Unfortunately, I was disappointed with Bar Primi. I regret having booked it for New Year’s Eve. It didn’t feel like an Italian restaurant at all — the food was heavy, lacking finesse and flavour, and I had trouble digesting it. The space is nice and the service itself was kind, although the hosts came across as rather aloof and didn’t even offer a smile, which felt odd on New Year’s Eve. Overall, it really wasn’t worth it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 4
christopher devito
Lily is the best bartender ever! She made our NYE so much fun. We appreciate you so much. Thank you for being so much fun and making our NYE amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kashanda
Love the food! Very cold in there though couldn't get comfortable. Duu in sent take my coat off
Mirko Pazzaglia
very cool atmosphere, phenomenal pasta
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thinus Naude
Ok food but very bad service I would not come back. Bar service is extremely slow and the wait staff are not very attentive. The pistachio ice cream dessert was the stand out. The rest was just ok but for the price i was not impressed.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 1
Krystal Alexander
Bar Primi at the 325 Brewery offers an inviting atmosphere, though the seating arrangement for our group of three felt a bit cramped. Being situated between two tables made it challenging to navigate, especially for larger guests. Improvements in seating layout would enhance the experience.
On the culinary side, the food was a standout. The original frozen cocktail was a highlight, and the burrata pockets were exceptional—I only wished I had ordered more! The meatball in Sugo was tasty but could have been served hotter. I also enjoyed the bucatini all’Americana, which the waiter recommended as a step up from traditional pasta. However, the ricotta agnolotti was slightly overcooked, making the pasta a bit tough.
Overall, I’m looking forward to trying the Penn Station location, especially with its updated menu items!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Aly L.
This was by far my favorite place I ate while in NYC. It was very cozy and cute, the service was amazing- food was decently fast, the servers were very nice! I got the three course meal with the Meatball parm hero which was AMAZING. My husband got the bucatini which he loved. At the end, our dessert was a Cherry Sorbet and it was really good and the perfect portion for two people. This was the perfect place to grab lunch or dinner or just stop in for the bar!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sabrina Widner
Food war not great. Serving mozzarella as burrata. Absolutely not authentic Italian. The pasta was not bad though. Service was not great either.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kesh Prosser
My friend and I visited Bar Primi Bowery as walk-ins on Saturday, November 1, 2025, around 5-7pm and were seated at the bar. The food was absolutely amazing. Truly exceptional quality that showcases why this place has built such a strong reputation. The majority of the staff were attentive, warm, and professional, making us feel welcome despite not having a reservation. Our server was particularly wonderful, consistently checking on us throughout our meal and ensuring we had everything we needed. However, our experience took a significant turn when a female bartender began her shift (we didn’t see her when we were seated initially). She set up her station directly in front of us and proceeded to mix drinks with notably aggressive movements, slamming shakers and equipment loudly. At one point, liquid splattered onto me from her mixing. What was most concerning wasn’t the accident itself (these things can happen in a busy bar) but her delayed and dismissive response. When she finally apologized, her tone was curt and almost accusatory, as if we were somehow at fault for being seated where we were. We chose not to escalate the situation given how crowded the restaurant was, but this interaction genuinely dampened what should have been a wonderful evening. The contrast between her demeanor and the rest of the staff was striking and unfortunate. We hope this was simply a bad day and not related to any other factors, though we couldn’t help but wonder given the stark difference in how we were treated compared to her demeanor with other guests. To management: I hope you’ll review what happened during our visit on November 1st between 5-7pm. The food and ambiance at Bar Primi are too good to have guests feeling unwelcome. While I can’t speak to her intentions, the treatment we received left us questioning whether there was more to her attitude than just a bad day. I want to return for the incredible food, but I hope this feedback leads to some reflection on consistency in hospitality across your entire team.
Packed, food was somewhat bland, needed a lot of salt, and didn't come out hot despite feeling like the service was a bit rushed
Karissa Teekah
The pasta was fine basic spaghetti with tomato sauce and a few basil leaves but nothing memorable. I added grilled chicken for $9, and the portion that arrived was tiny, maybe a handful of small pieces.
For a $35 meal, you’d expect something to round it out maybe a side salad, a piece of bread, or even a little garnish. Instead, it felt like a plain takeout portion that could’ve easily been half the price.
The flavor was okay, but overall the value just isn’t there. Definitely not something I’d order again.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Mike Downey
Fantastic dinner. Pasta is fresh & flavorful. Fried tomato rice & papardelle bolognese
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elizabeth
Wonderful dinner! Got there early and had a lovely long dinner with my sister who lives out of town. Delicious food, wonderful species, live piano, incredible service, and felt like a neighborhood gem. By the time we left, every table was full. Will definitely add to my list of faves!
