All you need to know is this spots taking you right to Italy without leaving Pittsburgh. Service is great, food is amazing, ambiance is small and quaint lit with candles. To be noted you have just 2 hours to finish your meal, plenty of time - but if you love chatting you may have to head to the bar if there's seating or to another place close by! Support small over all! read more

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Bar Marco is one of those places that I love coming back to again and again! Their gnocchi is a repeat dish for me and my favorite gnocchi I've had so far in Pittsburgh; it's so soft and pillowy and I need to get it every single time! The rest of their food is outstanding as well along with their elevated cocktails. The staff is so friendly and lovely and made our dinner here a fantastic experience! read more

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We sat at the bar and had an amazing experience start to finish. The menu is small and focused. Drinks and wine were excellent and we had great recommendations from the bartender on dinner. The restaurant has a very cool vibe and we especially loved sitting at the bar. We will be back again for sure. Best items: Kale Caesar and the Lamb Gnocchetti. read more

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Cozy, cute, romanticized, and very Pittsburgh. This converted fire station, maybe is on an unassuming block near the Strip District. It's small and cozy but that makes for an intimate experience. We sat at the bar. Drinks were phenomenal. I would highly recommend trying multiple cocktails and/or wines from their menu. The food was good. Like most Pittsburgh restaurants, after living in Philly and DC, the food never blows me away but it is good and you can have a decent meal here. Service was attentive but not overly. We were greeted right away and our reservation was honored. Overall, I'd go for drinks and appetizers. read more

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The food is always superb! The white truffle specials during our visit were heavenly. The server was friendly and extremely helpful, especially regarding the wine suggestions. Outside view of the restaurant is deceiving because the inside is unique and cozy. read more

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I have been wanting to try Bar Marco for the longest time. On a whim we found a last minute reservation and decided to go. The staff was fantastic and they really helped set us up for an amazing meal offering cocktail and wine suggestions to complement our food choices. The antipasti had some great flavors but for the price the portion is a little smaller than expected. Their pastas were cooked perfectly al dente and the sauce had a great balance to it. I would definitely will be going back to try more on the menu! read more

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Great food location and service. Highly recommend! If you go make sure to try the appetizers!! read more

Bar Marco - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

What an intimate, cozy, and classy spot! This was our first time there and we were blown away! Our server, Neil, was very cool and helpful with the menu. Super attentive. The focaccia is made fresh daily and you can tell. Absolutely delicious. Our crostada was fantastic. It was light, buttery, and crispy with a warm ricotta base. The quail was juicy and tender and the spaghetti had a nice kick to it. Our dessert was a chocolate mousse dish with nuts and was incredible. I'd recommend making a reservation and getting a table to really enjoy what they have to offer. Would love to go back. read more

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Food is awesome Portions are small but adequate. You won't leave stuffed but will leave one satisfied. Dining room is small and consequently VERY noisy. Don't expect good conversation over this meal. Wait staff is superb!! read more

Wow! This place is great. From the cocktails, to the food, to the service everything was amazing. Their menu consists of a 2 course meal, an antipasti and insalata and a pasta e secondi. You get to pick one from each. There are also add ons like fresh baked focaccia, arancini and prosciutto. It has a very intimate vibe, only have a handful of tables. The bartender Jason makes some great drinks and I also did the amari flight and asked for his 3 favorites. They did not disappoint. read more

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Such a good atmosphere for date night or out with friends! Food was great, portions were just right in my opinion! read more

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Amazing atmosphere and excellent food. Went for a work function and will 100% be back for a personal trip

I can't say enough good things about this place! The food was beyond awesome. Our bartender/server Kelsey was so super and attentive!! The gnocchi was very soft and the sauce was delicious. The spaghetti with the sweet corn spicy sauce was just incredible! We also had the cheese and meat appetizer and everything on it was delicious. You definitely need a reservation for this place, we tried to go a few times and could never just walk in. We will be back! read more

Bar Marco - Spaghetti, gnocchi and meat and cheese plate. - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Been for drinks, a meal, a wedding rehearsal dinner. This place never disappoints. Their food is outstanding.

