I found this place on google a while ago. The restaurant is on the smaller side, but I preferred it. Very intimate space. Now the food… amazing!!!! We ordered appetizers before our meal and I didn’t want to share. I have no complaints about anything.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Patrick Novoa
Went to Bar Marcel 1/27/24Table of 6Ordered 3 appetizers, 1 salad, 6 entrees, 2 deserts and 4 bottles of wine.Total: $528 tip included but this review is not about the price but about the food!Appetizers,The Brie en croute was chewy and served with cheap crackers. Perhaps it would have been better served with real toasted bread or a better assortment of crackers.The Octopus was great ( I have ordered that dish many times) but overtime the portions are getting smaller and smaller.The Carpaccio (3 slices) did not have much taste and was served with three slices of soft, not toasted bread. It had no taste nor texture at all!Salad: Was served with not much dressingThe EntreesPAPPARDELLE BEEF RAGU PASTA!Two of us ordered it. One plate had a nice size, the other had like 40% less and was just warm! we told the waitress and she warmed it up but the portion came back even smaller....WILD BOAR TAGLIATELLE!Our french guest ordered it. At first it looked good but quickly our guest mentioned how watery the dish was. In fact, they did not take the time to drain the pastas and our guess got rewarded by a few medals on his shirt!TARTARE DE SAUMON! It comes with salmon and hard boiled egg.....well it was more a Tartare of eggs and cream than salmon.The Wine! We ordered a nice Bourgogne and it was excellent...so good that when we ordered another bottle they were out of it. We had to pick another bottle which again was the last one....and so on....we had 4 different types of white wine!The deserts were great, loved the mini plater!I have been to Bar Marcel many times for lunch and dinner however, I have noticed a lost of quality in the food served over time. Perhaps the kitchen is too small and they can't handle so many customers on weekends, or, perhaps they don't have enough people in the kitchen. There is no quality control and dishes very inconsistent. Staff does not make sure that each dish comes out the way it should.The positive; the deserts were great and our waitress was very nice.Overall we were all very disappointed , specially after I insisted to go to Bar Marcel when my friends wanted to go to another restaurant. Quite embarrassing as they left with a poor impression.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
James Covington
Easily the worst expensive restaurant we have been to in Charlotte. Pasta sauces are soupy. Don't order the 'bread'. Beware of wine list substitutes. I'm stunned at the reviews for this restaurant. Seven o'clock reservation and the place was empty...
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Debra Covington
The server was “trying”. Brought the wrong bottle of wine , food was horrible. Charged $9 for. 1/4 loaf of bread, served burnt with cold butter and what tasted like canned jam.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 4
Christopher K.
I decided to take my hubby out for a nice dinner tonight. I searched Yelp for some top rated restaurants. My hubby is picky so I needed to find a restaurant that had a variety of food options. After searching Yelp for hours, I narrowed it down to Bar Marcel and Runaway Whiskey and Wine. My final vote went to Bar Marcel. We arrived for dinner. It is in a shopping plaza off of Sharon Road near South Park Mall. Parking is cumbersome, but we were able to find a space far away near Barnes and Noble. Upon entry, I noticed a well decorated and dimly lit restaurant. The clientele seemed to be upperclass in nature. We were greeted by a cheerful hostess who took us to our table promptly. We looked over the menu and noticed a great cocktail list. We were greeted by Darren, who came with a smile and great energy. He helped us decide on cocktails. I opted for the Midnight Mule and my hubby opted for the Whiskey Wishes. The drinks came within 5 minutes. My drink was absolutely amazing. I loved that it was the right balance between sweet and sour. My hubby loved his drink as well. Next, we were ready to order appetizers. We chose the bread basket for my hubby and I asked for the octopus. My hubby said the bread could have been better but the butter and jams that came with it were delicious. The braised octopus was cooked well. It came out lukewarm, but it was still tasty. It came time to order our entrees. I decided on the Tomahawk Pork Chop and my husband chose the Gnocchi Bolognese. The pork chop was cooked to perfection. It was seasoned well and had a nice crisp on the outside of it. My husband stated that his Gnocchi was good but it needed more pasta because there was so much sauce. Finally, we ordered the Mini Dessert Flight. It was delightful. My favorite was the Vegan Coconut Panna Cotta and my hubby enjoyed the Salted Caramel Budino. Overall, we had a very good experience at Bar Marcel. Darren was awesome and gave some great suggestions. He went above and beyond to ensure that our experience was wonderful. Please give Darren a pat on the back for a job well done. In addition, the food was excellent. We will definitely be back. Ratings: Midnight Mule - 5/5 Whiskey Wishes - 5/5 (hubby's rating) Bread Basket - 3/5 (per the hubby) Braised Octopus - 4/5 Pork Chop Tomahawk - 5/5 Gnocchi Bolognese - 4/5 (per hubby) Dessert Mini Platter - 4/5 Pearried Cocktail - 3/5 Ambiance - 5/5 Customer Service - 5/5
Jim Lavine
Great shareable plates. Really nice atmosphere and good drinks selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Another R.
