Chez Francis Bar & Restaurant in Cardiff

Fuimos allí hace un par de semanas un sábado por la noche y tuvimos una comida deliciosa. El cassoulet era un favorito y entregado una vez más

We went mid-week with friends. It was quiet, but staff, particularly Ifan, were helpful and friendly. Food was delicious and cooked exactly as we requested. Lovely relaxing environment, made for a very pleasant few hours.

Great French cuisine here. They servers in the afternoon too which is pretty useful when you're business traveling and you arrive late in town. Good service, good food and good looking place!

Stylish, great atmosphere and really high quality French food and wines. We shared the steak and the tartiflette- delicious. Quite a few dishes had run out which was a bit disappointing when our table was booked at 8pm but other than that I can’t wait to go back.

I found this restaurant really disappointing. Expensive, service poor, food undercooked and uninspiring.

The first turn of fate occured due to our usual way out of town being blocked by a police incident/ accident, so after being stuck in traffic for a good while we decided to park up and go for a meal in the city. We parked just off Cowbridge Road so made our way to the street where we knew there to be several restaurants.

We booked at the last minute and were accommodated at a lovely table. The food and service was top notch. We had fresh sea bass which was filleted at the table. I would recommend Chez Francis to anyone who appreciates good food and nice wine.

Came here for Beaujolais Day for the set menu.

A friend in work recommended we go here for our wedding Anniversary celebration and we were not to be disappointed. The French food was amazing with the excellent service to boot! . We also loved the ambience which made you feel like you were eating at a restaurant somewhere in France. Loved loved loved it and can’t wait to return.

A friend of mine cones over from France regularly and we always go out for dinner. Deciding where to go is generally quite problematic but then, hey presto, walesonline just published the top 50 restaurants in Cardiff! So, after narrowing it down according to style and region, we decided on Chez Francis.

I had a great meal and the service was great. But the toilet absolutely stinks. I was shocked when I...

I went with a group of friends to this lovely little restaurant. Absolutely loved it. Great food, friendly staff and...

We visited the restaurant to celebrate my birthday and because it was close to the the place where we were staying with relatives. I choose the roasted vegetables because I am a vegetarian and had already had quiche earlier in the day. It was so bad I could not eat it . I am quite a good cook but I couldn't recognise the ingredients of the sloppy tasteless filling in the roasted pepper. My family did not enjoy the cassoulet and were awake with heartburn ( one young ,one old person)

We went herd for a meal on Thursday 10th August. We had a very pleasant and helpfull waitress named Laura. Food was first rate and we really enjoyed their music. It had a great atmosphere.

From start to finish this meal was a delight. All the ingredients used were of the freshest variety. It felt as if everything had just been collected/picked. It was one of those meals you feel you eat at a family special occasion. Sublimely cooked with attention to detail. Boiling hot haddock in foil, steaming in thyme. Wouldn't hesitate in revisiting. All three of us generally felt the same; however, friend's 'stew' type dish was too salty. Service excellent.

chose this as a venue to catch up with friends and former colleagues having moved to Australia from Cardiff 15 years ago. Fantastic night. Food perfectly acceptable. The wine flowed and was well chosen. Terrific value and the owner injects just the right note of charisma. Highly recommended.

Booked in at last minute and they rang us to say they had a cancellation. Great place, French speaking staff, french music. Good service, friendly staff and great food. Not a vast choise but very good.

Oh wow. Atmosphere was convivial, friendly and attentive waiters who appreciated a group of friends had lots to talk about and were slow to order. Not a problem. And the food. .... just wow. All meals were perfectly cooked and so full of flavour. Top quality food for a very reasonable price.Would I go back? I can't wait to return.

Treated our med student daughter and boyfriend to the culinary delights of Chez Francis on Friday night and it didn't disappoint yet again.I know I'm a bit of a francophile, but this unpretentious bistro is simply marvelous. Food and wine top notch.I can't recommend it highly enough . . .

