La Tana del Polpo
La Tana del Polpo things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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I purely come across here by searching “best restaurants in Bari” I see how good the star rating was and how many reviews it had. When me and my gf arrived (we hadn’t booked) we had like a small wait outside before we was seated. It was very busy and vibrant with a good buzz about the place. The main waiter I forget his name but he was full of info and very welcoming and really did look after us. We already knew what we wanted from looking at the menu. The waiter come round with a platter full of fresh seas bass lobster prawns etc and to us the specials etc what I really liked. The waiter suggested swapping the beef out the salad for lobster. From memory I don’t remember the beef salad being more the €20, however I never asked what the difference would be having the lobster instead. We had a lovely evening a few litres of delicious White House wine. Lovely bread, olives olive oil, sea food pasta, lobster salad, also amazing ricotta dessert and coffees to finish up. The food which got brought out around us all looked amazing too. There was serval buskas let in which I found unusual as they’re essentially looking for money and everyone in the restaurant is seated and sort of puts them in and uncomfortable position. However 1 sang with his guitar which was enjoyable. The other was trying to sell roses. We had a lovely evening and was in their a good few hours as it was very busy. If there was one negative it would be when the bill come and we was charged €67 just for the lobster salad. Served me right for not asking I guess. I didn’t want to be that guest either after having a lovely night querying the bill.
Jase AldridgeJase Aldridge
00
Wow. What can I say? Everyone in the world should eat at Tana del Polpo...once. The seafood is fresh and well prepared. There are two seating a night, so get yourself ready to wolf,down a lot of good food. If you do not eat everything you will get in trouble with the owner. Tana is wildly popular with the tourists. The owner and his crew move things along at a frenetic pace. Its hard to imagine how they avoid running into each other or spilling food on customers as they race back and forth to the kitchen. The small dining room is packed shoulder to shoulder with tourists. Be prepared to participate in 1.5 hours of apparent frantic chaos orchestrated by the overly attentative owner who patrolls the dining room like airport bomb-sniffing dog. If you want something, he will notice immediatelly and have someone get it to you within a minute--partly to make you happy, partly to get you out on time. And then there is the matter of the 12 foot long plastic octopus hanging from the ceiling--perfectly in character with the ambience and decore. Like the owner, his tentacles are stretched wide and touch everything. If you want a quite, relaxing, intimate dining experience, please go someplace else. If you want good seafood and a floorshow that you will never forget, make a reservation at Tana.
John CareyJohn Carey
30
In short, tasty food with rude staff and poor service in a noisy loud environment. We joined the queue to be seated, we were sent to the open-air area in front of take away on street. The pushy waiter was rushing here and there like a headless chicken! She brought water and although said bread is coming she forgot it until we were ordering I asked for it, we wanted same pasta for 2 people but she was trying to force us select another dish and not 2 of the same. Although we didn't want a 2nd dish she was pushing so we decided to share a fried seafood plate. She then realised she didn't give us olive oil, and brought us. After a long while she brought a plate and put on our table and left. It was an octopus dish which we didn't realise it wasn't what we ordered although we were trying to figure out where are the shrimps! In a minute later she came back and said she made a mistake and it was the other table food and was arguing that we need to take it as we squeezed lemon on it!!! She was putting her mistake on us! The plate was 48€ and she was pushing that we eat the wrong dish and she cancels our pastas and fried seafood plate. We refused politely and then negotiation continued that she bring one of the pastas to us to share. Which again we refused, she tried to force us take the wrong dish which we didn't order and at the end she consulted with her colleague and took the wrong dish to kitchen. No apology was given! We got our food and then the 2nd course, and only then she said sorry. When asked for bill, she brought the bill and dropped on our table, she came back with card reader I tip the card payment went through and she left. No thank you, no smile, nothing! If you make a mistake, own it and don't push it on guests! Rude behaviour is unacceptable. Although food was tasty but the service and the constant barking dogs beside restaurant caused an unpleasant experience.
Ardalan HamidiArdalan Hamidi
50
2024 Unfortunately, my earlier positive opinion became negative today. The restaurant is not the same anymore. The waiter violently tried to force food on us that we didn't want. While we were eating, a man working there came roaring into the restaurant and yelled at the waiter. He roared so aggressively that we thought they were going to fight. They shouted in front of the guests. This very aggressive behavior is unacceptable! 😡 When we finished our meal, the plates were not taken away and the waiter did not come. Another waiter had to be called, luckily the waitress was very nice. The food was delicious, but the whole time I thought they were trying to trick me because I was a tourist. Overall, I no longer recommend this restaurant. Sad. While the older gentleman was still the boss, this did not happen. We will not go there again 🙁 2017: Great waiting staff, very local and cosy atmosphere. Listen to the waiter! The octopussalat was very delicious, the fish was fantastic! Grazie!
Anima OdorAnima Odor
00
We were there two times within our 10 days vacation. The first time, they told us after about 15 minutes standing in the cue line in the rain, that for the restaurant, we should at least have a three course meal. For the one who is not sure, shall go to the smaller one. We were not sure about the 3 courses and we have waited too long to give up so we went to the smaller one. We got a table crammed into a very small place, which seems to be a to go shop at day time, it was quite dark in the room. The food were quite good. Our last day in Bari, we decided to try there again in a “restaurant “. This time there was no condition that we “must” order a 3 course 😉, but we found out that we could only order one kind of pasta. The pasta was good, except that the shrimp seemed to be raw (it’s not written, so I didn’t expect it and don’t like it).
Som MontreeSom Montree
10
The food here is excellent. We had the octopus salad, the spaghetti sea food and the octopus dish. Very delicious. If you want to go there, it would be better to make a reservation because you may end up without a table. Unfortunately we didn’t like the service there. They try to sell you more dishes if you order small stuff. Also if you are trying to enjoy your stay at the restaurant after finishing your meal, they try to get rid of you to have your table for another client. The waiter even asked us if he should bring the bill, we didn’t even ask for it. We didn’t feel really comfortable at this restaurant. And it is also expensive compared to many other restaurants. And I have changed my review from two stars to only one star, because the person who responds here is rude and that’s not how you should treat clients.
Ahmed MestiriAhmed Mestiri
150
Nearby Attractions Of La Tana del Polpo
Basilica San Nicola
Teatro Petruzzelli
Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale San Sabino
Direzione regionale Musei
Castello Svevo di Bari
Teatro Margherita
Palazzo Mincuzzi
Il Fortino di Sant'Antonio
Museo Archeologico di Santa Scolastica
Musée archéologique de Bari

