Chez Franc

It’s a shame this place has closed down, but I can’t say I’m surprised — $ 15 hot dogs are a hard sell, no matter how good the ingredients are.
It’s a mismatch between SV hipsters and classic American comfort food. *If* this place is a gastropub with fancy atmosphere or a food truck in a corner at FiDi, then they could sell the $ 15 hot dogs. Too bad it isn’t, because I liked the dogs, and I was gonna come back to try out the other flavours.

A $ 15 hot dog joint! Crazy, even for Silicon Valley standards.
First impression of the place is that it’s a pretty bare bones establishment with an «industrialistic» feel to it. Inside you sit on these violently red chairs at a table adorned with a single flower, which made the whole place look cute or romantic or something. After a quick scan of their menu I went with one of their chef recommended options, the Bolognese. Included in the price was an order of french fries but no drink. Total after tax came out to $ 16.32(!).
It came out looking respectable enough. Personally the dog to bun ratio was not to my liking, but I remained hopeful. Two bites in, however, I was nearly done and there was a serious lack of hot dog flavor. It wasn’t bad, but there also was nothing about it that was remotely interesting either. For the price I expected to be wowed by it. Or, at the very least, I expected to have something about it that would make me crave this above a Costco dog. It really didn’t impress on any level, unfortunately, and, much like the fries that accompanied it, I didn’t feel like there was really anything premium about it.
Is there such as thing as hot dog that’s worth $ 16? Guess the answer is evident now that this place has closed down. Oh well, I guess I’ll just go back to my Costco dogs, which I did after trying Chez Franc. Buck fifty!

CLOSED
According to an article in the local paper, as of May 12, 2015, Chez Franc on California Ave has gone out of business after only five months.

Very impressed. I’m actually not a huge hot dog person, but I had to try this place out.
Atmosphere is perfect– ketchup red chairs and white tables. There was ample seating for us on a Saturday evening.
Menu is fantastic. I got the French and my wife got the Mission. The French had truffle brie, white wine braised sauerkraut, and white truffle oil. The mission had bacon, chorizo, cilantro, and I think diced onions and tomatoes. Both dogs had the perfect snap and great beef flavor. The buns were very good, lightly buttered and toasted.
They also had about a dozen specialty soda options if you’re into that– I got the Bruce Cost Ginger Ale which is great, and I’d be interested to try some of the other options.
The fries were good. Nothing amazing or memorable, but definitely good solid fries.
Finally, the short-​rib chili was probably the best thing we had. A true chili – no beans here – consisting of massive pieces of tender, juicy meat. I couldn’t get over the stuff.
Overall, I would definitely come here again to try their other options– they all seem different enough to give them each a go. I would say it ended up being pricier than I thought (about $ 39 between the two of us), but I did get the most expensive dog, and we were both full and satisfied.

Really high-​quality hot dogs here. A great ‘snap’ when you take each bite and they are very filling too. The toppings that accompany the hot dogs are just as stellar. We adored the fries as well; not too greasy, very crispy and light.

another kickstarter restaurant from food truck to brick and mortar
unfortunately, the space may be too pricey for the daily small window of demand for hot dogs. may be easier business wise as a truck.
prices have come down — a rarity. now the tokyo dog is $ 8
pork bratwurst, Hobb’s applewood bacon, roasted cabbage, mayo, rare, pickled ginger, scallions, bonito, nori all in the type of buttered bun you get with lobster rolls.
think japadog from Vancouver, nice bacon/​bonito/​cabbage/​mayo, reminding one of a classic okonomiyaki.

The Ruben hot dog was really good — I had it on the plate without the bun. I wish there was a gluten-​free option!
Nice beer selection, but again one gluten-​free beer would have been great.
Would try again if they got more gf options!

Very good gourmet hotdogs with unique toppings. A little on the pricey side but you can tell everything is made with quality ingredients. The fries and chili are also very solid.

