Z. Bhardi's Italian is one of those places that just gets it right. The fresh, warm bread alone is reason enough to show up hungry, it's simple, delicious, and addictive. My go-to every time is the chicken piccata: perfectly cooked, bright, and full of flavor. It never disappoints. Don't sleep on their pizza either. It's seriously good and easily holds its own next to the classic Italian dishes. Add in a beautiful atmosphere that feels both inviting and polished, and you've got a spot that works for date night, family dinners, or just treating yourself. Consistently solid food, great vibes, and absolutely worth the visit. read more

I rarely write negative reviews. In fact, I almost never do unless the issue is significant enough that it feels like a disservice to stay silent. I'm a longtime customer of Z Bardhi's in Tallahassee -- I've dined there 6-7 times, and I once hosted a group of 10 there. I genuinely believe in supporting local restaurants, especially after sticking with them through the challenges of the last several years. That's why this experience hurts to write about. I placed a to-go order recently, and what I received was shockingly poor. Had I been eating in the restaurant, I would have sent it back immediately. The Caprese Salad ($16) was listed as sliced tomatoes topped with buffalo mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinaigrette over mixed greens. Instead, I received four thin tomato slices, four flat, uninspiring pieces of supermarket-style mozzarella totaling less than two inches, and one singular small piece of wilted lettuce. That's it. For sixteen dollars. The Caesar salad was equally minuscule and underwhelming. The large pizza with sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers (with the $2 per topping upcharge) was also disappointing -- most of the pie had almost no green peppers, and the sausage and mushrooms were scattered so sparsely that entire sections were bare. I understand restaurants can have off nights, but this wasn't an off night. This was a clear lack of care and portion control coming out of the kitchen. When loyal customers are consistently shorted on ingredients and charged premium prices for what feels like bare-minimum effort, it doesn't just disappoint -- it breaks trust. Z Bardhi's, I hope management sees this and takes it seriously. I want to keep supporting you, but experiences like this make it very difficult. If this level of effort continues, many of us who have been regulars will have no choice but to take our business elsewhere. We have options, and loyalty has to go both ways. Photos attached for reference. read more

Z Bardhi's - Sausage mushroom green pepper pizza - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

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This is one of our special occasions restaurant. The food and service have always been excellent.

Charming restaurant with inside and a huge outdoor dining area. Relatively small menu but daily specials. Very good food and service. Started with homemade bread and a very good sun dried tomato olive oil. I tried the Shrimp Zeke, jumbo gulf-shrimp sautéed with tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh garlic, basil and white wine over angel hair pasta. Really liked it. read more

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Well we finally went back to this restaurant? No surprise, prices are larger and portions are smaller. The restaurant was almost empty and it was Father's Day? Shocking! This restaurant used to almost always have a wait and hard to park but the parking lot was almost empty! Sign of the times I guess. The food was and is the same exact menu only higher prices! Go figure? read more

A review I wrote last year that somehow did not get posted: We have not had a dinner this enjoyable in as long as we can remember. Our server, Tony, was professional and fun and terrific all at the same time. We got the specials, which were a seafood pastitsio and crab-stuffed grouper. We also had a special salad, that was based around a roasted red pepper. Not to be missed is the lemon cello cake for dessert. Even the decaf cappuccino was perfect. There is lots of outdoor covered seating as well as indoor, and it's a beautiful atmosphere. Just an enchanting night, not just because of the food but also because of Toni. read more

Love this place. Another great dinner. The gnocchi was great as an appetizer. I love the veal piccata and always get it but the crab stuffed snapper was excellent tonight. Our server was knowledgeable and kind. read more

POOR MANAGEMENT changed the game here. Sadly, despite very good food and service, management here has chosen to add an unannounced 3% surcharge for use of any credit card; no mention on the menu or elsewhere. A rather unsavory "surprise" at the end of an otherwise very fine dining experience. Having been patrons here for more than 25 years, we will not likely return. Sadly, we feel disdained for using a credit card, which they accept; perhaps they should warn of the surcharge or include "cash only" signage or raise prices to include the CC fee; no matter, we'll be going elsewhere. read more

