We did the 5 course experience and the tier 2 wine pairing. Our servers - both named Crystal - were outstanding. The vibe is a bit different than we were expecting. Outkast bumping and graffiti and an overall minimal setup. If you’re coming here expecting a ton of food you should go elsewhere. We were here for interesting food and a unique experience. It delivered.
Everything was good, no bombs anywhere. The best part of our meal was the mushroom meringues in the leek dish. They were fantastic and we could’ve eaten those by the handful and been very happy.
This was our 12 course tasting menu with beverage pairing. The food is amazing and visually stunning. If you are searching for a true high-end dining experience you need look no further. The staff is extraordinary, accommodating and exceptionally knowledgeable about each and every dish as well as the cocktails that are served. The bar staff is extraordinary, far beyond any I've seen in Charlotte yet. If you have the opportunity to spend the evening with these guys I suggest it, you will thank me for the recommendation! Riley was our host for the evening, he did an amazing job.
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I’m so behind reviewing my birthday dinner at Bardo last month! I came in with my parents for a 7 course dinner and LOVED my experience. My parents aren’t well versed in the food scene so they didn’t understand why it was so expensive but, keep in mind, you’re also paying for the experience that’s outlined on their website!
The Good: I mean, the food. It’s incredible. Each course, a tasting menu experience, is only a couple of bites. You don’t get a menu and don’t get to pick what you want but you CAN specify foods to omit when you make reservations. I don’t eat veal so they subbed the veal course for a vegetarian course that was delicious. I wish I could remember what everything was but I do remember the beef tartare, a farro dish with an egg, hearts of pal m with a strawberry mousse…I can’t remember everything but I really loved each dish. The dessert course was fantastic- it was a red bean ice cream with a type of cake and mousse-like cheese - incredible (I’m so sorry for butchering the descriptions of these courses!!). Service was ON POINT. Our server rattled off the details of each dish with amazing recall and always kept our drinks full. Loved the ambience as well - artsy, intimate, cozy.
The Meh: if I had to dissect one thing, I was a bit disappointed in the cocktails I had. I ordered the Bartenders Choice because I love when mixologists get creative and go nuts on cocktails. Our server told us Bardo’s mixologists were some of the best in Charlotte. For the first drink, I told our server they could do whatever they wanted but I didn’t care for sweet cocktails. Well, The cocktail was sweet. It was good, but sweet. Similar thing happened with the next round. I still enjoyed both drinks, as much as I can for sweeter ones, but didn’t find them to be particularly inventive. Oh well!
The Bad: nothing noted.
Again, do keep in mind this is a tasting menu so if you have a huge appetite, you may want to nosh on something beforehand. We were delightfully full after 7 courses but I think we would’ve still been hungry with 5 (I think it’s the smallest course available). Would love to come back some time to try the full tasting menu!
We had dinner at Bardo last night (5 people) and did the 5 course tasting menu with pairings. We had one gluten free, one pescatarian, and one no red meat eater and they were able to easy accommodate our party and adjust courses. The ladies had a bottle of bubbly to start and we had cocktails. The food was amazing and the service was top notch. I wish I had a menu of all the dishes but all were amazing. Our waitress Rielly was well versed in all the dishes and the drink pairings. Highly recommend for special occasion. 👍🏻👍🏻
We did the full tasting menu with drink pairing. An absolutely stunning event. So many dishes were like a flavor journey. If you love super high end food and want to ball out, this is it.
Cilena stripling-childers
+5
Absolutely phenomenal. You must give this place a shot of you claim to be a foodie! I surprised my S.O. with a fancy night out and we were so lucky to be placed right by the open kitchen. We had so much fun watching the passion flow through the chefs. Everything tasted amazing, drinks are gorgeous! Do yourself a favor and check out Bardo.
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Outstanding dining experience. This is by far the best restaurant in Charlotte. Inventive and amazing food, and unparalleled service. Being able to witness the artistry in the prep kitchen adds to the overall theatre of the entire meal. I most recently went to dinner for Valentine's Day, and was thoroughly impressed from beginning to end. The cocktail pairings also perfectly complemented every dish. Bardo feels like a restaurant that is in NYC or Miami, not Charlotte, NC, and it has easily become my favorite restaurant here. Not only is the food outstanding, but so is every single person that works there. Ambiance, phenomenal staff, amazing food, high-end dining with zero pretention. Outstanding job Bardo!
Update for 2023- Bardo continues to be my favorite restaurant in Charlotte. There is pure magic in the delicate nuance of flavors, which highlight and amplify the ingredients in each dish. Service is outstanding, with some of the best staff I have ever experienced. I visited again for this valentine's day, and every dish was perfection. The thought and preparation is very evident with the beautiful menu of flavors and experiences from the beginning to end. I didn't think I could love Bardo any more than I already did, but they have proven me wrong.
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I've recently been hearing so many good things about Bardo (including that it's the best restaurant in Charlotte), that it was the obvious choice for my birthday this year.
There were 11 of us that went. Some wanted to try more of the menu than others, so we split the table in half. My half tried the entire menu (13 small plates). Right now the menu is: oysters, scallops, lamb neck, mushrooms, shishito peppers, ribeye, octopus, veal shortbread, beef tartare, egg and grain, crudo hamachi, sunchokes, and sardines. I loved everything with one exception: the sardines. They were better than other sardines I've had, but I'm really not a fan of sardines.
If I had to pick my favorite dishes, I would pick the scallops, the Tempura Maitake (mushrooms), the beef tartare, and the Spanish Octopus as my top 4. I would order all of it again though (minus the sardines).
They also brought me a complementary squash dessert for my birthday which was amazing.
This style of food is not something you'll find elsewhere in Charlotte. The plating is gorgeous. I honestly had no idea what I was eating most of the time (even after they explained the dish), but I didn't care because it was delicious. The preparation styles were incredibly unique.
We also got a couple of cocktails — Putting Down Roots and the South Mint 75. They were some of the best cocktails I've ever had. Incredibly unique and delicious.
The price is on the higher side, but I would expect it to be a lot higher for the quality of food that's being served. Small plates are about $10-20 and they recommend at least 2-3 per person. We paid about $50 per person including tip and cocktails (only half of us got a cocktail). Other small plates restaurants around here are much more expensive for not nearly as good of food.
I think our group size was less than ideal. I think you're better off coming with 2-4 people. The service was great and they were very accommodating to us, but figuring out how to share and split checks with that many people is hard.
I'd agree that this is Charlotte's best restaurant. I don't know anywhere else where I could order everything on the menu and love it all. Everyone should definitely give this place a try!
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Charlotte - you lucky dogs! About every 3 years I come across something that resets the restaurant bar. The last time was Jose Andres' Baazar at SLS SoBe. Do you truly enjoy every facet of dining out? The space, the pace, the presentation, the flavors, textures, and composition of a dish? Do you have the means to look beyond the menu price (again Charlotte, you are spoiled if you think these prices are high). Do you appreciate crafted cocktails? I mean the real deal, not some crap out of three Sysco bottles shaken together? Can you appreciate pairing a cocktail with a plate? If you answer yes to most of these questions, stop what you are doing and make a reservation at this restaurant right now. Chef Michael and his team pull it all together and hit a grand slam. I plan to fly up with a group of eaters and drinkers as this place must be shared! Loved it so much, we went back for drinks and dessert the next night after an underwhelming meal at another establishment in CLT. Thank you Chef, I appreciate every ounce of love you have poured into this place. Can't wait to see you guys again!!!
This place is incredible. The food is amazing, the drink pairings are perfect, and the wait staff is exceptional. We did the seven course tasting, and we will definitely be back for the twelve.
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