Eating at Bar Pitti. Overrated and Overpriced NYC Celebrity Hotspot or Classic Italian Restaurant?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- I eat at and review Bar Pitti in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Bar Pitti is an Italian restaurant that has been around for decades and remains an extremely popular spot for celebrities. David and Victoria Beckham, Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé and Jay-Z among many other celebrities have dined at Bar Pitti. I went to see if the restaurant lives up to the hype and I thought it did not.
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About Me: I live in NYC and I’m about food, travel and work.
"I was concerned for a minute that my taste buds simply stopped working." I'm dead. 😂
Yeah, it was pretty bland.
Nothing better than a genuinely honest review, and this place deserves it. Your content is simple, direct and engaging. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much!
@@Jamesnu That B rating was enough for me to say "no thanks" lol🤢
Brutally honest and critical reviews, where merited, seem to be a dying art nowadays. Instead, sponsored visits seem to be the norm, biasing opinions and misleading viewers. Thank you for making an unbiased review and stating your honest opinion!
Thanks for watching!
3 dishes, no credentials, what right does he have to diss a resto on those merits?
@@jenniferrollison4377 what right? not sure what country you're from but in america, you are free to express your opinions online. so he has every right to criticize any restaurant he wishes.
Looks like the place needs a Kitchen Nightmare makeover, or renamed "Bar Pity"
Haha!
It’s probably a restaurant that caters to people who prefer bland food. That’s the great thing about New York. They have something for everyone
I moved to NYC in 2005 and lived on Sullivan Street. I was always intrigued by Bar Pitti and Da Silvano, two restaurants that always had a “scene” and made Page Six in the post pretty often. (I swear to this day, Da Silvano had waiters that would weirdly stop mid-stride and pose as if they knew they were being photographed!)
Never had a desire to dine at either place. Your review confirmed what I always suspected. Bar Pitti seems like they know they don’t have to be a good restaurant, just catnip for a certain type of New Yorker. (I’m not even sure tourists would go there.) Some NY’ers live and dine by the “scene,” some strive to be regulars and recognized anywhere, even if the food is unremarkable. One unfortunate after-effect of Bar Pitts’s blandness is that it cultivates a certain tribe of diners who go out to high-quality, adventurous, culture-honoring restaurants and they immediately reject all seasoning, spice, fire, flavor and fun from those restaurants’ dishes. Can you imagine loving Bar Pitti and venturing over to a place like, say, Rezdora??
I respect Bar Pitti’s sheer endurance in the New York restaurant universe; it’s not easy. I would like to think mediocrity is not the main ingredient in a winning formula. Also, I’m a sucker for a terrific tiramisu but I need a spot to be clean, not “B” clean.
Great and honest review, James! You are ♠️♠️♠️♠️ Aces, sir!
Well said! I really appreciate your perspective! Thanks for watching!
"I was concerned for a minute that my taste buds simply stopped working" is actually such a savage roast
B for Bare hands on a Parmigiano!
Haha!
😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Nuthin but net!
B for bugs.
@@TracyJohnson-sp9ng Haha!
E for E. coli.
100 bucks for piss poor food? PT Barnum’s observation still lives on!
Yeah, I thought that it was definitely overpriced.
The wine glass looks like something purchased at a dollar store
Yeah, it wasn't the best quality.
That glass looks like it help jelly at one point and they converted it to a wine glass. Also, it is industrial strength and cannot be broken.
That was one sad meal, James. You were a trooper to get through it. ❤
I try my best!
its a money laundering front
The “B” health food score is enough to scare me away
Yeah, it's a bit disconcerting.
my jaw dropped when i saw him grate the cheese with bare hands
Mine did too!😂😂😂 I thought “Tell me you don’t want me here without asking me to leave!”😂😂😂Wow! Not to mention, those hands look like they do more than just grate cheese in that establishment.🤢
I'm assuming you expected a grinder? This really made me think, I rarely eat out and even more rarely eat Italian. I googled images of waiters grating cheese and almost all of them were doing it in this same manner.
disgusting
Yes. Noticed that. Was cringing.
ffs, how do you think shite gets done in restos?
That pasta looked like pumpkin soup! Thanks for the honest review.
Thanks for watching!
