Outside is cozy
Inside feels like a Luchino Visconti film
Foods are old fashioned Italian

First let me say I have been here several times with excellent service. On Thursday however the place was near empty and service very slow and inattentive. Started with a couple of warm beers to the point we asked for them to be changed. 2nd round also warm and my guest needed to ask for ice. Took 3 hours to finish what we had hoped to be a quick business dinner. .

The only disappointment was with the Main Course Rack of Pork. It was not to my liking. Raymond and the staff were fantastic
Otherwise perfect occasion.

I just love Barbetta, and every friend or family member I bring loves it too! The ambience either inside or outside in the garden is extremely lovely. The service is old world, respectful, friendly and professional.

We have never been so disappointed in any dining experience. First, the good: When I pointed out a very long black hair in my salad (I am blonde), it was grudgingly removed and they comped us two desserts - blobs of unadorned chocolate mousse. Now, the bad and the ugly: The administrative staff need to be replaced. While the restaurant opens at 4:00, the door was locked at 4:30 when we arrived. We called and a boy let us in. The person at the desk refused to acknowledge our presence until 5:00 (our reservation was for 4:45). A couple arrived about ten minutes after we did, and they were promptly seated. Soon thereafter, the maitre d', too busy conversing with his colleagues at the bar to speak to us, waved us into the restaurant. From then on, the experience declined. Some large man whose function was unclear kept walking around the garden snubbing customers. Evidently he was someone important, or at least he was so convinced. The food - after having dined in some really good restaurants the previous nights - was laughable. How in the name of heaven has this place acquired awards? Warning: without some serious changes, this place will be OOB soon. Or maybe not. Tourists will continue to be influenced by internet postings.

Very disappointing. We had had a much better experience there a couple of years earlier.
There was a mild odor of mold inside. We dined outside, where the ambience was pleasant and romantic. The food was markedly overpriced for the ordinary quality, The salad was minuscule and barely average. The service was satisfactory.

Love Barbettas but disappointed with service this time

Nice place for alfresco dining--charming outdoor backyard garden area. Menu limited and very standard fare --- and pricey for what you get value wise. A long standing NYC restaurant, but more for special occasions and tourists vs. fine dining.

It was very pleasant dining in the garden and the service and food were top notch! It’s really a great place! We went before the theater. I would return and I recommend it!

As a repeat customer, i was shocked that service was poor from beginning to end. Completely inattentive waiter who should not work at any restaurant, especially high end one. Hopefully was isolated instance.

Order bake peaches for dessert and got apricot instead. Very slow service, had to ask for wine to be served and the meal took for ever to come. Couple as adjacent table order and the same as us. Our meal came 30 minutes after theirs.

It was amazing to sit in the courtyard!

Superb melon and prosciutto as well as crabmeat and wild rice. Great lunch before theater.

Always dependable good food and beautiful surroundings both inside or on the terrace. Excellent service. One of our favourites!

Barbetta';s is unique and is especially wonderful on a lovely spring evening in the garden. Hard to believe this haven or good foos and service continues to exist in the hustle and bustle of the theatre districtbut thank goodness it does.

I was looking forward to one of the last formal dining experiences in NYC, a little bit of nostalgia. But the place felt tired, and the food was good, not great.

We were warmly welcomed and the evening was exceptional. We hosted two former students who are now hoping to enter the acting community in NYC. They were a little overwhelmed by the ambiance but soon were put at ease by the kindness of the hosts and staff. It is elegant but not stuffy at all. Some gentlemen in jackets and some in summer shirts...not a strict dress code but not too casual either. A nice, upscale place with excellent Italian menu, very welcoming hosts, and fine service overall. It was a relaxed, elegant evening to get reacquainted with our students from long ago. Highly recommend this place.

Beautiful, special place

We were seated on the outside patio which is very nice. The setting is beautiful and very quiet. Our meals were very good. One nice plus about this restaurant is that you can order half portions! What a wonderful idea for those watching their weight. I split a salad with my companion and then we each had a half portion of one of their pasta offerings. They also offer a prix fix menu, but I knew that was going to be too much food, so we ordered off of the regular menu. The staff was polite and efficient. I highly recommend this restaurant.

What a gem this place is. I almost don’t want anyone else to know about it. It’s old school in the best way. A respite in the midst of the grimy theater district. Charming ambiance, excellent service and delicious food - great dishes you don’t find everywhere. And not that you must dress up, but you’re not sorry you wore a jacket or a pretty dress.

