Bar La Rue

"DineAmic Hospitality Group’s new flowery Fulton Market restaurant concept added brunch in September, offering diners the chance to pretend they’re in a French cafe by grabbing a seat in the all-season pergola for a ham and cheese galette or truffle mushroom scramble with gruyère fondue. Keep things light with an elderflower and mint spritz, or savor a bloody mary with a Szechuan chili rim. Make a reservation through OpenTable." - Sam Nelson

"Bar La Rue, off Fulton Market, serves French American fare and while it’s trying to avoid being a nominal sports bar, the space has TVs, displays that can discreetly disappear when they turn up the music late at night. There’s also an all-season pergola with HVAC for a unique experience." - Eater Staff

"Bring your brightest sundress to Bar La Rue in the West Loop, not an appetite. This loosely French spot with dozens of pink and red flowers on the ceiling has a streetside patio, a few TVs, and a very scene-y atmosphere thanks to the crowds and thumping dance remixes. The gimmicky food should be a low priority, especially the just-fine smashburger—for three dollars more, you can get it served face-down in a puddle of fondue cheese as if it lost a battle. The menu has other oddities, like forgettable chicken nuggets topped with caviar and a gaudy $12-per-piece price tag. If you're going to Bar La Rue for a friend catch-up, a date night, or just to show off your warm weather fits, stick to their earthy cocktails. The tasty Bonne Vivant balances sweetness with lemon and mezcal, and won’t make you feel like the menu is trying to prank you. Food Rundown Escargot Bar La Rue has a few dishes you can also get upstairs at their slightly more polished older sibling La Serre. But the quality isn't always the same, as with these escargot that are overly oily, and better just steps away at La Serre. photo credit: Nick Allen Royale With Cheese - Provence Style Both halves of this monster are marked with a flag, which means both America and France are equally responsible. Prying this face-down burger from its gruyère puddle is also a reminder as to why we don't stick our fingers in fondue pots, or stare too closely into them. Bougie Chicken Nuggets Resist any urge to find out if these sad and “bougie” chicken nuggets topped with caviar and ranch crème fraiche are actually worth $12 each. They are not." - Nick Allen

"The team behind the recently opened La Serre decided that one flower-filled, French-themed spot in Fulton Market wasn’t enough. At Bar La Rue, you can eat steak frites, fondue, and “Bougie Tenders” with crème fraîche ranch and osetra caviar while sipping a strawberry spritz on the large patio." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen

"Bar La Rue, the new venue opening this week on the ground floor of the new 800 Fulton Market tower at the northwest corner of Halsted and Fulton, provides a shining example. The entrance lies west of the intersection at the corner of Green and Fulton, around the corner from DineAmic Hospitality Group’s French restaurant, which opened in March — La Serre. But Bar La Rue is a bit more casual. There are huge windows ideal for people watching as characters make their way up and down Fulton. The customer video displays blend into the aesthetic. But what sticks out in the decor, meant to evoke a French streetside bar are the flowers. So many faux flowers. They’re hanging from the ceiling. They’re on the wall. Chicago’s climate is far from tropical and flowers aren’t cheap, so it’s understandable. There is a newly planted real tree growing outside the door. Come wintertime, Bar La Rue’s colorful bouquets, real or not, may provide an escape from Chicago’s wintry mix. DineAmic founders David Rekhson and Luke Stoioff say brunch will also eventually play a big part in the space’s plans. Even more remarkable than the botany is another passion for Rekhson — fondue: 'When is it not a good time to dip something in cheese?' he says. 'In the last two years, he’s been very pumped about that,' Stoioff adds. Sharing cauldrons of hot and bubbly cheese was another pandemic no-no. DineAmic staffers and Stoioff know how worked up Rekhson can get, talking about how hard the culinary staff has worked on perfecting their cheese blend: 'It’s got this perfect, you know, the perfect garlic kind of fragrance that first coats the bowl and a really nice blend of kind of gruyere and sharp cheddar,' Rekhson gushes. 'It’s just… it’s creamy.' Beyond the fondue, Bar La Rue’s menu sports 'bougie chicken tenders.' It comes with a creme fraiche ranch which melds Midwest and French sensibilities with a scoop of caviar. A server wearing white gloves will present the tenders to the table. A smash burger on brioche made with beef from Slagel Family Farms arrives in a bowl of melted cheese for dipping. There are also kale and apple salad with French feta and a champagne vinaigrette. Their version of a Caesar salad comes with British croutons. The cocktails are light, a blend of French classics and patio pounders with drinks like a French martini with fresh chamomile and blackberry and a rum punch. Visitors will find a DJ booth, a hallmark of DineAmic’s projects, hidden in plain sight. Late-night food service, perhaps until midnight — is upcoming. They’ll slowly extend hours depending on demand: 'As the night goes on, you know being on a very busy corner, we’ll see this cocktail forward, heavy, indoor-outdoor bar space unfold,' Stoioff says." - Ashok Selvam