Dans le cadre d'un voyage rugby avec des clients transporteurs du sud ouest de la France déjeuner chez Francis pour un français est incontournable surtout quand on ne parle que de rugby.Tarte tatin à l'oignon suivi d'une entrecôte sauce poivre et crème catalane accompagnés de vins français a rendu le déjeuner agréable pendant la vision de Italie -France.Le service est impeccable et en français.Alors chaussés les crampons et courrez y pour attraper le ballon.

Went here with friends recently, lovely service, classic french food, we all left full and all enjoyed our food. Will revisit soon - the garlic snails were amazing.

Pre rugby lunch started splendidly with superb oysters and a reasonably decent plate of charcuterie. First course of scallops was so viciously salted it was tricky to determine much else about the dish. Individual portion of Cassoulet was really good,well seasoned beans/ duck confit pieces and an authentic Toulouse sausage. A pudding of apple and cinnamon tart with Chantilly cream was pretty awful, a soggy,doughy bun presumably warmed in a microwave,dusted with cinnamon and served with a very poor excuse for créme Chantilly.All together not bad and very good in parts but just too many technical inconsistencies to recommend unfortunately.

I have dined at this place twice. the food is really good as is the service. Nice addition to Canton.

Great ambiance and layout, very good service and tasty food with ideal portion sizes, nothing negative to critique at all, the evening was very pleasant and I'm excited to return and try something else on menu xx tres bien

Great, friendly, personal service and excellent, rustic and authentic food. Perfect venue for an intimate occasion ❤️

Went to restaurant for Xmas party was smaller place than I expected. The meal was nice was well presented staff were good

A friend took us here for dinner. The food was excellent and service very good. We shared starters or baked Camembert and charcuterie board, we did have to order more bread to go with this. I then had the confit duck, which was the best I've ever tasted. The cafe gormound to finish it off was perfect. Will definitely be visiting again.

We met a couple of locals on our recent trip to Cardiff who recommended this restaurant to us, they even phoned and booked a table for us - the staff when we arrived were very attentive and the food was absolutely amazing, good wine too - can't wait to go again - nice to visit a independent family run restaurant

We've visited this small bistro several times and like the bust and friendly ambience. Located in Cowbridge Road not far from the city centre, it's a relatively authentic French bistro. Francis and his son are good hosts and company.We had the scallops and foie gras to start followed by cassoulet. The latter wasn't as good as we've had before, bulked out by too much carrot and celery, with not enough toulouse sausage. The wine list is also a little disappointing. We had the St Emillion, usually excellent, although the 2006 vintage isn't very full bodied.The service wasn't very good this time around either. We had to ask for water a few times before it was brought over. The restaurant was very busy, however.We will return here, but may try the sister restaurant in Penarth if standards continue to slip at this venue.

We had visited this restaurant, as we had eaten at the owners previous restaurants, and they were brilliant. The welcome was very warm, french waiter, and a good report with customers.All the staff were friendly and polite, and the attention was superb. We were offered drinks menu and food menu promptly. Having chosen our food, and a bottle of wine, the starter seemed to be on us before we had taken a breath ! I had scallops, gorgeous, and my husband asked for a starter of the main course chicken livers, which was readily agreed to. Both were absolutely delicious.We tried to eat slowly, and savour our starters, but as soon as we had finished, the waiters cleared and our main course was served. I had cod, which was cooked to perfection, sadly the sauce was a bit like glue. My husband had the confit duck, which reminded us of our holidays in France, perfect.Within minutes of clearing our plates, we were asked to order desserts. I chose creme brûlée , which I adore. I was very disappointed , not creamy and no crisp burnt topping. After asking for the bill, I pointed out that the creme brûlée wasn't actually burnt cream, with a crisp top, and I was told that it was a bad batch, so it was taken off the bill, but it should not have been served.Would we go back ? Yes I think we would, but make it very clear we didn't want to be rushed through the courses. The atmosphere was brilliant, waiters friendly and welcoming, interested in the customers.

Booked a table for Beaujolais day. Set 3 course menu. The owner Francis extremely welcoming and treated us to a glass of beaujolais. My husband had the French onion soup, beouf bourginioun and creme Bruder. I had the pate, cod and apple tarte tartane Amazing food, lovely atmosphere and friendly staff. Will recommended to family and friends.

