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Fries at the Smith
Fries at the Smith
The Smith [Official Photo]

17 Fantastic French Fries to Try in NYC

Not all spuds are created equal — here are the ones worth seeking out

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Fries at the Smith
| The Smith [Official Photo]

French fries aren't just a side dish. If they're crispy and salty enough, fries are delightful in their own right (or maybe next to a drink). Here's a map of stand-out fry options in NYC — including curly, shoestring, and waffle-shaped varieties.

Note: This is an updated version of a map originally published in 2017.

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Community Food & Juice

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Don’t be fooled by the lighter fare on the menu at low-key Columbia haunt Community Food & Juice. The hand-cut fries reign supreme. They’re so long that each one snaps in a bite, and available as both a standalone side or beside a burger.

Little Pepper

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This College Point Sichuan restaurant offers a dish called “fried potato in hot sauce” that is actually a plate of crinkle-cut french fries doused in spices, including Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, and chile. They’re smoky and spicy, and they inspire wonder about why more restaurants don’t add Sichuan spices to french fries.

Little Pepper Robert Sietsema/Eater

Quality Eats

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At modern, no-frills steakhouse Quality Eats’s three locations (UES, Nomad, and West Village), the fried spuds are curly and come topped with grated Parmesan and scallions. They’re served with Sir Kensington’s ketchup and Quality Eats’ signature “bodega sauce,” comprised of mayo, sriracha, Tabasco, and ketchup.

The Smith

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Just as the Smith is an (unfairly maligned) agreeable, platonic ideal of a restaurant for myriad situations, the local chainlet’s fries are classic and satisfying. Medium in width and just the right amount of crispiness, a generous portion comes alongside the burgers and other straightforward sandwiches, or as a side to share. They’re available at various locations throughout Manhattan.

Burger and fries at the Smith The Smith [Official Photo]

F. Ottomanelli Burgers & Belgian Fries

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Exemplary Belgian fries can be found at this Woodside burger joint, down the street from longtime butcher shop F. Ottomanelli. The gentle prices are a bonus, with a small order of crispy, thick-cut tubers going for $2.99 while a large order is $3.99. It all aligns with the restaurant’s throwback, retro aesthetic.

4 Charles Prime Rib

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Chicago restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff’s tiny Greenwich Village steakhouse makes some of the best fries in the city, according to Eater critic Ryan Sutton. They’re crisp without being crunchy and soft without feeling like steak fries. They’re fried in beef tallow, and although they don’t actually taste beefy, they arrive with a heady scent that keeps flavors lingering. The garlic aioli accompanies it well.

Pommes Frites

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Pommes Frites is a late-night classic that serves giant, thumb-sized fries in a paper cone. Stand the cone up in a specially designed table, or run wild with it through the streets of the Village. For the full experience, choose several of the unusual toppings, like smoked eggplant or sweet mango chutney mayo.

Pommes Frites Madeline Muzzi/Eater

Lafayette

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On the hunt for slim, shoestring-style fries served in a classy space? Look no further than Andrew Carmellini’s attractive, spacious French spot in Noho. They’re relatively slender, tossed with herbs and salt, and served in a logo-ed paper cone tucked into a silver bowl. Try them alongside the decadent croque madame, pictured, or the stand-out steak frites.

Houseman

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At this Hudson Square spot from chef-owner Ned Baldwin, the medium-width fries are soaked for 24 hours, boiled in vinegar water, and then twice-fried for a crispy exterior and creamy interior. It’s the ideal textural combo fries can (and should) possibly achieve. Get them doused in pan juices by ordering the excellent steak frites.

Bobwhite Counter

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Bobwhite serves wedge-style French fries alongside classic Southern comfort food dishes. The cut means these fries are bigger and chewier than bistro varieties. They’re an ideal complement to the restaurant's stellar fried chicken and catfish. Find them at the Alphabet City original or the two Urbanspace food hall outposts in Midtown East.

