what a lovely surprise this restaurant turned out to be! The restaurant is spacious and perfect for a group outing or a date. Was able to eat here without a reservation on a weeknight. The margherita pizza was absolute perfection - the taste and texture was so much better than expected. would absolutely order this again. also had the pappardelle and cavatelli and both were flavorful and delicious. read more

Went once. Got food poisoning from the calamari. Pasta portion was small and taste was unremarkable. read more

We picked this place simply because they could accommodate a large party. However, it was one of those gold mine finds! Food, service, drinks, atmosphere all fantastic! Literally everything was perfect and I can't tell you how many times"OMGs" I heard with every single bite. Everyone loved everything! The focaccia, olives (I hate olives and loved these) pizza and pasta... it was all perfect! read more

Food was just OK and the portions were extremely small for the prize. There are a lot of other Italian restaurants I would go to over this one in the neighborhood. read more

The food was phenomenal. Service was quick. Portion felt small but it was so good I could have had more. read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Homemade Cheese & Truffle Ravioli w Caramelized Pear and Cheese Fondue - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Service was nice. Food just okay. Wine was yummy. Really clean bathroom and space in general. Music a vibe. read more

Just had dinner here with our family. We had the focaccia, a pizza, three of the pastas, and the chicken plus dessert (tiramisu, pannacotta, and ice cream). Everything was delicious. My son said it was the best pasta he'd ever had. Matteo was our server and he was friendly, efficient, and welcoming. We really enjoyed our dinner here and plan to come back. Great place! read more

Excited to check out this highly rated Italian restaurant, we trekked with our 1 year old (not an easy feat) from a semi-neighboring area. We were apparently the first customers of the day, so just in case, I asked, "Are you open?" which I've definitely gotten a "not yet" to before and asked to wait a few minutes outside, but this time the hostess just gave me a "What do you think?" condescending look. Not a great first impression. Maybe not place someone like that to greet customers. She continued to gesture with her facial expressions and nods a few times to tell me to go grab a seat outside with a bit of an attitude. So checked in to do my reviews as usual and noticed her demeanor changed 180 degrees which was a bit relieving but disappointing. The waiter and food were excellent. We got crepes and eggplant rigatoni. They had high chairs. Unfortunately they didn't have a diaper changing table in either bathroom and that was quite a challenge to change my unwieldy baby on the hard floor. Overall, I would say very elegant, great food and service overall. Maybe have a friendlier, less snarky hostess greet the customers as it really taints the rest of the experience there and makes me never want to come again even though the food is excellent. And a diaper changing table would be ideal but maybe it's meant to be for older kids or more of an elegant space for adults. Thanks for having our family there. read more

3 word description: delicious, quality, vibes details: I ordered dinner to go on Jan 21. The expected pickup time was 30 minutes after I placed my order, which was accurate. I showed up a little early and waited for my order, and it came out nice and hot! The Cheese +Truffle Ravioli with Caramelized Pear and Parmigiano Fondue was delicious. Truffle is usually a hit or miss for me (sometimes it's just too strong!), but this was PERFECT. The various flavors played well together - I loved it! Although I didn't dine in, the restaurant itself had great vibes. I would love to return to have a dine in experience! read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Homemade Cheese & Truffle Ravioli w Caramelized Pear and Cheese Fondue - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Absolutely delicious. I've tried about 60% of the menu and can't wait for my next meal there. The ambiance is great. It's Brooklyn at its best. Family Owned, chill, good music, beautiful people read more

Barbalu Bklyn - The Outside - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Been here on 2 occasions. The first time the service was quite poor: We waited a long time to order, and an even longer time for our food. It was a Saturday night, so an extended wait may be expected, but this was a bit more than an acceptable wait. And sometimes the food is just so good you just know you'll be back anyway. I had the lasagna. The pasta is made in-House, and it shows. I was back a few weeks later and had to get that lasagna again. This time I had the fried calamari , too, and it was delectable. The food is fresh, well prepared, and so tasty! The only problem is I want to try the other menu items, but that lasagna is irresistible! Can't wait to go back. read more

The cutest Italian place in Brooklyn. The vibes were awesome, the food was amazing and the service was good!

We stopped in at this cute little restaurant. The outdoor seating was nice. Our waitress was lovely and happy to advise us on dinner. There's a happy hour special on wines by the glass and some cocktails until 7 pm. We were started off with good bread and olive oil. The food was OK. I felt like my palate didn't align with the chef's. We shared a baby kale Cesar salad, which was OK and the special kale and pumpkin salad, which everyone gave up on after a bite. The tonnarelli allo scoglio was OK, but there was a flavor in it that I didn't love. We visited Sicily last month and the restaurant's pasta a la Norma didn't compare well. It was very salty. The best entree was the short rib special, which was perfectly cooked and had a really tasty sauce. A nice enough place, but more misses than hits for us. read more

I went when they were still in Manhattan with friends for a last-minute dinner on a week night and it was the perfect place. The food here is SO GOOD. I had the special ravioli of the day which was spinach ricotta with tomato oil and my lord was it good. Our waiter was cool and sitting outside was perfect. read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Spinach ricotta ravioli with tomato oil. Negroni Sbagliato - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The restaurant looks nice inside and has an open space concept. We love the spritz and the pizza but was a little disappointed on the pasta and ribeye since it's bland. There's taste to it but you can tell it lacked seasoning. Service was okay too. read more