We selected Barbetta based on a recent story on it in The NY Times. Agree with another reviewer that prize fixe menu was a major surprise as some of my guests read the full menu online. Appetizers not delivered at once, so some had soup while we waited for beet salads. No one ever came to ask if we needed anything or was food ok. . Entrees were wrong and again we did not dine on that course together. Can not recommend for service. Sauce was not hot on an entree but done with complaining as not to ruin hosting this special occasion. Learned to read all reviews before booking anywhere again. Not a good choice.

Service not great. Came in after a show and wanted regular menu - not pre theater abbreviated menu. Asked a few times but they just passive aggressively ignored us till we just finally gave up.

We received a friendly greeting as soon as we walked in...and were seated shortly after, even though we were a bit early. We met our waiter who was very attentive ,ordered some wine and perused the lovely menu...I thoroughly enjoyed my salmon and my husband felt the same about his braised beef. Comfortable and enjoyable..just what I expected.
Quick story....an old boyfriend brought me to this restaurant when I was 18 years old.....to celebrate an anniversary....I remember my initial impression then...the restaurant was beautiful and the service excellent..we ordered a drink... ..only I talked him into leaving when I saw the prices...he worked too hard to spend so much on one meal.... That was over 50 years ago...!!! Upon reflection....today ..I think it is very fairly priced , beautiful and relaxing and Iook forward to returning.Thank you

One of my favorite Theater restaurants. If you're lucky, and can arrive early enough, you can sit in the garden. The food is excellent!!
Only a small complaint-the salad was served to our table with dinner. Everyone else had their salad as a separate course, as it should have been.

Very good food and nice out door setting. You would never know you are in mid town Manhattan.

I was disappointed to the quality of the food which was tasteless.

beautiful place and very quite for lunch at garden. All dishes we ordered were quite good. turn us off for the paste dish wit tomato sauce $24.00 (2 share portions).

We came during Italian Restaurant Week But were so tempted by the regular menu we ordered from it. I had the soft shelled crabs and my husband a delicious pasta. We sat in the lovely outdoor patio. It was a perfect dinner out. We will be back.

My steak was over cooked. It was sent back and the next steak was not medium rare as requested but I ate some of it as my date was halfway through his dinner. I was disappointed that a restaurant of this caliber was unable to cook the steak as requested.

Excellentfood, first class service!

Pre-Theatre dinner with excellent menu options.

What a find! Friends and I dined (Yes DINED!) here before going to a nearby theatre.
It was like stepping into the (good) past. The service was impeccable and the food quite good.
It's listed as an Italian restaurant, but there are other options on the menu.
I enjoyed the "white on white" salad; my friends loved the broiled Atlantic salmon. And the
desserts.
We shall definitely return here. With or without theatre tickets.

Always excellent! Fabulous lunch with great service. Suzanna is great.

Barbetta is a real classic and it's garden is an oasis like no other in the city. This is old-fashioned Italy at it's best! The prix fixe was terrific, and the location is good for pre-theater dining, either at lunch or dinner.

50th wedding anniversary. Everyone was lovely

Great service and food. Beautiful garden- a hidden jewel in Theater District

When I booked the restaurant we had reviewed the menu. Nowhere did it say “pre-fixe”. When 6 of us arrived on Sat. Night pre-theater celebrating a birthday and anniversary, we were told the only menu available was the pre-fixe menu. It was $58 pp minimally, and we really didn’t want to eat 3 courses and a salad. Therefore I cannot recommend the restaurant.

Always a great meal

Great food, wonderful atmosphere, impeccable service.

This is one of New York's faded jewels. Rich with history and ambience, this was a place we wanted to visit while it was still available. The place is not managed. It seems to run on it's own, which leaves it wide open to mistakes and mis steps (overcharge on bill, lag time between table service, surly sommelier). The food was a disappointment. I did not have great expectations, but there does not seem to be a Chef in the kitchen, only line cooks executing an outdated menu. The service was formal, but not of a 4 star caliber. We did not feel rushed, and the ambience was very serene. There should be a dress code enforced. Next table was in shorts and a tee shirt. We were glad to have experienced a part of NY Restaurant history, but the laurels they are resting on are best served with a light vinaigrette.