Frances' · Great since '38
Hours: 9:00am – 3:00pm Daily

For the People, By The People
By far, my favorite breakfast/brunch place in the city! I typically don’t eat breakfast… however, because of this place I will be craving breakfast all the time now! Their waffles were so good! Great tasting food! Great tasting drinks! Beautiful... read moreBy far, my favorite breakfast/brunch place in the city! I typically don’t eat breakfast… however, because of this place I will be craving breakfast all the time now! Their waffles were so good! Great tasting food! Great tasting drinks! Beautiful atmosphere! The decorations are super cute! The waitresses were super attentive and friendly! Most welcoming restaurant I had been to in a long while! Highly recommend this place! 🙂 can’t wait to go back!
Stephanie Sanchez 6/29/2022
Oh! & you def get the French vibes with the surroundings 🇫🇷💯🤍 read lessthe first brunch spot i ever went to in chi, and probably one of the best! so many options and was fast and reasonably priced. i got the chicken and waffles and it was delicious! would recommend for a quick... read morethe first brunch spot i ever went to in chi, and probably one of the best! so many options and was fast and reasonably priced. i got the chicken and waffles and it was delicious! would recommend for a quick and delicious brunch. read less
OMG I came here yesterday with my son and my fiancé. I just wanna say if your looking to try something new this is the place. The chef/ owner walks around engaging with the guests. He’s very welcoming and has... read moreOMG I came here yesterday with my son and my fiancé. I just wanna say if your looking to try something new this is the place. The chef/ owner walks around engaging with the guests. He’s very welcoming and has great conversation. The staff is amazing. Very insightful when it comes to the menu. Everything comes out fresh and well prepared in a timely manner.
Nyara Savage 5/30/2022
In addition to how awesome the food was and the customer service . We even had the pleasure of listening to a live band play music for us while we waited on our food.
I would highly recommend eating here. They serve brunch all day. 10/10 and they even have a reward program for you to join as well. read lessThis place was awesome! Everyone's brunch was delicious and our waitress was very accommodating! After reading reviews of some brunch places near where we were staying, this one seemed to have the best variety on the menu. The Mega Flight... read moreThis place was awesome! Everyone's brunch was delicious and our waitress was very accommodating! After reading reviews of some brunch places near where we were staying, this one seemed to have the best variety on the menu. The Mega Flight (which is what I got) was perfect. It let me try every flavor of French toast and the French toast of the week which was white chocolate raspberry. Another person got the Great since '38 which is a simple breakfast with eggs, bacon, and an English muffin. Will definitely return here if I'm ever back in Chicago!! read less
Since the first visit I've been hooked and have been coming back ever since. I can't count how many times I've had the pleasure of brunching at Frances's but each and every time the food is always so comforting and... read moreSince the first visit I've been hooked and have been coming back ever since. I can't count how many times I've had the pleasure of brunching at Frances's but each and every time the food is always so comforting and mouth watering satisfaction. My only reservation about France's is that they don't accept reservations (pun intended). The window for hours of operation is 8-2pm and on weekends it gets really busy and you can expect long wait times. You have to check in with the hostess to be added to the list upon which they will text you when your table is ready and available; you have a 15 minute window to make it to your table. They also have outside seating for the people who don't mind dining outside while passerby's and onlookers huddle around while they wait to be seated. Also in the past couple of summers there has been an onslaught of bee's that dominate their outside patio area, so much to the point sometimes it becomes hard to dine and enjoy your meal. During Covid there were table time limits which I didn't care for at all. After waiting 90+ minutes it was somewhat rude and a little disheartening to be informed our dining time would be cut short because the establishments closes at 2pm. We were a larger party group and not to mention it was my mothers birthday. Outside of that and the long wait times on weekends France's still gets 5 stars. The hostess, servers, manager even the chefs have come by to acknowledge our table as we dined. The food is great, the workers are fun and informative and France's just knows how to do breakfast. As you can see my favorite is the Jerk chicken Alfredo omelette :). I love the French toast flights and how they are constantly changing the flavor of the week, always a delectable surprise. The mimosa flight is good although there are some flavors are prefer over others. The shrimp and grits are good, my only wish is that there were maybe a couple more shrimp for the price but overall France's is my first thought when I think of brunch! If you haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting on? read less
Best place for brunch in Chicago! The food was steller. We had bagel lox spread that had a ton of fixings with it, which made it really fun to construct your lox bagel how you want it. My boyfriend... read moreBest place for brunch in Chicago! The food was steller. We had bagel lox spread that had a ton of fixings with it, which made it really fun to construct your lox bagel how you want it. My boyfriend and I each order an additional small stack of pancakes. You MUST get their pancakes, especially with fresh strawberries. We sat at their bar area which is first come first serve. The staff was very friendly and gave great recommendations. We saw and met the owner who was walking around and checking on everyone, he was very friendly and you could tell he loves his restaurant! I would highly recommend coming here! read less
Chelsea Lux 5/17/2022We came for the mimosa flight and they did not disappoint! I usually get turkey bacon but wanted to try the jalapeño bacon so I got pork instead. It was too fresh (very porky) for me, but the little that... read moreWe came for the mimosa flight and they did not disappoint! I usually get turkey bacon but wanted to try the jalapeño bacon so I got pork instead. It was too fresh (very porky) for me, but the little that I did eat was good. The service was great and they have fun decor throughout the building read less
Love this place! Ive enjoyed every visit. My most recent visit was my birthday. They were very accommodating to my table of 10! The mimosas were AMAZING, stronger than I expected lol. The food was delicious and the customer service... read moreLove this place! Ive enjoyed every visit. My most recent visit was my birthday. They were very accommodating to my table of 10! The mimosas were AMAZING, stronger than I expected lol. The food was delicious and the customer service was amazing! Can't wait to go back again. read less
The food here was so good! The mimosa flight was something different to try and was worth it. The cinnamon roll pancakes were delicious and the shrimp and grits were pretty tasty. I was a little disappointed that they were... read moreThe food here was so good! The mimosa flight was something different to try and was worth it. The cinnamon roll pancakes were delicious and the shrimp and grits were pretty tasty. I was a little disappointed that they were out of the bacon flight but I'll have to try it next time I come because I'm definitely coming back. Probably better to show up earlier in the day than later. We got there around 1 and they said they stop seating at 2:30. We waited about 45 minutes or so. read less
The food was great at the number 1 brunch spot in illinois I recommend this spot bring the family there. The food is cooked with love. . The service is great and that is a rare they check up... read moreThe food was great at the number 1 brunch spot in illinois I recommend this spot bring the family there. The food is cooked with love. . The service is great and that is a rare they check up on u to see how u are doing ... read less
Danilo Jones 3/30/2022
Stop In For A Bite
Monday – Sunday : 9:00am – 3:00pm
Closed on Thanksgiving And Christmas Day
The Beginning...
Frances’ has been a landmark in Lincoln Park for 80 years this year – serving diners breakfast, lunch, and brunch (before it was even a thing)! Their delivery and carry-out game has always been strong too, “We’ve held down the Gold Coast for quite some time,” starting on the east side of Clark as a legit, old-school deli, then, after 50 years, moving across the street.
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Brunchery
Frances’s has always been known for its comfort food and generations-old family recipes, and sandwiches too big to finish in one sitting. But the story doesn’t end there. Enter Chicago-famous chef and personality, Derek Rylon — with his original team — ready to take over and transform this diner/deli into what he calls a “Brunchery.” “Dinner on eggs,” he jokes, while promising an “Upscale Breakfast Experience.”
Chef Rylon
Chef Rylon has been perfecting his culinary skills and recipes for over 30 years and his iconic following is a testament to his gift for creating unbelievable dishes. His resume is nothing short of spectacular and reads something like this: Shaw’s Crab House, Wild Fire, Maggiano’s, Ruth Chris Steak House, Gibsons, Capital Grill, The Wyndham Hotel, The Westin, The Embassy Suites, the Crown Plaza Hotel, Batter and Berries, and most recently: Frances’s Brunchery at 2552 N. Clark in Lincoln Park.
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“People eat with their eyes”
“People eat with their eyes,” he exclaims, as he carefully lines up rainbow peppers on a crawfish omelet, a dish that came from the fathoms of his imagination. In fact, Derek met his wife, Angie, working as the executive chef in a hotel and she was hostess, truly making his kitchen a family affair.
When asked what separates him from the rest, Derek will tell you that he approaches every dish he creates with love. “Everything I make is to taste, and if you have to season one of my entrees, it’s a borderline insult.” He says with a smile.
The culinary arts is a pursuit of passion, for the ONLY African American, Executive Chef in all of Chicago. Let that sink in. Derek came from truly humble beginnings, learning his way around the kitchen as a sous chef and working his way up to one of the most respected Chef de Cuisines on the Chicago Brunch scene.
“everything happens for a reason”
Derek earned a reputation for his meticulous attention to detail and his avante-guarde breakfast menu that is constantly revolving. He lets people fall in love with a dish and then he switches it out for something new, only to receive death threats and threatening Facebook messages, to put it back on the menu “or else…”
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“May The Best Food Win”
Derek’s mantra is: “May the Best Food Win.” With his arrival on the scene, every brunch spot in LP is on notice, so let the #BrunchWars begin. “If you’re scared, go to church,” Chef says with a smirk. He’s kidding, but he means it.
Derek has a lot of potential with double the seating, and an amazing location, conveniently located in beautiful East Lincoln Park.