dine out with my parents- I have to pay attention to them, or my P's freak. Bistro 110 is a great place for us to go. We can get good food, booze, and I can still eat something that tastes like it was made for a human- that will not make some part of me swell up.
On more than one occasion, the chef himself has come out of the kitchen to clear ingredients with me. The waitstaff are trained to be especially sensitive to allergies. It is quite an issue for the Chef- you see, his children suffer from possibly life threatening food issues. He takes these concerns and transfers them to the good of his customers.
Gluten Free- not a problem. Corn Free/Gluten Free they can handle that too. Corn Free, Gluten Free, Soy free, with their hands tied behind their backs! They have your back covered!
the best part? The food is awesome!
Really good dinner. It's hard to go wrong when you start off with the head of roasted garlic, cold butter and warm bread along side a very cold vodka martini. Down to the hand-stuffed blue cheese martini olives, everything was top notch.
The salad with foie gras, smoked duck breast and prunes... who knew? We split the mushroom-filled ravioli and by then I was half crocked so I'm maybe not the most reliable judge.
I'm not positive why I didn't give this place 5 stars. I would go back in a second.
Until last night, I hadn't been here in a long time. I'd chalked Bistro 110 up as a tourist trap, where out-of-towners and suburbanites going to Water Tower Place stop before heading back home.
I'd actually forgotten how much I like this place!
It's not your typical cozy little French bistro. It's bustling and loud, and I like it that way. The beauty of Bistro 110 in these tough economic times is that there's a great entree in every price range. I had the mussels (that come with fries!) for $10.95, while one of my dining companions had the cassoulet for $23. We were both quite satisfied.
Our server, Angela, was warm and knowledgable. She steered us all toward great food recommendations and also a great wine recommendation too. And, you know, it's not a visit to a French restaurant unless you have creme brulee for dessert. Bistro 110's is the best I've had in a long time.
If you're in that area and tired from shopping, I definitely recommend it. I still can't say it's a "destination" restaurant for me, or someplace I'd go for a special occasion, but you can't beat the location, the food or the bang for your buck.
You like a light bite to eat? Looking for something to eat while enjoying en evening of lovely company or just a simple quality time on your own? If this is what you are looking for and you do not want to spend a fortune, than head to Bistro 110
I will make this simple:
Great wine list and full bar with bar tenders who know how to make a wicked cocktail
Orgina in the bottle, which is rare
Roasted garlic with home made warm French bread
Next store from Ghirardellis
Near transportation, Water tower and great shopping
And of course lovely, light and savory French delicacies
Not worth it at all.
I went for Sunday brunch on fathers' day.
It was not exceptionally busy.
We dined al fresco.
The gumbo was above average.
The eggs benedict were way below average. (hard, cold, overly-toasted muffin, and hollandaise tasted a little "juvenile" (sweet and fatty) rather than something for an adult palate.
The margarita was not sour enough. (In my mind, margaritas should 'attack' all your senses, sweet, sour, salt, cold)
The Creme brulee was "okay".
Service. not good at all. I tip 17-20% for above average service, and usually think that it is a crime to tip below 15%. I couldn't bring myself to tip here. I hope it was just a bad day for them, but I won't be giving Bistro 110 the chance to prove themselves again.
Reading all the wonderful reviews, I really really wanted to like this place. However, the food and service both disappointed me to no repair.
Isn't this supposed to be a french restaurant? The presentation of the food reminded me nothing more than a generic American chain, I might as well have eaten at Apple Bee's.
First of all, we went in at 12:30pm on a saturday and the place was not too crowded. There were open tables. Yet it took the server about 10 minutes after we sat down to pour water and ask us if we wanted anything else. He explained the menu, and off he went...for another 10 minutes. We had decided the menu, put it aside, and then he came and dropped off our bread basket with the roasted garlic and butter. That was probably the best part of our meal...no wait, dessert was kick ass too. They roast a whole garlic tat you can easily pop right out of its clove and spread it on your bread..mmm.
We ordered the prix fixe menu with three courses, a hot tea, a coffee, and the brie with artichoke. When the artichoke came, it was a little disappointing, like the dish was an afterthought and half eaten. The taste was pretty good though with the sauce and melted brie.
