What can I say about Kiki's Bistro? Â This place is just flat out amazing. Â We went there to celebrate my in-law's 40th wedding anniversary and could not have been more pleased with this fantastic place.
The ambiance hits us as soon as we walked in. Â We were greeted by Kiki himself and told that our table would be ready momentarily. Â The bartender recommended some red wine that we ultimately would consume three bottles of during the course of appetizers, entrees, and dessert. Â The French onion soup was great. Â My oysters & caviar were fabulous, and the escargot seemed to please those who ordered it. Â It should be said at this point that our waiter was amazing. Â He provided recommendations for each phase of our meal and was completely down to earth about them. Â Not snooty in the least. Â Of note: Â we noticed that the ladies were served before the gentlemen, from orders taken, to wine glasses filled, this guy had his craft perfectly honed. Â I wish I could recall his name to give him proper recognition.
On to dinner ... three of our party ordered the steak au pauvre (a favorite meal that my father-in-law cooks at home). Â All were pleasantly surprised and remarked about how good it was. Â My lamb stew was completely perfect. Â The lamb practically melted in your mouth. Â The bowl went back to the kitchen white (I used the remaining bread to sop up every last drop of broth). Â My mother-in-law's salmon was great too (I got to have a small taste).
Dessert was unsurprisingly great as well. Â Of course, we got a creme brulee (with a layer of chocolate underneath) but we also get a pear & almond tart to go with and we all shared. Â The brought out a little glass of dessert wine to go with which was a nice little surprise. Â I'm not a dessert wine type of person, but enjoyed it just because it was such a nice touch.
Finally, on a lark, my mother-in-law decided that she wanted a picture with Kiki. Â He was gracious and obliged.
Bottom line, I wish I could give Kiki's Bistro better than 5 stars, but since that's the best I can rate here, I happily give them all five. Â I recommend this place to anyone who wants to celebrate a milestone, impress a date, or just wants some damn good food, wine & service.
We celebrated our wedding anniversary number 31 here. Â It was perfect.
Quiet enough to converse without having to shout, nor fear being overheard. Â A gypsy jazz combo played in the background and we ha a lovely three course meal, just the two of us.
Kiki's provides great value and reliably very good food, service, and atmosphere. Â I've never been disappointed here and highly recommend Kiki's Bistro.
Where to start:
1) Worst... bartender... ever! Side car- it is NOT served on the rocks, it is NOT served with 2 lime wedges. Really? Seriously, if you are a bartender, and you don't know how to make a drink- ASK! If you're a bartender, and do not know how to make a side car- consider a different profession- tending bar is likely not your calling.
2) Service- not the absolute worst, but pretty bad. I would have requested a different drink, but I never saw my server till there were only 2 bites left on my app. By then, I had slugged through most of the drink (not a side car) to help ease the tarte de provence.
3) Service- finally ordered a glass of wine- it showed up 15 minutes later- 15 minutes... and no, the place was not even remotely slammed.
4) Food- duck confit- I will always be amazed that a cook can take something so awesome, and literally turn it into shit. How something that is poached in its own fat for hours can eventually turn out to be a flaccid, dry hunk of sawdust is beyond me. The breast was better- still a flaccid skin- no crunch, or texture to it, but the meat on the breast was decent. Closer to medium than medium-rare, but at that point I was looking for *any* high-point whatsoever. The carrots- though well turned, consistency of baby food. Potato- well turned, consistency of baby food, haricot vert not bad.
I skipped desert. I skipped anymore wine because, well, I was never asked if I wanted a 2nd glass.
Go somewhere else- ANYWHERE else.
Options:
Publican
MK
Bistro Zinc
Graham Elliot
Very good food, enjoyed the " early bird " special, appetizer, entree and dessert for
thirty bucks, it's certainly a value. Was in downtown for the Buddy Guy show last week and thought we would try Kiki's, I remembered seeing them on Check Please a couple of years ago and the guests all enjoyed the place. Service was very good also. I"ll be back
ZERO. IF I COULD GIVE NEGATIVE STARS I WOULD!!!!
Do not go to this restaurant. the food is horrible the staff is even worse. Stuck up snobby servers, with Food not fit for a fast food restaurant. Â Asking for a drink is like asking for some huge favor, the food sucks, the attitude even worse. Ive eaten at many french places and this takes the cake as the worst!!!! Do not waist your time or your money at this place! I could supply a long list of other individuals that agree 100% and have given it multiple chances. HORRIBLE! DO NOT GO!
I've never been to France before, but Kiki (the owner of Kiki's Bistro) sure knows how to bring the culture to Chicago. I had the pleasure of dining here when my French teacher took my best friend and I to enjoy an authentic French meal. We shared the escargot as an appetizer and I literally melted in my seat. The butter and herbs that bathed these snails (which I had never tried before) were to die for. The snails were so delicate yet flavorful. I had the roast chicken, but not only did the chicken wow me, the red cabbage stood out the best. I wish I could order a bucket of that to go.
