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Bardo Edibles + Elixirs
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner, Late Night
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
19 reviews for Bardo Edibles + Elixirs
Bardo is an experience.
The menu can seem a bit pretentious, but go with it.
Go to Bardo for the appetizers, drinks and desserts. A nice after-dinner or late night stop.
UPDATE: OK, you know what? I won't be coming to Bardo anymore. I have been here many times, and originally wrote it a very favorable review, but in retrospect, I really just don't like Bardo. I have NEVER gotten good service here, ever. Considering there are only a dozen tables, the wait staff is super inattentive. Also, even if you tell them what order you want your tapas in, they just bring them out in any kind of random order, even to the point that they'll cover your whole table before you've finished your first dish.
They do have a huge menu and huge selection, but if I am honest, none of it has been fantastic. There is definitely something very cool about Bardo, and it's certainly an experience, but I can't pretend to like it anymore. The food is mediocre, and I must have tried 30 of their different tapas at this point. Out of all of those, I have only ever left thinking favorably and craving ONE dish (the lobster stuffed deviled eggs -- and I don't eat meat anymore, so I can't get that anyway these days!).
Yes, I do still think it's worth it to go. It's one of the hippest spots in Norfolk, and like I said above, it is an experience. Don't make the same mistake as me though, and keep going over and over, wasting more money on overpriced, mediocre food and awful service. Just go once or twice, and make sure to get dessert and drinks. Those, at least, are always on point.
Below follows my old review. I don't agree with it anymore, but I'll leave it here for posterity. Here it is:
Bardo is truly a treat. If you're familiar with tapas, you surely have some idea of what you're getting into before you get here. Small portions of interesting dishes, to be savored and shared! At Bardo, however, the interesting dishes are more interesting than any other restaurant in Norfolk. I have had quail, kangaroo, and bison at Bardo, just off the top of my head. They have vegan and vegetarian dishes as well, which are just as delightful.
They have a full bar, with a captivating list of house drinks. Some of them are not quite as good as their descriptions may make them sound though, so caveat emptor! I highly recommend the martini flights.
Bardo is a very small restaurant, however, with between 10-12 tables. They accept reservations, but only for groups of 8 or more, so if you don't want to wait around, then do try to come early. If you do have to wait, though, be sure that the wait is most definitely worth it.
Yet another great dining experience in Norfolk! Bardo's menu is listed in levels, which are only suggestions as to the order in which you should dine. My friend and I chose items in no particular order and at the times we wanted to. The service was excellent, which is the complete opposite of some previous reviews I read. The waitress explained the menu and even offered suggestions, which assisted us in making our final decisions. I will make this side note that you are able to make a tapas plate into a full entree size if you wish.
We ordered a wide range which included the hummus duo, bardomole, orange chili chicken and vegetable spring rolls. The hummus and bardomole were good starter items but nothing special. The orange chicken and spring rolls were quite flavorful.
The cocktail menu had so many concoctions, I couldn't decide. I stupidly went with a glass of wine, which ended up being good, but if you go here you should try a cocktail.
The ambiance was obviously an Asian feel with small candles throughout and music to help you get into a zen state. There is a cute bar area as you walk in and then tables that wrap around to a more intimate location.
The bill can easily add up when you eat tapas so go in with a game plan or just enjoy the night and eat at your own pace. I never felt rushed at all, which is huge.
Bardo is almost really good. The menu consists of Asian fusion tapas and included items from Chinese, Korean Japanese, Indian, Thai, and Latin cuisines. The cocktail list is long and interesting and the wine list is varied with good by the glass choices. My experience with service was so-so---the waitress was aloof and the tapas delivery could have been staggered better. Regarding the food--the dishes ranged from amazing to unimpressive. The overall experience was good and if the service had been better, I definitely would give this a 4 star rating.
Standout menu items included the eggplant fries (which came with an unexpected tabasco-ranch and powdered sugar dipping sauce), tuna tataki (sashimi tuna stack), and the bottle rocket shrimp (fried shrimp served with a side of quite good kim chee).
