Cafe Bernard
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 871-2100
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Dickens Street
- Directions:
- Bus: 8 to Dickens
- Best of Citysearch:
- Prix-Fixe Deal 2008
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 5pm-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-11:30pm, Sun 5pm-10pm
Message from Cafe Bernard
Authentic French bistro located in Lincoln Park
- French Cuisine
- Wine List
- Online Reservations
Paid advertisement by Cafe Bernard.
Editorial Review for Cafe Bernard – by J.P. Anderson
The Scene
Low-lit with a copper-topped bar and wood-plank walls, Cafe Bernard offers an intimate respite from the Halsted strip's noisy, hipster-filled hangouts. Modestly decorated with French posters on the walls and dried flowers on the tables, it's roomy enough for groups, but custom-made for cozy dates.
The Food
Nothing too fancy, just classic French dishes, simply presented. Steamed mussels are simple and scrumptious, bathing in a big bowl with a sauce of shallots, cream and white wine; more decadent starters include bubbling-hot escargots and sauteed foie gras. Entrees include stellar grilled salmon with subtly sweet cabernet sauce; vegetarian pasta with seasonal vegetables; and signature bouillabaisse in lobster-saffron broth. For a sweet finish, choose from creme brulee, white-chocolate mousse with berries or sinful cappuccino cheesecake.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoWhile Cafe Bernard is nonsmoking, its tiny sister restaurant, Red Rooster, does allow smoking.
What to DrinkThe mostly French wine list is very reasonably priced, with nearly 80 bottles--many in the $20 -to-$30 range.
Save MoneyTwo different three-course prix-fixe menus are available Sunday through Thursday. One is priced at $20 per person; the other includes a bottle of house wine and costs $54.
User Reviews for Cafe Bernard
03/14/2008 Posted by mln80
We ate here on a Thursday night for my mom's birthday. The waitress was unaccomodating and borderline rude, which normally doesnt bother me too much if the food is good. But it was not. The salmon was bland, cold and overcooked. The steak was tough and salty. The pomme frites soggy. If it was located in a rural town somewhere, it would be a good restaurant... but when you compare it to all of the other wonderful options in the area that are in that price range, its below average. Dont bother.
11/13/2007 Posted by badjuju
Came to celebrate my birthday with my siblings. We had a variety of dishes. Best were the hors d'oeuvres. Calamari was surprisingly fresh, grilled (don't like them fried) with a tasty vinaigrette sauce which complemented the bitterness of the grilled calamari well. Tried my brother's baked brie which was fairly good as well. That's what I will order next time. My sister ordered escargot which, again, were surprisingly fresh. Not too garlicky but the "croute" over the escargots was nothing to rave about. Then the rest of the meal was more of a disappointment after such a good start. We had ordered a "canard a l'orange" - this came without orange, rather some sort of berry sauce accompanied by the driest piece of duck I've had in a long time. My brother had the filet mignon. Nothing extraordinary. It was cooked the way we usually like them, rare, but the legume accompaniment was plain boring. As for my main dish, I ordered the Bouillabaisse. Well, aside from the freshness of the fish, it was missing important ingredients, like the potatoes and the tomatoes. What to say? Maybe I'm wrong about the recipe but I've had Bouillabaisse in Marseille before and this was not it. Desserts: Some sort of cake that tasted like the berry sauce that came w/ my sister's duck. Bad! My brother's creme brulee was actually good. I'm specific about the hardness of the crust and I felt it was hard enough. Best dessert out of the 3 was the white chocolate w/ fruit, except it didn't taste like chocolate but rather a sweet cream. Good nonetheless. Friendly staff. We were seated promptly. Next time, I have to order the Cassoulet! Extra credit for the black board and chalk in the men's bathroom. Fun!
Pros: Great atmosphere. Fairly authentic menu. Parking not bad. Great appetizers. 2 good desserts
Cons: Authentic menu but not always authentic taste.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
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