See all

Great pizza! Ordered pizza to go- service was prompt and friendly. Will be dining in next time in the area. Very nice ambiance inside. Great for date nights. read more

Food was fresh and DELISH! Dined on calamari and Homemade Pappardelle With Braised Short Ribs Ragù and it was so good! My pic shows the end ... not the beginning! lol The Prosecco was also a great choice! read more

Barbalu Bklyn - No before ... only the after! Homemade Pappardelle With Braised Short Ribs Ragù - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Vibes are a 5/5 Service is a 2/5. Our server was nowhere to be found after our mains arrived and were never able to put another drink order in. Food 3/5. The buffala & prosciutto both dry. Nothing to write home about. The broccoli rabe pizza wasn't giving. There was no umph. It claimed it was spicy but there were very few chili flakes to make it so. The pizza was baked perfectly though. The braised short rib ragu was pretty good! But it definitely needed the extra love from the Parmesan cheese we added on. Drink 2/5 - overly sweet. The Paloma they tried making was luke warm at the bottom all the juice sat at the top. Clearly wasn't well combined before serving. Would maybe come back. read more

I always enjoy coming here! The service is top notch, they're always so attentive, accommodating and just overall a great staff! The pasta is homemade and my go to is always the paradelle with braised rib. It's so fresh, filling and the meat is literally falling apart. Cocktails are also great, if asking for a margarita during happy hour I would suggest switching the tequila for a high end option as the house tequila is less than par. The restaurant overall is very cute inside! It's a great size, I love the aesthetics and the vibe is always calming. The tables along the wall are a little tight, but I wouldn't call it a deal breaker! read more

Delish food. Lovely welcome service. A local fave. Def try the lasagne or one of the pizzas. They make a mean Negroni too.

This place is gorgeous, super clean, and the food is delicious. The calamari was delicious and perfectly crunchy. The squid Ink pasta was some of the best I've had -- all the seafood was super fresh tasting and the dish itself was prepared beautifully. The desserts blew my mind! The tiramisu tasted like a true Italian tiramisu -- very hard to find. It transported me back to Rome instantly! The chocolate mousse was incredible as well. We weren't going to order it but Pino, the chef, sent it to us for us to try and I am so thankful that he did! I'll definitely be coming back here soon to get these same desserts and to try out more of the menu. Beautiful place and wonderful dining experience! read more

See all

Maurizio, Makes the best Sicilian Pizza I ever had like My Mother's!!! Everything they serve is absolutely amazing! Deliciouso!!!!

Love! It was hard to decide what to order -- everything on the menu sounded so good. I went with one of their daily specials which was a casarecce pasta in amatriciana sauce. The pasta was so fresh and the sauce so yummy -- the thin slices of ham mixed in there really did it for me. My boyfriend wasn't too hungry that night so he ordered the meatballs and mashed potatoes app. App, right? Well the portion was huge! Easily could have been a full meal. Also very good. We ended the meal with semifreddo. Surprisingly this was my first time trying semifreddo and I don't quite know how to feel about it. It's not quite ice cream, not quite meringue. It kind of tasted like one of those palette cleansers you get in between courses at fancy restaurants. Nothing offensive, but I probably wouldn't order again. For drinks I had a glass of sangiovese followed by limoncello for dessert. He had a pineapple cocktail followed by an old fashioned. All were good. The old fashioned had sparkling water in it which was an interesting twist. The service was quick and professional. I'll definitely be back. read more

See all

We had Ceasar salad that was real good and ribeye steak that was cook perfectly. The potato and cod croquetas were also good. read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Ribeye steak - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The service was excellent and so was the food. I stopped in with a group of 6 and the restaurant accommodated us. I had the Gluten-free pasta with ragu and a glass of bubbly. The pasta was warm and filling. Salad and pizzas were good also. The space is nice, open and clean. I would definitely recommend and intend to go back soon. read more

See all

This spot just opened up in Carroll Gardens and I was pleasantly surprised. My girlfriend told me about this restaurant and definitely had to check it out. We ordered the fried calamari as a starter which was lightly fried and had great salty flavor to it. She then ordered the pizza with garlic, olives, and capers which came fresh out the oven. We were able to see the chef place the pizza in the oven. I got a great pasta dish the Maccheroni al Ragu. The sauce was delicious only one thing the noodles were a little bit hard but I don't mind them being al dente. I had a margarita which was a little unique with watermelon and basil. Will definitely go back for dinner in the future read more

See all

This place is adorable and the food was so yummy! The parmigiana pizza was DELICIOUS and the Homemade Squid Ink Tonnarelli allo Scoglio tasted indeed, homemade. After just coming back from Italy it was just what I needed, to have a taste of something authentic! We would absolutely go back. We were so glad they made space for us on a busy Friday night. Would def recc making a reservation in advance for the weekends since they filled up quickly. read more

