LM Bistro

My bf and I spent a day exploring Chicago, and showed up here (tired, sweaty, and very underdressed) hoping to relax and be blown away by a wonderful dining experience.
He started with the crispy egg, which I took a bite of. It definitely had an interesting texture, but the mustard was too strong. For mains, I ordered the duck, which came with hazelnut butter and carrots. The flavors went well with each other, but it was too fatty. His veal had a similar problem as mine but worse; he cut me a piece to try, and literally half of it was fat. Also, the skin of his veal was way too tough.
Overall, I liked the service, charming décor, and even the bread, but not so much the actual dishes that we ordered.

I was blown away by this dining experience and enjoyed every minute of it.
First, the restaurant looks awesome — it’s on the small side, but has a very homey and comforting feel. I liked the dark wood and orange accents. Also, the chairs are super comfortable and just make you want to stay a while.
The food was absolutely amazing. The boyfriend and I had the Sunday Supper. We started with the pea soup, which was perfect with a cream sauce on the bottom. The waiter even pours it at your table, which was a good presentation technique. I read about how the pea soup comes with pork belly, but I guess the one on the Sunday Supper menu did not have it.
For our entrees, I had the cod and the boyfriend had the duck breast. I don’t normally like cod since I think it can get rubbery and chewy if not cooked right. But, this cod was cooked perfectly. It came with a variety of beans and a delicious saffron and butter sauce. Ask for more bread so you can dip it in the remaining sauce. You’ll need it as the sauce was absolutely amazing. I could have used some more beans to give the dish some crunchy elements, but overall, the dish was fantastic.
I believe this was my boyfriend’s first time having duck and he enjoyed it. I tried a bite and it tasted good, but I personally couldn’t get over how pink it looked. But, I guess that’s how it was supposed to look like.
For dessert, we had crème brûlée and it was good, but somewhat soupy for our taste.
Like another review said, you will pay $ 35 instead of $ 30 for the Sunday Supper if you use your LivingSocial voucher. To me, it was worth it.
The only downside was that the tables are somewhat close together and I don’t like being on top of people when I’m trying to eat and have a conversation. Also, I would have been interested to see the regular menu, but wasn’t sure if I couldn’t get it since they were serving the Sunday Supper.
Overall, great restaurant, great ambiance, friendly and polite service. I hope to be back soon.

My experience with French food basically comes down to fries, toast, vanilla, and foie gras. It’s not the most robust. I don’t hate French food by any means — there’s barely any food I do hate. I’m just mostly indifferent to it.
I didn’t really have any expectations coming in to LM, but the prix fixe menu looked good to me:
Pea soup — I’m used to pea soup with ham. The ham here was cleverly replaced with pork belly. Pork belly makes any dish about 500 times better.
Duck breast — A much larger portion came out than I was expecting, It was cut into strips and cooked to a medium rare perfection. It was quite juicy and tasty.
Cheese plate — Out came a small tasty selection of three cheeses. The surprising star was the date and banana compote, which added a sweet note to the salty cheeses.
My girlfriend and I also split an order of the foie gras torchon. Normally foie gras becomes the highlight of my meal, if not my night, but LM’s offering wasn’t anything extraordinary. I mean, it’s still great, and there’s not really much more you can do to foie gras… I just felt it may have been too much that night.
But overall — great staff with some awesome food. I still may not be a French food expert, but if it’s more of what I had at LM, I’m game.

I have been meaning to dine at LM for some time. I live right in Lincoln Square, after all! I have no idea what took me so long, but we decided to take advantage of the restaurant week special.
The ambience is nice: modern, clean, dim, maybe a little romantic. It was a nice place for a date. Additionally, the service was very good. So far, off to a great start!
I had the cauliflower bisque, which did not meet my expectations. It was good, but there was so much cream & so little cauliflower (which I am a fan of). It turned it into what tasted like a regular cream soup. I should have gotten the burrata & greens. My husband did get that (sans burrata since he is lactose intolerant and that was the best they could do). He thought it was okay – a little bland, but I’m sure it was intended to compliment the cheese. My entrée, the risotto, was amazing. I typically don’t order risotto. It’s heavy & tends to be a better shared side dish, but theirs was creamy and lightly savory and delicious. He was not impressed with the whitefish either, stating it was a little bland as well. For dessert, I had the lemon verbena cremem brulee, which was very lovely.
They would probably get a 3.5 from me, a little less from the hubby. I would give them another chance after they haven’t been through a week of restaurant week insanity.

