The 20 best fries in America for every palate

This resto sits in a brick building dating back to the 1930s. Renovated in 2009 by Keith McNally, the restaurateur behind Balthazar, Minetta boasts Parisian fare and New York hospitality. While the Black Label burger is no doubt the buzziest menu pick, it’d be incomplete without Minetta’s drool-worthy fries. Rumor has it the secret to their impeccable crispness is peanut oil. If you’re not feeling either burger (both of which come with caramelized onions), try the fries with white wine mussels, roasted chicken, or steak. Don’t skip the sauce au poivre or béarnaise for dipping. 

Time Out tip: Be sure to make a reservation; odds are you’ll only be able to walk in early in the evening as a table of one. 

Address: 113 Macdougal St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Daily 5pm–midnight; Sat, Sun 11am-3:30pm; Wed–Fri noon–3:30pm

Don’t let this resto’s limited menu deter you; its brevity implies the kitchen’s mastery of the basics, including smashburgers, grilled cheeses, fries, and ice cream. Once a pandemic-era pop-up, Heavy Handed now has two brick-and-mortar restos that are adored for short rib handhelds, dipped soft-serve cones, and famously savory beef tallow-fried spuds. They can be ordered as a single-serve side or as a crowd-pleasing basket. Order them “heavy” to have them smothered in tangy sauce, caramelized onions, American cheese, and house pickles. 

Time Out tip: Visiting the Santa Monica store? LA-based Time Out contributor Patricia Kelly Yeo suggests parking in the cheap public lots behind Main Street to keep your lunch as affordable as possible. 

Address: 2912 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405; Studio City: 11838 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

Opening hours: Daily 11:30am-10pm

Chicagoans love this spot for its laid-back food and just-swanky-enough environment. The fries keep guests grounded with their simplicity. They’re thinly cut in-house and come in two sizes à la carte, or as a side with one of three burgers. Fries also famously come with the 10-ounce skirt steak, which is served atop the spuds so they can soak up every drop of juice. According to diners, their supremely crisp texture and special house seasoning keep on giving.  

Time Out tip: If you’re just passing through, know that LBW is one of the most popular spots for outdoor dining, thanks to its roomy patio. Ask for a table outdoors, and you might get lucky (considering you can’t make a reservation). 

Address: 1541 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago, IL 60660

Opening hours: Sun, Mon-Th 5-11pm; Fri, Sat 5pm-midnight

Arbetter’s is a South Miami institution, as the family-owned business has served the local community since 1959. Despite the resto’s name, its house-made spiced meat chili just might eclipse the hot dogs. However, it only improves upon the fries, which first-timers should order crowned with luscious cheese sauce and saucy beef. You can opt for plain or cheese fries or swap fries for tater tots, if you prefer your potatoes tender and fluffy. 

Time Out tip: Free toppings include ketchup, mustard, mayo, onion, and relish, but you’ll want to pay extra for the hot tangy relish specifically, which is made in-house at Arbetter’s.

Address: 8747 SW 40th St, Miami, FL 33165

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10:30am-9pm; Sun 10:30am-7pm

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Consider this a taste of Paris in the heart of Beantown. Whether you order the fries on their own or in the steak frites, complete with a 10-ounce New York striploin and béarnaise sauce, they’re bound to impress. The shoestring-style spuds are crisp and cooked to order. Some might say they taste like McDonald’s but better. If you visit for lunch, you can order the fries with a braised short rib sandwich, eggs Benedict, or an omelet. 

Time Out tip: Keep an eye on the resto’s website and social media for unlimited steak frites specials. From 4:30pm to close starting October 5, guests can have as much beef and potatoes as they’d like for $39 per person. 

Address: 480 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11am-9:30pm; Fri 11am-10pm; Sat 10am-10pm; Sun 10am-9:30pm

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Dubbed the best fries in Austin, the spuds at Hyde Park Bar & Grill have been a local staple for more than four decades. The frites are coated in a tangy buttermilk batter, dusted with black pepper and spices, then served with Hyde Park sauce, a mayo-based dip spiked with scallion, mustard, and jalapeño. The batter is the secret to the fries’ slight tang and flawless tender-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside texture. 

Time Out tip: The resto offers regular specials throughout the week, ranging from $5 brunch cocktails to discounted happy hour appetizers. Plan your visit ahead to save on the bill. 

Address: 4206 Duval St, Austin, TX 78751

Opening hours: Daily 11am-10pm

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Residents and tourists of Portland, Maine are deliciously familiar with Duckfat’s fries, which are just as epic as the bounty of dipping sauces they come with. They’re hand-cut, Belgian-style frites, which are thicker than French fries and fried in animal fat instead of oil, hence the resto’s name. Go all-out by ordering poutine with local cheese curds, duck gravy, and chives, or spring for a flight of house-made sauces, including horseradish mayo, Thai chili mayo, and truffle ketchup. 

