Bang!
213 2nd St SW, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Bang! Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Charlottesville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Charlottesville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Charlottesville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
213 2nd St SW
Charlottesville, VA, 22902 - Phone (434) 984-2264
- Website https://bangrestaurant.net
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:30 pm - 9:3
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
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C.P. S.
I had high hopes for Bang! that were not met on my first visit there. I typically, won't review places unless I have gone there numerous times, but after my experience at Bang!, I doubt I will ever go again for dinner unless a couple of major changes occur. On the other hand, they do offer fantastic cocktails. They are pricey for Charlottesville, but the martinis are stellar. I had and would recommend the Esquire and Honey Ginger. They are on the manlier and booze side compared to the predominantly girly fruity specialties. Now to the why this place is terrible for dinner. It comes down to value, which Bang! isn't offering. A tapas menu can be tough to pull off and balance giving diners a satisfying taste, meal through a combination of tapas while not gouging on price. Bang! has failed in this respect. $12 flank steak with 2 ounces of meat and a bit of sauce barely offered a taste to me and my date. On the shrimp dish, they cut up the shrimp which came across as a cheap attempt to add volume to the plate, which just added more batter and was an illusion. On two of the four plates we ordered, they included an unoriginal, uninspired Asian coleslaw - it seemed weak and added to create volume. It left me and my date feeling cheated on what could have been two good plates. The portions and the price points here are not in-line. I would discourage anyone from going here trying to have a meal, unless money is no object.
(2)Kate S.
My family took me out for a fun birthday dinner at Bang a couple years ago. We sat upstairs at a cozy table and nestled in for the evening. It would be impossible for me to remember all the tapas we ordered because we ended up with an enormous spread of plates, all dishes with some sort of twist that set them apart from the usual Asian-style dishes. They were inventive, pleasing to look at, and even more enjoyable to taste. Usually I'm not a fan of tapas (I like to have my plate, just mine, to dig into), but there were so many new things on the menu that I really did just want to sample all of them. It was the usual feeling of sharing and casual grazing, and we must have spent at least 2.5 hours there. We even got a sampling of desserts, and I remember lots and lots of rich chocolate. This would be a fun place to go to with a group of friends or family, and make sure you have time to relax and soak up the atmosphere. I remember very little about my surroundings (except that the décor was fun and funky without seeming cluttered) because Bang made it possible for us to just sit back and focus on each other as the food came and went.
(5)Douglas S.
Friends recommended that we try this, so we did. Went early (spouse, daughter and I) for dinner, and place was packed by the time we left. Food is kind of "Asian tapas," and excellent. Plates are NOT small, but I'd say "medium" sized. Waitress was very good, and properly but not overly attentive. She suggested 2-3 dishes per person, and turned out to be just right. Of the seven dishes we ordered, five were perfect, and the other two were good. The beverage list is fun/creative and good, too. Nice place, nice ambiance, nice service, excellent food. Glad we went!
(5)Katie K.
Like an impotent supermodel, the menu looks good but just can't deliver. The ambiance is great--romantic, soft red lighting--and the cocktails are good if high in sugar, but I gotta knock off points for the bland crab wontons, the overly greasy tempura, and the fish-flavored edamame. Seriously, if you put something other than salt on edamame, at least mention that on the menu. Also, the other dishes we ordered left much to be desired. I'm open to the idea that there might be some winners on the menu, but we ordered seven small plates and didn't love any of them, which is why I can only give this restaurant two stars. A gorgeous bartender though--my friend and I both had girl-crushes on her, I wish I had her hair and her biceps. Yowza.
(2)Patrick K.
Some of the food I had was great. Some of the other dishes, not so much. The salmon roll was fantastic. The Thai beef was terrible.
(2)Mike C.
Bang caters to those who find the appetizers at Asian restaurants more, well, appetizing than the entrees. Specifically, Bang draws upon the flavors of Thailand and serves its fare tapas-style. It's also a martini bar where the mixologists incorporate spices, fruits, and vegetables and, of course, booze to create innovative cocktails. Given its format, Bang can serve as a destination or merely a stop along the way for diners. Stars from the 20-plus item menu include rock shrimp tempura and the sixty-second sirloin. As Jane Black stated in a recent Washington Post article that surveys Charlottesville food and dining hotspots, the kitchen at Bang knows how to fry. The shrimp are delicately battered and fried, and arrive at the table tasting fresh with a succulent inner texture. No heavy breading or fried beyond recognition dryness a la Long John Silver here, folks. And although it's not "cut it with a fork tender" - actually there are no forks at Bang, just chopsticks - the sirloin is served perfectly-seared and rare and is paired with marinated mushrooms. As noted by other posters, some dishes don't shine as bright. The crab wontons, while better than those found on the Asian buffet line, don't break any new ground. Also, the vegetable tempura suffers from becoming clumped together somewhere between the fryer and table. However, the pork spring rolls sampled on a recent visit did not leak oil as experienced by one of the posters. Outside, the rolls were crisp and the meat inside had good flavor. Portions at Bang allow a table of four to sample a bite or two from each dish. The kitchen turns out food quickly, so even if you're ordering two or three plates at a time, there won't be an interminable lull before reinforcements arrive. Tastes and libations are served in an atmosphere that's both warm and edgy - deep red wall colors, low-lighting, spartan tables, booths and alcoves. The building was originally a residence, so diners seated downstairs are literally sitting in the former dining and parlor rooms. When the weather is conducive, head for the lovely and secluded patio area. Mercifully, the music is kept at a decibel that allows for comfortable conversation among tablemates. Despite pushing the envelope with its food, drinks and decor, Bang draws from a wide swath of patrons, ranging from undergrads to retirees who likely frequented the site's former tenant, Memory & Company, a cooking school-restaurant and precursor to Charlottesville's current and highly vibrant culinary scene.
(3)Jay S.
