El Brellin

If you're lucky enough to grab a reservation at El Brellin, you'll be better for it. A recommendation from our hotel saw us squeezed in for a dinner service and what a beautiful meal. The service and food was fantastic and traditionally Milanese. The history and photos on the wall is worth reading and really interesting. The dessert special of Panettone with marscapone cream was incredible. We had a brilliant night and highly recommend you come with an appetite and enjoy the vibe.

Friends and I came here on a recommendation to try the ossobuco. I'm vegetarian so I got the raviolo, which was one of the few vegetarian-friendly options, but it was quite yummy (albeit not very hot by the time they brought it out...). My friends enjoyed their ossobuco, but less than they hoped to given the recommendations. The saffron risotto that came with it was a bit bland. For dessert we shared the tiramisu, which it looks like is now different from past reviews. It was alright, one of the worse tiramisus we've had in Italy. The mascarpone was sort of pudding-y, and not in a good way. Service was fine, somewhat aloof. Overall a decent dining experience but nothing to write home about.

A nice and historical restaurant in the Navigli area of the city, which is among the most busy for both locals and tourists, mostly young people. This place is somewhat superior to the average, as it brings its tradition and a long time presence at its location. The food is good, mostly traditional Milanese dishes, but with some variations as well. Good wine choice, nice service, pleasant ambiance, preserving the old time's atmosphere. Nice location, just besides the Naviglio Grande.

If you’re looking for traditional dishes of Milano, do yourself a favor and visit this lovely restaurant. Our experience at this restaurant was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived until we left, we felt welcomed and pampered by the food and service. The food is absolutely amazing, everything we tasted melted in our mouth. Probably the best meal we had in Milan. Can’t wait to return and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for somewhere to eat in Navigli.

A wonderful experience! I had previously visited during the summer for a drink, and this time I went for dinner. It met all my expectations. The service was outstanding, and the dishes were absolutely delicious.

Came here for dinner on our first night in Milan as our hotel recommended this restaurant for dinner as it was by the Navigli River. The restaurant is very big and was filled with a mix of locals and tourists. We ordered a few starters although did not really like the lentil soup. For mains, we got the fish which I liked the most, the veal which was cooked to perfection and the gnocchi which I also really enjoyed. The staff were friendly and service was good. It was a nice first meal here in Milan.

The food is okay. Nothing spectacular and not sure what’s the hype is about. The ambience is great tho. Service was so so, we felt rushed. The bread was lacking and overall I’d say, pass

The experience here was great. The location is right off the canal and inside the restaurant is very spacious and nice. The service from the waiters was excellent as they were very attentive and professional. The restaurant had a lovely selection of food and wine to order. The food my group and I ordered was very tasty. I did have a little problem with my steak being undercooked (I asked for medium and the steak came dark red in the middle all throughout). However our waiter was more than ok with bringing it back to the kitchen to cook it a bit longer. It came back the perfect medium. Overall, I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Pretty sure it's a trap game. I only ate for one - went with the roasted lamb, which came dry AF and risotto was over-salted for sure. I'm not an expert in the cuisine otherwise I'd go down to 2 stars. I know it wasn't good, I just don't know how wasn't good it was. The restaurant sits on a wonderful colors, has very inviting and classy ambiance. I definitely got duped when comparing against the aperitivo pubs all around. I was really looking for a top notch meal, I'm sure there's one here, search elsewhere!

Final dinner in Milano, I made my way down to the Naviglio Grande on the recommendation of one of my tour guides. True Lombardy/Milanese food, I was expecting. Greeted at the host stand, and no I did not have a reservation, but they were able to bring me to an outside table immediately. Keep in mind that if it's outside, even under cover, smoking is permitted. So that's a thing here in Milan. But the patio area was quiet and so I lucked out with a nice evening breeze and no one lit up until I was finished dining. English and Italian menu, but I went right to the osso bucco special which does come with risotto alla milanese. A nice portion and with the half bottle red wine I selected from the wine list, a very good meal. I thought the veal was a bit grisly and too much gravy but it was delicious and the risotto was perfect. Definitely a good meal in a peaceful and nicely decorated restaurant with good service. [Review 10725 overall, 493 of 2019.]

After going to eat at other places in Milan and Florence I have to say this place is really bad. Service is great, but I was there for the food.

El Brellin was our first night dinner in Italy. Last year we also had dinner here and it was every bit as good. El Brellin is located it the hip Naviglio Grande canal area with a lot of other restaurants. What makes El Brellin different is they have a very nice secluded patio in the back which is perfect on a warm evening. The menu has a lot of choices, we shared a very large cheese plate which was excellent. For our mains my wife had the huge cotoletta and I had the Veal Osso Buco. Both were delicious and very large portions. No dessert but we had a bottle of very nice Vermentino which was perfect with our food. Service was friendly and helpful and the patio was so relaxing, it is the place to have dinner here.