LOL! Got a lot of laughs from this one, when that chicken dish came, I thought it was a actually a flatbread from the look of it. That was a pretty generous pour of wine by the glass, I will give that some credit.
I thought it was bread too...lmao
Yeah, that chicken was almost paper thin!
Nice! I love honest reviews. The look on your face when eating your Entree…haha.. priceless. Maybe rename the place.. Bar Pittiful! 😂
Haha!
Hi James. Glad that you provide honest reviews. Maybe they will improve their dishes, or maybe not lol. Thanks for the review
Thanks for watching! Yeah, even though I didn't have the best experience, I hope that the restaurant can improve things.
The waiter in blue jeans and sweatshirt grating cheese with no gloves and probably dirty hands was enough for me.
I thought the same thing man.
I was thinking the same thing🤢
i dont know why u dont have more views i am glad the algo recommended me to u.
Thank you! I'm just happy to get any views. Making these videos is simply very enjoyable for me.
That place looks like a real turn-off. Thanks for the honest review.
Thanks for watching!
An interesting and worthwhile addition to your canon. Can't believe all those celebrities like the place. But I trust your judgement better.
Thank you! I appreciate it!
I genuinely thought that chicken was a piece of flatbread at first. Not an appetizing look
I did as well. 🤷🏽♂️
Yeah, I was expecting something else when I ordered it.
I know they split the breast by slicing it. Did the actually slice it THREE times? Was like paper.
I thought that skinny piece of chicken was a piece of grilled flatbread too😂
Big fan of your reviews, James! Would recommend THEP Thai, Upper East Side - best Thai drunken noodles I've ever had and I've been to Thailand. Hidden gem!
Thank you and thanks for the recommendation!
Oh my - $11.50 for an Amstel Light?? (at the same price as a non-alcoholic beer!) That's crazy. And the pasta really didn't look very appetizing - it actually looked kind of like kraft mac n cheese lol. (PS - very nice haircut!!)
Thank you! Yeah, I couldn't believe how expensive the beer was.
Love your reviews and your honesty thank you you are great.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
Nothing better than sitting down to eat some food and opening TH-cam to see you’ve posted a new video. The time and effort you put into these does not go unnoticed! You’re honesty and clear opinions are worth everything and you’re simple editing with a mix of great videography make for a delightful experience every time I watch a video of yours. Keep doing what you’re doing and keep putting smiles on peoples faces!
Thank you so much! I really enjoy making these videos, but it really means a lot to me to hear that my efforts are appreciated.
Nice job! I’m glad you enjoyed the dessert after the so-so meal.
Thank you! I'm glad that there was at least one thing that I enjoyed.
The decor, plates, and cutlery look like some place right off I95. And food resembles what you’d get from a community college cafeteria.
Haha!
Man this was the worst "over price" I have ever seen on this channel! +100 dollar bill including 16,5 for a glass from a 13 bottle...uff! That being sad, I mean "said" - I really enjoy that you visit these sort of places 10/10
Thank you! Even though I aim to go to restaurants that I figure that I'll enjoy, there's sometimes the spot that doesn't quite live up to the mark. It happens.
An absolute waste of $100,......a glass of red wine and a goopy pasta mess,......eaten from an uncomfortable chair.
Yeah, I definitely didn't get my money's worth.
Bingo!
that pasta looked like i could get it at my local pizza spot
Yeah, it wasn't the most appetizing looking plate.
Chef Boyardee!
Love watching you at small and large venues! Your always honest and that helps all of us who dine out most of the time your reviews help us make the most of our time!!
Thank you! It really makes me happy to hear that my reviews are helpful. I always try my best to showcase what dining at the restaurant is like.
Love the honesty. The minute you showed some nice camera shots of the exterior, interior, and that terribly gross looking pasta dish, I came to my own conclusion. This guy is there for one reason, to milk this place for every dime he can before people stop showing up. In a city like NYC, which has more world class Italian Restaurants than anywhere on earth (at every price level) this place is an embarrassment. Thanks for taking one for the team James. Cheers from Chicago.
Thank you so much and well said! Yeah, that's the thing with NYC, there are so many better Italian restaurants out there and people have options. Cheers!
