Have came here a few time and was seated in their patio due to having a fur baby with us. They are very welcoming and pet friendly as far as having them on the patio with us. But during this visit, it was to celebrate one of my friends' birthday. We were a party of six and to our surprise, there were four other large parties there also, celebrating someone's birthday. This is important because even with all of the other large parties, our waitress, Fayezah made it seem like we were the only table she was serving that night. Not only was she very attentive, but she was fun and outgoing. She made it seem like she was a close friend that was hosting the dinner party. So yes, she was beyond professional in her service. As for the food, I can only tell you about what I ordered. There was so much good options to choose from risotto to fish to filet mignon and ribs to pasta and pizza. It was a hard decision but for appetizer, we had the avocado crab cake and the tanglier di mare. I am not a crab expert by all means but with this crab cake, the flavor of the crab taste like what I would normally taste when cracking my own boiled crab and eating it. That is how fresh it tasted to me. And for the tanglier de mare, with the assorted smoke tuna, swordfish, salmon, octopus and cod, the dish had an explosive amount of flavors to take in. Every bit changes with the different amount of proteins you consume. But the great thing about it was that the citrus dressing brings the dish together as one. For my main course, I choose the bone-in short rib along with the pappardelle bolognese. The short rib was cooked perfectly to the point that the meat just melts right off the bone with just a fork. Paired with veggies that consist of heirloom carrots, potatoes, cauliflower and cucumber makes the dish complete. And for the bolognese, you can tell the pasta is made in house due to the freshness of pappardelle and combined with the three meat ragu, the dish was an above average bolognese dish. And to finish off the night, I ordered the pistachio tiramisu. That was the best tiramisu I have ever had. If I wasn't so full, I would have ordered another one. As a matter of fact, just thinking about it have me wanting to go there now and order one. So, please give it a try and see for yourself. read more

Bari Ristorante - short rib and bolognese - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Nice ambiance Food was ok. Nothing special. Service is all over the place. Nothing bad to point out but nothing so spectacular that would make me return. read more

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This is a really nice fine dining Italian restaurant. Every restaurant in this district is pricey and Bari is no different. Service is excellent and the food was really good. If I wanted to take someone on a late night date, this would be on the list because it was open til 11pm on a Tuesday. You see a weird mix of families and older men with their sugar babies here. They have a 3 course meal for $55 which is reasonable. I had the tartufata pizza and my friend got the truffle pasta. The pizza used truffle oil while the pasta had actually shavings of truffle. You can taste the difference right away. The shavings contributed to a nice subtle flavour while the truffle oil can be overpowering. I actually would not have minded if the truffle oil had been missing. We tried several desserts in our group. The chocolate cake was nice without being overpowering in its sweetness. The mango cheesecake on the other hand; I just didn't like. The slight mango tart didn't go well with creamy sweetness for me. read more

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This where the everyone you need to know goes. I see why. It's fun boisterous not too loud bright energetic read more

Bari Ristorante - A cowgirl in Texas - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came in for HRW and we were not disappointed. Service was great and food was just as good. For my first course I ordered the fritto misto and the portion size was so large I was pretty much full. The calamari, shrimp, and artichokes were absolutely delicious with the aioli. For my second course I got the risotto & cheek. This risotto was creamy and smooth and the cheek was tender--although a tad salty. My favorite part was the pistachio tiramisu for dessert. It was light and airy, the perfect way to end a great dinner. read more

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Tried Bari for the first time during Houston Restaurant Week and it did not disappoint! The portions were super generous and the service was attentive and on point! The fried calamari was tasty and also came with several fried shrimp and fried artichokes! The most memorable dish was the beef cheek risotto! It was very creamy and the meat was delicious. Of course the pistachio tiramisu was unique and amazing! I will definitely be back! read more

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The service, food, and were drinks perfect, but I did not like eating here. There were so many young girls wearing short skirts with their makeup done, and some were even showing their backs. Loved the truffle pasta with the branzino, wife and I split our meals and I loved my old-fashioned. (My wife is sitting next to me) read more