It's a fun, quaint restaurant, with fantastic service and food you likely won't find anywhere else. It's also a neighborhood spot where locals meet. You'll always be made to feel welcome and comfortable...Mikey the bartender will take great care of you. Servers Eddie and Darren will, as well...It might get busy, which is a beautiful thing to see post-lockdown, but know that even if the manager has to chip in to run food or make drinks, you will get great service...At a recent visit here with some new friends from South America, who travel extensively and are great chefs, they were beyond impressed with the selection, quality, presentation and taste of the food...
caroline cleland
We love coming here. Came with friends last night and had a wonderful time. The moment you walk in you feel so welcome. Bailey our server was AMAZING!!! Food and wine was wonderful. Still my fave restaurant in Charlotte not just for the food and wine but for the atmosphere and the friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Bolognese
Susan Blackwell
If I could give 10 stars...This was my first visit and I'm plotting to get back next weekend. I can't say enough. The service is top notch. The food and drink are the best I've had in a while. Looking forward to making Bar Marcel my new favorite spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jack R.
Diverse menu and excellent service! We are in the patio on a perfect night. So many great menu options, it was so hard to pick. We started with the charcuterie board which was nice for a board but next time I'd get something more adventurous like the marrow. For dinner we got the porchetta which was a very generous portion, the albacore pasta, veal pasta and salmon. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the meals. For dessert we got the Paris brest which was good but extremely sweet, the Godiva brownie and mini tiramisu. I loved the idea of mini desserts, when you just need just a little dolce! Definitely check this place out. Enjoy!
I had a nice experience here - the environment is beautiful and airy but comfortable. They have a nice bar and outside area. Parking is a little rough but they know that :) there are a lot of spots that are only 30 minute parking from 9:00-6:00 but good anywhere after 6:00. I had a gin drink with honey and it was delicious. The mussels were amazing, brussel sprouts were pretty good, but was not impressed with the bread service. The bread was very hard and I wasn't a fan of the spreads served with it. Will try going back for a full dinner sometime soon!
Fushcia H.
I took my girlfriend here to celebrate her birthday and it just happened to coincide with Charlotte restaurant week. While our table was not ready at our reservation time, there was space at the bar so we grabbed a cocktail to start the night. The cocktails were delicious, and once our table was ready they transferred our bill to our table, easy peasy. We decided to go with the restaurant week four course meal. We ordered the strawberry gazpacho and the mussels for the appetizer. The gazpacho was impeccable! The mussels were also good, but the broth was very very salty. We ordered the vegetable and duck confit pastas, they were the only food items that we found lacked significant flavor and were unimpressed. I have heard very good things about the gnocchi so that will be one to try next time. Finally we ordered the salmon and the porchetta, both were very good. I ordered the salmon and had it cooked to chef's choice, it was flavorful and tender, but unfortunately I missed the note about it containing prosciutto, I don't eat pork and did not realize it until I was almost finished with the meal. However that's on me, but hopefully they provide an option without the pork. Overall the service was great, and I thought our waitress was just the right amount of attentive while letting us enjoy our drinks and dishes as they came out. The space itself is really beautiful, and there are no steps to the front entrance with a variety of tables and booths that make it accessible. We were definitely one of the few younger and only one of two tables with patrons of color, which is a bit unusual for finding in Charlotte, but likely indicative of the location being in South Park. I look forward to going back and trying things off of their standing menu.