The set menu on Beaujolais day had good choices at a reasonable price. Top notch champagne pate, great beef bourguignon and nice tart tartan. Service very good as ever!

Have visited this very authentic Limoges bistro three or four times now and it's a delight.As I wait for my starter, I close my eyes, sip my pastis and I could be in France.This is by far and away my favourite restaurant in Cardiff by a country mile.No its never going to get a Michelin star, and its better for it, there is no pretentious cooking here.Nothing but deeply flavoured, beautifully cooked food made with the best ingredients. If you love french country cooking and an authentic Gallic atmosphere, look no further.The bottle of St Emilion at less than thirty quid was a bargain too, beautifully balanced ripe and firm. An excellent well chosen small wine list that screams quality and value.Will I return? . . . Mais oui, certainement . . .!

I have mixed feelings about this place. The atmosphere is fine, the menu is not over extensive but adequate, the quality of the cooking is good, the service perfectly ok, but nothing wowed me apart from some of the prices.The early evening menu deal (it's not clear from their website what time that is given they open at 6pm) looks good value at 14.95 for two courses as the main courses are that much or slightly more on their own on the normal evening menu...and I think that's my problem. This is a local bistro at posh restaurant prices (Le Gallois prices as was). It wasn't just the food either. I expect wine to cost double what you would pay in a wine shop but this is triple mark ups and the only still white wine available by the glass was a single Sauvignon blanc.

Really enjoyed the food and atmosphere of the new penarth restaurant. Staff were great too. The only 2 things that let it down for me was the lack of options for lager ( only stella) although this was due to lack of delivery I was told. Also the snails were gritty which I hadn't had with snails in the past

This is the second visit to one of Cardiff's few classy independent restaurants. The food is authentic rustic French and very tasty. The selection is reassuringly limited to a small number of seasonal dishes. Prices are quite reasonable for such a classy place. The only downside on this particular night was that the waiter we had was very inexperienced and very very forgetful! But hopefully his experienced colleagues will help him improve.

After spending much time in France I have to say this is the most authentic French cuisine I have ever tasted. Only opened for a couple of weeks the staff are keen to help but still finding their feet. It's a shame that a few diners find this a reason to complain and don't just enjoy the culinary experienceI will definitely return and think this will be a gem in Penarths crown.

The menu was kept traditional with a good selection to choose from,Authentic simple French cuisine done very well indeed,Fine selection of wines.The staff made us feel at home and catered to our needs with little fuss.Fois grois was the best I've had in long time.Fresh ingredients cooked to perfection.Looking forward to another visit.

Stunning place to eat, Kevin and Evian were very good at service. Very helpful and the food was fantastic. Small menu with a great choice and deserts were out of this world. Well worth a visit

I'll begin by establishing my lack of impartiality. I've eaten at a number of restaurants over the past 20 years where Francis has been front of house and have enjoyed the experience. I believe he brings Gallic charm and personality to a world increasingly dominated by plastic restaurant chains selling the same bland dishes night after night. Like the man himself Chez Francis is different. It serves food that is honest, quirky and very French. It could be in Toulouse but it isn't. The Regional French wines are well priced and suit the menu. The starters went down well and I enjoyed the snails very much. I had the chicken liver main course and I'm very much a fan of that ingredient. The other diners had perhaps more conventional dishes; cassoulets, steaks and the like and all seemed very content. Desserts were good and at least some of the cheese was French. We had a fab night and if we didn't live in beautiful West Cardiff we'd be much more frequent visitors. As I said I'm biased.

This small French Resturant was very quaint and welcoming.. The staff were very friendly and the food was delicious!!

Surprisingly our first visit but found first class service - excellent food and a great buzz in this popular bistro. This is not fine dining but really good bistro classics like snails - oysters - coq au vin and cassoulet. Even with a decent bottle of wine our bill was surprisingly light. Highly recommended.

Eight of us had dinner here on a Thursday night. The restaurant was pretty full but we were served pretty quickly. The restaurant is run by father (from Limoges) and son who make a good team. Both speak Welsh which is an accomplishment in itself. The menu is reasonably concise but with good choices. Our meals arrived after an appropriate interval which allowed for conversation. The food was tasty and reminiscent of what you would get in France. The proce with a few drinks was £75 per couple. Worth a visit.