The most unimpressive item I had was the cheese fondue (which was blue cheese stout the night I went). The fondue itself was nothing special, never got warm enough, and was served with a pathetic assortment of bread and party crackers.
For dessert, try out the bento box (mine included the donuts as well as 3 other samplings).
I enjoyed the Kim Chee cocktail (gin and spicy cucumber), which would probably appeal most to those who like dirty gin martinis. The wine my husband and I had was also good--d'Arenberg Love Grass Shiraz and the Layercake Primativo.
Probably the snazziest restaurant in Norfolk. I've been here twice and both times it's been a nice reminder of more metropolitan moments in my life. I sound like a total snob, and maybe I am.
They do have vegan options, but if you eat meat you'll probably get a much more exotic meal. Service can be patchy, but seeing as how this is a tapas bar, perhaps they're going for the Spanish kind of service? Being ignored in that case is really just a sign of authenticity, no?
If you've got a date to impress and you're in Norfolk, take her here. I can't think of a more romantic place in the city.
Although I no longer live in Norfolk, I still go back to Bardo whenever I'm in the area and in the mood for Asian tapas. The bar is a hip spot for drinks & meeting up with friends. Service can be spotty at times, but never so much that it ruins a meal.
Great for late-night dining.
Lots of good selections of wine by the glass, mixed drinks, and beer...every category of drinker can be accommodated here...they even have grappa!
Keeping with the Buddist theme (Bardo is the state between death & rebirth...hunger and satiation too!) they have sushi and lumpia 'of the moment'. They also do a-la-carte asian sides...seaweed salad, kim chee, rice, etc.
My wife and I have been going here for several years now and they always keep the menu interesting, introducing a steady stream of new items alongside some favorites. Here's a list of dishes to try:
Kobe Beef Carpaccio - Thin slices of beef are decent, but this dish is about playing with your food...served with a sterno flame and flat stone, you cook your beef to desired done-ness.
Scallop Lollipops - Perfectly seared scallops served with a trio of hot, sweet, and savory dipping sauces.
Pistachio-Encrusted Lamb & Wasabi Potato Mash - Although they sometimes skimp on the lamb cuts (unequal portioned lamb chop) they flavors are awesome and tasty; crunchy nutty crust gives way to rare juicy lamb. This is a dish so good that we guessed at the recipe and re-created at home.
Elvis in Tokyo - This is a new dessert and it's all about bacon, banana & peanut butter. Peanut butter mousse served like a napoleon with crispy fried springroll wrapper, bananas, chocolate and bacon brittle. I must learn how to make bacon brittle...
hmmm...
I heard so many good things but I was seriously disappointed. The food was good, but the service was absolutely horrible. Maybe if you put up with crappy service a few times, they deem you "worthy" or something.
The atmosphere and the food were good, but the service did me in.
Wow, most impressive! We dined at Bardo for the first time last Friday evening. Super good food, super service at the back bar by the kitchen.
Highlights: "Lumpia of the moment," which at that moment was Maine lobster; Tataki, a delicious puck of minced sashimi ahi with flying-fish roe on top; spicy Thai fish sliders, which were actually little taco-type shells with tasty grilled filling and suitable veggie additions; garlicky grilled green beans; soba noodle slaw (mmm, will make some at home now); and delicious super-light calamari tempura. For dessert, some fresh, not beignet-type donuts with various sugars and dipping sauces.
ALL sauces with everything were delicious, in fact - well thought-out and no two alike. Service from the perky Katlyn could not have been improved upon - she knew the entire menu and provided valuable intelligence.
Fine beer list - my lovely wife had a Duvel (served in a proper Duvel glass) and I had one new to me - Kuichi Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale, which went well with everything (except maybe the cinnamon sugar donut).
We shall return: you should go.
