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Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Spanish Canadian (New), Spanish [Edit]
107 E Charleston BlvdSte 155
Las Vegas, NV 89104
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(702) 202-6060
Announcement
Bar Bistro will soon be open 7 days a week including Chef Beni's Sunday brunch
- Hours:
Mon, Sat 11 am - 1 am
Tue-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 12 am
Sun 11 am - 8 pm
- 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 Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
97 reviews for Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory
Review Highlights
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"Came with sweet potato fries, which were delicious." In 8 reviews -
"The Garlic Pollo was a party in my mouth." In 3 reviews -
"The new chef, Chef Beni, has an amazing menu." In 3 reviews
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97 reviews in English
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Review from Vanessa V.
Las Vegas, NV
My friend recommended we have dinner at Bar + Bistro. I've never dined there before, but she has on several occasions.
RESTAURANT
- There's outdoor seating, and from what my friend informed me, they extended the seating from their patio to the fence that surrounds the property.
- The interior of the restaurant isn't that large. There are two rooms with booths and tables. The booth we were seated at had a table that resembled an artist's paint palette.
- There's various artwork by local artists that's displayed throughout the restaurant.
FOOD
Here's what I ordered:
Grilled Fish Tacos (Tapa): These you have to make yourself. You're given a long plate with jicama slaw, tomatillo sauce, mango salsa, a small chunk of grilled mahi mahi, and three corn tortillas.
Caprese Slider: $5 a slider? That's a bit much, but the slider was tasty. Caprese salad in between some mini burger buns. What more to say?
What my friend ordered:
Spiced Salmon Salad: Large plate of mixed greens with a large piece of grilled salmon. My friend said her salad was delicious, and it definitely looked good. Almost wished I ordered this.
French Onion Soup (Tapa): My friend also noted how delicious her soup was (this also looked yummy). It was fun seeing her break through the cheese to eat the soup.
Tres Leches Ice Cream (woo hoo! dessert!): Upon recommendation by our wonderful waitress, who used my favorite 90's slang word, BOMB, when describing something awesome , we ordered the Tres Ice Ceam. We were informed that flavors change daily. On that evening we visited, we ordered the very berry, mango, and chocolate. All flavors were delicious. The mango and very berry actually had chunks of fruit in them. The chocolate wasn't your plain old chocolate ice cream that you can scoop right out of some carton.
SERVICE
Some people have complained about the terrible service at this restaurant, but I didn't experience that when I visited. Our waitress was pretty cool and attentive to us.Listed in: The Downtown Experience
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Review from Lillian H.
Las Vegas, NV
5/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really really wanted to like this place...really I did *sigh*
I've now been there three times and my experience has been the same. Service was very slow all three times, food is good but nothing exceptional and certainly not worth the price. I saw that they are now doing breakfast and looked at the menu...$11 for OATMEAL?? Uh, no thanks...
I will say the the Sangria was very good.
I would consider going back for drinks and apps if the company was right -
Review from love lv f.
Henderson, NV
4/24/2012
Wow! I am surprised at the reviews, that was not the case of my experience at all.
We went for the first time a week and a half ago on a Friday. When we arrived we were nicely greeted, and seated immediately. Our waitress greeted us and took our drink orders. My husband and I ordered the house red wine, which was a great choice!
For dinner we ordered from the tapas selection. We started off with both soups, French Onion and Tomato. Both were delicious. The French Onion had more flavor than just beef broth and onions. As for the tomato, it was creamy and hearty of tomatoes at the same time. Would suggest to friends to try either one or both.
We then had the grilled fish tacos, yummy, but wish there was more. 3 small tortillas with 2 bites of fish and a couple of tablespoons of different salsas. If they added just a little more, it would be perfect.
We ordered the filet sliders and burger sliders. Both were flavorful and juicy.
The mac & cheese was a great combination of cheeses oozing over pasta.
Ordered a cheese flatbread for our daughters. No complaints.
We also had sweet potato fries which is a regular staple for many places now, however these were seasoned with spices that truly tantalized your tastebuds.
Our service was great. The chef even came out and spoke to us. We're looking forward to going back, hopefully to enjoy the same great experience. -
Review from Sue D.
Ventura, CA
5/21/2012
A great spot for creative food, nice ambiance, music, art. I love how hard these folks are trying to make this a center for creativity.
The waitstaff was extremely friendly and helpful. I ordered a glass of wine off the by-the-glass list and it was fabulous, which made me happy - someone is choosing the wines carefully.
The food was delicious, and in large portions for tapas. My friend loved her seafood paella.
The bar area is gorgeous and cozy, so if it is hot, go hang out on the comfy furniture inside and have a house-made sangria. -
Review from Michael D.
Las Vegas, NV
5/15/2012
We are trying this place on a Monday night to get a better perspective. We have been here before, but only to have drinks on the patio and on First Friday. The atmosphere is artsy and cool, but there are still some service issues. We were here last Sunday to listen to the band on the patio. We sat for about 15 minutes before I got up and went inside for drinks. The host (very nice) directed me to the bar where I got our drinks. No big deal if they were busy, but they weren't. I even made eye contact with the waitress. After I got the drinks and sat back down, this same waitress comes over "to see if we need anything." Hello? That being said, we are giving it another go.
We were greeted by the same host (very nice) and seated amidst some really nice art. Food was good, we ordered tapas and a mixed grill. Our waiter was attentive and personable and nice. So we decided to head to the bar for some after dinner drinks and was promptly ignored by both bartenders. So after a few more minutes we moved outside the bar. I went back in for drinks, and was promptly ignored. So I went to the bathroom, cane back to the bar and was promptly ignored. The bartender finally came over and asked "what can I get you boss?" I started to order, but before could finish he walked away. Why? Why can't there be consistent service here? I am reading other reviews and it seems to be the same, inconsistent or bad service. Will management please wake up and address this? -
Review from Lara L.