The overall ambiance was great. Very mellow and low lit. The place was packed, but never got very loud at all. When we first arrived there was a bar where patrons could enjoy a drink while waiting for their table. I was super impressed at the free valet service. I haven't been back since then and I don't know if it's still free, but since the area is so secluded like someone mentioned before, it's hard to find parking. I would recommend bringing a small group here, but above all this is a date place. Very romantic, but what about France isn't?
We had 4 dishes:
For beginning the French onion soup and Smooth Duck Liver Paté which were  ok.
And for the main dishes we ordered Magret de Canard (a duck confit) and a Provencale Roast Veal Chop.
The duck was pretty good, though nothing remarkable.
The veal chop was way more problematic - the meat was tasteless and the crumbs crust was soaked in burnt butter.
The service is very good a quick.
Kiki's Bistro was wonderful! My parents are in town and we were looking for something nice but a little off the beaten track, and my roommate suggested Kiki's.
We got there a little early for our reservation, and I was very confused that the restaurant was virtually empty--it was a little odd, but were definitely able to get a table before our reservation. We sat outside, which was really nice--even though Kiki's is downtown, the area around the restaurant is really secluded--sitting outside on a beautiful evening was perfect.
We got a lot of food--we started with escargot and tarte de provence. Both were fabulous. I'm definitely not well versed in the way of French food, but I thought everything was great.
I went with the Filet Mignon for my entree--it was great; it waas served with fois gras that went amazingly with the steak. I loved it. The sauce was fantastic. All of us were very satisfied with what we had. My mother had Alaskan Halibut that was pretty wonderful too--she let me have a taste. :-)
Dessert was a real winner--I had some dish that the waiter couldn't remember the name of (it was the special for the night) which was sweet cheese in pastry with fruit--Oh. Em. Gee. So good. All of the desserts were amazing, and I wish I could've tried everything on the dessert menu.
I do think that the service could have been a tad bit better--the waiter was very nice, but a little absent; there were a couple times I wished he would check in on our table and he didn't, but other than that, he was super friendly and attentive (and kind of cute).
This was a great meal, and a really cute spot. I don't feel like it's somewhere I will rush back to, but definitely a wonderful place. And definitely outside my normal price range--glad the parents were there!!
My inlaws were visiting from out of town and we picked Kiki's from the Urban Spoon app on somebody's iPhone. Â Had a Zipcar that afternoon and used it to drive up Franklin Street for valet service and dinner for a party of four. Â We really enjoyed this place. Â First of all we are in love with all things French, so we ordered wine and appetizers, and took our time to enjoy the evening.
There were so many things going on that night. Â I remember some wonderful tart pastries, an amazing ratatouille, sharing a bite from each other's plate, etc. Â Definitely recommended for a great night out. Â Check out the vintage car sitting out front, the pastoral scenes painted as wall murals, the authentic decor, and superior service from the waiter, coat check, and valet. Â A complete package to impress your relatives.
I walked in and the hostess greeted me by saying, "Au Revoir!"
PAUSE.
Are you kidding? Who doesn't know how to say "Hello" in French? Isn't it just one of those things...every American has a stock of foreign greetings and phrases. We all know what "Hola," "Si," "Oui," and "Aloha" mean. Are you telling me that "Bonjour" isn't a part of that list? Did I really just meet the only girl in America that doesn't know this? Maybe I'm being a bit snobby as I am a French speaker myself...but whatever.
After I was done shaking my head and correcting her, I proceeded to my table with my family and had a great time. The food was a bit slow to come out...resulting in some rather cold frog legs. Nonetheless, the food was quality. I already want to go back there.
I had the Halibut. YUM. I want to try everything on the menu. I think I really just miss France. I'll be back for date night! I hope they work on their serving time so I can be 100% happy!
Kiki's can do French food. Too bad their servers think that means they can act French too. So rude. The food was good but it just doesn't justify their lack of service. I want to go to a "nice" restaurant and have a "nice" experience. Â
This place kept coming up in the list of French restaurants but we never went back.
We had a fantastic server who recommended different dishes. Â The sea bass is delicious, as are the appetizers. Â I tried the boeuf bourguignon, my first time having it and honestly I did not care for it because the meat was fatty and I did not like the large pearl onions in it, but the flavor was great and very rich. Â If you have dessert, try to chocolate mousse.
The food here is lovely, the ambiance nice, and I will definitely be back again.
Well for a large group this can get a little close for comfort. Â Upon recommendation of my mom, we went here for my birthday. Â Overall the experience was good, I feel like my view was scued based on my being under the weather. Â
It was definitely warm and cozy feeling inside a bit close where we were sitting so it was hard to speak to our large group of 8.  The wine selections were extensive and good.  The appetizer I got I think was a special and it did not bode well with me... I wished I had gotten some of the other options I saw coming out.  However, I did have the duck and it was  a great birthday meal.
I reccomend here for a fun date or night with the ladies. Â Smaller groups are definitely better because its very cramped and very FRENCH!
