Picasso Restaurant & Bar

We had my daughter’s bridal shower at Picasso. Jerome and Wes were amazing. The food was fantastic — everything from salad to dessert. Jerome worked with me from the beginning, always very responsive. The day was beautiful. Thank you!!!

From the décor and the menu you might think this is an interesting restaurant with some class and real European character. Well, it could be. And perhaps it used to be. Around 2005, Picasso was a little bit better, both in terms of service and food. These days, the food is sometimes okay, but can’t make up for the poor service or overall experience.
Loic Barnieu owns Picasso, and La Belle Epoque next door, as well as Diego’s and Sterling Pig in Media. They all have their flaws, but Picasso tends to suffer most and be the most inconsistent of the four. Unfortunately, over the last couple of visits, I think it has moved from inconsistent to consistently unpleasant.
In general, you will have a hard time getting a server to take your order. Then you will have a hard time getting the food, or seeing your server again. And if you do see someone on the wait staff, they will make vague statements about «food» and «soon» which are not borne out.
Summarizing the last few visits:
One night, we went there at a pretty busy time, got seated, and waited a fair amount of time before seeing a server. Then we waited 45 minutes for an appetizer of *olives* and another 45 from then till our meals arrived. By the time our food came we were starved and sort of too tired to eat. I can’t tell you what I ate — I think it was pretty good — but this didn’t add up to an enjoyable dining experience.
The next time, the food was also not memorable or that interesting. When things are slow, the staff will tell you that they share a kitchen with Belle Epoque. This does not constitute an excuse, or a good business model. They need enough to kitchen for two restaurants if they are going to run two restaurants.
This last time, today, a Wednesday night, four of us went in for drinks. Service was pretty haphazard although nothing disastrous. Bar tender came out to throw some cocktail napkins onto our table. Got our drinks, and much later came around to see if we wanted anything else. When ready to pay, trying to get someone’s attention to bring the check shouldn’t be so hard. The hostess walked by a few times refusing to make eye contact, as did two other wait staff. Lastly, I will say that there was a consistent wafting of smoke from various staff members going out by the door to smoke and let it all blow back in. Basically I just don’t get a very professional vibe from this place. Not sure how it’s a successful business, but I may have finally learned my lesson.
There are more comfortable and rewarding places to eat and drink in Media. You can give Picasso a try, as you might get lucky. But if you get lucky twice in a row, message me.

My eyes r still watering. What the heck the smell of ammonia was overpowering at the bar. Food service and ambience don’t matter when u can not breathe ! Really this was bad. Can not imagine what happened to require that disinfecting …

Slamming fries and killer service! My best friend ordered a burger which was sufficiently juicy considering it was well done. On the downside, they charged for selzer and the prices over all were a few dollars above normal per item but in my humble opinion well with it.

I brought a party of 10 here and was very nervous, but luckily there was nothing to worry about! The food was delicious, the service was great, and everyone had a nice time. The tapas were great with that many people as we all got to try some of everything.
Some highlights I would say are definitely the lamb skewers and the purple garlic. What is great is that both of these items are part of the happy hour specials.
My only reason for not giving this place 5 stars is because of happy hour. On nights when it is packed by the bar, sometimes the staff has no issues with us ordering from the bar and bringing the food to one of the high top tables and sometimes they will not allow it. It seems to just depend on who is working that night. i would understand the issue if there were people waiting for the seats, but every time we have been turned away, all 4 tables are empty. It doesn’t make sense for them to not allow this as if we were to stand by the bar and order food, where would we eat it when all the bar spots are taken? When we are told that we won’t be allowed to order at the bar and bring the food to the high top, we just go somewhere else for the night.

Went to Picasso a couple weeks ago for dining under the stars. We were a group of 7 and had a reservation for 7:00. We weren’t seated until 8:15. Ordered a bunch of small plates for the table. It took over an hour for our food to arrive. Food tasted average but was over-​priced. Complained to the manager when given the bill and he threw the hostess under the bus, stating that somehow the long wait was her fault. Classless move. The only reason I gave this restaurant two stars and not one is because the manager did comp us one round of drinks which was the very least he could do.

Giving this 2 stars but it’s really 2.5. We sat down, were told our server would be right over, but it was a while before anyone tended to us. Then the waitress took our drink order (a bottle of San Pellegrino & a glass of sangria — how hard could this be to bring?), but it took a long time to bring these drinks, and therefore even longer to take our food order.
Nearly an hour later, we still had no food and yet patrons at other tables who came in after us were getting their plates. What we didn’t understand about this was that some of the dishes we ordered couldn’t have been that hard to prepare. White bean salad, for example, is a cold salad — it’s unlikely that it’s made to order. We also ordered 3 sets of skewers: chicken, lamb & shrimp. Again, though these were cooked, they should already be prepped & ready to throw on the grill. This is tapas — small plates that are meant to be brought to the table as they’re ready. What was taking so long, and why hadn’t our server come to our table with an update, an apology, an offer to refill our drinks, or, God forbid, a complimentary something to nosh on while we waited for our meal!?!
As it turned out, all our food was brought out at once. The ridiculously over-​sized plates could barely fit on our tiny table for two, and some of the hot food was tepid by the time we could even eat it. All of this made for a very disappointing dining experience, and although a few of our dishes tasted quite delicious, they weren’t worth the wait and poor service. We will not be returning to this restaurant again. There are just too many other lovely dining choices in Media with kitchens that seem to care about their customers.