Came here for restaurant week. I came out very full!! I had the Thai meatballs for the appetizer, and they were REALLY good. A bit filling, a nice taste. I was very happy, but part of the reason might have been because I was also very hungry. :) Next for the entree I had the soy and lemongrass braised beef short ribs. The meat was very soft, and tender, so the texture I give an A. The sauce was okay, kinda soy saucy nothing too special... the wasabi whipped potatoes though were strangely addicting though. It's a subtle taste, but I really liked it. Lastly I had Vincent's opera cake which was okay. It was like a cake version of tiramisu kind of. (I was a little full by this time though, so I could be biased). Overall, I'd rate it a 3.5! :)
(3)Matt S.
Finally made it to Bang and really enjoyed it. Got there around 7:30 on a Saturday night and had no problem getting a table. Ordered several dishes to share, all tasty. Have to say that the Edamame Ravioli with ginger sauce was delicious. Prices were reasonable. All in all a nice evening out.
(4)Nicole M.
Bang was one of my favorite spots in Charlottesville. I was sad when I heard a rumor that they close but thankfully, it's untrue! I distinctly remember one favorite dish there (no idea if it's still on the menu) that was a seared crispy tuna roll that I was in love with. They do small plates, so don't expect large portions. Their cocktails are great and the courtyard has a great atmosphere. I like it because it was something different (and a little more like a lounge) than the Corner bars.
(4)Ben M.
Great place.
(4)Byong K.
Came here on a Wednesday night with a party of 8 on for birthday celebrations. The tapas themselves were decent, but the service made the dining experience unpleasant. Food arrived at such sporadic intervals that some of us waited for ~20 additional minutes until their food arrived and the second beer my friend ordered never made it to the table. Also, beware that they do not do separate checks and can split payments into only four payments (why just four?). Oh, and that beer that never made onto the table and a tapas we never ordered ended up on the bill. We talked to the manager and sorted the situation out, but we left the restaurant with headaches. We will not come back to this place again.
(1)Joshua M.
It is tough to evaluate a bar without having a drink, but I was in the midst of Lent when I checked this place out, so here goes. The several small plates I tried were great, and the service was friendly. Building seems to be an old house; weird, but it works.
(3)P K.
Creative, reasonably priced Asian fusion food. Can be a bit of a party scene, variable service. But the food is quite good. Menu changes frequently.
(3)Linda C.
This is a fun spot with a good menu. Some of the menu changes between winter and summer and sometimes in between.The Nuri roll, edamame ravioli, most of the dumplings, the beet salad, and sesame tuna are all very good. The martinis (my favorite: Pollock's Pear) and specialty drinks are very good. Patio seating in the back is nice. Definitely a fun evening place.
(3)Bob S.
Everything that I ate was on spot. I thought the servings were more than ample, it's tapas people. Best meal we had in Charlottesville and worth every penny.
(5)Carina d.
This place has a tiny neon red sign above the door that glows "BANG". Once you see that, you've found the right place! The soft red lighting inside the place was soothing, and there's a choice of seating either downstairs or upstairs. As for the food, the tapas were stellar. For just two people, we ordered 5 tapas and felt content though not full. The prices ranged from $7-$10 per plate. I highly recommend the Spicy Thai Beef with Soba Noodles if you can stomach some heat and since it was one of the largest portions provided. The Sixty Second Sirloin was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and accompanied by marinated mushrooms. Definitely try it, but note that six shaved slivers of meat felt like an uber tiny portion given the $10 price tag. The Crab Potstickers were decent but strongly resemble and taste like the fried crab wontons you can get at a chinese fast food joint. For kicks we tried the Bang! Nachos, which consisted of more fried "nachos" and then three different dips. Again, very tasty. One dip was creamy, another was guacamole-based, and the third was a balsamic vinaigrette with diced veggies. This selection would be GREAT for sharing. Last, we tried the Pork Spring Rolls, but these I would avoid. It was a greasy sausage wrapped in the egg roll dough and then fried. When we bit into them, it continued to drip out oil. In the end, we walked out with a $60 bill, including tax & tip. However, this did not include any drinks, since we decided to skip the $8 martinis and opt for some good ole H20 instead. Still - the drink recipes look mighty tempting. So that's for next time!
(4)Joey V.
i think bang is trendy wanna be hip garbage
(1)Emily G.
It's a great space...cozy, glowing red meets retro chic...lovely room and garden space in back...everything i ate was sooo soooo tasty...but while unquestionably delicious, the tuna and the calimari dishes tasted very similar. In the end, my meal was very pricey for small portions...I guess that's why they call it Thai tapas?
(4)A G.
I really enjoy this Asian tapas restaurant. Come here for food, drinks or both! The martini list is extensive, and I've yet to dislike one. My favorites include the Poison Apple (think appletini with a spicy chili at the bottom... the closer you get to the bottom, the spicier it gets) and the Sin City. As for food, place your order by making hashmarks next to your desired items on the piece of paper to give the server. This is a great place to go with friends and share. Dishes I love: tempura haricot verts "fries," the trio of vegetable salds, the goat cheese dumplings, firecracker shrimp and the sixty-second sirloin.
(4)Mary L.
My girlfriend and I came here for dinner and drinks. It's a small plates/tapas place - i hate trying to figure out how big the portions are actually gonna be but the three plates we ordered were enough for a satisfying dinner had we eaten it all. First of all, the lychee avalanche martinis were awesome, they were wonderfully mixed with lychee puree and the lychee sitting at the bottom of the glass was a pleasant surprise. We ordered the wild mushroom dumplings, tempura eggplants, and calamari with Szechuan salad. The mushroom dumplings were great, but there was too much batter on the tempura eggplant and it was fried too long. I was hoping the eggplants would be the star of the dish but it was too heavy. The calamari salad, however, was amazing. Lightly breaded and fried, mixed into an Asian salad with amazing dressing. The portion was pretty big and perfect for people to share. Service-wise, our waiter was good but the kitchen took forever to bring our food out. I hope that was a fluke.
(3)Caitlin J.
