Brigitte Bistro — Restaurant in Petaluma

Where Paris meets Petaluma and my stomach starts speaking fluent French

After a full day of wine tasting and a few too many “let’s get a bottle” moments, my wife (the refined palate behind every good decision I pretend was mine) made a reservation at Brigitte Bistro. We’d heard this place was small, intimate, and buzzing with energy, so naturally I assumed I’d be the loudest one there. I was wrong. The place was packed and buzzing like a beehive with an espresso machine.

We walked in, and I was hit with the sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and the unmistakable aroma of melted cheese doing its life’s work. The vibe? Chic, open kitchen, a little noisy, full of happy people… basically the culinary equivalent of a really good group hug. We were seated smack in the center of the room, a perfect vantage point for people-watching, food-watching, and wondering if I should’ve worn pants with more give.

We started with a round of wine. I went red (because beef was incoming), and my wife, ever the elegant strategist, went white. Her glass smelled like crushed citrus and confidence. Mine had notes of ripe plum, old oak, and a whisper of “you’re gonna need bread for this.”

First course: • ONION SOUP GRATINÉE: A crock of rich, caramelized onion broth, bubbling with molten Gruyère, and cradling buttery croutons. One bite in, and I swear I heard the Eiffel Tower whisper, “Welcome home, mon ami.” • LEEK SPECIAL: My wife’s starter was a plate of leeks lounging in a luxurious cream sauce. Light, savory, and herbaceous. She said it tasted like springtime.

Main event: • BEEF BOURGUIGNON: Folks, if love had a flavor, it would be this. A tender pile of slow-braised beef soaking in a velvety red wine-port broth, balanced with sweet pearl onions, earthy beech mushrooms, and baby carrots that had clearly been raised with care. All of it spooned over a dreamy parsnip purée. It didn’t just hit the spot, it bought the spot a drink, told it it was beautiful, and waltzed it across the room.

I briefly considered licking the bowl, but I didn’t want to make my wife reevaluate her life choices.

We were tempted by dessert, especially the PISTACHIO TIRAMISU TABLE SIDE, which came with its own floor show, but we decided to let the meal end on a high note. Besides, I didn’t want to risk unbuttoning my pants in a place this classy. Next time, dessert is happening. Probably twice.

Final notes: Service was stellar. Pacing was perfect. The ambiance was warm and romantic but still lively. My wife was glowing. I might’ve teared up, or maybe that was the onion soup. Either way, we left full, happy, and already scheming our return.

My rating: 5 out of 5 dreams.

Would I go back? Faster than you can say,...

Just a great experience overall. This is not a quiet stuffy restaurant. It’s a lively environment where you can see the kitchen at work and it’s a place to socialize. They serve French food, which, if you’ve never had truly French cooking before, can be very rich in flavor (just a warning to those who prefer flavorless foods, this is not your place). The ingredients are fresh, the cooking is on point and you can feel the passion for the food in every dish that comes out. The service was phenomenal. I personally enjoy when a restaurant gives you time to relax, unwind and chat with those you’re dining with. Our server always had a smile on his face and provided lots of menu recommendations (his wine pairings were 10/10). The escargots and marrow bone dish was divine. The flavor explosion (chefs kiss). The only thing that stopped me from completely cleaning the plate of all butter was the fact that I knew I had more dishes to eat! The beets and Belgian endive salad was full of components that complimented each other. I love a salad that makes endives exciting! It was crispy, bright, sweet, tangy and a nice touch of acid to cut through the richness of the marrow dish. And with that we were ready to dive into our entrees. You cannot go wrong with the steak frites but I do recommend trying other things on the menu (my mom has not had much experience with French food so she chose the steak frites as it was more familiar to her… she loved it). I chose the sea bass and it was perfectly cooked and so flavorful. Yes, get the bread to soak up all sauces on your plates. For dessert we got the Ile Flottante. If you like flavors like vanilla and caramel, get it. Or if you just like to eat dessert, get it, it’s delicious. Obviously we will be back and I’m very excited to try the other items...

We made a reservation five days in advance for 8:30 PM to celebrate my wife’s birthday. Our party of three—including our son, who uses a wheelchair—arrived at 8:20. The restaurant was packed with newly seated tables, and it was clear no table was available for us.

After a few minutes, a young staff member finally acknowledged us and said it would be at least 15 minutes. I mentioned we had booked through Rezdy and had noted our son’s wheelchair. He dismissively pointed to his watch and said, “It’s only 8:22,” then repeated the wait time and walked away.

There’s no real waiting area—just a hallway to the restroom and the open dining room—so standing there felt awkward and intrusive. When I came back from the restroom, my wife and son had already stepped outside, clearly uncomfortable.

Soon after, the chef/owner came out, visibly irritated, and said, “What’s going on?” I explained his staff had been rude. Without listening, he looked us over and snapped, “No, you have a bad attitude. Just leave.” And that was it—we were thrown out on my wife’s birthday, despite a confirmed reservation and our son’s accessibility needs.

To make it worse, earlier we saw the same owner warmly greet a white couple without a reservation and seat them immediately. So we’re left wondering—was it our son’s wheelchair? Our ethnicity? Either way, the double standard was glaring.

And to top it off, they’d sent two confirmation texts that same day—messages we replied to. We made every effort to be on time and clear, and still got treated like an inconvenience.

We’ve traveled the world—Paris, Tokyo, New York, Amsterdam—and have never experienced anything so unprofessional or dehumanizing. Avoid this place if you value kindness, inclusion, or...