A charming local restaurant in the Strip District with a cozy vibe and great Italian food. We had two delicious pasta dishes and some kind of squash puréed appetizer that was out of this world. This is not cookie-cutter Italian. They are making an effort, and they treat their workers well. Hence the no-tip policy, because the employees are salaried with health benefits. read more

Bar Marco was a cute restaurant and bar, which gave me a European style vibe. It was beautiful at sunset and the atmosphere was classy. Parking was easy with lots of street parking in the area, as it avoids the busier parts of the Strip. Service was amazing. The restaurant doesn't require a tip, but the service and staff were super nice and food was fast. [Spanish Octopus] was my favorite dish. It was nicely grilled so that the octopus was tender, and the polenta and zucchini was finely executed as well. However, I did feel the fusilli was too salty. The Marco Caesar salad also felt a bit bland, maybe because there was too much kale and not much of anything else in the salad. The arancini was flavorful with a crispy texture but soft and cheesy risotto inside to balance. read more

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My fiancée and I celebrated her birthday here, it was our first time. The food and drinks were amazing! Our server, Neil, was seriously the best and everyone was on top of everything. And the general atmosphere of the place was very cozy! It is a no tipping establishment, so I hope they are paid a living wage or are paid out a % of total sales or something. Would recommend! read more

We had our wedding / brunch there oct 12th and everybody is still talking about how good everything was, from venue, to the food, to the staff. Shelby did a fantastic job with everything, and we can't thank her and her staff enough. Teresa & I highly recommend here (so do our guests) read more

An intimate, minimalist wine bar located in an old fire house, serving Italian cuisine.   Trendy restaurant offering a large wine list, craft cocktails and delicious bites.  They also have a "Union Hall" rental space for parties, weddings or showers.  Went for dinner and had a very prompt and friendly staff helped us pick what we wanted to eat. Phenomenal food, everything cooked to perfection and encompasses the perfect touches.  They have delicious Shishuto peppers on their menu, so we had to try those! Also had their dinner - two course meal for $45! For the arancini and spaghetti- which has pesto, pistachio & potatoes!!! This restaurant has a European style vibe that demonstrates a classy atmosphere.  Real candles on the tables create a warm and inviting feel. read more

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I'm happy we finally made it here - this has been on my list of spots to try in Pittsburgh for years now! I really liked the atmosphere inside - it was elegant yet laid back, and the waitstaff were friendly and attentive. Though they try to make things as easy on you as possible with a short menu and curated wine selection, it's still hard to choose because everything sounds so good. Luckily, our server was very helpful with suggestions and guidance, and we were happy with our order. We started off with a bottle of their Pinot Grigio (which we really enjoyed) as well as the vitello tonnato and chicken liver. I wasn't as wow-ed by the apps - I liked the meat in the vitello tonnato but overall felt the dish was a bit lacking, and the chicken liver was a bit dry. Our mains, however, were outstanding. I got the swordfish (which definitely ranks up there amongst the better fish dishes I've had) and my husband got the orecchiette, which he absolutely loved. We definitely joined the clean plate club that night, which in hindsight is unfortunate because I wish we'd had room for dessert! However, I know we'll definitely be back. read more

I have been to Bar Marco for brunch before so I was excited to try it for dinner. I adore the architectural uniqueness and decor of the intimate space and real candlelight added a warmth to the already inviting ambiance of our dining experience. Our server, Maddie was lovely as were the welcoming greeter to the food runners. For those not familiar, it's a two course price fix with the option of adding on dessert. They serve natural wines and offer several curated cocktails. I love their seasonal offerings and so it was difficult to choose between the baked ricotta and the arancini for my first course. I had the same struggle with choosing my second course between the risotto and potato gnocchi. I'll just have to return to try the others. I like that they are a gratitude included price model so that the staff is compensated fairly. Reservations are highly recommended. read more

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Bar Marco has become my to-go place to take out of towners and for date nights! It's in a really cute old fire engine building in the strip near the Penn Ave fish market, and the price you see is the price you pay. No tipping is necessary since a 20% gratuity is already included in the food price, and it's a 2 course pre-fixe menu at $45 with desserts at an addition $10. So much fairer to the servers and the back kitchen staff. The food is also consistently great! Sometimes the vegetarian options don't change much in the rotating menu, but the non-vegetarian options change often and are always delicious! They cook their proteins well, and the sauces are great. The vegetarian dishes are great, but eating them over and over again can be a bit boring. The drinks are well mixed and always delicious as well. If you're looking for a great place for consistently good date night food or trying to impress some friends & family from out of town, definitely consider Bar Marco! read more

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I can't say enough good things about last night's dinner in the wine cellar at Bar Marco. My husband and I loved the intimate space - and the fact that we caught glimpses of the kitchen as we came and went. The service was impeccable: our server was attentive to our needs without being intrusive, knowledgeable about food and wine, warm and friendly and very professional. And the food...wow. Many compliments to the chef and their staff. Every course was exciting and new and different from anything my husband or I have recently tried. The pasta with broccoli and broccolini pesto and pistachios was exquisite. Just a lovely experience all around. read more