So delicious!! We went here for the first time on Wednesday for dinner. It was happy hour so they had $6 drinks and tapas (limited menu) as well as their regular menu. I started with a black cherry cosmopolitan which was delicious. The boys had a bourbon Esquire drink and my friend had a lychee mock-tail (preggers). All the drinks were really well made and delicious. For dinner we decided to do rounds of tapas. We had: Beef dumplings with cilantro sauce (steamed) Pork spring rolls with Vietnamese dipping sauce (fried and sooo yummy) Thai meatballs with rice noodles and carrot salad ( little spice, rice noodle and carrot salad was great) Pulled pork tacos with wasabi slaw (amazing! Came on some thick Asian-style steamed bun) Spicy cilantro chicken wraps (very cilantro-y) Some sort of sesame chicken with a sauce (really good crunch and texture) California roll (only okay) Thai beef with soba noodles, bok choy and cilantro sauce (very garlicky but yummy) Firecracker shrimp with spicy garlic sauce (good flavor, fried shrimp) Coconut rice (very moist and good flavor) We at outside on the back patio and it was a beautiful day. Had the food been full-priced, I think some of the portions would have been a little small. Overall this place was awesome! Great service and delicious food! We will definitely be back!!
(5)LanChi N.
My review is strictly for drinks.... Came last night just for drinks because a friend and I just had dinner. Bang! Has such an extensive cocktail/mixed drink selection. I saw prickly pear mojito and decide why not.this of course was after careful debate and endless consulting with our bartender. She told me it was sweeter then a typical mojito...well I've had horrible mojitos if it's sweeter maybe it won't taste crappy like the other ones I've had else where. Yay! Our bartender was the bomb...she made a mojito that didn't over muddle my mint and it tasted awesome love the prickly pear :o) my friend got her usual the sin city and I stole a sip it was a sweet martini almost juice like not bad though pretty smooth. Of course I wanted dessert..... so why not have a dessert martini. So I got the dreamsicle....the menu said it would take me back to my childhood. Hmmm...very vanilla...where's the orange?? They did use real orange juice so perhaps that's why the flavor was there but was overshadowed by vanilla. My friend likes it and she dislikes dreamsicles a something about artificial orange that bothers her. But since this was more vanilla she didn't mind it too much. Overall Bang! Is great for mixed drinks and martinis.Pricey but hey your getting a good quality drink.
(4)Alexandria T.
A couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend and I headed to Bang! for dinner on a Wednesday evening. It is located in a house converted to a restaurant just off the Downtown Mall. We came around 7pm, and we were seated within a few minutes at a small table upstairs.We chose the right day of the week to dine there because they have a special $6 menu that includes drinks too. I think I would feel a little bit different about the experience if I had been paying full menu prices. They have a list of martinis on special too, so we each started out with one. The Pink Squeeze for me, and the Esquire for him. Both were super, duper sweet! We were advised to order about 3 menu items per person. You order by checking off the items you want on little half sheets of paper. The first item to arrive were the goat cheese dumplings with cilantro sauce. These were a favorite of both of ours--we both loved these savory, crispy dumplings! Next was the sweet potato samosas. These were also very tasty. The portion size of both of these items would have been disappointing to me if I were paying the full menu price. The goat cheese dumplings only contained two cut in half, and the samosa only had one that was cut into six small pieces. The next thing to arrive were the pulled pork tacos with a wasabi slaw--yum! The spicy slaw paired nicely with the tangy, almost sweet pork. The tuna tartare "pizza" was next--the tuna was done very well, but the texture of what it came on was more like flatbread the size of a tortilla chip, not really pizza. The chicken lettuce wraps were delicious as well! The edamame dumplings were the last thing that was on our original order. They were good, but not the highlight of the meal. I had seen the blackened tuna arrive at another table, so I had to try it! I'm glad we added it on because it was also super tasty. Six dishes would probably have been the perfect amount, but I was being a bit glutinous that night! Overall, I really enjoyed the food at Bang!, but next time, I would skip the martini. There were a lot of other things that I wanted to try, but if I go back, it would probably only be on a Wednesday night to get more Bang! for my buck.
(4)Elisabeth W.
Bang! is of my favorite restaurants in Charlottesville (and there are a lot to choose from). They have an awesome martini list, an amazing menu, and a great atmosphere, both inside and outside. It is a great place for dinner or just for drinks. Super vegetarian friendly. A warning to those who don't like spicy food: a large portion of their menu is spicy. I think everything is delicious and I'm not even that huge a fan of spicy food but if you're really sensitive, I'd check and see with your server about which dishes are spicy.
(5)Tongtong Z.
Went for restaurant week dinner. Enjoyed their 60 second sirloin, Thai beef, and chicken satay. The presentation of these dishes were pretty good. But it was quite noisy inside the restaurant.
(4)Katie P.
Good food! Only thing was that they brought the food out very randomly and VERY slowly. The goat cheese (dumplings, idk) with the cilantro sauce is very good. If you are willing to wait and hang out for the food, I would say go for it. But if you want your food quickly, don't go.
(4)Jean P.
Consistently my favorite restaurant in Charlottesville. It's unpretentious and different- plus an amazing martini list! I've never had a bad meal here. Don't miss the haricot vert fries and the pork tacos!
(5)Daniel D.
Visited Bang on a Sunday with a couple of friends from school and it was overall a good visit. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating and both areas provide a great atmosphere. There are two menus, one with drinks and with food. The drink menu has a variety of cocktails, although the cocktails themselves are not heroes. On the other hand the food menu, even though it is relatively short for a Tapas style place it has something for everyone. It has a variety of vegetarian dishes, meat dishes and desserts. Every dish that we ordered offered an interesting experience with the tastebuds, as many of them are well built. In addition the service was very good, the server was attentive, and the food came out fast (this was a Sunday night, with only 3-4 tables busy). Overall, if you want a tapas experience that is not the typical Spanish food, Bang is worth the visit.
(4)Agnes L.
