" Good Setting For A Date "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

After reading some reviews I was skeptical at first, but my date wanted to go to Barbarossa so I booked a table for two on the window side of the restaurant.

Booking was easy even though they couldn't promise table at the window.

When arriving the receptionist got us to our table (at the window) and within seconds we had our menus.

The staff was very attentive throughout the whole evening.

We had 2 bottles of decent red wine 2 starters and 2 main courses, which set us back about 1,100RMB. In my opinion a realistic price considering the settings and the quality of the food.

In short, a very nice evening in great settings, with good food and wine and very attentive service.

Will definitely be back.

" Expected It To Be Goooood "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

My friends and I had nowhere to go on a Saturday night, hence decided to walk from dagu road to Barbarossa.

i really expected it to be really good, since my friends always wanted to go. but it's really a great disappointment when i reached there.

truthfully, the exterior is really nice - with a building standing on its own, a small bridge linking the park to the place.

the drinks that they served sucks - the mixers were served in bottles.


overall, i wouldn't spend so much money to go to this place again!

" Poor Staff..... "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

I have given this place anoher try; most of the times when people suggest to go there I pass, The venue is nice, but the staff of Barbarosa is terrible.
I always treat people with respect, but what I get here in return, unbelievable....4 years ago it surprised me, 2 years ago it was a mess and it seemed as well this week: nothing changed.
Rude, uninterested, looks on their faces.....bad attitudes towards customers....
This attitude from Chinese staff appears more often in places where a lot of foreigners how up.
Sacha's, o'malleys, Longe 18, Bar Rouge.....Who created this ? unrespectful laowais ? maybe.....

" Could Have Been Better "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Been to Barbarosa twice so far. The first time was with a group of friends for some late night drinks. The cocktails were decent. However, the waiters weren't very friendly and felt a little overbearing. We were interrupted a couple of times in the middle of our conversation when the waiter would come over and ask us to pay, and while we fished around for money to pay he would stand there and watch instead of just coming back later.

The second time I visited with two friends. It was Ladies' Night and complimentary Rosa Sangrias were offered to the ladies. Although complimentary, I was expecting the drink to be of good standard given all the hype about this place. The drinks taste like flavoured water with a hint of alcohol. The music was mediocre. What a shame, because it indeed would have been a great evening at its atmospheric rooftop terrace surrounded by the serenity that is atypical of central Shanghai.

" Dirty Disgusting "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Several BIG cockroaches crawled over our table while eating dinner.
And while in the bathroom another one crawled passed my feet.

blah!

I would expect this from a dirty cheap Chinese street food place, but not from a "proper" restaurant. I would not pay more than 10 rmb for place with cockroaches crawling around (which by the way I have never experienced in any of the small Chinese places, im just assuming they have some in the back).


enough said.

" NO. HELL NO. "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Barbarossa sucks, period. So we have heard legendary stories about how bad the service was here, but we came anyway on a Sunday night because we wanted to chill out and have a relaxing night. Let me go down the list about how shitty this place is.

1. Service is TERRIBLE. Despite ordering drinks, the waiter REFUSED to give us water, saying that the "bar was closed". First, the bar wasn't closed. There was a bartender standing right there, idly doing nothing. Second, the waiter went to get us water eventually, and guess where it was? NOT BY THE BAR. It was chilling on one of those serve stations. Ashtrays were removed and not returned to our tables, despite us clearing smoking. The cheque was brought to us even before we asked for it. I thought that was rude and unnecessary. Was that Barbarossa's way of asking us to leave? Although these were all minor incidents, they added up to an extremely stressful experience.

2. The shisha was terrible. Had to ask them to re-do it. I've been smoking shisha since I was a mere teenager, so I know what even poor shisha is supposed to taste like. Trust me, I wouldn't even pay 10 kuai to smoke this crap.

3. The operations manager was truly unprofessional, rude,and proved quite clearly his lack of experience at dealing with situations in a polite and efficient manner. His attitude was extremely appalling. There have been reviews elsewhere specifically targeting this man, and I now know why that was the case. An international establishment needs to recognize the value of service and professionalism, both of which were definitely not present in this individual.

4. We also witnessed a group of about ten waitstaff (who were clearly not waiting the tables) physically assaulting what looked like a customer. Although the victim in question was not a part of my group, I felt immensely bad for the abuse he had to undergo. That show of unprofessionalism, in clear view of all first-floor patrons, contributed poorly to my restaurant experience.

5. prices. slightly pricey, but i have no problems paying if it means having a good night. the ambience/location was great, kudos to that. but the service (or lack thereof) was so unbearably stressful, the "operation manager"'s attitude so appalling, that it negated any merits that this place might have

6. i will give credit where it is due... there was one very nice staff member there, whose name i forgot to ask for. he was helpful, professional, and basically the anti-thesis of everyone else.

i predict the demise of this place soon enough, unless someone from the Real Management (no, not the "operations manager") actually pays heed to what the customers have to say. As it is, shanghai has LOADS of better places where i don't have to deal with your such a stressful experience.

there. my two cents worth. never going back again, and i suggest that all of you smart people on smartshanghai.com take your yuans elsewhere too.

" Revamped Barbarossa Worth A New Chance "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

The new Barbaossa is a must visit. If not for anything else than the food. I, along with most other reviewers, was unhappy with the previous Barbarossa- a destination riding on the coat-tails of its fantastic location without giving much thought to quality of experience in terms of food, service or value. But Barbarossa has changed!

My boyfriend and I were in the mood for a nice setting and glass of wine w/in walking distance to our place. Without expecting much from food we were surprised to find a revised menu and a little disappointed that the Moroccan food was gone. The new menu can be described more as global cuisine with items like Warm Thai Mushroom Salad, Smoked Salmon on Pumpkin Cakes and Crab Cakes. For mains, we had Seared Tuna Steak (with a black bean puree and basil couscous) and Lamb Chops (w/ garlic mash and tasty asparagus)- both of which were DELICIOUS. We were so pleasantly surprised at every turn from the size of the portions (not too small, not too big), inventive flavors, reasonable prices and unimposing great service. We were having such a great meal that we decided to finish with dessert too which made a great meal amazing. Fresh baked brownie, vanilla bean ice cream and warm chocolate sauce. YUM!

Everyone should try the new Barbarossa. I think the management understands that providing great food, drinks and service enhances the great location even more. We went back the week after with skeptical friends and came out with the same experience. If you don't give Barbarossa a second chance you're missing out.