Z. Bardhi’s Italian Cuisine
3596 Kinhega Dr, Tallahassee, FL, 32312
Z. Bardhi’s Italian Cuisine Menu
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Address :
3596 Kinhega Dr
Tallahassee, FL, 32312 - Phone (850) 894-9919
- Website https://www.zbardhis.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Ashley H.
Our family enjoyed a lovely dinner on Friday night, celebrating my birthday. We were the first party to arrive and were greeted and seated by a gracious hostess. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu, wines, ingredients and preparation of dishes. We started with the bruschetta appetizer, and it was perfect, especially with the addition of white beans! Our family ordered the chicken Fettuccini and calamari (as an entree) and two of the dinner specials: horseradish crusted salmon and the pasticcio. The salmon was served over spinach risotto and drizzled with pesto. The pasticcio, a baked pasta dish, was stuffed with shrimp, crab and scallops, mushrooms and tomatoes. The large pasta pouch (for lack of a better word) was topped with a light and slightly creamy red sauce. It was fantastic! Kids enjoyed the Fettuccini and calamari, and we all indulged in the bread! Wowzers, it was amazing , and was served with a herbed olive oil!! Service was spot on and attentive. The decor is rustic, like a cabin , but the garden patio was beautiful and will be our next spot once the weather cools. Overall very nice dining experience, especially for a celebratory evening! I'd recommend making reservations, as the place filled quickly and early!
(4)Ed G.
I'm from the northeast where I can get Italian almost as good as in Italy, and I only visit Tallahassee every year or two to visit my parents who live in the neighborhood. So I've been to Z. Bardhi's only a few times, but each and every visit has been an excellent experience. Good service, good atmosphere, and great food. In fact, astonishingly good food for such an out-of-the-way place. I wish it was local to me.
(4)K A.
Love this place. Almost hate to share on of Tallahassee's best gems. Great food. Owner is super nice. Good service.
(5)Daniel P.
It's ludicrous to consider anything but five stars-in-class when rating this great restaurant. The menu offers interpretations of the time-proven standards as well as novel dishes that provoke and capture attention. We can always expect several specials to boot. It's our go-to for anniversary/Valentine's dinner. My wife, a recent convert to the health-conscious world of vegetarians, had the eggplant Parmesan this evening. She very much enjoyed it. I was torn between two dishes ( the lamb shank vs. the crab-filled grouper) and a coin toss decided it (lamb). Great presentation, impeccable service. In toto, a well greased machine where service is practically invisible yet ALWAYS attentive. If you've never been, consider treating yourself. It's not the flamboyance of Kool Beanz, or the hipsterness of FGF / Mozaik / etc... (Those places are great, incidentally) - rather, it's a tasteful, traditional and intimate setting that can only please the guest.
(5)Becky T.
The service was absolutely terrible. The owner, Carla Bardhi was incredibly rude to our party. We had a party of 15 people. About 10 more people showed up late (so one of our servers put them at a table near us, only to have Carla come over and tell the party they could not be served due to other reservations. Once the rest of our party left, the table they were sitting at stayed empty the rest of the evening and within 30 mins, there were 4 more empty tables on the patio (where we were seated), so clearly there were no other reservations. We arrived at 7pm, our servers did not take our food order until 8pm (despite us asking 2 times, for them to take our order), our appetizers did not come out until 8:30 pm and our dinner did not come out until 9 pm (2 hours after we were seated.) I personally spoke with Carla to express our frustration and disappointment, and she was not interested in anything I had to say, she never apologized and kept insisting that there was no issue to be addressed. When I walked away in disgust over her lack of customer service, I said "no one in our party will ever come back to your restaurant," at which she replied to me "DO I LOOK STRESSED ABOUT THAT?" Never in my life have I been spoken to in such a rude and disrespectful way. Carla Bardhi should get the "worst customer service" award of the year.
(1)Jacki O.
