CAFE NELL

"Vanessa and her team have provided a solid, dependable and professional gem of a neighborhood restaurant for many years. You can expect delicious food and drinks in an intimate and sophisticated bar and dining room. French bistro inspired. Great covered outdoor seating. Vast cocktail and wine list. Shout out to charming Mario."

"Im surprised this restaurant doesn’t get better reviews but sounds like service gets tough when it’s busy and I can see how this Northwest spot can get really busy for lunch and dinner. It’s a small place inside but they’ve created amazing outdoor spaces. I’ve been a few times, always during off-times like 3-4p for a late lunch. The food is always great (chicken and salmon cob are my go-to but the beef and turkey burgers are fantastic too). The service has always been friendly, attentive, and quick too. Go during their off times or just be patient as the atmosphere is incredible and the food is worth the wait!"

"Or visit to Café Nell was fortuitous, as the nearby restaurant we'd planned on checking out was unceremoniously closed during their posted operating hours (both online and terrestrial), for some unknown reason. We looked for something similar in the neighborhood, and this classy little bistro jumped out at us, having both an intriguing brunch menu and an adorable aesthetic. Upon arrival, and lacking a reservation, we were informed that the only available tables were inside (awesome!), and were seated immediately. Pleasantly surprised to see a variant of one of my favorite cocktails (the Rusty Nail) on the drink menu, I ordered the Kentucky Nail to go with my chicken paillard, while my wife ordered the French 75, a sort of sparkling lemon gimlet, along with the shrimp and grits; I'm still flabbergasted that she didn't order the Dungeness crab mac & cheese! In both cases, the entrées were incredible; the shrimp and grits, an elevated home-cookin' comfort classic, hit all the right notes. Meanwhile, the chicken paillard was a complex amalgam of savory, sweet and sour, unified by the acerbic mustard vinaigrette dressing drizzled over both greens and fowl, it's only weakness being there wasn't enough of it. This would be my only complaint about our dining experience here: without the presence of an included side dish, this otherwise exemplary dish seemed a little exorbitantly priced for the size of the portion, yet not enough to be a detraction. Still, those with larger appetites should plan, and order, accordingly. As gorgeous as the covered outdoor seating is, especially as it was on the warm Sunday morning in which we visited, the interior décor is no slouch, with its upscale-diner-meets-Parisian-boutique vibe. It's cute, cozy, and intimate, particularly after sunset, when the lighting manifests a moodier, duskier, more sultry ambiance. Perfect for a date night! Portioning and pricing taken into consideration, a meal at Café Nell is still a worthwhile experience. They do things differently enough to stand out among their competitors, offering some truly incredible dishes, uncommonly great (and uncommonly encountered) cocktails, and stellar service, all packaged together in a charming little corner space that wouldn't seem out of place in any of the 20 Parisian arrondissements...which is saying something, because this is ostensibly an American café. When you can stand toe-to-toe with the culinary colossus that is French cuisine and culture, you're doing something VERY right."

"Fun spot for a group reservation outside. It's on a quiet street. They have a sidewalk patio and back patio in addition to indoor dining. The have a full bar. We came for dinner but the breakfast and lunch menus looked better. I wished there had been more snacks to order for the table. I'd come back to sit outside again."