I actually was going to a different restaurant and once I found parking, I went into where I thought I had planned. The ambience was good. Cozy, white linen and pleasant service. The portobello mushrooms and avocados appetizer is highly recommended. Jerk chicken with red beans and rice with mango sauce wad a complex of tastes, good. read more

Came in for Happy Hour and it was a great experience. Their special margaritas were the perfect way to end a workday and they packed a pretty good punch! We ordered a few things and everything was delicious. The arepas were my favorite and the Cuban sandwich was good. The flan was absolutely standout, and much appreciated after so many bad flans I have had in the city. The chef even came out to help me with some menu questions I had which I appreciated. The restaurant is small and quaint. It was packed by the time we were leaving and it was nice to be in such a lively place. My only recommendation would be better training of staff. Several times things were reached over, and the server did not understand my questions or have knowledge about menu ingredients. There were also several items not available, from an already limited hh menu, and our server could offer no real recommendations. read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Arepas de lechón + Chuzos de Carne - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I sat outside on a spring day the food was delicious, very flavorful. I will admit the jerk chicken didn't taste like I thought it would. It seemed tomato based and not the spice I was used to. The kale and rice & peas had a bite I didn't enjoyed. Seems like they would have been better if they were cooked longer. The waitstaff was attentive and kind. I didn't feel rushed or pressured. read more

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10 out of 10. Would do it again. It was a perfect New Orleans winter night. Weather was perfect for outdoor dining. We arrived with out a reservation and still was seated immediately. My friend and I are huge fans of sharing so we tried everything. Everything was delicious but the stand out was the red fish. Everything on the plate was delicious. I'd come back just for the fish plate alone. Baru I will definitely return. read more

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I came here with a large party for galentines and I really enjoyed everything! I started with the chuzos de carne which were so tender and delicious. My friend had the mazorca and I wish I ordered that too! It was so good. For my entree I had the atun à la planta which was light and tasty read more

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Baru is amazing from food to cocktails to service. Intimate restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Staff is super accommodating for parties of all sizes. As always a 10/10 fav! read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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We stumbled on this lovely tapas restaurant. It's on the corner with street parking available. They have seating for large groups in the front of the restaurant, and further to the back is a bit more intimate setting. The ambience is warm and inviting as you enter. Our server, Juliana, took time to explain the dishes. I was impressed that they have three types of water to choose from. I started out with the Mazorca which was a delicious blend of both corn and very thin, sliced shoestring, potatoes. There was plenty for two. Next was the Ceviche Classico served with large plantain chips. The flavors of the mixture, complemented one another perfectly. My dining companion ordered the market fish which was from South Africa and served whole. It was prepared well and seasoned to my palate. We were treated to some perfect flan and what a great way to end our last night in New Orleans. I have marked this restaurant to return to on my next visit. read more

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I wanted to try Baru again with my sister in town, so we checked out their coolinary menu for this month. Our food was excellent. It was well prepared and seasoned, and the portion sizes were generous. They had some beautiful options to pick from, so I felt like it was worth $53 per person. The service was a little slow during our reserved time, but they were busy on a Saturday night so I can understand. I would come back for sure! read more

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Visited Baru Tapas for brunch with friends and haven't been there for a time and pleasantly surprised. We tried every tapas on the menu and they were all so good. All the tapas were delicious and so favorable. Check out the menu - it's a must. Such a great variety. read more

Giving this place a 3.5. It wasn't the best , but it wasn't absolutely horrible . The service was fast and our waiter was friendly , but the food wasn't as appetizing as I wish it would be. They offers a decent dining experience with a welcoming vibe and friendly service. It's a good option if you're in the area and want a casual meal, but there's definitely room for the kitchen to step up its game. I'd give it 3.5 stars and would consider returning to see if things improve. read more

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Absolutely DELICIOUS drum fish ceviche, black bean empanadas & guava pastillo! Very posh boutique dining experience off Magazine St in the Garden District. I also ordered the happy hour appetizers. Juliana was my server and was super sweet and attentive! read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Empanadas - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

We recently stumbled upon this spot looking for something with outdoor seating as we had our toy poodle with us. We were very pleased with the food. We enjoyed a ceviche and a seared tuna entree complete with arugula and and topped with a mango salsa. read more

I've had Baru on my radar forever and finally checked it out and glad I did. Service was friendly and efficient. The food was very good although I'd prefer if some of the items came with a spicy cream sauce vs just a chili based oil sauce. The avocado salad had only 1 sliver of avocado. Glasses of wine were super skimpy. Seemed like 4 ounce pours. The ceviche was very good. The empanadas while simple the crust was amazing. The shrimp dish was classically prepared but appreciate they were ready to eat. But beyond my nitpicky comments I enjoyed the overall experience and will be back. I'll just order a bottle of wine to avoid the skimpy pours. read more

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Tuesday's is Tapas night. You can select 3 tapas for $21! It's a super deal! Plus, drink specials. The steak skewers were awesome!