To clarify, I'm actually somewhere between a three and a four on my rating but rounded up because of one main reason... The drinks, alone = five stars The martini menu is extensive - the most variety that I have seen in Cville. And for a price range of $9-12, that is fairly reasonable for the quality. I had the signature drink, Sin City, which I enjoyed because its main flavor/ingredient was blackberry (which most people tend to rank the lowest on the berry scale, while it's actually my fav fruit). I could tell the fruit juice was fresh because the drink wasn't too syrupy or saccharine. The food: Bang! does Asian-fusion style tapas, almost like an Americanized version of Dim Sum. I'll preface this part by saying I may be biased or overly critical because I generally like authentic Chinese food more, after going to Chinatown almost every weekend while I lived in the Chicago area for five years. Therefore, some dishes were stellar to me and some could be improved. The dumplings (goat cheese and wild mushroom) and the pot stickers (crab) had similar texture as they were crispy (didn't expect that with the pot sticker, but not a big deal because I prefer the fried crunch over the traditional boiled version anyway) and all had a little more thickness than wonton wrappers yet were not too doughy. These three fillings are some of my all-time fav foods and, thankfully, there was a decent amount of filling in each bite. Bang! mastered the art of not overfilling these items (dumplings, pot stickers, wontons, etc.) so they did not burst, yet at the same time, they weren't lacking. However, the goat cheese one stole the show because it came with a creamy cilantro sauce and shredded zucchini in noodle form. I wasn't as happy with the mushroom because it seemed to have a bit of an off-putting, ground-up texture, possibly from being minced and cooked down. The sweet potato samosas were again particularly yummy because of the dough, as it was golden brown and flaky, almost like a pasty or pie dough. However, I would have preferred the sweet potatoes to be more tender or even mashed/pureed, as they were chopped and still had bite to them. Overall: A bit pricey, but so fun with a big group. Would like to return to try other tapas and martinis!
(4)Beth D.
Great martins. Wait staff friendly and great at making suggestions. Apps are awesome Need to go back for dinner
(4)J F.
Food was a mixed bag. Martinis were great but my friend's mojito was crap. Small plates like calamari were plumped up with a lot of salad. Decent but not great food in a nice outdoor setting.
(3)Michele V.
Good food but the cocktails are definitely the star feature! I have been here twice now and the pork and beef dumplings have been the best. A little pricey for the quality, although the portions are a decent size. This place has a nice ambience and is a wonderful place for a martini on the patio.
(4)Marc J.
Went in tonight during restaurant week. The special was 3 tapas each for three of us. 9 items total and all winners. The portions were more than we expected from a tapas place but so good that we didn't leave anything behind. Great martini menu. All in all a winner! Highly recommended.
(5)Wenzhao Z.
I've always heard good things about this place but I was very disappointed with it. The food was OKAY but it was probably because I grew up in Asia so personally I'd prefer something more authentic. Therefore, for food quality I would give it probably an above average. HOWEVER, the worst part is their service. The waitress was very rude and we sat at the table for an hour before our first dish came out. The rest of them took about half an hour and they're all in very small portions. Honestly, how long is it going to take to fry three dumplings?! Also the server did not even ask if I wanted to drink something besides water when she came over the first time and my water glass was left empty pretty much the whole time. Overall, even if the food is alright the service completely ruined the whole experience. Will not recommend going there for dinner.
(1)Jesse L.
I thought this place was absolutely amazing. I heard rumor that it was the same owner as Dish Tapas Bar in Lynchburg but this is a lot better. Large selection of deliciousness. Nice outdoor and indoor seating. The place looks like it was an old house they turned into a restaurant. Good service. Can be a wait at times. Check it out!
(5)Patch J.
Bang is good but not as sophisticated as it thinks. My most recent visit (and there have been several) was based on the usually good cocktails. Unfortunately, they did not prove able to make a classic martini in lieu of their more exotic fare. As for the food, some of it is quite excellent (the seared beef was quite good). My main complaint is that a huge amount of the dishes are highly similar. Specifcally, a large number of the dishes use the same "dumpling" format. Seems liek there is an excessive amount of fried pastries filled with various things. Almost every dish is accompanied by asian slaw of one sort or another. A little more variety would be nice from a small plates style place.
(3)Rob L.
Just dont go on Wednesdays! I love this place, the food is tasty and the service is friendly and the drinks pack a punch. On Wednesdays everything changes... Service is horrible, sat from 20 min before someone even came to our table and then didnt say anything other than here's the $6 menu and walk off. 30 min in, order is taken and loads of martinis come out before my simple glass of wine is delivered. No apology, no explanation, just slow. Clearly Bang is a great place, just completely unable to staff with proper levels and people who are friendly. :(
(3)Kemper M.
Excellent dining experience. Every dish presented was superb. The sixty second sirloin was perfect and my friend highly recommends the filo purse with kale and chèvre. There was some similarity with the wasabi mashed potatoes and mushrooms on both entrees however the mushrooms were prepared a little differently. The chocolate 3 way was intensely satisfying. And as others have stated, the mojito was excellent and definitely the bartender did not hold back on the alcohol.
(5)Sarah S.
I have been looking forward to trying this place out for a while, but I left severely disappointed. My friend and I were one of the few people there at 5:33 p.m. on a Saturday night. We ordered three dishes (tuna mango spoons, lamb ravioli, and crab pot sticks). The wait took so long, we left around 7:04 which I thought was just insane. Other people's food kept arriving first even though they arrived 30 minutes after us. The plates were extremely small. The $8 "tuna" mango spoons had only 2 tiny tiny pieces of tuna in them and the rest were mangoes. The worst was since this took so long we missed a show we really wanted to see. We did not expect this long of a wait, we should have really just walked out. The positives: the chocolate desert was nice. The waiter was nice. *If you think about coming here, seriously, don't.* And the kicker: we went to Mario and Luca's afterwards to get dumplings since we were still very hungry after our "food" that we paid $35 for.
(1)Patricia F.
OMG. My girlfriend told me about this place since I was visiting from out of town. The garden seating area looks like a little hideaway with the trees and lights. Everything I tried was good and I loved being able to share. Great place to bring a few friends and enjoy their food and drinks!
(5)Stacey P.
