Yes, it is totally over-run by tourists, terribly expensive, crowded and mostly ignored by the locals, -- BUT --’YA GOTTA GO TO HARRY‘S BAR! THE place where "PAPA" (Earnest Hemingway) drank with his cronies and absorbed the feel of Italy, this is a "Must See" for ALL Venice Visitors.
Opened in 1931 by Giuseppe Cipriani, it has been a classic ever since. This is a truly fine (and VERY expensive!) restaurant so unless you are extremely wealthy, plan to dine elsewhere. If you should decide to eat here anyway, reservations are a requirement, and are frequently very hard to come by.
Stop here and sip a Bellini, or just a glass of wine if you prefer. The yellow tablecloths and comfortable nautical ambiance will make you feel you have been invited to a private club. Kick back and conjure up memories of , "THE SNOWS OF KILLAMANJARO", "THE SUN ALSO RISES", "THE SNOW LEOPARD", and "FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS"! AH, the inspiration still remains -- what a place!
P.S. If you’d like to read about a quieter, simpler HARRY’S BAR, in Trieste, Italy--Go check out my journals on Trieste, only a 50 minute drive from Venice.