Las Vegas, NV
4/23/2012
I wanted to recommend this place for friends coming into town next month, but with all the recent reviews describing the terrible service, I'm not so sure now. You can have the best food/drinks/atmosphere, but to me, it really is all about the service you receive from the staff to make the experience worthwhile.
I have been here a couple times, and I do agree that if you're not a regular, your service isn't so great, even at the bar. I've sat at the bar with an empty glass and no offers of a refill. I had to flag down the bartender, who was standing right in front of me, for a refill. But when I'm hanging out with some of the regulars, service is fine.
I want to like this place and recommend friends here, but if the service doesn't improve I can't recommend anyone to eat here unless you can come with a regular. -
Review from Sara C.
Mesa, AZ
4/23/2012
Ever have an experience so poor you think you're being punk'd? This was more of a museum than a restaurant...a wonderful place to watch other people eat while all the components of your brunch for a party of four arrive one at a time over an hour and a half. It felt like a puzzle we had to piece together before our fourth member could even receive their meal.
With the exception of a slow but very apologetic waiter, the staff was an embarrassment to the service industry. Some advice: 1) do not argue with your customers 2) do not say food is coming out late because the bar and the patio are packed -- since when is being seated inside the actual restaurant a punishment? Also, between the dining room, the bar and the patio there were about eight tables. 3) do not serve soggy, day-old sourdough as a 'brioche'
I will only go back to this spot in six months -- when it has crumbled under its own pretentiousness and mismanagement and a new venue has sprung forward. -
Review from Neil P.
Brigantine, NJ
4/5/2012
1. We were shocked to see that staff would turn the table cloth over between guests, (instead of changing the tablecloth). Our service was so slow that we saw one tablecloth flipped over, and then flipped back over for the next guests. Appalling.
2. Food was good/great.
3. Service was horrible. Our waitress may have been on drugs. She forgot to bring us a few dishes, but then those dishes appeared on the bill. When I brought this up, she insisted that she did bring us the food we never got. Then she insisted that I talk to her manager, literally grabbing me by the arm to take me to him.Comment from debra h. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 4/10/2012
At Bar+Bistro we strive to make every customer's experience… More » -
Review from Nelson Q.
Stopped in to check out the Red Umbrella Diaries event and we grabbed a seat out in the back patio. We started off with a couple of drinks- a sangria for the wifey, and I love me a good mojito...the sangria was pretty good, but my mojito was no bueno, I didn't even finish it.
We also decided to grab a couple of tapas to try-our waitress swore by the crabcakes and the fish tacos, so we went with her recommendations. The Crabcakes were excellent and paired well with the sauces and mixed greens.
The fish tacos on the other hand were a joke. for $10 you got a deconstructed plate of 3 mini tortillas, a small piece of fish, a sliver of pineapple with tons of slaw and salsa. This one was also no bueno.
The atmosphere here is cool though, like a very condensed version of First Friday.
after the Red Umbrella Diaries, Oneness Vibe provided some reggae beats, artists were painting, people were chilaxing by the bonfire, and we hung out with Angela H. and her pal, Jen F., and Joe L. Great hangout, but I'd probably hit up the street vendors who are on the same street, and serve up some of the tastiest tacos in town...ALOHA!!!
YELP 365 CHALLENGE-(202/365) " A+ For Atmo"Listed in: YELP 365 CHALLENGE, Locals Only....., Latin Flava!!!!
Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/28/2012
Glad to hear that the Sangria was bueno! The mojito... well,… More » -
Review from Melia S.
Updated - 4/22/2012 7 Check-ins Here
I'd like to preface by saying that I plan on placing a call to the manager to report the experience I had here. While some people take joy in obliterating the reputations of businesses with one-star ratings on Yelp, I don't like giving only one star, especially for a locally-owned, non-franchisee establishment with good food. We just don't have enough of those here and they should be cherished. However, the experience I had at Bar+Bistro, combined with lackluster visits since writing my last review really leaves me no choice but a one-star review.
The food is as great as everyone says. It's creative and delicious and consistently so-I've only had one dish here that I didn't care for. The drinks are great and they have decent happy hour specials. As far as food and drink goes, they have it right.
The service ranges on a scale from apathetic to unwarranted hostility, the latter of which was received on my latest visit. I've sat at the bar most times when I've come here and have found the bartenders to be more interested in talking to friends and more regular customers than taking a simple drink order from me. Most times I felt like a burden sitting at the bar, taking up valuable time from the bartender that they could be using to discuss who Biffy is boffing with their friends at the other end of the bar. I'm so sorry it's asking so much for you to place a cup under the faucet of the sangria jug and take the three seconds to pour me a beverage. Perhaps I should've hopped over the bar and done it myself as it would've been less of an inconvenience.
My latest and very last visit (4/22/12) involved Sunday brunch with three other friends. Our waiter was nice enough-friendly and personable, a little forgetful, but seeing as he was the only one in the dining area for a bit I was ready to let that slide. Thus began theme one of the day: retardedly long lapses of time. Two parties were seated next to us maybe 15 minutes after we sat down and before we even received refills on our coffee, their food came out. So we waited. And waited. No food. No sign of our waiter. Just four very hangry girls in various stages of hangover waiting on food that was possibly being sourced in another state.
We stopped the waitress serving the table next to us, to ask for refills and find out about our food since our waiter was nowhere to be found and with great insincerity she put her hands together, smiled and said "Let me get your waiter!" Thus began the coexisting theme: unnecessarily hostile service. Why did she have to say it like that? Even though it wasn't her fault she should have apologized and non-passive aggressively offered to get our waiter for us. Our waiter arrives back after another long lapse of time to tell us that our ticket was lost and our food was being made right now. The food starts to arrive about 20 minutes later in ridiculous intervals of 5-10 minutes between dishes and there we are, nearly an hour in and only 3/4 of our party has food, which is now getting cold as we wait for the last dish. What happened to the party of 8 that had arrived after us you ask? Oh, they had FINISHED THEIR MEAL AND LEFT.
