Bari Ristorante
22 S Cooper St, Memphis, TN, 38104
Bari Ristorante Menu
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Antipast E Primi
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Antipast E Primi - Salumi
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Insalata And Zuppa
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Pasta Course
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Pesce
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Verdure
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Carne
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Desserts - Dolce
Healthy Meal suggestions for Bari Ristorante
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Antipast E Primi
-
Antipast E Primi - Salumi
-
Insalata And Zuppa
-
Pasta Course
-
Pesce
-
Verdure
-
Carne
-
Desserts - Dolce
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Address :
22 S Cooper St
Memphis, TN, 38104 - Phone (901) 722-2244
- Website https://www.barimemphis.com/web/index.php
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm
- Mon : 5:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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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Thuy N.
Different style of Italian dinning, and I am definitely a fan. I've dinned here a few times already and it's safe to say that each experience was as delicious as the next, with great service, too! You will need to make a reservation a head of time because the restaurant is on the smaller size. Tips on: Food - 1. They have delicious selections of cheese and charcuterie for the more sophisticated - great as an appetizer. 2. The entrees come a la carte so order a pasta or side to share. 3. They have daily specials that are awesome! 4. You can't go wrong with any of the seafood or meat dishes. I personally love the fish or catch of the day selections Parking: 1. Parking in this area has gotten a bit more difficult, but there's a parking structure that is a flat fee of $3 dollars so I just park there!
(5)Gillian H.
Our evening at Bari was defined mostly by unenthusiastic service. It's a cute restaurant and obviously popular as the bar area was packed. Dining room was steady, but not overly busy, for a Wednesday. We stopped in for an impromptu dinner to celebrate the hubby's 40th. The menu doesn't offer much variety though there are some interesting choices. I stuck with a traditional offering (carbonara) and hubby went with the tuna. Loved the house salad; mains were fine, but didn't wow us. What really struck us was just how unenthusiastic our server was. He was nice enough, but we waited a good 15 minutes for our first glass of wine and the lack of attention continued from there. In closing: it was nothing more than just fine.
(3)Lo B.
Yum and yum! The food was great, the atmosphere was nice and intimate and the service was great too. A few small negatives. There's only one unisex bathroom that smells like a litter box and the table they sat us at was in the walkway where we were constantly distracted by foot traffic and kitchen noise. We managed to keep the bill relatively low because we just got apps and pasta, dessert and wine were delicious. It's a great place for a couple or just a small group. I love how the bar and restaurant are split and have a different ambiance, as well.
(5)Joelle P.
I had forgotten about this wonderful little gem! My girlfriend and I had girls night here last week...it was amazing! We sat at the bar, had a few drinks and one very delicious cheese plate. The bartender was a doll and I really liked the crowd. Very chill but chic in an understated way. The location is great and it is easy to find parking!
(5)Greg H.
Apulia (Italian: Puglia) is the southeastern region of Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east and the Ionian Sea to the southeast. It forms the high heel on the "boot" of Italy. Bari Ristorante is a perfect representation of Puglia. Every plate, every morsel is a trip to a region of Italy that is overlooked and under appreciated. Puglia's cucina povera (peasant cooking) is legendary. Olive oil, grapes, tomatoes, eggplants, artichokes, peppers, salami, mushrooms, olives and fresh seafood are the regional staples. Yes, I love Puglia. As a young American, I was fortunate to grow up there. While it has some of Italy's best food and wine, it's rare to hear a foreign voice in Apulia. Puglia is sun-bleached landscapes, olive groves, picturesque seascapes and memorable coastal towns. It's a lush, largely flat farming region, with a long coast that alternates between limestone precipices and long sandy beaches. And props to Bari's intimate bar. In a city riddled with substandard "bartenders", Brad Pitts (yes, that's right) is an exceptional mixologist that demonstrates the art, craft and mastery of making cocktails. Memphis is fortunate to have this stellar example of Italian cuisine. Bella! FYI...if you're looking for red/meat sauces, unlimited breadsticks and fried mozzarella, this is not your venue. Hustle your way down to your favorite chain.
(5)Jennifer B.
A great "new" find in Memphis. Joelle P's review (a few years' back) prompted me to try this little Italian bistro near Overton Square. I am now a fan - a wonderful dinner with mom, sis and niece - freshly made pasta, perfect real Caesar salad, nicely prepared fish and lovely service. The ambience is perfect for a romantic meal for 2. The cute young waiter was a good sport with 2 aging Southern Belles (sis and me) being playful until west coast niece intimated (well, announced) our fun was uncomfortably cougar. Said server adapted quickly to our abruptly more formal behavior. Ah, the power of youth - thought no one could do that to me anymore. We went early in deference to mom and my East coast hours - so from empty to entry to almost full as we left. Very limited parking - a few spaces in back and in the street - otherwise you are trekking from the big OS lot or parking deck.
(5)Felipe C.
At night, its romantic ambiance will set the mood for a good night after the meal. For $150, you can taste the most amazing cheeses from around the world. I would say the cheese platter is highly underpriced, and you can split the price among a few good friends. Your mouth will water at the exotic tastes from the parmigiano-reggiano delle vacche rosse to the pecorino al tartufo...you will find a cheese, or a few, to add to your weekly shopping list. Ofcourse, the meet platter goes along great with the cheese, and the wine was spectacular. It is a gem within Memphis. Visit with your loved one, or for quality time with your family or friends. While I ony rate restaurants based on their food (service, ambiance, presentation and price are all irrelevant if the food doesn´t taste amazing), I do have to admit that our waiter was incredibly attentive, kind, and the lighting, table clothes.......and everything...just made the night special and unforgettable.
(5)Adie M.
It's been a long time since I've been to Bari, and I was curious to see if it would live up to what I remember... For the most part, it did! Atmosphere: I love the elegant discretion of the bar and restaurant. Very intimate and perfect for a nice date. Amazing wine list, though I stuck to my usual Prosecco. Several proseccos, I admit. :) Food: have always loved the fried calamari and lemon appetizer, so we started with that as well as a few cured meats and some buffalo mozzarella. Everything was very good, with the cheese being the big surprise - never had fresh mozz so amazing soft and tasty. I'm not sure my date got more than a taste! *wish the waitress paid more attention to our bread consumption. I had to ask for additional pieces a couple times, and each time she had to go get the sacred basket before grudgingly placing a single small slice on my plate, as if I was asking for her first born child. I get that this is a nicer place and you're not meant to fill up on bread, but come on! I like my carbs, man! Sorry - I digress... We also had the spaghetti carbonara. Not my fave type of pasta, but a good representation of it. Entrees - I ordered the Bronzino, which I've gotten every time I've come. Wasn't quite up to what I remember...fish seemed much smaller, and needed additional seasoning. My date had the scallops, which I thought were better. Nicely cooked and perfectly complemented by the fennel. Overall, excellent meal, and I loved the cushy booth we were seated in (only booth in the restaurant, so we lucked out with that).
(4)Shane S.
Very nice and elegant restaurant. The food is great and it can be a very intimate place for a date. The items are al a carte, so the bill can climb quickly. The calimari and raping are great! Wait staff is great as well.
(4)Andy S.
