5 Chicago Restaurants that Locals Swear Have the Best French Fries

Chicago has enough fry opinions to start an argument at almost any table, which is exactly what you’d expect from a city that takes food seriously. Some locals want duck fat fries, some want overloaded fresh-cut fries, and some want a side that holds its own next to a beer and a sandwich. Based on local discussion, these are five Chicago spots that keep coming up.

1. BRGRBELLY
BRGRBELLY got a big endorsement for its fresh-cut loaded fries, with the garlic Parmesan fry and the belly fry both getting called out.

That kind of praise makes it sound like one of those places where fries are not remotely an afterthought. If locals are naming specific fry variations from memory, that’s usually a very good sign.

2. D’Amato’s
One Chicago local who said they had tried more than 200 fries around the city named D’Amato’s as their absolute favorite.

That’s hard to ignore. You can debate whether one person should decide a whole city’s fry rankings, but that kind of dedication still carries weight.

3. Duck Inn
Duck Inn got mentioned specifically for its duck fat fries, and that alone is enough to earn serious attention.

Chicago does indulgent food very well, and duck fat fries are the kind of thing people order knowing full well they’re about to ruin every average fry that comes after.

4. Hopleaf
Hopleaf’s fries and aioli were described as superb, which is exactly the kind of clean, confident praise you want to hear.

Not every great fry needs a pile of toppings. Sometimes a really good fry plus a really good dip is more than enough.

5. Edzo’s
For people who want fries that are piled high and doing a little too much in the best way, locals recommended Edzo’s Five Onion fries.

That gives Chicago’s list a more over-the-top option, which feels necessary. This is a city that appreciates both simplicity and excess, and fries are no exception.

Chicago’s fry favorites seem to split into two camps: the places doing classic fries extremely well, and the places turning them into something bigger and more indulgent. Either way, these are some of the names locals seem most excited to bring up.