Time Out tip: In case you’re only craving a quick bite, hit the Duckfat Frites Shack instead of the original outpost. It’s a great way to satisfy a nighttime craving without committing to a full meal. 

Address: 43 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101

Opening hours: Daily 11am-10pm

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This 2012 restaurant in Lowry Hill East inspires a chatty, casual dining experience with a lineup of shareable snacks and mains, cushy booths, and a stacked collection of beer, wine, and cocktails. Don’t let the trimmings distract you from the fries, though, which come with a zingy malt vinegar aioli that gilds the lily. If you’re feeling particularly peckish, have them alongside the Nightingale burger with aged cheddar, tomato, lettuce, and herb aioli. 

Time Out tip: Nightingale has a penchant for delectable potatoes. If you’re not in the mood for fries, order the triple-cooked potatoes (which come with the hanger steak) or smoked paprika chips (which come with the baked crab dip). 

Address: 2551 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55405

Opening hours: Daily 5pm-1am

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Just because this burger joint doesn’t have a location in the city proper anymore doesn’t mean the fries aren’t city-caliber. In fact, Saus’s spuds were voted the best French fries in Greater Boston. You can order three sizes of plain fries with one sauce, or build your own poutine with unexpected toppings like kimchi, crispy shallots, and giardiniera. 

Time Out tip: Vegans don’t have to keep their potatoes plain, since Saus offers six egg-free plant-based dipping sauces. Options include garlic chickpea, truffle ketchup, curry ketchup, BBQ, yellow mustard, and Avo Goddess. 

Address: 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-10pm; Sun 11:30am-8pm

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This Miami haven is arguably most famous for its pillowy soft buns, which are baked fresh daily. But one bite of the fries will steal the show, given that they’re double-fried for impeccable crispness and dusted in house seasoning. Guests report that the portions are generous, so there will be plenty of potatoes to go around. The fries are only made more scrumptious by a side of Lala sauce, a Mediterranean-inspired condiment with harissa and mint.

Time Out tip: The founders have Brazilian, Argentinian, and Cuban heritage, so we’d be remiss not to recommend the Latin-inspired menu items. These include queso frito with guava sauce, bacon-cheeseburger croquetas, and the La Suegra blondie, studded with guava and Maria cookies.

Address: 13750 SW 88th St, Miami, FL 33186

Opening hours: Tue-Thu, Sun 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

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Is there anything more New York-coded than a rustic Italian restaurant run by a European-trained chef from Queens that also serves homestyle Jewish cuisine? We think not. Enter chef Mark Strausman’s latest project, Mark’s Off Madison, which boasts two types of fries for potato enthusiasts. The Belgian fries are served with garlic aioli, sauce Calypso, and ketchup for good measure. The Piedmontese fries come with truffle oil and Parmesan cheese. 

Time Out tip: As delightful a pairing as the fries are for the house burger, diners rave about the paper-thin fried onions that come on the handheld. They’re generously applied in a mountain-like mound, as noted by the menu. 

Address: 41 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-11:15pm

This New Orleans weenie joint is known for its maximalism, using everything from alligator sausage to popcorn shrimp to blackberry sauce on its hot dogs. That said, the fries are not to be slept on, especially the WTF variety. The nacho-inspired loaded plate tops crisp, seasoned spuds with chili, cheese, guacamole, onions, jalapeños, tomatoes and sour cream. Sub tater tots if those are more your style. 

Time Out tip: If you’re in a “when in Rome” sort of mood, spring for the crawfish étouffeé fries, crowned with sour cream, tomatoes, and plenty of NOLA-style seafood. 

Address: 3336 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115; 601 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Opening hours: (Magazine St) Mon-Th 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10pm; Sun 11am-9pm; (Frenchmen St) Mon-Th 11am-midnight; Fri-Sat 11am-3am; Sun 11am-midnight

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LoKal has a location in West L.A. too, but you’ll need to venture to the Venice outpost to try the French fries. The menu offers plain and Parmesan truffle options, but they pale in comparison to the punchy, fully loaded K-Pop Fries. Think savory bulgogi, mayo, and pickled onions atop a mound of fried spuds, crowned with a fried egg for extra richness. 

Time Out tip: This café takes on a different vibe at night, specifically on weekends. But you’ll want to mind the happy hour schedule, which runs a generous five hours from 2-7pm with specials on beer, wine, sandwiches, and yes, fries. 

Address: 705 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Opening hours: Daily 8am-4pm; Fri-Sat 4-8pm

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If you’re into seasoned fries, you’ll want to get to Philly’s famed Càphê Roasters as soon as possible. (After all, it’s a James Beard Award semifinalist for its outstanding drink lineup.) In addition to Insta-worthy matchas and bánh mì, the café serves Vietnamese-inspired tamarind fries that are teeming with sweet-and-sour splendor. Purists will be happy to know the menu also offers salt and pepper fries. 