This is a restaurant where the owner (Kiki) is present. He drives there every day in his little red Citroen. When owners are in their restaurant (and sober) You get a better restaurant. Since I'm a Chicagoan, I ordered two of the four choices of the Foie gras appetizers and then, to heap on more guilt, the Foie de Veau for a main course. (I'll say an extra Rosary or 2). All of the food was excellent. They have professional waiters who can advise on wine selections and food choices. The atmosphere is comfortable, loft-space style - big wooden posts and beams not too airy, and not too fussy. Good Taste.
Free Valet Parking.
My date and I headed to Kiki's mid-week during a snow fall and were two of perhaps six patrons in the entire restaurant. Â The service was very attentive...in a good way. Â The waitstaff was particularly helpful in recommending wines given that neither my date nor I were particularly well-versed on French varietals.
As mentioned by many Yelpers, the space, while much bigger than I was expecting, is super cute and romantic.
I always stare at a French menu and nothing jumps out at me; Kiki's was no different. Â Nevertheless, the food was very good. Â We split an escargot appetizer, which was tasty, thanks to the heavy garlic. Â For an entree, I ordered the rack of lamb, which was perfectly prepared. Â
I probably wouldn't return to Kiki's, not because we didn't have great service and food, but because French food in general is just not all that memorable to me. Â However, if you do like French bistros, definitely try Kiki's as the ambience and service were top-notch, and the food was very well-prepared.
Really enjoyed Kiki's and it may very well become our favorite little local haunt. As expected, service, food & ambience were every bit of a french bistro. Succulent duck, crisp frites (and haricot verts) and one of the best Beef bourguignon we have had stateside. The lighting was perfect the noise levels subdued allowing for undistracted conversation. Â
Th emenu as you could guess is french, good specials, solid wine list and again great service
My husband and I had a staycation in the city and the ingredients were almost there for a perfect, romantic weekend:
Hottie husband who tolerates the word "staycation"? Â Check.
Long, leisurely day at the Art Institute? Â Check.
Fabulous, gustatory sensation at a french restaurant? Â Er.....check please? Â
To be fair, the ambiance is like a Monet painting turned to life - warm and ebullient. Â The service was near perfection. Â And the appetizer of poached artichoke on toast topped with a poached egg, hollandaise sauce, and truffle shavings was transcendental - like a warm french kiss to the palette.
But the dismayed look on my 6-foot-2 husband's face when he saw his teeny-tiny short rib dish (like an adult at a child's tea party), along with my bland Coq au Vin, made the experience sadly mediocre. Â The prices, however, are anything but mediocre. Â
I guess we'll have to "staycate" in the burbs to have our perfect Coq Au Vin, at Hemmingway's Bistro.
We came to Kiki's Bistro for a pre-Christmas dinner with my boyfriend's parents and as soon as I walked in, I was in love. Â The floating candles, Kiki walking people to their tables, the giant magnum bottles of champagne decorating the interior...I was smitten.
And when I think about French food, I have to compare everything to Bistro Campagne up in Lincoln Square, which is about half of the size of Kiki's. Â The inside of Kiki's is surprisingly big when you walk in, and the restaurant was crowded for a random Wednesday night.
I was slightly disappointed by the food. Â Having heard so many great things about Kiki's from friends & coworkers, I was expecting the food to be amazing, but throughout the meal, I kept thinking "If you think Kiki's is good, just wait until you try Bistro Campagne!"
My Magret de Canard was tasty, but unremarkable. Â I didn't get an appetizer, but everyone at our table who got the Soupe A L'Oignon Gratinee thought that it was overly salty.
Kiki's was good and I'm glad I tried it out, but I'd definitely pick Bistro Campagne over Kiki's for the food.
I've been to Kiki's twice and both visits have been delightful. Kiki's is what it says it is: an old fashioned French bistro. It serves all the standards, and it does them as well as anyone in town. Service is great, cordial, friendly, and professional.
Piecewise, it's comparable to other restaurants of its type. They do, however, over a limited early bird fixed price menu if you order before 6.30.
The room is very warm and inviting, although it's location is kind of off the beaten path.
Parking isn't too bad here. I think that free parking can often be found around this neighborhood. Note too that even at some of the nearby metered locations, parkers don't need to feed the Daleys (that is, the parking kiosks that will be with us for the next 75 years thanks to a very poor decision made by the last mayor of Chicago) after 6.00PM.
Cute parisian cafe tucked a little away from the noisy River North area, it's almost in Old Town. This place looks really cute with the wood floors and panels, the owners try really hard to please their patrons. Service was prompt.
The food was good also, but I don't have anything particularly special to say about it. The lamb stew was good and the mussels, too. What I liked most was the dessert (lemon slice), that was pretty amazing.
What I did not like about the restaurant is how surprisingly noisy it was inside. The tables were far enough apart, and the light was low and everything looks cozy, but it sounds like a hectic market, and I'm not quite sure how all the noise seems to be amplified. I looked around and on average most of the patrons here look like they were 40 or older. Â Definitely a lot of older guests... so it's not loud like rowdy or anything.
I like the food, but it wasn't anything special. The place is cute but attracts a lot of older people. Would I come here again? Only if I were on a secretive dinner date and wanted to avoid being seen by people I know.