The food was amazing and very authentic. Deserts were nothing special. Service was good - very friendly. The outside seating looked great, however, we sat inside. It felt very old and outdated and in need of paint. The plastic tablecloths did not match the quality of the food. Owner needs to look at the aesthetics of the restaurant as part of the dining experience. The prices are high, yet the quality is excellent. So there is a bit of disconnect when you are dining and you feel you are in a cheap restaurant. Hope the owner takes note of this. Paint, new tablecloths, touch up all the wood and maybe buy new tables and chairs. Keep the food as is! read more

This is one of my favorite local restaurants in town. In my opinion, they have some of the best Italian food in Tally. It's a little pricey but it is fine dining. My wife and I started out with the calamari appetizer. It was crispy and delicious. I squeezed a little lemon juice on my pieces for a little extra flavor. For my main meal I had the chicken Parmesan. I normally get the seafood lasagna but I decided to try something a little different this time. The meal was good but I wouldn't liked my chicken breast fried a little harder. I had a house Merlot to go with my meal and it had some good notes. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for fine dining in Tallahassee. read more

Z Bardhi's - Mozzarella Sticks - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

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When in the evening, thinking, it would be an incredible meal. The sun was in her eyes with all the windows, and there are no shades. The poor woman next to me was crying because anywhere she sat, the sun was all over her. The pasta is not fresh and neither is the sauce. When I received my meal, I only received two raviolis. Literally two pieces and that was it! I had to ask for extra side of pasta, which cost $5 more. The food isn't anything amazing just very basic. Not sure if I would go back again. Very overpriced. read more

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We had several different dishes in their menu. The food was wonderful and we enjoyed the ambiance!

We come here every three months or so for a TRUE date night. The dim atmosphere makes the mood intimate, the noise level is low, we end up going into deep conversations, enjoying the wine, and the service is always top-notch. They hook me with warm bread and olive oil EVERYTIME. The olive oil has oregano and other dry herbs, making it delectable paired with the warm bread . I had the special , the "seafood lasagna" The dish has grouper, shrimp, crab meat--at least four types of seafood blended perfectly into a "pasta pocket". The best decision you can ever make. Always, always get the fresh grated Parmesan on top with another basket of warm bread for the sauce! read more

Z Bardhi's - The "seafood lasagna special ". - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

My son and I came here for New Years Eve dinner. We started with some very tasty and fresh bread served with a very light spiced tapenade. Next we had the Italian sausage appetizer which was delicious. Very high quality sauce and sausage! Next we ordered main courses: -Chicken Picatta -Filettto Manzo The picatta was served with delicious vegetables and cheese ravioli. All was delicious and well prepared. The picatta sauce was well balanced with fresh flavors. The filet was excellent, however, the potatoes appeared to be made from a box. For $40.00, one would expect higher quality mashed potatoes. Finally - dessert. My son tried the eggnog cheesecake and said it had plenty of flavor, but was not highly impressed. I had a decaf espresso which was competently executed according to American standards. All in all, a delightful little spot, with a friendly staff. Wait times for items was a bit long, but its New Year's Eve! Happy New Year! read more

Z Bardhi's - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

This place serves probably the worst Italian food ever. The seafood gave off a terrible smell, my wife had to send it back. And later that night she was sick due o the meal. Clams should never smell rotten. The deserts at Publix look better prepared and taste twice as better. I hate to share a bad review, however, I ate better Italian food from Costco. The service was good our waiter did his best but you can't out serve terrible food. This was the Tiramisu that was served. read more

Z Bardhi's - Tiramisu? - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Z Bardhi's has a beautiful outdoor patio. That made it the perfect place for dinner on a crisp, fall night. The dinner menu is simple and traditional, covering most of the items found in an Italian restaurant. There were also a number of daily specials, many of which sounded interesting. Started with the fried calamari and Cesar salad off of the diner menu, then a crab stuffed grouper over risotto from the special menu. A glass of Chianti Classico and a basket of warm bread started the evening off right. After a little while our server came to tell us that the kitchen was backed up so things might take a little longer to get to the table. It's still the era of covid and restaurant help is hard to find. So we were perfectly ok and appreciated the warning. The calamari was not the traditional rings and tentacles. Rather it was strips of calamari steaks that were breaded and deep fried. They were cooked precisely and i wanted more of the delicious tomato sauce to dip. The crab stuffed grouper was delicious. Although the risotto was a little too pasty. Sadly, my salad never made it to the table. And our server didn't come to ask if we wanted abutting else until the end of dinner. That meant that not only did I not get the salad, they missed out on additional wine orders. I can understand service being slow; I don't understand inattentive service. All in all it was a very gods meal in a beautiful outdoor setting. read more