Bari Ristorante - Mango cheesecake and pistachio tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

What a marvelous place to enjoy a nice day with delicious food. In the heart of River Oaks, Bari Restaurant is a great option to enjoy Italian food. With nothing but excellent service, you will have a wonderful dining experience. The staff is attentive and the food is 10/10. Come here for your birthday, for a business meal, for a romantic diner or with your girls, Bari restaurant meets everyone expectations. With an excellent wine list, original cocktails and freshly made dishes , you are guaranteed one of the best dining experiences. If the weather is nice, enjoy your experience in their beautiful patio, its lovely! read more

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Recommended to us by Loro Piana, we stopped in and requested patio seating. We were lucky enough to be seated immediately but then waited 10 minutes after being seated for our server to come by the table, though there were 4 other servers standing around the patio entrance. Drinks and food were ordered and we requested the food be spaced out accordingly from the appetizer to the salad and main course. The timing of our food delivery was horrible. There were tables seated after us that completed their entire visit before our main course arrived. My husband spoke to the manager about the lack of service and our server was switched, at our request. The newer server was much more attentive, making sure we had water refills and hot coffee after our meal. The patio setting is pretty and the atmosphere was nice but it took well over an hour to eat. If you are on a schedule, either let them know up front or choose a different location. read more

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This was our only disappointment this year for Houston Restaurant Weeks but most of it was due to service and atmosphere. This was our very first time at this restaurant and we were not impressed with the quality of service at all. We were seated at the bar even though we had reservations. We were not asked if we'd be ok with this decision which really bothered me. I can go to any chain restaurant and the hostess is going to ask if I am OK with sitting at the bar at a high top. The fact that this more elegant luxurious restaurant did not even ask us if that would be OK was definitely a mistep in their quality and service. We are shy people and we have a hard time telling others that we are not OK with things if not asked our preference up front and when taking us all the way to a table and asked to sit, we do have a hard time telling them no we don't want to sit there. So we already started off on a bad foot at this place. The bar was loud and noisy as we stared at an empty two seater table in the main dining area the entire meal. Why weren't we seated there? The drinks were terrible and abhorrently expensive. I've had better cocktails at chain restaurants for less money. Our waiter was a mess as well. He had a hard time hearing us at the bar. I tried to point to menu items, but he needed his glasses so that took a few minutes to arrange. He did not check on us that often. He just seemed overwhelmed. The food honestly had some really good points. The Frito misto was amazing. One of the best we had ever had, but it was tainted by our experience. The dessert was also very good. I definitely ordered the wrong entree for me but didn't feel comfortable returning it. It was the veal with melted cheese and tomatoes. When it came out, it definitely didn't look to the high caliber of their other dishes. I'm not sure why this was on their restaurant week menu as it's not on their normal menu and I can see why. The veal on their normal menu sounded more appetizing and had a better all around sauce and side dish. Sad this turned out badly as our good friends highly recommended this place. read more

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My husband and I celebrated my birthday there. It was 8pm on a Monday night. It wasn't overly crowded and the atmosphere was nice, clean, and everything fine dining should be. Our server was excellent. He gave us great recommendations on food and drinks. Oh! They did sing Happy Birthday to me with a sparkler. This place was amazing! The food was fresh, great quality, and seasoned just right. read more

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Food was amazing, authentic Italian. Pricey yes but worth it. Best Espresso Martini in Houston. Service was ok, a little slow. Very noisy, you can't really hear the music, constant echo. But overall a must try. read more

Bari Ristorante - Espresso Martini - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Absolutely amazing experience here. The vibes of this restaurant is amazing. It reminds me of Europe! It feels very elevated and love the patio outside. The service is also the cherry on top! Now onto the food. WOW. Loveeed everything we had. The crab and uni pasta was a special and was amazing. The truffle pasta delicious (offered via a cheese wheel). And the dessert was great too! read more