Once a month, some friends and I go out to eat at a "fancy" place, and one month we visited Bari in Overton Square. Bari has been around for a while. They have an extensive wine menu as well as an extensive cheese menu, I presume one of the largest in Memphis. We all tasted the soup of the day, but for the life of me, I can't remember what kind it was. One appetizer that we shared was the mussels in a white wine sauce. They were scrumptious. I love steamed mussels, and these did not disappoint. One friend ordered the spaghetti carbonara. I love spaghetti carbonara. It was good, and it was only $9. That's a bargain for something so good at such a nice restaurant. They also have a delicious beef dish. Additionally, they have a variety of seafood and fish dishes. They have grouper, flounder, scallops, and more. Everything that I have ever had has been great. Vegetable sides are sold separately. Bar is a nice restaurant. To me, it is a perfect place to take a date. It has a great ambience and great service. They also have a full bar.
(4)Richard A.
Spent my birthday dinner here with my lady last week. To sum it up in a few words, as there are 50 plus other reviews that you could read. Scrumptious southeastern Italian grilled seafood drizzled in olive oil. Light servings, not as heavy as other common tomato sauce based Italian restaurants. Definitely a different experience and flavor. Will plan to return with a group of friends to try out their cheese tasting.
(4)Charlie W.
A fixture cemented in Overton Square, Bari was one place I had always wanted to try. I really didn't have much to go on, other than some handy Yelp reviews of course. Seemed like a nice place, so what was with the dichotomy of reviews? Everything was a 2 or 5 star. Well, I'm definitely going with 2 stars. Parking is basically non-existant. I waited for a spot to open up on a Sunday night at the neighboring Lenny's. We walked in, right on time per the reservation, and were a little puzzled. There was no host or anyone to greet us. Just a bar, and a single computer monitor towards the back. The only employee to be seen was the bartender, who was tending to his patrons. WIth no choice, my guests and I kind of stood there like a deer in head lights. Eventually someone came, and she had a wonderful attitude and took us to our table. Inside the dining area is......intimate. The tables are small, and simply (but nicely) decorated. There are a few tables, however, that are simply way too close together. Personally, I know I'm going to feel uncomfortable if I can reach my arm out without fully extending it and touch the table next to me. We could already hear every conversation at every table around us. The menu was in Italian, mostly. Many of the items were close enough to either English or Spanish to be able to understand, and a few of the items had their English translations underneath. The way the menu was set up was a little confusing to a first-comer. My table of 3 had some questions, but most were explained in the totally-necessary-but-extremely-lengthy lecture our server gave us about how to order. This is what I took from the great speech: *Menu is set up from first to last course *Don't dare ask to leave out an ingredient, such as tomatoes or garlic *Don't dare ask to add an ingredient (No, you can't have extra anything) *You must order everything at the exact same time Joelle P. really wasn't kidding about not letting her order her cheese plate before ordering everything else! (How could you deny the Memphis Belle her cheese plate?!) One of my guests asked if she could order some cheeses to try while she looked over the confusing menu. The server simply said that's now how the restaurant worked. She made a completely illogical excuse, but of course the servers can't be faulted. On to the service. Our server was very, very understandably slow getting to the table. Remember what I said about hearing everyone's conversation? Yeah, our poor server had to give the run-down about the menu to every table, which then of course proceeded to ask questions such as my party did. This really was only annoying to me when I needed another glass of wine, but I completely understood her plight. Our server was extremely nice and cordial. The food really was nothing to brag about. The salad was very very good. Everything was decent, with the exception of the scallops, which were horrible. An Italian restaurant that can't prepare scallops is a little unnerving. The wine selection was decent. The price is very expensive (the cheese plate was about $8 per 2 slices) and completely not worth what you get. I didn't even care about the price going into this, but at the end of the day if you're going to break the bank coming here why not leave happy? TLDR; Stick with the 2 star reviews. Pretty good service, Meh food, not-so-great ordering system, horrible parking.
(2)Arpana W.
If you are looking for an intimate, but somewhat casual, stylish italian ristorante, give Bari a try. This place has the best cheese plates and unique cocktails for your imbibing pleasure. Get there for a post work cocktail and stay for the delicious charcuterie. Not to mention the food!!
(4)Dean D.
We have dined at Bari Restaurant twice now; the first time was around five years ago and we were not that impressed. After seeing all the four and five-star reviews from my fellow Yelpers my wife and I decided to give Bari Restaurant a second go. The service was very good and our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and had some very good recommendations. I didn't take a look at the wine menu but from reading some of the previous reviews my understanding is that they generally serve mostly Italian wines. My wife prefers a good Chardonnay and I prefer a good Sauvignon Blanc. I was very surprised that the restaurant carried only one Chardonnay so my wife ordered that Chardonnay and I ordered a Sauvignon Blanc recommended by our waiter. If a restaurant carries only one Chardonnay you would think that they would choose a halfway decent Chardonnay. Unfortunately, the Chardonnay my wife received was the worst we have ever had and tasted like it was watered down. I'm sure their Italian wines are quite good, so enough about the wine, let's move on to our meal choices. We started off with the Calamari Con Pomodoro: sautéed calamari with tomatoes, garlic and black olives. This plate was beautifully presented, nice flavors, slightly on the fishy side but overall a very good choice for calamari fans. Next we ordered a cheese plate which we left up to our waiter to put together for us. They have an extensive cheese menu and the selections made by our waiter were right on point. My only critique is that they served the cheese without any crackers or bread. They do occasionally come around and put one thin slice of bread on your plate but I would have preferred a basket of bread or crackers served with what turned out to be a very expensive cheese plate. For our main entrées, I ordered the Rigatoni Con Funghi, Broccoli E Formaggio Di Capra: Rigatoni with portabella, broccoli, garlic, and goat cheese. My wife ordered a Halibut special which was actually very good and nicely presented. Overall, my rigatoni was very good; presentation was beautifully done but portion size was disappointing. We finished our meal ordering one dessert, two cappuccinos and shared the Torte Di Gelato Di Banana: Home made torte filled with banana mascarpone zabaglione gelato, served with chocolate drizzle (suggested with sforno puglia moscato). Overall, the food seems to be pretty good but not great. Portions are on the small size and the food tends to be overpriced. (Our meal was over $200) With so many other great restaurants in that area more appropriately priced I probably will not be going back to Bari restaurant anytime soon.
(3)Vincent L.
My experience was not so good. The concept and flow of the restaurant was very confusing. 3 doors to choose from in which there were no signs to direct the diners on where to enter and where to exit. The food is overpriced and bland. I had to salt my soup and side dishes in order to overcome the lack of seasoning. The appetizers we ordered which was on the list of specials were not good, at all. They were "grilled" oysters, but they looked like they had been boiled. The fennel shavings on top did not complement the oysters at all. The fennel was undercooked and it was not pleasant to eat. Sad to say it took us over two hours to be seated, order our drinks, appetizers, and entrees. I won't be coming here again.... This place is a flop. I don't understand how people like eating here.
(2)He And She I.
This is indeed a little gem. We had chosen it because of the sardines on the menu, and the restaurants location. The waitress was very knowledgeable, and able to offer me a wine that was new to me, but like one of my favorites. The cheese she chose, based on my likes, was incredible. The sardines, however, spent some somewhere other than in the water or on the grill, whether it was in the freezer, or under the hot light, and unfortunately, suffered from this exposure. I, too, like some of the other diners, would have like to have my arriabiatta with a different pasta, but I survived. And the pasta dish did have plenty of anchovies, which helped. I think I would use this restaurant for a special occasion but not for regular dining.
(4)Ashley H.
