cafe dario

disappointed. upon my first visit to this restaurant, about 2 years ago, i was very taken with the charming ambiance, attention to detail, price-point, and well-prepared food. on our latest visit, january, 2014, we had made a reservation for 7pm. it was a cold friday evening, and upon entering, were shown our table, which was very near to the door. when we requested that we be seated at a table further from the door, the server/hostess said that they were "full" and that all the other tables were reserved. we were the first table to arrive in this section, and couldn't understand why she simply couldn't seat us at another reserved table. this was our introduction to what turned out to be a less than enjoyable experience. upon perusing the menu, i noticed that not only did prices go up, which is understandable, but we were not happy to see that with the fixed price menu, certain choices had "add $2, add $5, add $8." etc. this, in my mind, is false advertising, as "fixed price" is, well, fixed price! i can understand if one wants to add particular things to their order, but in my mind, if one is ordering from the selections of a supposedly fixed price menu, there should not be automatic additions. we were then told that the duck was unavailable--it was sold out. this was at the beginning of the evening, with no other patrons yet in the restaurant other than some on the other side of the restaurant. we could not see how many patrons there were, but being sold out of an item at the very beginning of the evening is nothing more than an indication of lack of organization on the part of the chef. when we mentioned our disappointment and questioned how this could be, our server laughed at us. not impressed. to be fair, the food was tasty, but not amazing, and portions are small. the salads are the most disappointing of all--little side plates of a handful of greens with absolutely nothing but an ordinary vinaigrette. the food is pricey for what you do get, and because nothing appeared that evening to be amazing, we just felt that for the money, one could go elsewhere and pay the same amount, and be quite satisfied. however, it was the attitude of the server that was most annoying. at the end of our meal, one person in our party paid in cash, giving the server a significant amount that would obviously warrant change. when after a lengthy period of time passed, and no change appeared, our friend had to stand up, look, call "excuse me," to the server, and further call out that she needed some change. the server than called out, "i don't have any change (!!!)." she then further muttered, "i'll try and find some." the server appeared after a few moments with change, saying, "we don't do cash, so it was hard to find change." excuse me? what restaurant does not "do cash??!" we found this highly inappropriate. to it's credit, cafe dario still possesses a charming intimate atmosphere, good selection of wines, and tasty food--albeit pricey for what is available. perhaps lunch would have been a better experience. certainly, a different server would have been the most fulfilling of all. i'm not sure that i would ever return.

best meal of the year. after eating at cafe dario during dineabout a few years back we finally returned this year for our anniversary, and we were not disappointed. we really enjoy the setting inside the restaurant and the waiter was nice, helpful and chatty. all 5 courses were delicious and left us wanting more. it was a very cold winnipeg night, so a bowl of the cream of chicken soup was perfect. the entrees (lamb and beef tenderloin) were to die for. overall it was a great night with great food and easily the best meal we had in 2013.

cozy, delicious, fun. a group of us went and shared each others' choices of the menu fixe 5 course meal. the restaurant is a converted house that has been other restaurants in the past. it's candlelit tables, tablecloths, romantic. the food was adventurous, but not so extreme as to offend the tamer palates. everything was delicious, except i didn't like the dessert ( tho everyone else did ) , which seemed to be edible oil whipped topping with some diced fruit and mango sauce drizzled on it. truly lacked imagination and was a disappointing finish to an otherwise spectacular meal, i felt. the duck breast entree, the steak, the pork tenderloin... amazing. all the appies, soup and salad were tasty and beautifully presented. the hostess was warm and welcoming. thumbs up from us, and we will return.

we had a great experience in this place with regards to the quality of the food and service. the timing was perfect and they a have wide selection of fine wines. we ordered for the 3-5 course meal which include; appetizer, main, and dessert. all were good and delicious. we'll be back!

excellent cuisine. i've been a few times to cafe dario and never disappointed. the food is always fresh and delicious. it's a little converted house but very cozy and welcoming. the staff are always very friendly. i usually go for lunch because it's relatively close to my employ and have never had any problems with time. the servings are just perfect always leaving you satisfied without feeling too full.

negative experience. i like the ambiance of this restaurant but our experience was sub par. the food was so-so and lacked seasoning. low value for prices. but, as much as the food wasn't impressive, the service was what made the experience negative. both the hostess and our waitress made bad impressions. we felt as though we were burdening them by just being there (no special requests were made of them); they were not very hospitable, and obviously weren't enjoying their jobs. no plans to return.

we were delighted with the food but the service was average. the beef with chimichurri was excellent as well as the trout. the brownie with orange and cranberry was warm and tasty! however, the waitress did not fully inform us about the daily specials. service was polite but nothing special.

i love this place. i've only been for lunch but i can imagine that dinner is just as amazing. do yourself a favour and go here instead if one if those generic restaurants around polo park. it's just as close and i guarantee you will get a delicious freshly prepared dish for the same price if not less then what you will pay at those generic restaurants. daily soup is made fresh and os always very unique and come with each dish. smaller restaurant so you may want to reserve especially if you have a larger party.

a hidden gem. i was absolutely surprised the first time i went. the food is fresh, tasty, fancy, it is not just food...it is an experience. staff is friendly and service is very good. and dario....he is so charming!!! a place not to miss :)

cafe dario is a latin american restaurant located in the west end of winnipeg, manitoba. chef dario’s idea behind his first restaurant, café dario, was to be able to provide the flavors of his youth in colombia combined with the culinary market of north america to deliver the refined taste of fine dining at a low cost. with the five-course tasting menu priced at just $39, people are able to enjoy the flavors, spices and chilies of latin america, merged with the original components of north america that we know and love. the fine dining menu is composed of a printed piece of paper. this is a first to me. the restaurant only offers 5 course meals for $39 dollars at dinner time. you get to choose an appetizer and an entree from the menu. the complimentary bread – the bread wasn’t heated at all and it was really h

unexpected gem. where you least expect it, you will find good food. this unexpected gem delivered on both food and service. i wish the ambiance was a little more quaint to match the food, but hey - can't have everything!

this is the most creative kitchen, the best quality and flavor, and the best value in town

birthday dinner. we were at cafe dario tonight for a family birthday dinner. we had an absolutely awesome meal from the apps to the desert. fantastic app of bruschetta, soup of mushroom shrimp, and main of port tenderloin and steak.. we had some food allergy issues that were quickly accommodated by our server and dario without hesitation. service was outstanding and the whole family enjoyed their meal. we will definitely return. thanks.

great food...horrible service. recently went to celebrate our wedding anniversary, we love the food and that's why we returned but the old grumpy lady serving us made a great meal a not great experience. from the minute we walked into the building she gave us a disapproving look and only lightened up when i said i wanted a bottle of malbec, however she added..."it's the house bottle i am assuming?" well i was going to order the more expensive wine but relented based on that snub. she poured our wine into a glass that has lipstick stains on it and was annoyed when i complained and simply poured it into another glass!! other than the disappointing cold dry bread, our actual meal was most enjoyed. there were only 3 tables so i know our server was not overworked but she made us feel very uncomfortable with her attitude towards us....she could care less who we were it's as though we were annoying her simply by being there. really dario, spend the money and hire someone who extends an appreciation and enthusiasm for your great food for as much i enjoy your food each time i am there, i doubt i will return in a hurry.

wonderful. i love the intimacy of the small rooms, it provides a very romantic evening and the food was incredible. i've been here a few times and it has not failed me. it has consistently been very good.