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I was welcomed in with great service and an even better server. Gerry was very on point with all of the daily specials and very attentive. I ordered the Pappardelle Bolognese with a glass of Pinot Noir and told him how I was celebrating a big win. The bolognese was delicious. I finished the whole plate. He then surprised me with a delicious a mango cheesecake with a sparkler! Most definitely will be back and recommend for great food and exceptional service. Ask for Gerry read more

Bari's service is extraordinary. The service is above and beyond any other restaurant in Houston. The ambiance has a European feel and no one seems to be in a hurry. The food is above average. We go for the service and scene more than for the food. We absolutely love the staff and owners. It is here to stay. read more

Bari Ristorante - The perfect place to take your family. - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Unfortunately the only photo I got was my espresso martini because the food was THAT good! We had everything from charcuterie, pastas and pizzas! Our waiter was so kind and attentive to our table to the point where one of the girls was really really late and he was kind to wait for her and continued to be attentive to the rest of us while we waited. The ambiance is very clean, cute, Italian restaurant in upper Houston area. I'd definitely go back! read more

Bari Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

While visiting the area, we went during restaurant week and were able to try a variety of menu options at a lower price point. The Fritto Misto was fresh and perfectly battered and fried. The service was on point and friendly. Will definitely go back when in town again. read more

Racist venue. I had date night reservations with my wife. I wore green slacks, black boots and had a white shirt like the picture shown and I was denied service bc my shirt didn't have sleeves, while a white man with an bass pro hat was eating peacefully in the middle of their restaurant. The host was nice and was about to sit me down until the white manager rushed to the front read more

Bari Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

This restaurant is in same plaza as iPIC, and you can park at the garage for free and walk to the restaurant. The restaurant gives out an Italy vibe when it comes to the design of it. Overall, the food and wine selection was great. The only thing that I wished that was better was, I personally didn't think the squid pasta dish, it did not have much flavor. The Bronzino was done perfectly, but I thought the pasta was OK. The espresso martini was a bit on the sweeter side for me, and I personally like slightly "cleaner" sweet espresso martini. They offer a nice variety of wine by glass that you can choose from. The desserts were great, especially the pistachio tiramisu. The food price is not outrageous for the area and the quality you get. I would like to say that the server we had, Darren, did a great job on accommodating with what we wanted for the evening. read more

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We decided to try Bari for our Anniversary celebration. The reviews on Yelp were mixed but the menu looked great. We were not disappointed! The staff was courteous and brought us a dessert of choice to help us celebrate our 41st anniversary. Thank you Martha and for taking great pics of us! The food was awesome. We toasted with Prosecco and had beet salad and baked oysters for appetizers. I got the squid ink pasta with rock shrimp and lobster my husband had the Branzino- all well done and nicely plated. The place gets a little loud especially since our table was right next to elevated bar. read more

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Banana fosters it's really good 5/5 I love my squid ink pasta 5/5 My hubby sea bass it's the best 6/5 Service is helpful read more

The service was impeccable and the staff was very attentive. The bone is short rib was tough and I did have to send it back but they got my new order out to me within 10 minutes. I would definitely recommend based on the experience alone. read more