Anonymous One
Went during Queens Feast in Charlotte. There were 4 courses that were amazing! The Heirloom Salad was light and so refreshing. A great play on sweet and salty. The Duck Confit pasta and the salmon that followed was everything. For dessert the light and small lemon tart was perfect! Very nice cocktail options were also available.Vegetarian options: For Queens Feast there were definitely vegetarian and pescadarian optionsKid-friendliness: As a parent this is not a place that I would recommend for children under 8, young children will bore easily and may not have the palate to appreciate this level of cooking.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Zucchini Pasta
Samantha Seecharan
I had a blast at the previous restaurant week so naturally this was my first choice for the July restaurant week event. Unfortunately, I booked a seat on the patio but did not realize there would be so many flies. I expect there to be a couple flies outside but a fly landed in my husband’s drink before he even took a sip and on top of that, they still tried to charge us for the drink. Then it was a complete assault of flies when we received the first course. We couldn’t even enjoy the food because we spent most of the time trying to fan the flies away.If you can’t remedy or keep your fly situation under control, don’t offer outdoor dining. I’m fully aware that I chose to sit outside but a fly infestation isn’t what I signed up for.
Jwhgranite
Went for a Friday night dinner with friends. Food quality was good; however, the $18 mussels appetizer only came with 2 small pieces of focaccia. Really? EVERYBODY knows that the best part of mussels is the broth. So we ordered 2 more SMALL pieces of focaccia for $3. Also, one of our party got the chicken with mashed potatoes. The potatoes were more like a decorative smear, thus we left feeling cheaped out. May not come back if this is the direction things are headed.
I found this place on google a while ago. The restaurant is on the smaller side, but I preferred it. Very intimate space. Now the food… amazing!!!! We ordered appetizers before our meal and I didn’t want to share. I have no complaints about anything.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went to Bar Marcel 1/27/24Table of 6Ordered 3 appetizers, 1 salad, 6 entrees, 2 deserts and 4 bottles of wine.Total: $528 tip included but this review is not about the price but about the food!Appetizers,The Brie en croute was chewy and served with cheap crackers. Perhaps it would have been better served with real toasted bread or a better assortment of crackers.The Octopus was great ( I have ordered that dish many times) but overtime the portions are getting smaller and smaller.The Carpaccio (3 slices) did not have much taste and was served with three slices of soft, not toasted bread. It had no taste nor texture at all!Salad: Was served with not much dressingThe EntreesPAPPARDELLE BEEF RAGU PASTA!Two of us ordered it. One plate had a nice size, the other had like 40% less and was just warm! we told the waitress and she warmed it up but the portion came back even smaller....WILD BOAR TAGLIATELLE!Our french guest ordered it. At first it looked good but quickly our guest mentioned how watery the dish was. In fact, they did not take the time to drain the pastas and our guess got rewarded by a few medals on his shirt!TARTARE DE SAUMON! It comes with salmon and hard boiled egg.....well it was more a Tartare of eggs and cream than salmon.The Wine! We ordered a nice Bourgogne and it was excellent...so good that when we ordered another bottle they were out of it. We had to pick another bottle which again was the last one....and so on....we had 4 different types of white wine!The deserts were great, loved the mini plater!I have been to Bar Marcel many times for lunch and dinner however, I have noticed a lost of quality in the food served over time. Perhaps the kitchen is too small and they can't handle so many customers on weekends, or, perhaps they don't have enough people in the kitchen. There is no quality control and dishes very inconsistent. Staff does not make sure that each dish comes out the way it should.The positive; the deserts were great and our waitress was very nice.Overall we were all very disappointed , specially after I insisted to go to Bar Marcel when my friends wanted to go to another restaurant. Quite embarrassing as they left with a poor impression.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Easily the worst expensive restaurant we have been to in Charlotte. Pasta sauces are soupy. Don't order the 'bread'. Beware of wine list substitutes. I'm stunned at the reviews for this restaurant. Seven o'clock reservation and the place was empty...
