A wine bar in Minneapolis?! Hooray! Walked in on a Friday night and we were seated at a table right away. The place wasn't packed when we arrived but by the time we left, there were people waiting to be seated. Bar Brava prides itself for presenting the public with natural wines (organic so pesticide free, wild yeast, unfiltered, unfined). They have a large selection of bottles to pick from but a tiny menu for glasses. As there was only 2 of us and we weren't quite sure what we would want, we were really disappointed that there were only a few choices to pick from. We both picked a red and it was decent but not amazing. The pours are also on the smaller side. If you are interested in trying the wine, I would recommend bringing a larger group so that you can try more wines and look into sharing a bottle or two. What Bar Brava lacked in spectacle for wine, they made up for with their food menu. The kofta meatballs ended up being some of the best meatballs we had ever tried! I would come back just for the meatballs. I would highly recommend starting with this appetizer. We also tried the Winter Toast. The octopus was well cooked but the toast was burnt. I think I would've loved this menu item too so I was disappointed. For the main entree, they had pan fried Gnocchi as a special which was delicious! I would recommend considering the Gnocchi if it is on the menu. Our server did a nice job going over the wine and food menus and helping us find selections that we would enjoy. We found street parking nearby fairly easily. I would not return here for the wine but would enjoy exploring more of the food menu. read more

We showed up on a Friday evening and it was packed. We had to wait for about 15 minutes to be seated. While we waited we ordered a glass of wine. The place is small but it has nice ambience and good vibes. The service was fantastic and staff was very knowledgeable with the wine. I liked the list of wine they got. Food was limited, both of us ordered burgers. It was very good! I will definitely come back when it is nice outside! read more

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Food was outstanding. Service was outstanding. Dan the owner and chef was amazing. We will Be back very soon! read more

Yummy wine and nice servers! High quality food. The vibes were a mix of people dressed cute and everyday wear. Would return :). read more

Bar Brava - Yummy wine and nice servers! Food was high quality. Would return :) - Wine Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Heard about this new wine bar from a foodie I follow on instagram and immediately had to check it out. We popped in for a glass of wine on a Friday night, and it was busy! We were told there was an hour wait, so we just decided to have a glass of wine and stand. All of their wines are unique and funky, which I loved. I ended up with a glass of orange wine, which was earthy and delicious. In the main entry way they have wines displayed in coolers, so it was fun to look at all the different wine labels while we stood. While we were there a server was going around the place pouring cider in everyone's mouth out of a glass looking teapot, which was really cool! People were loving it and the employees were awesome. We really enjoyed our glass of wine & the atmoshphere, so definitley will come back to try some more and a bite to eat! The only downside to this place is that it can be tricky to find parking close by on a busy night. read more

Bar Brava - Inside - Wine Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I went here with some friends and family for my birthday a few weeks ago and was simply blown away. Bar Brava's natural wine selection is off the charts and both Dan(the owner) or David know exactly what you want. The squid ink paella was served from the hands of God, and i'm not religious. Steamed pork buns, chorizo corn dogs, royale with cheese, all fantastic! The chefs really kill it! Go there for a glass of wine and some tapas, or for a few bottles and entrees, they will not disappoint you. But the cherry on top of this whole place, 3$ Modelo's. What more could anyone ask for? read more

Bar Brava - Merch! - Wine Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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We came here on a Saturday early evening. It's in a very industrial part of town with very little parking. Street parking in front was all full, but we found a random lot next to the building, which we weren't sure we could park in. We called and they let us know we could park there (whew!) otherwise we may have had to park many blocks away. This is a beautiful, trendy place with a great ambiance! We were seated right away at the bar. Service was great with lots of explanation and samples of wine. I always appreciate that because for $10-12 a glass I want to be sure I enjoy it :) I was a bit disappointed in the small wine list, however, especially since it is a "wine bar". We ordered two of the shareable plates (trout & chicken) and the bread. The trout was a pretty small portion and tasted a bit fishy, but still decent. The chicken was a "half chicken" but was very small as well. For the price and serving size, I was hoping to be blown away, but it was definitely underwhelming. The bread, however, was super tasty. Our bill ended up being $85 for two glasses of wine (my partner wasn't drinking) and a small amount of food. I would come here again if I weren't very hungry and just wanted some tasty glasses of wine and great ambiance. read more

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We had an amazing night! The service the atmosphere perfect! We closed out the bar we were having so much fun! The bartenders and the chef were so much fun and we learned so much about the wine and the food! We are 100% going back to try all the food we can! But by far the best cream cheese wontons I've ever had! read more

Bar Brava - Affogato - Wine Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

What little known secret yummy place. Great service. Wonderful bar menu. Nice little wine list. Worth a visit.

