Chicago | Chez Joel — Cozy & Delicious French Bistro Near UIC 🇫🇷✨

This French spot near UIC was a lovely surprise—flavors on point, fair prices, and portions that could rival Northeastern Chinese portions! 😆 Must-Tries: 🦆 Duck Liver Pâté – Not greasy at all, zero gaminess! Paired perfectly with fruit compote and Dijon mustard. 🍗 Duck Main Course – The portion is HUGE! Duck breast cooked just right—juicy and tender. The duck leg with fruit-based sauce was also delicious. No weird taste at all—even as someone who usually avoids duck, I had several bites! 🐚 Scallops – Seriously large! Just two filled me up. Served with caviar, mushrooms, hasselback potatoes, and asparagus—so fragrant and well-balanced. 🍋 Lemon Tart – I loved the custard and whipped cream (or foam?) on the side—creamy and rich, balancing the tart lemon perfectly. 🐌 Escargot – Having only tried snails at Pizza Hut or Saizeriya before, I can confirm these were way fresher and more tender. A whole new experience! Not My Vibe: 🧅 Onion Soup – Seems popular on social media, but maybe I’m just not refined enough… I didn’t really get the appeal of soggy bread in broth 😅 Overall, I highly recommend this place! It’s conveniently located near downtown, the atmosphere is warm and homey, and the food is both tasty and generous. For just over $100 for two, you can get seriously protein-stuffed 🥹 A true gem among Chicago’s French bistros. #StudyInUSA #ChicagoEats #FrenchFood #CozyVibes #BudgetFriendly #UIC