First visit, nice place but wrong end of Cardiff! Staff/owner very pleasant and helpful, food good and nice choice of wine, wouldn't have the Sirloin again but plenty of choice as an alternative, prices on medium to high side , nice night worth a try

Immediately felt the lovely atmosphere and welcome.Gave us plenty of time for a drink before ordering our meal. The waitress was an absolute star - joining in on the fun - and guiding us through our choices.No long waits or rushing us along - perfect.Food and wine excellent - our table was for the duration - lovely ambience .

This was our first visit to Chez Francis and I found the entire affair rather dispiriting. The service was very poor and the staff seemed entirely uninterested in their clientele. The food and wine were almost thrown at our table, such was the staff's haste to rush off to do something else, in fact at one point the menus were quite literally pulled from our hands by the maitre d'.As for the food, I'm afraid it was rather mediocre. My pate was served with burnt bread and my shredded duck cassoulet seemed to contain not the slightest hint of shredded duck. To make matters worse, one of our dishes tasted as if it had been made with powdered instant mash potato. I should point out for the record that our maitre d' firmly denied that this was the case, but there was no offer to replace the dish, he simply rushed off to do something else and our complaint was dismissed. All in all it was a very disappointing experience and I certainly won't returning.

We had a nice meal here on a recent Saturday evening. The staff were welcoming and the service was efficient. For starters my partner had king prawns in white wine and garlic butter and I had the pâté. Both were very tasty although I was a little disappointed by the meagre and stale bread (I think it was lightly toasted) provided with the pâté. For mains my partner had Braised Lamb, Mash Potato, Grilled Aubergine, Veal Jus and Mint Dressing and I had Cassoulet (Slow-cooked Casserole Containing Shredded Confit of Duck, Toulouse Sausage and Lardons Topped with Breadcrumbs). Again, both were very tasty meals. For dessert my partner had Apple Tarte Tatin with Chantilly Cream. I did not have a dessert as the only dish I fancied came with Creme Anglaise which I do not like. I did request vanilla ice cream to accompany the Strawberry & Nectarine Crumble but this was not available (!), but I was offered cream which I also do not particularly like. We had a bottle of Cotes du Rhône 2011. E. Guigal to accompany our meal. While this was a pleasant enough restaurant and I cannot fault the food or service I would not rush back as there are other much better restaurants in Cardiff. It is worth at least one visit and it may suit some more than me.

Went on a Saturday night , booked a table for 3 people , arrived and every table was occupied so a good sign. Menu selection is not that huge , but plenty to choose from , starters we had pate and prawns in garlic, both were a bit disappointing both in terms of portion size and the prawns looked like frozen pre cooked ones. Main course we had steak, turbot and cassoulet all were good. House wine was good if not a little bit pricey , overall food was ok but expensive but it felt we were being rushed through the evening.

Ate here with family and was disappointed.Started was good but it all went down hill from their.Service wasn't the best as wine was practically thrown onto table as the waiter/owner went to do something else.Limited food and wine menuWe won't be returning

We went here for an early evening meal before moving on to watch Glamorgan win again in the 20/20 competition. What a mistake. We should have stayed here all evening as this is such a wonderful place in so many ways. It is informal yet efficient with everything geared to the needs of the diner. Service is solicitous but unobtrusive with Ifan magnificent is his role as waiter and mediator of his father's commands. You are quietly aware of the desire to meet high expectations and to please the discerning customer. The food is delicious delivering quality to suit the local palate and pocket. A long lunch is needed there soon. Bravo

Run by the same chap who used to run Le Galoise in Cardiff, the standard of food is equally superb. Great wine, superb food and menu, pleasingly friendly French service, and a great owner manager - a winning package. Nearby parking free after 1800hrs, thank you Cardiff council. If you like escargot, and real French food generally, then this is a must!

My husband and I and another couple are here last night & I am pleased to report it was delicious! I had the Camembert to share which was divine and the steak was amazing too! Atmosphere was authentic and the service great , I was pleasantly surprised. I would like to add it was a little pricey and maybe not somewhere you would frequent often but as a special occasion I would definitely recommend!

