What better food than the FRENCH FRY. Crinkle-cut, shoestring, steak cut, waffle fries, cottage fries, sweet potato, curly q, cheese fries, gravy fries, chili fries and buffalo fries- the list goes on and on…
My Top 4 in no particular order:
Fries: Cheese Fries
Location: Dear Frank’s
City: Deerfield, IL
Testimonial: Fresh cut fries. A childhood favorite. The Merkt’s cheese spread is so special… who knew that when it sits in the steam table, it softens up into spreadable goodness? Love that stuff. I think I bathed in it once.
Fries: Waffle Fries
Location: Buffalo Joe’s
City: Evanston, IL
Testimonial: These are the real deal. Plain waffle fries- not preseasoned with crappy seasonings. They are especially good dipped in the pool of sauce on the bottom of the wing tray as well as the amazing ranch dipping sauce… great cheese sauce too…
Fries: Buffalo Fries
Location: Palace Diner
City: Poughkeepsie, NY
Testimonial: Unbelievable. Basic diner-style fries tossed in a good buffalo wing sauce. While attending CIA, I used to eat these at least once a week. Eventually, they recognized my roommate and me when we walked in and they would be on our table within 30 seconds of our arrival.
Fries: Sweet Potato Fries
Location: 17th Street Cafe
City: Santa Monica, CA
Testimonial: I’m a tough sweet potato fry critic. I need them to be crispy and I don’t want limp or soggy ones. These are so good they are actually a menu item on the appetizer section- not a side.
THE TOP 5’s:
1.) Fries: the salted sweet potato fries that come with the lamb burger
Location: Purple Café & Wine Bar
City: Seattle, WA & Kirkland, WA
Testimonial: “Now that I’ve thought of them, I will have to go by for lunch. They are the perfect combo of salty and sweet. Even my husband is addicted and he isn’t much of a fry guy. Also, I am more than happy to be the low-brow contributor to the list and add McDonald’s to the list. Come on, you can’t mess with the classic!”
2.) Fries: French Fries
Location: Roll-N-Roaster
City: Sheepshead Bay, Bklyn, NY
Testimonial: “A Brooklyn institution. They serve circle cut waffle fries that are crispy and not oily. But, then, they hit them with anywhere from 1-3 pumps of cheese. The hot cheese just….makes it. Some eat them with ketchup but they do not need anything. Simply amazing. A must try for anyone heading near Emmons Ave. Order the fries-n- cheese.
3.) Fries: Fries
Location: Duckfat
City: Portland, ME
Testimonial: “Incredible”
4.) Fries: Fries
Location: Fritz
City: San Francisco, CA
Testimonial: “This is one of my favorite places in San Francisco. You order a cone of Belgian style fries and you then get to choose 4 different dipping sauces out of about 20. My favorite is Parmesan Peppercorn White Trash Ranch…”
5.) Fries: Poutine
Location: Salt House
City: San Francisco, CA
Testimonial: “This appetizer at the Salt House called the Poutine is really the only reason to go to this place. Its great french fries sitting on short rib gravy with melted cheddar on top. Awesome.”
6.) Fries: Cheese fries
Location: Michael’s
City: Highland Park, IL
Testimonial: “It’s really the cheese that makes these fries so delicious.”
7.) Fries: Sweet potato fries
Location: Pacific Catch
City: San Francisco, CA
Testimonial: “Great, crispy sweet potato fries. They’re served with delicious chili dipping sauce.”
8.) Fries: Curly fries
Location: Barney’s
City: San Francisco, CA
Testimonial: “The perfect spicy, curly fries.”
9.) Fries: Fries
Location: Gotham Steak, Fontainebleau Resort
City: Miami Beach, FL
10.) Fries: Fries
Location: Pommes Frites
City: NYC, NY
11.) Fries: Fries
Location: Pastis
City: Meatpacking- NYC, NY
Testimonial: “Crispy, thin, crackly…served with Mayo. Say no more.”