Great food and great service even though they were packed. Only a few bar seats left. Tables were full. I got the BBQ Jerk Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Kale Callaloo, Salsa Macha and Pikliiz. It was excellent. Other order on the table was Pescado Frita which was Redfish, Coconut Rice, Patacones and Mango Escabeche. That was excellent also. read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Pescado Frito (Redfish today), Patacones and Mango Escabeche - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Very unexpected on how amazing the food tasted. We're talking flavors that pair well, freshness, and taste. Everything that I had tasted so well. Both ceviche's were fresh and the plantain chips were also fresh. I couldn't decide on what to eat so I did small plates. Service was lovely. I didn't sit on the roof top but inside was still nice. Would definitely eat here again read more

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This used to be my favorite place to eat churisco skirt steak ... coconut rice ... and flan. Well, times have changed since the last I visited in 2015. Came on a Monday evening, and there were three on the dining staff; they all made drinks & served the diners. It was about 6:45p. It took a minute to get our menus & water. We initially ordered the Lamb Sliders & Meduros. We literally had to look for our server & she had to check on our appetizers bc she may have forgotten. The wait for the appetizers were about 20-25min. As soon as that order came, we immediately ordered our entrees so that it would not take another 1Hr to get our food. The churisco & the jerk chicken was ok. It was btr before as I rmbr it. The coconut rice was not as texturized, too much water/coconut milk; on the soggy side. I was excited to order my dessert- flan. When I got it, I took two bites; my 1st was to get a taste of the creme, eggs, & crispiness of the sugar on top.... I experienced none of that. I took my second bite & i was no longer confused. The flan tasted stale, maybe it was not made fresh &/or store bought. The consistency of the flan's creaminess was absent & more spongy than anything. The bathrm. I thought it would be fitting to the type of venue it is, but, it's small & the hand soap & towels are not placed strategically for guests to labouring to find it. I give this visit a TWO. I was literally embarrassed bc I talked it up so much and to bring the dinner party for a disappointment, did not make me feel good. Not sure if there will be a next time. Thnx for the experience, anyway=*} read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Churasco w/ Coconut Rice... - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Another delicious day at Baru! We went for tapas and drinks and it did not disappoint! Here is what we ordered: Empanadas, chusos, yuca frita- 10/10 all around Drinks: margarita and maracuya. Can't wait to go back! The only thing I would not order again is the arepas bc I thought they were the least flavorful. Everything else was wow! read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Empanadas, chusos, margarita and maracuya. 10/10 all around - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I think Baru is one of New Orleans leaders in delicious and interesting small plate offerings! A Caribbean twist makes their tapas sing! Cool indoor dining and a newly opened balcony offer.livelt atmospheres. I got mugged by a couple wooly caterpillars, but that was my poor clothing choice. When I called to warm them, they responded graciously. I loved Baru when they opened and now they have built on that! On the Magazine Bustouristik. Parking available if you are willing to walk acouple blocks. read more

Such a quaint restaurant in the East Riverside area of NOLA, right on magazine street. The happy hour margaritas were small but amazing! The flank steak meal (Churrasco) was delicious! I past the restaurant a few times as the exterior would have you think the place is a dive bar of some sort. Overall extremely pleased with this decision!!!! read more

The food, the drinks, and the service at Baru are excellent. I enjoyed EVERYTHING I ate and the margaritas are delicious! Some of my favorites included the mazorca, patatas bravas, and the churrasco. I will definitely be back to explore Baru's food and cocktail menu! read more

Food was good, but do NOT sit outside. We kept smelling sewage and we figured out it was connected to the bathroom on site. Every time someone flushed the toilet in the restaurant it smelled HORRENDOUS. Also was a 3 hour dinner. I think they forgot about us outside. Very disappointed because this restaurant came highly recommended. The restaurant needs to figure out what's happening with the sewage system. Will not be returning. read more

14 years later and I finally get to eat here again. Totally forgot about this place until I was scrolling on yelp and it popped up. Service was great and the food was freaking amazing!!!!!! It reminded me of why I loved this place. Cant wait to come back here. read more