Been here a few times but it never fails to deliver! Brought some friends tonight who were visiting from Bristol and having rave about the place for months decided to take them there.All of my friends work in the hospitality industry and they were massively impressed with the food the atmosphere and most importantly the service.The father son duo here prove that a decent family run establishment will outshine most chain restaurantsGreat food, great wine, excellent value for money!!!Could not more highly recommend this place

Authentic French Bistro at its best. Have been twice now and have followed Francis around Cardiff for many years. The cooking is simple but done beautifully, the bread with the Foie Gras is delicious.My wife's scallops were perfect.Always a good buzzing atmosphere. Top notch!

My wife and her friends had fantastic food and service last night to celebrate her 50th birthday. One of our Favourite Cardiff restaurants.

This is a lovely place to eat with your friends, family or love.The open kitchen is fantastic and the staff are always friendly and helpful :-)No need to speak about the food because it is amazing, and I am French so I can confirm that !Just go and try it for yourself ..Merci beaucoup!

We had not planned where to eat, but were parked close by and decided to give it a go. We received a warm welcome and were seated at the back of the restaurant. Whilst it is a cosy little place, there did seem to be a bit of a strange/damp sort of smell, possibly from the toilet area which we were sat close to. The food was really good and I would imagine very authentic. All in all an interesting little venue

The best french meal i have had in months, and that includes paris, this place is amazing. Keith flloyd would love it x

Such a great ambience - we went on a thursday evening and it was packed! But, the waiting staff and Francis didn't miss a beat.The menu was superb, we will definitely be going back to work our way through it!Wine list is excellent too.In a city where chains and franchises have blossomed over recent years, Chez Francis is an independent, with the armoury to take on the big guns!

A great venue of going to watch the rugby.... Food , atmosphere , staff and Francis very welcoming. Menu, and wine list outstanding . Will return next time in Cardiff.

I visited here with some work colleagues, the restaurant is cosy, staff friendly and an all round nice atmosphere. Food was good as you expect portions are not your average but a bit smaller so three courses is definitely recommended if you are not having a heavy main. The only thing I was disappointed with is usually French restaurants offer bread on the table and they didn't. All in all a nice place worth a visit, considering the location a but pricey but nice for the odd occasion.

The food at this restaurant was outstanding. The restaurant is beautiful, the staff are amazing and the wine selection is very impressive. I will definitely return!

First visit to Chez Francis. Must say a very warm welcome by the friendly owner and staff. A typically French atmosphere in a small cosy restaurant. The food we had was of a good standard and reasonable in cost. The evening was a little spoilt by a very strong smell of drains as we were sitting very near the kitchen area we found it very off putting.

Lovely staff, friendly service, very French! Really lovely meal this evening - the atmosphere here really makes it! The food was gorgeous and so authentic

Delicious. Great food, great wine. Highly recommended! The owner is very friendly and the service was first class. Definitely be coming back!

Delicious well-cooked meal. Knowledgeable and attentive staff. Excellent cheese-board. Would definitely return.

We recently took my family here for lunch based on recommendations from friends. The staff are friendly and the ambience is nice, although the toilet is bad - no hand drier or towels!Out starters were lovely, the scallops were cooked to perfection but the pea purée lacked flavour. Our mains were a mixed bag; my lamb was delicious but the mash was Luke-warm, I didn't want to send it back as the lamb was hot and on balance I could live with it! The duck came without a crispy skin so that it was a bit fatty. The sausage and cod had no veggies and we felt that the staff should have recommended that we order extra side dishes so that the meals were more balanced. The tarte tatin desserts were not hot but tasted good and I recognise this might be personal preference. Their wine list is dreadful, especially for a French restaurant, nothing unusual or exceptional; reasonably priced but without much that you'd want to drink!

wonderful french food, cosy setting, great host easy to park opposite in cheap council car park look forward to another visit

Visited here a few times and each time is worth it. Only time I found that I had a problem was when booking once for a Saturday night (in advance during the week), they asked how many of us there was, I told them there would be 2 of us and then they spoke to someone in French and then said that they were fully booked, it made me wonder if we had a table of 4+ we would have been given a table ... However, the food is always great and so is the service.