I finally asked for the manager and after a small, fragile woman who could not process my complaint was sent over to our table, the waitress who had made it clear that we were an annoyance to her, was sent over to share in the snarkiest of tones what a busy day it was for them, how they were so disabled with only one chef on staff and how poppin' the patio was. Yes, the busyness of the patio was preventing the food I ordered over an hour ago from getting to the table. Her attitude was completely hostile and she treated us like we were making a big deal out of nothing. The apology she gave after the list of excuses was insincere and anything but apologetic. Then she continued to insult me by offering to take my $2 coffee off the tab. How kind of her to offer such a generous discount! After my strong suggestion that she remove my entree from the tab, she did.
The delay in food to table I could let go. The inattentiveness of our friendly waiter, I could also let go. The lack of consistent refills, forgiven. The utter lack of concern and boorish behavior of the waitress/manager/restaurant muscle was unacceptable. She treated us like we were being unreasonable and like it was US who had made the mistake when in fact the only mistake we'd made was ordering food and expecting it to arrive before Memorial Day. Her disgusting approach to the situation was unprofessional and an embarrassment to the restaurant industry. I am really sad to have had such a terrible experience at a restaurant that really sets a local standard as far as food goes.
I will not be back. I will not make any more referrals. This place is dead to me and I can only hope to erase the horrible experience I had here with a substantially better experience at another restaurant more deserving of my business.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/4/2011
Two words: tomato soup. One of my co-workers told me she wanted to live inside of Bar+Bistro's… Read more »
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Review from Gabriela D.
Las Vegas, NV
3/13/2012
I was hoping to have a knock-your-socks-off experience here. I did not.
I love downtown Vegas, and I am a fan of any business that is going to help the area grow. So kudos for that.
However, when you have alcapurrias, bacalaitos, mofongo, and paella on the menu, I'm going to judge you harshly if you can't deliver.
Let me preface by saying that I knew going into this place that everything on the menu was going to be the 'fancy-pants' version of traditional Spanish and Caribbean foods, so there's some leeway for artistic interpretation. I said leeway, not 'screw tradition, I do what I want'.
I've had alcapurrias, bacalaitos, and mofongo on the beaches of Puerto Rico, so ordering this was a way to have a culinary nostalgia trip for me. Nope, no such luck. The alcapurrias were bland, the bacalaitos were soggy, and the mofongo was oily. For those of you not familiar with these foods, they are *not* supposed to be that way.
Now, the paella, I'm thinking will redeem the menu. It's a seafood paella, with mussels, shrimp, clams, bits of whitefish (I believe cod but don't quote me), and veggies and rice. Traditional paella takes at least a good half hour to bake, and it should only be made when it's ordered. Otherwise, if it sits too long it can get gummy and chewy. So I'm thinking ok, let the tapas settle and have some chit-chat with my friend while the paella is ready.
Sidebar: The chef was out in the dining room nearly the entire time I was there and he was having a loud conversation with a patron about sources, marketing, mixology, and all sorts of other stuff which I'm sure would be interesting if you were part of the conversation, but honestly, I don't want to listen to all that while I'm trying to have a pleasant dinner with a friend. Get back into your kitchen and make sure your chefs are on point with their food and your servers are on point with their service.
Surprisingly, the paella comes out in about ten minutes from the time of ordering. Uhm, what, ok. So it looks to have a fair amount of seafood in the rice and veggies and I'm thinking it looks promising. I taste it. It's salty. And not just salty because it's seafood and there's salt in seafood anyway. No, I mean, salty to the point that I'm drinking water to wash out the salt. The actual consistency of the paella was ok (no mushiness so good job there) but I couldn't get past the salt to appreciate the seasoning.
I want to be a fan. I really do. But I'm not.Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/20/2012
At Bar + Bistro we welcome discriminating eaters such as… More » -
Review from Jamie W.
Las Vegas, NV
5/5/2012
Great atmosphere, amazing paella and sauteed calamari, inexpensive food, great for groups and drinks weren't too expensive. Definitely worth checking out and they take reservations.
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Review from Westie W.
Kensington, CT
4/10/2012 12 photos
This restaurant is included in the dining guide "Eating Las Vegas: The 50 Essential Restaurants". Here is a list of what we ordered:
1) Alcapurras - Kobe beef, pacheta, sofrito, black currants, achiote, green banana, taro root croquetas, sofrito cream sauce. (lacked flavor, 2 Forks)
2) B+B slider - "Kobe style" Wagyu beef, Manchego cheese, pickled shallots, arugula, roasted tomato mayo. (dry, 2 Forks)
3) Spiced salmon slider - Loch Duart Scottish (sustainable by cleanfish®), organic greens, tomato, cured ricotta, sweet spiced pecans, citrus dressing (very good, 4 Forks)
3) Chopped Latin salad - cabbage, jicama, piquillo peppers, pumpkin seeds, avocado, Manchego cheese, plantain chips, chimichurri honey dressing. (refreshing, 4 Forks)
4) Tempura alcachofa - long stemmed artichoke hearts with curry aioli. (tasty, 4 Forks)
Overall, it was slight more hit than miss. I used a http://restaurant.com gift certificate.Comment from debra h. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 4/11/2012
Thanks for hearing about us and deciding to give us a try!… More » -
Review from Rafael R.
San Francisco, CA
5/6/2012
We opted to dine from the vegan menu on our first visit to Bar + Bistro and were not disappointed. Service was prompt and courteous and the meals were well seasoned, flavorful and well presented. My favorite dish was the chilies stuffed with oats and all sorts of other goodness. I'll be back!
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Review from Mixie P.