From the time we walked in everyone was so nice. From hostess to server. ( sorry I can't remember his name) Wine list was good and had a good assortment. Appetizers were very good. We ordered the Eggplant Florentine it was amazing as was the Chicken Parm and Marsala. Environment and ambience very nice. Desserts were so delicious. Don't miss this restaurant!
(5)Rob L.
Best restaurant by far on north side of Tally. Great food, nice atmosphere with outside dining when the weather is nice, and excellent service. Not cheap, but worth every penny!
(5)Katherine M.
My first experience at Z. Bhardi's was on Valentines night. Everything was perfect, somewhat surprisingly as most restaurants fail to impress on busy holidays. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. The ambiance is warm and cozy. The server went over the specials with us and was very knowledgable when helping us pick a dry red wine. We had the super Tuscan that is available by the glass. Delicious! For an appetizer we had the stuffed mushrooms. Great flavor! Better than I've had before. I had the seafood lasagna which isn't normally what I would order but our server said it was the house specialty. The pasta was homemade and everything tastes very fresh. If this is the special when you go, do yourself a favor and order it. My boyfriend has the braised lamb shank which literally fell off the bone. Another A+. We finished with coffee and cannoli. A manager or maybe the owner stopped by to check on us which was a nice touch. We will be back!
(5)K C.
Delicious food in a cozy atmosphere. We sat indoors and found it very charming! We had the lasagna and their equivalent to chicken fettuccine. Yum! Everything tasted fresh and handmade from scratch.
(4)Robert F.
The food and service are incredible, tucked away , you can tell they have a loyal local following. My only issue is as a wine guy the do not have a wine list that is worthy of the food. Ex: the only Italian whites were Pinot Grigio or Moscato, Really, No other Italian whites. The reds were limited on Italian, I would think their wine rep would be all over the regarding the selection. Most defiantly worth a visit if in Tallahassee !
(4)Joe C.
After numerous trips to Tally to visit our daughter we finally found an Italian restaurant that is worth the five stars given. This is a bit out of the main college epicenter but well worth the trip. First we were welcomed and even though we reserved inside we saw how nice the outside area was and the porch was covered and they had heat lamps so we asked to sit outside. Not a problem! Had one of our favorite Pinot Noir on the menu (Meomi) and not ridiculously marked up so we ordered the bottle. We started with the shared Greek salad. Very nice not overly done with just the right amount of dressings and ingredients including my favorite anchovies! (got them on the side though as my dining mates do not indulge!). I had the braised lamb shank and substituted risotto for the mashed potatoes. Excellent! My wife had a crab meat stuffed grouper with risotto! Excellent again. My daughter had the marguerite pizza which had the perfect touch of basil and garlic. After dinner, while I sipped a nice Port, we all shared the lemoncello cheese cake which was the perfect ending to an excellent meal. Service excellent (thanks Whitney). Ambiance excellent, food excellent. Prices are what should be expected for a dining experience of this quality.
(5)Michael G.
My wife and I ate there last week. The restaurant had a good outdoor seating vibe, so we were looking forward to a nice meal. However, things were off the whole way through. Our server kept forgetting what we ordered and had to come back multiple times to ask (write it down maybe?). My wife ordered the scallops, only to be told maybe 10 minutes later they were out of scallops (it was mid-dinner time). This also impacted a few of the other seafood offerings that contained scallops. I ordered the fried eggplant with arugala and goat cheese appetizer. It was above average, but only two skimpy pieces of eggplant. For main I had the veal marsala - it was 'meh', the sauce was too thick and the veal just average. My wife had the grouper stuffed with crab. Again, the sauce was too heavy and overpowered the fish. We skipped dessert. For ~80 bucks it was a decided letdown. Even nasty old Olive Garden would have been a better option. An additional note: the waitstaff that we observed seemed disinterested in actually doing their jobs, congregating instead by the bar during service. Our server's general cluelessness over the menu items and lack of engagement with us, plus poor communication between back of the house and front of the house over what items were still available, is unacceptable. We will not be returning. One-star is for the ambience of the outdoor seating area. Zero stars for the food.
(1)Apryl E.
