Bacaro

We were searching for a dinner spot on Sunday and everything seemed to be closed. Fortunately Bacaro was open and in the neighborhood. I've lived in the area for 5 years and didn't even know they existed. Apparently they've been around for over 16 years? Unheard of in NYC.

The restaurant has a very rustic look and is huge. They have an entire downstairs area with exposed brick walls. We had an early bird dinner so we were the only ones in the restaurant. That said, service was attentive and friendly.

We went with the lamb ragu pasta to share and the fried seafood and vegetables. The portion sizes are huge. For our mains, we ordered the shrimp with polenta as well as the rib eye. We had food to take home. The steak was good. The polenta was very good. We finished off with the tiramisu.

Overall you get a lot of value for pretty decent food. Space is huge so potentially a future spot for get-togethers.

Food - three stars. Gnocchi was overcooked
Ambiance - four stars. Brick makes it very warm
Service - two stars. Staff is nice but disorganized and lacks any experience. They brought desert spoons out before the main entree. Then took it back. Staff lost the second half of our drink order. Came back 20min later to retake the order. We didn't get main plates for our entrees and ended up serving ourselves from their server counter to plates and utensils.

Very well intentioned but we had to repeatedly remind them throughout the evening basic things needed.

Bacaro beckons with a truly unique and captivating ambiance. The exposed bricks, soft candlelit lighting, and a maze of intimate dining nooks reminiscent of a speakeasy set the stage for a memorable evening. While the food and drink options offered much to savor, the service fell short, warranting some improvement.

To start with, we ordered a few appetizers. The Zucchini Blossoms were good, though a touch of additional flavor could have elevated them further. The Green bean salad proved to be a delightful surprise, refreshing and bursting with flavor. The Fritto Misto presented an interesting mix of calamari and shrimp, topped off with lemon juice. The Spaghetti Nero piqued our curiosity with its unique color, while the Garlic Shrimp over Polenta offered a commendable taste, although it didn't wow us. The Eggplant Marinara left a lasting impression with its quite tasty and flavorful presentation. However, the Tiramisu was a slight disappointment, as it seemed to have spent too much time in the refrigerator, resulting in a somewhat firm texture.

Despite the satisfying array of dishes, the overall food experience lacked the expected "wow factor." It was undoubtedly good, but it left us craving that extra touch of brilliance.

Regrettably, the service did not match the potential of the establishment. Although it was a busy night, the interactions with the staff could have been more attentive and polished. Their handling of our question about the specials lacked finesse. Moreover, bringing out our entrees while we were still enjoying our appetizers on the small tables was a minor inconvenience, rushing us.

Nonetheless, Bacaro does manage to get many elements right, and there is evident potential for it to evolve into a truly special dining destination. With some refinements to the service and perhaps a bit more culinary creativity, Bacaro could undoubtedly elevate its status and provide an enchanting dining experience for its guests.

Gorgeous & intimate dinner spot! Upon entering it looks like a tiny restaurant, but down the stairs you enter a dimly lit brick room. Flowers and tea light candles everywhere. Seriously so pretty - go for an anniversary or even a book a room for a small rehearsal dinner.
Food was yummy -- for a group we shared a few apps & pastas. The squash blossoms & straciatella and the gnocchi was deeeelish!

We loved the underground dining area, especially when it was cold and rainy the day we came in. The pasta had the perfect texture and the seafood tasted super fresh. The fried rice balls weren't our favorite but really enjoyed other aspects of the meal.

We live Bacaro. Located down on Division Street away from the usual hustle bustle of the city. Feels like you're in Venice. Food is fantastic and the stuffed zucchini blossoms are always a go to appetizer. Servers are attentive. Ambience is dark and cozy. Great place for groups or couples.

I crave this place when I'm not here. I'm super surprised by the 4 star rating. This place is delicious with excellent portions.
I've tried the squash blossoms and the fritto misto, and damn, *chef's kiss.* My only complaint though for the appetizers is that they're just a tad bit tiny.
The ribeye steak, the spaghetti nero, and the eggplant marinara? TO DIE FOR and SUPER FILLING! I brought a lot of my co-workers as a company treated us (we're medical residents) and everyone felt the same way.
The ambiance too, just kills it. The majority of the dining hall is downstairs and it feels like you're in a small italian mom and pop restaurant that's open late at night.
LOVE it. One of my favorite places that are well-priced in the city.

My partner walked in last night seeking a table. they were told there was only outside seating. then a few mins later their friend came and asked for a table then all of a sudden there was a table inside. my partner is a Black person and their friend is a White woman. this may have been a simple oversight but to people that seem to always be oversighted it appeared to be racially motivated. I hope that in the future your hosts will pay more attention to this behavior. thank you

This is potentially my favorite restaurant in New York. I discovered it while working at Partybus Bakeshop, who supplies Bacaro's bread. The owner would come in with the best, kindest energy, which is a plus! The food though is truly just unreal. I've brought my grandparents here, friends from out of town, coworkers, you name it. It's a hit for every age and audience.

Here's what I love about it:
- You can almost always get a table, especially if you are making a res.
- The basement is like an old, Italian wine cellar. It's dark and cozy and sexy and cool ... the vibes are just unreal.
- the Spaghetti Vongole.
- The fritto misto.... with olives? artichokes? it's my favoriteeee
- the cocktails and wine list are also perfect

Also it somehow doesn't have the over-hype of place like Kiki's which is next door (respect to Kiki's though) which means it has fewer tiktok bs'ers and doesn't require waiting for hours.

This place is a GEM! MUST TRY THIS PLACE!

Have your birthday there, engagement parties, divorce parties, any celebration. This would be a great spot. The ambiance it's so cozy and romantic, and the food is delicious.

We had a lot of appetizers to share, and the ones that stood out to me were the meatballs and the crab salad. Those two were delicious. I would skip on the fried seafood, and the charcuterie board doesn't come with any crackers or bread.

When the entrées came, they didn't notify us that they ran out of the potatoes, so they gave us all lettuce instead. We waited almost two hours for our food so when we saw lettuce we were not happy. They ended up comping a few crab appetizers and made us pasta, so I'm not really mad about the lettuce anymore.

Overall, the food is good, the space is beautiful, and the service is great minus the timing, but they have a small kitchen so kinda understandable. We had a great time.

I highly highly recommend this place!