What a great find! I had the Reuben and it was absolutely delightful! Their beef francs are the best I’ve ever had made with Meyer natural Angus beef and Australian sheep casings. They add 12 spices and grind the meat three times… The buns are cut on the outside and grilled each side. You have to try this place! Also had the coleslaw which is made perfectly. I may have to go get a bowl of the chili now…

Friendly staff, casual setting and very, very expensive food.
We had the Cassoulet and the Chez-​cago hot dogs along with fries and slaw.
Fries and slaw were tasty and plentiful. The bacon was delicious.
The Cassoulet’s garlic sausage was mushy and didn’t have much garlic flavoring. I was hoping to see real slices of duck and pork belly but everything was finely diced (pieces smaller than the beans) so I wasn’t able to discern each ingredient. Which little cube was duck? Which was Pork belly? It was a disappointing and expensive novelty.
The Chez-​cago dog was a decent size but the flavor and texture was way off. My dog was spicy hot and kind of mushy, there was only a very small slice of tomato and the relish and mustard were barely noticeable.

I can’t get over their buns!
Ordered: All American
Comes with beef frank, cheese and their beef rib chili. Chili comes with chunks of beef rib. I didn’t read their menu very well and was pleasantly surprised when I chowed down on a chunk of beef. Chili was flavorful but not spicy. I’m not a hot dog snob, so I can honestly say it was better than a pack if packaged hot dogs at a supermarket (I mean, I like Costco dogs, ok?). But is it better than the other beef franks out there? You would have to make that call yourself. All I can say was that the dog was juicy and each bite had that «pop». The bun though, was AMAZING! I think it may have made the whole thing come together. It was like a soft buttery pretzel cloud of heaven wrapped around my frank and chili. Probably one of the best buns I’ve had.
Overall, I’d go back. $ 8 for a dog is pricy, but you can tell their ingredients are fresh and made well. I think I will try a sausage over a regular frank next time.

Delicious dogs. The prices have come down and they keep tweaking the menu. Fun and yummy place!

The food although simple took it to monumental proportions. I had a variety chicago style dish with jalepeno on the top. The bread was toasted and the entrees were well garnished. The fries were extra crispy and served in a cup and were very delicious. The meat of the meal was wholesome and had a great taste to it; I learned only later they prepared their meat there at the restaurant. If I had to choose why I liked it, it would have to be its down to basic design in a centrally avante garde area. The food is great and their staff is so kind and well behaved. I’ll definitely come again.

The first thing you notice when you bite into a Chez Franc is that it tastes like beef. Not a rubber shoe, not Oscar Meyer mystery meat, not a tube sock filled with pink slime… Real, honest-​to-​goodness, cow-​borne beef.
The second thing you notice is that your delicious, homemade beef frank is covered in toppings that put other similar sausages to shame. The various regional dogs are all heavily dressed with elevated versions of old favorites — aged cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, short rib chili — and a few others that will leave your mouth hanging open in shock and amazement.
The French dog is smothered in truffled brie, which is every bit as heavenly as it sounds. The Mission has ground chorizo and homemade guacamole. The Chez-​cago does the traditional Chicago dog better than even its namesake can, loaded with fresh veggies and hot peppers. The Cassoulet is, in a word, mind-​blowing. Hiding underneath the actual white bean cassoulet and the massive slab of delicious pork belly is duck confit. I would have never imagined slapping a French casserole on top of a hot dog, but damn, it works.
If you’re silly enough to not want a hot dog, there’s plenty of other non-​sausage options, including a vegetarian sandwich that for once isn’t just phoned in — it’s loaded with broccoli rabe and burrata. There’s an eclectic collection of never-​heard-​of-​it sodas, a decent selection of wine and beer, great staff, and a clean-​and-​classy décor that totally raises the bar for such a humble comfort food.
Bonus points for the nods to French tradition. The crisp, thin fries are served to you with real rosemary needles, and the drinks come in glasses of shaved ice with candy cane-​colored straws.