Mediocre food, at best. Rolls and entrees did appointed us. The apps were actually ok. Service lacked warmth and enthusiasm. Overall a miss. Located in a very trendy touristy area congested with bars and bright lights. Not my vibe.

Chose this place on based on recommendation. Enjoyed it very much as a tourist, ambiance was romantic, there was free prosecco and appetizers while I waited to be seated. Happy hour priced beer too, if you want that. The food was very filling, and the waiters were quite entertaining. This can be a nice romantic date night spot while visiting Milan (full stomach, walk the canal with your beau), or a quiet place to share a bottle of wine with friends. Good: -Risotto!!! -Veal Cutlet!!! -Osso Bucco!!! -Moscow Mule (with fresh mint and potent ginger) -Free prosecco and appetizers downstairs while you wait for restaurant seating -El Brellin happy hour too! -Loved the ambiance -Complete the date with a night time walk along the canal, right outside the restaurant! Bad: -None

Went here for dinner last night and it was very nice. I had the risotto with sausage which was delicious. Only problem is this place is slightly overpriced, but that's something you'll find throughout the Navigli area. Overall a nice experience though and would go back again. The service was also great and very friendly.

Busy place, so come in prepared to wait. Small normal size portions however filling. As seen in the pictures the ravioli is about the size of a dumpling! The taglierini was perfect a bit much on the sauce, The formaggi plate was great and the mozzarella do buffala is always welcome!

Located in a very youthful area of Milan, the Navegli area, we found this gem of a restaurant through an online tip. They sat us outside quickly and we did not have reservations. Already, the restaurant wowed me with its outdoor charm. The terrace was picturesque and hidden from the chaos of the street. They served an aperitif of sparkling wine to start. I ordered the osso bucco with the risotto, this is a deal of a price when considering the menu. Im normally not the biggest fan of meat dishes because they leave room to disappoint but the dish here exceeded my expectations, as it was prepared perfectly tender and delicious! The risotto was also very appetizing and overall, i would give the food a 5. The service was also well versed in their menu & very attentive. The food, the service & the ambiance all get 5s from me. I definitely recommend the osso bucco & a chianti rufina (pictured below!)

Recommended by concierge at The Yard. Enchanting location. Something out of a story book. Great atmosphere inside and outside. Zucchini flowers app excellent. Zucchini flowers lightly battered and deep fried served with layers of prosciutto. Taggloine porcini. Very fresh tasting and full of porcini. Rissoto Classico with bone marrow. Classic millieanese. Finished with cafe correta. Food was great. Service was just really slow. And they brought the wrong dish out the first time. Overall a good restaurant option on the river.

Went and got the Osso Bucco (first time) with the saffron risotto ($30) and my daughter got pumpkin gnocchi. My dinner came out and the meat was tuff, but thanks to someone who spoke Italian, translated and got a second meal which was very tender and delicious. Would recommend trying this restaurant but plan ahead and make reservations. We only could get in for 10:00 pm

Literally paying the bill now. Mediocre food at best. Overcharged us for an extra ounce of truffle that we didn't order, the food was luke warm throughout, including the coffee. Rice in the risotto was undercooked. In Milan, I promise you can do better.

This famous restaurant is definitely classy and produces the classic Milanese cuisine. Unfortunately, the fried meat and golden risotto is not really my thing. It was worth coming here once to experience it but we've since branched out to other local establishments.

I'll keep this short: it looks nice, it's in one of the cutest corners along the Navigli, and it offers a gorgeous outdoor seating area. The food? It's just alright, it wouldn't be my first option for authentic Milanese cuisine. If you're in the area, just lose yourself in the crowd and go for pizza and birra instead, but that's just me.

Every time I go to Milan I try to go to the charming El Brellin for their osso bucco e risotto alla Milanese. The ossobucco & risotto have always been very good and I can't resist the ambiance both in the locale and outside on the Naviglio. The restaurant is located on the Naviglio Grande and is just adorable. (Brings back a lot of good memories and good times....) I recommended El Brellin to a former colleague and his girlfriend from New Jersey and they raved about it upon their return. I've read some of the reviews from other customers and just want to add a word to the wise: maybe try to order local Milanese dishes and never "expect" top notch customer service anywhere in Italy. (It's not the norm.) Take it from me, I've been going to Italy, every year, for the last 30 years. And most restaurants in Italy have ridiculous cover charges per person and they are not cheap especially in large cities. (If you want top notch customer service, try coming to the States; maybe New York to some of the better restaurants. ) As for me, I hope to be able to return to El Brellin in the next year or so and I will finally try some of the other dishes.

Located on the canals of Milan, we came here and met up with several friends who were also in town. We sat in the back room, which was very nice and quiet and classy. We ordered tons of appetizers and I ordered the steak with foie gras and truffles and my wife ordered the oso bucco. Needless to say my dish was so good, we ended up swapping and she was very happy. I strongly suggest coming here. After dinner we walked along the canal and had gelato. This is a real cool spot to come if in town. It seems to be quite popular.

