Average: Friistyle's Not so Quick Bites - Will I Be Back?

5059 S Prairie, Chicago IL 60615

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Friistyle Chicago. If you are unfamiliar with what Friistyle is, you should check their name for some context. They specialize in topping fries with tasty yet unusual combinations. Toppings range from a more traditional chicken wing topper to lamb and even salmon. Friistyle was recently featured on Windy City Live which created even more buzz for the budding establishment. Being that I am somewhat of a French Fry connoisseur, this place was a definite "must visit" for me.

Friistyle sits at 5059 S Prairie, for those familiar with Chicago, this is the Washington Park area. It is formally the location of Greenville's Jerk Shack. Although some may find the area slightly off putting, it is great to see life being breathed back into the area. Friistyle boasts a modern red exterior with bright lights illuminating the entrance. There is a side lot as well as street parking for your convenience. It is also walking distance from Chicago's Green line L Train.

Walking into the restaurant the interior is just as inviting as the outside.

Now, time for what you have all been waiting for - THE FOOD. Upon my arrival there was a 45 minute wait due to all of the buzz the Windy City Live interview and numerous Facebook shares had been creating. After ordering my delicacies from the please t cashier I took my seat among the sea of others at a brown wooden table and patiently waited for my food. I ordered the Chicken Alfredo Frites($12) and the Lobster Frites ($20).While I waited, the line got longer as well as the wait time. 45 minutes for newcomers quickly turned in 1.5 hours.

Chicken Alfredo Frites

Upon receiving my food I was excited to try it while it was hot. I feel that Judging something that has been sitting for long periods of time is unfair to us both. Upon opening the Chicken Alfredo box I geared my mouth up for an explosion of flavor. That explosion never came. The Chicken Alfredo Frites were, in my honest opinion, lackluster. The sauce seemed bland and could have used generally more seasoning. When digging into Lobster fries, I was slightly apprehensive. The Lobster Frites were tasty however they seemed to be missing "something". The Old Bay Aoli tasted more like plain mayonnaise. For $20 I expected more flavors.

Pricing was okay, however I did expect a little more food for the price. In comparison, a bowl of Alfredo from TGIF is roughly around the same price and generally filling. After consuming one container of fries I couldn't stop myself from eating the next as I was still hungry. After finishing the toppings it would have been nice to have something to dip my fries into however all sauces are $1.50/3 for $3.75, even ketchup. I'm hoping that the large swarm of people and rushed cooking in the generally small restaurant is reason behind the dull flavors I received.

Lobster Frites

By no means do I want to seem like a hater, I love to see small businesses win, especially African American ones. I have seen prior reviews of this restaurant before it's debut on Windy City Live which gives me hope for trying it again. However, I will be waiting until the hype is done. Checkout the photos of my items and let me know if you have tried Friistyle Chicago.