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Can not recommend and would absolutely not suggest relying on this business for your special event such as a wedding! First, food does not live up to their hype. Average taste at best. Salad was decent, the risotto needed some acidity to cut the richness (granted it was better than the pasta course originally suggested that tasted like plain boxed pasta with a jar of pesto added). The steak was good, however the small portion with 4 tiny slices per serving for my husband and I was pathetic, not to mention the side of plain potatoes drenched in oil were served cold. *more on that later. In addition the bread course was a total rip off. $5 per person for bread that turned out to be very thin slices of bread cut in half was pathetic, generic store purchased bread could have been better. Also we skipped the dessert course... can't remember their pretentious name for chocolate pudding, that was also mediocre at best. Second, the restaurant staff was dressed atrociously for a formal event such as a wedding in mismatched wrinkled clothing and boots. Note the florist and his staff dressed better when they unloaded the flowers before the event than the Bar Marco staff was attired for the event. Homeless hipster dress code was not appreciated or appropriate. While on the subject of staff clothing... one of the staff "was cold" so they decided to turn off the a/c and switch on the heat in the room before the event on a hot humid day. Add nearly 40 people and candles and the space despite me switching back to a/c was warm and uncomfortable, even guests complained about the warm space. The staff also rolled their eyes when the cold potatoes served to us were brought to their attention. Third, the room... already mentioned the heat on was also loud and echoed despite being told that would not be an issue. On one of the most special days in your life and you want everything as close to perfect and this was overall a disappointment. I do have to give 1 star out of 5 to the facility for accommodating multiple guest special requests for their diet and food allergy issues. Look elsewhere for a facility to host your wedding so your memories of that special day are not clouded with poor food, surly staff, a humid warm space and a venue that clearly does not live up to their hype. read more

Bar Marco is located in the strip district and the outside of it keeps the restaurant very hidden. There isn't any big sign on the front to let you know where it is which is a little sneaky but I guess that why it's a hidden gem!!! The ambience was super cute and romantic with little candles on every table. The restaurant offers a $45 pre fix menu where you choose one appetizer and one entrée. They have additional add-ons if you would like such as focaccia, olives, etc. our server was so sweet told us a lot about the wines when we were deciding what we wanted and offered us samples of the wine before choosing as well, which I thought was so great! The Arancini portion as an appetizer was huge!! (Everywhere else I've had arancini, the balls are pretty small). The stone fruit and tomato salad was super refreshing to balance out the arancini as well, and even though it literally was just tomatoes and peaches it was really good! Both the entrées we had were phenomenal. I believe the shrimp and squid ink risotto is something that is on their menu year-round! The gnudi was some thing I've never tried before and it was so good! The sauce was a little tangy but paired great with the rich ricotta gnudis. I also love that their menu varies and they incorporate seasonal produce! I can't wait to go back!!! read more

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They have a rotating menu with all sorts of deliciousness. We had two apps, and all ended up with the same pasta, spaghetti with pesto potatoes and beans. read more

Bar Marco - Peach, plum, nectarine, tomato, Salad with peach vinaigrette - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Recently had the opportunity to make a reservation Bar Marco for the first time and really enjoyed our experience! Featured here is: Champagne Papi - titos/peachcello/lemon/champagne syrup Bread Service Focaccia & Country Loaf w/ olive oil Arancini - saffron risotto/mozzarella/red sauce Baked Caputo Bros Ricotta - pork belly/ fennel & celery/cured lemon vinaigrette Potato Gnocchi - castelrosso cheese fonduta/black pepper Orecchiette - beef & pork ragu/soffritto/rosemary /clove & cinnamon/ grana Aquerello Risotto - yellow campagna tomatoes/maine mussels /grana padano Braised Beef Cheeks - olive oil potatoes/carrots/jus It was great to be able to sample a lot from their menu and everything was delicious. You can certainly tell that they take pride in their dishes and that comes through in the quality and presentation. Everything tasted great and we were impressed with each dish. They are one of the top 25 restaurants per Pittsburgh magazine and for good reason. If you are looking for a two course, prix-fixe menu that won't break the bank, this is your place. Make a reservation and give them a try! read more

