Bar Ombra

My friend and I happened upon this place and were very excited about the variety in the menu as well as the reasonable prices. The food was excellent, but the service was incredibly frustrating.

When we first got in we were greeted by hostess who didn't make it clear if she was coming back to talk to us or if we just had a short wait. Finally, at her third pass by us i asked. During that wait the bartender yelled over to us like we were just waiting out the cold, not waiting for a table, asking if he could help us like we were in the way. then a waiter came up to us doing the same but then put his hands on my shoulders and moved myself and my friend. We weren't in the way of the door, the bar was packed, we didn't know what was going on or why we deserved to be physically moved after being called at by the bar tender.

Once we sat down and looked at the menu, we thought the place was great and that this could be a regular spot for us. The cocktail menu had a lot of terms and words unfamiliar to us so we asked the waiter a few questions. We werent given much of an explanation but instead were talked to like we were unworthy of the "authentic" drinks because we didn't really know what they were. We wanted to branch out, try something new and authentic, but instead were made to feel stupid for asking questions.

We got two small plates and two entrees and they were fantastic. Really, the food is great and the atmosphere is really fun. I would easily give this place 4 stars based on the food, no question. But sadly, service just got worse from there. We didn't order any dessert and my friend's drink was only half finished and was very strong (we both really liked our authentic drinks). Because she was driving, she didn't want to just chug the second half of her whiskey drink. As she was finishing and was putting her coat on, our waiter said "can we get you anything else ladies?" "and i said no, we're about to go" and he said "ok, because our hostess just said 'what the fuck'" and then did that "get the fuck out" laugh.

So, we bought two drinks, two entrees, and two small plates-and despite this were literally cussed at by our rude waiter to leave the restaurant after being physically moved by another member of the staff. If it wasn't for the staff, this place would be a regular for me and my friends, as i live in walking distance, but myself and my friend were treated so poorly, i don't want to support the restaurant despite it's fantastic food.

The place is grossly overpriced.

I haven't been wow'ed by the decor of a restaurant/bar in a long time, but man, I gotta say, I love how Ombra is set up!  It's got a rustic, western, relaxed feel.  Imagine tall, chunky wooden booths and tables, with cool leather padding behind each seating space for your back and head to rest on.*  I only wish I had worn my cowgirl boots to add to the ambiance and experience.

Food-wise, it's Italian tapas in 2 words.  My group of 4 gals shared the braised short rib, prosciutto and sage stuffed chicken, fennel salad, bfm (best fracking meatballs), butternut squash ravioli, gnocchi, and caramelized onion flatbread.  My favorites were the short rib (so pulled and so tender!) and the bfm (very fitting name).  In an effort to be Paleo this month (exclude gluten, grains, refined sugar, and dairy), I didn't try the last three items listed, but dining mates commented that the gnocchi was much better than the rav.  We each paid less than $20 for the meal.

Can't wait to come back and try some of the other tapas, foccacia, and housemade limoncello!

*If you are a visual person, refer to Yelp pictures to see what I mean.