I've been wanting to try Bari for several months. Last night, we were meeting friends for dinner and they wanted Italian food, so it seemed like a great time to visit Bari. We arrived between 6:30 and 7:00 on a Saturday night, and there were plenty of empty tables. In fact, I don't recall seeing the restaurant full at any given time. The atmosphere was inviting and the service was wonderful, so that only leaves one reason the place wouldn't be full: the food. Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't terrible. I don't think anyone at our table gagged after taking a bite. Nothing we tasted wowed us at all. Three of us thought it was meh, with one saying it was awful. Here's the thing, if you're going to charge $24 for a piece of fish smaller than the palm of my hand, plus an additional $12 for a salad, plus $9 for pasta, plus $7 for a vegetable, bring me something better than I can cook at home. This simply wasn't. Not one single thing was as good as I could have made it myself. It was all mediocre, at best. I realize our standards are high because we've enjoyed some pretty phenomenal Italian food all over and outside of the US, and the same goes for our friends. This food wasn't even impressive for the Memphis area, which is seriously lacking in authentic Italian restaurants. The prices wouldn't have been bad if the food had been more enjoyable. I've spent more on better food at other places and left happily awaiting my next dining experience with them. There are much better places to eat for the price. In all honesty, Bari was a total let down.
(2)Josh B.
They definitely have good food, but there are a few issues with the place. It is cold and cramped and difficult to get subsitutions or ask for something without a particular ingredient. It is sad when chefs forget who they are cooking for. Italian cooking is all about substitutions, I suppose someone should remind the chef about that. Thier antipasti plates are great and so is thier pasta with spicy marinara (although I no longer see it on the menu). The meatballs are somewhat dry. They have good bread, cheese, and marinated vegetables. It is not nearly as authentic as they claim, but decent overall.
(3)Ethan B.
So I heard wonderful things about Bari, but I've been around enough to take things with a grain of salt. A friend and I went and split a cheese course, the mussels, and the whole cornmeal fried snapper. Let's start from the beginning. We sat right away, though it took about 10 minutes to bring water glasses over. I'm sorry but as a former restaurant worker that's not acceptable.. especially for these prices. I digress... So we picked an arrangement of cheeses. 4 or 5 as I recall. There was nothing particularly wrong with them but we had run out of bread midway through and couldn't get more... I'm now beginning to really doubt the service... The portions of cheese were also a bit meager for the cost.. People seem to forget that we are in Memphis and typically 5-type cheese plates in new york city barely cost 40 dollars... I'm not a stickler for price, but it just seemed like they could have tried a bit harder or I could just go to Whole Foods. The mussels came out. A nice size portion. Tasty with a kick. Definite redeemer. Then came the snapper. It looked Gorgeous... but as soon as I tore into it, you could tell that it wasn't done. Like not that bordering on underdone... it was about 1/4 raw.. Now I'm fine with raw snapper and I had been waiting long enough so my friend ate most of the cooked parts while I devoured the rest. When i mentioned it to the waitress, she didn't even acknowledge it or feign a "oh! I'll be certain to let the kitchen know." Nearly 3 hours later and not really satisfied, we left... I guess for the hype, I expected better. For the cost I expected better. I'll be choosing somewhere else in the future. Sorry guys.
(2)Josh W.
This is my favorite restaurant in Memphis. The food is always reliable and perfect. They make small pasta disches so that you can also eat a main dish or appetizer and dessert. The fish is incredible!!!! Like actually eating in Italy. The wine list contains some quirky Italian varietals so you may get challenged a bit, but the waitstaff are always knowledgable, friendly and cute!
(5)Veronica X.
"Give me some remarkable olive oil, I will throw you an Italian feast. " -Leonardo Da Vinci.* The Renaissance man is always right. After tasting the crusty, fresh-out-of-the-oven bread dipped into the golden olive oil on the table at Bari, I added olive oil tasting in Italy to my ever growing bucket list. It's called liquid gold for a reason. Oh, the mussels were not too shabby either. They were served piping hot, as they should be. Generous portion, plump, juicy, not one unopened or empty, though not completely sand/grit free. Usually it is a no brainer to soak up the wine broth with bread, but in this case, it was a struggle and in the end the olive oil won the bread over--yeah, it was that good. * He may or may not have said that, but you get the idea...
(4)Dylan T.
Another great restaurant on this little block! The service was great and all of the menus are overwhelming, but equally great. I really wish I had the chance to try more of their cheeses, but alas, you have to get to the real menu. I think 3 of us ended up getting the bistecca, which was delicious. The bronzino was delicate and cooked perfectly, but I was in the mood for red meat. This is a great spot for a special occasion. The decor is modern, but cozy and the bar area is decently sized for the overall space.
(5)Elle S.
So the last two times i have been here i have hated it... I asked to change the pasta on a meal and they wouldn't do it, which is pretentious and ridiculous...it's rigatoni and i asked for angel... it's not the end of the world but the bartender was douchey about it and was very accommodating to other people around me so i stopped going. Then the next time i went... the food was just terrible i got whatever is the beef on the menu and it was super chewy and did not have any flavor. the portobello mushroom side was yucky (and i eat almost everything). The mussels were not good either this time and the banana ice cream pie crust tasted old..... the service was fine sad sad about the food
(2)Shaina G.
Italian is my favorite and Bari felt like a step into Italia! We started off with glasses of Prosecco and a meat & cheese plate that was killer! In the true spirit of Italian dining, all of the courses are smaller portions so you can order several, such as an antipasto, soup/salad, pasta, entree and dessert. Our server Lydia was so friendly, very knowledgable of the menu and, best of all, put up with our many ridiculous questions! I didn't love my pasta, but I didn't hate it. It was a little sweet for my taste. My gf got the steak, which was amazing! Overall, we had a wonderful evening! I cannot wait to go back to find a pasta dish I do love!
(4)Christophe M.
Sorry, I wanted to be able to give more but the portions were absolutely to small and my wife's sardines were charred, it should not have left the kitchen. A shame because it had a lot of potential, we will not be coming back a 3e time.
(2)Catherine H.
I am constantly amazed that Bari doesn't get the same accolades as Iris or Andrew Michael. The menu is not your typical appetizer, salad, entree, dessert, but it is full of amazing dishes that you aren't going to find anywhere else. This is not the type of place that is full of the latest trends. It is the type of restaurant that offers some of the best high quality ingredients prepared simply to highlight what you are eating. The grilled raddichio and endive salad with goronzola is just that- a small wedge of grilled endive and a small wedge of grilled raddichio over a little chunk of gorgonzola dressed with a little red wine vinegar. Your pastas will be small portions and homemade. Your fish will be dressed very simply and a reasonable portion. The cheese selection rivals any restaurant that I have been. This will not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you love homemade pastas that aren't drowned in marinara and mozzarella and seafood preparations that highlight, rather than hide, the fish, you need to give this place a try. The wait staff are top notch, the food is amazing, and the space is lovely.
(5)Martin K.
This place is very deceiving from the outside we almost kept on driving past but took an opportunity to go inside. when you step into the bar you again might wonder if you should turn around but as you move to the back where the restaurant tables are you find a different setting. The food was fabulous let me say again the food was fabulous the wine was outstanding the service was extraordinary this is a place I will be back to many times. If you're visiting Memphis don't miss an opportunity to go to this great place
(5)Curtis B.
