The management of Bao needs to seriously rethink everything except the food which seems to be fine. The atmosphere is poor, and in a neighborhood packed with character and good atmosphere there is no reason to spend any time or money in a place that makes you feel like your in a night club in the Eastern Bloc. It may be more appropriate at night, but I have stopped in 3 times for lunch/brunch and the dark purple interior is uninviting. They seem to shun sunlight and the long interior doesn’t help. The espresso is sub par, not sure about the coffee but I wouldn’t expect much. The worst part is the music, it’s loud, terrible and invokes cheap black leather coats, rancid cologne and too much hair gel.
Anni b.
Place rating: 3 Brooklyn, NY
Along this particular stretch of Grand Street, there seems to be a lot of new restaurants/bars/lounges/coffee shops. I wasn’t sure which one of these categories Bao fit into when walking by, but I was hungry so I entered and insisted they feed me dinner. Me and my companion were the only people there the entire time. Granted, a new business and on a Tuesday night, but at prime dinner time. This led me to believe that Bao is probably trying to market itself more as a lounge/bar with wi-fi. That being said, the menu is pretty extensive for a lounge bar. I had penne vodka and my friend had the steak panini. Both were adequate, nothing particularly special. The service and atmosphere were both nice, though. I just don’t get why we were the only people there, it was a little weird.
Timmi O.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
Alright so I work here… big whoop you wanna fight about it… but let me tell you if I didn’t work here I would come here. They have developed some of the most tasty panini sandwiches I’ve ever tasted. The coffee is great, and there’s free wifi! Bao has only been open for 3 weeks, but things are getting better and better everyday. They’re going to have frozen cocktails, and a full bar within the next couple weeks. This is a great atmosphere for anyone looking to get some work done, or just«check their sites» and wind down at the end of their work day.