The service wasn't great and the food was average. It's a tapas place so you order a few small plates. None that we ordered seemed above average. We had the fried rice balls, kale ravioli, and the spring rolls. The waitress was busy but it still took a very long time to get drinks and then she couldn't really remember what we ordered.
(3)Lisa L.
Let me preface this review with the fact that I am not a "foodie." Rather I am someone who likes food. It doesn't have to be fancy or unique, it just has to taste good. Unfortunately, when I visited here I was left completely unsatisfied. First off, I have decided I am not a tapas fan. Which should not be held against restaurant, however I am just underwhelmed by the lack of food you actually get per "serving." You can always order more food I guess. The problem is that the people who work here are stuck up and could obviously care less about their jobs. It takes forever to get you food and when it arrives it is less than worth it. Big thumbs down for poor service and below average food.
(1)Cax D.
Fun place to go with a group of friends; I went a few weeks back for martinis and tapas. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the sweet potato samosas, I could eat those daily. I would suggest getting a side or rice to eat with the tapas...it's actually super good by itself as well. The da bomb basil martini is my favorite drink! Service was good, and quick. Plates were fired in a timely manner, by the time we were finishing one round of tapas, the next was coming out, great timing!
(4)Christian S.
Went back to Bang! at the invitation of the manager after the review of my last visit. I was glad to go again and give them another try. What a difference! We were there on Monday night (Nov. 18) and sat in a corner booth by the bar. Our server was absolutely perfect - she smiled, she was engaging, she patiently waited while I choose a beer, and throughout our meal she checked in a perfect intervals and really wanted to make sure we didn't run out of water (haha). A couple of our dishes were delivered by other people but this time when they came to the table they recalled the name of the dish and placed it nicely in front of us. During this visit we enjoyed the trio salad, Thai beef (yum!), pork spring roll, and herico verts. Everything was delicious and we were full when we left which surprised me since this is a "small plates" restaurant. We can love a restaurant for the food but never go back because of the service. I appreciate the manager reaching out to invite me back and I was so pleased to find what appeared to be a totally different staff - or maybe the same staff with a new attitude. It's easy to be nasty but even easier to do things right. Thanks, Bang!, for showing me that you know how to do the easy stuff. :-)
(4)Sarah K.
Came here a couple of years ago. Back in town to visit a friend and she suggested going here again. We did and it is as good as I remember it being last time. We had Martinis (wisteria lane and pantydrop) both were very good. Tried the fried calamari, chickpea spring rolls, and crab potstickers. All were good but definitely the first two were my favorite. Great atmosphere. Friendly service. If your in town looking for good food and great drinks - it's the place to go.
(5)S G.
We arranged a dinner for a bachelorette party here. The food was AMAZING, well-priced, and the manager helped me organize everything. The staff was friendly, drinks were good, and everyone was so happy with everything. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Justin F.
Asian-fusion tapas? Yes, please! This place has amazing small plate options that should be shared amongst the table. It can run a little expensive if you'd like a full meal, but it's definitely worth it. Their cocktails are also really good - they have a whiskey martini that's unique and delicious.
(5)Cheryl W.
Mango martini= the best thing I have ever had to drink! Food was delish too. Camilla was a great bartender/waitress. Very friendly and the service was outstanding. I will be back next time I visit C-ville!
(5)Jamie D.
**This is a review of the bar/drinks only** I've been to Bang for drinks on two different occasions and both times were awesome! I've never enjoyed a meal at Bang (although the menu looks delish), but their martinis sure are bangin'. Yea, that was cheesy... and I'm sure no one has ever used that one before. Both of my visits were during weekend getaways to CVille, months apart, and I was extremely pleased both times. The first time was for after-dinner drinks with the bf, when we weren't quite ready to call it a night and just wanted a chill spot to score solid cocktails (well, I wanted a cocktail, he wanted a beer). Bang was perfect since we were staying at a b&b just a stone's throw from the restaurant. The bartenders and servers were engaging and friendly, and the drinks were totally on-point. Flavorful, strong, and completely unboring - just how I like them. The second visit was with the bf and a friend of ours who lives in CVille. We sat outside on the front deck, again sipping drinks, and the atmosphere couldn't have been more ideal. It was lively without being too loud, and our glasses never went empty. Bang is definitely on my must-visit list for our next weekend trip to CVille. Their drinks and porch are calling my name...
(5)Richard H.
After a 7 hour drive from NJ to 200 South Street Inn, we were tired and hungry. The Inn Keeper suggested Bang (right across the street) and we took her up on it. Very glad we did. Great Asian Fusion Food Tapas Style. Great Martini Bar. Food was so good we went back for diner on our last night.
(4)Laura M.
I really enjoy Bang!, although, on a student budget, I can really only afford to go on Wednesdays for their $6 martinis. They have a great martini selection every night and pick a few off the list on Wednesdays to be $6 instead of the regular $10. These plates were made for sharing, so the portions sizes are great to get a few bites of each plate among a group. The pulled pork tacos with the wasabi slaw are to die for, as well as the chickpea spring rolls, fried green beans, eggplant tempura, and tuna tartare pizza. They accept reservations for parties of 6 or larger, otherwise be sure to get there early on Wednesdays or expect a wait.
(4)Ted D.
Food was mediocre at best. The sushi making skills need improvement for sure. The interior of the place needs an makeover, even the dim lighting couldn't hide that fact.
(1)Richard S.
Bang! There goes your wallet. The drinks were good, but the food was pretty underwhelming. Maybe I'm just really picky about so-called "Asian fusion" but I thought it was a half-assed job. Some items were also underseasoned and overcooked.
(2)Sam A.
Went to Bang on a Friday evening. They had about 8 tables. We were sat upstairs in a back corner. We got drinks and then waited for the waitress to come back for our order. We waited 25 minutes before we got up and went to find her. We then got all 6 tapas delivered to us at once. Never got drink refills. One of the tapas was rather burnt. Expected much better. Will not be returning.
(1)Michelle S.
