Bistros are remarkable in that they somehow manage to be both fancy and casual at the same time, much like a necktie with Taz on it. Feel gussied up without too much fuss with today's Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of French bistro dining and drink at Bistrot Margot, located in Old Town.
Bistrot Margot’s diverse and eclectic menu, overseen by chef and owner Joe Doppes, ensures authentic French dining in the beating concrete heart of Old Town. Shareable starters such as the tarte au brie ($7.95)—brie slathered onto a puff pastry with honey-red-wine vinaigrette and spicy walnuts—or the white-wine-sprinkled mussels and shallots of the moules marinières ($9.95) simplify a strategy-planning session on how to best attack the main courses. Bistrot Margot’s entrees include the tilapia aux noix ($18.95), an ascendant amalgamation of roasted tilapia, asparagus, beets and carrots in a balsamic-brown-butter sauce, and the entrecote au poivre ($24.95), a ten-ounce New York strip steak surrounded by black-peppercorn-cream sauce and flanked by frites. The medallions de veau ($22.95) takes veal medallions and pairs them with gnocchi, grilled asparagus, and capered citrus butter—all three of which were among the most popular baby names in 2009. A lunch menu includes the sandwich confit de thon ($8.95), which provides tuna-fueled strength for trebuchet-building sessions. A vast wine list is also on hand.
Bistrot Margot effortlessly exudes a warm, friendly atmosphere—one that can simultaneously heat up and cool down wintered, wound-up Chicagoans with authentic French dishes and an intensely charming ambience. The dress code is casual, though North Avenue beachers still clad in their Marmaduke swimwear may want to dry off before sitting down. Seasonal outdoor seating allows Bistrot Margot’s patrons to bring along their canine counterparts.
This Groupon is not valid for private events or with other offers.
Reviews
Bistrot Margot was reviewed by both Centerstage and Time Out. Reviewed by Frommer's and Fodor's, it also received a Diners' Choice award from over 150 Opentablers and a 3.5-star average rating from over 150 Yelpers:
- This is classic French cooking, and Doppes has mastered an impressive array of culinary flavors. – Centerstage
- Bistrot Margot is not only one of the best restaurants in Old Town, but it's also one of the better French bistros in Chicago. – Frommer's
Groupon Says
Through the Lens
Bistrot Margot shares a name with Margot Herringbone, the dour protagonist of The Rumpled Herringbones, another low-key, heavily art-designed classic from tweedy film director Lens Sandalwood. What are some of Sandalwood's forthcoming projects?
The Grackle Academy (2011): Francis Plimpton is the most hopeless student at the prestigious Grackle Academy of Penmanship and Self-Discovery. Will he overcome his unrequited love for local funeral home heiress Mauve, or will the two find each other's thin white hands to the tune of "Sundays are for Sleeping" by 1960s British Invasion rockers The Mulligans?
The Noteworthy Notion of Willoughby Waistcoat (2012): Based on the short story by L. Alfred Skerry, this stop-motion animated family film will feature a menagerie of construction paper animals contemplating the inevitability of death.
Le Musée de l'Ennui (2013): This iTunes exclusive short film consists of 15 uninterrupted minutes of footage of a very nice dresser.
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