My husband-to-be and I had searched high-and-low and in-and-out of Chicago for the right atmosphere, with the right food, for the right price, for our event. And we found it by returning to this dear spot of mine. Kiki's Bistro hosted my wedding's reception on October 9th.
I've been a regular customer at Kiki's since it opened its doors 20 some years ago. We've celebrated every special event in our family there. I never envisioned hosting all my beloved friends and family in that space until I actually sat over my favorite dish (the duck), paired with my favorite Bordeaux, and considered it. Suddenly everything started to fall in to place. Its warm, welcoming feel lent itself naturally to exactly the experience I wanted to give our guests. And it's food: not your standard banquet chicken. And its wine list: fantastic! So we approached Kiki and he accepted our date and we took it from there.
Kiki's only hosts special events on Sunday nights, when they'd normally be closed. And to do so, you have to give your word you'll make his minimum tab, which we knew we'd easily reach hosting 130-140 guests that night. But Kiki is an ancient Frenchman. He doesn't have an event planner or a normal routine for these sorts of things (in his words - he only opens on Sunday nights 1-2 times a year) so we literally typed up our own contract and if we needed to reach him, we drove over to see him in person. Kiki does not check his e-mail account to regularly these days.
These experiences leading up to the day of the reception caused me a huge amount of anxiety. I actually had to put my groom up to the task of working with Kiki for all our needs and desires the night of. He patiently took up the challenge and did the best he could. And he did a good job because the day we got married, Kiki had the restaurant staffed and opened for us. He was waiting for our friends to decorate. The kitchen was prepared to cook our menu. And the sound system played our iPod.
Mind you: I didn't actually believe any of this would be the case until the morning I was planning to get hitched. So there's that. If you're a bride willing to marry on a Sunday night, and you pick Kiki's, prepare yourself. It's quite a rollercoaster of uncertainty!
But our reception was perfect. It was what we wanted. We hosted our loved ones by showing them how much we appreciated them being there. We did this through attentive service, endless pours of good wine, and delicious made-to-order meals. We left full of happiness and contentment. And we appreciate all the hard work the staff did to pull it all off for us.
And to wrap this up: if you're on Yelp to find a quaint spot for dinner, where there's no scene to contend with; just a friendly waiter with a rustic French menu to share with you head out to Kiki's Bistro. Order the duck and enjoy every bite for me.
The #1 thing about this place is the atmosphere. You wouldn't know it from the logo, but this tucked-away restaurant is a Parisian cafe right here in Chicago. The color, the decor, the lighting, it all just works.
The service was just fine. Nothing to write home about, but people were friendly and prompt so there's not much to wish on that end I guess.
Collectively we tried the lamb stew, the chicken, steak, the mushrooms and the mussels. We had a few things to sample among the deserts- the absolute best being the mousse- seriously- simply melt-in-your-mouth amazing followed by the lemon tart which was done to perfection.
I thought the desserts and appetizers were far better than the entrees. I'm not a mushroom person but WOW! So many amazing flavors going on! I could've made those dinner on their own! The mussels on the contrary, were flat-out gross. They almost tasted like metal.
As for the entrees- not bad, not good either. I thought the chicken was the best of the entrees, but that's not saying much. Just not very special.
Will I be back here? Yes, but only if I have good company.
I had a coq a vin. It's hard to mess these things up. I believe the chicken was pretty good--they were able to achieve a certain smokiness from a proper wine deglaze. More than enough chicken to take home and eat for lunch the next day. How fun!
Would love to go back--the wine was pretty great as well. wines are a big part of this restaurant as it should be--it's french. they have a little wine station in the middle of the dining room.
It's in a little area that seems a little under-loved which makes this place great. I love that it's a little french outpost complete, as i believe it's a vintage citroen car rally point. it really is quite quaint.
Great for:
romantic dinner
corporate event (if you work for a small law firm, or design shop, or something with a more casual yet professional atmosphere)
friends
Not great for:
quick bite
Ex'es
seen and be seen
Though I may not be rich in my pockets, today's lunch at Kiki's made me feel like a King.
Coq au Vin. This is true ambrosia because it tastes like the chef at Kiki's has been mastering this dish and its velvety sauce for decades. All of the stewed carrots, white asparagus, fingerling potatoes and onion bulbs sit there in a chocolately seduction. Â
Spoon the chicken from the bones and quickly follow by sopping up that dark-meat liquor with a coin of French bread to achieve the desired mouthgasm.
If the meal solely consisted of Kiki's Coq au Vin, I'd still credit them 5 stars. But we worked our way toward this dish by starting off with escargot succulent enough for the fussiest diplomat and mussels bathed in a rich, creamy butter sauce that we also fantasized about having as a savory ice cream or mousse. Â There were shallots or something similar caked onto some of the mussel shells that made for a wonderful licking. Â I requested a dish of pommes frites out of curiosity and while they're perfectly good crisps, we could have stood for them to be more thickly cut, so as to enjoy a bit more soft potato essence.