Great food!! AND $6 food and drink menu on Wednesday! Can't beat that with a bat! This Asian-y tapas spot has a great variety of small plates at a pretty good price, the $6 Wednesday menu has a few stars such as the Pulled Pork taco, boldly seasoned with a sweet/spicy sauce that has a hint of cinnamon . . . and the Eggplant Tempura was FANTASTIC!! On the regular menu I tried the spicy lamb with lettuce wraps which was so delicious and worth the extra few bucks. In the "also-ran" category were the Tuna Tar tare pizza (4 bite size portions on pita), the spicy tuna and crab roll, and the lobster ravioli . . .good, but not exceptional The $6 Pom-tini was tasty, but I couldn't detect the vodka . . . that's what lost them the 5th star. I will definitely visit this cute converted townhouse again when in Charlottesville.
(4)Pants F.
I am a big eater, so tapas usually means I will be wanting to stop at a Taco Bell on the way home for Nachos Bell Grande or something, so while I wanted to try this place I was prepared to walk away hungry. Three items ended up being plenty for me. Standout number one: the beet salad. I love that dish, and have eaten it many different places. They totally nail it! The other one that I loved was the pulled pork tacos. They had some heat to them, and are served with a wasabi slaw that kicked butt! I didn't get any of their signature martinis, instead opting for something a bit more standard. But a good drink nonetheless. A little bit pricey, so I was inclined to nick them a star for that, but I just go back to that food. Too good, and worth it.
(5)Jeff S.
Man, what a difference good service makes - see my review of Mas Tapas... We sat at the bar as the outdoor seating was all booked up. We had a very attentive bartender take care of us over 90 minutes as we tried 6-7 plates. As everyone else has mentioned, this is not the place for a cheap date. We dropped $120 w/o tips, but we also had martinis and some cold sake...however I'd say it's worth it. The drinks are well made and liberally poured. The restaurant itself appears to be a older 50's home, just great atmosphere. The only misstep was the edamame- it was over-cooked and had weird stuff on it.
(4)Tee C.
extensive martini list and vegan menu. the vegan options were super tasty but unfortunately i had to order 3 things to get full/not be drunk--a trio of fresh tasty salads, mushroom dumplings, udon. the lychee martini was super yummy and VERY strong. i definitely needed the udon at the end to not be drunk. it was a bit pricey.
(4)Joy G.
Well, I suppose fair's fair. I was in the bathroom when the server offered to take the 20% off, and that was pretty decent of him to do so. Bumping it up to 3 stars, but I'm contesting the assertion that 2-3 tapas plates is enough for one person. Maybe if I ate a cheeseburger beforehand.
(3)Jim L.
We stopped in on a Wednesday evening. The place was packed and loud, but being about 30 years older than the average guest, we were immediately shown to what was probably the quietest corner upstairs. Thoughtful. We were only looking for a light meal and picked four dishes from their menu. All were good. The service was patient as we tried to make our choices and the arrival of our four plates was well paced. Given that the place was hopping, I thought that the service was very good, so I don't share the service issues of the other reviewers. Our modest meal with one drink each was $42 - totally reasonable in my view. A good night out.
(4)Brian F.
This is my favorite place to bring out-of-town visitors (at least those without kids). It's tapas-style asian fusion: many asian-inspired dishes, but with a twist, like a Tempura-fried nori roll. The tapas are inventive and really delicious and it's great to be able to sample so many different dishes that you've never had elsewhere. As many of the dishes are fairly small, you'll definitely want to order at least 3 per person (which does not make for a cheap meal, but definitely worth the price in my book). As soon as you do, they start coming out quickly, as they're prepared (and it's nice that you can add more later if you've found you've under-ordered or found something you want more of). The restaurant is hip (for Charlottesville), but comfortable and they have an extensive and creative Martini menu. I highly recommend Bang!
(5)Lee R.
The service was very friendly and the martinis were phenomenal. We didn't eat any of the food so I can't speak to that. Keep up the great attitude!
(5)Madi W.
Great food, drinks, service. Get the Sin City martini!
(5)John Penn T.
We went to Bang 7/11/12 to celebrate a couple of birthdays with a party of 5. They auto tip 20% on 5 or more. Dinner was very good but the service was nonexistent. 40 min before apps arrived and then another 40 min to dinner. Then, the coffee and water we requested with desert never arrived. We had to go find someone to bring our check as the waitperson was nowhere to be found. Even with the good food, we likely will not return. Remember- the wait person receives their tip even if they haven't earned it- she clearly doesn't deliver!
(1)Ashley A.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Charlottesville. The food is just as amazing as the drinks. The "Sin City" martini, it's dangerously delicious!! I've been coming here for years and have never been disappointed. Thanks!!
(5)Laura H.
Came here for restaurant week. For appetizers, I got the thai meatballs with rice noodles which was good but nothing really special since it just seemed like meatballs soaked in sweet & sour sauce. I should have gotten my friend's lobster bisque that looked quite delicious. For the main course, got the short ribs which I really enjoyed. The meat was tender and juicy and also a big portion. The opera cake for dessert was amazing. This was my first time I've tasted opera cake so I really enjoyed it! Probably won't come back since I'm not a big fan of asian fusion but still wanted to try this place out.
(3)Anna B.
Great martinis, decent food. Bang!'s martinis are enough of a reason to journey Downtown. I am particularly fond of Sin City and Pink Squeeze. As for the food, Bang! leaves a little to be desired. After having been to Bang! several times for their drinks, I decided tonight to actually try their food. My friend and I ordered the Fried rice balls, Wild mushroom dumplings, Tempura Nori rolls with salmon, and the Blackened mahi. Both the rice balls and dumplings made for okay appetizers - the dipping sauce was scrumptious. I would describe them as the Asian-fusion version of comfort foods. As for the main courses, I found the rolls to be way too salty-especially the soy sauce served with them. I have never had worse soy sauce. In contrast, the mahi was delicious. It was delightfully crispy on the outside and tasty on the inside. Overall, for the price I was paying for this tapas/dim sum style meal, I expected a whole lot more tastiness! (However, the portions were generous and we ended up having more food than we could devour) And, just to echo all the other reviews, Bang!'s service is absolutely horrible. It is slow, unfriendly, and they don't validate parking. All in all, I definitely intend to go back to Bang! for their martinis but I would probably pass up an invitation to go for dinner.
