Chez Francois Restaurant

We tried this restaurant on Valentine’s day. 5 course meal was extremely delicious. The staff was friendly and nice. The atmosphere was elegant. The food was flavorful and well presented. I definitely enjoyed my experience at this restaurant and definitely will go back in the summer!

First off, I made reservations to sit outdoors at Chez Francois, not at the restaurant/​bar above… However, I let the waiter know of the mix up and he allowed us to order from the Chez Francois menu. Ok, soooo the Beef Wellington was cooked correctly, it was bland but then again, most Beef wellington are (this was my husband’s dish) The French onion soup and lobster bisque would not even place in my top 10 (sticking a huge puff pastry on top of an underwhelming bisque won’t make it any better Chez Francois). The Chilean Sea Bass was very lackluster. The best item of the evening was ordered by a friend, the grilled filet. Maybe my standards were just too inflated? Everyone speaks so highly of this establishment but sadly, my first visit will likely be my last (sigh)

I have been going to Chez Francois for the past 25 years or more. The staff is excellent, the food is amazing. Every time is an exquisite experience. I love this place. Make a reservation and go. It is worth the price.

Over priced. Overrated. Food was average.
Would not recommend to anyone. The prices were actually unreal. The building had the heat cranked so high that it was extremely hot and uncomfortable.
Overall trash establishment.

My wife and I are new to the area and we were looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate my birthday. While attending a music festival in Vermilion, we noticed this restaurant and thought we would give it a try.
The feel of the restaurant is old world colonial with nautical accents. The atmosphere is of quiet elegance. The service is professional, yet somewhat informal. The menu is extensive (seafood, steaks, chops tend to be prominent). My wife ordered French Onion soup and the salmon entrée. I had the lobster bisque and veal chop special for the evening. We were both extremely pleased with the presentation and taste of the food. My veal chop was amazingly tender and cooked perfectly.
While the prices were high for the area, we felt that it was well worth the money. We will definitely return.

We just moved to the area and found this awesome restaurant only 7 miles from our house. We came for a birthday celebration and will certainly be back. We loved that everyone was dressed up, as the world is becoming too casual.
Our server, Suzie, was excellent and gave us loads of good information regarding the restaurant, the menu and the special events they offer.
I started out with French onion soup, which was piping hot and full of flavor. Loved it! My husband had the lobster bisque soup which was equally as good. There was more lobster in his serving than we have ever seen.
We were then served a small salad, which was presented beautifully. I chose the horseradish encrusted salmon, and my husband had the veal chop special. The salmon was cooked perfectly and served with julienned zucchini, mashed potatoes and small zucchinis. Excellent meal! The veal chop was so tender you could cut it with a fork. The risotto was creamy and tasty.
The wine list is presented on an IPad which is great as you can get details on any wine you choose. Prices start at $ 45 and go up from there.
They presented us a birthday dessert which was their homemade ice cream and was delicious.
Looking forward to returning.

Just way too expensive for mediocre food.

We went there for an anniversary and had such a rude waiter. Lucky us… what a treat. Never going back. Pricey and pretentious! Food was good but not worth $ 60 a plate.

«Chez» has become a destination restaurant for our annual (biannual) trips to Ohio from NYC. And we steer anyone who is within a two hour radius to go! NEVER disappointed. The carpaccio, the perfectly cooked salmon, the wine list that Matt has created for those who MUST have just that bottle! Not to mention the staff and atmosphere making one feel as if they are on Nantucket! Who needs Nantucket when you have Chez!!! See you next time!

I am fortunate to live in Vermilion, the home town of Chez Francois. Vermilion is also luck to have a true five star restaurant in such a small town. We usually go the this restaurant at least once a year. The food is the best I have ever had. Chez is expensive, but the best way to describe the experience, it’s worth every penny. You won’t regret going to this restaurant. Five stars plus.

This restaurant has it all! Ambiance, excellent service and to-​die-​for food. We spent 3 hours there and never felt rushed.. .and it was a busy night! Best wine list of any place I’ve been to, and if you need assistance with selecting the right one, the staff is very helpful. Beef Wellington is a treat! Really, everything from soup and salad to dessert was top drawer. Be prepared to spend money, though it is worth it. Lucky to have such a phenomenal place in the region.