The lasagna is the best I've EVER had. The marinara is amazing. Do yourself a favor and start with the calamari. You're welcome!
(4)Cynthia N.
Wonderful place to dine! Excellent food great service. Casual atmosphere. Definite Must for Tallahassee.
(4)Vicki C.
I love this restaurant - great food and lovely ambiance. The patio is a bit like Italy and very relaxing; the food is fresh, fresh, fresh and perfectly prepared. They do have a pizza menu if you ask and it is spectacular as well. All in all, a real gem.
(5)George M.
Homemade Italian. Everything was excellent and the service was the best. I had the best meatball appetizer and my meal had the freshest sauce. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Karlos W.
Dinner tonight was wonderful.. I had a seafood lasagna. It sounded strange to me, but turned out to be a great combination of fish morsels inside a pasta with a mild tomato sauce. Elegantly done. My companion had a classic Fruit de Mare exquisitely done except the shrimp could have been cooked a bit less. Our cappuccino after dinner could have used more espresso. It was a tad weak. Tallahassee is blessed to have such a fine bistro for reasonable prices.
(5)Pat S.
Our first time experience was aweful. We arrived early and there was hardly anyone there. As time went on the place filled up and that is when our waiter dumped us. We waited over 45 minutes for our food, mind you we ordered long before the place filled. The waiter never once came and apologized or even tried to explain the wait. Let's say that the service was pathetic, never asked if we wanted another drink when our glasses sat empty for a long time, oh yea...we had been dumped. The gentleman beside us arrived at the same time, different waiter, and it was obvious he was a regular. He actually asked for a piece of paper and a pen, wrote a note, and asked the waiter to give it to the owner. The icing on the cake was being charged $1 for ice in our drinks, REALLY. Now for the food. She crab soup was good, but salty. Stuffed mushrooms tasted nothing more than mushrooms. My husband's lasagne was bland. My chicken Parmesan was blah. For the price, I would have expected the best we have ever had...not even close. We've had better for much less. At the end, the waiter tried to say it was hectic and when we asked why, he said because it was Bobby Bowden weekend. My husband asked if Bowden was there. The waiter said no. And then we were like so what's the problem. Any restaurant in this category should be able to handle a busy night and provide impeccable service. All in all, a bad experience which is too bad because I wanted to like it. We won't be going back.
(1)Jesnnine M.
Incredible!!! Loved the food and service!!! They'll see us several times a month... Much better than mom & dads restaurant By far!!!!!!!!!
(5)Clay C.
Had a wonderful meal. Service was excellent. Brian was our waiter and was very courteous and professional and kept good eye on us without being overbearing.
(5)Mickey C.
Me and Jim Hutton dined there and it was lovely. The outdoor seating was a real treat in an area/climate where outdoor dining isn't common, such a nice experience. The staff was friendly and the food was great. Pizza was surprisingly very good!
(4)Peter C.
We had lunch here. The pasta sauces are excellent. The eggplant and chicken parmigiana have very thin sliced eggplant and chicken respectively. My chicken was slightly overcooked and tough, but the breading and sauce were so good, it was still good. They bring out excellent bread with flavored oil for dipping when you are seated. The angel hair pasta looked more like thin spaghetti. Excellent friendly service. Would definitely eat here again.
(4)Patrick R.
Its been awhile since I've been here, but I'm sure it's still THE place to take that special someone for any occasion.
(5)Fat G.
