Barbarella Restaurant & Bar

I was SO excited to try this spot for Christmas vibes but was extremely disappointed. Only reason for 2 stars is for the Christmas decorations which were very jolly indeed. HOWEVER the service was SO poor and the food was even worse. We had a reservation for 5:30pm on a Sunday, and we didn't finish dinner till close to 9PM. I do realize it was very busy since this is a popular spot, but everything was slow and things came out wrong too. Now onto the food: Charcuterie Board: was afraid of food poisoning honestly, seemed like it had been sitting out for a while (cute plates though) - also the meat was touching the cheese so my vegetarian friend couldn't try it. Caesar salad: actually not too bad! Pepperoni pizza: can't expect much from pizza in California but this was gross - crust was sloppy and undercooked and way too much cheese. Cocktails/wine: Specialty Christmas cocktails seemed super cute but I learned the espresso martini is batched so I couldn't get tequila instead of the vodka. The other tequila option was VERY blue and way too sweet. Ordered white wine and it came out warm - gave me a massive stomachache and headache due to poor quality. Maybe the food and service is better when it's not so busy during the holidays, but do not recommend the Christmas pop up as it is overpriced, slow service, and poor quality.

I rarely give 1 star but this restaurant definitely deserves 1 star. We ordered their special. It was rare inside. When we told them they insisted this is how ot should be. Ultimate they took the plate back but instead of replacing it with a a new order, they just sauteed the previous plate. In their salad we found piece of plastic. Not recommended.

Great tasting Italian cuisine at Barbarella in La Jolla Shores! Really cute valentines ambiance with all the pink lights and hearts. We enjoyed the fritti, Gorgonzola pizza, and chicken Parmesan. The house red wine tasted great as wel. Friendly and accommodating service. Nice dog friendly patio. Recommend!

My friend and I met friends here for an early weekday dinner. We were a total party of 4. Our friends had made reservation. We were greeted and seated under the covered patio which was nice. It's funny the vibe of the casual restaurant reminded me of a Mexican restaurant rather than an Italian one. Our server was very nice and attentive through out the evening. We started off with cocktails while looking over the menu. Our server was very patient with us as we talked and talked to catch up with old friends. After the 3rd come-around we all decided on the Caesar Salad, Greek Salad, Woodfire Oven Roasted Salmon, Chicken Parmesan and Mushroom Risotto. The salads were very fresh and good. The entrees came out hot and cooked perfectly and tasted good. Atmosphere: casual relaxing vibe. Service: good. Food: good.

We had an amazing experience at Barbella! The food was absolutely delicious—everything was cooked to perfection. Our waiter, Art, provided excellent service, staying attentive and making sure we had everything we needed. They also had sooo many gluten-free options, which was a huge plus! The Valentine's decorations outside were adorable and added a charming touch to the atmosphere. We realized after leaving that we forgot to check out the inside, but based on the outdoor decor, I’m sure it was just as lovely. Can’t wait to come back and try more!