Cafe Bernard

We ate here on a Thursday night for my mom's birthday. The waitress was unaccomodating and borderline rude, which normally doesnt bother me too much if the food is good. But it was not.

The salmon was bland, cold and overcooked. The steak was tough and salty. The pomme frites soggy. If it was located in a rural town somewhere, it would be a good restaurant... but when you compare it to all of the other wonderful options in the area that are in that price range, its below average.

Dont bother.

Came to celebrate my birthday with my siblings. We had a variety of dishes. Best were the hors d'oeuvres. Calamari was surprisingly fresh, grilled (don't like them fried) with a tasty vinaigrette sauce which complemented the bitterness of the grilled calamari well. Tried my brother's baked brie which was fairly good as well. That's what I will order next time. My sister ordered escargot which, again, were surprisingly fresh. Not too garlicky but the "croute" over the escargots was nothing to rave about.
Then the rest of the meal was more of a disappointment after such a good start. We had ordered a "canard a l'orange" - this came without orange, rather some sort of berry sauce accompanied by the driest piece of duck I've had in a long time. My brother had the filet mignon. Nothing extraordinary. It was cooked the way we usually like them, rare, but the legume accompaniment was plain boring.
As for my main dish, I ordered the Bouillabaisse. Well, aside from the freshness of the fish, it was missing important ingredients, like the potatoes and the tomatoes. What to say? Maybe I'm wrong about the recipe but I've had Bouillabaisse in Marseille before and this was not it.
Desserts: Some sort of cake that tasted like the berry sauce that came w/ my sister's duck. Bad!
My brother's creme brulee was actually good. I'm specific about the hardness of the crust and I felt it was hard enough. Best dessert out of the 3 was the white chocolate w/ fruit, except it didn't taste like chocolate but rather a sweet cream. Good nonetheless.
Friendly staff. We were seated promptly. Next time, I have to order the Cassoulet!
Extra credit for the black board and chalk in the men's bathroom. Fun!

Pros: Great atmosphere. Fairly authentic menu. Parking not bad. Great appetizers. 2 good desserts
Cons: Authentic menu but not always authentic taste.

One of the things that makes me sad about Chicago is that it is rare to be able to go to a restaurant that isn't a chain, or managed by one of two or three formulaic organizations who bestow their chow shops with some kind of truly dopey name. And or which folds two years after opening, once you've fallen in love with it.(Though this happens everywhere unfortunately.)

Exception, Cafe Bernard, which I have been going to since 1972, evolving my then-novice tastes through a ten year stint doing food PR and recipe development, decades of restaurant dining in my years living in New York ,Boston and Toronto, (among numerous other cities in my travels) and upon returning to Chicago, also returning to Bernard. Throughout those 35 years, it has been consistent, charming and a magnet like True North when I want reliable French food and an unprepossessing environment, joyfully bereft of 20- and 30-somethings, self -important cell phones and look-at-me behavior. Bernard is what a bistro is: a neighborhood home away from home. Expect nothing more: no bling, no hype. The real deal. A place to sit back and talk to friends over a memorable meal.

My favorite selection is the cassoulet, which is every bit as good as Julia's recipe, but you save three days' prep; the escargot are extraordinary if quite decadent, come covered with a buttery crust, and yes, the bread is very good by Chicago restaurant standards, especially to dip into the generous, garlicky escargot butter. I also recall a fine osso bucco that appears from time to time. I have never been disappointed; quite the opposite: every meal reminds me to return.

No need to worry about parking if you aren't walking there; they have valet service which is worth every penny in that neighborhood.

As for the detractors who wrote reviews here, I've got to wonder, really. But then, self selection can be a wonderful thing.

I have loved this restaurant for 25 years. The food is generally excellant, but yes there can be a disappointment now and then. But given the value, I have no complaints. The wine really is one of their strong points. They are able to find French wines that few others carry and they serve them by the glass at reasonable prices.

Excellent. Enticing menu which doesn't disappoint. Signature grilled salmon was superb. My dining partners ordered veal and pork dishes. They were equally impressed with their choices. Creme broulet was the perfect way to end a delicious dining experience. Excellent service by all - very helpful server guided us through choices. Quietly chic and charming. Subtle background music added romance to a wonderful evening. Go early and enjoy

Pros: The food!
Cons: There isn't a Cafe Bernard in the suburbs!