Las Vegas, NV
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Either I didn't see it the first time (which i highly doubt) or they just changed the menu to have loads of vegan friendly tapas! I was so excited to see the changes because last time i couldn't really order much. I would definitely try the stuffed peppers and some of their shrimp dishes are bomb diggaddy. Their doughnut churros... are.. ok but you know most americans are going to compare any churros to the ones you remember as a kid from Disney Land and.. it just can't compare. HAHA.
Very artsy fartsy place with good service and each plate of food is full of flavor. If you wanna try something new, i definitely recommend this place!Comment from debra h. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 4/10/2012
You said it! Our Vegan Menu is the "Bomb-Diggaddy"... and… More » -
Review from Nicole K.
Ferndale, MI
3/10/2012
Too oily, no taste.
My bf and myself gave this place 2 separate tries cause it seemed to have potential. The first time we ordered the grilled vega tacos, Potatoes brava, And b + b vega burgers all from the vegan menu. The tacos came with roasted squash that was so oily we couldn't eat it in the tortillas. The sliders were OK but didn't taste like much and the potatoes were just potatoes in a tomato sauce that tasted no better then something out of a jar.
The second try we ordered the b+ b sliders again and they were so oily and tasteless we didn't each finish a our slider. We also tried the Vega mofongo cause it sounded interesting but it was mashed plantains sitting in a pool of oil and topped with over cooked veggies with no flavor. Gross. Didn't finish. Also tried the trio roasted Tomatillos and only ate one whole that we split. The tomatillo was so over roasted it was mush and tasteless. Didn't eat the other two we just scooped out the stuffing and pushed it around the plate.
We tried to give artsy Vegas a chance but it was too gross to even stomach. We are from Detroit so it's not like we are used to super high end vegan food. But at least what we pay $50 for in Detroit fills us up and doesn't leave us feeling sick. Stopped by a national chain on our way back to our hotel cause we were still hungry.Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/20/2012
Hmm...Our apologies for an obviously less than stellar… More » -
Review from Cheri L.
Las Vegas, NV
4/10/2012
Bar + Bistro is only getting 1 star because I can't give it zero. I can't believe this place is still in business. We enjoyed the Saturday matinee of The Color Purple at the Smith Center and planned to try out this place afterwards because of the vegan menu.
We were seated right away in the outdoor patio and waited for our waitress. She shows up and we asked if there was a hefeweizen on tap and she said she didn't know and tried to tell us that she was new. Then we were told they just ran out. Fine, we ordered 2 beverages and the hummus to start and also ordered two of the vegan entrees. The drinks show up, and more people are seated in our waitress's area. 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes go by and we have nothing. No one has anything on their tables, no waitress, no explanation, no drink refill, NOTHING! I tried to throw down some money to leave but bf insisted that we tell the waitress that we were leaving. So we wait, with empty drinks. Finally, after our orders have been placed for more than 30 minutes she arrives at our table to tell us that they just ran out of the peppers that were used for the dish I ordered. I'm done with this place. I threw a $10 on the table and walked away. She looked at me and said, "What happened? The food would be out soon." I told her we weren't waiting any longer, we didn't even have our appetizer yet and pointed out that no one on the patio had anything. Then she tried to add up the cost of our 2 drinks. Really?! I threw down a $10 and we are walking out and she's trying to get us to pay the bill.Comment from debra h. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 4/10/2012
At Bar + Bistro we train our staff on the finer points of… More » -
Review from L L.
Las Vegas, NV
3/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love the backyard patio. This place screams hipster crowd. I came here last week and it happened to be the time when a Vespa scooter rally was in town. The parking lot was blocked off and the Vespa riders were launching their scooters off of what could only be described by Napoleon Dynamite as some, "Sick jumps"
On the back patio there was a band playing reggae tunes, and they were roasting an entire pig luau-style. The bar is extensive, and they even had my favorite gin (Hendrick's) on the top shelf.
Yes, indeed! Step inside for the FREE art gallery exhibits. This gallery goes up and down and winds around corners with artistic surprises at every turn. There's even a yoga studio ensconced between one of the galleries. That's cool for you Namaste types, but I prefer hard-hitting cardio.
I digress...
Check this place out. They always have something interesting going on including an open mic night on Thursdays. The last time I was here they were doing body painting out back.
I have yet to try the food, but I'm a huge fan of any type of ethnic fusion. They serve up Latin fusion here. The portions are small and pricey though. I'll update you when I try it!Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/20/2012
Glad to hear we had your favorite gin top shelf and that you… More » -
Review from Bill J.
Las Vegas, NV
2/20/2012
Boo!
I really tried to enjoy the food and absorb the atmosphere because I really want the downtown area to become a local hang out and hot spot for great dining. I was disappointed with the overall flavor of the food and even more disappointed with the bill when I left. I don't mind dropping $150 on a casual dinner for 2, but I expect it to be memorable and delicious. I think the menu is 'trying too hard" to be hip and the ambiance is about the same.
On a good note: The drinks are fantastic and the service is GREAT!Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/23/2012
Glad you enjoyed the drinks and service! Our menu was… More » -
Review from Norm K.
I was going to downtown Las Vegas last night for a show, so I decided to stop for dinner at the Bar + Bistro. I made one error in that it was First Friday in the Arts District and the restaurant has an abbreviated menu for that evening.
I went with two of their tapas plates and a dessert. I started with their roasted tomate soup. It was excellent. The second dish was their 5 cheese mac and cheese a combination of smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, fontina, Manchego, roasted tomato, piquillo peppers, and parmesan crisp. The pasta was gigli. The mac and cheese was very tasty, too!
I rounded out my dinner with a warm chocolate ganache cake. It, too, was excellent. It was served with a small scoop of sorbet and it was a perfect ending.
All things considered, I'd rather have come here on a night when I could have ordered from the full menu, but I had the chance to taste some of their good cuisine. I think it's a bit pricey for what you get. I enjoyed the decor a lot. The tables shaped like artists' palettes with a metal well in many. One thing that got me several times was the thought that I had dripped something onto the table. When I looked, it was merely some spattered paint when they were decorating the tables. Every time I looked down, it was a "gotcha."Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/19/2012
Thanks for your review! So glad you enjoyed your dinner...… More » -
Review from Darlif M.