A dining experience to rival the best restaurants. Amateurs should keep an open mind. Do come if: You trust the chef and wouldn't dare make a substitution. You would never salt food you hadn't tasted. You aren't afraid to ask questions. You want to have an amazing food experience. You understand that all of this costs, and won't even look at a price on the food menu. You believe that your wait staff is there to guide you through your experience, not just bring you more bread. You either consider yourself a foodie or are open to experiencing fine cuisine even if it isn't what you expect. Don't come if: You care about portion size. You like to order a well done steak and baked potato without reading a menu. You are intimidated by menu items you've never heard of. You want a pizza and a beer after work. You drink only one variety of wine because it is all you like. When you read the menu, you'll notice a note at the bottom. It says they will make no substitutions or exclusions to any dish. If this is a problem, go to Bosco's. Bosco's is AWESOME. And you'll be very happy there. We go all the time. If you are an amateur and need a little help, the wait staff is very kind and not at all pretentious about describing the dishes to you. The wine list is all italian as well. Just give them a price range and let them pair it if you don't know italian wines. The portion sizes are small. You'll need to order at least 3 courses. I would say 2 Antipasti e Primi items for every 3 in your party. Salad or soup is probably optional, but everyone should order a pasta and a meat/fish course. Maybe 1 cheese for every pair of diners, and 1 dessert per pair. There were 5 of us. Of what we ordered (and all was excellent) the favorites were: Mussels Rigatoni Carbonara Bronzino Corvino Gingerbread Gelato They were out of the sardines, which is one of their specialties. The service was exceptional. We'll be back.
(5)Chris M.
First not so good experience at Bari. Bartender wasn't very good and the food was unusually disappointing. $25 for a very subpar tuna special that was tiny. Crap, I hope this is not another place going down the tubes. It is Sunday night and not too busy so I'm guessing it was not the head chef. Man, I'm really disappointed as I have always recommended this place and enjoyed it. I couldn't recommend the meal or service tonight to anybody. $100 for bad service and food.
(2)Jeff S.
One of our favorite restaurants to go to, never have had a bad experience. We always order a cheese plate first, and let the server pick the three cheeses. I've read some reviews that say you have to order all at once, but this confuses me, as we've never had this happen to us. The pastas are filling enough for a meal, and that's what I usually go with.
(4)Mike J.
Went again tonight, about 4 years later. My original review still stands. The food is great, the service is excellent, but it's still pricey. I must have enjoyed my supper because I got fish, oil, and camari sauce on my shirt, all in one sitting. Bibs next time.
(4)Amanda C.
Everything I ate at Bari was top notch. The restaurant itself is quaint and quite, and you almost feel as if you are in a different city. Bari has small dishes, so you can order different courses and try a bit of everything. So naturally, that's what my date and I did. We started with cheese and salami (and wine---of course). I couldn't even pronounce the cheese we got, so I won't attempt to write it, but it was phenomenal. P.S. I could just go and eat cheese and salami and drink wine. Maybe next time. After that I ordered a dish with orzo in a a tomato based sauce with lumps of crab meat, and it was one of the most delicious dishes I have ever had. I think I told everyone I knew about it. There were huge lumps of crab meat and the orzo was cooked perfectly. My date ordered a pasta with pancetta and a creamy alfredo-like sauce. It was good, but didn't hold a candle to my delicious orzo. We then each ordered fish. I had the grouper and he had the halibut (I think--I can't remember correctly because my food coma started to come on) and we ordered a side of brussel sprouts to split. Both fish dishes were great. The fish was flaky and seasoned just right. But dear Lord, the brussel sprouts were so good!! I think I forgot about the fish to inhale the brussel sprouts. I love brussel sprouts, but I'm convinced even the pickiest of eaters would like these. They were sauteed with garlic, onion and feta and deliciousness. Order them. We had some decadent chocolate dessert that was delicious but very rich. I was so full and happy that I didn't even know what was ordered at that point. Anyways, I will be back to Bari because the food was excellent!
(5)Laura M.
My friends and i walked in on a saturday night, a night when most restaurants have lines out the door. Only two other tables were occupied, yet the hostess asked if we had a reservation. We should have walked out when the waiter told my friend at Bari, an alleged Italian restaurant, that he could not sell her a side of a pasta to accompany her order of meatballs. What self respecting restaurant, and an Italian one at that, does not sell a side order of pasta? That's like going to a Chinese place that won't sell you rice. Bari is one of those hole in the wall restaurants that pretends to be chic in that shabby, hipster way with uncomfortable chairs and a gas station restroom, but the food is not good enough to pull that off. An order of three semi-tough meatballs drizzled with sauce and a few shards of Parmesan was 24.00. Just meatballs. No pasta. Which you cannot order on the side. I ordered meatballs and a side of potatoes. No alcohol, yet with the tip, my bill came to nearly forty dollars. If you want to spend forty dollars on a meal, use it on a much better meal and venue at a Sunday brunch at the Peabody Hotel. For less than forty dollars a person theCapriccio Grill Italian steakhouse will entreat you to breakfast and/ or lunch items of an endless variety, and a litany of yummy desserts. All of this includes champagne or mimosas and coffee. The surroundings are grand, and the shrooms are clean and spacious. If you arrive before eleven you may witness the traditional duck walk of the resident ducks to the lobby fountain. Bari offers nothing more than mediocre food, uncomfortable seating and ambivalent atmosphere. Don't bother.
(2)Alice N.
Great atmosphere, great roasted potatoes, great soup, great service!
(5)Raymond B.
If "ristorante" is Italian for "restaurant"... Bari must be Italian for "really good." (In reality, Bari is a coastal city in Italy that is just north of the heel of the 'boot' of Italy, most famous for it's ferry port to Greece and being the only European city to experience chemical warfare in World War II... but you can Wikipedia too, I digress). Let's run it down. First off, the parking is a 2 star... situation. You have to park in the YoLo parking lot, or across Cooper in the big empty parking lot and cross the street at night. There is some parking behind the place, but it's always full. Once you figure out where to put your car, you'll find that the door is unmarked and doesn't appear to be the correct entrance... but it is, just pull it open, and walk in. They've made it as difficult as possible to get in there, but nonetheless... welcome to Bari! Two options, sit at ther bar (my personal preference) or dining room (also good). The bartender is usually a guy named Brad Pitts... not kidding... who has been named the second best bartender in Memphis by the Memphis Flyer for two years running. He's fantastic. He's got the cocktails / wine down... but it's the knowledge of menu that really kicks it up to a whole different level... and it makes eating up at the bar a great experience. Overall... either room you can be casual to dressy, but it's always classy... you'll look just fine... in fact, you look marvelous. Food: Authentic! You can't often find the food they offer here. Grilled sardines, octopus, a carbonara that makes me dizzy it's so good, etc. etc. They have a pretty extensive selection, and I actually rarely get an "entree"... and stick around the appetizers/pasta dishes and I leave completely satisfied. Price: You can spend plenty, or you can get out of there quite frugally. Order one Peroni (the only beer on tap), a two cheese plate, and a pasta dish... you're outta there spending $25 with tip. Or... order a couple of 'Brazilian' cocktails, the octopus, a pasta dish to share, a bottle of wine, two entrees, dessert, and a digestif... and you'll spend $200. Up to you, amico... it's why I like Bari... it's ... how you say... "scalable" in Italian. Buon appetito!
(5)Bryan L.
Very laid back, great food! I like when the server has to apologize for the amount of menus. That means there's options. Then she read us the specials... I went with the steak, and some choices off their extensive cheese list. Strong drinks paired great with the meat and cheese. I'll be back.
(4)Holle C.
Bari Friday night was fabulous. Three of us, reservations and seated immediately by interesting waterfall tower. Intimate seating, smallish but ample room. Had halibut that was perfectly crusted. Ribeye w goat cheese - delish. Sea bass w oranges was special and perfect. Oysters were wonderful appetizer. Nice wine selection. Waiter - Mark - personable and patient. Visiting from VA and will return to Bari and will make time for cocktail at cozy bar and definitely partake of cheese selections!