Amazing food, service, chef is very personable, awesome dining experience overall and would recommend to everyone.

I came in looking for some interesting wine and found just that plus an awesome snack- . Happy I found this spot! We will be back for dinner too Update - just came for dinner at it was phenomenal - the Brava Paella was TO DIE FOR - a must try read more

Burger was okay. Was flattened like a wendy's burger. There was no juice or flavor to it. My wife tried the Natural wine and wings. Also very flavorless. The "natural wine" were wines we can buy from the organic section of our local liquor store for a fraction of the price. We were not impressed at all. The location is in the worst place in the city in the north part of Minneapolis on Washington ave. If you guys are going to open a restaurant dont open it on North washington ave. No one is going to go out of their way to hang around the worst part of town... read more

Terrible location. Overpriced. Mediocre/poor food. Mediocre wine. The 'natural wine' schtick is a contrived way to charge a ton for run-of-the-mill wines. I know that restaurants need a gimmick to differentiate themselves nowadays. But the gimmick here tastes bad! And besides that, a restaurant should really focus on the food before the gimmick. And the food here is sorely lacking. My wife and I shared several dishes. The menu is supposedly inspired by Spanish cuisine. But the dishes were at best bland and at worst downright gross. The only saving grace was the meatballs. If you want to be overcharged for bad food and wine in a bad location, go to a restaurant in the airport. read more

Was very excited to have a wine bar near NE, and paid a visit to Bar Brava for my bday. The space is small but doesn't feel cramped at all, there is a long bar with decent sized tables lining the walls. Seating was comfortable, and the space felt refined and mellow. Bar Brava features natural wines, so the wine list is unique which is a nice change. I had the bubbly rose, the orange wine, and a red. I was surprised at how affordable the drinks are, but be aware the pours are small, I'm guessing approx 3 oz. That being said, each one was absolutely divine! Delicious, clean, bright flavor profiles on all of them. If you love wine, you need to check it out. I got the Pistachio Wedge Salad, and my company got the burger. The romaine wedge was a nice change of pace from the usual iceberg, and was generously topped with pistachios. I think our server mentioned it had a romanesco sauce, and the overall flavor was bright and punchy. Really good! The burger had a distinct pungent flavor. I'm not sure if it was the dry aged beef, but the taste reminded me a bit of truffle oil. The chips were coated with what I assume was some sort of smoked paprika seasoning. Overall it was a nice experience, but you can easily spend $80-$100 for two people here if you drink. The service is very attentive, my napkin was replaced with a clean one, and waters were refilled for us. Took one star off for the location. An interesting choice, being right next to BJ's, and street parking only on a busy road. read more

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Tl;dr Amazing service and food! Warm and welcoming atmosphere. It was a whole experience that truly made my day better. Must try! Wow. This place is truly amazing. After driving by one day and seeing this very cute place, my friend and I decided to try it out. We started out with asking our server for wine recommendations -- after asking us what we like in a wine (dry/sweet/bubbles/etc.) she was spot on with her recommendations for both of us. I have never had all natural wine before and the Prosecco they had was a game changer compared to any Prosecco I've had. Food: We decided to try a couple of items off the menu which included: Kofta Meatballs, Chicken Wings, Croquettes, Coppa Steak, and the Olive Oil Cake. Everything was delicious. The balance of the flavors in each dish worked so well together. Nothing was too salty or too sweet. I can tell a lot of thought and effort was put into the menu and each dish as they were prepared. Some items came with a pickled vegetable topping which complimented the dish very well. The croquettes and the coppa steak were my two favorites. I've never had anything like the Olive Oil cake before but it was delicious. The brown butter yogurt topped it off. I will definitely be back bringing family and friends to enjoy the same experience I did. Thank you for such a great experience and making our night! read more

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What an awesome, underrated, cozy wine bar! A wine/foodie's heaven. I went for my birthday dinner and got the pre fixe menu (4 courses) which rotates but ours included a salad with EDIBLE FLOWERS and cured egg yolk, octopus, NY strip, and a super interesting homemade spruce ice cream with this fresh raspberry juice crushed ice. I don't even know how to explain it but it was amazing. The attention to detail in every dish was incredible! For a natural wine bar with a high quality assortment, I expected the prices per glass to be high but most of the options were actually super reasonably priced - I drank some delicious orange wine that was only $8 a glass. It's a very intimate space and the kitchen is actually in the middle of the restaurant so you can see your food being prepared. The only downfall was they do not have a parking lot but there is street parking right out front. Definitely will be back! read more