When someone who cooks or cooked for a living says he'll return to a restaurant, you know it's a good place to eat. I'll return to Z. Bardhis again. And again. Despite living in Killearn Lakes since 1985 and driving by the log building up front, Christmas eve eve was my first visit. Shame on me. There's something about a log building serving Italian cuisine that, well, doesn't seem right. But the allure of a nice dinner close to home won out. We made a reservation to dine on the patio. If you can, you must try al fresco at Z. Bardhi's. If the air is cool there are two woodburning fireplaces, and some patio heaters thta do a banner job of chasing away the chill. Before I delve into the food, let me address the service. I've dined in restaurants around the world. In other countries, restaurant service is a career, not a part time college funding necessity. Not so with our server, Brian. I cannot recommend him enough. He's also a sommelier, a rarity in Tallahassee even at the wine shops. regarding his service -- A+. Attentive but not overbearing. I'm sure the other staff is excellent, but my experience cements my choice for future visits. Okay, the service was top notch, but what about the food? The plan was salad and pizza for oour soiree. But when the daily specials were presented, pasticcio stood put. For me this is a traditional Greek dish (pastitsio) , but the presentation of the special was more like an Italian seafood lasagna. With a combination of bechamel and marinara making a pink sauce, it sounded delish. That's what I opted for, as did my two dining partners. Fresh, warm bread is served for snacking before dinner, and presented with olive oil for dipping it was a perfect starter. I could, in fact, have made a perfectly good meal of the rustic loaf, oil, and chianti. But that's another time. My wife ordered tha pasta fagioli soup and I the Greek salad. The soup was pronounced very good, but she likes Olive Garden's better; my salad was fresh and lightly dressed, but lacked the requisite, for me, anchovies. Good tomatoes in December -- you bet! A nice surprise. The pastitsio. Yes, the pastitisio. The kitchen did one bang up job on this prep. As wonderful as the verbal presentation by our server was, the actual entree was, quite simply, one of the better meals I've taken in Tallahassee. The bechamel was just enough to mellow the marinara so the seafood's flavors were not overpowered by the tomato. All three servings were packed with fresh tasting seafoods. Uncharacteristically, I did not take the time to deconstruct my meal before eating. It was just too darned good. I asked Brian for the house chianti, and he delivered one of the best chiantis I've had the pleasure of drinking. No bitterness, no lingering aftertaste, but robust enough to compliment the dish. I know, I'm begining to rattle too long. Z. Bardhi's is highly recommended. The only drawback I can find is the traffic entering Killearn Lakes can be a distraction. But when I was into the food, nothing could distract me.
(5)Fernando T.
We had a bad experience. The server broke two corks trying to open outrageously expensive wine bottles, and two of the items on the short menu were not available (even though it was 7:pm) When the food finally arrived, it was mediocre. Nice decor, though.
(1)Suzanne H.
Excellent food and service. Great patio dinning area. Loved the fire pit! Best chocolate chip cannoli ever!
(5)Berti H.
Wouldn't you know that now that I am packed to move away from Tallahassee that I discover a great 5 star restaurant. After taking a load of 'collectibles" to the local Goodwill store, my stomach told me to search out a place for lunch. There hidden away in a grove of trees,as one is heading into the Killearn Lake Estates, I see a restaurant with an outdoor patio with linen table clothes and colorful flower arrangements on each table. A quick turn led me to a spacious parking lot and a cozy little Italian restaurant. Word is that the Bardhi brothers came down from New York to build this restaurant and two or three other pizza places in town. The menu offered a great choice from pizza to the usual Italian entrees and I chose my favorite, Chicken Marsala with mushrooms, shallots, scallions, and Marsala wine, over angel hair pasta. The hot homemade bread with olive oil dip set the stage for more mouth-teasing tastes that followed. The chicken was pounded so tender I could cut it easily with a fork and it melted in my mouth. I wanted to eat the entire meal with my eyes closed so that there would be no distractions from the food. I have 2 more weeks left in Tallahassee and I am going to HAVE to find a time to visit this place one more time. It is that good! The wait was short, the service congenial, the ambiance very pleasant. Ciao
(5)Franco A.
We went here for a large group dinner. The service and ambiance was very nice as we got to sit on the porch on a nice spring evening. The food was very well done and those of us that had one of the daily specials all thoroughly enjoyed them. I would not expect Tallahassee to be a hotbed of Italian food but Z Bardhi's was a very nice surprise.
(4)Carla M.