Hm...maybe I should try going there again...since everyone seems to enjoy it lately...NOT. My bf and I went here a while back on a weekend night for drinks (nothing major). The place was crowded and we didn't see any hostess, etc...so we wandered around looking for a table...Mind you we are not millionaires and weren't dressed fancy...but nice. We found two seats in the back on the counter (sushi station) and we sat there with menus. We sat there for about 15 minutes until this lady came over to us and told us we couldn't sit there and we would have to wait. How long? She didn't know. She was rude though and we decided to go to the New Belmont instead. With times being the way they are, people need to be more friendly. New Belmont treated us just right...
Bardo has a large menu, composed of four tapas levels. Level one contains appetizers, levels two and three are more entree-esque selections, yet still of the small-plate tradition and level four is dessert. In the past, I have had the hot nuts (yes the dish is truly called that), the vegetable spring roll, the soba noodles and then a few desserts, the dim sum doughnuts, heaven and hell and the dessert fondue. The hot nuts were a disappointment both times I had them. The concept is good (stir-fried nuts, yum), but I swear they use the Planters mixed nut can, the one that is mostly peanuts. Boring. If Bardo used gourmet nuts, the dish would be exponentially better...where are the big, gourmet cashews! The doughnuts are served with three sauces, chocolate, caramel and raspberry and are one of Bardo's most popular preparations. The Heaven and Hell is grilled angel food cake with strawberries, caramel sauce and whipped cream. Absolutely fantastic!
My most recent visit to Bardo was my best meal there to date. It seemed we ordered everything with all of the plates near us. We probably ordered a fifth of what they offer, if that says anything about the scope of their menu. First, the edamame and tofu infused guacamole which comes with crispy wontons for dipping, the vegetable spring rolls, seaweed salad, the sushi roll of the day, the fried crab-stuffed avocado, soba noodles, pad Thai, the crab rangoons and finally, the waffle cake served with homemade ice cream, which is a new item. The guacamole was fresh as could be, the soba noodles and seaweed salad were up to par, the crab rangoons were something good and new, but the fried crab-stuffed avocado was phenomenal and by far, my favorite item of the evening. The Bardo chef halves an avocado, stuffs it with crab and then fries it into a ball. It is served with a balsamic garnish and is the perfect mixture of flavors. When it came out, it reminded me of those anti-submarine mine field explosives, round with pokers sticking out of it. Odd looking, but great tasting. The funnel cake was fun. We chose the brownie sundae ice cream (over the strawberry sundae) and it was so superb. I don't like 'fairs', but I do like funnel cake, so I was able to enjoy the dessert without having to go on rides that make me sick and are run by people that look like they should be behind bars.
As with tapas, before you know it, you are at $100 for two people, so while the individual item prices are low, you keep ordering because by the time each of you takes two bites, the dish is gone and you are still hungry. Bardo was very busy when we arrived around to 8pm on Saturday, so we opted for the food bar seats over a 45 minute wait. Sitting at the food bar is great because you can watch the chef team work their magic. Kelly noted that this was a superbly run kitchen and those guys were definitely hopping. Bardo is great if you want something small or if you want a great sampling of Asian-inspired tapas. The decor is Asian-inspired modern and the service is typically good. Our waitress on Saturday was exceptionally attentive.
On March 15, Bardo is having a bizarre food night' which will include tarantulas, rocky mountain oysters (yes the real thing, for those of you that know what they are) and five or six other unusual selections. The regular menu will also be served if one in your party is not keen on the bizarre offerings (that would be me). They are ordering the selections based on reservations, so call in advance if you would like to enjoy the bizarre food night. I believe it is a fixed price for the variety of selections, somewhere in the neighborhood of $70 per person. Bardo does not appear to have a website, but you can view their menu online. (There are some new selections on the current menu in the restaurant).
Bardo is located at 430 W 21st St (@ Colonial Ave) Norfolk, VA 23517 and is open daily for dinner and late-night snacks.