Jon Connell
Out waiter blanked us for 10 minutes then forgot our order. Other waiters.kept bailing him out and comped us drinks. It was horrendously loud inside. Cocktails were outstanding and pasta good.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed with Bar Primi. I regret having booked it for New Year’s Eve. It didn’t feel like an Italian restaurant at all — the food was heavy, lacking finesse and flavour, and I had trouble digesting it. The space is nice and the service itself was kind, although the hosts came across as rather aloof and didn’t even offer a smile, which felt odd on New Year’s Eve. Overall, it really wasn’t worth it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 4
Lily is the best bartender ever! She made our NYE so much fun. We appreciate you so much. Thank you for being so much fun and making our NYE amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love the food! Very cold in there though couldn't get comfortable. Duu in sent take my coat off
very cool atmosphere, phenomenal pasta
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ok food but very bad service I would not come back. Bar service is extremely slow and the wait staff are not very attentive. The pistachio ice cream dessert was the stand out. The rest was just ok but for the price i was not impressed.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 1
Bar Primi at the 325 Brewery offers an inviting atmosphere, though the seating arrangement for our group of three felt a bit cramped. Being situated between two tables made it challenging to navigate, especially for larger guests. Improvements in seating layout would enhance the experience.
On the culinary side, the food was a standout. The original frozen cocktail was a highlight, and the burrata pockets were exceptional—I only wished I had ordered more! The meatball in Sugo was tasty but could have been served hotter. I also enjoyed the bucatini all’Americana, which the waiter recommended as a step up from traditional pasta. However, the ricotta agnolotti was slightly overcooked, making the pasta a bit tough.
Overall, I’m looking forward to trying the Penn Station location, especially with its updated menu items!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
This was by far my favorite place I ate while in NYC. It was very cozy and cute, the service was amazing- food was decently fast, the servers were very nice! I got the three course meal with the Meatball parm hero which was AMAZING. My husband got the bucatini which he loved. At the end, our dessert was a Cherry Sorbet and it was really good and the perfect portion for two people. This was the perfect place to grab lunch or dinner or just stop in for the bar!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food war not great. Serving mozzarella as burrata. Absolutely not authentic Italian. The pasta was not bad though. Service was not great either.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
My friend and I visited Bar Primi Bowery as walk-ins on Saturday, November 1, 2025, around 5-7pm and were seated at the bar. The food was absolutely amazing. Truly exceptional quality that showcases why this place has built such a strong reputation. The majority of the staff were attentive, warm, and professional, making us feel welcome despite not having a reservation. Our server was particularly wonderful, consistently checking on us throughout our meal and ensuring we had everything we needed.
However, our experience took a significant turn when a female bartender began her shift (we didn’t see her when we were seated initially). She set up her station directly in front of us and proceeded to mix drinks with notably aggressive movements, slamming shakers and equipment loudly. At one point, liquid splattered onto me from her mixing. What was most concerning wasn’t the accident itself (these things can happen in a busy bar) but her delayed and dismissive response. When she finally apologized, her tone was curt and almost accusatory, as if we were somehow at fault for being seated where we were.
We chose not to escalate the situation given how crowded the restaurant was, but this interaction genuinely dampened what should have been a wonderful evening. The contrast between her demeanor and the rest of the staff was striking and unfortunate. We hope this was simply a bad day and not related to any other factors, though we couldn’t help but wonder given the stark difference in how we were treated compared to her demeanor with other guests.
To management: I hope you’ll review what happened during our visit on November 1st between 5-7pm. The food and ambiance at Bar Primi are too good to have guests feeling unwelcome. While I can’t speak to her intentions, the treatment we received left us questioning whether there was more to her attitude than just a bad day.
I want to return for the incredible food, but I hope this feedback leads to some reflection on consistency in hospitality across your entire team.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Steak and eggs were really really good
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Packed, food was somewhat bland, needed a lot of salt, and didn't come out hot despite feeling like the service was a bit rushed
The pasta was fine basic spaghetti with tomato sauce and a few basil leaves but nothing memorable. I added grilled chicken for $9, and the portion that arrived was tiny, maybe a handful of small pieces.
For a $35 meal, you’d expect something to round it out maybe a side salad, a piece of bread, or even a little garnish. Instead, it felt like a plain takeout portion that could’ve easily been half the price.
The flavor was okay, but overall the value just isn’t there. Definitely not something I’d order again.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Fantastic dinner. Pasta is fresh & flavorful. Fried tomato rice & papardelle bolognese
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonderful dinner! Got there early and had a lovely long dinner with my sister who lives out of town. Delicious food, wonderful species, live piano, incredible service, and felt like a neighborhood gem. By the time we left, every table was full. Will definitely add to my list of faves!
Out waiter blanked us for 10 minutes then forgot our order. Other waiters.kept bailing him out and comped us drinks. It was horrendously loud inside. Cocktails were outstanding and pasta good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 1
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