If I could rate with Diamonds, I would. It's definitely one of the best, if not THE BEST, Italian restaurant in Tally. Wow, the food, the service, the atmosphere, everything was just PERFECT. And all of their dishes sounded sooooooo good. It was hard choosing what to eat. Definitely coming back to try their other dishes.
(5)Karlos W.
Dinner tonight was wonderful.. I had a seafood lasagna. It sounded strange to me, but turned out to be a great combination of fish morsels inside a pasta with a mild tomato sauce. Elegantly done. My companion had a classic Fruit de Mare exquisitely done except the shrimp could have been cooked a bit less. Our cappuccino after dinner could have used more espresso. It was a tad weak. Tallahassee is blessed to have such a fine bistro for reasonable prices.
(5)Jacki O.
From the time we walked in everyone was so nice. From hostess to server. ( sorry I can't remember his name) Wine list was good and had a good assortment. Appetizers were very good. We ordered the Eggplant Florentine it was amazing as was the Chicken Parm and Marsala. Environment and ambience very nice. Desserts were so delicious. Don't miss this restaurant!
(5)Rob L.
Best restaurant by far on north side of Tally. Great food, nice atmosphere with outside dining when the weather is nice, and excellent service. Not cheap, but worth every penny!
(5)Katherine M.
My first experience at Z. Bhardi's was on Valentines night. Everything was perfect, somewhat surprisingly as most restaurants fail to impress on busy holidays. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. The ambiance is warm and cozy. The server went over the specials with us and was very knowledgable when helping us pick a dry red wine. We had the super Tuscan that is available by the glass. Delicious! For an appetizer we had the stuffed mushrooms. Great flavor! Better than I've had before. I had the seafood lasagna which isn't normally what I would order but our server said it was the house specialty. The pasta was homemade and everything tastes very fresh. If this is the special when you go, do yourself a favor and order it. My boyfriend has the braised lamb shank which literally fell off the bone. Another A+. We finished with coffee and cannoli. A manager or maybe the owner stopped by to check on us which was a nice touch. We will be back!
(5)K C.
Delicious food in a cozy atmosphere. We sat indoors and found it very charming! We had the lasagna and their equivalent to chicken fettuccine. Yum! Everything tasted fresh and handmade from scratch.
(4)Robert F.
The food and service are incredible, tucked away , you can tell they have a loyal local following. My only issue is as a wine guy the do not have a wine list that is worthy of the food. Ex: the only Italian whites were Pinot Grigio or Moscato, Really, No other Italian whites. The reds were limited on Italian, I would think their wine rep would be all over the regarding the selection. Most defiantly worth a visit if in Tallahassee !
(4)Joe C.
After numerous trips to Tally to visit our daughter we finally found an Italian restaurant that is worth the five stars given. This is a bit out of the main college epicenter but well worth the trip. First we were welcomed and even though we reserved inside we saw how nice the outside area was and the porch was covered and they had heat lamps so we asked to sit outside. Not a problem! Had one of our favorite Pinot Noir on the menu (Meomi) and not ridiculously marked up so we ordered the bottle. We started with the shared Greek salad. Very nice not overly done with just the right amount of dressings and ingredients including my favorite anchovies! (got them on the side though as my dining mates do not indulge!). I had the braised lamb shank and substituted risotto for the mashed potatoes. Excellent! My wife had a crab meat stuffed grouper with risotto! Excellent again. My daughter had the marguerite pizza which had the perfect touch of basil and garlic. After dinner, while I sipped a nice Port, we all shared the lemoncello cheese cake which was the perfect ending to an excellent meal. Service excellent (thanks Whitney). Ambiance excellent, food excellent. Prices are what should be expected for a dining experience of this quality.
(5)Peter C.
We had lunch here. The pasta sauces are excellent. The eggplant and chicken parmigiana have very thin sliced eggplant and chicken respectively. My chicken was slightly overcooked and tough, but the breading and sauce were so good, it was still good. They bring out excellent bread with flavored oil for dipping when you are seated. The angel hair pasta looked more like thin spaghetti. Excellent friendly service. Would definitely eat here again.
(4)Patrick R.
