O’ Barone

Had some greats meals with friendly service but unfortunately they are now closed.

ok i got the penne. i know, penne – so boring, right? but i think it was the bolognese that sold me. bad idea. what i was served was as boring as what i couldve made at home with boxed penne and jarred sauce. the sauce was not very rich or very meaty, just kinda salty. I read the reviews on Unilocal and thought this place would be great. maybe my expectations were too high? overall its a cute little place and its not a waste of money to stop in for dinner. but ill definitely try something else next time. both my partner and i forgot what she even ate since it was so unmemorable.
The apps were decent though and the wine was good so im not writing it off completely. ill let you know how round two goes…

I don’t get why this place was so empty on a Saturday night. The décor is quaint and cute, the service is always with a smile, and the food is mostly very good.
We started off with the mini meatballs in homemade special ketchup. I completely forgot that it said ketchup and so I thought the marinara sauce was cold. It was a bit off putting, but that aside, the dominant parsley flavor cut through the subtle grease of the meat nicely.
For our entrée, the g/​f had the prosciutto and ricotta stuffed chicken breast. this was my favorite dish of the night and it was as delicious and flavorful as you would imagine it to be. The side of grilled potatoes were the perfect accompaniment.
Myself, I had the spaghetti with seafood and chickpeas special, and I must admit that this dish was a fail. First and foremost, it was WAY too over-​salted. I had to pour in a good, half glass mixture of white wine and water to mellow it down. If we didn’t have to be somewhere in 20 minutes, I would’ve had to send it back. That (probably one-​time) mistake aside, the price point was a bit much. For $ 16, you receive what can be described as a soup bowl sized portion of pasta and a sparse helping of clams and calimari.
All in all, the dishes seem to be hit or miss. But when they hit, they do it right. I’d completely be up to give O’Barone another shot, when i’m in the neighborhood. Oh, be forewarned that it does take a little bit of time for them to cook your entrée, so leave plenty of time to dine.

This place is FABULOUS. So tasty — penne with bolognese sauce like I’ve never had before (and I lived in Italy for a year!). Fosco is very welcoming, discreet yet warm. My friend and I couldn’t believe how reasonable the bill was in the end. On a week night, it is so quiet, we can show up with a group of friends and be guaranteed to have a seat and a delicious, reasonably-​priced dinner. This place is going to be our new low-​key hangout during the week — it’s worth the bike or car trek from Park Slope!

Perhaps this is graded on a bell curve bc it’s in Red Hook? We thought it was fine but not spectacular. The lambrusco was served warm and then put on ice, per the owner’s instructions, but it’s still a bit of a bummer to be drinking warm lambrusco on a balmy night. We were really into the farro salad and the asparagus ravioli and penne pomodoro were good, just not worth the hustle to Red Hook. It’s reasonably priced, the service is quirky but good, and the vibe is mellow. Stop by if you’re in the hood.

The ravioli with asparagus sauce, which is my favorite, is a little bit of heaven. Every other dish and dessert that myself and my friends have tried has been amazing as well.
I adore O’Barone!

After grocery shopping at Fairway, two of my friends were craving Italian food. We luckily happened upon this hidden gem of an Italian restaurant. Even though the one waiter was very busy, it was well worth the wait to be seated and eat. We started with the scamorza con pancetta and the lentil salad. Both of those appetizers were enjoyable, but for different reasons. The lentils were fresh and the way were seasoned with the right amount of vinegar made me forget I was eating lentils. The scamorza was cooked inside a flaky dough and the combination of the cheese, pancetta and radicchio was like an out of this world hot pocket.
The vegetarian lasagna with a white sauce was sophisticated and unique as was the spatzle with bacon and cheese. The homemade pasta was pleasantly peppery. The sommelier’s suggestion of a Malbec had a hint of spiciness which nicely complemented the entrée.
However, the meatballs and mashed potatoes were not as flavorful as the other dishes. I felt like the meatballs might have been frozen and reheated even though the mashed potatoes were excellent.

I went here for Valentine’s Day. Perfect spot for a nice romantic setting, small, candlelight… you get the picture.
We had the farro salad to start (chickpeas, walnuts, parmesan) which we both enjoyed. I had the fagotti (little pasta purses of gargonzola served with pears), very good! My boyfriend had the casarecce bolognese, which he loved. The portions were well sized. We left feeling full, but not grotesquely stuffed. We will definitely return!

I didn’t think I had room in my heart or stomach for another Italian place in Red Hook/​Carroll Gardens, but was excited by the vegetarian options on the menu. I picked this place on the basis of Unilocal reviews, and, like everyone else, found it a really charming, unpretentious place with reasonably priced, great food.
O’Barone stands out because of its excellent vegetarian selection and interesting options. The waiter (who was really nice) explained that this is because the owner is from North Italy and has an Austrian family background, while the majority of the Italian places in the area feature South Italian cuisine.
The caponsei entrée was excellent, as was the tuna carpaccio. Like other reviewers, I found the lentil salad a bit bland, but satisfying in a wholesome kind of way.

Really enjoyed this place. The faro salad was light, tasty and refreshing. The owner/​chef adds his personal touch and expertise to each dish. My husband had fagotini with gorgonzola and pears was lovely and perfectly seasoned. I had the waiter recommended veal special with pumpkin polenta. Really nice. Both were executed with perfection. I highly recommend.