Nice outdoor seating, but that was it. Calamari was terrible no flavor and rubber. Service was pretty good. My sangria was basically a Shirley temple and the waitress was very sweet about it. Never need to go back

The food was ok, but way too expensive for the portions you get. I got there when they opened at 5 PM on a Thursday and the place was empty. It stayed that way until I left. I would give it two stars but I can’t say I experienced any problems. They were nice enough to fix the wobbly table.

Went there for a light meal on the restaurant side. The service was excellent — changed out my entire coffee cup w/​o asking after my meal — admit it had gotten cold, but I didn’t have to ask. The tuna salad good, crepes good. French light — nice atmosphere and great view watching the cable cars at night. Definitely going back. Tuna steak Salad, wine, coffee and crêpe 26 $

I can only speak to the bar and to the bar tender. The three times I have been here I have not eaten much other than a communal appetizer. I can say I was not disappointed with the vittles and that they hit the spot.
About the bar, Stella on tap, very nice, they have Guinness as well and a lot of local or craft beers which make this an exciting place to go for some variety. When we pub crawl through Media, (or rather plan a pub crawl through Media) we generally stop here first. It’s a good meeting place, and it has a real nice vibe. The Picasso’s on the wall are obviously not originals, but it is cool to glance over and see some familiar artwork that you may have seen in high school or college. In realityno one really remembers the names of any of the artwork, although I did correctly identify the illustration of Don Quixote.
Any way, one notable thing that has happened on two of my visits: We never actually completed the pub crawl. We pretty much stayed here. Keep in mind there have been in excess of 20 people in our group every time we visit. We usually take over the corner of the bar. We never get hasseld by anyone, we generally just relax, enjoy the ambiance and chat about life. Definitely one of the better bars to visit in Media.
In the tradition of the bearded Dos Equis guy from the commercials on TV, this statement would be accurate for me to say: «I don’t always drink in Media, but when I do, I go to Picasso’s.».

Went here on a Thursday around 8pm. We were one of only three tables, but it still took a long time to get our appetizer, then our dinner came out shortly after. We both ordered the burgers. He ordered his medium well, and I ordered mine medium. There was barely any pink in mine, but it still tasted decent. The sangria was delicious, but expensive.

Let me start of by saying that I really wanted to like this place. It seems to have an interesting menu, a cute al fresco dining area, and occasional live music. But, I was disappointed! To sum it up the food was just about OK, the waitress was nice, and the bar service was horrible. On a slow night we had to wait for about 20 minutes at the bar while the bartender ambled up and down and completely ignored us. When we finally got his attention he seemed pissed, like we had interrupted an important day dream (did I mention it was a slow night!!) An eternity later when we finally got served we were short-​poured! This place is not inexpensive, and the last thing I want to do at the end of a long week is pay a lot of money to be subjected to a bad attitude and meh food. Safe to say I’m happy to take my hard earned $s elsewhere!

Decent looking place on the swanky side with an impressive copper-​topped bar and an inviting back-​room fit with a small stage for live performances. The food was decent but generally a little salty for my preferences.
Having ordered drinks a couple of times at the bar I can attest that one of the bartenders here very *possibly* engages in an underhanded practice known as short-​pouring, which is essentially the fractional-​reserve banking of the bartending world.
«Short-​pouring — This classic maneuver often is used because it doesn’t negatively impact pour cost. When short-​pouring, a bartender under-​portions a series of drinks, creating a surplus of liquor to later sell for personal profit.»
Definition source:
From reading other reviews, it sounds like this has been going on for some time, so it’s something to be cautious of when being served here. It’s a shame, because otherwise the joint ain’t too shabby.

The poor reviews made me avoid this place like the plague but every restaurant was slammed during an evening of Media’s «Dining Under the Stars» and since they had a bar, we decided to give it a chance. They estimated an hour wait but it ended up being about 40 minutes instead, so that was a good start. For drinks, we decided to try their beer sampler; $ 10 for 5 samples of on draft beer. Since there were 13 kinds, we each did the sampler and ordered 10 different kinds, most of which were very good. They were all in 4 oz glasses so $ 10 for 5 of those is a great deal. I’m not sure if that was a special for that particular evening or a regular option.
We managed to get a table outside on the street while the sun was setting. We ordered the cheese and jam plate, lamb sandwich, and crab ravioli. We told the waitress we were sharing so we intended on ordering small plates. However, this wasn’t interpreted correctly because she brought us the large plate for the crab ravioli and charged us an extra $ 9. As a waiter, you should always clarify what people are asking for, not just assume they want the largest size (hence the lack of a star). Besides that hiccup, the food was great; the cheese plate was a great mix of sweet and savory. The ravioli was creamy and very generous with the crab. The lamb sandwich was a nice balance between the lamb and fillings, though the lamb was a bit overcooked. For those three items plus tax, our bill came to $ 49 which isn’t too bad for a high quality dinner. For such a busy evening, the service was great; our glasses were constantly refilled, and the food came out slowly but it was at a pace that worked for us. Maybe we got lucky, maybe Picasso is improving, but they are alright in my book.