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I had been wanting to visit Bari at the beautiful River Oaks District for several days so we went as two couples to enjoy a random brunch day. The place is beautiful and from the moment you walk in you feel a great vibe. The service is excellent. Everyone is kind and they know the menu well to make the right recommendations. We tried many dishes but the pesto risotto and even better the veal cheek risotto were wonderful. Do not miss them. The octopus was excellent and the pistachio tiramisu could not have been better. They have a full bar. We started with a perfectly balanced gin and tonic while the ladies as always preferred champagne. The wine list is good although most wines are very young but good enough to enjoy. This is a place to visit when you want to happily share in a lovely space with excellent service. A place to return to. Excellent experience Español: Tenía días queriendo ir a Bari en el bello centro comercial River Oaks District, así que nos fuimos dos parejas a disfrutar de un día cualquiera de brunch. El lugar está muy bello y desde que entras se siente su buena vibra. Muy bien atendido, todos amables y con buen conocimiento del menú para hacerte las recomendaciones correctas. Probamos muchas cosas, pero el risotto de pesto y, aún mejor, el risotto de cachete de ternera estaban maravillosos. No se los pierdan. El pulpo excelente y el tiramisú de pistacho no podía estar mejor. Tienen una barra completa. Nosotros comenzamos con un gin & tonic perfectamente balanceado, mientras las chicas, como siempre, prefirieron la champaña. Buena carta de vinos, aunque todos muy jóvenes, pero suficiente para disfrutar. Un sitio para ir cuando quieres compartir alegremente en un espacio muy lindo y excelentemente atendido. Un sitio para regresar. Excelente read more

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Contemporary, Classy vibe. Stopped in for late lunch & got the Branzino which is on the dinner menu. It was lightly seasoned. I could have used a bit more flavor, but it was ok. My daughter got the pappardelle bolognese which she enjoyed. The served complementary bread basket with 2 types of bread. My server was very attentive. No drinks. Can't quite put my finger on it. I expected to like this place more than I did. It was ok. i would try it again but im just not rushing to come back based on the 1 dish I had. read more

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I went to Bari with two girlfriends for Houston Restaurant Weeks to celebrate a birthday. We all opted for the HRW menu ($55 for three courses, with an optional $35 wine pairing). They started us off with complimentary bread and olives, which was a nice touch. My friends split a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. For appetizers, I had the Caesar salad - it was fine, nothing memorable - and my friend had the calamari, which she said was just okay as well. For mains, two of us chose the lasagna. The sauce was definitely the highlight, but overall it was decent rather than outstanding. Our other friend had the pesto risotto, which she enjoyed and said was good. Dessert was the pistachio tiramisu, and we all agreed it was just okay - good, but not something we'd rush back for. The atmosphere was nice; the vibes picked up as the night went on and the lights were dimmed, which made it feel cozy. The service, however, was disappointing. Our server only checked on us about three times the entire night, and we were left waiting more often than we'd like. A small but fun detail: I liked that they offered matches at the front. Overall, the food was good but not great, the ambiance was pleasant, but the service brought the experience down. read more

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My friend and I visited for lunch and the ambiance was great. We sit on the covered patio which had heaters so that was a plus. We had the Caesar salad with salmon, table side pasta, broccolini and potato. Everything was soooo yummy except for the potato. It was overcooked and burnt. The margarita was delicious as well. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu and made great recommendations. I took a star off because of the 2 hostess working neither one greeted me at all. They literally stood there staring at me like I was in the wrong place. Also, they seem to make a big deal because I didn't have a reservation when the restaurant was empty on a Tuesday around 12:30. We valeted for $10 or you can self park in the parking garage. Definitely, recommend this place. read more

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For my birthday celebration, I was impressed but not so impressed by the truffle pasta. This hot spot in the middle of highland village, was a great Friday night out. I did wait a while just to get my drink order unfortunately. After that the lychee martinis were amazing. Parking: Valet, street or garage read more

Bari Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came for a celebration dinner and the management was very accorded such a big party. The service was outstanding! The servers were attentive and knowledgeable on the food menu. The ambiance is always lively in this part of town so it was a very good experience. However, the food was not that great; there were a variety of dishes ordered but I was not impressed but willing to try it again! So thanks to the management and service providers of this establishment! Didn't take photos of the food except this of our grandchildren's dessert! read more