Thanks for your utmost honesty. No BS. You have to do it like this. I see some TH-camrs and they just end up liking everything. Automatically. It’s fake positivity. Not real. Pathetic.
Thanks for watching!
Appreciate the honesty in your review. Putting the chalkboard menu on your table for a different set of patrons seemed like the final straw!
Thank you! Yeah, it wasn't the worst offense and it didn't bother me too much, but really any other restaurant would wait until I left to do something like that.
Loved that you gave an honest review! Wish you had a better experience. Thanks!!
Thank you!
Good review. Good to see you don't just praise everything
Thank you!
NYC is not the cleanest city.. I'm afraid to ask what does B sanitary score mean. :)
Thankfully, most restaurants in NYC seem to get A grades. At least, it wasn't a C grade.
Another example that any time there's gratuitous hype, run in the other direction! The "B" rating you were more than generous and lenient on, and the fact is you simply can't serve such inferior food these days w prices marked up the wazoo and choices galore in NYC of all places.
Another great one James, you're bound to have better luck on your next outing, so staying tuned!
Thank you! Yeah, you can't win them all.
Liked the specificity and direct nature of your critique. Very constructive.
Thank you!
“Could always be worse” is the kind, honest on brand feedback of a refreshing foodie.
Thank you! I always try to look at the bright side of things.
$20 for a GLASS of wine, Christ 😂
Yep, it's costly.
Yes. That’s absurd. They always get you for the drinks and desserts. Where much of their profits are!
At least it was a nice pour.
You're a savage James! I Love it!
So real and very fair. Amazing!
Wishing you perfect health and 100 years!
Thank you so much!
I feel like the b rating is in things like that man's bald hand on the sweaty parm for grating and the general cleanliness of the actual restaurant. I'd hate to see the kitchen. You're doing God's work because this is a hard no and your review was very fair and thorough.
Thank you!
Great vlog, i love tiramisu, thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Hi James,
Thanks for the heads up about bar pitti. There was no incentive to go to this restaurant. I take your word about the lack of quality and a B Health rating.
Please keep on producing your quality content.
Best Wishes,
Peter
Thank you Peter! I'm always happy to share my restaurant experiences.
Wow, so sorry to see. If you’re ever looking for an underrated Italian restaurant that’s been around forever, try my favorite in Chelsea called Da Umberto. Great food and great service. Thanks for another great video.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks for your honest review, James. I don't think I'll be giving that place a try anytime soon.
Thanks for watching!
Hello, well I can relate. I took my girlfriend to an Italian restaurant here in Eugen, Oregon. This city is were Nike was founded and Track Town USA and the University of Oregon are here. I mention this because your a runner, anyway the restaurant had mediocre pasta and it was cold? I told myself, I could make this so much better, we both cook too. The service was good and the ambience was stunning. Old wood and brick. Sometimes, you just never know. Thank you for the video.
Thanks for watching! Indeed, even if a place is popular, it doesn't mean that the food is going to be good.
In the mid 90's the place was amazingly wonderful and the food was absolutely delicious and I had the pleasure of seating next to Harvey Keitel and his party on one of my many visits to the restaurant. This review seems very sincere to me. The price of the wine does not surprise me. The pasta dish looked awful and I would have sent it back. The chicken dish looked terrific, it just needed a little salt and fresh pepper and the obligatory lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. The Tiramisu looked yummy! Thanks for your review!
Thanks for watching! That's a neat experience to be seated next to Harvey Keitel! He's such a great actor! Yeah, from what I hear, it seems like this restaurant was really something back then.
Like the hair cut!
Thank you!
Just found your channel! I love your reviewing style. Subscribed!!!
Thank you! I really appreciate it!
The fear of salt has ruined many restaurants
Absolutely!
Thank you for the honest review. I always avoid establishments with a no credit card policy. Who would bring a lot of cash when dining out? The B rating, the lackluster pasta and grilled chicken are all red flags for me not to visit the restaurant. The owner should take your review in a good way for him to improve on his operations.
Thanks for watching! Yeah, I hope the restaurant makes some changes.
4:13 even the wineglass didn't look clean.
I agree.
Hi James..To put it plainly...lol the word is yuck! I'll pass. Thanks for taking one for the team ❤
Haha! Yeah, not every restaurant is a winner.