Z Bardhi's - Crab stuffed grouper over risotto - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Love this Italian restaurant! Family owned and run. Its one of our favorite special occasions spots. Shrimp Zeke is my personal favorite! read more

This has been on my list for a long time and I'm so glad we finally went. We will be returning. The online menu is just the beginning of what they offer, they have a ton of specials. I thought I knew my order before our wonderful server told us the specials. We ended up getting all 3 of the small plate/appetizer specials and the house made gnocchi (on menu) to share and my daughter had the kids pizza (huge and tasty, we will be trying more pizza!). By the way, they have a kids menu! That is very refreshing for families that want to go out for a nice dinner with their well behaved picky eaters. My daughter was so excited to go to a nice restaurant and not feel out of place. Our server (Preston I believe) was amazing and was so sweet to my very talkative daughter. They have a lovely outdoor area but it's just too hot for me right now so we dined indoors and the ambiance was very nice. All of our food was delicious. All in all, very great first experience and we can't wait to return. Also, my daughter wanted me to say 10/10. read more

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Delicious food and amazing service from Whitney. Love the outdoor patio and the ambience. Will definitely return when I'm in the area.

If this were a one time event, I would be giving 1 star. However, I know ZBhardi's is an excellent restaurant so I'm knocking off a star for this particular visit. We went as a family during their Sunday brunch, usually a real treat for us. 2 people ordered their seafood lasagna special, our server said there were 2 left but came back and said there's one. Not a problem of course, however, when served it tasted fishy like it was left over from Saturday night and after a few bites I couldn't eat it. I would have said something but up to this point our server was not helpful to the point of being rude by absence of hospitality. When someone asked for extra napkins, he touched a cloth one and said these are our napkins. Seriously?? We had already gotten some paper napkins from someone else without an attitude, we had a spill and needed help. This guy was the opposite of help. Normally I would have said something about the seafood tasting fishy but his flyby stop to ask if food was ok was so quick it wasn't encouraging. We've been on Sunday before, this was a really bad experience but we'll be back because I know it's not typical of ZBhardi's. Without question, everyone else loved their food. read more

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Loved the FOOD, impressed with waiting staff, the mood and tone-of the atmosphere was perfect. I had a great birthday dinner hosted by good friends. MF read more

Had an amazing first visit to Z Bardhi's to close out my birthday month! I called ahead to ensure they would be able to seat us for their Sunday brunch that ended at 2 p.m. and she said as long as we were there by 1:45 it wouldn't be any problem to accommodate my party of 2.5 (my husband and toddler). The restaurant is picturesque on the outside and pretty standard inside. Intimate and dimly lit even in the afternoon. Our waiter was Lee and he was terrific! He gave us a fresh batch of bread and the olive oil that accompanied it was soooo good! We had the gnocchi and bruschetta for starters! The gnocchi was pretty tasty, but I really enjoyed the bruschetta. You get 3 decently sized pieces and the gnocchi just enough to delight your palette. I ordered the Caesar salad and it fell flat for me. I think it was the more authentic salad where there's somewhat of a citrus flavor undertone. It's not for me. I also had a glass of Merlot it was $9. No "brunch wine specials" of any kind, which was somewhat disappointing. On to the entrees I had the lasagna which is my absolute favorite food and it did not disappoint. My husband had the chicken parm. We both cleaned our plates. The portions were perfect and all the food was reasonably priced for the meal. We ordered a slice of limoncello to go but I couldn't resist trying a bit before we let and it was perfection! I definitely plan to dine here again very soon! read more

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The best Italian!! Always wonderful food and great service! The chicken piccata is my absolute fave!!