This place is so reminiscent of my days as a young man living on the South Bank in the early 80s. There's a great vibe here; cooking is 1st rate. I'll be back!

Small restaurant tucked away in Canton area, I'd heard a lot about the place before finally visiting. And it didn't disappoint. Very romantic ambiance for a couple on a date. Made to feel very welcome from the moment we walked in. Food was excellent - and I'd opted for the camembert for starter and duck main course. Excellent choice of red wine too.

My wife and I ate here to celebrate her birthday. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. The staff and owner are friendly, take the chance to practice your French speaking skills. The atmosphere is lively and relaxed.I had fish cakes for starter and then rib eye steak in pepper sauce, my wife had prawns and then duck, we both had creme brulee for pudding. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening but beware it is on the pricey side.

I was a little uncertain, as the menu is far from extensive, we'd had boeuf bourguignon the night before, and the hoped-for confit de canard wasn't on. But I needn't have worried; the snails, helpfully served out of their shells were lovely, even if the filling of the accompanying vols au vent was a bit of a nothing, the terrine of foie gras was very nearly as good as the real thing. Confit of chicken was about the tastiest chicken any of us could remember, the entrecote steaks were the best we'd had in a restaurant since our visit to Argentina, and the Toulouse sausage dish was a real surprise. If there was a down-side, they could have been a bit more generous with the parmentiere potatoes, if only to mop up the lovely sauces. Puds were great too, especially the tarte tatin. Reasonably priced wine list - we had the cheapest red Merlot, and very good it was too. Worth going back to.

We have been dinning at Chez Francis for some time now, always a good experienceand enjoyable. Francis runs a very professional high quality restaurant. I can highly recommend them.

For many years Le Gallois gained a reputation for fine cuisine but with a distinct Welsh flavour. Then came Pier 21 and now, Francis Dupuy, the excellent chef behind all these ventures, has opened a new venue - interestingly on the ground floor of the building in Cowbridge Road East where the stunning Purple Poppadom, one of the very best Indian restaurants in the Principality and well beyond,is located. Le Gallois offers a range of classic French dishes - starters such as escargots or oysters, baked camembert, fois gras terrine and then to follow, a rich coq au vin, confit of duck, pan fried pollock or a flamiche of pears. And, of course, super tarte tatin or a smooth mousse au chocolat. The choice is small - 9 starters, 7 main dishces - but no-one need be left out and the logic is impeccable; with a small range, the chefs can concentrate on real quality, which they certainly deliver. The wine list, like the menu itself, is extremely well priced - where else would you get an excellent carignan for well under £20 or a sancerre for £29? The atmosphere is splendid but this is very much a family affair with the next generation already involved. Without doubt this reincarnation of Le Gallois will make the same, if not bigger, impact as it develops.

Cardiff is bursting with restaurants but too many are just another branch of a big chain. If you are fed up with the nondescript fodder that most chains offer, try Chez Francis. This is a local, independent restaurant with people who know how to cook and staff who know how to look after customers. There is a great atmosphere, wonderful food, reasonably-priced drinks and excellent service.

The food was spectacular, the service attentive with very knowledgeable staff. Lovely atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Great little restaurant with lovely relaxed atmosphere. Extremely efficient, friendly yet unobtrusive service. Food excellent as one would expect from Francis, who is a charming host. The lobster Thermidor special was superb though I would recommend they invest in some lobster picks if this is to become a regular on the menu. Will definitely return.

Experienced restauranter Francis has created a simple but quality menu in a very welcoming and authentic environment Well worth a visit

We decided to try this out for my husband's birthday and we were very happy with our choice. Although it was a quiet Tuesday evening, the restaurant still had a nice atmosphere and didn't feel 'empty'. It has a very unassuming street frontage, but don't let this put you off. The service was good and we enjoyed all three courses. We love eating French food and were pleased to find an authentic French restaurant. The wine was very good but not cheap. As someone else has pointed out, there is no house wine available. We would love to return on another special occasion.

