Bistrot Zinc: User Reviews
Bistrot Zinc
1131 N. State St. - Chicago312-337-1131
We love this place at lunch but found our dinner to be uninspiring. While the mussels were great, my duck was bland and my wife's trout just ok.
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I love this place. However, the service used to be spotty. The food has always been good. Last night, the service was phenomenal, and the food was the same - terrific. This is not only a neighborhood gem, but also a special occasion place or a Tuesday night delightful dinner.
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My boyfriend and I love BZ. Whether it is for brunch or dinner we can't stay away. The ambiance is perfect, quiet, perfect lighting, good service and awesome food. We have dinner here at least once a month to try the chefs monthly specials. It is a relaxing yet intimate dining area. At night we prefer to sit in the back, but in the morning/afternoon, grab a window seat and people watch.
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I've been there a few times for brunch and once for dinner. For brunch, I give it an A+. I don't know why, but it is never super crowded. The food is very good and reasonably priced. The salmon benedict and french toast are awesome, as well as the daily quiches they offer. Good coffee, attentive service. The ambiance is always great. Went for dinner once and got a table right by the open windows, was very nice. I had the trout, which was very well done, and my gfriend had the chiken which was pretty good. I thought the prices were perhaps a tad high but not out of control. They make a nice drink as well. I would go there often for brunch and as an occasaional "treat" for dinner - again priced just a bit high but the overall experience is consistently very good.
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Had dinner there tonight. To start, the bread was stale and tasteless. The salad, which I ordered without bacon, came with bacon. My husband ordered the liver without bacon, it too had to be sent back, because it was served with bacon. The waiter took the order, then seemed to disappear, never came to the table to inquire as to how dinner was.
I had the steak, which was tough.
The only bright part was the dessert, the profiteroles were good with good warm chocolate sauce.
Don't waste your money, there are lots of better restaurants in the same area.
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Bistro Zinc focuses on what it does well--French food and pleasant atmosphere, and it does it to perfection. The crepes are wonderful, the quiches never fail, and I've never had better hollandaise sauce. Best of all, I've never had to wait for a table for brunch (although I usually arrive early, since I can't wait for my waffles with marscapone.
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The ambiance was a refreshing marriage of French bistro meets diner throw-back. The service was good-- though our server left us hanging a few times we could have used service. Prices are commensurate with the neighborhood. I would even venture to say the dining experience is a great value for the area.
We started our meal with a custom cheese plate our server put together for us. My wife had a salad topped with vinaigrette and some type of sheep's milk cheese that had a dull but yet interesting flavor. The French Onion soup was amazing. There was something sweet about the broth and the gruyere was at the perfect proportion. For entrees, my wife had the brie and spinach-stuffed crepe, which she found overstuffed and not-all-that fresh tasting. My roasted chicken was both aromatic and tasty alike. Set on a broth bed of onion, mushrooms and smoked bacon, the chicken was flavorful and satisfying, but the smoked flavoring was a bit overwhelming and dominated the nose of the dish.
Though we were too full for desert, we plan to return and try out the attractive options on the desert menu with a bottle of wine and a little more cheese.
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This is consistently our favorite spot for French dining in Chicago. The ambience is very French bistro-like, the food is excellent, the wine of good value, the service excellent and the overall cost value is terrific
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I too have been going to Bistrot zinc for almost 10 years, not as often as I like because I live elsewhere. Every time I have come to the city, I make it a point to eat here and it has been perfectly consistent and pleasant. The staff is friendly without being fake and rehearsed, the menu is nice because they keep half the menu the same and rotate the specials per month, the wine is affordable and they also keep a reserve list for nights that you want to splurge. Being from NYC, I am very picky and spoiled when it comes to restaurants. I have never been treated with any snobbery when I have asked for specifics and even when I brought picky guests, they have always left happy. And even if hypothetically I had a unpleasant experience, I would give them another deserved chance especially if I have been going there for years. Thank you Bistrot Zinc! I hope we have many more years together!
A New Yorker who loves chicago
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I think the review entitled heartbreak is harsh, My husband and I have taken people to Bistrot Zinc three times, as recent as this evening, Our dinner partners enjoyed the ambience and the food, and so did we. The cassoulet was very satisfying, and the creme brulee perfect. We ldon't liek restaruants that are theatrical. Bistrot Zinc's casual French decor is in good taste any time, and the location on State street is so convenient for meeting people. One thing - tonight our waiter could have been more attentive, and we wondered if he was spread thin on a Sunday evening. Also we wish Bistro Zinc would restock that fine Belgian beer Chamay.
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Review Summary
The following scores represent the average rating submitted by 38 users:
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