Its been awhile since I've been here, but I'm sure it's still THE place to take that special someone for any occasion.
(5)Fernando T.
We had a bad experience. The server broke two corks trying to open outrageously expensive wine bottles, and two of the items on the short menu were not available (even though it was 7:pm) When the food finally arrived, it was mediocre. Nice decor, though.
(1)Suzanne H.
Excellent food and service. Great patio dinning area. Loved the fire pit! Best chocolate chip cannoli ever!
(5)Franco A.
We went here for a large group dinner. The service and ambiance was very nice as we got to sit on the porch on a nice spring evening. The food was very well done and those of us that had one of the daily specials all thoroughly enjoyed them. I would not expect Tallahassee to be a hotbed of Italian food but Z Bardhi's was a very nice surprise.
(4)Carla M.
If I could rate with Diamonds, I would. It's definitely one of the best, if not THE BEST, Italian restaurant in Tally. Wow, the food, the service, the atmosphere, everything was just PERFECT. And all of their dishes sounded sooooooo good. It was hard choosing what to eat. Definitely coming back to try their other dishes.
(5)Ashley H.
Our family enjoyed a lovely dinner on Friday night, celebrating my birthday. We were the first party to arrive and were greeted and seated by a gracious hostess. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu, wines, ingredients and preparation of dishes. We started with the bruschetta appetizer, and it was perfect, especially with the addition of white beans! Our family ordered the chicken Fettuccini and calamari (as an entree) and two of the dinner specials: horseradish crusted salmon and the pasticcio. The salmon was served over spinach risotto and drizzled with pesto. The pasticcio, a baked pasta dish, was stuffed with shrimp, crab and scallops, mushrooms and tomatoes. The large pasta pouch (for lack of a better word) was topped with a light and slightly creamy red sauce. It was fantastic! Kids enjoyed the Fettuccini and calamari, and we all indulged in the bread! Wowzers, it was amazing , and was served with a herbed olive oil!! Service was spot on and attentive. The decor is rustic, like a cabin , but the garden patio was beautiful and will be our next spot once the weather cools. Overall very nice dining experience, especially for a celebratory evening! I'd recommend making reservations, as the place filled quickly and early!
(4)Daniel P.
It's ludicrous to consider anything but five stars-in-class when rating this great restaurant. The menu offers interpretations of the time-proven standards as well as novel dishes that provoke and capture attention. We can always expect several specials to boot. It's our go-to for anniversary/Valentine's dinner. My wife, a recent convert to the health-conscious world of vegetarians, had the eggplant Parmesan this evening. She very much enjoyed it. I was torn between two dishes ( the lamb shank vs. the crab-filled grouper) and a coin toss decided it (lamb). Great presentation, impeccable service. In toto, a well greased machine where service is practically invisible yet ALWAYS attentive. If you've never been, consider treating yourself. It's not the flamboyance of Kool Beanz, or the hipsterness of FGF / Mozaik / etc... (Those places are great, incidentally) - rather, it's a tasteful, traditional and intimate setting that can only please the guest.
(5)Michael G.
My wife and I ate there last week. The restaurant had a good outdoor seating vibe, so we were looking forward to a nice meal. However, things were off the whole way through. Our server kept forgetting what we ordered and had to come back multiple times to ask (write it down maybe?). My wife ordered the scallops, only to be told maybe 10 minutes later they were out of scallops (it was mid-dinner time). This also impacted a few of the other seafood offerings that contained scallops. I ordered the fried eggplant with arugala and goat cheese appetizer. It was above average, but only two skimpy pieces of eggplant. For main I had the veal marsala - it was 'meh', the sauce was too thick and the veal just average. My wife had the grouper stuffed with crab. Again, the sauce was too heavy and overpowered the fish. We skipped dessert. For ~80 bucks it was a decided letdown. Even nasty old Olive Garden would have been a better option. An additional note: the waitstaff that we observed seemed disinterested in actually doing their jobs, congregating instead by the bar during service. Our server's general cluelessness over the menu items and lack of engagement with us, plus poor communication between back of the house and front of the house over what items were still available, is unacceptable. We will not be returning. One-star is for the ambience of the outdoor seating area. Zero stars for the food.