A group Christmas lunch with friends, although the food was tasty I found I was still hungry, We had the set three course meal - my starter cheese and leeks, although delicious was tiny followed by the beef bourginion and mash (which was nice - but the one at Pierre's is tastier) and a delicious chocolate fondant which needed a good dollop of cream, Great staff and service though. I have been here before and had a meal in the evening which was excellent.

We were a party of 9 who meet annually at Christmas. It was one of the best meals we have had at our reunion. We had the set Christmas dinner and all three courses were delicious

First visit here with my husband for my birthday having struggled to find good authentic French food in Cardiff and we were very impressed! We had starters, main and dessert and everything was delicious and full of flavour. We will definitely be going back!

Booked this restaurant for my Mother's 80th birthday party with close family last Saturday. We were a party of twelve and booked for 6pm, to avoid finishing too late. We were extremely well looked after by Francis and his son, Ifan. The food was excellent and the atmosphere a unique combination of French, Welsh & English. I had the Bayonne Ham to start and along with several others enjoyed the Duck as a main course, which all agreed was cooked to perfection. All reasonably priced given the quality of the food. The creme brûlée for dessert was also excellent. We will definitely visit this restaurant again and my cousin has already earmarked it as the venue to celebrate his son's graduation. A little gem of a place.

After reading some great reviews on here we decided to try Chez Francis for ourselves. We were not disappointed, the food was excellent and reasonably priced for a three course meal and a bottle of wine for the two of us. No doubt that we shall visit again soon.

This was the 2nd visit to this lovely little French restaurant tucked between an Estate Agent and a takeaway in Canton, a suburb of Cardiff about 5 minutes from the city centre.As previously the welcome was very friendly and as our friends hadn't arrived we sat at the front bar area to have a drink.Once they arrived we were offered a choice of tables and ordered our wine whilst looking over the menu which had changed since we last visited.I had the baked Camembert (shared) as a starter and Chicken Livers pan fried in Brandy which were both delicious. 2 of our party had the steak which was beautifully cooked.My only critical suggestion would be to have a cheaper house wine as an alternative to the quite pricey wine list on offer.Overall a lovely evening with great company enjoying fantastic food.

Great to see a truly authentic French restaurant sticking to the classics and rolling them out in such a quality-driven generous fashion. As we darted from garlicky escargots, meltingly soft rillettes, crispy pigs head to rich buttery rib-eyes smothered in shiny sauces or duck confit there really were no dud notes. Prices are really reasonable with starters kicking in from £3.95, and £20 for a banging 9oz rib-eye with rib sticking sauce & opulent potato cake. Wines too, no snobbery - just a few well chosen bottles that I'm sure Francis and his team enjoyed testing out!Indeed the man whose name is on the door, Francis, seemed in his element conducting his orchestra to ensure that the Saturday night buzz was there in abundance. To be fair he seemed to enjoy it as much as the customers and why not. Combining the quality of food as good as Le Gallois with the buzzy informal atmosphere of Bar44 is no easy task. Chez Francis is and deserves to be packed out night after night. Book a table and get stuck in.

I had been looking forward to eating at Chez Francis for a while and finally got my chance in October. I had the Onion soup for starters which was excellent, followed by the boeuf bourguignon which was also good. My partner ordered the ribeye steak however they had run out and offered a fillet in its place. Not at the same price though £8 extra which left a very bitter taste. If you run out of an item it should be replaced with a same priced item. We both found the restaurant very draughty as the large double glazing front door was wide open on several occasions.We would like to try it again but feel it lacks the atmosphere that Bully's has on Romilly Road.

I've been here a few times and the service and food has been consistently great. The menu has something for everyone and the wine list is great. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food. The wines are lovely and the service is attentive. The atmosphere is great and the restaurant owner circulates to make sure everyone is well taken care of. This place has made it into my regular restaurant rotation in Cardiff.

This is a tiny little restaurant with a lovely atmosphere and the service was brilliant, it's such a shame that I can't rave about the food, it wasn't bad but just not spectacular. I'd like to think it was just a bad night or my choice of meal.

We stumbled on to this restaurant by accident... What a treasure!Fantastic food, great atmosphere, good wine and all reasonably priced.Can't wait for our next trip out!

