Dont bother going if youre not dressed to the nines. We were rudely turned away by the rudest waiter in Europe (no mean feat) for wearing shorts in 40 degree heat with the words "This place is not for you".
Frankly after thast I will not be returning even if dressed for the occasion.

A trip to "harry's bar" was supposed to be one of the highlites of our trip to venice. but the three very small "Bellini"(appro£35.00) cocktails were over priced and the service rubbish.

Harry's Bar might be the most overrated restaurant that I've ever eaten at in my entire life. I enjoy good food and don't mind paying for it. I also like a wonderful ambiance and don't mind paying for that either.
Harry's Bar had neither.

The ambiance, if you want to call it that, was cramped and stuffy with an interior that reminded me of my grandmother's dinning room. I can forgive the less than extravagant surroundings if the food satisfies the palate but the food was even more bland than the decor. I honestly could not figure out why they charge what they do when both the food and decor were so substandard.

My wife and I loved Venice but Harry's Bar might be the biggest dining disappointment I've ever experienced. Don't believe the hype. I don't normally take the time to submit restaurant reviews but I hope by doing so I'll save another couple the disappointment that we had. You will find much better restaurants near the Rialto bridge or down the many hidden side streets of Venice. Harry's Bar offers nothing you will remember from Venice except disappointment.

The folks that write that they love the place are probably the ones we saw all dressed up pretending to be royalty for a night and flashing their Rolexes every chance they got. If that is your cup of tea, and you're more concerned with strutting like a peacock instead of a good meal then Harry's is the place to be!

Some people may fancy themselves to be upper crust socialites, but in this average guys opinion, a visit to Harrys Bar is nothing more than an absolute waste of time and money!!!Earlier this month (July, 2003), my wife and I, along with another couple decided we would take a chance on Harrys Bar to see if it lived up to all the hype. Wed read that it was the most famous bar in Venice, the place that everyone must go. The four of us are night owls, are in the nightclub business, and enjoy the experience of a new place. So, we went. Disappointment is an understatement.First of all, its not a bar, its a restaurant. No real bar atmosphere here, not even close. Yes, there is a bar area (not very large) on the bottom floor, but it does not give one the sense of being in a typical bar. The lighting is bright, the decorations and furnishings are drab to simple, nothing at all special. Stuffy is a pretty good description.The place (upstairs and the majority of downstairs) is a basic set up of cramped together tables, so as to get as many people seated as possible, thereby allowing the waiters to present the shamefully overpriced menu. 38 Euros ($46) for a hamburger!! 32 Euros ($38) for a Chef Salad!! Im not kidding and neither are the other writers discussing the price of water and a cola.But, my wife and I, and the other couple do enjoy good food. Weve traveled a bunch and have experienced some great meals. Weve also paid top dollar on some of those meals. I believe eating a fantastically prepared and delicious meal is something worth spending money on. However, Harrys Bar, in my opinion is not the place to do it. I was a bit kinder than my wife when describing my Curry dish as so, so, but nowhere worth the price. She flat out called her Shrimp Scampi crap! Since we were expecting a bar, the other couple had eaten just a little earlier. They decided to share a Shrimp Scampi and described it as very average.On a brighter note, the wait staff were friendly, but we did not experience the full discourse of the menu as another writer mentioned. We did however catch a glimpse of the attitude mentioned when we refused desert and after dinner drinks. Sorry guys, but we had reached our limit at that time and did not intend to fuel it with more overpriced disappointment.With the VAT and table surcharge included, our hour and a half in Harrys Bar, Venice, Italy, 3 basic entrees and 3 drinks (water was one) cost us 260 Euros ($314).Venice, I cant get back there soon enough. Harrys Bar, never again, and I would never recommend it.