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If you haven't done the Wine Room Dinner experience at Bar Marco yet...you need to plan for one! The room in the wine cellar of the restaurant has a large table and can accommodate your group of friends up to 10 people. I know in the past you would be seated with other guests, but due to COVID restrictions, you can reserve it for just your group right now! My friends and I (six total) reserved the room on a Wednesday night. They host the 5 course food and wine dinners on Wednesdays and Fridays, but you need to book it in advance. The cost is $120 per person, and gratuity is included. One of the best parts about this dinner, is that they will accommodate each person's dinner according to dietary restrictions. For example, we had 3 pescatarians, one person that could not eat seafood, and two people that had no restrictions. Each course could be enjoyed together, even if they were slightly dinner. For one of the courses, I got a smoked trout dish with an oaky white wine. Another guest got a smoked prosciutto dish with the same wine. The wines paired perfectly with both dishes! My favorite course was the fresh homemade pasta with ramp and arugula pesto. All of the dishes were made with fresh, Spring-y ingredients. It was really fun to taste natural wines from all over the world that you would not find in the liquor store. They also offer a new wine club featuring the natural wines that they serve in the restaurant. I am considering joining! The ambience is comfortable and cool. You are literally in their wine cellar. Our food, hosts, and wine were all amazing. 10/10 recommend! read more

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We enjoyed the New Year's Eve dinner so much!! It's a $65 pre-fix 3 courses one and you get to choose your starters, entree and dessert. Most of the starter and entrée options are same as the regular $45 2-course ones, so basically you are paying 20 more bucks for the dessert and the NYE vibe... Everything is so delicious, we had the liver pate and pork loin for the starters. Then the entrees - beef and pork tomato Ragu is amazing!! So is the duck breast - if you've tried the duck breast dish from Polet Bleu, this one is pretty much the same, also comes with grapes or some type of sweet fruits and barley 'risotto'. I chose the duck to be medium-rare and loved it! For dessert, this is the best ever tiramisu I've ever had!! You can tell that the ladyfingers were in espresso and wine, so flavorful(this somehow is rare to find these days, tbh most tiramisu only has a sweet coffee cream taste) , also creamy in the texture too. The other dessert we had is the rice pudding with pistachio, also yummy. For drinks, I enjoyed the whiskey one with lemon and five spices (can't remember the name). My friend had the one has rose flavor, so pretty!! Overall another excellent dinner experience. Hope to come back during spring time and try more when menu updated! read more

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Great ambiance and terrific service, restaurant is very chic looking and the food was fantastic. They charge $45 per person with 1 appetizer and 1 main course with gratuities included which I love that concept. More restaurants need to adapt the included tips so everyone can make a livable wage., They also have great wine choices. Highly recommended. read more

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I visited Bar Marco this past Saturday as they hosted Slappers n Bangers. The event was $15 at the door and the line went pretty quick to get in. Music was upstairs and there was one, small bar downstairs. It took anywhere from 15-30 minutes for my friends to get drinks. I paid $17 for a specialty cocktail. It was good, but it came in a cup that resembled what they give you on an airplane. It was gone after what seemed like a few sips. The price point and wait for drinks made it hard to enjoy the event. Staff was friendly. I'd be willing to try this place out during their normal hours as a restaurant but likely won't return for an event, unfortunately. read more

My husband and I hosted our wedding and reception last summer at Bar Marco's "Union Hall," and coming up on our first anniversary, I feel compelled to leave a review! We without a doubt recommend the space for anyone looking to have an intimate wedding (50 or less) with great food, vibes, and service. Shelby and her entire team were fantastic, from spending time with us at our tasting to perfect our menu and curate the perfect wine selection to the excellent service they provided on our big day. The team at Bar Marco made everything so easy, and were very communicative during the time between us booking the space through our wedding day. The space would also be perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, or other special occasion dinners or gatherings, as well as networking receptions or other professional gatherings. We also dined at the restaurant a few times before booking our wedding venue - the food was amazing every time. Bar Marco also has very talented bartenders who always seem to come up with a cocktail that is exactly what you need. We will be returning this year (and years to come) for our anniversary dinner. read more

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Best vibe and food in the strip district. The best service and food I've had fantastic all around.