12.) Fries: Garlic Fries
Location: Taylor’s
City: St. Helena, CA
Testimonial: “This old burger hut, since revived by the gott brothers and now a local and tourist favorite, sources the freshest herbs and minced garlic for its crispy garlic fries. A northern California favorite and first date ice breaker. Not to be missed.”
13.) Fries: Sweet Potato Fries
Location: Joe’s Stone Crab
City: Miami Beach, FL
Testimonial: “They are crisp, perfectly cut, and one order easily feeds 4 or 5 people,”
14.) Fries: Fries
Location: McDonald’s
City: Anywhere
15.) Fries: Frizza
Location: Grocery store
City: Anywhere
Testimonial: “go to the grocery and buy a boboli and fixings for a pizza, also get criscut oven fries of your choice, bake the fries add on top of pizza and BAM! FriZZA (pronounced FRY-ZAH)”
16.) Fries: Fries
Location: Pure Luck
City: L.A., CA
Testimonial:
17.) Fries: Criscut Cheese Fries
Location: Homer’s
City: Wilmette, IL
18.) Fries: Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers
Location: Brentwood on San Vicente
City: Los Angeles, CA
Testimonial: “This place is known for it’s gourmet burgers, but the fries have their own section on the menu. Their sweet potato and curly fries are solid but their garlic seasoned shoe string fries are the best.”
19.) Fries: Crinkle Fries
Location: Shorty’s BBQ
City: Dadeland, Miami, FL
Testimonial: “Yes, I love everything about this place but the fries really are good. Nothing fancy, no special seasonings or sauces, just old school crispy crinkle fries with ketchup (or if you feel like getting wild, a brisket sauce.)”
20.) Fries: Fries
Location: Bruxelles
City: New York, NY (West Village)
Testimonial: “The best french fries…ever. They come in a huge cone and are served complimentary with your meal. It’s a Belgium restaurant so they serve the fries with mayo – not ketchup (although you can ask for ketchup if you’d like…but I wouldn’t). You can order as many as you’d like (most people just have one, but I have no shame and order several).”
21.) Fries: Fries
Location: The Original Nathan’s
City: Coney Island, NY
22.) Fries: Fries
Location: Commes Chez Soi
City: Brussels
23.) Fries: Fries
Location: DB Bistro
City: NYC, NY
24.) Fries: Sweet Potato Fries
Location: Dressing Room Restaurant
City: Westport, CT
Testimonial: “Michel Nischan’s sweet potato fries…”
25.) Fries: Garlic Fries with Parmesan Cheese
Location: Dodgers Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Testimonial: “A massive amount of crispy potato wedges with loads of fresh garlic and fresh parmesan cheese sprinkled all over. Beyond delish!!!! Add a Dodger dog and beer, even better!!”
26.) Fries: Fries
Location: McDonald’s
City: Anywhere
Testimonial: “you’re so fancy… does McDonald’s count!”
27.) Fries: Gravy Fries
Location: Nectar’s
City: Burlington, VT
Testimonial: “The bar made famous by their outstanding gravy fries and Phish. A beautiful plate of fries smothered in gravy.”
28.) Fries: Steak Fries
Location: Wiener Take All
City: Buffalo Grove, IL
Testimonial: “Some of the best Hot Dog Stand fries ever.”
29.) Fries: Crinkle Cut
Location: Portillo’s
City: Chicago & Suburbs
Testimonial: “Wonderfully crispy crinkle cut fries as the perfect side to an I-Beef.”
30.) Fries: Cajun Fries
Location: Gaslight
City: Chicago, IL
Testimonial: “Perfectly seasoned cajun fries along with the best bar food around.”
31.) Fries: Garlic FF
Location: Clevelander Hotel
City: South Beach, FL
Testimonial: “Great FF with a hint of scampi sauce, just enough garlic, really enjoyable for an appy or a late night snack”
32.) Fries: Loaded Fries
Location: Reade St. Pub
City: NYC, NY
Testimonial: “I know these can be found in any number of places, but it’s the first place where I ran into them. Loaded Fries = decent fries covered with onions, bacon, cheese and maybe sour cream. It’s exactly what I want at the beginning, middle or end of a heavy night of drinking.”