Here's the thing about El Brellin, if you want to get a taste of local food prepared the way locals love, this place is it. I would give it 5 stars for being an authentic, well-loved, local joint. However, just 3 stars because I guess I'm not that into milanese cuisine.

We came here for dinner and went for the works: antipasti, primi, secondi, and dessert. We were a little hungry after skipping lunch so the portions were perfect for this. The service was attentive and we enjoyed our evening on the back patio. We enjoyed everything and had a great wine recommendation from the staff. With drinks and all it came out to ~€90 pp which we felt was reasonable.

Unfortunately this place is really overpriced and overrated. The bar downstairs is likely a better bet than the full dinner. It is lovely but just felt like the type of place that my hotel gets a kickback for recommending (although I have no proof). There were many tourists but also many locals. The food was well prepared it just was a little refined without being entirely delicious (I had pasta w shrimp ragout and lentils with sausage). Overall in a great area but maybe better options or a better choice in summer. It is lovely inside and an interesting locale but I'd just visit the bar and the great tray of those bar snacks!

I can only confirm the view of other visitors: this is a simple place with wooden benches and a large wooden bar with a table with antipasti as you come in. Nothing fancy, but yo uheap what you want on your plate and it costs 5 EUR. The dish with chickpeas was delicious and the wine more than passable. PS I learned here the differnce between a trattoria and an osteria: in an osteria, you can also just have a drink

Horrible food!!!, we ordered linguine pasta with swordfish for starter, the fish smelled real bad and the taste was even worse, and for main dish we ordered T-bone steak and Milanese cutlet. The T-bone was all fat and very greasy the breaded cutlet was dry and tasteless. After taking a bite of it we had to send it back. We ended up not eating any of the food they brought, that's how bad it was. We had to cancel the rest of order too. The manager was the highlight of this joint. First off he was so rude, Instead of taking these items off the bill he insisted that their food was perfect and we were charged for these outrageous low quality dishes. Anyways we ended up paying for the food we sent back & barely touched. All tourist and visitors be ware of this joint. It's horrible.

This place is a tourist trap. Food was good, but the portions were TINY. Service was rushed and disjointed, even when the restaurant was no where near full. Totally lacked hospitality that Italians are known for. Area around the restaurant is also questionable... please remain aware. I have to say that it was my absolute worst and most expensive meal in Milan. Will never return. If you want to see the canal, which is interesting, go for dinner away from that area and then go for a walk and some gelato by the canal.

Lovely little osteria in the Naviglio district in Milan, by the canal. An affordable, honest, friendly restaurant, highly recommendable. The cheeseboard, always a good test of a restaurant, is first-rate: well selected, balanced, interesting, regional and presented with care and thoughtfulness.

Really great location next to the canal... this is a very fun area of Milan. The restaurant has a very relaxed vibe and is a bit isolated by the foliage surrounding the outside patio. We had the fried zucchini flowers for an appetizer, which were good, but a bit greasy. I had the lasagna, which had good flavor and was filling. They had a cool dessert of grappa and chocolate. Overall, the food was decent, but the ambiance was really what I will remember fondly about this restaurant.

In a great location as far as nightlife is concerned, however, the meal fell short. The outdoor patio was very nice but service was average. We ordered the burrata for an appetizer which was decent, not the freshest. Our entrees included lasagna and spaghetti. Overall, an average experience.

Classy restaurant, quality food, professional staff. Navigli area was busy on Saturday night when we had dinner. Restaurant has an upper floor and is quite large. Started off with a small refreshing glass of prosecco. Wine menu had a wide range of prices and quite a few half bottle options. Had beef carpaccio and cold cuts to start, then spaghetti or linguine carbonara and lasagna with pesto and toasted pine nuts, then beef fillet, ossobucco with risotto alla Milanese, and Cotoletta alla milanese. The pasta carbonara seemed a bit too salty for us but noodle texture was night. Lasagna was very good. I love toasted pine nuts. Fillet medium rare was red and excellent, topped with foie gras and a slice of black truffle. Ossobucco and risotto were excellent. Cotoletta was ok (not a big fan in general, just ordered for guests to taste) but quality was excellent for what it is. Came with fresh potato chips. Finished with a delicious tiramisu. Didn't see a section for side dishes on the menu, but didn't ask either. Would have loved a side of vegetables with all this rich food. Didn't try any of the salads. Wonderful place. Would come back again. Was able to make a reservation online. No high chairs.

This place was mentioned on a Milan food blog and was near our hotel. We were looking for a traditional Italian dining experience. It's a very nice looking, classy restaurant with exposed beams, and great service. The food was good though very heavy and rich. It also came out rather quickly while we were used to a slower pace of dining by the end of our trip. There were a fair amount of tourists in there through Italians as well. I'm no expert on how authentic it was, you will have a nice time here.

Food was unacceptable and the service was slow. Wine was terrible. We had a large group and everyone was disappointed.