Chez François, Fisherman's Village: French Fine Dining on Koh Samui

Overview

Chez François is a small French fine-dining restaurant at the entrance of Fisherman’s Village in Bophut, Koh Samui, named after chef-owner François Porte. It seats only a handful of tables, runs a set tasting menu alongside à la carte dishes, and is regularly named among Koh Samui’s best restaurants by Tripadvisor reviewers and food-focused travel guides.

The format is deliberately intimate rather than a beach-view spectacle: a compact dining room a short walk from Fisherman’s Village’s teak shophouses, classical French technique, and a chef who works the kitchen himself. Reviewers repeatedly describe it as one of the few places on the island that delivers genuine French fine dining rather than a resort’s interpretation of it, and several call the food Michelin-calibre despite the restaurant carrying no such rating.

Key takeaways

• Small French restaurant at the entrance of Fisherman’s Village, Bophut: only a few tables, book ahead.
• Chef François Porte cooks a 4-5 course tasting menu plus à la carte mains; dishes include Hokkaido scallop, sea bass and duck breast.
• Set 3-course menu from 1,395 THB (~40 USD); à la carte mains from 785 THB (~22 USD).
• Open Tuesday-Saturday, 6:30 PM-10:30 PM; closed Sunday and Monday.
• Reservations are phone-only: the restaurant’s own site has no online booking form, email or WhatsApp option.

Key Facts

Chez François sits at the entrance of Fisherman’s Village on Bophut’s main road, a short walk from the village’s night market strip, and takes reservations by phone only.

Fact	Detail
Address	33/2 Moo 1, Fisherman’s Village, Bophut, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani 84320
Hours	Tuesday-Saturday, 6:30 PM-10:30 PM; closed Sunday and Monday
Price range	฿฿฿฿: roughly 1,395-2,500 THB (~40-71 USD) per person for a full set menu with wine
Phone	+66 96 071 1800 (booking); +66 80 657 9217 (information)
Booking method	Phone only: no online form, email or WhatsApp
Cuisine	Classical French fine dining
Coordinates	9.5598, 100.0296
Map	Chez François on Google Maps

The Menu

Chez François runs on a French fine-dining format built around a chef’s tasting menu, with à la carte options added in recent years for diners who want to build their own meal. The tasting menu runs 4 or 5 courses and changes with the seasons, but recurring dishes reported by reviewers include pan-fried Hokkaido scallop with lobster sauce, seared foie gras, sea bass, duck breast, and cuts of lamb, all finished with classical French sauces and paired with local vegetables rather than imported garnish.

The kitchen is small: chef François Porte cooks personally, which reviewers cite as the reason dishes taste consistent from visit to visit rather than varying with whoever is on the pass that night. Several diners mention complimentary touches such as a glass of champagne or a personalised dessert for anniversaries, and multiple reviews single out attentive, knowledgeable service as a reason the experience feels closer to a Paris bistro than a resort restaurant.

A wine list of mostly French and a few New World labels rounds out the menu, priced in line with the food rather than discounted resort-style. Because the kitchen cooks to order for a small room, courses arrive with some spacing between them: reviewers describe a two-to-three-hour dinner as normal for the full tasting menu, so it suits an evening set aside for the meal rather than a quick stop before moving on somewhere else.

Prices

Prices below are drawn from the restaurant’s own website and recent reviews; à la carte figures are per dish, and the set menu is per person.

Item	Price
First course (à la carte)	525 THB (~15 USD)
Main course (à la carte)	785 THB (~22 USD)
Dessert (à la carte)	290 THB (~8.50 USD)
3-course set menu (net, incl. water)	1,395 THB (~40 USD)
4-course set menu	1,475 THB (~42 USD)
Typical spend with wine, per person	2,000-2,500 THB (~57-71 USD)

Getting There

Chez François sits at the entrance of Fisherman’s Village on Bophut’s main road, roughly 15-20 minutes by taxi from Samui Airport or Chaweng, and about 5 minutes from central Maenam. Parking is limited on the village’s narrow main road, so most visitors arrive by taxi, scooter, or on foot if already staying in Bophut. Because the dining room seats only a small number of tables, arriving a few minutes early for a confirmed reservation is worth it: walk-ins risk being turned away on a full night.

Songthaews (shared taxis) run along Bophut’s stretch of the ring road and can drop passengers at the village entrance for around 50-100 THB (~1.50-3 USD), though a metered taxi or Grab is more reliable for a specific dinner time. Anyone staying elsewhere on the north coast (Maenam, Bang Rak or Choeng Mon) can reach the restaurant within 10-25 minutes depending on traffic on Route 4169.

Nearby

Bophut Beach runs along the coast directly behind Fisherman’s Village and makes an easy pre- or post-dinner walk. Coco Tam’s, the village’s well-known beanbag beach bar with fire shows, sits a few minutes’ walk toward the water. Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort anchors the eastern end of the village for anyone building an overnight stay around dinner. The Bophut & Fisherman’s Village guide covers the wider neighbourhood’s shophouses, Friday night market and other restaurants.

Pros and Cons

Reviewers consistently praise the food quality: several describe it as the best or most technically accomplished meal they had on the island, built on real classical French technique rather than a simplified resort version. The small dining room and personal attention from chef François Porte give the evening an intimate, unhurried feel, and complimentary touches for special occasions come up repeatedly in reviews. Set against that: prices are high for Koh Samui, a set menu with wine easily runs 2,000-2,500 THB (~57-71 USD) per person; the room is genuinely small, so tables book out days in advance and there is little flexibility for walk-ins; and because reservations run by phone only, booking from abroad or outside Thai office hours takes an extra step compared with restaurants that take online bookings.

FAQ

Is Chez François still open in Koh Samui?

Yes. Chez François is trading as of September 2026, confirmed via the restaurant’s own website and recent Tripadvisor reviews. It operates Tuesday-Saturday, 6:30 PM-10:30 PM, and is closed Sunday and Monday.

How do I book a table at Chez François?

By phone only. The restaurant’s website lists a single “Book a Table” link that dials +66 96 071 1800, with +66 80 657 9217 as an information line. There is no online reservation form, email address or WhatsApp option, and tables book out days ahead, so calling early is worth it.

How much does dinner at Chez François cost?

À la carte mains run from 785 THB (~22 USD), and the 3-course set menu is 1,395 THB (~40 USD) net including water. With wine, expect roughly 2,000-2,500 THB (~57-71 USD) per person, high for Koh Samui, but in line with its French fine-dining format.

What kind of food does Chez François serve?

Chez François serves classical French fine dining: a 4-5 course tasting menu alongside à la carte options, with recurring dishes including Hokkaido scallop with lobster sauce, foie gras, sea bass, duck breast and lamb, prepared by chef-owner François Porte.

Where exactly is Chez François located?

Chez François sits at the entrance of Fisherman’s Village in Bophut, on Koh Samui’s north coast, at 33/2 Moo 1, Fisherman’s Village, Bophut, Surat Thani 84320, about 15-20 minutes by taxi from Samui Airport or Chaweng.