Thanks to your Yelp reviews, we decided to order a lemon tart but there was no way I could leave today without trying Kiki's chocolate mousse. Â
I must explain that the restaurant was filled mostly with seniors who appeared to be distinguished, happy regulars, so they knew the deal me thinks. Â But I must've made some pretty X-rated facial expressions and sounds because once I recovered from the pleasurable blackout of tasting the mousse, the looks on their faces were straight out of a laugh scene in the BBC's Keeping Up Appearances sitcom.
I've never had scratch whipped cream confident enough to refuse a cane-sugared mask yet compliment such a silken, smooth, cocoa delicious mousse. Listen, this was about a 2 hour lunch because they do no rush you through your meal and take great care in bringing to the table phenomenal cuisine. Don't go here and be in a hurry.
And I can kick myself for passing this place up as many times. We waited too long, because here you eat like Gods.
See, I've recently been sulking at the closure of my favorite French BYOB named Cotes du Rhone, but Kiki's is like an ultimate sneak-up lover that comes along while you're messy-mascara'd and snotty-nosed... then sensually presses your reset button when you least expect, but need it.
I always wanted to get better acquainted with French food, but generally the cost has been a bit prohibitive. Â Kiki's is definitely at a good price point and the food is approachable and not snooty whatsoever.
Wine by the glass: Â They have a huge book of French wine as you would expect from a French restaurant. Â Their selection of wine by the glass was considerably less (~20 wines -10 red - 10 white). Â I selected a fantastic 07' Rhone wine. Â I can go out on a limb and assume all the wines by the glass were chosen cuz they are affordable and delicious. Â The Rhone was exactly how I imagined a Southern Rhone would be just a little bit lighter.
They have a fantastic early dinner special (5-6:30pm), which is perfect for a post work dinner, although unfortunately it brings in an expected "older" clientele. Â That didn't stop me from talking about all kinds of raunchy things. Â I think they were kinda disgusted by some of the things I was saying; but such is the audacity of youth.
The pricing is fantastic at $27.50 for 3 courses. Â The menu options are a bit underwhelming for entrees. Steak, roasted chicken, salmon, or lamb stew. Â
Entree: The lamb stew was perfectly tender and not too heavy. Â Paired very well with my wine; though maybe a heartier Bordeaux woulda been even better. Â The chicken was also cooked perfectly and came with an ample serving of fries.
Apps: We ordered beet salad, and mussels. Â The mussels were fantastic. Â The broth buttery and rich. Â And the mussels themselves, soft and fresh. Â The beet salad was a good beet salad, but nothing to write home about.
Dessert: We got the homemade ice cream/sorbet and chocolate mousse. Â The mousse was okay, but the ice cream and sorbet were fantastic. Â Never woulda thought a French place would bother to make their own ice cream
Service: Was impeccably courteous and kind. Â Kiki is a very hospitable man.
Ambience: Â Hmmm, i was hoping to be transformed to a Parisian bistro; but didn't quite feel it. Â A little Sous Le Ciel de Paris on the speakers couldn't. Â
Overall a very pleasant experience, the early dinner special is a great deal; but i feel the real promise in this restaurant is their daily specials. Â Not easy to find dover sole or beef bourgogne in this city.
Forget turkey, stuffing and 4th Thursday of November: what about a wine-induced nap?!?!?
Dunno why - but sounds much more appealing to me....
Every year, every THIRD Thursday of November French drunkards gather all around the world (with a few of their international friends) to celebrate the Beaujolais Nouveau, New Beaujolais, kinda crappy primeur wine that we use to flood the world with just before the Holidays.
It's traditionally released at midnight in France, and hilarity, bad dreams and morning-after hungover follow.
This last Thursday around 1pm I was not ready yet for a glass of wine (shhh....I am being PC here....) but was desperately craving the next best thing: a strong after lunch espresso.
I dragged my partner to Kiki's, asked him en français if we could have a tiny cup of joe to kick up our neurons, and settled at the bar.
Witching brew swallowed in record time.
Perked up for the afternoon.
Merci, patron!
What do you get when you spiff up a happy pair, give them a Friday night open skate and make the cuisine requisite French? You get that happy pair to Kiki's Bistro and then you let the evening take its course!
Greeted warmly, we sat at the bar for a quick round before our reservation time. When it was time to sit, we were shown to a lovely, quiet and intimate corner banquette seat. Wine list opened, appetizers ordered, attire duly appreciated.
The kumomoto oysters (six to an order) arrived, one order for each of us, pre-adorned with a few types of roe and a lemon in the middle. Perfectly shucked, slurped and demolished - delicious! Next up, the salads. My date's Lyonnaise (amazingly warm poached egg and bacon lardons - perfection) and my beet, or "dirt cherry" as he charmingly calls them, salad was light and had the right amount of salad-to-beet ratio.
Bottle of delectable red ordered, happily taking in the warmth of the room and each other, we anticipated our entrees.