(4)Dan B.
Great fish options; brad (i think thats his name) at bar is terrific! Great service! Cheese plate good. Terrific and affordable wine selection.
(5)Phoebe M.
I just realized that I've had this account for several months and have yet to review Bari, which is in my top 5 restaurants in Memphis. I refuse to commit to any of my favorites being "#1" since I like them all for different reasons. Bari is intimate, friendly and delicious. From my first visit several years ago til my most recent trip there a couple of months ago, I have been consistently pleased with my experiences there. The owners have managed to assemble a staff that is a perfect balance of professional and friendly. It is the only place in Memphis where one can find Northern Italian dishes instead of your typical marinara/ Bolognese / Alfredo / pesto pastas or lasagna (there are many, many wonderful options for those in Memphis as well). There is nothing on the menu that I have tried in which I have been disappointed. It took a while for me to branch out from ordering the same thing over and over again - namely the linguine con bottarga (not always on the menu - depends on the availability of the bottarga, or pressed and shaved roe) and the scallops with fennel and sambuca and a side of the roasted potatoes - BUT when I do try something different, I am always glad that I did. I've done the full cheese tasting in the past, and if you have the time, the money and enough friends who will go on the adventure with you, DO IT. When my husband I are just going for dinner we try to order something different every time, but it's hard not to go back to old favorites. I recommend that you go and try all of the courses - you won't regret it. The oysters and the eggplant fritters are my favorite appetizers. My husband and I have differing opinions on the salads - he prefers the radicchio and endive, I prefer the lattuga...the orecchiette and carbonara are my favorite pastas when I cannot get the linguine con bottargo, although I think that I have tried them all by now and enjoyed them all! Another Bari bonus - they have lots of wines that they import just for the restaurant - you won't be able to find them anywhere else in Memphis. Go...expect to spend a bit of time and a bit of money if you choose to go with all the courses - it's up to you how much of each you want to invest in the night, but I say go for it!
(5)Cheryl And Bryan P.
Bari was great. I ordered the red snapper and the portion was a little small. I loved the cheese selection and wine list! The best was the gingerbread gelato dessert.
(4)Tanya T.
I love the food here at Bari- the imported cheeses (I could live on cheese) are so good, and the crusty bread with olive oil makes me swoon. I've had the orzo pasta, which comes with crab meat, tomatoes and garlic. Delicious, and a good sized portion. All of their wines are Italian, and are served by the glass or bottle. Bari has pretty regular wine and cheese tastings so keep your eyes out for the special events. A great place to go, but be warned, you'll spend a pretty penny or two here.
(3)Daniel M.
Fantastic experience on Valentine's Day. Stephen was attentive, fun, and helpful with wine choices. Food was beyond good!
(5)Andy L.
Bari is located inside the front of an old three story brick multifamily, much as it might be if it were a friendly, neighborhood restaurant in a Little Italy section of a northeastern city. That's about where the similarity ends. Upon entry, we were greeted by the bartender, this night a friendly and menu-knowledgeable fellow. We sat down for a drink before dinner, largely because he was so welcoming and chatty. When we sat for dinner, we were presented with a sizable menu and a very large cheese menu (they don't always have all of the cheeses, as we found out toward the end of the meal). A word about the menu: you are encouraged to order several courses, including appetizer, pasta, entree and cheese or dessert. In order to make this workable for most people, the kitchen doles out smaller portions of each course than one might expect. This is explained on the menu. The smaller portions also account for what initially seems like pretty reasonable prices. Flexibility is not this ristorante's strong point, however. If you don't want multiple courses you can get a single dish, but it will still be small. Also, you can't make changes to any of the dishes. The chef himself adheres to his own rigidity: There is a pasta dish on the menu, Penne con Cippola e Scarolla, which contains escarole. Escarole is a minor vegetable, although used extensively in southern Italian cooking. The night we were there they did not have escarole, so the dish was not available. Now, spinach or any number of leafy vegetables could have substituted (with an explanation from the wait staff, of course) for escarole in a pasta dish. But, no. No escarole, no Penne. Too bad if you really like Penne. You have to wait until they get some escarole. So let's talk about the food. We opted to skip the four course meal and just have entrees and cheese. Orecchiette alla Pugliese ($9) came with sauteed rapini, anchovies, tomatoes and garlic. Although flavorful, the pasta was over cooked and the portion was the "as advertised" smaller portion. One of our diners wanted pasta but did not find the busy combination of ingredients in the five pastas on the menu appealing. Since they wouldn't make changes to the dishes, she had to settle for a pasta off the Kid's Menu. Spaghetti with olive oil ($6) was al dente but more appealing, I suspect, to a small child. Sardina alla Graticola ($16) was three grilled fresh sardines on a plate, drizzled with olive oil and accompanied by a lemon wedge. That's it. No garnish, no little side of greens (we already knew that they were out of escarole!), nothing. Just three naked sardines. One thing that surprised me was how quickly the sardines came to the table after ordering. Also, they were well-grilled (dark) and warm, but not crispy skinned or hot as one might expect for fish right off the grill. I don't like to ask this, but could they have been made in advance and warmed up? Then came the cheese. The cheeses run from $5-$11 per portion, which are about 3-4 pieces of cheese. The bartender told us to ask about the cheese special, which was a choice of 3 cheeses for $15 from a subset of their large list of selections (2 pages!). Our waitress, who had been a bit snippy all night, told us that the special was only available in the bar. We were going to move to the bar, especially since we liked the bartender better, but she came back and said that she would "offer it to us" even though we were in the dining room. Who makes up these ridiculous rules? Naturally, they did not have all of the cheeses on that night's special menu, but we eventually found three that worked for us. We shared a bottle of Sella & Mosca Tanca Farra ($44; about $20 retail), a blend of Cannonau and Cabernet Sauvignon from Sardinia. The wine had nice fruit balanced with a little raciness common with Sardinian Cannonau. It is possible that a larger selection of dishes might have made a more positive impression on us, but what they did serve was not great, so I doubt it. The possibility that they are heating up pre-made dishes is also discouraging. The restaurant's inflexible policies are not welcoming and really do not work unless they happen to fit your dining preferences on the evening that you are there. Snippy wait staff do not make the evening any better.
(1)Erica B.
