Brindille

Chicago, Illinois

Multiple visits – Most recent Spring 2025

Final Score: 4.5 — Highly Recommended.

An elegant expression of modern French dining.

Brindille is the kind of restaurant that feels like it’s been waiting for you. Tucked into River North, the space is as intimate as it is composed: 30 to 40 tables, soft lighting, tailored textures, white linen, and a bar that feels more like a salon than a service counter. The interior leans heavily French, with clean, tailored lines and accents. It's a setting that suggests formality but never insists on it. And yet, for all its polish, the mood is human. Warm. The kind of place where you’re not just recognized, you’re remembered.

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The Welcome

Michael Nahabedian is a rare breed. Charming and magnetic, but also exacting. He moves through the space with intention, greeting guests with warmth, and a touch of theatrical flair. He remembered the bottle I had months ago. He remembered how I felt about it. And when I returned, he steered me to something different; not showy, not overly rare or expensive, but considered. He speaks wine fluently, but with a tone that invites you into the conversation. I've met master sommeliers with less depth and far less intuition.

The wine list itself is beautifully curated. It is a smart balance of classic French, restrained New World, and thoughtful oddities. Not pages of filler or performative verticals. Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhône, and a few unexpected Loire and Austrian whites that show off an eye for subtlety.

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The Food

Carrie Nahabedian's cooking is grounded in French technique, but she's not bound by it. Her food leans into seasonal nuance and classical composition, while pulling from California, coastal Mediterranean, and midwestern sensibility. You see this in her mousselines, her use of produce, and sauces, I’ve been multiple times, and the menu always feels tight, assured, unflinching. A few standout dishes:

Duck Breast

Roast Lacquered Moulard Duck Breast

This is deeply savory, with a vinegar sharpness from the French poire jus that balances out the duck. The cherries were plush, and the fava beans softened into the jus in the right ways.

Prime Entrecôte Steak, Au Poivre

Cooked confidently, served with crisp kale and roasted marble potatoes. The maître d’hôtel butter tucked underneath the steak melted perfectly into the plate. It’s a classic done exactly as it should be.

The Oysters

They arrive nested in a tree-like metal tower. It's elegant without being excessive. Each one was cold and briny. Really good.

Accompaniments

The Allumettes Pommes Frites with truffle mayo are thin and crisp. The Pain au Lait is warm and soft, almost floral. The foie gras and truffles (yes, an indulgence), completely worth it.

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The Experience

There’s a familial vibe to Brindille that few fine dining restaurants manage to sustain. The bartender remembers your name. The pacing is gracious. The staff is trained, but they’re not robotic. And perhaps most importantly: the food is consistent. Not in a static way, but a way that tells you someone is paying attention back there.

The Dane Standard

Category Score

Palate 4.6

Atmosphere 4.5

Service 4.8

Identity 4.3

Final Score 4.5 – Highly Recommended. Worth planning around.

Brindille is one of Chicago’s secret triumphs. It doesn’t need a spotlight to shine. It offers a deeply personal kind of elegance, but never stiff. It is what a restaurant should be: warm, precise, and human.