Bar Marco did an amazing job for our wedding. The food is so good that all of our vendors were thrilled when we told them the venue, and our guests similarly raved. The staff took the time to know our order of events and requests and accommodated accordingly. Highly recommend. read more

Very accommodating and awesome space! They have a rotating menu that for us was a $45 prefix where everyone got to choose an appetizer and then a main dish! We also did cocktails and wine! They treat their staff with dignity and it really shows! This is a no tipping restaurant as the prices are built into the menu and prefix cost which actually makes this a great place to go with friends when you are splitting a bill- very easy to do so! With prefix there is typically no substitutions or swaps since what they have is what the have on hand! One of the folks in my party has lengthy and severe food allergies and they were so kind to accommodate and prepare a very basic version of one of the dishes! So very much appreciated!!!! We were there the celebrate a birthday and this was an excellent place to have it! read more

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I haven't been to Bar Marco since before the pandemic and it was an even greater night out than I had remembered. Bar Marco is a smaller interior right on Penn Ave in the Strip and requires to show proof of vaccination and ID to be seated. I started off with the apple scotch cocktail which was smooth and smokey and enjoyable for any cocktail drinker. We dined in on a 2 course fixed price menu and started with the arancini and onion soup. The arancini was crispy, cheesy and fried to perfection with plenty of sauce. The onion soup was comparable to a sweeter version of French onion soup with two large slices of homemade bread. In addition to the two course meal at $40/person, I also ordered a smaller side of the cheese pepper gnocchi ($15 for a pasta side) to split and what a call that was. It was an entire plate of little gnocchi pillows in a delicious and rich cheese sauce. Unfortunately, I cleaned off the plate of gnocchi before snapping a pick of the Italian milk pork which melted onto the fork in a delicious and creamy sauce over a side of crispy potatoes. I finished the night splitting the lemon ricotta cake and a coffee to a perfect night out with great portions, delicious food, and top bartending read more

Bar Marco - Italian milk pork - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Bar Marco is my new favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh! Upon being seated, we were presented with fresh bread made in-house. For drinks, I ordered the Champagne Papi (essentially a lemon drop martini) and my date had a Pinot Noir. Both were fantastic. (So much so that I had three more!) For our appetizer, we had the baked ricotta. This was my least favorite item due to the bitterness of the anchovies. Next time, I would skip this dish. For the main course, I had the potato gnocchi. This was the BEST gnocchi I have ever had! The gnocchi were huge pillows covered in a delicious cheese sauce. The portion size is much smaller than something you would find at somewhere such as the Cheesecake Factory, however you will still end your meal feeling satiated. If you still have room for more, you can order a "bonus pasta" portion for $18. My date and I opted to share a bonus pasta portion of the Gemelli. This was a light and bright pesto pasta which was both filling and refreshing. It's definitely worth it to get a bonus pasta portion as it perfectly reheated the next day! Overall, Bar Marco has a relaxed yet upscale hole in the wall ambiance, with quality food to match. The service was great despite being a no-tipping establishment. Bar Marco is truly a hidden gem in Pittsburgh's strip district, and is a must-visit location next time you're looking for a night out. read more

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Had a wonderful dinner sitting at the bar. The bar is really just an extension of the dining experience versus a traditional bar experience. I mean this in a good way. The staff was engaging and knowledgeable. The prix fix menu has a nice variety of options. We shared all four of our dishes and each was excellent. This included the beet salad, chicken liver pâté, chicken and potatoes and finally, the soul warming bolognese. Tried a couple of wines and both were excellent. read more

Bar Marco - Bolognese - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Great fresh food and cocktails. Currently only sitting guests outside and it is quite lovely. Menu changes almost daily and the staff are friendly and attentive. Though they don't take reservations, it is worth any wait. I suggest going early to beat the rush. read more

Bar Marco - Gemelli and Pesto! - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My friends and I have been looking forward to trying Bar Marco for a while but unfortunately, we weren't impressed. They give you carafes of water but some of ours tasted like soap or chlorine, some sort of chemical. For dinner, they have a $45 two-course menu. Tip is included which I love! I had the Marco Caesar Salad which was huge and tasty but a bit too salty for my taste. I would have preferred less cheese and croutons, though I did enjoy the anchovies. I tried a few of the other appetizers my friends ordered and didn't love them. The ricotta and pesto was tasty but pretty much just a block of cheese. I definitely did not enjoy the pork tonnato, so I'd avoid that one. I think the bluefin tuna is a good option, and likely the arancini. For the main course, the arrabbiata was decent, nice spice and I enjoyed the cheese and chili flakes on top, but it was really nothing special. One friend enjoyed the Spanish octopus, and another really didn't like the tagliatelle. The cocktails were honestly the best part. I'd say overall this place is pretty hit or miss, and the prices are too high for the quality. Perhaps they were having an off night, but I'm not sure I'll be returning. read more

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