I went to bed and woke up this morning thinking the same thing- why have I waited this long to eat at Bari?! If you live in Memphis and haven't made it yet, you need to quit with the excuses and make reservations. I know our excuse was always waiting for a special occasion due to this crazy notion about the price point, but it totally isn't necessary. You can get away with spending $20 bucks a person if you wanted to- and if it is a situation of going or not going then my advice is to buck up, head in for a glass of wine and a plate of pasta. Hell, you can even sit at the bar if you want it to be a bit more low-key. Because we were celebrating my birthday and our first real, deal date-night in over 5 months we happened to go all out. We didn't look at price points, ordered whatever the heck we felt like ordering and spent a solid 3 hours at our table. This place is quaint, cozy, not at all pretentious and very accommodating. We were tucked away in a corner table and though we were by ourselves for most of the evening, at one point a lone man was sat next to us. Our tables were a bit close, as others have mentioned, but I never even noticed his presence. That's the beauty of dining in a space like Bari. It forces you to slow down, enjoy your meal and the conversation between your dining companion. I never realized exactly how hurried I am when dining at an every-day restaurant until last night. I can honestly say I haven't had this nice of a dining experience in quite some time. We allowed our waitress to choose three cheeses as well as wine pairings for our first course- and all were delicious. The wine was outstanding, wish I could remember the name. The cheese was phenomenal. If you're into cheese, just go and have them bring out whatever, you can't go wrong with a two page menu of nothing but cheeses. My husband's Orecchiette Alla Pugliese (handmade "little ear" pasta, sauteed rapini, tomatoes, salt cured anchovies, and garlic) was to die for. The pasta was delicious and the saltiness of the anchovies paired with the fresh tomatoes and rapini was fabulous. I went with the Orzo with crab meat and was a bit disappointed. Was it good? Yes, but bland. I was more disappointed by the fact that I only ordered it due to the reviews of it here on Yelp. I ended up leaving a large portion of it on my plate for fear of filling up on something less than amazing.(Yeah those folks complaining about portion sizes? Crazy- just crazy. Unless you want a trough of pasta and slabs of meat you'll be just fine) The Lattuga salad made me want to lick my plate clean and the Frutti di Mare was fresh, lightly seasoned and delicious. Our fish (sea bass and flounder) was melt in your mouth and the Gingerbread Gelato paired with dessert wine and a Grappa tasting was the perfect end to a perfect evening. I have to give a nod to our waitress, Jenny. She was nothing short of amazing and we relied heavily upon her choices for cheese as well as wine and alcohol pairings with each course. She was extremely knowledgeable of the menu and saved us the headache of trying to choose. Everything she brought out to us was the perfect choice and I found myself lifting empty wine glasses to my lips frequently. Have I mentioned how delicious these wines were?! When we return I will request her to serve us again.
(5)Claudia B.
I've been to this place twice and I've been disappointed twice. Not a masochist, but I figured I would give this place a second chance given their nice selection of cheeses (oh! cheese! that's the only reason I am a vegetarian and couldn't never be a vegan). Anyway, beyond the cheese, this place has nothing great to offer. I ordered their pasta (pasta and fagioli) and the fagioli (a small bean) was not only bland, but under-cooked. Nasty as it can be! Unfortunately I was taking people out for work-related business so I didn't want to complain; otherwise, I would have sent it right back to the kitchen (I have never before felt compelled to send food back, ever!). I just think that when you are spending over $50 a person for a meal that you would walk out satisfied with the food and service, I don't think any of the 5 people that where with me that day really though much of the food. I would say if you must go here. go for the wine and cheese and nothing else. I know the quality of the Italian restaurants in Memphis is mediocre, but this place is far below par to maybe even the Olive Garden (and I just puked a little by writing that down).
(2)Colleen G.
My experience at Bari was nothing but awesome. My husband and I ate here for our anniversary, and we left satisfied.. not overly stuffed or in need of a wheelbarrow to get to the car, but we had a purely wonderful dinner. Service was great. It was a slower night, so most of our dinner we had the dining room to ourselves! We chose the booth with the comfy chairs. We started with a meat & cheese plate. Our server picked our cheeses, and man, she did a great job. I am a cheese fanatic, but the three cheeses we had were just too good. We then had two pasta dishes: the rigatoni with goat cheese, broccoli, and portobello mushrooms (to. die. for.) and the spaghetti alla carbonara, which was equally good and simple. My husband had the scallops and I had the corvina for our seafood plates. Everything was so good! We had a hard time sharing these plates. It all went perfectly with a bottle of prosecco. Yum. I can't say anything bad about the dinner we had at Bari. So worth it.
(5)Rayna L.
Overpriced for the amount of food and presentation. I'm not originally from Memphis so I've been spoiled with great food from bigger cities. I had the scallop dinner - very disappointing. I don't mind that there was only two scallops but the size of the two was incredibly tiny and the sides are ridiculously small too. Will not return but feel free to - if you have extra money to throw away.
(1)Meredith P.
If you live in Memphis and you have never eaten at Bari, you have sinned in my book. It's a small, Northern Italian restaurant in Midtown that specializes in absolutely amazing cheeses and pastas. Even though they took my favorite dish off the menu (Cavatelli with mussels and baby squids in tomato broth), I still love that place dearly. Definitely try the Clarissa cheese, the Rigatoni or Orzo entree, and the mussels if they have them for the special. Also, there is a pretty decent wine list and a bottle of Pinot Grigio for $20. Be sure to make reservations and ask your waiter to pick out a few cheeses to try!
(5)David O.
Terrible service and experience for our group of nine! I've never had it take 1.5 hours to get the bill correct and processed before. It was a Saturday night and surprise ... no management was available. Not even a "I'm sorry".
(1)Tina S.
Not impressed. Having read reviews, I happily reserved at Bari. I found it just a bit pretentious and self-conscious in that way that restaurants become when they get complacent. This business of not being able to bring you anything until you have a full order is absurd. That would keep me from going back even if the food was better. If a chef/owner isn't focused on customer service, they need to be in another business. The result is a meal timed by the staff and not the customer. My martini wasn't even half finished when I was served the first course. Our waiter couldn't tell us where the oysters came from...a fairly important bit of info for oyster lovers. The Bronzino was cooked well but under seasoned, the bistecca simply a poor piece of meat, so full of gristle that much was left on the plate. Our vegetable order was forgotten, and the single half slice of bread seemed to be the extent of bread service. So, pretty mediocre. If this serves for high end in Memphis, the food scene is pretty sad.
(2)Debbie P.
This restaurant is new and part of the newly resurrected Overton Square area. It is comfortable, and a nice place for dinner. You walk into the bar and there are dining areas in the other two rooms. You must order everything at once. It's a rule on the menu. Therefore, you cannot order appetizers while you make up your mind. The portions are intentionally small, and so you can experiment with more than one dish. There are two restrooms, although the one in the restaurant side was hard to find in such a small place.
(4)Alan K.
I think this restaurant is a gem in midtown, but I made the mistake of ordering the wrong type of food... I went with a group of guys (business dinner), and we went the red-wine-and-red-meat route. The ribeye was kind of fatty & overcooked, though the Sangiovese was outstanding. I SHOULD have gone with a cheese appetizer and a fish entree, as I realize now that this is their real forte. I will be back (with my wife) to test out this theory very soon!
(4)Tim P.
We want to like it because it's convenient and we love Italian food. This was visit number five so we've given them every opportunity for success. Granted, we've been to Italy twice in the past three years so our horizons are broad. However, we wanted to visit with a friend before they move away. He is vegetarian and we thought pasta would be good. We immediately ordered a bottle of wine, he ordered olives and I ordered two first courses. We were told we had to order everything all at once because the kitchen was small. WHAT??? So, we sent her away to get the wine. Then we didn't see the server again for quiet some time. There were only two other parties when we arrived at 7PM. We did as she insisted and then when she started bringing the dishes she didn't notice empty glasses of wine or water. We had the oysters and there were only five...who's ever heard of anything other than a half dozen or dozen unless they are priced individually...NO!!! The special braised dandelion greens were so strong we wanted to send them back but the server didn't show up until we were finished. The pasta dishes were good but I can do better at home. We paid and went next door to YoLo for desert. Unfortunately, the owners (also of Three Angel fame, which we hate) just have different ideas of food and service than we. We'll just make pasta, open wine we brought from Italy and stay at home.
(2)Kerry C.