Our soups then came, we had a French onion soup and a lobster bisque. The french onion soup was decent, lathered in cheese and bread. The lobster bisque was WAYYY too salty. I love salty soup...but I couldn't even finish it and my head was already hurting from the salt. Seriously, even for a bisque it was toooooooo salty.
For the main course, I got their NY Strip BLT and my husband got the wood smoked salmon. Okay..where did FRIES fit into french cuisine? French fries? har har. Seriously though, my BLT with steak was falling apart, the lettuce and tomato was stale and mushy, and it just came with steak fries. Fries. I can't get over the fries part. It looked just like something I could have gotten at an American chain. My husband's piece of salmon was alright at best, nothing to write home about, and definitely nothing memorable. His salmon came with random mixed greens and fries.
The dessert was the saving grace. Their bread pudding and creme brulee were amazing. The brulee was mixed with vanilla bean and it tasted fresh. The bread pudding wasn't too sweet or anything, just the perfect bite.
Service made this restaurant sink in another star because our waiter was not attentive at all. Even with many reminders that we would like refill on coffee, he failed to refill it for us for a good amount of time. It was slow and tedious and definitely not remarkable in any way.
It would be a perfect little joint for a quick lunch but I don't know if it would be a place you PLAN to go as a french dining experience. I definitely have had better, and to think this place is almost right on Michigan Ave they would try a little harder. Oh well. Meh.
I should first mention that I went to Bistro 110 with a comped work dinner, so the prices or value weren't really part of my impression of the place.
Funnily enough, everything BUT my entree was amazing. First of all, the warm crusty french bread with butter and huge heads of garlic was a surprise, but incredibly delicious. I'm not sure I would have wanted to down that much garlic on a date, but stinky breath around the colleagues was worth it. The endive salad with goat cheese was also really good. The cheese is served breaded and comes warm on top of the cool, tangy endive. It's pretty much everything I want from a starter salad. I had the duck for entree and it was fine, but the roasted sweet potatoes that came with were actually the best part. I wasn't that thrilled with the entree, but dessert totally made up for it. Oh, the creme brulee! It was perfect. The shell was not overpowering or too thick etc, and the custard actually had a wonderful sweet vanilla flavor, rather than the non-descript taste of many creme brulees I've had.
All in all, I'd go back just for the bread, appetizers, and dessert!
The atmosphere is cute enough that it isn't stuffy (the walls have chalkboards with daily odd headlines) but the food and atmosphere are upscale enough that I think the restaurant is perfect for business lunches/dinners or nicer nights out with the fam. Service was wonderful, A+ in that category.
Wheelchair Accessibility Review: The restaurant has only the rotating door in front, but it actually has the ability to have a hinge undone (in a very quick move) so that it opens up enough to let a wheelchair or scooter through. This is actually the first place I've seen this, and it was pretty cool. It makes me wonder if more of the regular rotating doors in the city are capable of the same move. The hostess who sits right front of the door immediately come to help when she saw me, but maybe you should call ahead if you're traveling alone, just in case they aren't able to see you outside. Once inside, everything is accessible.
Considering its prime location off of Michigan Avenue, I was amazed by the reasonable menu prices and decided to give it a try.
My friend and I walked in around 8pm on a Friday night, and had no problem getting seated immediately. Our server was great, the french bread was DELISH! and my dinner, the duck confit, was phenomenal. My friend had the fricassee of chicken, which she enjoyed immensely as well. Can't comment on dessert since we skipped it and opted for hot cocoa at Ghirardelli, which is right next door. Otherwise, the food was great, the service was great, and you leave without a hole in your wallet--what more could you ask for?
I think I'm missing something here??? In fairness we went for lunch not dinner. However, the food is very average. The French onion soup is quite good, but no better than Elephant and Castle. The salmon is literally just grilled salmon. The fish was fresh but very boring and bland. We did enjoy the desserts. Maybe dinner is completely different, but I really don't get what the hype is about.
$28.50 Prix Fixe and 1/2 Price…
Neighborhood: Streeterville
PreFixe Sun and Tues 3 courses…
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Neighborhood: Streeterville
Category: French
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: French
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: French
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Seafood
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Chicago - either on vacation or business I always…
Here are some of the people and services who…
Most of these places serve amazing food, but…
Here are some of the places I enjoy... excellent…
I'm sure Vegans and Vegetarians will stay 100 feet…
I love brunch and here are my favorite places to…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