(4)JiaJia T.
This is a place that seems to get recommended quite a lot. I don't know if people like the posh interior or the drinks or the food... the decor is asian inspired and the food and drinks have asian influence as well, at least in the names. When I tasted the vietnamese spring rolls (cha gio) and chicken satay... it was utter disappointment. Chicken was not only dry but was slightly burnt! I had a huge craving for cha gio and it tasted nothing like it and it didnt even taste good. There was barely any filling. Drinks are mediocre -- i had the lychee martini. Won't be going back!
(2)Jackie B.
This review is more for the service than the food/drinks. The martinis at Bang are fantastic and the food was pretty good but the servers and bartenders are incredibly RUDE! This is now the third time that I have been to Bang, each with different sets of people and everyone has agreed that each time the experience has been less than pleasant. The short haired blonde bartender has a bad attitude and has been unpleasant from the beginning everytime I have ordered drinks from her. Other waitresses were equally unpleasant and seemed to be more interested in laughing with each other than with serving the barely fully restaurant. If Bang wants to stay in business they should seriously reevaluate their staff because for as good as the drinks there are I will probably not go back based on the service, or lack there of.
(2)Em B.
One of my favorite Charlottesville restaurants! The firecracker shrimp is awesome. Our standard dinner for 2: two firecracker shrimp, pork tacos, salmon rolls. The 60-second sirloin is sometimes great. The rest of the tapas are decent, not stellar. Go for the shrimp! Update: Ate here again in June 2013 and it wasn't as good as I remembered. The firecracker shrimp is still worth trying.
(3)Jennifer W.
My friends and I go to Bang for their 6 dollar menu on Tuesdays, otherwise, be prepared to spend quite a lot of money on not a lot of food. The indoor seating is awkward. We once had a party upstairs and were forced to sit right outside the bathroom door. It was awkward to have to get up to let people past to use the toilet and it was NOT appetizing. The food sounds more creative and exciting than it tastes. I will say that their beat salad was a good beat salad. The calamari is fine. If you order five or six things, you will certainly like one or two of them. But the service...ugh. It can take upwards of 20 minutes to get your drink (even though you may very well see it sitting on the bar) and the waitstaff is not friendly. Often the patio is practically empty, but perhaps they are under-staffed, because they still make you wait for a table... There are a lot of better places to go in Cville for the money. If you want tapas, go to Mas.
(2)Scott O.
Awesome food. Portions are pretty big, Decent beer selection. Pulled pork tacos were probably the best dish, but everything was good.
(5)Deepika J.
The best martinis in Cville. I had the pear martini. absolutely yum. the asian tapas were good too but the variety was exactly the same last year. They need to update their menu and increase the variety. Our server was awful. Not the best customer service. she was rude and unpleasant like she was doing us a favor by serving us. The price was decent for a fun night out in cville. we paid $40 per head including food, drinks and tips.
(4)Mary W.
I came here with my boyfriend under the recommendation of my roommate. I heard stories of how people rave about this place & it's sort of addicting, so I wanted to try it out when my boyfriend came to town. Sadly, it was a huge letdown :( It's a tapas style restaurant, which I love, I felt that it was a bit overpriced for the quality & type of food they served. A lot of the dishes kind of reminded me of my mom's (but in tinier portions & with fancier names), or felt too "overdone" in terms of trying to bring in the Asian flavors. I didn't really feel the "fusion" part of the Asian fusion & you will see that when they did try to bring in Western flavors, it failed miserably. Overall, it was just expensive Asian food. I would not pay $3 for coconut rice, or edamame, especially since most Asian places give rice & edamame to you for free. And I certainly would not pay $9 for pho! But, that is not to say that some of the dishes were not tasty. The firecracker shrimp was pretty good, as were the tempura haricot vert fries. The wasabi slaw went surprisingly well with a lot of the dishes, since it sort of served as a refreshing palate cleanser. But again, not worth the money. Finally, my word of advice: DO NOT GET THE EDAMAME RAVIOLI (it was possibly the worst thing I've ever eaten). Props on trying to be creative & "fusiony" though. Bang! does however have a huge selection of cocktails. We tried the Lychee one & was pretty good. Anyone know of any Happy Hour deals? Good happy hour deals & a revamping of the menu would probably be the only reasons to bring me back.
(3)Wen T.
Went there last night for dinner as part of Restaurant Week. That's where you get three courses for $26. I got the beet salad, the seared sesame-crusted tuna and banana fritters. Beet salad: beets were well cooked and the goat cheese was a nice touch even though I'm not a huge fan of goat cheese. The watercress came in big bunches, and some of the stems were too hard to chew. Seems the prep cooks could've done a better job of getting rid of the tough stems before throwing it into the salad. Tuna: it came with wasabi sauce all over the plate. There was also wasabi in the Asian slaw that came with it. I know a lot of people like wasabi but I absolutely hate it and I was surprised it wasn't mentioned in the description of the tuna on the menu. (I actually avoided ordering the braised short ribs because it came with wasabi mashed potatoes.) I asked the server if they could remake the dish without wasabi and they did. The dish has a lot of potential but the seared tuna was overcooked and the cucumber salad that came with it was room temperature instead of cold. And the cucumbers were mushy instead of crisp. Banana fritters: excellent. Battered and fried with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce drizzled on the plate. Lychee Avalanche martini: Good flavor but it wasn't cold. I like my martinis to be ice cold. I had to ask for a glass of ice so I could make it cold enough to drink. For $9, it should've been better. Other comments: Service was okay... the hostess who seated us failed to mention that the Restaurant Week menus were on the table in a little canister. We sat there for awhile before our server came over to ask us what we wanted to eat and we asked for the menu. She then pointed out where they were. The restaurant was not air conditioned. This was surprising given that the high yesterday was 92 degrees with 76% humidity. Maybe that's why my cucumber salad and martini were lukewarm. Our table was also wobbly which was a bit annoying.