Our mains were, as predicted by a neighboring table, things we would dream of in the coming days. My duck was cooked to perfection and accompanied by a savory en glaze, slightly overcooked string beans (which I ate anyway, happily), a fantastic rice pilaf and rich, sweet stewed red cabbage. My date's lamb chops were excellently cooked and succulent however he was a little let down by the pedestrian mashed potatoes. Our sides of mushrooms (at least a few different types, buttery and meaty) and sauteed spinach rounded everything out fully.
As we waited on desserts of creme caramel and a lemon tart, a patron intercepted Kiki himself on his way around the room, congratulating the restaurant on 40 years and mentioning that he and his wife had been dining there for 17 of them. My heart was warmed, what an ideal sign that they do things right. Yes, the crowd is an older one and it's not crazy lively or bumping even on a Saturday night, but it was a perfect place in time.
I've been to Kiki's Bistro many, many times. My old firm held their annual holiday party there for 4 years in a row, and I had been for dinner on several other occasions.
You know you're in the right place when you see the darling red Citroën parked in front of the restaurant, which offers free valet, btw, an unheard of concept in downtown Chicago.
Last night, I met a newly-brunette Yelper (who looks fantastic as a chestnut-haired beauty, for the record) for dinner. We had tossed around a few other places but I wanted to stay fairly close to the Brown line out of convenience, and knowing her predilection for French food, I suggested Kiki's. She's easygoing, so we settled on Kiki's.
To be honest, I was a little disappointed. I've had a lot of wonderful meals here, but this one fell a little short.
I arrived a few minutes early, so I sat at the bar and ordered a glass of Bordeaux, which was excellent. She arrived and we were shown to our table.
I started with a Salade Lyonnaise, which is one of my favorite salads. While this was good (how can you go wrong with a warm poached egg and lardons?), it wasn't nearly as good as it could have been.
For my entree I ordered a rack of lamb, which came with ratatouille, mashed potatoes, and haricots verts. The lamb was overcooked and a little tough. The sides were very good, however.
My dc ordered the roasted chicken, but she didn't eat very much, so I'm not sure if she enjoyed it. It could have been that we were just chatty and she didn't get a chance.
Which leads me to the service. Since we were talking quite a bit, we had several moments where we weren't eating. The bussers and servers interpreted that as we were done with our entrees and constantly kept coming over to clear our plates. It got annoying to have to keep saying we weren't done. We were asked so many times, we just gave up and let them take our plates.
Moving on to dessert. I knew from past visits that Kiki's has crème caramel on their menu, so I knew ahead of time that that was going to be my selection. There isn't a French bistro that doesn't have crème brûlée on their menu, but you'd be hard-pressed to find many that have crème caramel.
This was creamy and sweet, and served with a puddle of caramel sauce and fresh berries. Simply sinful.
We settled our check and moved to the bar area to meet a friend for another glass of wine. By then, we were the only people in the bar area and there wasn't a bartender.
No worries, Kiki himself came over and poured us some wine. Conversation flowed and wine was drunk. We all wanted another glass but no one ever came over and asked us. You'd sell a lot more wine if you asked if your guests would like another round. That was ironic to me because when I was waiting for my guest, I heard Kiki remark how slow business had been lately. Again, your check average would rise if you kept a bit of a closer eye on your guests.
We never were offered a second round so we just ended up deciding to leave since I have copious bottles of red wine at my house, and then it became a problem trying to get someone to close out our bar tab.
So Kiki's get 3.5 stars. I'll definitely go back to Kiki's in the future, but since my experience was lacking, it may be awhile before I go back.
Classic French cuisine is probably my favorite type of food. Sure, it's not as adventurous as other restaurants in the city, but it's delicious, consistent and if they do it right, I'm going to love it.
My three best friends from high school and I had a mini-reunion dinner here. The atmosphere is... well, that of a classic French bistro. It is rustic, charming and terribly romantic. This is definitely an ideal date spot.
You'll notice that most of the patrons here are 50-plus in terms of age. There are no trendy designer jeans with striped shirts here... but ultra classy gentlemen with their equally elegant significant others. It was really sweet to watch the older couples as I was waiting for my friends. It was lovely.
The menu is traditional, and everything we had was perfect. I had the goat cheese salad, and as another yelper mentioned, it was perfectly dressed. For my main course, I had the duck... because I love duck. The wild rice was a little bland, but the braised cabbage was delicious and went very nicely with the duck. J-Money had the lamb, and she said it was a little over seasoned, but very good. Â For dessert, the four of us split an order of Creme Brulee and the Bluberry Bread Pudding. The Creme Brulee had a chocolate bottom that was a very nice surprise. It was very good... but I still love the one at RL better. The Blueberry Bread Pudding is perfect for those who want a dessert that is not overly sweet.
The four of us sat and dined for about 2.5 hours. And nobody bothered us. Nobody rushed us. It was loads of fun :)
Free valet too. Yay.
Though I've had friends introduce me to many places in the city, Kiki's was one that no one mentioned. Â
This lovely French bistro located in Near North Side is tucked away in an old building that sits quietly by the rumbling Brown line.
To begin, there is complementary valet, which in a big value due to the parking debacle our Mayor has put us in.
