For Aventura resident Jennifer Hazan, finding a homey neighborhood bar to sip wine and unwind with friends was a challenge until she found Italian restaurant and lounge Bar Rosso in the heart of the restaurant chain-heavy city's downtown.

The former general manager of the restaurant -- now pursuing a new opportunity out of state -- was found sipping a glass of prosecco from the spot's selection of more than 100 wines during happy hour. ``I love the concept of this place,'' Hazan said. ``It's a very cool spot to hang out. It's not expensive and it's laid back. It's the only spot in town like it. Good food, great wine and not pretentious.''

Those who step inside the eatery will find a warm retreat that seems picked from an old Hollywood film. The 2,200-square-foot spot features a 21-foot-long full-service marble bar set off by scarlet wall tiling and soft red bar stools. It's perfect to perch on for conversation during Happy Hour where drinks and wines under $15 are buy-one-get-one-free if you purchase them from 5 to 7 p.m.

A large mahogany communal table can sit up to 20 people, perfect for the spot's Monday and Tuesday wine tasting events that are held on a weekly or once-a-month basis, depending on vendors.

For current general manager Ray Reeves of Tamarac, it's this type of environment that he believes helps Bar Rosso stand out from corporate heavyweights, which are the spot's toughest competition.

He said the restaurant is also available for private events, which could include anything from a birthday to a doggie bar mitzvah, which was recently celebrated in the restaurant's 1,500-square-foot outside dining area, also known as ``The Park.''

``We want people to come by for dinner, happy hour and after work to unwind,'' Reeves said. ``We get a nice mix here of young professionals and an older crowd. It's also a great spot for weekend unwinding, and we like to think of ourselves as Aventura's one and only wine establishment where you can come sample a variety of wines.''

Wines are a big draw at Bar Rosso, which is wall-to-wall with wine bottles and motifs.

Bar Rosso also offers wine decanters for those who purchase a vintage wine that needs to be aired out for taste.

Tastes are served by three-ounce piccolo or nine-ounce quartino pours.

Those seeking food to go with their wine can pick from chef Ross Stern's menu that includes meatball sliders, pizza and eggplant parmigiana. For an intimate dining experience, there are small tables meant to seat four to eight people around the dining room, which is usually full and bustling at dinnertime.

Young professionals seeking a night to dance, relax and unwind can attend the spot's Hot Hip Wednesdays, which feature drink specials from 9 p.m. to 1 or 2 a.m. and bottle-service specials on Grey Goose and Belvedere vodkas for $150.

For Sunny Isles Beach resident Laurie Wax, it's this type of selection and environment that keeps her coming back to Bar Rosso to meet friends or with her family.

``Aventura needed this,'' Wax said. ``It's easy for me to get here, just over the bridge. The food is good; the ambience is warm and inviting. The friendly wait staff makes the experience great. It's like being in a home away from home.''

For Aventura resident Laurie Hoffman, the eatery has become a top gathering spot for her and friends to catch up on their daily lives.

``It fits a niche market,'' she said.

``You can have a drink, chat with people, meet people and it doesn't feel like a club atmosphere. I'm hoping it brings the community together more and gets a repeat crowd.''

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@