Cyrano's Bistrot & Wine Bar

Recommends

Rory

Joined 4 years ago

reminds me of Paris. Cyrano's is our choice when we want a special dinner, in a fairly quiet atmosphere where the food is always good. Love the pate in a jar that you can take home because you can never finish the generous serving. The service ia attentive, but not intrusive. If you love French food, Cyrano's is for you.

Recommends

sweetpea1970

Joined 5 years ago

Good prix fixe. We went to Cyrano's for the $20 Restaurant Week prix fixe and were pleased with our experience for the price. The decor is a bit dated, but still cute. We were told beforehand by friends from DC that service might suffer because of the circuslike atmosphere of Restaurant Week, but we had a great, friendly waiter who was very patient with us. The food on the prix fixe was good--salmon to start, coq au vin, chocolate cake--nothing spectacular or anything, but then again we were only paying $20 for it. It seems like they have different prix fixe menus all the time, so we'll have to come back to try those and see how Cyrano's is on a normal night. Thanks Cyrano's for a nice Restaurant Week meal.

Recommends

badjuju

Joined 7 years ago

Almost a 4. I'm debating whether to give this restaurant a 4 star. I want to because I like the name and LOVE the decor but the 2 times I've been here, I've been disillusioned. Let's start off with my first experience there. Lunch, one summer. The cheese spread was the best part of the meal. The bread ("ficelle" type) was too old and harder than it is supposed to be. I had escargots and they were just like everyone else's (but then it's my bad for ordering escargots). I think I had a cassoulet, one of their specialties I suppose (Cyrano de Bergerac is a character from Auvergne, home of the cassoulet). And it was too watery. I can't remember the dessert but I remember not being impressed with the meal at all, and telling myself it would be a while before I return.

3 years later, I come back with my girlfriend, this time for dinner. We have their specials. The "foie gras" tasted like a soggy pate. No bite to it. The best part of the course was the lobster bisque and the dessert. The rose was simple and clean.

The WORST part of the night, was the supposed cabaret style entertainment. The singer/pianist had no voice or tone and sounded more like a Siberian throat singer... actually possibly worse than one.

Recommends

bee74

Joined 6 years ago

Great french pick for the monetarily challenged. The food here is great. I took a date here this past weekend...service was great (if not a little pretentious), and the sea bass was excellent! On a side note, this place used to be more of a over-looked divey french bistro, but they remodeled, and now it reminds me of every other french restaurant. How sad. But go! The dinner was excellent for the price! (soup + dinner + dessert = $65)

Recommends

angevin

Joined 7 years ago

Feel like you're in a Paris bistro. My husband and I stepped in for lunch at this quaint restaurant recently. We were immediately welcomed, seated, and warmly introduced to our waiter and the menu. The waiter's Parisian accent and humility put us in a light and romantic mood right away. The food was delicious, the wine was a real value for the price, and the ambiance perfect for the afternoon's escape. We loved it. The only gripe I have is that we returned again this past weekend, only to find out that, unfortunately, they're not open for lunch on Saturdays. We'll be sure to coordinate our schedule to theirs when we get to Chicago again.

Doesn't Recommend

medeiros

Joined 7 years ago

Regreted. It was unsatisfactory. Service was terrible we had to wait forever for every single thing.

Then, soup was cold and the food was tasteless. We really expected more for the price.

Not coming back!

Recommends

meteorshower

Joined 8 years ago

Cute place. We went on a saturday night, without reservations, but were promptly seated and the waiter friendly enough. We mostly had salads, which were large and filling. The interior was well-decorated and the ambience nice.

Recommends

Robyn Galbos

Joined 10 years ago

Romance and French bistro fare are on the menu at this colorful Parisian cabaret in River North.. The Scene
Located downstairs from Cyrano's Bistrot, this cafe exudes Parisian charm. Green walls are accented by whimsical French posters and red window frames with mirrored panes; candles flicker romantically in red mosaic glass holders. Cabaret performers take the small corner stage each night, entertaining intimate couples and small groups with the likes of bohemian violin, jazz vocals or piano.

The Food
The menu of French bistro fare starts off with appetizers like pate and delicate foie gras. Lightly dressed nicoise salad has crisp green beans, hard boiled eggs and greens topped with flaked tuna. Entrees include roast duck--crispy outside, fork tender and juicy inside--complemented by a sweet orange sauce spooned onto the plate. New York strip steak arrives cooked to order, tender and full of flavor, with crispy frites on the side. Desserts, like flaky fruit tart, may be ordered alone or paired with a liqueur in a smaller tasting potion.

Recommends

aces2671

Joined 8 years ago

Great Restaurant. Just about every review on here is positive so I figured I would give Cyrano's a try and it was a very pleasurable experience. The creme brulee was fantastic and our entrees were served on time and were very flavorful. the ambience was excellent and the french background music was a nice touch. Great place to go for a romantic dinner with a bottle of wine and a dessert!

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Casual country-French wining and dining in the heart of River North.. Mustard-yellow walls, wood accents and Gallic knickknacks (champagne bottles, scenic paintings, handcrafted chickens) lend Cyrano's a relaxed, rustic French charm. Good French basics make up the menu. Heaps of diced garlic and flecks of sun-dried tomato give tender escargot a heady kick, and Nicoise salad "Julia Child" is a big bowl of lightly dressed greens, flaked tuna, olives, crunchy haricots verts and hard-boiled egg. Steak au poivre is perfectly tender, with crispy frites and red-pepper sauce. Indulge in a generous slice of fruit tart or creme brulee for dessert, or grab a box of Chef Didier Durand's hand-made chocolate truffles to go.