05/28/08

Wish this place was better

by MrPeepers

I have been to Bar Bambino 3 times over the last 6 months, and I really wish it was better. It would be very interesting to have a nice, destination restaurant on this block of the Mission. Consistently, however, the food portions here are small, expensive, and not very interesting. This seems most obvious with the pasta selections. The wine selection is mostly non-American (it may be all non-American, I am not sure) and it seems that it is pretty easy to get a pour from a bottle that has been open too long. The wine stem wear are not the best, and the space is cramped and dark as another reviewer has noted. Overall, it is pretty much not worth going into this sketchy block of the Mission for the place.

12/29/07

Does the Website work?

by frankbrit

Shall I mention the fact that when I click on "Contact" on your website it does nothing? Was I too hopeful that it lead me to a way of making a reservation on lIne? Silly me.

12/13/07

Good concept, needs work

by akamaifred

We tried Bar Bambino twice, once with a party of two and another time as a party of six. both times, we were impressed with the wine list, the concept, (really authentic,) great execution on the food and the cheeses and salumi were top notch. I even found a bottle of wine from the Alto Adige region of Italy where I stayed with a friend's family once. (My family lives further south).

So I thought it would be an excellent experience to share with other friends. Was I disappointed when after making reservations well in advance, having them confirmed and showing up a tiny bit early, that our table wasnt even near to being ready. We were promised a table (Clare, the hostess pointed it out) and friends happen to have been sitting at the adjoining table. (the place is tightly packed). The hostess or whoever decided to turn that table twice in the time frame alloted for one dinner. As a result, we were waiting more than 45 minutes for that table to finish. I was told repeatedly that there is a two hour window for each dining party, but that seemed really phony after consulting with my amigos at the adjoining table. We were made to stand either in a crowded hall or out on 16th and Capp (I've lived here all my life and never thought I'd be standing on that sketchy corner for any reason). We were put off repeatedly and NOT EVEN OFFERED A GLASS OF WINE while we waited. (This, for your information is the custom in most good restaurants in Italy and around the world). Plus, miss hostess was obviously in over her head, and not treating waiting customers professionally. After almost an hour wait, we decided to try another place. Not fun on a Friday night after you go through all the trouble to make resos, and show up. If you like drunk screaming yuppies and inept service in a beautiful space in a terrible neighborhood, this is the place. I will NEVER go back - neither will my friends.

• Pros: Great wine list - wonderful cheese selection and salumi
• Cons: not many veg options, horrible inept hostess, loud as all get out