BarBara — Restaurant in Montreal

Incredible establishment.

I come here at least once weekly & I’ve been here across seasons for coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and recently, even a New Year’s tasting menu. This place is incredible for a litany of reasons and my review will just scratch the surface.

Food: I came for the the Cacio e Pepe croissant (RIP, bring this back please) and stayed for… well, everything else. The coffee is incredible (I get the pistachio latte at least once weekly) and I haven’t had a bad dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The menus span the gradient of baked goods & simple fried finger foods to complex & creative dishes (with fantastic wine pairings to accompany them.) The food is top tier whether you’re going small or big.

Service: Not many places you can go to and see the same friendly faces each time you go. Someone must be doing something right because turnover here compared to other establishments seems minimal & service is warm, friendly, quick, and informed. Very chill and relaxed vibe, and every person I’ve interacted with has been nothing short of awesome.

Atmosphere: I can’t begin to do the vibe this place has justice… the decor… the unpredictable but always spot on interesting tunes and music playing… it’s just a cool place with an incredible atmosphere. This is a go to spot we bring people who are visiting to and without fail it’s always a hit.

I love getting some work done in the mornings where things are chill… you’ve got some light tribe called quest playing in the background, the restaurant is getting all the light from outside with the curtain wall windows, and everything and everyone is seemingly relaxed and hanging out. Then you get the transition into the awesome energy this place has in the evenings & in terrace season, where this place gets filled with energy that somehow feels intimate, and is absolutely thriving. We even did the New Year’s tasting menu recently and brought in the new year having a blast with the whole restaurant - customers and staff alike. Ate & drank & danced in and out of our seats with great mix of tunes.

Overall & TL;DR This place is cool with awesome food, drink,...

I came on a Monday June 30th at 2:45 pm . We were seated and immediately told we had 5 mins to order for the lunch / kitchen was closing at 3 pm !!! We felt super stressed as we cycled from the old port . This was a special occasion as my wife was 8 months post opened heart surgery . We wanted to celebrate but felt super stressed as we were immediately told to order otherwise we were screwed for food !! Ordered a sandwich , pasta a glass of wine and beer . Was given one menu which we were sharing quickly etc etc . We were sitting at the window inside and noticed other clients ordering from the terrace after we finished our lunch so of course I asked the menu and ordered a entree which we missed in the rush of being told to order . Ordered a ricotta foccacia Honey snd more drinks etc later the person who greeted us brought us two chocolatine in a paper bag to take home . I guess he realized it was inappropriate ! Later another server asked if we wanted one or two bills . I said one and brought us the bill and came with payment machine . I told her the lunch bill is 150$ and we will be ordering more stuff as we just wanted to listen to the music and feel humble and grateful be there healthy etc The server said the paper bag on the table made her think we were leaving ! Finally I didn’t order anything else and decided to leave ! I gave you 5 stars all around as we are grateful to be healthy and appreciate everything life has to offer . You really need to look at your workflow as many different people came to our table and missed the interaction flow and service from the previous person . I was ordering drinks all along etc Gracias for the chocolatine but you missed out on the human component of why we came to your place . Its was not only about the food the reason we came . In all the moving parts it takes one person to look at the floor and tables and quickly see what experience each table is looking for . It’s special when you tune into that as you make a difference in a day of a person / create memories etc ...

BarBara, the quaint little bistro tucked away in the heart of the city, offers a dining experience that can best be described as mixed. While it has its merits, there are aspects that left me with a sense of ambivalence, resulting in a semi-positive review.

First and foremost, BarBara deserves praise for its cozy and intimate atmosphere. The dimly lit interior, adorned with charming decor, creates a welcoming ambiance that's perfect for a relaxed evening with friends or a romantic date night. The restaurant's layout ensures a sense of privacy, making it conducive to intimate conversations.

The menu at BarBara showcases a variety of dishes that draw inspiration from diverse cuisines. The fusion of flavors and ingredients is intriguing, and it's clear that the kitchen strives for creativity. The appetizers, in particular, offer an array of exciting options that cater to different tastes.

However, the execution of the dishes is where BarBara falls short of perfection. While some dishes hit the mark and delighted my taste buds, others were a bit lackluster. It seems that the kitchen occasionally struggles with consistency in terms of seasoning and presentation.

The service at BarBara was friendly, and the staff was attentive to our needs. They were knowledgeable about the menu and were eager to provide recommendations, enhancing the overall dining experience.

One area that requires improvement is the pacing of the meal. There were noticeable delays between courses, which disrupted the flow of the evening. It would benefit the restaurant greatly to work on refining the timing of their service.

In conclusion, BarBara offers a charming atmosphere and an intriguing menu that showcases culinary creativity. While it has its moments of brilliance, there's room for improvement in terms of consistency in food quality and pacing. It's a place where you might have a delightful surprise or two but also the occasional disappointment. With some refinements, BarBara has the potential to become a more consistently positive dining...