Nowadays some choose to go to a lounge, others opt for the dive bar across the street. Me? I prefer a bar
with a little bit of everything. Up to this point, I have had zero to no luck finding such a place…but alas! I
think I may have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. That treasure is Bardi’s Bar and Grill in
Pequannock…
Now I know the first question on your mind, where the hell is Pequannock? Believe me, I was scratching my head asking myself that very same question. Thank stars for GPS folks, because believe me you are going to need it. Fortunately it’s not that hard toget there once you get into the swing of things, just take a hop in the car and without traffic you’re looking at a 30 minute ride to reach Newark Pompton Turnpike. Sorry bus commuters, you’re SOL on this route, just take an Uber…especially if you plan on staying for the live music night.
Once I arrived, I opened the door and was greeted by Chef Chaz and so many questions after looking around. Was this a sports bar? A restaurant? A live music venue? Guess what guys…it’s all of the above! This is a place where you can bring a date or have a
meeting in the dining room area for some food, hang with your friends checking out the eclectic music collection on the ceiling at the bar while watching your favorite sports team, and when late night hours are about to commence, have a shot or two while enjoying some live music on the stage in front of you. Like I said, this place is the trifecta for having a night out,
and definitely a great pick. This isn’t even the best part, let’s talk food and drinks!
Since I’m ever the curious one, I decided to ask the bartender to give me a favorite drink of the Bardi’s crowd to start with. She was quick to recommend the Bardi’s Cosmo, and as I’ve mentioned before I’m not usually a chick drink kind of a gal. Let me just say, it exceeded my expectations. It was a well-balanced cocktail perfect if you are looking for something subtly sweet, but not overbearingly so, and ok, I’ll admit it, the presentation itself was so pretty I almost didn’t want to drink it. It also paired greatly with my next surprise that Chef Chaz couldn’t stop talking about…a specialty starter of the house, The Shrimp Dino.
If I could have ordered this dish in pounds, I would have. It was AMAZING. No, seriously, this isn’t food, this is the gold those leprechauns are hiding. The dish consists of chopped shrimp, sautéed and tossed in a garlic wine sauce that had me reaching for the bread basket so I wouldn’t miss a beat of this sensational dish. Be still my heart, I think this appetizer may just be my Valentine for February. Lucky for us, you can come and experience it anytime you wish, Chef Chaz will be happy to prep it for you! Make it a priority for your visit to try it, you won’t be disappointed.
Now it was time for the moment of truth, the main course. I have heard from Chaz about which dish-es were the best of the best, his recommendations were simple: The Chicken Scarpiello and Bardi’s BBQ Baby Back Ribs. I couldn’t choose just one… so guess what? I had both! Let’s recap: The Bardi’s BBQ Baby Back Ribs are slow roasted baby back ribs topped with Whisky Smoked BBQ Sauce. You have your choice of Mashed potatoes or French Fries, but if you want my opinion, go with the mashed . This dish combined two of my favorite things, sweet and savory. The ribs were perfectly cooked, and the sauce with sweet with a bit of kick. The mashed potatoes had just the right amount of spices and the texture was amazing! The Chicken Scarpiello was next on
my list. Made with Mushrooms, Onions, Sweet Italian Sausage, Sliced Cherry Peppers, and Potatoes in a brown garlic sauce, this dish is perfect for those looking to try a little bit of everything while still enjoying a savory meal all at once. The veggies were flawlessly spiced, and the presentation of this dish made it irresistible to the palate and pleasing to the eye.
After an excellent cocktail and all this wonderful food, I was almost in tears at the thought of saying my goodbyes. There was just one more aspect of the evening left to experience, and that was the live entertainment. Besides awesome food and drinks, Bardi’s makes it a priority to book only the highest quality musical acts and performers to keep you coming back. For my visit I had the pleasure of hearing the High Strung Band. The female lead and guitarist had the vocal stylings to keep energy at its pique, and
their sound was fun and edgy. I was not surprised to find that the band playing reached the same standards of greatness as every other part of the evening, superb.
If you are looking for a place to go that has a little something for everyone, search no further then Bardi’s Bar and Grill. They have it all! So come have one of Chef Chaz’s Shrimp Dino appetizers in the dining room, take a trip to the bar to enjoy a cocktail with
Bardi’s BBQ Baby Back Ribs, and finally, awesome live bands that will be announced for every Friday and Saturday night on Bardi’s Facebook page and website at www.bardisgrill.com. Follow them, keep checking in, and make the trip! I started a stranger
and I’m planning my next visit even as we speak. Thanks for the awesome time Bardi’s Bar and Grill, I’ll be seeing you . Until then, cheers and happy eating!