I’ve never eaten anything off Chez Franc’s menu that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. My favorite is the French with truffle brie and white wine braised sauerkraut. It’s a masterpiece. One of the great inventions of the modern age.
Make sure you pair any of the hot dogs with the short rib chili. It’s the best chili I’ve ever had. Fries? Excellent. Thin and crispy, just the way I like it. Chai cola? Yes, it does exists — and it’s so so worth it. If you’re browsing reviews to decide whether to try this place, just stop thinking, make a good life decision, and go have an amazing hot dog!

Chez Franc is now making all their own dogs and sausages in house! Closest delicious made in house gourmet dog and sausage competition? Hot Dougs in Chicago!

I had a chance to sample Chez Franc at the Palo Alto Library Grand Opening and it’s nice to see the food truck vendor open an official storefront and sit-​down location.
I’m a big fan of California Avenue and think the lunch options makes it a great choice for those that don’t want to brave the much worse parking situation in downtown Palo Alto and University Avenue.
Chez Franc is located nearby the two French restaurants (Pastis and Café Brioche) and is a good option for a quick lunch. The store front is an open and spacious feeling one with plentiful tables and lots of bright lighting.
They have a variety of hot dog styles featuring novel combinations inspired by around-​the-​world cuisine and even serve soups, salads, and sandwiches in addition to their signature gourmet hot dogs. My order:
Tokyo — $ 14. Bratwurst, Bacon, Cabbage, Mayo, Tare, Pickled Gingers, Scallions, Bonito, Nori. I actually thought this hot dog was very well constructed and much better in both flavor and execution compared to the food truck dog I had last time. It’s not surprising given both the space and time constraints in a food truck, but it’s still nice to see. From the time I ordered, it took about 5 – 10 minutes for my order to be ready.
Interestingly, I ordered a salad as my side (in a feeble attempt to be heatlhier) and while it’s a small bowl, it’s got high quality lettuce and a nice, light dressing. Much better than what I expected.
Overall, I’d say I enjoyed the storefront location more than the food truck. I’m not sure if it’s the convenient location or the addition of just a nicely made side salad, but I do think the Tokyo dog was delicious. My only complaint (and this echoes Kim N.) is the rather high price point. I had the same issue with their food truck offerings while still appreciating the higher quality ingredients they are using.
Nonetheless, $ 15 (after tax) is a bit steep for a smallish hot dog and a small side salad. I’ve had Japadog in Vancouver with similar quality ingredients (and a larger hot dog) and there’s definitely a price premium here. It’s kinda hard too after spending less at Sushiritto (with sushi grade fish) and looking across the street at Szechuan Café that advertises their lunch buffet for $ 8.95. :) Even the famous, now closed Chicago Hot Doug’s with their duck fat fries and foie gras hot dogs charged much less, though they weren’t paying Palo Alto rents. Chez Franc, I really enjoyed your hot dog, but won’t be able to eat them often.
Chez Franc accepts credit cards, including American Express.

I think the brick and mortar suffers the same problem that the truck does in that the core product is somewhat expensive. Now for the truck the costs are smaller as rent in Palo Alto is probably pretty crazy. But the price differential isnt that much. $ 15 for a dog and fries is pretty steep. Got the reuben with pastrami, sauerkraut and dressing in a top loaded bun, with a small fries. Add a Doc Browns and it’s $ 20 with a tip. It tastes good but Im not sure that it’s enough to keep me from going to like tasting, cheaper competition. However they do have a fried chicken sandwich that I’d come back for. And it’s cheaper than the dog!

I am so excited that the restaurant is now open! I have had their hot dogs from their food truck and have been waiting for this restaurant opening.
So far I have tried the All-​American and Chez-​Cago Hot Dogs. All I have to say is major yum!!! I love the sides that come along with the hot dogs too.
I look forward to going back soon and trying out the other menu items and so should everyone!

I was blown away by their swank dogs when their food truck visited Clandestine Brewery in San Jose so I was excited to see their restaurant is open!
Had a cassoulet dog — delicious with garlicky sausage, cassoulet, mustard, and some bacon for good measure :-)