Top notch restaurant we celebrated our anniversary and had waterfront dining I have never had a better filet mignon in my life the staff was amazing the drinks were delicious and the steak melted in my mouth like butter we shared a slice of lemon cheesecake that was beyond good we will definitely recommend this restaurant to our friends
Darlene D
Food was very good. We had a waterfront table on a perfect day. I read a review of marked up wine prices and totally agree. I asked for a glass of Cabernet and a bottle was opened at our table. I am not sure if the waiter misunderstood, but apparently I bought the bottle. It was 75 dollars and the wine actually sells for 20 dollars. If it was a 75 dollar bottle, I wouldn't care.
Anthony C
The restaurant had a Italian wine/dinner night. The atmosphere was great and the wait staff was impeccable. You rarely see such great professionalism in the service industry and this crew is one happy family that prides themselves on serving and taking care of customers. The wine they served was all top notch which is rare to see at these type of events. The food was diverse and paired excellently. The qual with the chestnut sauce was impeccable.
387indy
Chez Francois has an elegant decor, Covid protocol, great staff w/ super service. The menu and food are very good. I enjoyed Beef Wellington and house red.
wross62
Another outstanding meal and service at Chez. The scallops with mushroom appetizer was sublime; the sea bass + lobster in cream sauce wonderful. Socially-distanced tables. Four and a half stars goes to five given that they didn't miss a beat faced with three seatings and the entire dining room arriving and leaving at the same time! (we were at the second seating). About $500 for two with tax, tip, and a mid-level bottle of bubbly. We will be back.
will r
Another outstanding meal and service at Chez. The scallops with mushroom appetizer was sublime; the sea bass + lobster in cream sauce wonderful. Socially-distanced tables. Four and a half stars goes to five given that they didn't miss a beat faced with three seatings and the entire dining room arriving and leaving at the same time! (we were at the second seating). About $500 for two with tax, tip, and a mid-level bottle of bubbly. We will be back.
JosephatFremont
From the moment you walk into the restaurant you are treated with superb service. From water glass to wine service, from appetizer to dessert, from cocktail to aperitif this is an amazing dining experience. We were so impressed with the appetizer list we ordered 6 for a table of 4. The soups are to die for— especially the cup of lobster bisque, wild mushroom and the French onion. 2 in our party ordered Beef Wellington— cooked to perfection and crusted with a perfect pastry. Another ordered the duck— wow is all you can say. And I ordered the Lobster Thermidor. It was a show stopper and was prepared with such care so the lobster and scallops were marvelously highlighted with mushrooms and cream sauce. Then we had the cheese plate with a courtesy sherry and dessert with port wines. What else is there to say but EXTRAORDINARY and EXCEPTIONAL!!! If you are in Ohio or Michigan you Must make this a stop!
Marc B
We went to the annual clam bake. The lobster was a half lobster stuffed with shrimp. The dessert was a cold apple tart of some sort and we had to ask for a warm beverage. On the whole the food was second rate, the lobster was poorly done and the dessert was not very good. The restaurant prides itself as the last bastion of sophisticated dining and that jackets are required for men. All of that folderol would be OK if the product was worth it, it was not!
Pat D
Just a classy, special place to dine. The moment you are greeted, everyone is so accommodating and nice. The person who seated us paid attention to our seating request. We had a private booth table that could view the entire restaurant and their outdoor patio. Private table booth type and we loved it. Their wine steward selected a great bottle to enjoy for what we were ordering. . Lamb, veal scallopini main dishes were incredible. Our waiter was knowledgeable in the menu and the preparation of the dishes. His timing was perfect. Birthday celebration they did not forget. Ask for Rob as your waiter. Lovely experience in fine dining.
Thomas A
When we made our reservation, we noticed there was no reference to Covid or to Covid restrictions or procedures on the Chez Francois website. Since new Covid cases are spiking through the roof in Ohio, we called the restaurant and asked four questions. The Chez Francois responses are noted: 1) Are all of your staff members vaccinated: No 2) Do you require your staff members to wear masks: No 3) Are your tables socially distanced: No 4) May we speak with the manager: No, the manager is too busy to talk on the phone. Our response: Please cancel our reservation!!
We sat outside in the river room. Very pleasant with view of river, boats, homes, etc. Our waiter, Edward, was fantastic. Food quite tasty, BUT not sure the entrees should have been $55. I think same menu offered inside and out. Next time I eat there, which is pretty much a certainty, will eat inside to experience the ambiance. Almost forgot to mention that I had one of the best cocktails ever. Whiskey Sour which contained egg whites
Bob S.
Always greeted and seated by pleasant staff when entering. The atmosphere, menu items, and cocktails are always excellent. It is obvious that the owners expect and deliver nothing less than perfection, we love talking about and referring this restaurant to everyone.
Susan F
We were extremely disappointed. Our food was not good, our service was not good, we paid a very hefty price for a very bad experience. We arrived early for our reservation to have a cocktail and asked if we could sit in bar. They sat us at a table in the hallway, not the bar, because we didn't have a bar reservation. We sat in the hallway for two hours waiting for our table and the 3 open tables in the bar were never sat! I sent an email expressing our disappointment and Received a reply with apologies. We arrived at 5:45, at 9:15 when I got up from the table to complain we still had not even had bread delivered to our table. We were a family of 5 celebrating a special occasion and after spending over $700 by the time we left, an "apology" was just not acceptable. Will never go back!
