Restaurant François occupies 401 W. 3rd Street in downtown Austin, part of Guy and Larry Restaurants, serving a French-American menu that pairs classical French technique with a modern sensibility. The open kitchen turns out fresh seafood flown in daily, delicate crudos, and composed dishes like Stuffed Lamb Saddle en Croûte, Lyonnaise Salad, and Boneless Wagyu Short Ribs Bourguignon.
The steak program leans on tradition: dry-aged prime cuts served carte Française style, with classic sauces finished and poured tableside. Porterhouses are built for sharing, and dessert runs on puff pastry made entirely in-house.
Chef Harold Marmulstein, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park after starting out in his father's bakery in upstate New York, leads the kitchen alongside chef de cuisine Tyler Guerriero and general manager Emma Brown. He traveled through France before co-founding Dick and Harry's in Atlanta. Next to the main dining room, Bar Rouge — a cocktail bar named for and inspired by Marmulstein's late wife, Judi — pours stirred martinis, Manhattans, and a French-leaning wine list.
Regulars build special-occasion visits around the popovers and duck dishes, with consistent praise for service and an atmosphere that stays elevated without turning stiff. The Infatuation scored Restaurant François a 9/10.
The steak program leans on tradition: dry-aged prime cuts served carte Française style, with classic sauces finished and poured tableside. Porterhouses are built for sharing, and dessert runs on puff pastry made entirely in-house.
Chef Harold Marmulstein, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park after starting out in his father's bakery in upstate New York, leads the kitchen alongside chef de cuisine Tyler Guerriero and general manager Emma Brown. He traveled through France before co-founding Dick and Harry's in Atlanta. Next to the main dining room, Bar Rouge — a cocktail bar named for and inspired by Marmulstein's late wife, Judi — pours stirred martinis, Manhattans, and a French-leaning wine list.
Regulars build special-occasion visits around the popovers and duck dishes, with consistent praise for service and an atmosphere that stays elevated without turning stiff. The Infatuation scored Restaurant François a 9/10.