Ma soeur et moi aimé le restaurant LM. Il est magnifique!
My final outing for Chicago Restaurant Week 2012:
3 course dinner at LM ($ 33).
(LOVE the restaurant name).
After being seated, we were brought a big orange glass bottle of water for the table, and were served two slices of fresh bread — sourdough or wheat. Great bread. Cute orange bottle.
— Starter:
Fresh burrata with aged balsamic + spring greens.
Beautiful, but bland. I am a hardcore cheese lover — and was excited when I saw the large quantity on this small plate. However, it was really needing some kind of flavor! Some kind of sauce? I’d have even appreciated some pepper! That being said, it had great texture — firm like a hard boiled egg on the outside, and loose curdy cheese on the inside.
— Main:
White fish with roasted beets, meyer lemon vinaigrette.
By far my favorite dish of the night. The skin-​on fillet was perfection — crispy skin, moist/​flaky fillet, great flavor with the sauce and beets.
— Dessert:
Lemon verbana crème brûlée + chocolate mousse tart w’fresh berries.
My sister and I each ordered one, and split them (our usual plan of attack when it comes to dessert). Beautiful little desserts, emphasis on «little».
The brûlée wasn’t particularly lemony, but it was still luscious, albeit a little runny. Fantastic crunchy burned top (the best part). The choco mousse tart was good, but I wish it would have had a more rich, chocolatey taste.
We enjoyed everything, but the only dish that really stood out to me was the fish, which was excellent. Our charming server also really stood out — we enjoyed him, and felt very taken care of.
Service all around was great — and we also appreciated the handwritten thank you note that arrived with our bill, along with a nice little gesture of a $ 10 gift certificate to use on our return visit. It’s the little touches that count!
Merci beaucoup LM!

Upon arriving, we got to fight our way through a big, thick curtain before entering. We were quickly greeted by a server/​host.
Food: You will have only 6 options for a main entrée «Les Plats». They had 6 tiny portions «Les Entres» listed on the menu, but we were told they didn’t have one of them; there were not many options at all. If they only have such a few, you would think they could perfect them. They can’t.
Pricing: They had a Tasting for $ 45. I believe it was 3 or 4 options of very small portions. I was COMPLETELY unimpressed. I ordered the Slagel Farms Dry Aged Tenderloin pont neuf potato, pearl onions, bearnaise — $ 35.
Taste: For $ 35 I would expect something better. Aside from the flavorless tenderloin (ok the bearnaise was good), there were also 4 «French Fries». The «fries» were horrible. The «cheese sauce» (or whatever the sauce was they were in) was a thick paste of yuck. I realize I’m used to American sized portions, but this was like an appetizer; the portions for the amount you pay are ridiculous. I left, went across the street to Tank Sushi, and had a real meal. No lie!
The service was great. The décor was fine. The ambiance is fine. The food… Go to Le Petit Paris instead. Trust me! The décor there isn’t as nice as LM, but the food and options are a thousand times better.

I think French «Gastro Bistro» has just become a trendy label like «couture» or «apéritif.» Having said that, LM serves delicious, fresh, well-​prepared food. On the French scale, I’ve had Frenchier but this might be just because we’re all getting more accustomed to seeing bouillabaisse and brioche in grocery stores and hell, you can get a Philly cheesesteak au jus from Geno’s (in Philly!) if you ask for it. Hold the wiz.
Cozy dining room, noisy enough for it to be fun and the servers pour your soups from tiny pitchers table-​side.