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My friend and I walked in for dinner to try the magazines street restaurant week menu. No reservation, but we were able to be seated upstairs right away (on the earlier side, 5:45 ish). We ordered drinks, and the mojito was fantastic!! From the special restaurant week menu, I had the tuna tostada, mahi mahi, and maduras foster. The tuna tostada was fantastic!! Wish I had taken a picture. It took a little while for the first course to come out, but after that the food came out promptly. As the night got busier, it was still only two servers upstairs so it took a while to get the check. Overall, great food and drinks, but seems like they could use a little more help on the service end. Also, if it wasn't a million degrees outside, the upstairs balcony looks like it would be a great place to enjoy drinks or a meal. Maybe we'll come back to try sitting outside in the fall. read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Mahi mahi from magazine street restaurant week - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This place is a total gem! We had lunch on Saturday. Vibe is super chill. Staff gave impeccable service. Attentive. Gracious. And the dishes are an incredible pan-Latin experience. We had the Atún a la Plancha and the Churrasco, with the Picada de Chorizo as an appetizer. Superbly fresh and balanced flavors, both proteins cooked to perfection. The best surprise is the salad with toasted quinoa. And DONT FORGET TO GET A TROPICAL SPRITZER! 10/10 for a lazy lunch! read more

So elegant and tasty. Loved the flavors created with each dish. The take on classic Caribbean dishes with an elevated twist is really nice. Had a reservation which seemed like a good idea for a Saturday night there and was seated right away. Upstairs was having a bit of a cooling issue but that seems very temporary and I'm sure it's all cleared up by now. read more

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This place is a lot bigger than I thought it'd be; we came here for a friend's birthday and they seated us upstairs. They have a balcony that you can walk out on and take pictures, it's a cozy place. The service was very nice and accommodating for our loud bunch. I had the old man and the sea cocktail and it was really refreshing and light, I would definitely get that again if I came back. I also ordered the chuzos and the guacabello small plate items. The chuzos were good but the guacabello was so delicious! I considered ordering a second plate of that, honestly. It was a little pricey but I wouldn't mind coming back again. read more

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10/10 experience in every way, this is my go to restaurant, service is always great, friendly staff, good ambiance, delicious food, delivers each time. read more

Every year I try to participate in New Orleans Restaurant Week. It is always fun to look at the list of participating restaurants and the menu offerings and pick either an old favorite or a new place to go. This time I decided to go to Baru which I had been to for lunch shortly after it opened many years ago but had not been since. I used to live in old Metairie near Zocalo and Brasa and was aware of the following those restaurants have as well as the positive press regarding all of these sister restaurants. The menu looked promising, so I made a reservation for Friday evening. The physical restaurant is about what I remembered. There is a little more outdoor seating which looks comfortable . The indoor seating is a little cramped and the place is frankly a little warm (in the middle of summer.) We received it upstairs and the table was comfortable enough although the wall mounted AC unit was clearly overwhelmed. We ordered from the Restaurant Week menu which had a lot on it I was interested in. We both got what is essentially shrimp remoulade for an appetizer. The remoulade was made a lot as my mother made it . It is a mayonnaise and ketchup based sauce (or so it appeared to me) with other goodies that made it absolutely delicious. The shrimp were served on a romaine heart. The appetizer was absolutely delicious. For an entree I ordered the hanger steak which was served on top of sauteed mushrooms and with a chimichurri atop the steak. Alongside were yucca fries. The dish was delicious all around. The steak was cooked medium rare and was tender and flavorful, the sauteed mushrooms were plentiful and delicious, the chimichurri extremely flavorful, and the yucca fries fantastic. Hopefully, this entree remains on the menu for those that might go after Restaurant Week. My wife ordered the tuna a la plancha which was served with an avocado based sauce. It was fabulous as well. For dessert I ordered the plantain foster and my wife ordered the tres leches. Both again fabulous but the tres leches was a much better choice given the season. The cake was extremely light, flavorful, fruity, and perfect for summer. Absolutely delicious. The plantain foster was a little heavier but still extremely tasty. The service at Baru is extremely friendly and very competent. It's a very young staff, but they all know what they are doing. I will be back soon and highly recommend Baru. PS I went to post and saw that I reviewed my prior visit. Twelve years ago and I gave the same number of stars. That's consistency! read more

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The service was outstanding!! The smiles and friendly staff was welcoming!! Wish i lived in NOLA because i would be here daily!! Quite the experience in this hidden gem !! Food is so amazing and the atmosphere was just perfect for our group of 8!! The Beautiful people that show up daily make this a must visit!! Our group order every thin on the menu and sharing was part of the deal would love to meet the people who make this place run so well !! Blessings for all read more

Baru Bistro and Tapas is a Latin Caribbean restaurant located on Magazine Street. Recently went here to celebrate Galantine's Day with my Yelp BFF. Nice ambiance, very small so I recommend calling to make a reservation. They also have outdoor seating complete with outdoor heaters for when it's cold. We started out with drinks, I got 'the old man and the sea' which is a gin based cocktail. My friend got the Margarita, we were both impressed with our drinks. We ordered fries, fish tacos and the Lechon Cubano (pulled pork, rice, black beans and maduros) for the table. All of the food was good, no complaints at all. Glad we decided to try this restaurant. Great location but be prepared to pay for parking or park on an off street. read more

