diff --git a/cypress/integration/rendering/xyChart.spec.js b/cypress/integration/rendering/xyChart.spec.js
index bdb0b65ff..a47c87987 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/rendering/xyChart.spec.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/rendering/xyChart.spec.js
@@ -330,7 +330,9 @@ describe('XY Chart', () => {
       title "Basic xychart with multiple datasets"
       x-axis "Relevant categories" [category1, "category 2", category3, category4]
       y-axis Animals 0 --> 160
-      bar [["dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]],["cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]],["birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]]]
+      bar "dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]
+      bar "cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]
+      bar "birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]
       `,
         {}
       );
@@ -344,7 +346,9 @@ describe('XY Chart', () => {
       title "Basic xychart with multiple datasets"
       x-axis "Relevant categories" [category1, "category 2", category3, category4]
       y-axis Animals 0 --> 160
-      bar [["dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]],["cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]],["birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]]]
+      bar "dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]
+      bar "cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]
+      bar "birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]
       `,
         {}
       );
diff --git a/demos/xychart.html b/demos/xychart.html
index bfa7f12b1..8cd6a64af 100644
--- a/demos/xychart.html
+++ b/demos/xychart.html
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@
       title "Basic xychart with multiple datasets"
       x-axis "Relevant categories" [category1, "category 2", category3, category4]
       y-axis Animals 0 --> 160
-      bar [["dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]],["cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]],["birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]]]
+      bar "dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]
+      bar "cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]
+      bar "birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]
     </pre>
 
     <h1>XY Charts bar horizontal with multiple datasets</h1>
@@ -76,7 +78,9 @@
       title "Basic xychart with multiple datasets"
       x-axis "Relevant categories" [category1, "category 2", category3, category4]
       y-axis Animals 0 --> 160
-      bar [["dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]],["cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]],["birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]]]
+      bar "dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]
+      bar "cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]
+      bar "birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]
     </pre>
 
     <h1>XY Charts line single dataset</h1>
diff --git a/docs/syntax/xyChart.md b/docs/syntax/xyChart.md
index a1494b396..b6e904a27 100644
--- a/docs/syntax/xyChart.md
+++ b/docs/syntax/xyChart.md
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ xychart-beta
       title "Basic xychart with multiple datasets"
       x-axis "Relevant categories" [category1, "category 2", category3, category4]
       y-axis Animals 0 --> 160
-      bar [["dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]],["cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]],["birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]]]
+      bar "dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]
+      bar "cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]
+      bar "birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]
 ```
 
 ```mermaid
@@ -45,7 +47,9 @@ xychart-beta
       title "Basic xychart with multiple datasets"
       x-axis "Relevant categories" [category1, "category 2", category3, category4]
       y-axis Animals 0 --> 160
-      bar [["dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]],["cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]],["birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]]]
+      bar "dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]
+      bar "cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]
+      bar "birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]
 ```
 
 ### combined bar/line chart displaying 2 datasets
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison
index a52c2ebe0..987132d17 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison
@@ -102,28 +102,13 @@ statement
   | Y_AXIS parseYAxis
   | LINE plotData                                               { yy.setLineData({text: '', type: 'text'}, $plotData); }
   | LINE text plotData                                          { yy.setLineData($text, $plotData); }
-  | BAR datasets                                                { yy.setBarData($datasets); }
+  | BAR plotData                                                { yy.setBarData({text: '', type: 'text'}, $plotData); }
+  | BAR text plotData                                           { yy.setBarData($text, $plotData); }