Two of us went here tonight and it was fantastic. The food is fresh, well seasoned and filling. Very well priced which makes it all the more satisfying. Service was professional and genuine. Our waiter was funny and quirky and Will, who recommended our wine (also delicious and well priced), were both friendly and attentive. Highly recommended not just if you’re in the neighborhood but also as a destination.

This is Northern Italian actually with a touch of Austrian/​Dolomites thrown in. The chef is Fulvio and he is tending this restaurant like a new baby. If you are exhausted from shopping at Ikea or Fairway, come here. The wine list is small but well researched and affordable. There are specials each day, and the appetizers are especially good. The menu is fairly short, but everything is good. This restaurant of course is in the space that was (no surprise) 360 Van Brunt. If you are lucky, Fulvio will give you a post-​dinner shot of his delicious home-​made limoncello.

LOVE this place! It’s my new favorite. Great food & service and the chef came out to see how we liked things and ended up staying to chat for a little bit. He’s so great! Good pasta, flavorful and tasty. Great salads and amazing desserts. Make sure you get the lemon ice — it comes in a hollowed-​out lemon! Gorgeous!

Glad to have a restaurant back here again. I used to eat here when it was 360. That closed a few years ago and the space remained empty until… I went by the address and it was a restaurant again! We went in, cased the joint for child-​friendliness (yes!) then took a table. It seemed every table had a young child at it so we felt at home. Mind you there is no children’s menu, so that probably bespeaks the demographic of the area.
To start we were served fresh bread with a delicious olive oil. Bread was served in a crumpled paper bag — I know that doesn’t sound too good but I’m a designer and found it a delightful presentation. The menu was small and simple and there were plenty of vegetarian options. I got the lentil salad, my companion the beet salad (by far the better option). Both were good and fresh, but I felt the lentil salad lacked flavor. We then split the pesto entrée which was excellent. I just kept eating and eating until it was gone. Took a breath, then ordered dessert.
For dessert we ordered the apple strudel and lattes. Given that the chef is Austrian and Italian, we thought this was a safe bet. The other tempting item was the chocolate sausage. Save that for next time. The strudel was nice and not very sweet. It was a pleasing but unmemorable dish. The lattes were excellent. Coffee was from a small distributor I had never heard of and was strong and smooth.
I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a great meal off the beaten path. Atmosphere is classy yet unpretentious, casual, and clean. Waitstaff are foodies, chef comes to your table and asks you how you enjoyed your meal, and there’s no loud music playing in the background.

I’ve seen the newspaper reviews. Some people have slagged it for the «décor». But those people are are the type of people who don’t go out to EAT they go out to see, be seen and look pretty. I love being in a place and knowing that my money is going for fresh and awesome ingredients.
I have guests in town and we wanted someplace in Brooklyn, someplace not full of lame yuppies and hipsters, a place where we could really go for the food and we found it. Accidentally. One of my guests saw a review in the Voice and I noticed the place is in Red Hook. Knowing that Red Hook is tough as a destination, but resolved to go someplace I’d never been I said we’d give it a shot.
Man, I’m SO glad I did!
The space is simple, VERY clean and feels a bit like being in someone’s home. There were potted herbs in the window, a bookshelf/​cabinet against one wall and a relaxed vibe that felt like we were over at a friend’s house for dinner.
The food menu is shorter than the wine list, which, in my opinion bodes well for a place. There’s a small menu that is done VERY well.
We started off being served bread and olive oil. Though I tend to be partial to Spanish Olive Oil I was compelled to ask for more of this. It was a harbinger of delights to come!
For the table we ordered a grilled radicchio with cheese and pancetta. It was great. the bitterness of the leaf with the pungency of the cheese and the salty meat was PERFECT. Especially when paired with the wine we had. (I’m a wine dunce and my guest ordered)
I had the cheese ravioli with a white wine asparagus sauce. The ravioli was excellent, firm, but not too firm and made me smile. My dining companions enjoyed their Bolognese and the steak item with arugula (again, my Italian is non-​existent, but my taste-​buds are functional). We oohed and ahhhhed over every bite.
The pasta isn’t swimming in sauce and the flavors are evident, delicate and sublime. Your tongue isn’t slapped with garlic and black pepper. You are treated to some recipes by the owner’s mother! This isn’t Americanized Italian food. There is a personal twist on everything, but it’s clear this is how things were done at home.

Halfway through our entrée the owner came by to inquire about our experience. He was delightful, when we showed we were interested in his history and the food (which he learned to make at home from his mother; there are a few Austrian items on the menu as well, he is from near Milan, but his mom is Austrian) he told us about himself, the ingredients and we discussed differing philosophies on eating, seasoning and flavor.
Then dessert was brought up. Despite our groaning stomachs we decided to partake of our chef’s choice in sweets. Out came the mom’s style apple strudel and 3 silver-​dollar sized slices of something known as «Chocolate Sausage» which starts out as a tube of dark chocolate with bits of cookie inside and is cut into slices roughly resembling pepperoni. Only CHOCOLATE. Died and gone to heaven!
I had to make my non-​drinking companion drive home. I made a plea for drunken-​ness but truly I was so happy and so full of yummy goodness that I just didn’t WANT to drive a car anymore.