~Alex
Some of the best vegan options in the area, fun place to go for special occasions, don't come in too hungry, great drinks... especially good for groups of friends.
Wake up Bardo staff. Hope you're listening. Look at your reviews, you have some loyal followers (I was one) but you're slipping. At our last visit, the service was horrible. Slow, unfriendly, un-knowlegable. Your physical plant needs some maintenance. How many years ago were your menus printed? Both of our wine glasses had chips on the edge and the waiter didn't seem to think it was a big deal. The food was o.k. Don't let a good thing slip away as some restaurants do when they enjoy some measure of success for a while. Maybe we'll try again in a couple of months.
I had always drove past Bardo's on the way to the taphouse but who is thinking about food when you're on the way to the taphouse? Anyway enough about that, Bardo is a great spot to enjoy a great meal.
I had only intended to have a drink (I think you get the ideal of how I spend most nights) but the kobe meatloaf look good on the menu. After the first bite I was hooked.
If your a fan of deserts the creme brulee is also a must have.
Silly me, I mistook the "recommended towel dispensing movements" in the men's room for the 24-move simplified Yang style Tai Chi I studied a few years ago! I got the strangest looks ever when I exited the restroom doing Grasp Sparrow's Tail, but Parting the Wild Horse's Mane was what got me cut off at the bar.
But I digress.
Honestly, the food here is delicious, and wonderful in concept and presentation. I've galloped through most of the vegetarian items on the menu (and there is a lot to choose from), and my favorites so far are the black sesame asparagus with miso mustard and the steamed veggie dumplings. For the fishetarians out there, tuna in all of its forms at bardo is excellent, from the sushi to the tuna tataki.
There is a good beer list, my group's favorite being the Duvel, and our goal usually being to drink every last drop of Bardo's supply, then moving on to the Chimay White, Blue, and Red, in that order. The bartenders are fun, funny, and friendly, and the servers are also friendly and attentive.
The atmosphere is good, dark and a bit intimate.
I recommend that you Brush Knee, Twist Step: Right into Bardo the next time you find yourself looking for good food in Norfolk. But when you find yourself playing Golden Cock Stands on One Leg after a few drinks, it's probably time to Turn Around and Sweep Lotus with One Leg and Retreat to Ride Tiger back home.
Amazing food at Bardo! Pretty good drinks, too.
Dark atmosphere, the front of it seems like an upscale NYC lounge, minus all the pretense. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because Robbie is no longer working the bar.
One of the most consistent dining experiences I've experienced. The large menu has never let me down. Ahhh, there was this one time I tried escargot. Not a big fan of this here, I don't think they cooked it in garlic and parsley butter like I've had prior. Other than that, you can't go wrong. I just wish it was downtown so I could walk.
I LOVE BARDO! I have never had a bad, or even less than great time there. The food will never let you down, the staff is soooo nice, and the whole experience of Bardo is nothing less than amazing. The best kept secret in this place is the sushi bar (even though they only have one sushi roll per day)... you never have to wait for a seat and you get to walk right past all the people waiting over an hour to get a table....plus...the food is made right in front of you there, so you never have to wait very long! They have an extensive cocktail list and the food is mainly tapas style. The owner and creator of Bardo is the same person who opened and created Empire Little Bar Bistro, Crackers, and Taphouse Grill. This guy is AMAZING and so is everything he touches. I HIGHLY recommend Bardo for any type of occasion.
Wonderful Fusion (blend of numerous varieties) Restaurant. Served Tapas style. This is great because you can order a number of small dishs, share them with friends, and order more.
I had a party here once (12 people) and after eating and drinking (wine) for a couple of hours I was pleasantly surprised with how reasonable the overall price was. I LOVE this restaurant.
such a cute spot for tapas! had wine and dessert here. i haven't been to downtown norfolk in years.. so it was pretty cool to see new things aside from chrysler hall. waitstaff was attentive. donuts came with different dipping sauces (raspberry, chocolate, and carmel) - good stuff!