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
The server was “trying”. Brought the wrong bottle of wine , food was horrible. Charged $9 for. 1/4 loaf of bread, served burnt with cold butter and what tasted like canned jam.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 4
I decided to take my hubby out for a nice dinner tonight. I searched Yelp for some top rated restaurants. My hubby is picky so I needed to find a restaurant that had a variety of food options. After searching Yelp for hours, I narrowed it down to Bar Marcel and Runaway Whiskey and Wine. My final vote went to Bar Marcel. We arrived for dinner. It is in a shopping plaza off of Sharon Road near South Park Mall. Parking is cumbersome, but we were able to find a space far away near Barnes and Noble. Upon entry, I noticed a well decorated and dimly lit restaurant. The clientele seemed to be upperclass in nature. We were greeted by a cheerful hostess who took us to our table promptly. We looked over the menu and noticed a great cocktail list. We were greeted by Darren, who came with a smile and great energy. He helped us decide on cocktails. I opted for the Midnight Mule and my hubby opted for the Whiskey Wishes. The drinks came within 5 minutes. My drink was absolutely amazing. I loved that it was the right balance between sweet and sour. My hubby loved his drink as well. Next, we were ready to order appetizers. We chose the bread basket for my hubby and I asked for the octopus. My hubby said the bread could have been better but the butter and jams that came with it were delicious. The braised octopus was cooked well. It came out lukewarm, but it was still tasty. It came time to order our entrees. I decided on the Tomahawk Pork Chop and my husband chose the Gnocchi Bolognese. The pork chop was cooked to perfection. It was seasoned well and had a nice crisp on the outside of it. My husband stated that his Gnocchi was good but it needed more pasta because there was so much sauce. Finally, we ordered the Mini Dessert Flight. It was delightful. My favorite was the Vegan Coconut Panna Cotta and my hubby enjoyed the Salted Caramel Budino. Overall, we had a very good experience at Bar Marcel. Darren was awesome and gave some great suggestions. He went above and beyond to ensure that our experience was wonderful. Please give Darren a pat on the back for a job well done. In addition, the food was excellent. We will definitely be back. Ratings: Midnight Mule - 5/5 Whiskey Wishes - 5/5 (hubby's rating) Bread Basket - 3/5 (per the hubby) Braised Octopus - 4/5 Pork Chop Tomahawk - 5/5 Gnocchi Bolognese - 4/5 (per hubby) Dessert Mini Platter - 4/5 Pearried Cocktail - 3/5 Ambiance - 5/5 Customer Service - 5/5
Great shareable plates. Really nice atmosphere and good drinks selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
It's a fun, quaint restaurant, with fantastic service and food you likely won't find anywhere else. It's also a neighborhood spot where locals meet. You'll always be made to feel welcome and comfortable...Mikey the bartender will take great care of you. Servers Eddie and Darren will, as well...It might get busy, which is a beautiful thing to see post-lockdown, but know that even if the manager has to chip in to run food or make drinks, you will get great service...At a recent visit here with some new friends from South America, who travel extensively and are great chefs, they were beyond impressed with the selection, quality, presentation and taste of the food...