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Went here tonight (Friday night) on a date night because i had been dying to go after seeing multiple times. I'm a lover for Latin food. The food was AMAZING. Probably one of the BEST civiches I've had in New Orleans! Definitely top 3. The whole snapper was so flavorful and fried to perfection. Me and my husband both had caipirinha's and wow! I say if you're looking for some great latin/Caribbean food and or drinks, this is the place! On a different note, i will say the service was DISAPPOINTING AND TERRIBLE. our server took 20 minutes to come to the table to even greet us or take a drink order. When she did, we felt very rushed. Like she had something better to do, or somewhere else to be.. LUCKILY they have Sofia. Sofia is a hostess and she should be a server. From the moment we sat she was very helpful. Smiling the ENTIRE TIME. She realized we had not even been given waters and stopped her job to make sure we at least had that. even came back to check and offered to take a order for drinks for us. Finally the server came and rushed us to order. Sofia continuously checked on us. As well as other tables around us. I am in the service industry, so I'm well aware that the hostesses do not get paid to do the duties Sofia did for us and guest around us tonight. She did it because she wanted to keep everyone happy and give everyone the best experience possible. i wish she was our server. I took it upon myself to tip Sofia willingly because she deserved the tip, not the server we were sat with. Still tipped the server 20% but it wasn't deserved. I hope this place knows what they have by having Sofia. I would come back JUST for her! Otherwise everything was great. Just very poor service from our appointed server. no care in the world. read more

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I had the best food! The ceviche, potatoes, and corn were awesome and not too over filling. Great service and drinks too.

This South American/Caribbean culinary gallery always slams it out of the park with their amazing cuisine. The steak skewers are a must and are cooked perfectly with a side of possibly the best chimichuri in the city. The lamb sliders are crisped on the edges and melt in your mouth with the perfect combination of flavors and fats. The arepas are very recommended for those who love braised and tender pork. The posta cartegenera is so tender and a great grade and cut of wagyu. It was so tender I had trouble even carrying it into my mouth without breaking apart. The patacones are some of the best I've ever had and are great tapas style sides to share around the table. The service is always accommodating, kind, and treats everyone with respect and equality. On top of all that, the ambiance is the perfect balance of typical New Orleans architecture and Caribbean culture. read more

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When we are in NOLA, we always make time for Barú Bistro and Tapas. Barú never disappoints. Tonight was Tapas Night. Guacabello, Arepas, Cordero Sliders, Carimanolas, Chuzos ... and for desert, Tres Leche cake and Chocolate Tort. A veritable feast! Service was excellent (Thank You, Brandon G!). The restaurant is warm and comfortable, with lots of happy chatter from the surrounding tables. There is a full bar (good margaritas and mojitos). Next time, we'll ask to sit on the balcony (which, I understand, is only open on the weekends. TIP: Make sure you make a reservation, if you want to dine inside. Five Stars. read more

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Great place. 100% try the coconut rice. It was the best rice I've ever had (a weird statement to be sure). Terrific staff and service and amazing food. Excellent atmosphere as well. Good spot for a date night. read more

was not expecting this place to be as good as it was. one of the best service and meal experiences - have came back multiple times and tried different things - each plate has transcended me into a foreign place and my fun fact... bring a large group so you can try everything. Chef - thank you for an enjoyable experience and the many more in the future. read more

I love love love Baru! They never disappoint, I usually get the whole snapper but they sold out by the time I got there, which explains a lot! However, I opted for the steak instead and it was just as delicious. Jerk chicken? Amazing!! My steak came with fries but I love all things coconut, so the coconut rice is always gonna be added as a side. It's so good. I sat outside for the first time and it was nice, but I think the inside is of course a better and more intimate vibe. The place in general is always a vibe, will 100% be back. read more

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Loved the food and service. Cute place. I will go back next time I am in NOLA. Everything was good plus was there to take advantage of happy hour specials so even a better deal. I highly recommend read more

Baru Bistro & Tapas - Lamb sliders - Latin American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Baru is a quaint corner restaurant that has great tapas. The last time I went I chose tapas over a traditional entree. Out of the 5 of 6 tapas I had I'll say the fried oysters were my absolute favorite that sauce on top was top tier. The roasted shrimp had deep complex flavors, pairing it with the grilled bread is a no brainer. The skirt steak had great flavors of the grill charred to perfection. The chimichurri on top was herbaceous and vibrant. Would recommend. 10/10 read more

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