Amazing food and service– went for the first time for our anniversary. Best time to go in good weather so you can sit on the patio with a beautiful view. But if you’re arachnophobic like me make sure your table isn’t right by the dock with spider webs and huge spiders because yeah ours was and I didn’t notice until half way through dinner …

What an incredible dining experience. The atmosphere, service, ambiance, drinks, food… all top notch.
We went here a few days ago to celebrate my birthday, and boy did they take care of us. Greeting us by name when we arrived, the owner personally escorted us to our table and presented me with a birthday card signed by the entire staff (what a nice, unexpected touch!). The service team was comprised by two individuals, one the «main» server and the other to support her providing much of the ancillary services. The main (first floor) dining room was decorated for the holidays and it was truly elegant and beautiful.
We had several courses to the meal. Before the meal service started, our served brought each of us a palate cleanser, it was a small flute of warm butternut squash soup that was velvety and creamy in texture (prepared in a Vitamix, no doubt!).
We started with drinks followed by a few appetizer dishes. We had several orders of escargot, prepared in a traditional French way, they were plump and flavorful in their bed of garlic, oil and other herbs. Sopping up the liquid with the crusty french bread was a joy. We also had the lobster bisque… prepared in a unique way with a flaky pastry crust over the top that melted into the thick soup. Large pieces of lobster throughout made it very hearty and filling.
Everyone at the table then had their own personal salad… greens wrapped by a very thinly sliced cucumber served with a champagne vinaigrette dressing. Accompanied by some creamy goat cheese it was simple and perfect.
For dinner we had several choices. My girls shared a lobster ravioli plate which they thought was delicious with a light cream sauce and sweet to the taste due to the lobster inside. My mother, wife and I all had the same dish… their famous beef wellington. This was truly one of the best steaks I have ever eaten in my life. The beef was cooked so perfectly, and the surrounding pastry crust was flaky and absorbed the meat’s juices with ease. The dish also came with a few simply vegetables, but also a small portion of duck pâté which was fantastic atop the beef.
We came this far in the meal, why stop there? We topped things off by sharing two desserts around the table… a warm chocolate cake, and my personal favorite the bananas foster. They even put a candle in the ice cream and wrote happy birthday (in French, of course!) along the rim of the plate. Their small touches were truly the «icing on the cake» of an incredible meal experience.
We were there for nearly three hours… never rushed or pressured and every need was attended to promptly and with a smile. Expensive… yes…but so worth it for a special meal occasion. So glad we finally gave Chez Francois a try.

WOW! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!
First off let me just say, before we dined here, there was a small mix up with the date of reservation than what we remembered. Matt, the Maitre d, was so helpful and accommodating to us. Because of you all our stress was blown away. Thank you, Matt!
The menu changes with each season and we were delighted to partake in the taste of Fall. It was wonderfully delicious. If you like to be wined and dined, then this is right up your alley. It is undeniably romantic and extraordinary! This place will spoil your future dining experience! HA!
Was surprised to see that they served my favorite white wine. Conundrum white blend. We started off with an amuse-​bouche to prepare our palates for the meals to come. Next we had the creamy pumpkin soup served in a steamed pumpkin shell (ahh my mouth is watering just writing about it) and the classic french onion soup.
For the appetizers, we ordered the chicken liver pâté that came with caperberries and onions. And escargo in a garlic oil. Never would have eaten snails in my life but it was really good.
They also gave us complementary salad.
For our main course, my husband ordered one of the specials which was the European seabass: BRONZINI! The best fish ever. And I ordered the Beef Wellington with mushroom duxelle cream sauce with foie gras and truffle! MMM MMMM MMM!
Lastly, for desert we ordered the macerated cherries in port wine (I think it was port wine). Any how… it was one of the best deserts. Not heavy at all.
You basically get what you pay for. I was expecting a couple of bites for each entrée but they gave you more than enough food to fill your stomach. What an amazing restaurant!!! 10 stars! :)

Martini was excellent! The lobster bisque is hearty, and very tasty — a meal on it’s own. Ordered the Filet de Boeuf Wellington and a seafood special with lobster tail and a medley of shrimp, and scallops in a special sauce — it was fabulous! A special flan dessert ended the meal; but honestly everything looks good and is served with style. Good portions and the service is impeccable. Everyone greets you warmly and with such finesse. A wonderful experience! Jacket required for men; but we both had dressy jeans on, nice shoes and shirt/​top, which was good for a Wednesday night!