Would appreciate playlists organised by cuisine. It would help to compare. By the way I love your narrative & easy-to-understand way of reviewing restaurants❤❤❤.
Thank you! I might try to organize some playlists in the future.
At least with such a rushed experience, you didn’t have to dwell on any underwhelming food for too long.
Haha! That's a great point!
Absolutely insane that you had to pay over a $100 for this. You could have gotten 3x 29 dollar hotogs instead
Haha! That's true!
You should give Hawksmoor, Cafe Ubani a shot, both very solid and great food.
Thanks for the recommendations! Those are actually restaurants that I plan on dining at in the future.
I felt similarly underwhelmed when I visited the iconic Cafe Du Monde. The food and coffee were so bland and it was deflating. There are so many local hole in the wall places with little recognition and amazing food that it’s a shame when an unremarkable or even terrible restaurant gets hyped up.
I know what you mean. Sometimes it can be really hard to meet expectations when a place is so hyped up. Indeed, there's a ton of spots that deserve a lot more attention.
Sadly Manhattan is riddled with these types of super average Italian joints. It’s amazing how word of mouth can keep a restaurant in business for decades in a city where turnover is so high. My theory is many of the truly exceptional Italian restaurants have moved out of Manhattan and into places like NJ, CT and Long Island. Lucky to live in Astoria Queens where we have some great options.
I know what you mean. There's definitely a lot of great spots out there that don't get the attention they deserve.
Almost has the attractiveness of a dive bar in restaurant form. Maybe that’s why it is popular. I can’t think of any other reason.
Haha! Yeah, I just don't see the appeal of the place.
I think Victoria Beckham is know for eating really bland food so that tracks
I grew up in that neighborhood and I never heard of it😂
Times have indeed changed. Best thing about this vlog was your cute sweater.
Thanks for watching!
As always, a great review! However, I feel I'll never step a foot in here!
Thank you! Yeah, it's not the best place.
Cash only - lol. What a money-laundering cesspool. I couldn’t believe what I heard-OR saw in this. Great cautionary public service video! ✌️Yep, as others’ve said, your honesty is why I keep watching! 👏👏
Thank you!
If all a NYC restaurant has to offer is "ooh, so many celebrities", that's usually a red flag. Thank you for braving giving more evidence of that truth, James! BTW, any plans to visit and VLOG about Keith McNally's long established boite that kinda set the model for these sorts of restaurants -- BALTHAZAR? Would love to get your views on that one!
I'll definitely make a video at Balthazar. That's a place that I've been meaning to try for awhile.
Be sure to book a table next to Anna Wintour, lol!
Bit like The Ivy here in the UK. Once serving decent food, now more a place to see and be seen with the food something of an afterthought.
Yeah, it seems like there's a number of restaurants like this unfortunately.
Feeling sleepy but have an algorithm comment!
Thanks for watching!
Not to be gross but that pasta dish looked like someone threw up Velveeta all over your plate!! LOLOL.
Haha! Yeah, it wasn't pretty.
That looks like a healthy pour on the wine!👍🏼🤠🥂
I know what you mean, but sadly it was about the size of a typical pour. The glass was just on the skinny side.
That wine glass is stuck in the 1800’s. Oh, and the food looked terrible too.
Indeed!
As a New Yorker I have never entered a B rated establishment to eat. Even small scale local restaurants in my Queens neighborhood are all A rated. Mediocre and overpriced along with no credit cards, poir sanitation...uh no. Maybe celebrities looking to lose weight go there.
Haha! Yeah, there's a lot that I don't like about the restaurant.
what's the watch on in this episode James? Not the normal SKX. Love the videos.
Thank you! Yeah, that's a Seiko 5, which was one of the first watches I ever purchased. I haven't worn it in forever so I thought that I would give it a spin.
Have you tried ci siamo? I recently heard about it and it sounds good.
Not yet, but I definitely want to try it sometime.
love that u ALWAYS tell the truth...#SUBBED
Thank you! I really appreciate it!
Those are "30 minute chairs". The are uncomfortable as hell because they don't wont you sticking around. He felt rushed and the chair makes you wanna leave due to discomfort. Dirty trick.
I know what you mean.