As we entered, we were greeted by George......oops, I meant Kiki. Â This establishment has been at this location for 19 years, but Kiki's was actually located in the Loop for 20 years prior to that and folks in this restaurant were much older, but don't let that deter you younger folks from considering trying this restaurant.
Zac was our server and did an excellent job of making recommendations. Â We started out with a goat cheese salad and escargot.
Zac provided some advice on our entrees and indicated that the steak and duck were excellent, so we took his advice and ordered them which I'm glad we did as they were very good. Â He also helped pair a nice wine with our meal.
Finally, we topped off the meal with dessert.....a profiterole (I have Carol K to thank for turning me onto this lovely dessert) and an egg custard which were perfect. Â
Now I would have given this establishment 5 stars, but we found that the busboys were constantly coming over to try and clean off our plates when in fact they were still half full with food. Â At these prices, meals are more leisurely and the place was not packed, so we were taking our time, but it is annoying to keep telling the bus boys "no, we are not done yet." Â A small little tweak in service will get them up to 5 stars with me if it is fixed the next time I partronized this location.
This is a perfect place for a perfect French meal in the city if I ever did experience one and you should too.
Kiki's Bistro has been at it's current address since the early 90's. Â Prior to that, he had a restaurant in the Loop which was a hidden little gem below street level (Le Bordeux on Madison). Â Kiki knows how to run a restaurant. Â
This is an adult restaurant. Â No techno music. Â No trainee, temporary while I am studying to be an actor/musician/lawyer waitstaff. Â No culinary experiments with the name of "fusion". Â No waitstaff singing for your birthday either. Â
At Kiki's you get good, solid, traditional, French bistro dishes prepared the way you would expect. Â Now... can that be boring to some? Â Sure. Â To them I say, Chicago is filled with the Eatery du Jour that is hot for the moment and I suggest you go there for the total doofus experience before they close next month. Â If you are over 21, come to Kiki's for the food and the professional service. Â Kiki himself will be there to seat you. Â
I have read some complaints about the age of the patrons.  Well, I happen to think that the old money knows where to go and what to spend it on.  Since I have several grey hairs, I fit in nicely and pretend to be old money!  Keep in mind kiddies, when you get to be grey, I don't think you will still be hanging out at  Japonais - you will get a headache from all the energy.
As to complaints about the food. Â Well, while dining in a well respected, establishment, if you are dumb enough to pay a good buck for food that you don't feel was prepared properly without telling your waiter....(and you are dumb enough to write about it later) you will never be old money. Â All kitchens make mistakes and if you ever wish to make it as a seasoned, restaurant aficionado you need to let them know when something is not right - good restaurants will make it right. Â
Regarding price, the fact is, most chain steakhouses charge more for a hunk of meat a la carte than does Kiki on a good variety of near complete meals on his menu. Â If you are in the mood, feel free to run up the bill. Â
The wine list is extensive and there are specials as well. Â As in any upscale restaurant, don't expect to find a discounted, Â "expensive" bottle of wine. Â Kiki's is not the place to come to get loaded. Â If you need more than two glasses of wine with dinner, stop at your local gin mill on the way home and then call for reservations at Betty Ford. Â You may have a problem. Â Â Â
Bottom line - Â Old School restaurant experience. Â Good for special occasions or for a nice escape from the day-to-day. Â Generally a mature, regular crowd with more of a mix at special events. Â Professional wait staff. Â "Bistro Favorites" (as classified on the menu) Â are my go-to choice. Â Daily specials add an interesting change. Â Duck Ravioli, the Veal Chop, Coq a Vin, Rack of Lamb, are wonderful. Â Deserts are generally simple but outstanding - the usual standards, creme brulee, chocolate mousse and some surprises. Â Free valet. Â Dress runs from business casual to nice jeans and a sweater. Â Â Â Â Â Â
Skip Starbucks for a week, put on a sportcoat, get your wife or significant Other to dress-it up a little as well, and live large. Â Stoggy can be fun. Â
Go and pretend you are Thurston Howell, III. Â - Â (Google it - if your a twentysomething.)
If you work in River North, you must do lunch at Kiki's. The food is incredible (today I had diver scallops with asparagus and whipped potatoes- perfection!) and the size/ variety of their lunch menu is incredible. Their daily omelet, salad, soup, and fish specials are the real stars.
And I have a theory the waitstaff is psychic. No seriously. Like creepy pod people from another planet, all armed with ESP and the ability to hear our thoughts. Whether or not you make reservations, they anticipate if there are still more to arrive for your party. They swoop in during conversation lulls (not during highly engaged dialog) to take orders. They appear the moment you've finished to take your plate. And they can sense if/when you need to get back to the office and make sure you get your bill quickly.
Kiki (the owner) and Violet (the hostess) are both friendly and extremely professional. A great spot for a business- or fun- lunch!
It's not like I'm going to be wearing any berets or anything, but sometimes it's a good thing to get a little Frenchy. Â I mean, they've given us SO much: french fries, french toast, french kissing (oo la la)!
