Frenchie — Restaurant in University Park

I had high hopes for Frenchie. Unfortunately, my experience fell far short of expectations.

I had an 8:00 PM reservation, which the restaurant reminded me of twice the day of, so I was surprised by what followed. Upon arrival, the hostess at the front desk didn’t greet us, nor did she even acknowledge us until a nearby waiter prompted her to speak. Her disinterest was palpable, which set a sour tone from the start.

She told us the table would be ready in five minutes, but we were forgotten at the bar for over 25. We finished a round of drinks before I realized how long it had been, with empty tables in plain view. When I returned to the hostess stand, the original hostess was nowhere to be found (presumably she had left for the night). A new hostess eventually seated us and apologized, but by then, the damage was done.

The food was similarly underwhelming. A $27 charcuterie board featured two overpowering blue cheeses, Roquefort and something even more pungent, and just one other cheese. No Brie, Camembert, or chèvre in sight. For a French restaurant, that felt like a missed opportunity.

The steak frites were fine, though the tarragon sauce was overpowering and dominated the dish. The steak au poivre was the biggest letdown: bland, lacking any of the bold, peppery flavor you’d expect. It felt like the kitchen played it safe.. and not in a good way.

To their credit, the drinks were good, and our server was friendly, though service felt slower than expected given the number of staff.

All in all, I left disappointed. Frenchie has potential, but the inattentive front-of-house experience and uninspired food didn’t justify the hype, especially for someone who appreciates the standard set by places like Pastis in NYC or Bouchon in Las Vegas.

Hope they course-correct, but I won’t be...

Had dinner here last night. Overall, a good experience—but there are still a few kinks to work out. That said, I’m stoked to come back in a month or so and see how things have progressed.

For reference: two people, two drinks each, two apps, a burger, and a Cajun chicken entrée came out to $200 after tax and tip. That’s pretty standard for Dallas, but at $100 a head for upscale casual dining, I do have certain expectations—especially when it comes to consistency and quality.

We started with the salmon crudo and the escargot. The salmon was excellent—fresh, bright, well-balanced. The escargot, on the other hand, could’ve used more garlic to really stand out.

For mains, we had the Burger Au Poivre and the French chicken. The burger was packed with flavor—definitely one of the more unique burgers I’ve had in Dallas (and I’ve had plenty). The drawback? The bun. It was a bit tough and stale, which prevented it from soaking up that peppery au poivre sauce and really becoming something special. I ended up ditching most of the bun and using the fries to mop up the sauce instead. With a fresher bun, that burger would easily go from a 6 to an 8+.

Unfortunately, temperature was an issue across the board. The au poivre sauce was lukewarm at best, and the French chicken—and its fries—came out the same way. Big flavors, but lacking heat, which dulled the overall impact.

Still, I’d absolutely go back. If this were a $120 dinner, I might not nitpick, but for $200, it’s fair to expect tighter execution. The menu is solid, and I’m already eyeing the classic burger, steak frites, and some of the salads for lunch.

This spot is within my 2-mile circle, so I’ll definitely be back. Just hoping they work out the kinks and it becomes a place I crave as much as Il Bracco, DLM, Hudson House, or...

I originally booked a table indoors since it is summer and quite hot out, but we were seated in a partially indoor outdoor space that was still warm and noisy from the fans. It was not the comfortable experience we were expecting.

Service also needs fine tuning. Several times, our server removed my food and drink before I was finished, without asking. A simple question like “Are you still working on that?” would have been appreciated.

The use of the electronic ordering pad felt a bit awkward too, especially when it came time to pay. For a place in Preston Center, it would feel much more appropriate and refined to drop the check in a book rather than having us tip directly in front of the server while he holds the device. It was giving Applebees.

They should also rethink the table layout. The space is too cramped, and I watched an older couple struggle to get out from their table without bumping into others. It felt inconsiderate on the restaurants part and poorly planned.

The bright spot of the night was the food. Both the branzino and steak frites were excellent. Unfortunately, those were the only highlights and hard to enjoy when everything else felt weird and...