(1)Apryl E.
The lasagna is the best I've EVER had. The marinara is amazing. Do yourself a favor and start with the calamari. You're welcome!
(4)Cynthia N.
Wonderful place to dine! Excellent food great service. Casual atmosphere. Definite Must for Tallahassee.
(4)Vicki C.
I love this restaurant - great food and lovely ambiance. The patio is a bit like Italy and very relaxing; the food is fresh, fresh, fresh and perfectly prepared. They do have a pizza menu if you ask and it is spectacular as well. All in all, a real gem.
(5)George M.
Homemade Italian. Everything was excellent and the service was the best. I had the best meatball appetizer and my meal had the freshest sauce. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Ed G.
I'm from the northeast where I can get Italian almost as good as in Italy, and I only visit Tallahassee every year or two to visit my parents who live in the neighborhood. So I've been to Z. Bardhi's only a few times, but each and every visit has been an excellent experience. Good service, good atmosphere, and great food. In fact, astonishingly good food for such an out-of-the-way place. I wish it was local to me.
(4)K A.
Love this place. Almost hate to share on of Tallahassee's best gems. Great food. Owner is super nice. Good service.
(5)Pat S.
Our first time experience was aweful. We arrived early and there was hardly anyone there. As time went on the place filled up and that is when our waiter dumped us. We waited over 45 minutes for our food, mind you we ordered long before the place filled. The waiter never once came and apologized or even tried to explain the wait. Let's say that the service was pathetic, never asked if we wanted another drink when our glasses sat empty for a long time, oh yea...we had been dumped. The gentleman beside us arrived at the same time, different waiter, and it was obvious he was a regular. He actually asked for a piece of paper and a pen, wrote a note, and asked the waiter to give it to the owner. The icing on the cake was being charged $1 for ice in our drinks, REALLY. Now for the food. She crab soup was good, but salty. Stuffed mushrooms tasted nothing more than mushrooms. My husband's lasagne was bland. My chicken Parmesan was blah. For the price, I would have expected the best we have ever had...not even close. We've had better for much less. At the end, the waiter tried to say it was hectic and when we asked why, he said because it was Bobby Bowden weekend. My husband asked if Bowden was there. The waiter said no. And then we were like so what's the problem. Any restaurant in this category should be able to handle a busy night and provide impeccable service. All in all, a bad experience which is too bad because I wanted to like it. We won't be going back.
(1)Jesnnine M.
Incredible!!! Loved the food and service!!! They'll see us several times a month... Much better than mom & dads restaurant By far!!!!!!!!!
(5)Clay C.
Had a wonderful meal. Service was excellent. Brian was our waiter and was very courteous and professional and kept good eye on us without being overbearing.
(5)Mickey C.
Me and Jim Hutton dined there and it was lovely. The outdoor seating was a real treat in an area/climate where outdoor dining isn't common, such a nice experience. The staff was friendly and the food was great. Pizza was surprisingly very good!
(4)Fat G.