Visited this restaurant for a sit-down meal for the first and LAST time. Recall coming to this establishment over 20 years ago when my son's soccer team had a banquet (didn't really experience the one-on-one dining thing at that time). But, I do recall the food being good. I am not sure if it was the same restaurant that it is today. In any case, my husband and I decided to have dinner at Zbardhi's to celebrate a special occasion. Fortunately, we made reservations and were seated immediately. Not a big space but quite adequate; very quaint. There is more dining space outside though in a lovely patio area. We were warmly greeted upon entering the restaurant. Notably, the food was superb! We started with appetizers (fried calamari and gnocchi); the bread and the dipping were spot on, and our entrees were fabulous! Our entrees included the Eggplant Florentine, Lasagna, Salmon, and Chicken Marsala. Hats off to the chef! We also ordered the Ceasar salad and the House salad. Everything was going great until we ordered dessert (mango cheesecake; chocolate cake) and our server made an "off-color" joke/comment - which I DID NOT appreciate and which kind of ruined the whole ambiance (though we were at the end of the meal). We had guests at the table, and though I usually express my thoughts, I decided not to comment verbally at the time. The three stars given to this restaurant were due to the comment made by the server; otherwise, would have given it five stars. read more

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Nice local place to enjoy dinner. We enjoy the covered patio, which is our go-to spot 10 months of the year.

Love this restaurant We have always found it to be inviting, comfortable. The chicken parmigiana is wonderful . As well as the Eggplant Parmigiana! The wine selection is also very good We highly recommend Zbardys read more

Always the best service and the food is excellent. The tomato bisque is so good. They served us without reservation on Mother's Day. We couldn't believe it. It was a perfect addition to our already wonderful day. read more

This is the place that I compare all other Italian restaurants to in Tallahassee. I am from the north east, raised by italian immigrants where everything is home cooked and family recipes are precious memories. Fast forward to now, I do not have time to frequently cook like my grandmother. That's when I go to Z Bhardis, whenever I need a taste of home. You can taste the time, love and family in the sauce. Their chicken parmesan hits home for me in the best possible way. Crunchy, saucy, cheesy with just the right textures. The staff is always wonderful, location makes you feel like a little private place, and everything we have eaten is memorable. Cannot wait to go back. read more

Z Bardhi's is a Tally staple and their food, service and atmosphere has always been A+++. I love being able to dine on their patio during the cooler evenings. Definitely somewhere everyone needs to try. read more

We love this place, food and service are always 5 stars. They are great with my young daughter, and we truly enjoy sitting outside in the deck. The filet mignon is the best I have every had, and trust me when I say this I have had a filet from the west coast to the east coast and everywhere between. They have a noki dish that is out of this world, we also ask for it to be extra creamy. read more

Always delicious. Great service and wonderful food. Don't miss the pepper or meatball appetizer if they have it!

Z Bardhi's is a hidden gem in Tallahassee! Its located in a nice quiet location in far NE Tallahassee. They have some of the best Italian food in town! Every day they have a specials menu. Today the one that caught my attention was the halibut. Amazing! It was blackened halibut on top on cheese grits with a couple pieces of asparagus. Phenomenal! It was cooked perfectly! We were in a large party and all the plates came out at the same time and there was no cold food at all! Our server, Holly, was over the top amazing. Definitely ask for her if you check this place out. They have a solid wine menu and wine racks all over the restaurant. If you're looking for a "Ma and Pa" restaurant that's been open for quite a few years, go to this place! read more

Z Bardhi's - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

It pains me to give this review as this was, hands down, my favorite Italian restaurant in Tallahassee. Last nights meal was under whelming. First, they did not have the lobster ravioli, so I ordered the lasagna bolognese, my #2. It was just okay. Sauce was watery and lacked the robust flavor I remembered so fondly. My wife had the shrimp zeke. The shrimp were cooked perfectly but lacked seasoning and the whole dish just seemed blah. This was her first time there....we moved back to the area 10 months ago and I've been talking about this place consistently, so that added to the disappointment. The greek salad was very good as was the white chocolate cheesecake. Hopefully it was just a bad night as the ambiance and service are top notch and we will certainly give it another try. Does anyone know if the kitchen has turned over? read more