We love coming here. Came with friends last night and had a wonderful time. The moment you walk in you feel so welcome. Bailey our server was AMAZING!!! Food and wine was wonderful. Still my fave restaurant in Charlotte not just for the food and wine but for the atmosphere and the friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Bolognese
If I could give 10 stars...This was my first visit and I'm plotting to get back next weekend. I can't say enough. The service is top notch. The food and drink are the best I've had in a while. Looking forward to making Bar Marcel my new favorite spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Diverse menu and excellent service! We are in the patio on a perfect night. So many great menu options, it was so hard to pick. We started with the charcuterie board which was nice for a board but next time I'd get something more adventurous like the marrow. For dinner we got the porchetta which was a very generous portion, the albacore pasta, veal pasta and salmon. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the meals. For dessert we got the Paris brest which was good but extremely sweet, the Godiva brownie and mini tiramisu. I loved the idea of mini desserts, when you just need just a little dolce! Definitely check this place out. Enjoy!
Restaurantji Recommends
I had a nice experience here - the environment is beautiful and airy but comfortable. They have a nice bar and outside area. Parking is a little rough but they know that :) there are a lot of spots that are only 30 minute parking from 9:00-6:00 but good anywhere after 6:00. I had a gin drink with honey and it was delicious. The mussels were amazing, brussel sprouts were pretty good, but was not impressed with the bread service. The bread was very hard and I wasn't a fan of the spreads served with it. Will try going back for a full dinner sometime soon!
I took my girlfriend here to celebrate her birthday and it just happened to coincide with Charlotte restaurant week. While our table was not ready at our reservation time, there was space at the bar so we grabbed a cocktail to start the night. The cocktails were delicious, and once our table was ready they transferred our bill to our table, easy peasy. We decided to go with the restaurant week four course meal. We ordered the strawberry gazpacho and the mussels for the appetizer. The gazpacho was impeccable! The mussels were also good, but the broth was very very salty. We ordered the vegetable and duck confit pastas, they were the only food items that we found lacked significant flavor and were unimpressed. I have heard very good things about the gnocchi so that will be one to try next time. Finally we ordered the salmon and the porchetta, both were very good. I ordered the salmon and had it cooked to chef's choice, it was flavorful and tender, but unfortunately I missed the note about it containing prosciutto, I don't eat pork and did not realize it until I was almost finished with the meal. However that's on me, but hopefully they provide an option without the pork. Overall the service was great, and I thought our waitress was just the right amount of attentive while letting us enjoy our drinks and dishes as they came out. The space itself is really beautiful, and there are no steps to the front entrance with a variety of tables and booths that make it accessible. We were definitely one of the few younger and only one of two tables with patrons of color, which is a bit unusual for finding in Charlotte, but likely indicative of the location being in South Park. I look forward to going back and trying things off of their standing menu.
Went during Queens Feast in Charlotte. There were 4 courses that were amazing! The Heirloom Salad was light and so refreshing. A great play on sweet and salty. The Duck Confit pasta and the salmon that followed was everything. For dessert the light and small lemon tart was perfect! Very nice cocktail options were also available.Vegetarian options: For Queens Feast there were definitely vegetarian and pescadarian optionsKid-friendliness: As a parent this is not a place that I would recommend for children under 8, young children will bore easily and may not have the palate to appreciate this level of cooking.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Zucchini Pasta
I had a blast at the previous restaurant week so naturally this was my first choice for the July restaurant week event. Unfortunately, I booked a seat on the patio but did not realize there would be so many flies. I expect there to be a couple flies outside but a fly landed in my husband’s drink before he even took a sip and on top of that, they still tried to charge us for the drink. Then it was a complete assault of flies when we received the first course. We couldn’t even enjoy the food because we spent most of the time trying to fan the flies away.If you can’t remedy or keep your fly situation under control, don’t offer outdoor dining. I’m fully aware that I chose to sit outside but a fly infestation isn’t what I signed up for.
Went for a Friday night dinner with friends. Food quality was good; however, the $18 mussels appetizer only came with 2 small pieces of focaccia. Really? EVERYBODY knows that the best part of mussels is the broth. So we ordered 2 more SMALL pieces of focaccia for $3. Also, one of our party got the chicken with mashed potatoes. The potatoes were more like a decorative smear, thus we left feeling cheaped out. May not come back if this is the direction things are headed.