Balthazar

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Balthazar’s allures are plentiful: the iconic Keith McNally French brasserie is fitting for leisurely weekday lunches, ultra-fresh raw bar options, a reliably great Soho meal — and excellent fries. Expect a slightly thicker, boxier style here, compared to the skinnier shoestring version found at many French spots.

Steak frites on a white plate with a fork and knife next to it Nick Solares

Mother's Ruin

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Mother’s Ruin serves Old Bay-spiced waffle fries in a big pile. The waffle shape means a high ratio of crunchy exterior to potatoey interior, while the Old Bay is spicy without being overbearing. One portion is more than enough for two people to share happily.

Mother’s Ruin Madeline Muzzi/Eater

Allswell

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Polished yet homey Willliamsburg pub Allswell has been turning out satisfying, familiar fare since 2011. That includes delicious fries, served as a side dish. These spuds are thick, with a deeply browned, crunchy exterior, and come with housemade mayo.

The Fat Radish

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Technically, the fries at pretty Lower East Side restaurant the Fat Radish are dubbed duck fat chips. Expect wedge-cut spuds confited in duck fat, and topped with parsley, chives, and salt. They’re served solo alongside green garlic aioli, or with the bacon cheeseburger.

The Long Island Bar

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Scraggly, crispy fries at Long Island Bar make a stellar side to the creative cocktails at this historic Cobble Hill space. They’re thin but not too thin and seasoned but not so much so that a dunk into ketchup will kill the vibes. An order of them also accompanies the burger, though just a drink and fries at a window seat works fine, too.

A cheeseburger, pickle wedge, and side of french fries are arranged on a plate. Behind them, a menu and a half-full glass of water sit on a countertop. Serena Dai/Eater

The Meat Hook at Threes Brewing

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At the Gowanus original location of Brooklyn hops spot Threes Brewing, there’s an outpost of Williamsburg butchery the Meat Hook serving up top-notch burgers, a hot chicken sandwich, and more. While meat is the main calling, don’t miss the fries. They’re served as a side, cooked to crispy perfection in a blend of beef tallow and soybean oil.

Sea Witch

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This loosely nautical-themed bar serves hand-cut plain, salted fries made from russet potatoes. The skin-on potatoes arrive at the table hot and thoroughly salted. A large serving delivers plenty to satisfy a group of four.

Sea Witch Madeline Muzzi/Eater

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Community Food & Juice

Don’t be fooled by the lighter fare on the menu at low-key Columbia haunt Community Food & Juice. The hand-cut fries reign supreme. They’re so long that each one snaps in a bite, and available as both a standalone side or beside a burger.

Little Pepper

This College Point Sichuan restaurant offers a dish called “fried potato in hot sauce” that is actually a plate of crinkle-cut french fries doused in spices, including Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, and chile. They’re smoky and spicy, and they inspire wonder about why more restaurants don’t add Sichuan spices to french fries.

Little Pepper Robert Sietsema/Eater

Quality Eats

At modern, no-frills steakhouse Quality Eats’s three locations (UES, Nomad, and West Village), the fried spuds are curly and come topped with grated Parmesan and scallions. They’re served with Sir Kensington’s ketchup and Quality Eats’ signature “bodega sauce,” comprised of mayo, sriracha, Tabasco, and ketchup.

The Smith

Just as the Smith is an (unfairly maligned) agreeable, platonic ideal of a restaurant for myriad situations, the local chainlet’s fries are classic and satisfying. Medium in width and just the right amount of crispiness, a generous portion comes alongside the burgers and other straightforward sandwiches, or as a side to share. They’re available at various locations throughout Manhattan.

Burger and fries at the Smith The Smith [Official Photo]

F. Ottomanelli Burgers & Belgian Fries

Exemplary Belgian fries can be found at this Woodside burger joint, down the street from longtime butcher shop F. Ottomanelli. The gentle prices are a bonus, with a small order of crispy, thick-cut tubers going for $2.99 while a large order is $3.99. It all aligns with the restaurant’s throwback, retro aesthetic.