Pasadena, CA
4/22/2012
The food is overpriced. Service is slow and sucks. Sliders taste like cardboard.
My boyfriend and I went really excited to try this place out. I mean, there are not many non-chain good quality restaurants off the strip. But it took 10-15 minutes for our server to even come over and get our drink order.
We ordered sliders and they were $5 a piece. Which, is a bit pricey for ONE slider. We ordered 4 and they tasted like cardboard. The bread tasted stale and the burger meat tasted like it came from the worst school cafeteria known to man.
I would never go back, we even warned the people coming into the restaurant not to eat the food.
My bet is the staff all rated this place 4 stars because this place blows. Go there if you want to pretend to be cool and eat shitty food while watching the day pass on without you. -
Review from Corina P.
1/11/2012
I've been here a couple of times now, e.g., birthday dinners, bachelorette dinner and lunch.
The food is generally good. I've had the Kobe Beef sliders, which are fantastic, but $5/slider. I've also had various other tapas plates, including fish street tacos, french fries (a necessity), pitas, paella (I think), and of course, sangria.
The last time I went was for lunch on my birthday. My bosses and some co-workers were nice enough to treat/join me for lunch. I suggested the Bar + Bistro since none of them had been there before (or the current iteration of it).
We called ahead to reserve a table for seven people and were seated in the room left to the entrance. We promptly ordered food and after that, it sorta went downhill.
Each of our individual food came out in 10-15 minutes intervals. This meant that no one got their food at the same time, and some people had to start eating way before others in the group. There was no method to the madness. We had to ask the waiter a couple of times to re-fill our drinks, including hot water for tea that two people ordered. The hot water never came.
The worst was that one boss's food came out dead last, literally 45-55 minutes after ordering. By that time, all of us had finished our food. He had ordered tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. To add insult to injury (actually it was kinda funny *after* the fact), the tomato soup came out in a tiny (I mean TINY) espresso cup. The sandwiches were tiny finger sandwiches, like the kind offered by old ladies at club meetings. Suffice it to say, he was not a happy camper.
I had a Margherita flat bread type pizza, which was actually pretty good. Everyone else said their food was so-so. The overall service was terrible. I'm not sure if they were short-staffed that day, or what the hizzle happened. To be fair, they took the tomato soup and cheese sandwiches off the bill. But B + B really dropped the ball.
I'll likely go back with family or friends...but for now, I'm blacklisted at work from suggesting lunch places without the corroboration of someone else. That makes me a bit of a sad panda!Listed in: Out to Lunch [downtown…
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Review from Abby S.
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
You would think that finding a place to eat dinner on Christmas Even in Las Vegas is not difficult, right? Well, if you're not looking for a buffet or some overpriced casino restaurant, it's actually a lot harder than you think. Sure, Vegas is a 24-hour city for tourists, but apparently locals prefer to eat important holiday meals at home. Who knew?
Luckily, Bar + Bistro's kitchen was open December 24 and we were able to dine in on some small plates while catching up with friends over drinks. I've been here before for a cocktail and this is a cool local bar. It's never too terribly crowded inside and there's a very inviting patio out front. Although they had a fire going, it was a little too chilly to sit out there. Inside was toasty warm and a glass of wine was calling my name.
For dinner we ordered plantains, carnitas tacos and potatoes bravas. In retrospect, I should have gotten the sangria to go with this Spanish cuisine, but as I mentioned before, it was cold outside and I wanted a non-icy drink to warm up. The sangria here is especially good, so definitely order it if you're at the bar. Portions were just right - we had a heavy lunch just a few hours earlier and just wanted something small. Carnitas tacos were so good! Would eat three more plates of them! Plantains and potatoes were good, very standard tapas fare.
Thank you, Bar + Bistro for being open Christmas Eve and serving food, too! Hit the spot! -
Review from Anthony D.
Henderson, NV
2/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful atmosphere in this joint. Think Williamsburg hipster mixed with an art degree twist. I personally think Vegas needs about 30 more places with this same local flair, and less corporate megarestaruants.
As for the food, I sampled many of the Tapas but had no entrees. My favorites were the Lamb, the mahi mahi tacos, the pizza (super good, reminded me of Settebello in Green Valley's style), and the beef sliders. I was not blown away by the sauteed calamari, tasted a little too fishy and peppery. I saw some guy eating the steak, it made me drool. Drinks were delicious and full of alcohol but came out a little slow, and so did the plates (we had to ask twice). The waiter was a sweet girl though, maybe her mind was just somewhere else that night.
I will definitely return.Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/19/2012
Happy to hear you liked the tapas and the pizza! We'll also… More » -
Review from Solo S.
Las Vegas, NV
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I am always a fan of non-chain locally owned restaurants, so after hearing the buzz about here, I eagerly made plans to eat in. Despite my enthusiasm, in the end it was just ok. Service was fine, if not a little overeager/borderline pushy at suggesting apps/drinks/dessert. Interestingly, none of the wait staff was at all familiar with the Yelp check in coupon for a free soda- looked at me like i was nuts, taking my phone off to seek clarification. Ambiance (ate outdoors) is on the right track, but there is so much more which could be done to truly make a statement. Went with two entrees which were ok, but overall unremarkable, and even less so considering the price. The seafood bouillabaisse was "center of the road" with the portion slighty smaller than expected, especially for the price. Other seafood entree was a step above bland, but again not representative of the price point. The sangria I would def not recommend, tasting like uninspired fruit juice. In the end, the makings are there for a potential winner, but price or quality would need to improve for me to get behind this restaurant.
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Review from Ya D.
