30 french bistro rooms worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Le Pigeon ★ 4.8 · Portland
east-burnside-kerns · 738 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
James Beard winner Gabriel Rucker's communal-table bistro on East Burnside, Portland's most decorated French room since 2006 with chef's counter walk-ins.
Tip: Three communal tables take reservations. The chef's counter is walk-in only and turns over from 17:00.
Chez Fonfon ★ 4.6 · Birmingham
five-points-south · 2007 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Chez Fonfon on 11th Avenue South in Birmingham is Frank Stitt's casual French bistro sibling to Highlands, with steak frites and a Five Points South patio.
Republique ★ 4.6 · Los Angeles
mid-wilshire · 624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Walter and Margarita Manzke's Republique in Los Angeles serves pastries, lunch and a French-Californian dinner from a 1928 commissary on La Brea Avenue.
Tip: Pastry counter opens at 08:00 weekends; queue forms by 09:30. The dinner side reopens at 17:30 with a separate menu and easier walk-ins.
Maison ★ 4.5 · Charleston
upper-king · 708 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
Maison in Charleston runs French bistro plates from a King Street corner since 2023. Order the steak frites and a half-bottle of cotes du rhone.
Tip: Book on Resy. Wednesday and Thursday seats are easiest; weekends fill 30 days out.
Maison ★ 4.5 · Charleston
upper-king · 708 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
Maison in Charleston runs French bistro plates from a King Street corner since 2023. Order the steak frites and the daily plateau de fruits de mer.
Tip: Book on Resy. Wednesdays and Thursdays are easier seats than weekends.
Bistro Vendome ★ 4.5 · Denver
downtown · 1420 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202
Bistro Vendome in Denver is Jennifer Jasinski's Larimer Square French bistro since 2003, with a courtyard patio and a menu of canonical bistro plates.
Tip: The courtyard is one of Larimer Square's best-kept patios. Brunch on Sunday with the French toast is the room's busiest service.
Petite Chou Bistro & Champagne Bar ★ 4.5 · Indianapolis
broad-ripple · 823 Westfield Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46220
Petite Chou by Patachou in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis is Martha Hoover's French bistro and champagne bar since 2007. A reliable Indianapolis pick.
Marche Bacchus ★ 4.5 · Las Vegas
summerlin · 2620 Regatta Dr #106, Las Vegas, NV 89128
Marche Bacchus in Las Vegas is Rhonda and Jeff Wyatt's lakeside French bistro since 2007, a wine-shop dining room on Lake Jacqueline with retail bottles.
Tip: Lakeside patio is reservations-required; ask for sunset 19:00-19:30 in winter and earlier in summer.
Marche Bacchus ★ 4.5 · Las Vegas
summerlin · 2620 Regatta Dr #106, Las Vegas, NV 89128
Marche Bacchus in Las Vegas is Rhonda and Jeff Wyatt's Summerlin lakeside French bistro since 2007, a wine shop with retail bottles drunk on-site at $10.
Tip: Lakeside patio is reservations-required; ask for sunset 19:00-19:30 in winter and earlier in summer.
Sardine ★ 4.5 · Madison
williamson-street · 617 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703
Sardine on Williamson Street, the French bistro inside the historic Machinery Row building on Lake Monona, runs steak frites and moules-frites lakeside.
Tip: Weekend brunch runs 09:00-14:00; reserve via OpenTable for the lakefront window seats.
Meritage ★ 4.5 · Minneapolis
saint-paul · 410 Saint Peter St, Saint Paul, MN 55102
Russell Klein's Meritage in downtown Saint Paul runs the Twin Cities' defining French bistro since 2007. Beard semifinalist; an oyster bar through happy hour.
Tip: Oyster happy hour 16:00-18:00 in the bar, three for $9. Book the dining room a week out.
Canard ★ 4.5 · Portland
east-burnside-kerns · 734 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214
Gabriel Rucker's relaxed all-day bistro next door to Le Pigeon on East Burnside in Portland, with foie gras dumplings and a steam burger worth the line.
Tip: All-day service from 09:00 means Canard absorbs Le Pigeon's overflow. Walk-ins for the bar.
Le Pichet ★ 4.5 · Seattle
pike-place-market · 1933 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Le Pichet in Seattle near Pike Place is the unhurried French bistro since 2000: tile floor, zinc bar, slate boards, a kitchen that does poulet roti.
Tip: The bar is first-come first-served from 16:00; ask for the corner two-top in the window.
Le Pichet ★ 4.5 · Seattle
pike-place-market · 1933 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Le Pichet in Seattle near Pike Place is the unhurried French bistro since 2000: tile floor, zinc bar, slate boards and a kitchen that does poulet roti.
Tip: The bar is first-come first-served from 16:00; ask for the corner two-top in the window.
Vin Rouge ★ 4.4 · Durham
old-west-durham · 2010 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Giorgios Bakatsias's French bistro has anchored Durham since 2004, with steak frites, moules and a well-edited wine list; Sunday brunch adds crepes.