Been in just twice. These guys are cool. I believe in them, would want to do biz with them. I think that while their space is awesome, it keeps them less known as it's a bit hard to park etc. Space is really fantastic though. Great energy. Open kitchen is fun. Albert has justified swagger. They seem to understand very well what people who run a place like this in Spain value, and how they would do it. I frequent Spain, lived there, good friends with some barkeepers, told my girlfriend that what Bar Brava is doing is more or less exactly what I'd do with my money if opening or supporting a shop. Friends in Spain who are pros would appreciate Bar Brava and what it's trying to do. It's genuine. I recognize that they may be trying to do something with their concept that many Americans or expats in Spain don't think will work outside Europe. I disagree and see elements of their style as the future, at least the one I want to live in. I see where sticking to some tradition limits them in MN markets or shies people away. I think they could double down it - and would be happy to explain what I mean to Albert or anyone else. Should have other versions of this concept all over. Bottom line, keep an eye on these guys. Cooking is solid, wine is outstanding, they have understanding of the traditions underlying what they want to do - but they keep an edge that is just the right amount of innovative without being strange or difficult. Eager to see what "Lite" is all about, but keep it up fellas. I'd love to talk. read more

We love love love this wine bar. Had my first taste of natural wine and there's no going back now.... Thank you to Braunson for guiding and opening up our palets. Highly recommend the wine and food. The oysters are to die for!!!!! read more

Such a cool new place in NE Minneapolis! Staff is super friendly and nice, food was exceptional - must try the wings and the wedge salad! So good! If natural wine is your thing, you'll love this spot! read more

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OBSESSED with the service we had!!! Such a nice crew of workers who were very attentive for drinks and answering menu questions. Highly recommend for a fun work happy hour! The orange wine was amazi read more

Bar Brava - Chicken and potato dish - Wine Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

WE LOVED BAR BRAVA!!! From the food (crispy chicken sandwich is to die for), to the decor, to the service, everything was just great. Plus, we learned that the owner was working as a line cook at another restaurant just a few years ago, so especially love supporting him and his success; I feel that he has a lot to offer the Minneapolis food industry!! read more

Had a great time at Bar Brava! Staff was really helpful as I don't know a ton about natural wine. They pointed me in the right direction and I really enjoyed it. Oh and the food was incredible. Dishes packed a lot of flavor and are good sizes to pair with the wine. I highly recommend the brussel sprouts, potatoes and skewers. And try the cider! Found my new wine spot in Minneapolis! read more

Great ambience in quieter neighborhood north of north loop. Good food as well. Variety of wine available. Would love to go back and try more! read more

I hate giving this place 5 stars because I don't want anyone to know it exists. The parking sucks! I hope that deters some of you so I can always get a seat. But despite that this place deserves 10 stars. The food is exceptional. The wedge salad, the meatballs, the patavas...the olive oil cake which perfectly matches the vermouth. The vibe of this place and the staff are also perfect. I've been here three times, and each time has been beyond what I expected. I hope they add coffee to their menu at some point to end the meal, but, even with the shitty parking, this place is exceptional. read more

Bar Brava is a perfect place to spend an evening with great food and delicious wine. I stand by the assertion that their burger is one of the best in the Twin Cities. In addition, we recently had a top meal of 2020 at Bar Brava that included a salad with locally foraged greens, a spicy scallop dish, and duck breast tacos served with black beans and THE best tortillas I've had outside of Mexico. It's incredible how they manage to do such great food service out of their small kitchen. This is all in addition to their stand out wine program. If you're curious to learn more about natural wines, this is the place to go. It's great for happy hour or a date night. We love it. read more

Bar Brava is simply wonderful! I visited a week ago with a friend for dinner and the service was impeccable - kind, knowledgable, warm, and engaging. The food was just as amazing. We split the burger, patatas brava, and grilled wedge salad. It was all perfect. Every single bite was full of flavor, complex but not confusing or "too much." We also each did the special "Flight School" flight of wine. They were unique, interesting, and at the right price point. We didn't look closely at the wine list, but we're excited to go back and continue exploring their natural wines (and the rest of the food menu!). The ambiance is also great - it's warm, inviting, and a place you could stay all evening. read more

Very cool vibe and the food and wine are both special. If you don't know about natural wines you owe it to yourself to try this place. We had the ramen with crab, the wedge and a burger. All were incredible. We will be back often. read more

Very cool new spot in Minneapolis. Walk in to a huge case of colorful, natural wines. Love the open kitchen. Great and very unique wine selection which staff is very knowledgeable about. read more