Las Vegas, NV
1/17/2012
Since my return to the motherland (and that of my mother), I have seen this place a couple of times and said to myself, "I really need to check that place out." In addition, other Yelpers have always encouraged my need to try any place once. Last Friday night, I took my mom for a girl's night out (which ended up being a girl's night out/meet up with my uncle at the stink funktastic El Cortez, but that's entirely different story) and I finally filled my need to check it out.
Located on the corner of Casino Center and Charleston, the Bar and Bistro is nestled in a toasty warm nook. There's a patio with a bar outside which I'm sure during the summer months is raging. Due to the chilly weather, the bar was of course closed and despite the heat lamps provided, there were very few patrons sitting outside that I could see. Inside the rich vibrant red colors and arts adorn the walls of the dimly lit place and the booth we were seated had its own charm with dried food at the edge of the table which my mom discovered as she slid inside. We're not ones to cry over spilled milk or in this case, dried up leftovers from the previous booth patron and so our server handled it right away.
This brings me to our server. I'm horrible with names but long on remembering faces and she was as sweet as can be. She was very attentive, knowledgeable, personable and relaxed which any one should want in their server. I really hate the overbearing ones who try to upsale - it's annoying and unnecessary. She did a fab job bringing out our selections in a timely manner as well. And this is what we had:
Sangria w/ prescco (at our great server's suggestion)
French onion soup
B&B Cangrejo
Carnitas Tacos
Chimichurri Steak Cobb
Carne pizza
Needless to say, we took home our salad and pizza because between the soup and the tapas, I was all but done. And because we had two sangrias each and we were not feeling the need to be completely gluttonous, we skipped dessert. When I come back, I will skip the tapas and entrees and head right for the desserts because those smores look delicious.
I will definitely be back. Perhaps next time I will bring my husband who never takes me out anymore. He might enjoy the whiskey flights after all and I'm intrigued with that as well. Does whiskey go well with smores? Oh what am I saying? It's whiskey, it's good with everything! -
Review from Christina B.
Las Vegas, NV
3/27/2012
You have got to check out this menu! It is unique. So many really interesting things to pick from. How do you decide? I guess I'll have to go back and back and back. They have an extensive vegan menu also. The Vega Sweet Plantanos were truly awesome. I've gotten take out there about a half a dozen times and have never been disappointed. Slightly pricey but oh so worth it!!!
Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/28/2012
Thanks for your review! At Bar+Bistro we are unique! In more… More » -
Review from Paul G.
Las Vegas, NV
2/18/2012
This is among my favorite restaurants in Vegas. I always include Arts Bistro on my list of places to bring friends when they visit from out-of-town. I like the artsy decorum of the place - the vibe is a lot different from standard Vegas. I also really like the down-to-earth atmosphere of the place. It is very nice and eclectic, and has a real sense of uniqueness for being in the middle of Vegas.
The food here is great. My favorites are the artichoke dip and the ahi salad. Its also nice that they have healthy options, as well as dishes for vegans. I was here with some friends for New Years Eve dinner - they had a 10-course tapas meal, which I felt was far superior to any buffet or gourmet meal that could be had on the strip, and it was less expensive too.
Their sangrias are great, I feel as though I can literally taste the word "quality" when I drink it. Their happy hour deal on Sangrias (@ $4) I think is a really great value.Comment from Westley I. of Bar + Bistro @ The Arts Factory 3/23/2012
Thanks for your review! We try very hard to get everything… More » -
Review from Jen F.
Add B+B to the current vegan explosion going on in Vegas! Their chef recently revealed a new and extensive vegan menu. I was super excited to check it out, and I was not disappointed.
First, there are at least 3 or 4 FULL PAGES of vegan menu, including tapas, salads, sandwiches, entrees and yes, even desserts. No afterthought of inclusion here -- this was a carefully thought-out and well-designed nod to vegan and v-friendly diners.
I went with my foodie vegan pal, and we tried lots of tapas: Daiya cheese-stuffed piquillo peppers (yum!), pomegranate-sauced plantains (yum!), fried artichokes (yum!), paella (yum!), and grilled veggie tacos (OMFG double yum!). The paella was more of a risotto, but still tasty, and a HUGE serving considering it was a "tapa." The star of the evening was the plate grilled tacos, which came with jicama slaw, pico de gallo and some mango salsa, too, I believe. Each component was delish and combined, the flavors all really worked together. Sadly there were only 3 little tortillas (so there was lots of leftover filling, which we ate anyway). I cold have eaten 10 of these!
Another nice surprise was the VERY reasonably-priced wine list! We had a nice bottle of garnacha to accompany our dinner, and it was only $28. Several other choices under $30 as well!
We decided on the chocolate cake (served with a glass of rice milk) for dessert. Way too full to each get our own! It took quite awhile to arrive (I actually think our waiter forgot to put in the order), but we were enjoying our wine and a lovely evening on the patio, so no big. The cake was also delish. Molten on the inside, and the cool rice milk was a nice foil to the warm chocolate. The texture of the cake was a little spongy and dry, but I would definitely order it again.
I can't wait to go back and try more stuff! I put up my pictures from the night, but they are pretty poor quality due to the low lighting. Better pix next time!
Our server was very nice, but a bit slow and absent minded. That was the only real negative. Otherwise, everything was excellent; and our dinner with 5 tapas, dessert, a bottle of wine, sparkling water, and tip was just over $100. Good deal! -
Review from Eben F.
Las Vegas, NV
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love this place. Vegan pizza is the Buisness
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Review from Rob O.
Come for the whiskey, stay for the food. [That's pretty much what happened to me.]
We went out for a whiskey tasting and chose Bar + Bistro because they have a decently large collection of whiskeys, scotches and tequilas. And the place puts together some interesting flights so you can compare the flavors of your favorite whiskey against a few you haven't tried before.