(3)Leo C.
bartending and wait staff rock! and you must get the pork tacos...
(5)Christin C.
When I lived in Charlottesville Bang was the place to go with a couple girlfriends for drinks! They make some great martinis, the standout being the Sin City. It's by far the best martini on the menu! Bang is a great place to go with a couple friends and sit, enjoy your martinis and order apps as you see fit. I like their concept, they bring the food out as its ready so you are noshing the whole time you are there which is nice. However, you won't leave full, so if you are looking for a full dinner this is not the place. They have a great patio that is so nice to sit and relax on a warm spring night!
(4)Lisa S.
YUM! Creative, interesting, delicious, healthy food. Love this place, and it's cozy atmosphere. Been there numerous times, and it has never disappointed. Great choice for fellow vegetarians!
(5)Elise H.
Very poor wine selection. Food lacks flavor balance, of 3 dishes all were moderately overdone, and none were very creative. The staff were nice, but I wouldn't return for the food.
(2)Brie K.
One of the two best tapas restaurants in Cville, I have been here about five times since moving to Charlottesville. I love their four minute sirloin and their seared tuna, and their lychee martini keeps me coming back! It's cute inside but a little small, so make sure to come early to get a table.
(4)Kristen U.
I used to come here at least once a week while attending UVA. It was without a doubt my favorite spot for food and drinks.
(4)John B.
My wife and I dined here last night, and loved it. The waitress Camilla called it a Asian fusion tapas and martini bar, which seemed like a fitting description to us. We happened to arrive on a Wednesday night, when they have short menu of $6 specials and drinks. We tried several tapas, a glass of wine and a martini. We enjoyed every one of them. Service was quick. Staff was pleasant. Seating was a little tight in the old house. Several seats are low cushions or chairs which wouldn't appeal to me, but were heavily used by others thru the evening. I would definitely go back. The only negative during our visit was the crowd noise level, mostly due to a large table of partiers. Once they left, it was fine.
(4)Kathy L.
Fun martinis, a fun building to sit in, but a bit pricey for what you get. The martins are ~$8-$10 and so are the dishes, which are all mostly asian-inspired tapas. Good: 60 second sirloin, Asian nachos, coconut rice. Ok ok, the Asian nachos are just fried wonton skins with dipping sauce so it probably isn't worth whatever it was that I paid. I go to Bang occasionally to hang out with friends, and chose to host a bachelorette party there. I chose Bang because it has fun drinks, the portions can be shared easily (but it's not cheap), and there are a fair amount of vegetarian tapas options, which is important to a lot of my friends. The noise and smoke level is also much lower than a typical bar, so -- wow -- you can actually hear when people are talking to you. I highly recommend the outdoor seating if the weather is nice. There are soft white lights outside (not red), and some nice seating underneath fig trees. Parking can be found in the South Street Garage (closes at 1 AM) or on the street.
(3)Dean R.
If you're hungry, grumpy, or out to an obligatory dinner with acquaintances or clients you'd rather avoid, skip Bang. If you have a few hours and dollars to burn, no other plans for the evening, aren't particularly hungry, and the company is good, then it just might be the place to go and be trendy hipsters. For the next 7 hours. Behind the free parking on the downtown mall is Bang. Bang bills itself as Asian tapas (so...dim sum?) that's not dim sum (damn). Following in the passee tradition of Asian fusion (for those that aren't aware, fusion cuisine is a blend of Asian and Pretense, thus creating a mixture or 'fusion'), Bang's list of small plates is already only half a page. Like Dick Cheney's diary, it's reduced further by black sharpee redaction lines across some of the more appetizing-sounding offerings. We had done appetizers elsewhere, so only ordered a few offerings. The first to come out was the Korean beef in lettuce cups. The 'cup' is a leaf of bib lettuce sitting underneath a thin strip of beef, with a tiny dipping sauce on the side. After one bite, the need for sauce became apparent. Nothing could save it from dryness, but at least the sauce added much needed flavor. Seasoning, people. Seasoning. At this point, two of four ordered drinks still had not arrived, one of which was mine, and the beef was so dry that it was actively sucking the moisture from my body. Fortunately drinks arrived before I became overwhelmingly dehydrated (but wouldn't that have been great to watch?) About twenty minutes later, when the drinks arrived with the 'sides' we had ordered, we got to taste some coconut rice and edamame. While the small plates are meant for sharing, the sides are clearly a per-person deal. Fortunately, only one of the two was in demand. The coconut rice was milky and sweet, with just a hint of crunch (and this is coming from someone who hates coconut). There was nothing in particular that the rice went with, as none of other small plates had arrived yet, but it stood on its own. The same could not be said for overcooked edamame sprinkled with prepackaged bread crumbs. I'll let you imagine this one on your own. About ten hours later, the second entree came out. There was more to go around (in the style of the Donner party, we had consumed one of our guests out of waiting hunger, and now split each between the remaining three of us) of the shrimp with noodles and chiles. One in our group was allergic to peanuts, so we opted out of that, and to Bang's credit the request was satisfied without muss or fuss. Unlike the rest of the meal. To be frank, I was so hungry that I don't even remember what this tasted like, except to say that there must have been a carrot truck that had broken down outside and started handing out produce for free. Finally, a long awaited thai beef with soba noodles arrived in a heap of buckwheat. One bite and I was done - the food was drenched in cilantro, to a point where nothing else reached the senses. In the end, our sesame tuna never reached the table - the waitress forgot, and we weren't interested in staying another week. We told her not to worry about it, and after returning the check which still listed the dish, paid and left. The food was certainly edible, but the service made the restaurant near intolerable. Fortunately, the conversation was good and so the time passed quickly. But for three small appetizers, the two hour dinner could have been cut down significantly. Bang forgot that the point of tapas is to sample different flavors at the same time. The beauty of small plates is all the offerings arrive at once, and then get to graze. Instead, the menu was so slow that we found ourselves eating the garnish on the plates and drinking the dipping sauce for sustenance.
(2)