When someone who cooks or cooked for a living says he'll return to a restaurant, you know it's a good place to eat. I'll return to Z. Bardhis again. And again. Despite living in Killearn Lakes since 1985 and driving by the log building up front, Christmas eve eve was my first visit. Shame on me. There's something about a log building serving Italian cuisine that, well, doesn't seem right. But the allure of a nice dinner close to home won out. We made a reservation to dine on the patio. If you can, you must try al fresco at Z. Bardhi's. If the air is cool there are two woodburning fireplaces, and some patio heaters thta do a banner job of chasing away the chill. Before I delve into the food, let me address the service. I've dined in restaurants around the world. In other countries, restaurant service is a career, not a part time college funding necessity. Not so with our server, Brian. I cannot recommend him enough. He's also a sommelier, a rarity in Tallahassee even at the wine shops. regarding his service -- A+. Attentive but not overbearing. I'm sure the other staff is excellent, but my experience cements my choice for future visits. Okay, the service was top notch, but what about the food? The plan was salad and pizza for oour soiree. But when the daily specials were presented, pasticcio stood put. For me this is a traditional Greek dish (pastitsio) , but the presentation of the special was more like an Italian seafood lasagna. With a combination of bechamel and marinara making a pink sauce, it sounded delish. That's what I opted for, as did my two dining partners. Fresh, warm bread is served for snacking before dinner, and presented with olive oil for dipping it was a perfect starter. I could, in fact, have made a perfectly good meal of the rustic loaf, oil, and chianti. But that's another time. My wife ordered tha pasta fagioli soup and I the Greek salad. The soup was pronounced very good, but she likes Olive Garden's better; my salad was fresh and lightly dressed, but lacked the requisite, for me, anchovies. Good tomatoes in December -- you bet! A nice surprise. The pastitsio. Yes, the pastitisio. The kitchen did one bang up job on this prep. As wonderful as the verbal presentation by our server was, the actual entree was, quite simply, one of the better meals I've taken in Tallahassee. The bechamel was just enough to mellow the marinara so the seafood's flavors were not overpowered by the tomato. All three servings were packed with fresh tasting seafoods. Uncharacteristically, I did not take the time to deconstruct my meal before eating. It was just too darned good. I asked Brian for the house chianti, and he delivered one of the best chiantis I've had the pleasure of drinking. No bitterness, no lingering aftertaste, but robust enough to compliment the dish. I know, I'm begining to rattle too long. Z. Bardhi's is highly recommended. The only drawback I can find is the traffic entering Killearn Lakes can be a distraction. But when I was into the food, nothing could distract me.
(5)Berti H.
Wouldn't you know that now that I am packed to move away from Tallahassee that I discover a great 5 star restaurant. After taking a load of 'collectibles" to the local Goodwill store, my stomach told me to search out a place for lunch. There hidden away in a grove of trees,as one is heading into the Killearn Lake Estates, I see a restaurant with an outdoor patio with linen table clothes and colorful flower arrangements on each table. A quick turn led me to a spacious parking lot and a cozy little Italian restaurant. Word is that the Bardhi brothers came down from New York to build this restaurant and two or three other pizza places in town. The menu offered a great choice from pizza to the usual Italian entrees and I chose my favorite, Chicken Marsala with mushrooms, shallots, scallions, and Marsala wine, over angel hair pasta. The hot homemade bread with olive oil dip set the stage for more mouth-teasing tastes that followed. The chicken was pounded so tender I could cut it easily with a fork and it melted in my mouth. I wanted to eat the entire meal with my eyes closed so that there would be no distractions from the food. I have 2 more weeks left in Tallahassee and I am going to HAVE to find a time to visit this place one more time. It is that good! The wait was short, the service congenial, the ambiance very pleasant. Ciao
(5)Becky T.
The service was absolutely terrible. The owner, Carla Bardhi was incredibly rude to our party. We had a party of 15 people. About 10 more people showed up late (so one of our servers put them at a table near us, only to have Carla come over and tell the party they could not be served due to other reservations. Once the rest of our party left, the table they were sitting at stayed empty the rest of the evening and within 30 mins, there were 4 more empty tables on the patio (where we were seated), so clearly there were no other reservations. We arrived at 7pm, our servers did not take our food order until 8pm (despite us asking 2 times, for them to take our order), our appetizers did not come out until 8:30 pm and our dinner did not come out until 9 pm (2 hours after we were seated.) I personally spoke with Carla to express our frustration and disappointment, and she was not interested in anything I had to say, she never apologized and kept insisting that there was no issue to be addressed. When I walked away in disgust over her lack of customer service, I said "no one in our party will ever come back to your restaurant," at which she replied to me "DO I LOOK STRESSED ABOUT THAT?" Never in my life have I been spoken to in such a rude and disrespectful way. Carla Bardhi should get the "worst customer service" award of the year.
(1)