Sure, it's not the only bar in Vegas with a lot of whiskey options or the only bar offering flights, but it's one of the few whiskey bars in Vegas that understands the right ambiance for a wine bar/whiskey tasting bar. [Hint: it's not pumping in club music and ruining the mellow vibe (ahem, Double Helix, looking at your bad choices)]. Nope, Bar + Bistro gets that setting the mood is an important component of a great bar. The place plays off its prime spot downtown in the center of the Arts District (in the Arts Factory building) and provides heavy wooden tables, soft lighting and comfy booths for people to hang out in and enjoy the space while enjoying the drinks.
After a few drinks, I started thinking food. Check. Bar + Bistro offers an excellent tapas menu as well. We had the carnitas tacos, which were some of the better carnitas I've had in Vegas. The pork was tender and juicy with excellent seasoning. They come out on a narrow white plate filled with an accompanying row of color--green tomatillo salsa and yellow mango salsa. We paired that up with the Little Pollo plate of chicken fingers (breading was crisp and the chicken tender), sliders (overpriced at $5 each, but tasty enough), Tomato soup--which everyone at the table raved about and I just have to pause and note that it must be amazing because, well, it's tomato soup (simple and classic offering) and we were all in love with it.
Advance warning: the prices are a little steep for some of the tapas ($7-14), but from what I've experienced, their tapas servings are bigger than most tapas places and the food is so fresh and tasty that it's worth it. And, well, the couple of times we've been here, the service is slow. Real slow. I assume they're working on it, but it takes a long time for everything. You'll be waiting for drinks and food alike.
So if you've got some time and a little coin in your pocket, it's one of the better spaces in Vegas to hang out and have a drink.Listed in: Best Whiskey Bars in Vegas
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Review from Judd L.
10/6/2011 23 photos
DON'T LET THE RESTAURANT NAME FOOL YOU !
The art work may take time to digest, but for certain not the Latin influenced tapas. The three of us ordered the following..
Mac and Cheese
Alcapurrias
Cordero Chops
Honey Baked Chuletas
Grilled Fish Tacos
Banana Foster Baklava
Just like the heavy ring holders for the napkins, the tapas were riveting and captivating. Once a month on a Saturday they'll do a roasted lechon. They also started a vegan menu too. Tastefully colorful and most unique was our dining experience. So if you're bored with all the fancy glitzy restaurants on the Strip but want great foods, this is the venue I would highly recommend.
I have photos of our entire dinner experience... let them help you decide whether it's something you'd like to try in the future.
NOTE: Be careful of where you park... the lot across the street is safe from towing or ticketing. Their parking lot is tight and not good for drivers who have difficulties driving in reverse to get out especially during the evenings. -
Review from Leslie B.
Las Vegas, NV
2/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow. I will not address what this was like in the past.
The new head chef, Beni Velàzquez, and his entire staff, have worked magic. A group of us sat down for dinner at one of their creatively designed tables (an artists palette), and were promptly attended to by Asia (who was fantastic the whole meal). One of our party is vegetarian, and so she started to look for options on the menu, and to our surprise there was a whole vegan menu. A large vegan menu I might add. It was such a surprise. It was a more elaborate menu of vegan options than are found at most vegan restaurants. Well, other than one crab appetizer, we decided to go vegan for our whole order. One vegetarian, three omnivores.
We ordered many different items, all vegan: mushroom pizza with a tapioca based cheese, salad, stuffed peppers, two different potato dishes, tempura deep fried artichoke hearts, and more. Wow. It was all fantastic, dare I say even as good as my favorite restaurant anywhere, Candle Cafe in NYC (vegetarian, mostly vegan). Chef Beni came out and talked to us for a while, their vegan utensils and items are kept completely separate from the normal items, the menu is designed entirely in house, it was just a fantastic overall experience. Vegas now has one of the best vegan options I have ever found. I can not wait to go back. -
Review from Mamie P.
I've had Bar + Bistro bookmarked for about a year. Finally went two weeks ago and have been there three times since.
I highly suggest ordering a latte with breakfast. A fabulous surprise was the crispy pancakes. There are about five items on the breakfast menu. The omelet was okay. I probably wouldn't revisit it.
The steak salad at lunch is wonderful. For $12 you get a filling assortment of pumpkin seeds, blue cheese, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and grilled steak.
For dinner I tried their version of sorullitos. Holy cow. This is the reason I returned twice. These things are the distant, beautiful cousins to the ones you get in Puerto Rico. The cousin everyone wants, but no one can have, because, well, it's family and that'd be wrong. But here, it's okay. Eat the corny fried thing with the secret spicy sauce.
Guess the thing that puts Bar + Bistro above the rest is the atmosphere. It's real. Authentic. It has hurricane furniture, the kind that doesn't move when a storm hits because it's the real deal, welded together by an artist. My dad welds. Service can be spotty but I don't mind because I've got stars in my eyes.
Bar + Bistro is what community tastes like, looks like. -
Review from Eve L.
Aiea, HI
1/8/2012
Excellent Service! Our waiter was great!
Servings are perfect for sharing! This is a wonderful place to bring friends and share all the creative dishes with each other.
Loved both the 'regular' and Vegan menu items. I was able to stay very 'Paleo' with the menu too.
Favorite dishes were the Bloody Mary, the sweet potato fries, and the Chimichurri Beef on my Cobb salad.
I will return again and quickly recommend Bar + Bistro to my Hawaiian friends when they visit Vegas! -
Review from Mara M.
After dining here solo on one of my lunch break adventures, I was sold on coming back again and again. I can only share my input on lunch since it takes a lot to get me to head back downtown after working around here all day...wait...that doesn't sound good. I work at a casino ok??!! With 3 distinctly different places to sit and enjoy your food, outdoor seating, indoor cozy booths with funky tables or a more modernized cafe table seating surrounded by artwork, it's like 3 restaurants in one!
Anyway, the food here is unique, a nice break from a Subway run for sure. The lunch menu has tons of choices and they get a good crowd because of it. The choices include safe lunch fare and more adventurous items but all are kicked up by their creative chef...even the condiments get special treatment, with their spicy ketchup and tangy mayo. The 4 cheese grill is amazing and a ton of food for a great price, complete with a little baby mug of tomato soup (so cute!).
