02/02/08

Great Date Spot, Romantic, AMAZING FOOD

by nolachitown

I absolutely love Bistro Margot. I've been to this place a few times now and each time, it gets better. On my last visit, I had the duck medallions which far exceeded my expectations. If you have a hearty appetite, try the brie tart as an appetizer and the chocolate mousse/fudge (which is VERY small because it's so rich) for dessert - you'll want to order two or three more to take home. The service is a tad bit slower than you'd like, probably because people are just as impressed with their food and ambiance as I am. I highly suggest you make reservations so you can at least be seated and enjoy a glass of wine while you wait for a menu, etc.

• Pros: romantic, close to Second City theatres as a date, great food
• Cons: somewhat slow service

07/26/07

Good food, nice patio

by paws26

My son and I were looking for a place for lunch before heading home to Detroit after looking at DePaul & Loyola. We headed up into the Old Town area, miraculously found a parking spot and started walking the streets until we found Bistro Margot. We were pulled in by the outdoor seating (this was in July) and the menu selections. We were not disappointed. The waiters were friendly, a bit slow perhaps, but nice. We both ordered the mini cup of soup - cream of mushroom, delicious - the chicken club on a croissant and the mini creme brulee. It was very good and we loved the presentation of the meal. The soup came in a demitasse cup, it was adorable. I would have given it 5 stars accept for one problem. I ordered lemonade which the waiter brought with a straw. After taking a few sips I noticed lipstick on the rim of my glass. It was disgusting to say the least. I sent it back for a fresh glass of lemonade and the waiter was very apologetic, but I was still kind of grossed out.

Owners- if you read this, make sure your dishedsand glasses are clean before they go out.

• Pros: Food, ambience.
• Cons: Service was a bit slow.

09/22/06

AVOID the VALET!!!

by jamit

Food was great but AVOID the Valet... Car got dented and valet denied the whole thing... Then the restaurant says they can't doing anything about it since it is a separate company... They must jam their valeted cars into a tiny lot because my car came out with a big dent in it. Food is great and service is great but AVOID the valet.

02/16/06

Great from start to finish!

by lindsay16

My boyfriend and I had our Valentine's Day dinner at Bistro Margot and we were both happy we did! The Escarot was great as well as the Beef Wellington and the lamb. Our only complaint was that it is very cramped. We will definitely be back!

01/26/06

IT AIN'T PARIS BUT IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH FOR CHITOWN

by sloane328

BEEN TO PARIS, SO WHAT CAN MEASURE UP ON THIS SIDE OF THE POND? THIS JOINT HAS ENOUGH GOOD THINGS GOING FOR IT THAT IT'LL DO UNTIL YOU GET TO THE REAL THING. ALL IN ALL, THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE CHICAGO PLACES. GO ON A NICE WEEKEND AFTERNOON WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE WIDE OPEN -- EAT LUNCH -- DRINK AT LEAST ONE BOTTLE OF FRENCH WINE -- AND YOU'LL BE BACK. WE COULD NITPICK, BUT WHAT'S THE POINT? THIS IS AN ALL-AROUND GOOD TIME. GO TO PARIS IF YOU CAN -- BUT IF YOU CAN'T, THEN STOP HERE.

• Pros: AMBIENCE, FOOD / WINE, SERVICE
• Cons: DON'T, KNOW OF, ANY

09/28/04

Cozy Old Town bistro packs 'em in with appealing, reasonably priced French fare.

by Contributor

The Scene
The buzz of hearty conversation mingles with Edith Piaf tunes in this bustling, reasonably priced French spot, where two very red rooms (red curtains, red walls, red banquettes) fill with a hungry Old Town crowd. The front room gets loud; for more intimate occasions, sneak into the candlelit bar, where a couple of cozy tables hide behind red velvet curtains.

The Food
Chef-owner Joe Doppes prepares hearty, simple bistro classics with a sure hand--like plump, bubbling-hot escargot and a picture-perfect steak frites, the meat tender and full-flavored, the frites crispy and seasoned just right. Coq au vin is an earthy crock of chicken with onions, mushrooms, bacon and potatoes in red wine sauce, and risotto with asparagus and prosciutto is creamy and delicious. For dessert, try the profiteroles--you can't go wrong with ice cream, puff pastry and fudge sauce.

08/23/04

Good Neighborhood Spot

by scogs

Bistrot Margot is very good, and fairly consistent. They have amazing bread, but they had a different kind last time, so hopefully they revert back to the old one. Salads are always good, and they do have some options on the menu that are not meat (many French restaurants don't have many veggie choices). It is good value for what it is- I would recommend! However, they need to get rid of the woman currently working at the front door... she is very rude and acts like it is a chore to seat you.

• Pros: Good Food, Good Value, Good Wine List

04/11/03

Old town french

by wlevitt

very good french food in an authentic bistro setting.

traditional bistro food-like steak, duck, and coq au vin. try the salad with beignets and the creme brulee for dessert. very good attentive service. for a french restaurants prices are relatively good.

11/09/02

Try the Skate

by kim_wojcik

The service isn't your typical snooty French. We've always had friendly, well-informed staff. I've never been disappointed with a wine recommendation. They offer some really diverse salads - so big you'd think they were the main course. Entree sizes are smaller, but to me it seems well balanced and proportionate. After an appetizer and salad you can still squeak in room for desert. If you've never had Skate, this is the place to try it. I've had it at Mon Ami Gabi and it was swimming in so much butter it lost the delicate texture. But Margot prepares their food to perfection. The presentation of each dish is so artfully done; you can see the perfectionism in the Chef. Lastly, as if the food doesn't speak for itself and the staff isn't warm and welcoming enough, Bistro Margot has the most affordable French (I've seen) in the city.

11/06/02

A Little bit of Paris

by ekohlbeck

Great ambience, very romantic, wonderful food, very friendly wait staff. What more can you ask for.