4 Charles Prime Rib

Chicago restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff’s tiny Greenwich Village steakhouse makes some of the best fries in the city, according to Eater critic Ryan Sutton. They’re crisp without being crunchy and soft without feeling like steak fries. They’re fried in beef tallow, and although they don’t actually taste beefy, they arrive with a heady scent that keeps flavors lingering. The garlic aioli accompanies it well.

Pommes Frites

Pommes Frites is a late-night classic that serves giant, thumb-sized fries in a paper cone. Stand the cone up in a specially designed table, or run wild with it through the streets of the Village. For the full experience, choose several of the unusual toppings, like smoked eggplant or sweet mango chutney mayo.

Pommes Frites Madeline Muzzi/Eater

Lafayette

On the hunt for slim, shoestring-style fries served in a classy space? Look no further than Andrew Carmellini’s attractive, spacious French spot in Noho. They’re relatively slender, tossed with herbs and salt, and served in a logo-ed paper cone tucked into a silver bowl. Try them alongside the decadent croque madame, pictured, or the stand-out steak frites.

Houseman

At this Hudson Square spot from chef-owner Ned Baldwin, the medium-width fries are soaked for 24 hours, boiled in vinegar water, and then twice-fried for a crispy exterior and creamy interior. It’s the ideal textural combo fries can (and should) possibly achieve. Get them doused in pan juices by ordering the excellent steak frites.

Bobwhite Counter

Bobwhite serves wedge-style French fries alongside classic Southern comfort food dishes. The cut means these fries are bigger and chewier than bistro varieties. They’re an ideal complement to the restaurant's stellar fried chicken and catfish. Find them at the Alphabet City original or the two Urbanspace food hall outposts in Midtown East.

Balthazar

Balthazar’s allures are plentiful: the iconic Keith McNally French brasserie is fitting for leisurely weekday lunches, ultra-fresh raw bar options, a reliably great Soho meal — and excellent fries. Expect a slightly thicker, boxier style here, compared to the skinnier shoestring version found at many French spots.

Steak frites on a white plate with a fork and knife next to it Nick Solares

Mother's Ruin

Mother’s Ruin serves Old Bay-spiced waffle fries in a big pile. The waffle shape means a high ratio of crunchy exterior to potatoey interior, while the Old Bay is spicy without being overbearing. One portion is more than enough for two people to share happily.

Mother’s Ruin Madeline Muzzi/Eater

Allswell

Polished yet homey Willliamsburg pub Allswell has been turning out satisfying, familiar fare since 2011. That includes delicious fries, served as a side dish. These spuds are thick, with a deeply browned, crunchy exterior, and come with housemade mayo.

The Fat Radish

Technically, the fries at pretty Lower East Side restaurant the Fat Radish are dubbed duck fat chips. Expect wedge-cut spuds confited in duck fat, and topped with parsley, chives, and salt. They’re served solo alongside green garlic aioli, or with the bacon cheeseburger.

The Long Island Bar

Scraggly, crispy fries at Long Island Bar make a stellar side to the creative cocktails at this historic Cobble Hill space. They’re thin but not too thin and seasoned but not so much so that a dunk into ketchup will kill the vibes. An order of them also accompanies the burger, though just a drink and fries at a window seat works fine, too.

A cheeseburger, pickle wedge, and side of french fries are arranged on a plate. Behind them, a menu and a half-full glass of water sit on a countertop. Serena Dai/Eater

Related Maps

The Meat Hook at Threes Brewing

At the Gowanus original location of Brooklyn hops spot Threes Brewing, there’s an outpost of Williamsburg butchery the Meat Hook serving up top-notch burgers, a hot chicken sandwich, and more. While meat is the main calling, don’t miss the fries. They’re served as a side, cooked to crispy perfection in a blend of beef tallow and soybean oil.

Sea Witch

This loosely nautical-themed bar serves hand-cut plain, salted fries made from russet potatoes. The skin-on potatoes arrive at the table hot and thoroughly salted. A large serving delivers plenty to satisfy a group of four.

Sea Witch Madeline Muzzi/Eater

Related Maps