See all

Great service and tasty dishes on a pretty street in Cobble Hill. Barbalu is a dependable spot that might not be your first choice in a neighborhood full of destination Italian restaurants but comes through on the classics with minimal fuss. We had the fried calamari and the cavatelli with mushrooms. The marinara with the calamari could have had just a little more kick but the calamari was fried well without too much batter. The cavatelli was saucy and filling with some shiitake mushrooms and the right amount of truffle. Stop by for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner. read more

This place was really nice. Nice open space with outdoor seating as well. The food was great, particularly the focaccia appetizer. Service was standard. We brought a cake for a birthday and they cut it for a $5 cutting charge. read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Homemade Strozzapreti with Lamb Ragu - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Walked past this place in Carrol Gardens and had a peek at the menu so just had to come in. Such a lovely build out on the restaurant as well. Love what they've done with the place. No idea what it was before but it's a great addition to the neighborhood! I had the Amalphi gimlet which took me right back to Capri! The veggie focaccia was so good, everything tasted really fresh. I actually couldn't eat any more but I will come back for dinner soon as the menu looks amazing read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Veggie focaccia - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Been meaning to come here & was able to find time to go in for brunch. More than a handful of outdoor tables and the inside is spacious with ample room between tables, which I always appreciate. Their Bloody Mary is so tasty - wasn't a typical run of the mill BM, think there was some dill in there. I don't think you can go wrong with pasta here. Both of the pasta dishes I tried (one w/ pancetta, one w/ seafood) were delicious. Portions were perfect. Will be coming back to try their other pasta dishes. read more

See all

Fast service, great pizza. Nice ambience. Perfect for a quick date night and the pizzas are shareable unless you're starving. read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Brocollini Broccolini and Salsiccia Pizza Chili oil is amazing! - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I slipped in late one evening to grab a bite. I liked the look of the space and I planted myself at the bar. I ordered a Sauvignon Blanc to begin and a Barbera to go with the Tonnarelli. The Tonnarelli with mixed seafood was very excellent. Bartender Shemar was a pretty cool guy, and I plan to add Barbalu to my rotation of restaurants in downtown Brooklyn. read more

Barbalu Bklyn - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Nice ambiance with outdoor seating. Service is a little slow and food us pricey for the portion size. Cesar salad is excellent, mushroom cavatelli tasty, squid ink pasta with seafood incredible, foccaia standard but adding a little bowl of olives was a nice touch. Cocktails were just okay. Overall food is tasty but not enough and pricing is too high. read more

The mood in the space is calm and cozy. Typically busy but we caught it during a snowstorm but would recommend getting a reservation. Our waiters were prompt and we got our courses almost immediately as we finished our last. Drinks always filled, and requests listened to. Bread was high quality, we requested balsamic vinegar to go with the oil and it was so good. 5/5 We got the meat platter antipasto enjoyed 3/4. One tasted like a bologna that was not as good but the rest were top notch cuts. Though a little pricey 4/5 We got the mushroom pasta which was the highlight of the meal for me 5/5 no notes. The mushroom was king but not overpowering. Ordered the papperdelle with rib and it has this homey feel that filled you up with a rich hearty flavor. Easy 4/5 (partner said they thought 5/5) read more

Food was very tasty I had the calamari and shrimp which was flavorful and fresh. The chicken was moist The wait staff friendly and helpful read more

I can't get past the general ambiance of Barbalu. They sunk some decent bank into the redo from the original space- which is generally quite lovely on its own- but they have LED uplighting along the banquets which makes it as cozy as a MacDonalds. The table seating is cold as well. Ixnay on the LED up-lighting, remove the weird brand signage along the same wall and add some ambient low hung pendants, some candles and maybe I'd notice the food (or want to come in) more. The service is always kind and cheerful. I honestly don't remember the food so much except for one heavy meat lasagne- which I only remember because I wasn't feeling so awesome, but my husband ate it. It wasn't bad (it was me). I think I also had a branzino the first time- but it was during covid and I think they had just opened. I never order pizza for dinner- but maybe will give that a go next time. I would like a little more variety on the menu- it's not a bad place at all- it's just that it would be great if it were a little more cozy and had more variety. read more

The white sangria is refreshing. Penne al Brucio and Homemade Squid Ink Tonnarelli allo is to die for! read more

A fantastic new addition to Brooklyn! Barbalu served us home made pasta and oven baked pizzas. There is great seating outdoors and a beautifully decorated restaurant. We also had a delicious desert for my moms birthday and signature cocktail. It was a fun a satisfying celebration! Will definitely come back. read more

See all

Ate here during the lunch hour on Friday. Service was excellent and the food was even better! We ordered the fried calamari and kale Caesar salad to share. My girlfriend had the maccheroni al ragú and I, the parmigiana pizza. We washed it down with a bottle of buon bosco, lovely recommendation from our waiter. Everything was great! The calamari was extremely fresh. We ate it all and I personally wish we had more. I typically don't eat kale in my salad, I usually go with romaine, but the salad was so goood. My girlfriend enjoyed her pasta and I thoroughly enjoyed my pizza too. Girlfriend works in the area so I'll probably be back again! read more