Bari Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I had a great dinner here! The waiter recommended the lychee martini which was delicious! We had the calamari to start, which was good. We decided on 2 pastas for our entrees -- pappardelle bolognese and the squid ink pasta (tagliolini neri). Both were delicious, can't decide which I liked more. The atmosphere is cute. Wait staff are very friendly and helpful. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Nestled in the River Oaks District, free parking garage or valet available. Nice open patio with fans. Pluses A. Warm bread and olives, nice sparkling water that they kept chilled for us 1. Great wine list, Montepulciano by the glass was great 2. Bolognese pasta had nice flavor and meat and served on a hot plate 3. Server was attentive 4. Bananas foster was good and I liked the vanilla gelato 5. Mmmm - Muffato de la Sala dessert wine is here and it's just the best dessert wine, our last time was in Italy! Areas to improve 1. I expect the mixed drinks to be outstanding especially given the effuse details and assurances of our server, but the BlackBerry Mule today was the biggest disappointment. It was pretty in the copper mug, but it was so watered down and lacked any flavor and was there any ginger beer even, I didn't taste any fizz. Now, I wish I had mentioned to the server. 2. Calibraze pizza crust was flaky but the quantity of cheese was very lacking - also disappointing that there was so little if it. You can see in my pic that there is more marinara and there are coin size areas of cheese only on the pizza. Meat was scant also. Overall, highly recommended for people and car watching if you are in the area. Some minor improvements would move this restaurant to a 5 stars from me. Please improve the pizza and mixed drinks! Higher priced restaurant, but expected for the area. read more

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Nestled in the heart of River Oaks this cute Italian restaurant is perfect for a date night or family outing. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. I loved the outside patio area and the weather was perfect that night. The first margarita I had was a little too sweet for my liking so I switched to reposado chilled. Our steaks were prepared just right and the truffle pasta was good, but pasta needed a pinch of salt. I wish the oysters were bigger, but the flavor profile was still good. Escargot was flavorful read more

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This is more of a see and be seen place not an establishment that concentrates on food or drinks. The servers are not very knowledgeable about the menu either, the tomato soup is a hard pass you can literally find better anywhere else. The portion of calamari was mehh it was more like fried shrimp with calamari drizzled in there. The red fish special was good. The table side pasta was a waste with 4 pieces of truffle just mixed by someone random not a cook or chef who specialized in any culinary art. The worst was the table side banana foster was literally bananas mixed with Carmel on a warm plate and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The prices are also on the close to high end prices not worth the money or experience at all read more

We attended a friend's birthday party and there was 8 of us there. Our first server was pleasant and informative as he presented off the menu options but what he didn't tell us was that there were 3 water options and only provided 2, both which we had to pay for, which we found out when the bill came, so that didn't sit well with us. Now when it came to the server who took the orders and brought most of the food out, he was not pleasant and seemed annoyed, which I couldn't understand as everyone at the table knew what they wanted and ordered promptly. Overall, the setting was nice, the restaurant wasn't overly loud, food was fair, but the service and not being told about a charge for water was disappointing. Needless to say, we won't return but good luck to anyone who wishes to. read more

Couldn't figure out what I wanted to eat and ended up giving Bari a try. It was great. I felt like a risotto but all of them had seafood. They were more than happy to swap for chicken and it just hit the spot! The quality of the ingredients is noticeable and service was great too read more

Bari Ristorante - Beet risotto (swapped the shrimp for chicken!) - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

First off, let's start with the fact that they have a "Dress code". They told him to remove his hat which he did, while sitting outside I noticed a handful of guys coming in with baseball caps and dressed as if they left the gym or golf course. Second, the service was decent, a little confused since there were 3 different people coming to our table so wasn't quite sure if the first two got our orders. Third, we never been there and so we needed suggestions never really got any. Fourth, got the food, wasn't as good. The risotto was way over cooked and mushy like porridge and the seafood on top looked as if it was steamed and not marinated in the sauce. Fifth, the James affogato was not good at all, they were missing the right amount of frangelico in the drink. Our family is from Bari and this is a poor excuse to say this place even represents that. Spent $206.00 on food that tasted like Carrabba's. I would say avoid this place and go elsewhere like Imperio Italiano, now that's real Italian. read more

