Need French rec, private room (or quiet-ish)

My dad turned 90 today. Although his hearing could be a bit better, the decision last week by the French government to make him a Chevalier (Knight) in the Legion of Honor for his service in World War II has added some real spring to his step. He and my mother will be visiting next week and we'd like to take him out to a nice French restaurant (his favorite, naturally) to celebrate both the 90th and the Legion of Honor.

We're looking for something with a private room. Nothing too pricey...say in the vicinity of $50+/person for food and drink. We (and he) would probably be a bit more comfy with something a bit more casual. There will be eight of us. I have no idea what French places have a nice private room. We'll be in the downtown/River North area, so suggestions in that vicinity are best. Failing a private room, a place that would be quieter would be best, given his hearing. Unfortunately, their visit is short, so we're stuck going on a Saturday or, possibly, a Sunday, evening.

Help!

I wish I could help, but nothing comes to mind that fits what you're looking.

I do want to wish you dad a very happy birthday though and congratulations on becoming a Chevalier. What an honor!

Hope you have a wonderful meal.

It looks like Everest has several private rooms, including a small one, so they might be worth a try.

Congratulations to your father!!!

PS: Oops, just re-read your post and noticed the "not too pricey" part. I guess Everest is not an option.... But, look at opentable.com -- they have a category for private dining which might yield a better result.

Not terribly far from River North is Chez Joel. I haven't been in a few years, when I busted my meager college budget on a nice date, but quite enjoyed that experience: escargot, onion soup, coq au vin, and bouillabaisse all very tasty. Definitely a step up from, say, Cyrano's or Bistro Margot in terms of nicety.

Website says you can book a private party, but the link takes you to a not-too-helpful query page. A phone call might do the trick.

ETA: It was also really quiet, even eating outside.

Gypsy Boy wrote:My dad turned 90 today. Although his hearing could be a bit better, the decision last week by the French government to make him a Chevalier (Knight) in the Legion of Honor for his service in World War II has added some real spring to his step. He and my mother will be visiting next week and we'd like to take him out to a nice French restaurant (his favorite, naturally) to celebrate both the 90th and the Legion of Honor.

We're looking for something with a private room. Nothing too pricey...say in the vicinity of $50+/person for food and drink. We (and he) would probably be a bit more comfy with something a bit more casual. There will be eight of us. I have no idea what French places have a nice private room. We'll be in the downtown/River North area, so suggestions in that vicinity are best. Failing a private room, a place that would be quieter would be best, given his hearing. Unfortunately, their visit is short, so we're stuck going on a Saturday or, possibly, a Sunday, evening.

Help!

Congratulations!

The person I would recommend you call is chef Didier Durand at Cyrano's Bistro (546 N Wells St in River North). They have private rooms available, & should be well within your budget. If you give them a number they can also work with you to design a set menu (they've done this for me when I've entertained smaller groups there). There's a thread on the board which discusses the restaurant in more detail, but I'd suggest just calling directly - I suspect Chef would be thrilled to help you celebrate!


ETA - Chez Joel is also a nice option, but its out by UIC, nowhere near River North. They don't have a private room iirc, but their garden is lovely if the weather is not too hot (the main dining room is frankly cramped). Cyrano is a bit more classic bistro food, Joel tends to be somewhat more nouvelle in style.

I've actually looked into private dining at Everest and they will work with you on a lower priced option -- I think they had a $50 option about a year ago. It is not, however, casual.

You could look into Kiki's Bistro -- it's such a cute French country kind of restaurant and they're closed on Sunday -- but will open for private parties. That might suit your needs very well (although it could be very pricey too -- never hurts to call). Francophones might jump at the chance to celebrate your father's honor! How great for him!

The idea to contact Chef Durand at Cyrano's is also a good option.

I can also tell you that Crofton on Wells has a lovely room on their second floor. Her cooking is uniquely her own but she does have some French influence. Also -- it's the quietest restaurant in town.

Have fun and how lovely for your Dad!

Shannon

It seems to me that the private room together with the $50 limit may be hard to accomplish. What was a good $50 bistro meal 10-12 yrs. ago is $80-$100 today, almost across the board, in my experience. However, many of the well-thought-of bistros around town still do prix-fixe dinners of 2-3 courses for $35-50, I believe. Some are mid-week only, some are available all the time along with the regular menu. Might want to look through Menupages.com or make some calls to find out about those.
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mrbarolo wrote:It seems to me that the private room together with the $50 limit may be hard to accomplish. What was a good $50 bistro meal 10-12 yrs. ago is $80-$100 today, almost across the board, in my experience. However, many of the well-thought-of bistros around town still do prix-fixe dinners of 2-3 courses for $35-50, I believe.

This is why I suggested Cyrano's - the Friday/Saturday prix fixe was $39 for four courses when I was there recently. Give them the $50 a head limit & I'm sure they can come up with a suitable menu for the occasion, particularly for a more casual family style meal if that's the preference.

First, thanks to all who have responded.

I'm not certain I agree with Mark about the $50 price point. However, to the extent what he says is so, I will modify my request slightly. There are several in the group who will undoubtedly have "lighter" dinners and who will not have any drinks. If, therefore, $75/person opens additional possibilities, by all means suggest those as well. When I said "not too pricey," I had Les Noamdes in mind (where the less expensive prix fixe is $115).

I am grateful for the ideas so far. in fact, Cyrano's had been on my list--I just didn't know if they had a private room--but even if not, it's a fairly quiet place. Kiki's opens for private parties on Sundays only if the parties are "large" (their word). Given the size of the restaurant, eight people is nothing. It's also not the quietest of places--a shame since I love their food and know my dad would enjoy it. Hadn't known about Everest so that's worth investigating, too.

All other comments, suggestions, etc. most welcome.

I'm very hesitant to recommend someplace I haven't actually tried myself, but I was intrigued by recent posts here on Le Petit Paris. Looks like the menu and price point might fit the bill for you, and the website indicates that they have private dining spaces.

Le Petit Paris
260 E Chestnut St
(at Lake Shore Dr)
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-787-8260
Open Everyday 5pm-10pm
http://www.lepetitparis.net

Gypsy boy, at the $75 pp I would definitely be considering Everest - they have a number of 3, 4 & 5 course private dining menus available & should be able to come up with something for you.

You might also want to consider Henri at 18 S Michigan, though I'm not certain they have a private room.

bfolds wrote:I'm very hesitant to recommend someplace I haven't actually tried myself, but I was intrigued by recent posts here on Le Petit Paris. Looks like the menu and price point might fit the bill for you, and the website indicates that they have private dining spaces.

Le Petit Paris
260 E Chestnut St
(at Lake Shore Dr)
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-787-8260
Open Everyday 5pm-10pm
http://www.lepetitparis.net

Le Petit Paris does indeed have a private space, though IIRC, it's up a set of stairs (as well as the bathrooms). (Might be tough for the nonagenarians.) LPP is a trippy place. It's tucked away on the bottom floor in a nondescript high rise on the Gold Coast, and seems to attract a lot of native speakers. The decor -- carpeting, towering Versaillesque drapes, is a odd mix of '80s upscale with French oddities. The chef (who is French) is a trip, he wavers in and out of the kitchen, doing some cooking, and intermingling with the Embassy crowd who dine there. The food is fine, not transcending the genre, but not failing to achieve it either.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Bistronomic. The prices are generally reasonable for the area, and although I was not blown away during the one time I dined there, Noguier can cook. Although the website gives no details, it indicates that it will allow private dining.