Worst service EVER! My husband and I went there Friday 8÷10÷13 around 6:30 for dinner. We chose it over my favorite restaurant in Media, Azie. He wanted to try something different. HORRIBLE choice! We were given our choice of seating and chose 1 of a few tables outside. The server came out after about 7 or 8 minutes and took our drink order and then brought out bread with no napkins or silverware to butter the bread with. We had to ask the hostess for silverware and it was brought out to us later. He took our order after we waited a few more minutes for our drinks and he didn’t write it down. About 45 minutes later he comes over to tell us that our entrees are almost ready and that the kitchen got slammed. I asked him if our appetizer was coming out and he says, «Oh, umm… lemme check» …he comes back and says it will come out with our meals. 10 min later our meals came out WITHOUT the appetizer. Another server brings it out and says that he put the app on the wrong table number. So he lied. He should’ve taken the appetizer off the menu as it came out cold and AFTER our meals.
Food — My husband ordered the lasagna with sausage and the sausage was blue! And the pasta was mush. I asked for the Salmon with no Risotto and extra veggies. I still got the Risotto.
We had 2 drinks each and an appetizer and 2 meals and it was $ 88! Disgusting
For the first time in my existence, I tipped less than 20%! I’m a bartender and usually tip 30% and up!
Don’t waste your time or money!

Everything is so ridiculously overpriced! For my boyfriend and I, we ordered 2 burgers and 3 beers and a long island iced tea =$ 62 fluffing bucks! Sorry, but for your mediocre service, food, and drinks it is just not worth that much money.
And as another reviewer said, the menu said 4.50 for a beer and then she said 5. Yes, it is just .50 but after a few beers that adds up. That is very dishonest and I don’t want to give my money to a business that lets the bartenders decide what they want to charge. And it made me want to tip her less, and if I go back and they do it again, I will lower the tip. If you have respect for your customers, I will have respect for the bartender and wait staff!
Also, everyone that was with me at the bar told me to get the Picasso burger because it is so amazing! When I received it, the burger was dry and bland. Just because you put arugula on a burger doesn’t suddenly make it a fancy burger. Honestly it was like they were trying to polish a turd between two layers of bland bread.
I have nothing good to say about this place, except that the first time I went the owner was very nice… But sadly that doesn’t make for a good bar/​restaurant.

I was in town visiting a friend who took me here. Great food, great music, and great service! The veggie burger I had was really good, not some frozen patty type. The fries were outstanding, some of the best I ever had.

This restaurant has a lot of potential, but it feels like it’s having an identity crisis. The menu is a mix of Italian, Spanish, and American dishes. They seem to do everything well, though, but I wouldn’t go here thinking that you can stick with one type of cuisine.
The cod fritters were great — nice and crispy on the outside with a bit of creaminess in the middle. But the presentation was weird — they served it on a bed of french fries. If the cod fritters had been presented on a small plate sans french fries, it would have dressed it up a bit.
The bolognese and lasagna were both solid. Not over the top, but like good home cooking. The portion sizes were very generous for both.
They have an excellent beer selection — tons of Belgian beers and plenty of domestic craft beer. I love Belgian beers, but the beer list doesn’t match the food.
I would definitely eat here again, but it would be nice if the restaurant would pick a personality and stick with it.

Awesome. This is my (perhaps) fifteenth time at Picasso. This latest time came after a horrible pre-​dining experience at Stephen’s where we walked away in horror and cemented my firm conviction that they (Stephen’s) will never have my money again. We walked across the street and walked a half a block and sat at al fresco tables outside of Picasso and had a wonderful dinner. All the other times, we’ve eaten inside and this time we sat outside and people-​watched while enjoying the wonderful weather and fresh air.
We started our evening with some tapas, buñuelos de bacalao and croquetas de jamón serrano. Both were delicious, although the Jamón Serrano is normally salty and the cook probably added some salt to the croqueta’s mix, leaving a tres-​salty concoction that although very good, had us reaching for water glasses within a minute from thirst.
Then the waitress brought the bread tray, each better than the next. Crusty and flavorful.
The entrée for me was their Stufato di Pesce, wonderfully cooked and tasty. My partner had the veal Vitello, and one of his kids had the salmon. All were delicious. Although with the tapas for appetizers, the generous entrée portions were a bit overkill. Notin’ wrong with that… We accompanied the selections with a wonderful Pinot Noir. Case closed.
We had an excellent evening — again — at Picasso.