Lauren K.
Touché is the wine bar located inside of Chez Francois in Vermilion. Little known fact: Touché, aside from a slightly different seating arrangement, carries the same food and drink menu as Chez Francois. Like Chez, you need to make reservations in advanced as far as possible online. We just had a quick cocktail, but know that it's no easy feat to choose from their beautiful and expansive menu! At the suggestion of our wonderful server, I had the cucumber moscow mule, which was so delightful and refreshing on a hot day. Come later in the evening on a weekday and you'll have the opportunity to sit outside on the riverfront. If you're like me and still not dining out aside from a patio visit here and there during a less busy time, you can feel good about visiting here outside. Touché's outdoor patio has a lovely ambiance, only increased by the charm of the city of Vermilion and the channel leading onto Lake Erie. Bring a friend, a date or a special occasion. You'll still want to be dressed up and make those reservations as far as you possibly can. We only had a quick drink, but I'll be back to try the food!
John T.
The easiest 5 star review I have ever written. Touché is the casual restaurant upstairs from the elegant Chez Francois. It offers a slightly smaller menu, served in a casual, pub like setting. We started with cocktails. Their cocktail and wine list is so large and expansive that is provided on an iPad! There is something for everyone. I will call out my wife's Campari Milano Spritz which is a delicious twist on the classic Aperol spritz. There is a large assortment of hot and cold appetizers to try, indeed you could make a meal out of those! Hmm, maybe we will need to come back for that! We opted to start with the burrata salad. It is an heirloom tomato and arugula salad topped with their homemade mozzarella "shell" that is filled with creamy burrata. It was perfect for a summer evening. For our main course we both had fish. I had the Chilean Sea Bass which was prepared with miso, baby book choy, and an assortment of julienned vegetables. My wife had the red snapper special which featured cooked apples and a splash of Benedictine Liqueor. What a combination of flavors! It was fantastic. Our server Luke took excellent care of us. We knew him from another restaurant and so we were glad to see him as he is an excellent waiter. He suggested a nice Italian white wine to enjoy with our seafood and it paired perfectly. Thanks Luke! The manager Evan stopped by a couple times to check on us and he told us all about the menus in both restaurants. I am a fan of formal dining and so we will have to come back to dine at Chez Francois. As I said before, this is an easy 5 stars. PS: There is a wonderful outside patio as well, and they have dock space so you can also come by boat.
Top notch restaurant we celebrated our anniversary and had waterfront dining I have never had a better filet mignon in my life the staff was amazing the drinks were delicious and the steak melted in my mouth like butter we shared a slice of lemon cheesecake that was beyond good we will definitely recommend this restaurant to our friends
Food was very good. We had a waterfront table on a perfect day. I read a review of marked up wine prices and totally agree. I asked for a glass of Cabernet and a bottle was opened at our table. I am not sure if the waiter misunderstood, but apparently I bought the bottle. It was 75 dollars and the wine actually sells for 20 dollars. If it was a 75 dollar bottle, I wouldn't care.
The restaurant had a Italian wine/dinner night. The atmosphere was great and the wait staff was impeccable. You rarely see such great professionalism in the service industry and this crew is one happy family that prides themselves on serving and taking care of customers. The wine they served was all top notch which is rare to see at these type of events. The food was diverse and paired excellently. The qual with the chestnut sauce was impeccable.
Chez Francois has an elegant decor, Covid protocol, great staff w/ super service. The menu and food are very good. I enjoyed Beef Wellington and house red.
Another outstanding meal and service at Chez. The scallops with mushroom appetizer was sublime; the sea bass + lobster in cream sauce wonderful. Socially-distanced tables. Four and a half stars goes to five given that they didn't miss a beat faced with three seatings and the entire dining room arriving and leaving at the same time! (we were at the second seating). About $500 for two with tax, tip, and a mid-level bottle of bubbly. We will be back.
Another outstanding meal and service at Chez. The scallops with mushroom appetizer was sublime; the sea bass + lobster in cream sauce wonderful. Socially-distanced tables. Four and a half stars goes to five given that they didn't miss a beat faced with three seatings and the entire dining room arriving and leaving at the same time! (we were at the second seating). About $500 for two with tax, tip, and a mid-level bottle of bubbly. We will be back.
From the moment you walk into the restaurant you are treated with superb service. From water glass to wine service, from appetizer to dessert, from cocktail to aperitif this is an amazing dining experience. We were so impressed with the appetizer list we ordered 6 for a table of 4. The soups are to die for— especially the cup of lobster bisque, wild mushroom and the French onion. 2 in our party ordered Beef Wellington— cooked to perfection and crusted with a perfect pastry. Another ordered the duck— wow is all you can say. And I ordered the Lobster Thermidor. It was a show stopper and was prepared with such care so the lobster and scallops were marvelously highlighted with mushrooms and cream sauce. Then we had the cheese plate with a courtesy sherry and dessert with port wines. What else is there to say but EXTRAORDINARY and EXCEPTIONAL!!! If you are in Ohio or Michigan you Must make this a stop!