My good friend told me this yrs ago about beverly hills, place where they'll make whatever u want 4get the name
That sounds like a great place!
Thanks James. You are a prince!
Thank you!
The pasta course looked absolutely horrific! The "cash only" policy is sketch. Glad the dessert was a winner
Yeah, at least something was good about the experience.
This place should be renamed Bar Pity. Couldnt resist and too easy.
Haha!
The pasta looks like it was made by a 13 yr old girl trying to follow grandmas recipe 😅😊
James I think this is the place inside edition years ago filmed in the middle of the night through the glass and saw dozens of 🐀 ' s running wild throught , Ontario, in drinking glasses, coming from the ceiling , everywhere 😮😮😊
Haha!
That wine glass 🫣
Yeah, it wasn't the best.
I thought it was a tortilla😂😂😂😂
Haha!
i went there years ago before it got overhyped. The owner was there, but the staff, while efficient, was so matter of fact and not that friendly.
That's a shame. Sometimes the service can really make or break a restaurant experience.
Interesting. Thanks for the honest review.
Pasta looks like scrambled eggs
Thanks for watching! Yeah, that pasta was pretty messy looking.
Seems like a fair review
I always try to be fair.
The decor was abysmal. The food forgettable. Cash only another demerit. ‘’There’s no accounting for taste”. A quote from Satan in the movie Constantine. With so many strikes it’s a wonder that this restaurant is still standing. Then again, that’s New York! I have to admit, you were kind. If Ruth Reichel or Bob Lape reviewed this place their comments would have been completely toxic.
Yeah, I just don't get why people go there, because there are so many better Italian restaurants in NYC.
agreed
This place did not look enticing (at all) even just the seats, and tables so narrow, and near to each other. ‘Cash only’ payment is also so behind the times, especially in this ‘contactless’ new era. I have to say the food did not look good, in my opinion, and the super speed makes me wonder how long the dishes were sat pre-made/pre-prepped, for them to bring them at such quick pace. Sorry to say but all in all, ‘Bar Pitti’ seemed more ‘Bar Pitiful’👎🏼
Great review, and very fair. At least the tiramisu saved the day, just!😊
Thank you! Yeah, there were a lot of factors that made this restaurant difficult to enjoy. At least the tiramisu was good!
Hi James. I have a problem with even walking into an establishment with a B rating especially one that is very hyped. The oil needs some herbs for dipping. The first dish was overly sauced. That was the thinnest chicken I’ve ever seen. Way too expensive for the product. The server had on a t shirt and jeans. No atmosphere. Big swing and a miss here buddy. Sorry for your experience. Thanks again. 👋🏽
Thanks for watching! Yeah, you can't win them all.
Wow, that chicken main looked like an absolute snoozer. The endive and sun dried tomatoes could've been cooked peperonata style to grow their flavor, at least.
Absolutely!
Appreciate your honesty, just looking at the dishes it doesn't look appetizing. Maybe lunch is weak for them, the chef isn't there so you get what you get. The glass of wine was generous, in this day and age, here in San Francisco you would never get more than a third of a glass for the same price. The pasta dish looked like it was drowning in sauce, the pancetta/bacon sparse, not good. Have no idea what made you order the other dish, there seems to be no way that would be written in an appealing way,lol, the chicken was pounded to death and looked dry on video and $30 bucks, what were you thinking,lol. Well I can see why you were disappointed. They probably are a cash only business for obvious reasons that are not about the customer, but at least they had an available ATM. Sorry it was a sad experience, and yes it was
overpriced.
Thanks James👍
Thanks for watching! Yeah, the chicken dish was a spontaneous order. I knew that I wanted to get a daily special and I was aiming for a non pasta course. The chicken was one of the most "affordable," at least compared to the other options on the chalkboard. That was unfortunately a bad decision.
Have you tested the 'Dive Burger' at Le Dive?
Not yet, but I want to check it out.
Well done.
Thank you!
Maybe the place is for old people like me with delicate taste buds?
Drowning pasta like that is a sin
Indeed!
Like most restaurants, through trial & error, some dishes are better than others. But it costs money if and when you find something special. Considering the competition, no reason to come back. Celebrities have the same taste buds as anyone else.
Absolutely!