   | acc_title acc_title_value                                   { $$=$acc_title_value.trim();yy.setAccTitle($$); }
   | acc_descr acc_descr_value                                   { $$=$acc_descr_value.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
   | acc_descr_multiline_value                                   { $$=$acc_descr_multiline_value.trim();yy.setAccDescription($$); }
   ;
 
-datasets
-  : SQUARE_BRACES_START datasetBraced SQUARE_BRACES_END                { $$ = [$datasetBraced] }
-  | datasetBraced                                                      { $$ = [$datasetBraced] }
-  | dataset                                                            { $$ = [$dataset] }
-  ;
-
-datasetBraced
-  : SQUARE_BRACES_START dataset SQUARE_BRACES_END COMMA datasetBraced  { $$ = [$dataset, ...$datasetBraced] }
-  | SQUARE_BRACES_START dataset SQUARE_BRACES_END                      { $$ = [$dataset] }
-  ;
-
-dataset
-  : plotData                                                           { $$ = ['', $plotData] }
-  | text plotData                                                      { $$ = [$text, $plotData] }
-  ;
-
 plotData
   : SQUARE_BRACES_START commaSeparatedNumbers SQUARE_BRACES_END   { $$ = $commaSeparatedNumbers }
   ;
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison.spec.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison.spec.ts
index cca21720e..e44b10403 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/parser/xychart.jison.spec.ts
@@ -338,9 +338,10 @@ describe('Testing xychart jison file', () => {
       expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
       expect(mockDB.setYAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'yAxisName', type: 'text' });
       expect(mockDB.setXAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'xAxisName', type: 'text' });
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [{ text: 'barTitle', type: 'text' }, [23, 45, 56.6, 0.22]],
-      ]);
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        { text: 'barTitle', type: 'text' },
+        [23, 45, 56.6, 0.22]
+      );
     });
     it('parse bar Data spaces and +,- symbol', () => {
       const str =
@@ -348,9 +349,10 @@ describe('Testing xychart jison file', () => {
       expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
       expect(mockDB.setYAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'yAxisName', type: 'text' });
       expect(mockDB.setXAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'xAxisName', type: 'text' });
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [{ text: 'barTitle with space', type: 'text' }, [23, -45, 56.6]],
-      ]);
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        { text: 'barTitle with space', type: 'text' },
+        [23, -45, 56.6]
+      );
     });
     it('parse bar Data without plot title', () => {
       const str =
@@ -358,7 +360,7 @@ describe('Testing xychart jison file', () => {
       expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
       expect(mockDB.setYAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'yAxisName', type: 'text' });
       expect(mockDB.setXAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'xAxisName', type: 'text' });
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([['', [23, -45, 56.6]]]);
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: '', type: 'text' }, [23, -45, 56.6]);
     });
     it('parse bar should throw for unbalanced brackets', () => {
       let str =
@@ -394,12 +396,14 @@ describe('Testing xychart jison file', () => {
       expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
       expect(mockDB.setYAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'yAxisName', type: 'text' });
       expect(mockDB.setXAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'xAxisName', type: 'text' });
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [{ text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' }, [23, 45, 56.6]],
-      ]);
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [{ text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' }, [13, 42, 56.89]],
-      ]);
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        { text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' },
+        [23, 45, 56.6]
+      );
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        { text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' },
+        [13, 42, 56.89]
+      );
       expect(mockDB.setLineData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         { text: 'lineTitle1', type: 'text' },
         [11, 45.5, 67, 23]
@@ -428,12 +432,14 @@ describe('Testing xychart jison file', () => {
         { text: 'category 2', type: 'text' },
         { text: 'category3', type: 'text' },
       ]);
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [{ text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' }, [23, 45, 56.6]],
-      ]);
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [{ text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' }, [13, 42, 56.89]],
-      ]);
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        { text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' },
+        [23, 45, 56.6]
+      );