I have heard great things about this restaurant in the past, but my experience tonight did not live up to the hype. The food was all good - I ordered a cup of pasta fagioli and he started with a small caesar salad. I ordered the veal parm and he got the lasagna, then we split tiramisu. We enjoyed the complimentary bread and herbed oil as well. Service was a little slow, maybe because we didn't have reservations but that shouldn't be an issue. The ambience felt a little quiet and awkward inside but looked much livelier outside. The host stand is in the middle of the building inside which may be a bit of a maze if you've never been. I felt that the restaurant is trying to be fancier than it really is... I've only visited once but not hesitant to come back. read more

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"After reading so many great reviews we were really looking forward to a great Italian experience for dinner last night. The atmosphere is very nice but unfortunately the food was highly disappointing. The menu online is not the current and the food did not taste fresh - far from authentic Italian. Carrabas and Bella Bella deliver a much better tasting culinary experience in my opinion for the money. We will not be back." read more

We all had an excellent time, Lee was a great waiter, very professional, spaced everything out, took care of all of the orders, and did a great job. Chris also came out and greeted us all and did a great job. Everyone was very friendly. All the orders came out together. Most of us were separate checks, and Lee took care of it very quickly. Very rare do you get service like that. The food was amazing as always. I had the gnocchi appetizer, and the eggplant Florentine for dinner. It was sensational. Everyone was raving about the food and thanking me for setting it up. I'm sure we'll be back again. read more

I know a lot of people adore this place and it's been there long time (hence the adoration and a lot of regulars). It's cute in a very old fashioned way, has a pretty outdoor seating area. Also if is family friendly, and the service is usually good (although sometimes super slow). But the food/price ratio and the overall satisfaction level of food (flavor, texture, presentation) are not quite up with the other local restaurants that I feel they deserve 4 stars. It's a bit overpriced (it's almost same as Sage, which in my opinion a higher level culinary experience). The tomato sauce is tasty but a bit mushy. Lasagna is also good but not "wow" great.!Pasta inguini, angel hair, spaghetti, whatever you order) is a bit overcooked for my taste, and almost always not drained well enough. Calamari is a bit too salty. I did enjoy the seafood linguini, but I can get better dishes at $25. Tiramisu and Cannoli I have had better at other local Italian restaurants. Still it's a good local business, and my son likes their bread and dip as well as the kids' pasta selections...so we occasionally go there for dinner. However the coffee (as of Februsry 12) - this I really hope will improve. It's worse than what you get at mediocre chain restaurants. It's so thin and the flavor is terrible. It lowers the quality of this restaurant so much. I don't expect fancy espresso drinks (although I think an Italian restaurant needs great espresso), but this is just was so disappointing. If you have been to really good Italian restaurants with more options in cheese and charcuterie, better cooked pasta, better salads, better cooked traditional eggplants and chicken dishes, or more creative farea..then thisight not hit the spot for you. If you want a feel good place with decent food and good service, then it'll satisfy you. Especially for lunch, which has a better deal. read more

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For an intimate dinner in warm and welcoming atmosphere there is none better than Z Bardhi's. The food was excellent. I had crab stuffed grouper with spinach risotto and my wife had seafood lasagna. They were delicious. We are looking forward to revisiting the amazing Italian restaurant. read more

I would probably go here more often if it wasn't so far. However, judging from the packed house last night, they're really not depending on people like me. We were invited by very good friends who love Italy and Italian food as much as we do. The food and unpretentious taverna atmosphere felt right for an Italian night. Forgot to take pics, but here were our favorites: Bruschetta Greek Salad, enhanced by Anchovies Grouper stuffed with Crab Eggplant Florentine Cozze Mussels Spaghetti and Meatballs Bread, Tomato Soup and Desserts were okay. Nice to having an Italian place to go to in Tallahassee when Italy beckons... read more

Pretty subpar place trying to present itself as true Italian. The bread was extremely floury and bland. Pretty limited vegetarian options when it came to entrees, though they did have a selection when it came to appetizers. Our entrees took about an hour to come out despite the place not being overly crowded. The food was very mediocre. read more

Z Bardhi's - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida