Aida Bistro & Wine Barawesome desserts!Aida has the best desserts in Howard County, hands down!!6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic Food, Variable ServiceWe've been to Aida twice now. Both times food has been unquestionably worth the effort--fresh, local, and delicious. Go for the hand-made pasta dishes. As other reviewers have noted, though, service is not consistent. Some servers are warm, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu items and specials. Ours, this time, was not.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMVery CoolThis restaurant was very cool. The waiter was the best. The food was delicious. The environment was quiet and classy. I gladly provided the waiter with a nice tip.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMTrue food findAida has been the first Maryland restaurant I have been to since moving to the state that (outside of chains) has not been some restaurateur's version of "The Perfect Crab House" or decades-old 'tradition'. A diverse but not overly large menu makes it easy to satisfy most tastes and the preparations are first-rate. Of particular note was the delightful tasty marinara - clearly the chef understands that simple is best.
The wine list has a rather extensive list of wines by the tap (in addition to a decently representative bottle list) that our server seemed overly proud of. He would have been better served by asking if we wanted to know more before launching into the pitch.
Definitely worth returning.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and Great ServiceThe wait staff is very informed and very accommodating. I have been there several times and would continue to go back.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMYum!I love this place. Food is always good and they have a nice selection for vegetarians. I gave four stars for ambiance because once the dining room fills up it's hard to hear your own conversation.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWhy do a group of women dinersWhy do a group of women diners have to be so blasted loud? They didn't even shut up when their food arrived. They made it almost impossible to hold a conversation at our table of four. On a lighter noted, we've enjoyed your old location and your new one. Service is always prompt, plates are hot and food is nicely presented and the wait staff very courteous. We'll be back for lunch soon. Maybe the table of women will be at work.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe dressing on the ItalianThe dressing on the Italian salad was too overpowering and the pastas were too firm.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMOur favorite for a reasonThe food is consistently excellent in quality. Lots of fresh local ingredients when they are available (When the squash blossoms are in they pick them themselves). The Prix Fixe menu gives you real variety with portions sized so you don't feel stuffed. A wine on tap program that is truly unique giving you availability of something like 30 wines by the glass without ever having to worry about how long that bottle has been open. Great wine list at better than usual prices if you prefer to order a bottle with your meal. The deserts are "to die for" and there's always something I wouldn't have thought of, but am glad they did.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMNice Dinner OutsideAida is one of our favorite places for great wine and small plates. This trip we sat outside and had a wonderful meal with great service. A very special place to relax and enjoy great food and wine.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat as alwaysAidia isnothing else if not consistently a very enjoyable dining a experience. The appetizer specials are worth asking about and our server David was excellent - he ranks up their with "the best of the best" which given the generally poor service one can encounter at other establishments in Columbia is worth a trip to Aida all by itself.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ServiceOur server was Joanne, who was just excellent. Very attentive, professional and knowledgeable. The food was delicious. I thought the prices were a little high, but overall it was a great meal.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWine Selection Is AmazingThere is simply no way to describe the various wines this place has to offer---you must go try it, yourself, and make sure you go on an empty stomach with an adventurous spirit (and a designated driver!) so you may fully enjoy all that Aida has to offer!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother Good Night at AidaWe have frequented Aida on several occassions, including once where we had the opportunity to sit at the chef's table in the kitchen (an amazing experience). Aida has a large variety of wines on tap and we again had the opportunity to taste several through sampling a variety of 3 ounce pours. The good was perfect, we opted for a pri fix offering and all 3 of the courses were fantastic - Sean and kitchen was marvelous again.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time there and foundFirst time there and found the food to be very good and the service excellent. Not a place for a romantic dinner as it is quite noisy. They had an excellent dinner and wine menu. We left stuffed and had desert which is rare for us. Would definitely recommend and go there again for a special occasion.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food. Great Wine.Amazing food. Great Wine. Awesome Wait staff. Only problem is they change their menu frequently, so I'll just have to make reason to go back again.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst Time's a CharmWe had a hard time selecting dishes from the Prixe Fixe menu which had several choices. We could taste the advantage the Farm-to-Table aethestic especially in the vegetables. Three of us had the Beet Salad with Fennel. I dove into the PEI Mussels in Tarragon Cream while a friend savored the flatbread. Two of my friends respectively had the chicken noodle soup and Pasta Primavera which they enjoyed for the hardiness of the ingredients. Another friend and I scooped up the fresh-off-the cob corn soup served with the perfectly seared scallops. We selected wines from the straight-from-cask system which allows the restaurant to offer different size servings including flights palatably. The our server and staff were attentive and informative.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMLove Aida Wine Bar and Bistro!Love Aida Wine Bar and Bistro! We just recently discovered this gem and have already been back for a second visit to celebrate a special occasion. The food is delicious, the wine is excellent and the service has been exceptional both times!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMColumbia's GemI have been to Aida Bistro multiple times in the past for both business and personal reasons. For business, they have a suitable dining room available equipped with wifi and a large flat screen television for presentations and meetings, with catering included. For personal visits with friends and loved ones, the atmosphere is quiet and welcoming. The food quality and taste is far better beyond any other restaurants in the area. The kitchen is open for tours at any time, and the head chef is always open to visit customers. All of the food is hand-made fresh by the cooks. The portion sizes are precise and everything is clean. By far one of the best restaurants I have ever been to.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMQuality diningHigh quality ingredients, well prepared. A step above anywhere else in Columbia.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and wine was excellent,The food and wine was excellent, as was the service. It was pretty quiet, but the tables are fairly close together so it doesn't feel as "private" as some places. The appetizers seemed to be the biggest hits with our party of four. I really like how many wines they have on "tap" so you can purchase them by the glass.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always the food prep andAs always the food prep and presentation were over the top! Seasonal specials are always great.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMFood good/wine iffyNot able to get bottles of wine, but only "on-tap" bottles is not a good idea. The "same" wine is not the same on-tap as it is in bottles. Since we are wine drinkers, it will make us reluctant to come back here where we have been many times, and where the food is absolutely wonderful. If you are not seasoned wine drinkers, it will be still a wonderful place.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible Find!Food is one of the best we have ever had. We know when we like wine but bot enough to order good wine but John was amazing and suggested the perfect wines based on our description. Even with a large number of tables, service was perfectly timed even down to the next taste of wine. Though not a "romantic " place the ambiance was eclectic with a bar area, a casual seating area and of course the Chef Table which we hope to try next time.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely incredible place.Absolutely incredible place. Took a chance searching for a nice place and struck gold.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMappetizer, entrée and wineappetizer, entrée and wine were all delicious. Our waitress made recommending the wine to accompany our meal and it was a great choice. My only disappointment was dessert. I didn't think the raspberry crème brulee or the chocolate, peanut butter torte was anything special and definitely not worth the calories. I think I'll skip dessert the next time.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food at Aida was absolutelyThe food at Aida was absolutely delicious. The menu does not include a very large number of items, but they are varied, locally sourced, and interesting. The soup, salad, and entrees were really good, but I think my favorite part was the bread and olive oil. Our cocktails were a bit disappointing, but they clearly prioritize the wine. Aida herself visited our table and seemed to sincerely care about our experience. It was an expensive and high-end meal, but I would definitely go back.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat out-of-the-way gem!Very enjoyable experience for our party of four on a recent Saturday evening. The server, John, was an expert and real ambassador for the place. He knew the restaurant's selling points -- the benefits of using taps for wine, the way they select and carve their meats -- and promoted them accordingly with a zeal I haven't seen in a while. The appetizers, main course, desserts and wines were all top shelf (and, as you'd expect, the prices match that). Definitely will come back!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMi always have great mealsi always have great meals here. went for lunch for the first time and continued to have a great meal.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMAn exceptional placeWe had a perfect evening. A dinner before a Baltimore Symphony concert. We had two specials for the day: mushroom soup and veal saltimboca. Both were wonderfully done. A first rate kitchen. The cheese plate choices for dessert were varied and good quality. The pecorino was especially tasty. The wine list is good to very good. The wine we ordered was not available, but the suggested alternate was good enough that I am ordering a case. Needless to say, this was a good night for us. The service was attentive.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThe best restaurant in theThe best restaurant in the greater Howard County area. Salmon flatbread is spectacular. Mahi mahi and veal chop were incredible. Great wines on tap -- 30 of them. We generally sit in the bar area and the service from Bernie or Kate is second to none.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMI took out of town clientsI took out of town clients and they really enjoyed Aida, as I always do. While it is not in the restaurant park or at the big box center, it is well worth the few extra minutes to get there.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMI had a great lunch with aI had a great lunch with a coworker here. The three cheese flatbread was tasty but did not come to the table very warm. The lamb burger and sweet potato fries made up for it, though, as did the chocolate bread pudding. Great service all around.3/11/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding dinner for ValentinesOutstanding dinner for Valentines day. Best pork belly I have ever had anywhere. Service wonderful. Fantastic choices on the menu. We will be back2/14/2013 12:00:00 AMBest food we've had in HowardBest food we've had in Howard County since moving here. Fabulous & fresh. Will go again.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it! Aida herself cameLoved it! Aida herself came to the table to chat with us. The service was exceptional the waitress was attentive without being pushy. The wine selection is excellent and their wines on tap make it easy to sample many or just have a little of a favorite. We loved the smaller portions on the menu, it allowed us to eat a 3 course meal and dessert (which was offered in smaller sizes too!) without feeling we'd eaten to much. The cream of crab soup was delicious with chunks of crab and a rich flavor, the baked oyster were so fresh and delicious and the flounder was cooked and seasoned to perfection. We will be back many, many, many times!!! Our reservation was for 6 and I'm glad we went early because it filled up!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful dining experience at AidaI LOVED AIDA! This wasn't the first time we've eaten there and each time has been wonderful. When I made my reservation on Open Table, I was asked if I had any concerns. Joe, the owner, called me to discuss my dietary restrictions. He was wonderful. I said we have a Vegan, Organic preference and IC diet restricted diners. He said they had a vegan option which my daughter enjoyed and although their concentration was on Farm to table, most items were not organic, which turned out to not be an issue for our cousin. Most of all he worked with me and the chef to develop something that I could eat on a highly restrictive IC diet for Interstitial Cystitis. Everyone was so wonderful and we all enjoyed our meals. Mary was great too! Enjoy!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AM