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        { text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' },
+        [13, 42, 56.89]
+      );
       expect(mockDB.setLineData).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         { text: 'lineTitle1', type: 'text' },
         [11, 45.5, 67, 23]
@@ -448,31 +454,43 @@ describe('Testing xychart jison file', () => {
   describe('multiple datasets', () => {
     it('parse 2 datasets', () => {
       const str =
-        'xychart-beta\nx-axis xAxisName\ny-axis yAxisName\nbar [["barTitle1" [23, 45, 56.6]],["barTitle2" [13, 42, 56.89]]]';
+        'xychart-beta\nx-axis xAxisName\ny-axis yAxisName\nbar "barTitle1" [23, 45, 56.6]\nbar "barTitle2" [13, 42, 56.89]';
       expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
       expect(mockDB.setYAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'yAxisName', type: 'text' });
       expect(mockDB.setXAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'xAxisName', type: 'text' });
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [
-          [{ text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' }, [23, 45, 56.6]],
-          [{ text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' }, [13, 42, 56.89]],
-        ],
-      ]);
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+        1,
+        { text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' },
+        [23, 45, 56.6]
+      );
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+        2,
+        { text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' },
+        [13, 42, 56.89]
+      );
     });
 
     it('parse 3 datasets', () => {
       const str =
-        'xychart-beta\nx-axis xAxisName\ny-axis yAxisName\nbar [["barTitle1" [23, 45, 56.6]],["barTitle2" [13, 42, 56.89]],["barTitle3" [18, 37, 56.1]]]';
+        'xychart-beta\nx-axis xAxisName\ny-axis yAxisName\nbar "barTitle1" [23, 45, 56.6]\nbar "barTitle2" [13, 42, 56.89]\nbar "barTitle3" [18, 37, 56.1]';
       expect(parserFnConstructor(str)).not.toThrow();
       expect(mockDB.setYAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'yAxisName', type: 'text' });
       expect(mockDB.setXAxisTitle).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'xAxisName', type: 'text' });
-      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
-        [
-          [{ text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' }, [23, 45, 56.6]],
-          [{ text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' }, [13, 42, 56.89]],
-          [{ text: 'barTitle3', type: 'text' }, [18, 37, 56.1]],
-        ],
-      ]);
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+        1,
+        { text: 'barTitle1', type: 'text' },
+        [23, 45, 56.6]
+      );
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+        2,
+        { text: 'barTitle2', type: 'text' },
+        [13, 42, 56.89]
+      );
+      expect(mockDB.setBarData).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+        3,
+        { text: 'barTitle3', type: 'text' },
+        [18, 37, 56.1]
+      );
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/xychartDb.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/xychartDb.ts
index 595c9c6a6..637477f28 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/xychartDb.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/xychart/xychartDb.ts
@@ -169,23 +169,14 @@ function setLineData(title: NormalTextType, data: number[]) {
   plotIndex++;
 }
 
-type NamedDataset = [title: NormalTextType, data: number[]];
-
-function setBarData(datasets: NamedDataset[]) {
-  datasets[0]
-    .filter((dataset) => Array.isArray(dataset))
-    .forEach((dataset) => {
-      const data = dataset as any as NamedDataset;
-      const plotData = transformDataWithoutCategory(
-        Array.isArray(data[1]) ? data[1] : (dataset as any as number[])
-      );
-      xyChartData.plots.push({
-        type: 'bar',
-        fill: getPlotColorFromPalette(plotIndex),
-        data: plotData,
-      });
-      plotIndex++;
-    });
+function setBarData(title: NormalTextType, data: number[]) {
+  const plotData = transformDataWithoutCategory(data);
+  xyChartData.plots.push({
+    type: 'bar',
+    fill: getPlotColorFromPalette(plotIndex),
+    data: plotData,
+  });
+  plotIndex++;
 }
 
 function getDrawableElem(): DrawableElem[] {
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/docs/syntax/xyChart.md b/packages/mermaid/src/docs/syntax/xyChart.md
index c6653821d..91de2ba97 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/docs/syntax/xyChart.md
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/docs/syntax/xyChart.md
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ xychart-beta
       title "Basic xychart with multiple datasets"
       x-axis "Relevant categories" [category1, "category 2", category3, category4]
       y-axis Animals 0 --> 160
-      bar [["dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]],["cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]],["birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]]]
+      bar "dogs" [40, 20, 40, 30]
+      bar "cats" [20, 40, 50, 30]
+      bar "birds" [30, 60, 50, 30]
 ```
 
 ### combined bar/line chart displaying 2 datasets