Though Bari is a thoroughly Italian restaurant, it's not the sort of place to go expecting pizza and spaghetti. The menu's hyper-regional focus on food from Puglia means that their dishes are a little more surprising (and much lighter) than more typical Italian food. The menu has the dishes broken up into courses, with the idea that people will order something from various courses, a la carte style. The plates are small and inexpensive (with the exception of the meat courses, which range from $15-25). You can eat just a little bit, or, you can do what I did and eat a little bit of everything. I started with two cheeses from Bari's impressive list of more than 4o Italian cheeses and some salami. I wish I had written down what I ordered, because all I can tell you about my cheese is that one was hard and tangy (like an Asiago) and one was semi-soft, tart and a little stinky. The salami slices were sculpted into an impressive rose, and there was plenty of each cheese to share. I also had a Lattuga salad, which was a bed of buttery greens topped with nuts, creamy goat cheese and grapefruit slices. The dressing was sweet and a little smoky. I may or may not be daydreaming about it right now. For dinner, I got the Orzo Pomodoro. The sauce was tomato-based, but not overwhelmingly so. It had some bite to it (as a result of the pepper), but it contrasted beautifully with the chunks of sweet lump crab meat. Bari's dessert menu is short - there are maybe five options - but it's pretty awesome. I had the apple semolina cake, which is perfect if you want something that's sweet, but not entirely too saccharine. The restaurant is cozy - it's the perfect spot for a date or special occasion dinner. For those of you who don't eat meat, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.You can eat at the bar or in the small dining room. Because the dining room is small (it seats maybe 20 people), I highly recommend making reservations, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
(5)Brian C.
Maybe they had a bad day or someone new on the job but we were very annoyed after making reservations, driving across town and being told they didn't have us on the list.
(1)Kim G.
We loved our time at Bari. The atmosphere was terrific the food was good and the waiter was fantastic. Ask for Mark!
(4)Laura A.
My bf and I ate here for a special occasion and it was so nice! We made a reservation through "open table" on Yelp and it worked out perfectly! We were taken right away and our table was ready. It was a small, cute space, quiet but inviting. I believe they were understaffed that night, but the waiter and waitress were very nice and accommodating! It was a bit expensive, and the meal portions are small, but we prefer this style, shared, and it was delicious! I had the scallops and my bf got the steak. We were both very satisfied and left satisfied, but not stuffed. Had a great time! Thanks Bari!
(4)Gregorio S.
Just the best "traditional" Italian place in town. If you want spaghetti and meatballs, don't come here as you won't appreciate the menu! Great food and the service is spot on!
(5)A L.
Good stuff stick.with the pastas you can't go wrong. Nice place to take someone special
(4)Lisa M J.
After posting my original review I was contacted by one of the restaurant owners asking for more details about my unpleasant experience. It appears that our server may have been a "bad apple" and as it turns out he is no longer employed there. As we live in the neighborhood and want to like this place we went back and actually ate - but at the bar. Bartender was fantastic (as he had been originally) and food was flavorful. Mussels were yummy (well seasoned, no closed un-edible ones to be found) and all our pasta dishes were tasty and properly cooked. A number of guest around us seemed to be regulars so this seemed reassuring. Next time we will brave the dining room and see if we can have a positive experience there as well.
(4)Melissa M.
I was taken here on a date. We had wine, cheese, olives and a pasta dish each. I don't know that I would chose this place on my own based on the cost, but the food was definitely delicious and flavorful. My date was vegetarian, and they did have plenty of things to suit his eating habits as well. Scoping out the other diners portions, they did look rather tiny, but I seemed to feel full enough. The ambiance is very nice.
(4)Jeff S.
Overall excellent meal and menu! Disappointed in the mozzarella di bufala supposedly from Campagnia region (I lived in Napoli for 3 yrs). But that was the only disappointment in an otherwise excellent meal! Superb menu choices, coupled with excellent cheese and wine menus. Highly recommended
(5)Tara W.
Hey there Memphians.. so awesome Italian in Memphis. I am putting as good as it gets for Memphis. Finally! Comparable to Jersey Italian or something you would find on a Federal Hillesque street. Follow the yellow brick road to the cheese and meat mecca of Memphis. They import their meat and cheese Internationally and NY. Freshly baked bread and nutty olive oil accompany each course. You run out and bam! another slice on the way. We started off with a meat and cheese course as well as the calamari and olive app. Piave, Buffalo Mozz ( which wasn't too gooey and milky. The texture was actually spot on) and prosciutto was to die for. The waiter recommended the carbonara pasta course that was just the right portion and not to saucy. It stuck to the pasta perfectly. Desserts were pretty dam good also. AND! the best part was that they actually have an espresso machine.
(5)Pam C.
I ordinarily don't focus on this part of the meal, but the cocktails here were terrific. Service--friendly but s.l.o.w. We waited over 20 minutes for our drink order to be served. Then, when we were ready to order the meal, the waitress was talking to a regular who already had his meal--and seemed to forget she had some hungry folks to feed. The food was excellent, especially the seafood appetizers. Desserts were tiny. I don't need Olive Garden, but one can work up quite an appetite waiting an hour for one's meal. So...please keep the quality, but improve the service and make your portions about 25% larger. The ambiance is lovely and the bar seems like a particularly inviting place to meet a friend for a drink.
(3)David M.
My wife and I ate here Friday night for our wedding anniv. I had read the yelp reviews and was a little concerned about the ordering process and reports of over priced meals. I agreed with one review that said if you order salad, pasta, des., etc. that it doesn't have to be ridiculous. You could go in and have a beer and the orzo pasta with crab meat and get out of there for $15-$20 if you wanted to. Anyway, we ordered the Olives as an app. I would have tried some of the extensive cheese menu but I'm not a huge eater and you could easily stuff yourself here. The olives were OK but I wouldn't get again. The salads were delicious. When we ordered, I was surprised that the waitress actually recommended that we split an order of the Orzo w/ Crab Meat and one of the specials - A Rib-eye that was awesome! I would not have thought to split it but she said it was a lot of food. I'm sure some nice places would scoff at someone splitting a meal. Heck, I'm a little bit of a snob and I wouldn't have done it but she really thought we would have too much food otherwise. It was perfect. We had a delicious desert to finish the meal. I would definitely go back. If (when) we go back, I'm definitely getting the orzo/crab again and I just pray that they have the rib-eye.
(4)David M.
Not a bad place to take someone for dinner, but be prepared to pay. A 'little bird' on the kitchen staff tells me that the chef's philosophy is 'a la carte', in other words you only get what you pay for and side items are extra. I have paid less for meals in restaurants in NYC-(see my reviews) 'just sayin'. The food (what you get of it) is very good and the drinks are impeccable, I had a dirty martini and my friend had a 'wedding cake' martini (proper drink for a divorcee, n'est-ce pas ?). Also, the dinning area seems a bit cramped, cold and uncomfortable-you'd think at these prices outside New York you could get a little elbow room (and maybe some heat).
(2)Virginia M.
Great location for Midtown and solid food. Pastas don't seem to change much but are always good. Charcuterie and cheese selection is awesome for Memphis. Quaint little dining room. Servers are sweet, too.
(4)Karen S.
I love this restaurant! Authentic, beautifully done food in a small intimate atmosphere. My personal favorites include the carbonara and the latuga salad. The cheese and wine list is fantastic as is the service! I recommend this restaurant for sophisticated palates as this is southeast Italian/mediteranian cuisine. Not for those who want some spaghetti and meatballs- this ain't olive garden!
(5)Mike G.
So far, Bari is my favorite restuarant in Memphis. The wife took me here on my birthday. I had heard it was expensive and wanted to wait until it was a special occasion before I went. To be honest, I didn't feel like the prices were too high. The food was fantastic. The service was great. I highly reccomend this place.
(5)Stephanie N.