End with a nice bold cup of coffee and one of their tasty desserts. Afterwards you can take a walk over to the attached art gallery, lots of cool exhibits all around the maze-like hallways.
I love this place and love introducing people to it even more, because let's face it, the arts district can be a little intimidating. Stop in and have some creative food at a good price! -
Review from Julia T.
9/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
4.5 stars, but if I have to choose four or five, they deserve the benefit of the doubt.
After a rocking party at Mamie P.'s, and far too little sleep, we decided to hit up Bar + Bistro and put their Hangover Brunch to the test. Right in the middle of the downtown Las Vegas art district, the brick building housing B + B is bursting with character. It is the perfect backdrop to serve their delicious, unique and artfully prepared food.
The breakfast selection was limited, but it was rounded out with a great selection of Spanish tapas. I had the Cangrejo Benedict Mofongo. It was amazing! The serving was on the small side, but, oh man, did they pack in the flavor. I tasted he pancakes as well. They were delicious, but the presentation left a bit to be desired. Three pancakes slapped on a barren plate was not doing it for me, but once I took a bite of the sweet, crispy (yes...crispy!) goodness, I forgave the lack of effort to make the plate look pretty. If you end up ordering the pancakes, add some bacon to cut the sweetness of the dish and pretty up the plate a bit.
On top of the fact that you are getting to enjoy delicious food, in a fun, hip area of Vegas, you are also treated to an awesome display of artwork by local artists. Many of the pieces are available for purchase.
If you are in the area on a weekend, you must stop by B + B and indulge in the Hangover Brunch. While you are at it, support a local artist by taking one of their pieces home to adorn your pad. Then you will forever have a reminder of the goodness that is Bar + Bistro. -
Review from Sarah Jane W.
Las Vegas, NV
8/2/2011 ROTD 10/3/2011
You know how it is when you live in Vegas -- everyone comes to visit, and expects you to take them someplace "cool." Pressure!
Yesterday I had two different friends in town, who both wanted a piece of me. One is a 7-months-pregnant Conservative Christian from Arkansas, and the other is a traveling art-nude model with a wild '70s bush and a predilection for men 40+ years her senior. Where to take them that would appeal to both??
I wanted someplace fun, unpretentious and off-Strip (both of my friends have the good sense to despise the overpriced pretentiousness of places with all-caps names like MIX, STACK, FIX, DOUCHE...oh wait, the Health Dept. shut that one down).
Anyhoo, I asked around and finally lit on Bar + Bistro...which turned out to be AWESOME! This was in the middle of the humid monsoon season (8.1.11), but we sat on their fabulous patio anyway -- and it was GREAT! They have a huge patio all strung up with Christmas lights, facing out onto Charleston Blvd...but it's not loud at all, and very pleasant.
I always go for atmo over food quality...but it wasn't just the atmo that was kickass here -- every single thing we ordered was FANTASTIC! I had the chopped Latin salad (delish and filling), my girlfriends had paella (bomb) and pizza mergherita (ditto), plus we split an order of mahi mahi tacos (fabulous) and the lavash/hummus they brought us was also incredible. I really can't speak highly enough of the food here...and the prices were totally reasonable.
The waitstaff was super badass, too. One of the waiters, a super cool guy named Arash, even came and had a beer with us. We had a total blast, and this was on a Monday night when the place was totally dead! I can only imagine how much fun it is during First Friday or their Saturday night poetry jam.
I will DEFINITELY be coming back here!
P.S. They also have a fairly extensive tapas menu...and I recommend this place a thousand times over Firefly. MUCH better atmo.Listed in: Unpretentious Eating in Vegas
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Review from Holly C.
7/27/2011
I haven't been to Bar + Bistro since I accidently sat down thinking the restaurant was still Paymon's and was too embarrassed to leave. It was all Italian food back then, and not particularly good. But I heard the menu changed for the better so I decided to give it another shot. I'm glad I did.
I tried the grilled cheese sandwich with sweet potato fries and tomato soup ($7) and the B+B slider ($5). The grilled cheese portion was good for the price. Five bucks is a little steep for one slider, but you can tell they are high quality. The food was delectable. I really liked that the ketchup for the fries was mixed with a little bit of sriracha, making it spicy. The sliders were super cute and the B+B slider was good with Wagyu beef, Manchego cheese, and pickled shallots.
Service was excellent. They kept the same décor as Tinoco's, which Paymon's kept as well. Basically, tables shaped like painting palettes with splashes of paint and holes in them that used to store the ketchup, salt, etc. I guess it makes sense, being that this is the Arts District and all. But they should use the holes in the tables to store something. It's just weird seeing them empty.
They seem to have a decent happy hour M-F from 5-7pm. $1 PBR is the focus but they seem to have specials on their inventive drinks. I rarely come downtown for drinks but I may have to check it out. -
Review from B K.
Henderson, NV
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
We really enjoyed brunch this past Sunday -- after a horrible dinner the night before at a very pricey restaurant, we just wanted something simple, well prepared and tasty...and that's what we found at B+B. This wasn't the best brunch we've ever had, but the trip downtown, coupled with accommodating service, smiling faces and a happy gracious chef who seemed pleased to see we'd returned, made us feel like we had great value for our dollar. We'll definitely come back.
How nice is it to have a meal in a local venue that isn't in a strip mall. This is one of the few places that has real ambiance...the floors aren't brick - they're made from old wood casks cut into tiles...my husband figured it out - he's very observant... The large booth tables in one room - which is far more charming than the larger side room, are shaped like painter's pallettes... lots of art on the walls from neighboring, resident artists in the surrounding gallery spaces...
It's cool, hip, funky and fun. The food is interesting... They have a liquor license and are pouring fun drinks and have a very reasonably priced wine list.
We're definitely fans!