Basilica San Nicola
4.8
(7.7K)Click for details

Teatro Petruzzelli
4.7
(3.5K)Click for details

Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale San Sabino
4.7
(2.3K)Click for details

Direzione regionale Musei
4.3
(1.5K)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of La Tana del Polpo
Mastro Ciccio
La Cantina dello Zio
Antò - Cucina tipica pugliese
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Martinucci Laboratory
Magda
Piccinni 28
Alterno - Ristorante e American Bar Bari
La Baresana | Trattoria Pizzeria
Bari-Napoli

Mastro Ciccio
4.5
(4.6K)Click for details

La Cantina dello Zio
4.7
(4.1K)Click for details

Antò - Cucina tipica pugliese
4.6
(3.2K)Click for details

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
4.6
(3.1K)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
Strada Vallisa, 50, 70122 Bari BA, Italy
Map
Phone
+39 080 975 3338
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Website
latanadelpolpoinfo.wixsite.com
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Reviews
Overview
4.2
(3K reviews)$$
Ratings & Description
Description
Informal restaurant serving homemade local staples including pasta & seafood plates, plus wine.
attractions: Basilica San Nicola, Teatro Petruzzelli, Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale San Sabino, Direzione regionale Musei, Castello Svevo di Bari, Teatro Margherita, Palazzo Mincuzzi, Il Fortino di Sant'Antonio, Museo Archeologico di Santa Scolastica, Musée archéologique de Bari, restaurants: Mastro Ciccio, La Cantina dello Zio, Antò - Cucina tipica pugliese, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Martinucci Laboratory, Magda, Piccinni 28, Alterno - Ristorante e American Bar Bari, La Baresana | Trattoria Pizzeria, Bari-Napoli