Anyway, it was my mother's birthday and it coincided with the special Yelp promotional menu, so I gave it a shot. Â BTW: the promotional menu is eerily similar to the early dinner menu they normally have. Â You can get that from 5 to 630PM and it's only $25 for 3 courses.
The food was pretty good. Â I had the mussels and they were some of the best I've had. Â My mother had the mushroom fricassee and it was frican-awesome. Â We both had steak pomme frites. Â Mine was a bit overdone, I think, but it was good and HUGE. Â The frites made the meal (as did the giant pat of compound butter). Â We split the chocolate mousse and lemon tart. Â It was as expected. Â Nothing too spectacular. Â BUT, if you want simple food done well (or well done, if you're having the steak) eat at Kiki's.
First of all... I sent Jennifer B. a compliment this morning because she made my mouth water at the mere thought of the orgasmic caramel sauce on a poached pear dessert at Kiki's Bistro. And of course, to each her own... But I was not moved by this caramel sauce. It tasted like jarred Smucker's caramel ice cream topping diluted with rubbing alcohol.
Well, anyway.
I headed in with a friend tonight for my only Restaurant Week reservation. The interior is charming, very cozy and rustic. Perfect for a winter night. Sadly, by cozy I also mean the tables were packed together comme les petites sardines, n'est-ce pas? The restaurant was loud and frenzied, but our table's corner location, right near the kitchen, server station and 7,432 tables somehow managed to be the eye of this culinary hurricane.
We both ordered the French onion soup from the prix-fixe menu, served in the traditional ceramic crock with bread on the bottom and freshly shredded Swiss cheese melting over the top. Piping hot and delicious.
As his main course, my friend had the lamb skewers served over the most intensely buttery couscous I've ever experienced. The meat was tender and cooked to a lovely medium rare. Despite my temptation to stray from the prix-fixe and order steak frites (so. hard. to. resist.), I opted for the duck entree, with a sliced breast cooked to order and a little drummie of confit. Which I'd never tried. Which I want to be bathed in from now on. The accompaniments to my meal were a little bizarre, some caramelized beets and a sort of wild rice (and three, count 'em, little steamed veggies), but that only left me room for the dessert.
And it is the lemon tart that brings this otherwise ordinary meal up to its four-star glory. Get READY. It was just perfect. The custard was light and tart, served atop a delicate crust that all held together with perfect balance and unity. A generous drizzle of raspberry and possibly white chocolate sauce, along with some whipped creme fraiche and a strategically placed sprig of mint, completed the plate. Parfait, mes enfants. Parfait.
I want to marry that tart, I said. I want to make an honest woman of her. And just for that, I would return to Kiki's Bistro outside of R-week, get the steak frites, box up three-quarters of it and go to town on that sweet, luscious tart one more time.
Go there, and fall in love for yourself.
Edit, the morning after: I'm tempted to knock this back down a star for the indigestion I have this morning. G'damn.
It was my first night home after a 3 month trip, Alinea and TRU and Schwa couldn't get us in, so a friend recommended Kiki's for my boyfriend and I. Â "It's not as fancy, but you'll be happy." Â I was surprised, since french food and vegetarians rarely mix well, but he said it was romantic and we were out of ideas.
I was SO impressed. Â I told our server I was veg and he said "that's no problem." Â The chef made a special plate of delicious vegetables just for me- perfectly cooked and buttery tasty. Â We were a little overdressed, but nobody noticed. Â The wine list was fantastic and the servers were kind about our ignorance on all things wine. Â The dining room is cosy and heavy wooden beams crisscross the ceiling, throwing shadows from the candle lit tables below. Â We were seated at 7:30 and were the last table in the house after closing but the wait staff didn't rush us at all, refilling coffee cups until we chose to leave.
I L-O-V-E this restaurant. It probably doesn't hurt that my nickname is Kiki and I told the owner and he gave me a beret with their logo on it. So nice and so gracious!
But their food is really good. I started with the escargot which I love and rarely eat. It was full of garlic, which automatically earns you points in my book and the little guys weren't tough or chewy, they were perfect.
Then I had the Steak-Au-Poivre (sp?) with pomme frites - because in my book about steak there is nothing better than steak covered in fresh cracked peppercorns. It too was good, and I like my meat cooked medium-well, and I feel that sometimes its hard to understand what medium-well really means. It means that yes there is some pink in the middle, and at Kikis yes there was some pink in the middle.
On to the dessert, which is really my favorite part of any meal. I had the creme brulee. And as my spoon cracked the perfectly crusted sugar topping and dove to the bottom, to my surprise there was chocolate in the bottom! How perfect! It is to this day still the best creme brulee that I have ever had. And I was going to join my Dad and his girlfriend here for dinner once, but I got sick and couldn't go, so my Dad asked the waiter for a creme brulee to go and they gave it to him in the bowl with the special serving spoon. It made my sniffles disappear for a few minutes!
Plus their service is top notch, in all the times I have eaten here there has never been bad service. And when the owner is around, which is most weekend nights, he stops over to the table to see how everything is.
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