Vin Rouge ★ 4.4 · Durham
old-west-durham · 2010 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Bakatsias's French bistro has kept classical French standards on Hillsborough Road since 2004. Steak frites, moules and French wine anchor it.
Passerelle Bistro ★ 4.4 · Greenville
downtown · 601 South Main Street, Greenville, SC 29601
Passerelle is the French bistro on the Reedy River bank at the foot of Falls Park: moules frites, steak frites and the best terrace view of the Liberty.
Petit Trois ★ 4.4 · Los Angeles
mid-wilshire · 718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Ludo Lefebvre's 20-stool bistro on Highland Avenue runs walk-in only and pours strong Bordeaux. Petit Trois is the most-imitated counter in Los Angeles.
Tip: 20 stools, no bookings at the original; the larger Sherman Oaks sibling takes reservations and pours the same wines.
Raoul's ★ 4.4 · New York City
soho · 180 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012
Raoul's has poured Cotes du Rhone and seared steak au poivre on Prince Street in SoHo, New York City since 1975. The bar burger is the off-menu cult order.
Tip: Ten burgers a night, only at the bar, only after 19:30. Get there at 19:00 and put your name down with the bartender.
315 Restaurant & Wine Bar ★ 4.4 · Santa Fe
315 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Chef Louis Moskow has cooked Modern French Bistro at 315 on Old Santa Fe Trail since 1995, with a deep all-French wine list anchoring the rooms.
Cafe Campagne ★ 4.4 · Seattle
pike-place-market · 1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
Cafe Campagne in Seattle's Pike Place Market is the city's foremost French bistro since 1994: zinc bar, Post Alley address, croque madame at brunch.
Tip: Brunch from 09:00 weekends fills first; walk in at 08:30 Saturday for a window table.
Cafe Campagne ★ 4.4 · Seattle
pike-place-market · 1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
Cafe Campagne in Seattle's Pike Place is the city's foremost French bistro since 1994: zinc bar, Post Alley address, cassoulet and croque madame.
Tip: Brunch from 09:00 weekends fills first; walk in at 08:30 Saturday for a window table.
Louie ★ 4.4 · St. Louis
clayton · 706 DeMun Ave, Clayton, MO 63105
This DeMun bistro pairs a fiery pizza oven with a tight Italian menu, and its wood-oven roast chicken is among the best in the metro. A neighbourhood room.
Tip: It does not take many reservations, so come early or settle in at the bar. The gnocco fritto is close to mandatory.
Le Sel ★ 4.4 · Washington DC
logan-circle · 1315 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
Le Sel in Washington DC is the modern French bistro inside the Kimpton Banneker Hotel near Logan Circle on 16th Street, a Parisian-leaning room with a recent.
Tip: Breakfast service from 07:00 daily is the hidden value; dinner books out a week ahead on Resy.
Leunig's Bistro and Cafe ★ 4.3 · Burlington
church-street-marketplace · 115 Church St, Burlington, VT 05401
Leunig's Bistro and Cafe sits on the corner of Church and College streets in the Church Street Marketplace and is one of the oldest continually operating.
Tip: The sidewalk patio is the best people-watching seat in Burlington. Book lunch and brunch through OpenTable.
Leunig's Bistro and Cafe ★ 4.3 · Burlington
church-street-marketplace · 115 Church St, Burlington, VT 05401
The corner French bistro on Church Street. The sidewalk patio is the canonical downtown lunch seat; the weekend brunch is a Burlington Sunday institution.
Tip: Lunch starts at 11:30; brunch weekend mornings. The patio is the best people-watching seat on Church.
Westport Cafe ★ 4.3 · Kansas City
westport · 419 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111
Westport Cafe in Kansas City is the casual Paris-style bistro on Westport Road, with weekend brunch from 10:30-16:00 and a French menu rotating.
Tip: Weekend brunch books up; weekday dinner is the quieter seat. Half price wine night runs midweek.
Lilette ★ 4.3 · New Orleans
uptown · 3637 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
Lilette in New Orleans is John Harris's 2001 Uptown bistro on Magazine Street, named for the Mauri family matriarch he lived with in France and serving.
Tip: Lunch service is the most relaxed; the dining room is dim and pretty in the evening.
Poulet Bleu ★ 4.3 · Pittsburgh
lawrenceville · 3517 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Poulet Bleu in Lawrenceville serves a Parisian bistro menu in Pittsburgh. Richard DeShantz's French room sits next door to Morcilla on Butler Street.
Tip: The room runs full-on belle-epoque French. Reserve ahead; the bar takes a few walk-ins.
B. Matthew's Eatery ★ 4.3 · Savannah
historic-district · 325 E Bay St, Savannah, GA 31401
B. Matthew's has run from an 1850s building on East Bay for over two decades, brick walls and wooden beams under a daily-changing brunch board. A mainstay.
Tip: Book OpenTable for brunch on weekends or expect a 30 minute wait.