Bar Marco

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.

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.

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.

Bar Marco is one of my favorite reasons in Pittsburgh and for good reason!I was happy to find out that they started taking online reservations and so four of us went for dinner on a Tuesday at 6pm. The service was prompt and friendly. They had some holiday decor up which was a nice touch. The food was phenomenal. I dream about the potato gnocchi all the time (it's so soft and pillow-y)! I also really enjoyed the chocolate budino, the perfectly cooked scallops, and the orecchiette but quite frankly, you can't go wrong with a single thing here!

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.

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.

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.

My first time at bar Marco and certainly will not be my last. This spot is unreal from drinks to dessert. Amazing atmosphere (very small-so reserve!) I got a bonus pasta added to my meal because I have a problem of needed two pastas, always! Worth it - and will be back sooner than later!

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!!!

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.