Love LM. My husband and I have dined at LM at least 6 times which is a lot considering the options we have in Chicago.
The owner/​host is always very personable and friendly. Waitstaff is consistently top notch. Attentive, but not intrusive.
Last night I ordered the Skate. It was so delicious… I’m still thinking of it today. My husband ordered the scallops which he loved.
We will definitely be back soon. If u haven’t tried LM, check it out. Oh and there is a semi outdoor area. It’s all glass and it feels like one is outdoors. Great ambiance.

I really expected much from this restaurant based on its reputation, reviews, and price-​tag. Sadly, I was really kind of disappointed. We went on Bastille day and I did see that the restaurant was holding some kind of function at the Nature Museum to celebrate Bastille day so perhaps the best chefs were not there.
The real stand-​out food-​wise was their amazing Braised Wagyu Brisket. This incredibly moist and tender slab of beef is worth the price of admission on its own. Now for the not-​so-​good.
Carrot soup had a distinctive cinnamon taste which would have made for a nice amuse bouche but was too overpowering for a bowl of soup.
Sweetbreads were perfectly cooked and served with beautiful wild mushrooms. The sauce, though, had little taste. To me it was more like an au jus and didn’t even resemble an Albufera sauce as stated on the menu. Albufera is a sauce derived from Supreme sauce which is fortified with glacé de vollaille. Albufera is thickened, ivory-​colored, and very flavorful. The sauce I got looked and tasted like a very thin gravy.
Sauteed skate wing was our next mistake. The sauce and the roasted cauliflower were delicious. The fish itself, while being perfectly seared and tender, just didn’t taste right. The fish had kind of an acrid smell when placed in front of me. The taste had a slightly acidic after-​taste which made me feel that it just wasn’t fresh.
I probably won’t come back.

As many of the prior reviews had already mentioned — good food but nothing special. Not sure I would categorize this place as French– more contemporary American.
Our reservation was for 7:30 pm and it was a nice summer evening so we asked to be seated outside: «Sorry…I don’t have anymore tables outside.». Ok, inside is fine but when hostess seated us in table along the wall within earshot of next table, I asked if we can go to another table in the back corner seeing as it was that inside was empty…“no, I’m sorry I can’t”. Is there anything you CAN do to accommodate your guests?
Best part of the visit was the server— attentive, knowledgeable and knew when to check in or leave us be. Can’t say I’d go back– there’s a reason why this place is only located in Lincoln Square…

Some times it’s hard to rate a restaurant to be a 2 or a 3, but if question is, would I go back? Probably not, so 2 it is.
I am totally supportive of having a high quality restaurant in North Center and was looking forward to LM wowing me with their simple, yet delicate French cuisine.
The bistro toned a brown and orange hue. Modern, warm, dark and inviting, we were quick to get seated. Service was excellent. As having read so many Unilocal reviews, I ordered the sweetbread while my friend tried the fixed prixe course menu. Her arugula salad was outstanding, everything else bordered on okay, dessert was utterly strange and not very fresh. Chocolate tart paired with salty caramel and a dash of yogurt. I happen to love strange foods, but this was not an ideal combination. Maybe I was expecting vanilla ice cream and was surprised when it tasted sour and tangy, much like when you drink a brown carbonated soda, you assume it’s coke, when it’s really root beer. Anyway, even with a
certificate, the bill came out pretty high. I think with that kind of budget, I’ll go dine somewhere else.

*Based on Chef Week Prix Fixe Course
Awakwardness. What I felt as soon as I walked in pass the second door. There’s a big curtain that just hung there. As I stood and wait for the rest of my party, a few other parties went in before me and had a hard time figuring out this curtain concept. There’s no area for you to wait to be seated.
I was told I can take a seat at the bar. What bar? Oh you mean the area right next to the kitchen window where the servers pick up the food dishes so there’s an extremely high volume of traffic? I felt like I would be in the way if I even walked past there, which I was. When I opted to use the bathroom and walk back towards the front. The workers had to stopped and move to the side to let me pass, which inevitably stopped the servers from doing what they had to do.
When the rest of my party arrived the hostess informed us it will be a few minutes so we opted for the bar, which was very crowded with servers grabbing glasses from the bar and the serving window right across from it. Before I even took my jacket off the hostess told us she was ready for us… barely a 2 minute wait, why make us walk down there in the first place? Oh, that’s right because they don’t have a waiting area in the front.
The layout of the restaurant was not for my liking. As for our food:
Starter: terrine of duck confit pickled grapes, pistachios, with country bread — this was super delicious. I love duck and this confit was great on top of the country bread with some pistachios and pickled grapes.
Entrée: braised beef short ribs parsnip, courgette, persillade — so tender that I didn’t really need a knife to cut through it. My fork did the job. The beef itself was kind of bland, but the additions were a good touch to it.
Dessert: milk chocolate tart, salted caramel, crème fraiche — nothing special with this dessert. I’m sure the crème fraîche was to balance out the density of the chocolate, but it just didn’t hit the spot.
The rest of the group really enjoyed the food and we had a great time. I, myself enjoyed the food, but it didn’t blow me away. I wish the layout of the restaurant was better.

We waited until almost the last minute to use our LivingSocial coupon. It was Chef Menu week, but we had to pay the regular prix fixe price ($ 4 each additional) because we had the coupon. Oh well.
The space is very chic, rich wood and burnt orange banquettes. We went early (6pm), and only one other table was occupied. As more diners arrived, they seated them so they weren’t sitting on top of each other, which I really appreciate, especially in such a small space.
The food was a mix of very good to excellent. We did the prix fixe menu, so here goes, with my top picks listed first:
Hors d’Oeuvres
–foie gras terrine — my husband didn’t seem to realize what he ordered, because he didn’t like it. Normally I don’t like terrines, but this was sooo good. Sometimes duck is so subtle it just tastes like mystery meat. This was deliciously tangy and the terrine was smooth (not too gel-​ly). Paired perfectly with the toasted baguette provided.
–English pea soup with pork belly — so rich and creamy. Could have used a touch of salt (but of course there was none on the table, typical «our food is perfect, why change it?»), but I wasn’t going to quibble, it was excellent. Unfortunately my husband stole the pork belly so I can’t comment on it (although he said it was excellent)
Plats
–halibut — GET THE HALIBUT! So good. It’s a nice big piece, with a nice rub and sear on it. The meat was tender and delicious. The confited potatoes were excellent as well. I had the winning dish!
–short ribs — good, but not great. Not being a rib specialist, I described it as juicy pot roast. I liked it, but liked my halibut better!
Dessert
–raspberry cassis — described as a mousse that was frozen then thawed, and served on a cookie. It tasted a lot like gelato, so rich and creamy. The cookie was the perfect accompaniment, and some fresh raspberries topped it off. I loved my dessert!
–chocolate tart — this is ok, nothing to get excited about. Again, I had the winning dish!
Even with the $ 40 LivingSocial coupon, for 2 drinks and 2 regular prix fixe dishes ($ 37 each), we still spent more than we usually would. It was very good, but a special occasion place for me.

I’m sure this place is a solid 4 – 5, but i came during restaurant week so it was more like a 3.5 for my visit.
I came here with some GFs for restaurant week. It was really good, quite expensive, but we had a great meal/​good time.
We were sat at the table right next to the door which was crappy bc of how cold it is, but there was a space heater right by us that helped keep us toasty. Three of us got the Crab bisque which was tasty, but it came out of the kitchen luke warm. What a disappointment. After two spoonfuls, it was basically crab gazpacho and not ok.
The four of us tried everything that was on the menu for restaurant week. The risotto was apparently delicious, as was the porkbelly, but I went for the Salmon which was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I don’t even know what they served with it; some sort of daikon or japanese root vegetable that really was amazing.
For desert I finished it off with a chocolate pot which was a not too dense, not too airy mousse type thing that had me scraping the pot for more.

Ah, the dueling French restaurants of Lincoln Square. Do I choose the right bank of Lincoln Avenue — LM Restaurant — with its white washed modern design, or choose the left bank and journey to the French «countryside» of Bistro Campagne?
For you, my dear readers, I have done both (no, no, don’t thank me at once), and let me say that whichever option you choose you will not be disappointed.
LM Restaurant has been here for a couple of years now, and like its predecessor Tallulah, the décor is sleek and modern — a clean, well lit place of which Papa would approve. The menu, like the décor, espouses minimalism, favoring quality over quantity. While that can be initially off-​putting, one cannot argue with the results. I highly recommend the sauteed sweetbreads as a starter — they have a perfect light crust and are deliciously savory — or the tuna tartare, which shares the savory notes necessary to kick off your meal.
For main courses, we opted for the beef bourguignon and the hanger steak. The beef was a juicy fatty hunk of slow cooked brisket cooked in an overwhelmingly flavorful red wine sauce on top of perfectly creamy mashed potatoes. Perfection! The beef feel apart at first contact with a fork and was meltingly mouthwatering; the jus oozed red wine flavors and the mashed potatoes were perfect. Julia Child could not have done better. Similarly, the hanger steak arrived a perfect medium rare, and was presented pre-​sliced against the grain — it was, without doubt, the best steak I have had at any French restaurant.
For dessert, Kelly and I split the coffee pot de crème. LM’s pot de crème recipe is closer to crème brûlée in consistency — light and fluffy as opposed to rich and creamy — but the pudding’s rich coffee flavor made the dessert highly rewarding. It was a unique option that I recommend unreservedly.
The only area of improvement I’d recommend for LM is the wine list, which has a mere 15 choices each for red and white wines. We were happy with the Gigondas we selected but I’d like to see more options.
That quibble aside, if you are looking for a high end, presentation conscious French experience that is comparatively easy on the wallet, head to LM and count yourself happy.

When this space was Tallulah it was on my short list of closeish-​to-​home restaurants to try for a semi-​special occasion. I was sad when Tallulah was closed/​reconfigured, but after reading about the new restaurant I took heart and simply replaced Tallulah on my short list with LM. Yet it STILL took me a year to make it in. Was it worth the wait? Definitely. If the food and service were both a notch below greatness, I still had a wonderful time and would eagerly return.
Our party of four was seated all the way in the back at the last table on the left, which lent additional intimacy and coziness to the experience. And no need to worry about being right next to the back door: they keep the heat on full blast. As we were pondering the wine list, the gentleman from the couple beside us leaned over to recommend the Smith & Hook cabernet sauvignon. We accepted the suggestion and were not disappointed – a fantastic wine.
I had two small beefs with the service throughout: First, noone offered to take our coats or bothered to point out the self-​service coat racks in the foyer. Consequently I spent the entire meal with my coat folded in half and draped over the back of my chair and my scarf and gloves in my lap. Second, our table was in a convivial mood but our waiter didn’t quite match our energy. Nothing major – I simply would have appreciated if he seemed as happy to be there as we were. I might also say that the pacing of the meal was somewhat slower than I prefer, but in such good company as we were, this issue becomes moot. We were there for nearly three hours and I appreciated the opportunity to expand and linger.
I started the meal with an intriguing spinach salad: pickled onions, beets, and candied pecans. I would have appreciated more onions and beets on the plate to elevate the salad above the mundane. My entrée was a cassoulet with lamb sausage and a whole duck leg. I love a good cassoulet in the winter, and the moderately unorthodox meat choices compelled me to order this version. The dish overall was rather too salty and the beans were underdone, but the duck was phenomenal and there was plenty of it.
Dessert was the tergoule, a Norman rice pudding! Who knew? This was served between cold and room-​temperature, which worked well for the pudding. There’s a tinge of cinnamon flavor although no overt presence of little brown flecks. This tergoule might crack my top five rice puddings in Chicago.
If it sounds like I’m highlighting too much of the negative, it’s only to point out those few small items which contrasted with the overall high quality of the experience. I really did enjoy the meal immensely and would be glad to return – which they encourage you do with a $ 25 gift certificate at the end of the meal, plus a hand-​written note from the chef to thank you for coming in. Oh, and I forgot to mention the single-​use terrycloth hand towels in the restrooms. I love memorable little touches like those.

So I must give props to my wife for securing a 7:00 pm (Opentable adjusted) Friday night reservation during a massive Groupon craze just days before the Groupon expires on Dec 21^st. Our server said they had 700 reservations this week alone!
** Note: They extended the expiration date of the Groupon through Jan 2011, but at $ 35, not $ 55.
They were totally cool with our using the Groupon and we were able to apply it toward the $ 35 three course pre-​fixe menu.
Duck Terrines: I thought this appetizer was delightful. I love pâté and I thought this terrine was done exceptionally well, it displayed the characteristic rich, creamy flavors of a good terrine with a smooth texture. What stood out was the fact that they carefully prepared the bread that came with the terrine, it had a little more butter than I would have liked, but it was toasted very nicely and made the dish that much better.
Pork Belly: The pork belly was a huge cut of pork and a style that I had not expected. The dish had a nice, subtle sweetness to it (I assume it was the brine), but I would have wanted the skin to be a little more crispy than it was. It appears that they were focused on retaining the juices in the meat, but had they been able to get the skin a little more crispy, this dish would have been a total home run.
Carrot Cake: The carrot cake dessert was prepared in small single serving pans and served with a large spoonful of ice cream. My only complaint was that the cake was served cold and seemed to be a little dry. I normally expect cake, especially when it is served with something cold, to be slightly warm.
Overall we really enjoyed our dinner at LM. We had a cozy table in the back area of the dining room, our server was absolutely delightful. He was very friendly and knowledgeable and went out of his way to make sure we were pleased with dining experience. The food was also great. The only reason I’m giving LM four and not 5 stars was that I thought they could have executed my pork belly and dessert a little better and one would come to expect that at a higher price restaurant. Regardless, they did a very nice job overall and the staff was very friendly. I would definitely return, but just wish we lived closer by!

We ventured here to use our Groupon on a weekday night. First, I was surprised at how small the dining area was and how crowded it was for a weeknight (be sure to have a reservation). It does have a very intimate atmosphere and despite the small space, it wasn’t overly loud. It was also nice that they had a two-​door entrance and a curtain to protect diners from the doors in the cold winter.
We ordered the Tuna Tartar to start and it was delicious. The aioli was a nice complement to the fish. We both ordered the Hanger Steak. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and came with carrots and a carrot purée (I liked, but my boyfriend thought it was just okay). The meat was very tender, although I was expecting a little more steak. We did the chocolate cake for dessert which was tasty (and they cook it when you order it, so expect a bit to wait).
While the food was good, the service was just okay. I believe our waitress had the entire restaurant and was a bit busy. It took a bit to get a few items, but this place is classy so they topped off our wine glasses and comped our dessert. Nice touch.
The food was very good, but it is a bit of a hike for us and I’m not sure I see the value for long term. Without the coupon, we’d probably choose to go to a closer steakhouse for the price.

To Merely Eat is Human, to French Gastro Dine is Divine!
4.5 enthusiastic stars for a positively adorable and absolutely delicious prix fixe experience! Oh, didn’t you know? LM does a phenomenally priced and super scrumptious French bistro inspired gastro fare prix fixe dinner EVERY NIGHT of the week with dishes rotating constantly for just 35 smackers!
Sitting outside on their inviting street side patio — across from the Old Town School of Folk Music — typically is the perfect place to indulge in a warm, balmy night, but those Indian Summer days are in our rear view mirror now and fortunately the interior here is just as charming, cozy and downright dateworthy! So let’s get cozy and settle into a nice glass of vin, shall we? While the LM wine list is rather succinct, it does carry its weight with a nice variety of grapes, and diving into my Château Roc De Pourret Bordeaux was easy as can be. Wine in hand and faced with an amazing sounding menu, selections needed to be made.
DC and I went with starters of Fried Duck Egg with root vegetable ragout and duck prosciutto in addition to the Roasted Red Beet herbed goat cheese salad with pistachio vinaigrette. Really enjoyed both… the duck egg was perfectly cooked; rich, velvety and the perfect compliment to the salty, meaty proscuitto. A luxurious dish, most definitely! I’m still wrestling with my fancy for beets, but found the salad to be fresh, light and lovely. It was accompanied by a tiny piece of pumpernickel toast — presumably to be used as a nice vehicle for the cubed beets and chevre — and I just found myself wishing for more. The small piece went fast and a few extras would have been appreciated.
Entrées at LM are certainly a considerable highlight! Chef Phillips hails from the notable Chicago culinary institutions of Tru, Blackbird and NoMI, expect «les plats principaux» to not only stand out, but be exceptional. Such was certainly the case with the moist, succulent and totally indulgent grilled veal breast with duck fat potatoes. Perfectly caramelized meat and OMG, those heavenly carbs, it was only slightly outdone by the braised brisket with wild morels and roasted sunchokes. To-​Die-​For! Tender, tangy, generous portioned, fall apart perfect brisket, it even outdid Grandma’s. Schwing! I’d come back every Saturday if I knew this dish would be on the menu.
Rounding out this Eurogluttony was a well executed, warm Apple Tarte Tatin and a fabulously huge Vanilla Crème Brulee served aside a madeline cookie in a very pretty piece of bright orange Staub cookware. Lurvely to the max and an ideal sweet bite ending to an (almost) flawless meal.
Great find, great food, great service… lots of love for LM!

I came here a few weeks ago on a Groupon. We loved our food, our wine, our service so very much that, when the opportunity for a groupon-​esque Living Social deal came up, I bought two more.
This place kicks derrière. Classy French food without any pretension. Just quality concern for your dining experience, unobtrusive service, and well-​informed wine pairings.
I was told that the tuna tartar was spectacular. All our entrees were savory, feasts for the eyes, and very, very lovingly prepared.
Highly recommended!

I officially now dare to argue that Lincoln Square is in the top three Chicago neighborhoods when it comes to the best, most diverse restaurants. With a line-​up like Brown Trout, Bistro Champagne, Chicago Brauhaus, Tiny Lounge, Chelsea Grill, and now LM Le Restaurant, it pushes it over the top.
LM is short for the owner’s children, Luke and Mary. You can’t help but notice their black and white framed photos on the south wall. They’re in perfect juxtaposition among the pleasantly painted walls with sleek white trim, classy black leather chairs and adorable amber croissant plates. Not only that but they have a small bar, separate dining room for larger parties and a back patio for the springtime. This is all discoverable if you don’t get lost in the thick curtain when you enter which keeps the cold winter air where it’s supposed to be, outside.
Since I currently have a slim wallet, I decided to try LM for brunch versus fully emerging my bank account into their pricey French dinner menu. Thank God for brunch! LM makes every little detail count: Water poured out of a glass corked bottle with rounded edges, awakening French press coffee from their neighbors at Julius Meinl, choice of a freshly baked croissant (plain or chocolate; go chocolate!), jarred jams and a nice dining set.
When deciding on my entrée I had to go all-​out French with the Croque Monsieur avec an over-​easy egg. Oh my stars: SINFUL! Two slices of grilled brioche, thin slices of jambon de Paris, a mustard spread, thick yet runny gruyère cheese and all this topped with the fried egg. Oh and if that ain’t enough you get a side of pomme frites. My partner had to order the Brioche French Toast after seeing it at another table. It was truly the BEST FRENCH TOAST EVER! Roasted pears, maple syrup, sweet crème chantilly and four rectangles of brioche toast that had an inner core of soft, melt-​in-​the-​mouth texture. These two would be my biggest recommendations but I’m sure everything is fabulous.
LM Le Restaurant not only does brunch right, but also the French: rich, creamy, attentive, unpronounceable, classy, costly, –all this without the snootiness! Make a reservation to spoil your stomach on OpenTable.