33.) Fries: Waffle Fries
Location: Chick-Fil-A
City: Most cities (except on Sundays)
Testimonial: “perfectly crips on the outside and firm on the inside, perfectly salted and dip them in their Polynesian sauce and its like the best thing ever.”
34.) Fries: Fries
Location: McDonald’s
City: Anywhere
Testimonial: “The Best…period.”
35.) Fries: Cheese Fries
Location: Dear Frank’s
City: Deerfield, IL
Testimonial: “Dear Franks from 1974 – 1992 (the current owners are awful)… Their sloppy frozen fresh cut Merkt’s cheese fries, that came out of the red bucket that sat in the steam table.”
36.) Fries: Steak Cut Fries
Location: Athenian Room
City: Chicago, IL
Testimonial: “The steak cut fries that sit under the Grecian chicken will make you happy happy happy.”
37.) Fries: Fries
Location: Boardwalk Fries (Northbrook Court- or many malls)
City: Northbrook, IL
Testimonial: “Fries in a Cup– flat out genius, and quite delicious.”
38.) Fries: Sweet potato fries
Location: 17th Street Cafe
City: Santa Monica, CA
Testimonial: “Delicious and so pretty because of the orange color.”
39.) Fries: Fries
Location: McDonald’s
City: Everywhere
Testimonial: “Let’s not forget McDonald’s- always fresh, always good fries.”
40.) Fries: Fries
Locations: Cheesecake Factory
City: Most big cities
Testimonial: “Enormous portions. Crisp on the outside soft on the inside; even a serial dieter can’t resist these.”
41.) Fries: Fries (this week)
Location: Five Guys
City: Midtown, Miami, FL
Testimonial: “I say “this week”, because I seem to fall for the french fry that I’ve eaten most recently. I know there are a whole bunch of variables to the “perfect” fry, but for me it comes down to just a few…fresh cut potatoes with the skin left on, fried in peanut oil, well-done, and lightly salted. And one more thing, I like them hot. The fries I had at Five Guys this past Sunday hit all five points, and I fell for them hard. Even though the bag they serve these guys in seems endless, I was still left wanting more. The french fry, quite possibly the perfect food.
42.) Fries: Belgian Fries
Location: Pommes Frites
City: East Village – NYC, NY
Testimonial: “Share a mammoth paper cone of these golden brown, thick-cut and crunchy fries with your sauce(s) of choice for an out-of-this world fry experience.
(Of the 20+ sauces available, Vietnamese Pineapple Mango, Thai hot sauce (Sriracha) and Parmesan Peppercorn have been my favorites).”
43.) Fries: Cheddar Fries with bacon…
Location: Cruiser’s Grill
City: Jacksonville Beach, FL
Testimonial: “Cheddar Fries with Bacon, Chives & Jalapeno Peppers…”
44.) Fries: Notso Fries
Location: Your’s Truly
City: Cleveland, OH
Testimonial: “Let me describe them so you can guess the origination of the name: pillowy yet crunchy cottage fries in all sizes blanketed in a layer of melted mozzarella and cheddar with bacon bits sprinkled throughout and sour cream on top. They have a broiler dedicated to melting the cheese on top, under and around the fries so no bite goes unadorned. I would curl up beside the broiler to catch the overmelting cheese in my mouth if it wouldn’t ruin my hair. Notso….common, healthy, Canadian, ridiculously good looking?”
Gone, but not forgotten:
45.) Fries: Idaho Nachos
Location: Angelic (now deceased)
City: Madison, WI
Testimonial: “A heaping plate of waffle fries covered in cheese, guac, jalapenos, salsa, and sour cream. You will be missed.”
46.) Fries: Curly Fries
Location: The Hot Dog Store (Northbrook Court)
City: Northbrook, IL
Testimonial: “They were curly fries that worked. Didn’t bunch, didn’t stick, with cheese drizzled was quite divine. Closed in 1991… R.I.P.”
47.) Fries: Fries
Location: C&L Hamburger Stand
City: Hubbard Woods, IL
The Top 5 (4) Foods 
how about the rosemary spiked fries at Park on 10th ave in NYC?