Very fancy dinner spot. It’s just this beautiful Iranian restaurant along the vermillion river. It’s a formal dining setting with a shirt and tie required for men. Their menu is traditional and doesn’t chance and they also have a seasonal menu that changes. They have specials each night that are very great. It’s an expensive style restaurant so save going here for a special occasion. We went tonight to celebrate my sisters birthday. It starts off with tasty appetizers like lobster bisque tapenade stuff like that. And the entrees are just to die for. Tonight I had the Maine lobster which was just perfect. A tasty glass of white wine. And for dessert you even get a glass of wine that is for the dessert that you order how cool is that. And their service is wonderful how they memorize all those specials and desserts is amazing props to them. But I always love those special dinners where you indulge on delish food. And get treated like a king.

This is the Zagat best-​rated restaurant in Ohio — and for good reason! This is the second time we have been here and both times the food and the service have been impeccable.
The chef sources ingredients from his garden when possible, the drinks and wine lists are excellent, and the patio with its view of the harbor is lovely.

I have dined here several times, and each time the experience was wonderful. While this was very enjoyable, and I will certainly return, the service was not up to the usual standard.
First, all the positives. The food was fantastic, and the menu options are much larger than similar high end restaurants. The view and atmosphere, especially when sitting outside on the patio, is one of the best I have experienced.
The issue was with the service. Not sure if they were short a person, but our server definitely had too many tables. Food came out just fine, but we all sat with no drinks for probably 10 – 15 minutes, and when the server came over finally, they STILL did not ask if we wanted anything else, or fresh drinks, we had to ask. Certainly did not ruin the evening, and again, we will certainly be back,

Very few places can boast a MAGICAL experience that exceeds their 5+ star cuisine, but Chez Francois is one of them!
You can find well regarded food all over the Cleveland area, but My father put it best at my birthday dinner this week when he said, «I haven’t even had my meal yet, and I’ve already had the best dining experience of my life».
I highly recommend requesting Rodger as your server. He is worth his weight in gold.
Since my visit this week I have been scouring their website and social media for good excuses to go back… they seem to have lots of interesting seasonal events between Chez and Touché, their full service bar /​lounge upstairs. You can also dock your boat on their private docks… which opens up the possibilities of romantic sunset getaways all summer long…
I am so pleased with my experience and look forward to my next visit!

If I could afford eating in restaurants like Chez Francois all the time, I absolutely would.
I have never had much of an opportunity to try french food, so I was going into this dinner a little blindly. I knew a few things: that we were celebrating birthdays and anniversaries in Clark’s family, that I should wear a dress, and that Clark’s sister doesn’t like seafood, but will eat anything on this menu. Thus, I knew it was going to be quite a nice experience.
The restaurant is on the river, but our reservations were inside. Clark’s father is a well traveled man and has eaten at many high end restaurants, but he informed me that this is the nicest inside of a restaurant that he has ever been to in all of his experience. Although I’m not as experienced as he is, I would agree with him 100%. It is easily the most romantic and beautiful restaurant that I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience! It looks like they have the ability to spread curtains in the dining area as well, which I would assume is for private party purposes.
I ordered the seasonal special of Lobster Thermidor, which was served with 3 large scallops (best scallops I’ve ever tried) and an entire plateful of lobster. I don’t think I made it through much of the lobster unfortunately, as I was still digesting the scallops, salad, and zuccini blossoms. I’m also not the most technical of food critics, but know that everything I ate at this restaurant was to die for. Clark’s brother in law ordered the Beef Wellington (one of the top recommended items by our waiter, Jim) and he certainly was not disappointed. If I get the chance to go back and experience CF again, I will undoubtedly be ordering the Beef Wellington.
My only complaint is that the glass of house cabernet didn’t have the most flavor to it. I’ll stick with wine off the menu next time.
After dinner, our waiter, Jim, took us back to the kitchen so that we could see where the magic happens. It was one of the coolest things about this whole experience, in my opinion. Clark’s family dines at CF often and Jim seemed to know the family very well. I suspect this was why we had the privilege of seeing the kitchen. The entire staff in the restaurant was friendly, welcoming, ready to wait on you, and even Chef D’Amico was a pleasure to speak with.
Everything about this restaurant screams perfection to me. I cannot wait to be back in Vermillion to dine here again! I wish there were places like this to eat at in Chicago!