TERRIBLE.....when you go to a restaurant and the food is literally rotten...all is terrible...this is not the first time that Bari has disappointed us... the crab avocado toast the crab was smelling to the high...the food is just so bad...it is very good looking restaurant but with expensive poorly presented food...the poached eggs were fried... seafood that is off is dangerous... over priced and under performed ... read more

All things were great! Wonderful service and food. The service, food, attentiveness from all staff blew me out of the water. read more

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I'm always looking for a good squid ink pasta. I was intrigued to see that they had lobster in their squid ink pasta. Highly recommend making reservation because the place was packed on a weekend night. Easy parking in the garage and plenty of options in the River oaks district. They have indoor and outdoor tables. We opted to sit inside given the humid weather. Given how crowded and how close each table were to each other, my dinner companion and I had times when we couldn't hear each other talk. Other than that, we had a great time. The charred octopus was a good appetizer to start off with. My squid ink was perfectly cooked. Probably next time I come here, I would try the truffle pasta. read more

Bari Ristorante - Charred octopus - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We've walked by Bari a few times now and have loved the outdoor covered patio vibe, so we were excited to try it out! The restaurant is right across the street from Toulouse, which always has a happening evening vibe with live music, so that carries over. There are nice stringed lights and greenery, which is very inviting too. We made a reservation for Saturday night - and they allowed dogs on the patio, which for a very nice restaurant is impressive. Parking is easy in the garage - and it's free. As expected, ambience is very nice - patio was crowded, drinks were flowing, service was great! There's a tiny green space adjacent to the patio, so there were kids running around and playing football. Most people were drinking wine as they have an extensive menu, but we ended up getting cocktails, which were good. Service started off with some complimentary bread and olives. We ended up getting the octopus to start, and then the ravioli and squid ink pasta with lobster and shrimp. Octopus was cooked very well and tasted good overall - just wasn't amazed by it. The spinach ravioli and squid ink pasta were both good as well, but nothing to write home about. There was a lot of shrimp and lobster meat in the squid ink pasta - and cooked very nicely. Overall, loved the ambience and food is good. Appreciated that they allowed dogs as well. read more

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This was my 2nd time dining at Bari, and I must say, the food quality and service has certainly improved since my initial impression. Let's start with the ambiance: Needless to say and as one would expect for a high-end restaurant in the middle of River Oaks District, the restaurant is absolutely beautiful! First impressions are made with the ridiculously large front entrance door as you pass by plus an antique-looking Fiat to your left on display. The seating is spacious (it didn't feel crowded for lunch on a Thursday though business seemed pretty good), the surroundings are clean with attention to detail, and the backlit salt block wall is quite a sight to experience. I even checked out the men's restroom for the sake of this review, and it was very nice - no trash on the floor, no gum in the urinals, and the sink countertop wasn't flooded with water. Ambiance is a solid 5 out of 5 stars. The service: spectacular! The wait staff was very professional, and the food came out with perfect timing. They even provided complimentary dessert to celebrate my wife's birthday, enhanced by a small group of staff singing for us. Service is a solid 5 out of 5 stars. Lastly, the food. We had the fried avocado crab cakes (I think that's what it was). I loved it! The halibut special was amazing and I would definitely order that again if available. (Brief PSA: there are some long, solid fish bones in the dish, so beware.) The truffle pasta was good, and it was cool to watch them shave the parmesan cheese and truffle in front of you. I wasn't too fond of the actual pasta (it didn't have that al dente "bite" as I would have liked) and the temperature of the food could have been hotter. Also note that the truffle pasta doesn't come with any protein, so you have to add that separately. The mango cheesecake was spot on and went well with a cappuccino. Overall, the food was a solid 4 out of 5 stars. And a final brief PSA: everything is quite expensive (again, as expected in River Oaks District). So, if you're looking for a nice business lunch or dinner, or you're celebrating an important milestone or event like a birthday or anniversary, I would recommend it. However, if you're on a budget and just hungry for Italian food, this place can set you back a few dollars. Enjoy! read more

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