Chez Francis est un restaurant convivial sur Cowbridge Road. La charmante patronne parle couramment gallois ainsi que d'être bilingue en français et en anglais.Le menu présente de nombreux exemples de la cuisine de la campagne française.Notre repas inclus Soupe à l'oignon, Saucisse de Toulouse, Filet de saumon, Tourte au Poisson et pour le dessert nous avions tarte tatin. Avec le repace nous avons bu une superbe bouteille de Corbieres par Camel Joseph. Je recommande vivement ce restaurant. Il est certainement le meilleur restaurant français à Cardiff. Je vous remercie pour l'accueil chaleureux, Francis, et pour une soirée très mémorable.

We've been here a few times in the last couple of months. They offer great french food, my partner's favorite is the chicken livers. The host is very welcoming and friendly.

Had an excellent meal here last week. Quality of food and cooking is excellent - I had the chicken livers as main and they were superb. Good choice of wines and a good French craft beer available too. Room is long and narrow, and enclosed, so noise level the only worry - when full it might be difficult to have a conversation.

Visited Chez Francis with a group of friends to celebrate a promotion. This is a busy but very relaxed location offering a wide range of options. A friendly place where the owner was very keen to look after us and provide anything we needed. Food was full of flavour and well seasoned. It is not the cheapest option but was very good quality along with a good selection of wines so as is always the way, you get what you pay for. Our only very minor comment was the waitresses are very keen to serve and move on; that did mean that plates can feel like they are chucked in front of you but perhaps I just didn't see them coming! However, this also meant that the water jug was regularly topped up which was very much appreciated.Overall a great choice and another good location in Cardiff. Recommended.

I was transported to Paris and Cannes ! The busy, packed to capacity, atmosphere was alive with happy animated guests, raising and clinking glasses of bubbly in elegant toasts, as servers swept by leaving trails of mouthwatering aromas in their wake as customers shaped appreciative gasps of gastronomic pleasure. We were a group where one of us could not eat cheese or any other dairy product, so a special leafy green delicious salad was magically created. I had the braised stuffed squid which rested on a bed of delicious sauce. Another of us had a special ham plate with petit pois. We loved our starters. The roast chicken was much complimented, and I another of our party had “fish pie”…. which evoked the ocean with its freshness and the farm with its boiled egg, real cream, and peas, topped with a succulent, creamy, cheese and garlic flavoured mashed potato. The water was filtered water, and came in a white Victorian style ceramic pitcher, splashing with ice cubes and freshly cut lemon slices.“Pudding”, or “dessert”, whichever your parlance, was, for my friends, crème brulee, and for me an enormous slice of French frangipane pie, “pithivier”, which was to say the least, heavenly. Their faces when they savoured the crème brulee were ecstatic ! What a note on which to end a perfect night ! The large, lit car park is directly opposite, free in the evenings. The cost of this cordon bleu meal was modest given the attention of the serving staff, the creativity of the chef and his team in the kitchen. The restaurant is small but every use of space is well made. The wine list is extensive. If you are thinking of giving Chez Francis a visit, you are well-advised to book well in advance !I’m trying to think of something constructively critical to say, but I’m lost for words !

We'd been told about this little jewel but a local neighbour, when asking if they knew of any new places to try out. It was a great evening from start to finish. The food was excellent, the wine was fine, and the service was perfectly timed. The only thing that didn't work well was the manager texting and making calls from a nearby table, and wandering around the front of the house chatting whilst we ate.I would recommend this eatery and lets hope the manager's phone is flat.

This restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Cardiff. The place is fairly small and has such a lovely atmosphere. The food is even better. Francis and the family are excellent hosts and always make us feel so welcome.The menus changes often and is always excellent. The food is very reasonably priced and the house red is just amazing.

superb meal, wonderful flavour combinations, great professional friendly service, every dish was delicious!

We ate here on Thursday June 25. The restaurant was not full so there was probably no need for us to book a table. The waiter was the owner’s son and was professional, friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was relaxed. I had the scallops, chicken livers and a crème caramel. The meal was first class, particularly the chicken livers. The style was quite rustic, just right. The price was very reasonable and we wouldn’t hesitate to go here again.