Time Out tip: While the tea selection is stacked compared to other cafés, don’t skip the coffee. Càphê Roasters is Philadelphia’s first and only Vietnamese specialty coffee roaster. The beans come from a Vietnamese microlot with unique terroir, then they’re small-batch roasted on-site. 

Address: 3400 J St G1, Philadelphia, PA 19134

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-11:15pm

When Bobby Flay says the fries are some of the best he’s ever eaten, you know the hype is real. Balthazar’s reputation precedes it when it comes to the bistro’s signature russets, which are peeled, hand-crank sliced, soaked, blanched in peanut oil, and fried to order. Sprinkled with imported French sea salt and plated in a white paper cone with house-made mayo, the fluffy French-style frites are proof that simplicity can be spectacularly scrumptious. 

Time Out tip: Sure, Balthazar makes a killer steak. But first-timers’ visits are incomplete without a visit to the bakery, which has been churning out top-tier pastries and breads since 1997. We recommend the almond croissant. 

Address: 80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8am-midnight; Sat-Sun 9 am-midnight

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Named for an 1800s-era cottage in Yorkshire, England, this haven for artisanal meat pies is as comforting as it is unique. By day, it’s a hip café. By night, it’s a full-service resto with English staples like Scotch eggs, Welsh rarebit, and bangers and mash, not to mention triple-fried, extra-thick, hand-cut chips. If you’re feeling ambitious, go for the curry chips with curry sauce, mint, and lemon, or the deluxe gravy chips with braised beef, aged cheddar, and gravy. 

Time Out tip: Pleasant House is known for its award-winning royal pies in buttery, flaky house-made pastry. Try the steak and ale pie, filled with beef stew, carrots, shallots, and herbs, with your chips. 

Address: 2119 S Halstead St, Chicago, IL 60608

Opening hours: Tue-Th, Sun 10am-9pm; Fri-Sat 10am-10pm

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Designed like a modern take on a Viking mead hall, Skål delivers local beer, wine, mead, and rustic, tavern-bound fare. While fans of the resto swear by the beer hall soft pretzel, made especially for Skål and served with three house-made mustards, the basket of fries is nothing to sneer at. The potatoes are beer-battered for an extra crispy exterior. They’re tossed in lip-smackingly tangy dill-vinegar powder for a Scandinavian flourish, then served with curry ketchup and lemon aioli. 

Time Out tip: Adventurous eaters, bring your wallet. There are plenty of hard-to-find delicacies on the menu, like venison, duck hearts, Norwegian-style franks, and pickled herring. There’s even a burger that boasts wagyu beef, elk, and wild boar meat in the patty. 

Address: 5429 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Th 4-9pm; Fri-Sat noon-10:30pm; Sun 11:30am-9pm

This gastropub triple-fries its famous spuds in umami-rich duck fat, which makes them devastatingly flavorful and shatteringly crisp to boot. As if diners need more convincing, Salty Sow tops the fries with a sunny 110-minute sous vide egg for maximum richness. The cold, buttery béarnaise sauce on the side takes the humble dish way over the top.

Time Out tip: Save $2 on your favorite accompaniment by visiting during happy hour, which runs daily from 4-6pm. 

Address: 1917 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722

Opening hours: Sun-Th 4-9pm; Fri-Sat 4-10pm

République has won diners over with its egg-topped kimchi fried rice, exquisite pastries (looking at you, apple galette), and standout charcuterie spreads. But alas, the French fries still steal the show for most. The thick-cut strips of potato are fried in beef fat for maximum richness, then plated with black garlic and Calabrian chili aioli for a savory kick. 

Time Out tip: Locals should keep an eye out for occasional tasting menus, which spotlight seasonal produce across an extensive lineup of drool-worthy dishes. The most recent featured heirloom tomatoes. 

Address: 624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Opening hours: Tue-Fri 5:30-10pm; Sat 5-10pm

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This French-leaning steakhouse serves its frites with several mains, including sole, lobster risotto, chicken paillard, and grilled lamb. But the best potato side is an off-the-menu specialty that locals have come to adore: Oscar fries. The spuds are topped with Alabama jumbo lump crab meat, tender asparagus, and creamy bearnaise sauce for good measure. Pair them with steak, and you have the surf-and-turf plate of your dreams. 

Time Out tip: True potato lovers will want to try the pommes aligot if they’ve never had it before. The French side is essentially cheese-infused mashed potatoes with a uniquely stretchy consistency. 

Address: 1170 Howell Mill Rd, Atlanta, GA 30318

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 5-11pm