Barvis Pa

04/22/08

really cute for a first date

by clnarosff at Citysearch

one of the better wine and cheese bar/cafes on the upper east. the wine by the glass selection is huge and our waitress never hurried us along like in some other restaurants i will definitley be back!!!

• Pros: great wine selection

02/15/08

Relaxed Brunch

by shelikesfood83 at Citysearch

My girl friend and I went to Bar Vespa for brunch last Sunday. It was so nice not to have to worry about a loud brunch restaurant with a long wait! We sat right down (the place was pretty much empty, I am not sure people know about this place yet??) and they quickly gave us their house Bellini's, which were fabulous. Their menu is not traditional, but the waitress recommended the Asparagus Frittata because I had 'omelet' on the brain and my girl friend got the Roman Toast (their French toast). Both dishes where the perfect size and the bread basket we ordered were fresh baked goods from a famous NYC bakery. The prices were not cheap, but not over priced and we even got to hang out and drink our cappuccinos without being rushed out. Perfect Lazy Sunday.... I would definitely go back!

• Pros: Quick sitting and relaxed atmosphere
• Cons: a bit empty

12/01/07

Hot new wine bar.......great cheeses too!

by cebonds at Citysearch

Bar Vespa is my new favorite spot on the UES! They have a great selection of wine and cheese which my girlfriends and I loved; and although the wine list seems a little dense with over 100 wines by the glass, the staff is more than eager to help you choose something you will enjoy. I loved everything they picked for me, and when my friend didn't love her glass, they were quick to replace it with something she did like. The cheese was a perfect compliment to the wine, and we even got complimentary gelato cones on our way out the door. It was my friends birthday and we had a blast. So glad to not have to hang out in a sports bar or irish pub when on the UES!

• Pros: great wine and fun staff
• Cons: a little crowded

11/28/07

The best of UES!!

by naldob at Citysearch

If not the best in NYC! I live in Brooklyn, and someone told me through a blog about BarVespa. So I went on Friday night. I love chill house music, and BarVespa was on point with music and wine. Atmosphere was cool and service was great. Although, upon entering the bar, we faced our biggest obstacle of the evening... the front door was antique and couldn't figure out which side let us in. So if that was the only issue I have to say I could handle that any day. After getting in we were warmly greeted by employees, and definetly felt like we belonged there!! WE'LL BE BACK!!!

• Pros: Music!
• Cons: Door!

11/23/07

100 wines by the glass!

by carolh76 at Citysearch

Yes they have 100 wines by the glass, and my boyfriend and I tried a small tasting of 7. Finally a beautiful atmosphere for the UES. Comfortable, clean red couches. The small menu brought out amazing artisinal cheese selections. It did get a little crowded as it got later, but nice customers. Since I live 6 blocks away and my boyfriend lives downtown, I got a feeling he"ll be visiting me a lot more at BarVespa on the UES.

• Pros: 100 wines!

11/09/07

awesome experience

by michellinn at Citysearch

Having been a regular customer at vespa for the past 3 years, i finally paid a visit to their newly opened lounge located a block away from the restaurant.

As soon as i walked in i felt reminiscent of the bars i'd been to in central rome..

On my way to take my place at the lounge i was offered a tasting of artisanal cheeses displayed beautifully at the bar.I was pleasantly surprised by the thorough explanation about the cheese i'd tasted by the staff.

The manager recommended a phenomenal sangiovese , of which i was also given a tasting .

Service was warm and attentive.

At the end of the night i was even treated to an olive oil flavored gelatto cone!!

A great experience, and finally a true Italian wine bar !

• Pros: great wine selection,cheese tastings, late dining
• Cons: no reservations.

A little piece of Rome comes to the Upper East Side--vino included.

by Lucy Blatter at Citysearch

In Short
Wine and cheese lovers, rejoice. The owner of popular Upper East Side restaurant Vespa has opened a bar devoted entirely to Italian and Spanish wines. Modeled after Rome's wine bars, Bar Vespa offers 100 wines by the glass, each available to taste, or by the full glass or bottle. The space--a former antique shop--is divided into two long rooms. The first, ideal for those in a hurry, is a long, sleek and casual bar perfect for standing, downing a beer and snacking on a panini. Directly to the left is a lounge, where, for a $2 fee, patrons may sink into the red velvet banquets, and slowly enjoy a little vino.

Hits: Appetizer samplings, panini, aged cheeses, olives and sliced meats make for deliciously upscale bar snacks, providing the perfect accompaniment to a nice glass of wine.

Misses: While the bar area has a sleek Italian look and a truly impressive array of cheeses, the lounge decor feels too bare.

10/23/07

Hot Spot!

by lauracat at Citysearch

100 Wines by the glass! I thought they were kidding, but they are not! An amazing list of wines and about 2 dozen Artisanal Cheeses. Staff was very accomodating and the wine guy (manager?) was an awesome guide. The lounge was very attractive, although it was a little crowded on a Saturday night. My boyfriend also loved the red dresses on the waitresses. We'll be back!

• Pros: Wine List, Cheeses,Music
• Cons: very busy on Saturdays

10/14/07

Don't bother going here

by jlee9999 at Citysearch

VERY disappointing! Service was extremely slow, I waited over 20 minutes for a second glass of wine and ended up cancelling the order. Then when I got the bill I saw that they added a cover charge of $2.00 per person. No one tells you there is cover charge for sitting in the "lounge area." They claim it's on the menu, but it must be in very fine print because we didn't see it. Don't bother going here, there are plenty of wine bars on the UES that don't charge you to sit down.

• Pros: none
• Cons: terrible service and hidden cover charges