We went to the annual clam bake. The lobster was a half lobster stuffed with shrimp. The dessert was a cold apple tart of some sort and we had to ask for a warm beverage. On the whole the food was second rate, the lobster was poorly done and the dessert was not very good. The restaurant prides itself as the last bastion of sophisticated dining and that jackets are required for men. All of that folderol would be OK if the product was worth it, it was not!
Just a classy, special place to dine. The moment you are greeted, everyone is so accommodating and nice. The person who seated us paid attention to our seating request. We had a private booth table that could view the entire restaurant and their outdoor patio. Private table booth type and we loved it. Their wine steward selected a great bottle to enjoy for what we were ordering. . Lamb, veal scallopini main dishes were incredible. Our waiter was knowledgeable in the menu and the preparation of the dishes. His timing was perfect. Birthday celebration they did not forget. Ask for Rob as your waiter. Lovely experience in fine dining.
When we made our reservation, we noticed there was no reference to Covid or to Covid restrictions or procedures on the Chez Francois website. Since new Covid cases are spiking through the roof in Ohio, we called the restaurant and asked four questions. The Chez Francois responses are noted: 1) Are all of your staff members vaccinated: No 2) Do you require your staff members to wear masks: No 3) Are your tables socially distanced: No 4) May we speak with the manager: No, the manager is too busy to talk on the phone. Our response: Please cancel our reservation!!
Restaurantji Recommends
We sat outside in the river room. Very pleasant with view of river, boats, homes, etc. Our waiter, Edward, was fantastic. Food quite tasty, BUT not sure the entrees should have been $55. I think same menu offered inside and out. Next time I eat there, which is pretty much a certainty, will eat inside to experience the ambiance. Almost forgot to mention that I had one of the best cocktails ever. Whiskey Sour which contained egg whites
Always greeted and seated by pleasant staff when entering. The atmosphere, menu items, and cocktails are always excellent. It is obvious that the owners expect and deliver nothing less than perfection, we love talking about and referring this restaurant to everyone.
We were extremely disappointed. Our food was not good, our service was not good, we paid a very hefty price for a very bad experience. We arrived early for our reservation to have a cocktail and asked if we could sit in bar. They sat us at a table in the hallway, not the bar, because we didn't have a bar reservation. We sat in the hallway for two hours waiting for our table and the 3 open tables in the bar were never sat! I sent an email expressing our disappointment and Received a reply with apologies. We arrived at 5:45, at 9:15 when I got up from the table to complain we still had not even had bread delivered to our table. We were a family of 5 celebrating a special occasion and after spending over $700 by the time we left, an "apology" was just not acceptable. Will never go back!
Touché is the wine bar located inside of Chez Francois in Vermilion. Little known fact: Touché, aside from a slightly different seating arrangement, carries the same food and drink menu as Chez Francois. Like Chez, you need to make reservations in advanced as far as possible online. We just had a quick cocktail, but know that it's no easy feat to choose from their beautiful and expansive menu! At the suggestion of our wonderful server, I had the cucumber moscow mule, which was so delightful and refreshing on a hot day. Come later in the evening on a weekday and you'll have the opportunity to sit outside on the riverfront. If you're like me and still not dining out aside from a patio visit here and there during a less busy time, you can feel good about visiting here outside. Touché's outdoor patio has a lovely ambiance, only increased by the charm of the city of Vermilion and the channel leading onto Lake Erie. Bring a friend, a date or a special occasion. You'll still want to be dressed up and make those reservations as far as you possibly can. We only had a quick drink, but I'll be back to try the food!
The easiest 5 star review I have ever written. Touché is the casual restaurant upstairs from the elegant Chez Francois. It offers a slightly smaller menu, served in a casual, pub like setting. We started with cocktails. Their cocktail and wine list is so large and expansive that is provided on an iPad! There is something for everyone. I will call out my wife's Campari Milano Spritz which is a delicious twist on the classic Aperol spritz. There is a large assortment of hot and cold appetizers to try, indeed you could make a meal out of those! Hmm, maybe we will need to come back for that! We opted to start with the burrata salad. It is an heirloom tomato and arugula salad topped with their homemade mozzarella "shell" that is filled with creamy burrata. It was perfect for a summer evening. For our main course we both had fish. I had the Chilean Sea Bass which was prepared with miso, baby book choy, and an assortment of julienned vegetables. My wife had the red snapper special which featured cooked apples and a splash of Benedictine Liqueor. What a combination of flavors! It was fantastic. Our server Luke took excellent care of us. We knew him from another restaurant and so we were glad to see him as he is an excellent waiter. He suggested a nice Italian white wine to enjoy with our seafood and it paired perfectly. Thanks Luke! The manager Evan stopped by a couple times to check on us and he told us all about the menus in both restaurants. I am a fan of formal dining and so we will have to come back to dine at Chez Francois. As I said before, this is an easy 5 stars. PS: There is a wonderful outside patio as well, and they have dock space so you can also come by boat.