Food was ok. I ordered the Frutti de mare fritte for the appetizer. Which was $11 for breaded & fried sardines & calamari. The calamari was good but the sardines were so tiny & had so much bones to pick out. Portion was so tiny & it really was not worth that price. Won't order that again. Then we ordered Orrecheitte alla pugliese, the carne (meat) of the day, & that orzo w/ crab that everyone keeps raving about on here. The Orrecheitte ($9) was delicious, small plate like all the servings in this restaurant but I still enjoyed it. The steak was ok. $26!!! It had no veggies, no side...just a small steak which really wasn't all that flavorful to begin w/! NOT worth the $26. I can make a better, more flavorful steak at home! The orzo ($11) is what I was really excited to try after reading all the rave reviews about it. One word..BLAND. & I only had 3 tiny, barely there pieces of crab meat in there! I did order 1 glass of red wine. Was served free olive oil & cold bread w/ the meal..which was pretty good even tho I prefer warm bread. All that cost us around $69.92 not including the tip. Which isn't too bad only wish it had a larger serving & more flavor. On the plus side, the waiter or should I say bartender was awesome & gave us great service. Friendly & nothing but smiles. He had to serve us because we had to sit at the bar since we didn't make reservations & it was filled up. FYI we went there today which is on a tues night. So make sure u call to reserve. Could just be because it's after the holidays & everyone is still on vacation. Overall..we will not be returning. Way overpriced & bland for our tastes.
(2)Frank M.
Great date place. Portions are small (the true Italian way...so they claim) but they're tasty. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and put on a pretty good Italian accent. Bottom line, it's a good place to take someone who's into fancy food. Though it was good, I'd actually prefer something a little more simple. I think a lot of the fancy stuff is wasted on me. If you're a connoisseur of food, cheese, and wine, this might be the place for you. If you're into good ol' American/Italian food, this might not be the place for you. Go to Bruno's instead.
(4)David S.
i don't know why this is marked $$. it is way expensive. a few years ago it was excellent . now the service is bad and the food is either overcooked or reheated don't bother to go.
(1)Kristin B.
I just love Bari. I have never had a bad experience here. I like the idea of having several "small plates" instead of having an entree with everything that comes with it chosen for me. I am one that likes to try a little of everything but not a lot of one thing. The last time I dined there, I sat at the bar (the Tigers were playing) I had the Lattuga (boston lettuce, goat cheese, grapefruit, honey, and chopped hazelnuts) and Conchiglia alla Griglia con basilico (grilled scallops with basil garlic pesto and shaved lemon). Both were amazing, and the bartender (Brad, I think) was very entertaining. Bari is great for when you only need a little something to eat or want to have full fledged dinner. Definite recommendation!
(5)Ciara N.
Sure, Bari is delicious. Sure, it's an excellent romantic dinner place. Sure, the flavor combinations are interesting, and the tapas-style ordering ensures you'll get to taste lots of different things. But the price... the price... the price! Sadly, not worth it for the money, which can very, very easily top $300 for two people.
(4)Lawrence M.
I had the opportunity to eat at restaurant Bari tonight for the first time based upon the recommendations of some friends. The restaurant had an extensive Italian menu. They have a unique twist on many of them incorporating some more standard american elements in their food. The staff is well informed and the restaurant has a buzz on the weekends. I'd recommend reservations on Friday and Saturday nights. While most of Memphis is casual, I'd recommend doing at least "countryclub casual" or better.
(4)cin f.
we had never been to bari because we heard it was expensive. everything is a la carte. but we found out that you can get full and not have to pay too much. i would recommend the cheese plate. they have a deal where you can pick 3 cheeses for $12 bucks. that is well worth it. the portions were decently sized for 3 people to share. they bring you some bread to pair with that. now if you pick an item from each course, then you will have a extremely high bill at the end of the night. we just stuck to a salad (7 to 8 bucks) and a pasta dish (8 to 9 bucks). if you do that, you can keep it to under $20 a person. the salad i had was the lattuga--grapefruit sections, honey, goat cheese,boston lettuce, hazelnuts- was delicious and fresh. the portion is generous enough but not too large. the pasta offering i had was the orecchiette pasta with rapini. the pasta was a little more al dente that i like but it had a good flavor to the sauce. again, the bowl was adequate in size. (if you are wanting pasta in the size of the macaroni grill, then this size is going to be what you want). my husband had the orzo with crab meat. it was very good. i would have that again. he also tried the special soup they had on the menu with a poached egg in it. it was also pretty good. basically, you can pay the high dollar amount and order everything or you can order a few small plates. but the cheese menu is definitely worth going for. p.s. dear chefs at bari, please put some gelato or panna cotta on your menu. your dessert menu needs more choices. if you need a good panna cotta recipe, i have got one. email.me .
(4)J E.
Love it. The menu is extensive and complex but the waitstaff is very patient and willing to explain cheeses, dishes, etc w/o a hint of impatience. The food is consistently good. A very welcome break from the Northern Italian heavy red sauce ravioli/spaghetti/lasagna that is ubiquitous in Memphis (and most cities actually). Orecchiette with anchovies pasta course is spectacular. Well done carbonara. Had a nightly special semolina encrusted fish flash fried and it was surprisingly light tasting.
(4)Katie S W.
Having returned to Bari, this place is fabulous. The dishes were delicious and the service was impeccable.
(5)David N.
As good as advertised. Menu is almost intimidatingly extensive, but the server was very helpful. My wife and I split a salad, then each had our own pasta course and then an entree. Probably many ways to go about ordering, but that worked well for us. Everything, from the Halibut to the Rigatoni, was among the best I've had. We didn't do a bottle of wine as we were having liquor drinks instead. As a result, spent about $120. Not too shabby for such a nice place. Definitely look forward to going back.
(5)Tyler M.
Oh, I miss Bari! If what you are looking for is Americanized (read: Sicilian) Italian food, you won't find it here. The owners are Pugliese and specialized in cuisine from the area. No lasagna here, but they have a lovely selection of fresh pastas to choose from. The menu is not terribly large, and although they change the menu seasonally, you will often find the same things gracing the page, but oh! they are good. The ambiance is lovely, the music is appropriate, and the service near perfect. When we lived in Memphis, we ate there as often as we could, and we were always pleased. The portions are sized down a bit to encourage you to order multiple courses. We nearly always went one way or the other: Wine and cheese (great imported Italian selection) or every course available. You've got to love a place with this much going on. Every time I'm there, Jason invites me to the kitchen to catch up, and Becky is an incredibly charming hostess. I've got to get back to Memphis soon to dine again. They make Memphis enjoyable!
(5)Sarah N.
I agree with the other reviewer that was complaining about the price. It is just too expensive for what you get. The food is good, but it's just not worth the price!
(3)Lindsey S.
By far the best Italian restaurant in the city. The owners, Jason and Rebecca, are amazing people and they have created a delightful menu and fantastic ambiance. There is also a fabulous enoteca (bar) attached that has comfortable seating, romantic lighting, and the best limoncello. Smoking is only allowed outside. The menu changes seasonally but always reflects southeastern Italian cuisine which emphasizes fish but they have tasty meat dishes as well. Things are expensive but worth it. They serve small portions so you can order a little bit of everything! Their a la carte meat & cheese menu is to die for. If you don't like whole fish with bones then stay away from the Bronzino. My favorites: Antipasti- Frittella di melanzane, Insalata- Romaine, Pasta- Orecchiette aglia Pugliese, Pesce- Tonno con pomodoro e olive, Carne- Bistecca, Vedure- Rapini saute, Dolce- Best Tiramisu I've ever had.
(5)