Skip to content
312 Eats
Near West Side · French

Chez Joël

4.7604 reviews ·Opentil 9 tonight
my table and i loved the mussels, scallops, and pasta
annieannie · 168 Google reviews
Read the reviews on Google →

Chez Joël — one of Near West Side's strongest french spots. Knowledgeable staff, so ask for guidance. [patio]

☀️Patio — a Near West Side classic in summer.

What 604 diners keep saying

Great valueNeighborhood institutionRomanticCozyOutdoor diningQuick bite
Plan your visit
Reserve on OpenTable
1119 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607
Near West Side
Today5-9PM
SunClosed
Mon–Thu5-9PM
Fri–Sat5-10PM
Own Chez Joël? Claim this page · Spot an error? Suggest an edit

What 604 diners keep saying

verbatim, from Google
Review photo by Jared
Jun 2026

Amazing food

Jared

Jared

4 reviews on Google

Review photo by Ghebouli Yahia
Jun 2026

Best french restaurant in the city

Ghebouli Yahia

Ghebouli Yahia

6 reviews on Google

Review photo by Cynthia Hoyle
May 2026

What a lovely place. The food was excellent and the patio is truly lovely. The bread was delightful, light crispy crust and moist and tender on the inside.

Cynthia Hoyle

Cynthia Hoyle

52 reviews on Google

Review photo by MJ Wright
May 2026

This past Friday our party had made a late 13-person reservation following our son's High School graduation ceremony at nearby Credit 1 arena. Unfortunately the activities ran late and we were put in a very precarious position of possibly missing our reservation. A few of us left early to get over there to explain what happened. We were fortunate enough, even with all the street we were under to feed out of 8 out of towners and having to find another location at 9:10p on a Friday evening, the Manager, a modern Saint said they'd keep the kitchen open for us. I can not tell you how relieved and thankful were to her and the Chez Joel team to ask the kitchen to stay open an extra hour for starters, entrees and desserts. We were humbled by the hospitality. Listen - the Chez Joel was without a doubt a master class in hospitality, service and kindness from the moment we opened the door until we left and said good night. Oh, on top of that, the wine recommendations were fantastic, the escargot (OMFG) as were the other starters followed by the amazing entrees and fresh desserts. My goodness. This was a full-experience. I cannot recommend this establishment enough from a small romantic dinner in a corner low-lit table to a party 13. 1,000/10 starts.

MJ Wright

MJ Wright

16 reviews on Google

Review photo by Rackley Wren
Apr 2026

Wonderful restaurant with delicious food. The place is beautiful and the staff are incredibly friendly. I would come back here in a heartbeat. Definitely check on their specials, they’re always fantastic!

Rackley Wren

Rackley Wren

62 reviews on Google

Review photo by Alexia Johnson
Apr 2026

Elegant atmosphere with thoughtful dishes nicely balanced. Attentive service without being intrusive. Elizabeth, our server, was delightful. Very reasonably priced for the quality, unless you venture into the wine list and find a gem.

Alexia Johnson

Alexia Johnson

40 reviews on Google

Review photo by Dane Fearon
Apr 2026

The food was good, the service was solid, and the patrons were kind. I had the crab cake, lamb shank with mashed potatoes, and the creme brûlée. I enjoyed all 3. Would definitely go back if I visited Chicago again.

Dane Fearon

Dane Fearon

54 reviews on Google

Review photo by Christina Huynh
Jan 2026

The food is always good here. The service is always good. Particularly like their outdoor patio or inside by the windows.

Christina Huynh

Christina Huynh

1102 reviews on Google

Review photo by Xintong Li
Nov 2025

second time here and really enjoyed the food and service!

Xintong Li

Xintong Li

9 reviews on Google

Review photo by annie
Oct 2025

came here for the first time to celebrate a birthday. we were seated right away in an outdoor area. it was super cute, but leaves were starting to fall and one did land on our table so something to be aware of when sitting outdoors. the food came out pretty fast after ordering. my table and i loved the mussels, scallops, and pasta. highly recommend those dishes. they also served complementary bread that went great with the sauce from the mussels and escargot. the crème brûlée was disappointing as it was burnt. still, definitely worth trying. street parking was easy to find

annie

annie

225 reviews on Google

Review photo by Türk Sevdalısı
Sep 2025

romantic atmosphere

Türk Sevdalısı

Türk Sevdalısı

21 reviews on Google

Review photo by Melvin J. Henley
Sep 2025

I love this experience. I was able to bring my mentees and shared knowledge and culture with them. I look forward to the next time!

Melvin J. Henley

Melvin J. Henley

90 reviews on Google

Sounds like your kind of place?

Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.

First Bite

One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.

More French in West Loop & Fulton Market

See the ranking →

If it's packed, walk to…

More good rooms in Near West Side, minutes away.

Keep exploring