This place is special. They mill their grains qin-house, homemade pastas, and total commitment to locally-sourced veggies. The food is delicious and the service outstanding. The chef and owner visited our table both times we visited. read more

Had dinner here last night- the food was actually wonderful but the portions are not that big so you definitely have to buy a single (expensive) entree per person (and we got an appetizer- $7 for bread!). You are also required to pay 20% tip no matter how big or small your party is. Our bill ended up being $90 for two on what was supposed to be a casual dinner night. I do recommend if you feel like having a pricey Italian dinner that is fresh. read more

I recently ate here with a group of girlfriends. We had all heard of L'Oca doro but had never been. We all left more than satisfied and stuffed. We had 3 apps, 4 entrees, 3 desserts and multiple drinks. Our waitress along with anyone else we came in contact with were terrific. Reasonably priced too for practically eating the entire menu! Such a great experience- will definitely be back. read more

I went to L'Oca D'Oro a few months ago for brunch with my family. The owner was very accommodating - he took the time to personally contact me before our visit to take a pre-order so our wait would not be as long and we would know what to expect. The food was incredibly fresh and well-made and the Eggplant Parmesan was out of this world...probably the best I have ever had. The atmosphere was also very pleasing, pleasant and appropriate for children. I highly recommend this restaurant - especially if you want traditional Italian food made with the purest and freshest ingredients. read more

Had my office holiday dinner there last night. Great service and great food. They absolutely knocked themselves out for 12 people. For wines started with a sparking rose, an Italian white, an Italian red and a Sicilian red. All excellent and reasonably priced. Appetizers, starters, pastas, main course and desserts all wonderful, creative and unlike anything else in Austin. This is not your ordinary or boring Italian food. Very original, thought out and balanced to deliver a wonderful meal. Amongst the guests were two residents of Manhattan, well traveled and well seasoned. They walked away feeling that they had just had a great dinner. read more

We had a company dinner in the private Pasta Room. What a great multi course menu and setting. Everything was delicious and seasonal - really memorable. The wine selections were spot on as well. Thanks to Adam and the great crew for everything. Definitely will return this holiday season! read more

This restaurant undercooked my fucking noodles man. That was not cool, and how hard is it to cook noodles. Rigatoni man.

AMAZING!!!! The food is delicious, and the service and atmosphere are even better. As a vegetarian I often have to get substitutions but never here! The menu changes a lot, but I've never been disappointed. The gnocchi and French toast are two of my favorites there. My only complaint would be that portion sizes are a bit small and prices are a bit high- but it's still a favorite! read more

L'Oca d'Oro - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I really enjoyed my first visit. It's a great location right on the corner of a new neighborhood. Everything looks so clean --inside and out. Maybe that's why the owner & chef are totally fine with the guests watching them make everything--even a window into the room where they make desserts, etc. Yes, it is pricey for me, but it's really a treat getting everything that has been made by the chefs--that means sauces, savory & sweet, even mixed drinks with totally unique recipes. I believe you could not get the same meals anywhere else in the U.S.--everything is totally original. read more

Friends and I shared several dishes and had a delightful, lingering meal at this charming restaurant. We asked the server for recommendations and tasted many new, unusual, delicious foods. They make their own sausage and breads, and offered many unusual tastes: spiced pecans; an omnivore antipasti of great cheeses and sausage; roasted fennel, beets and carrots; The mezzaluna half moons were scrumptious, and when we were almost done the server said, "You realize you still have your entree coming?" We left satiated in every way - with all senses. Presentation itself was a visual feast. There was an energy buzz, but the noise level was not too loud. A memorable meal and evening. read more

I love this restaurant and have been back many times. While I do agree it is noisy, I just know what I am going into and do try to sit at the bar or on the other side of the restaurant. I've had the wine on tap, and it was really good wine, with a pretty hefty glass for a great price. Two of my favorite things on the menu: Stratciatella crostini and mushroom lasagna, and I don't even like mushrooms. I've also had the reginette pasta, eggplant parmesan (heavy, but really delicious), and a few other samplings. They are also very accommodating for special diets such as vegetarians like me. Would definitely recommend, owners are really nice and service was helpful. read more

Parking was okay since there are meters nearby, and the place is in a nice location.There wasn't a host or hostess right when we walked in, so we got a little confused, but someone came after a moment. The inside is really nice, but the tables are kind of small. We really appreciated the attentive service we got from our waiter. We both enjoyed the dishes we had (both were a bit salty though). Overall, I'd recommend this place for a date night or brunch if they serve that because it's much nicer than your average restaurant. read more

Excellent Sunday brunch! Had the brioche French toast and the full Italian; both were perfectly balanced in flavor and balance, coffee also rich and excellent. read more

We stopped in for brunch on a Saturday morning, great porchetta sandwich and my wife had the mushroom polenta with a perfectly cooked egg. The boozy coffee drink was delicious. read more

We had dinner at L'Oca d'Oro and were very disappointed. The meal was pricey and the food was really, really bad. The pasta was under cooked and the meat was very overcooked. This is not a place we would ever repeat attending nor would I recommend it. It makes me sad since it's an awesome location and the service was good. Sadly, the food was terrible. Hopefully we just hit it on an "off" night. read more

Fantastic food. Don't order too much, the food may look small, but it is filling! Fantastic staff know what they are talking about. Great place for just a glass or wine or a nice meal with your significant other. read more

We live in the Mueller neighborhood and were super excited to try the restaurant since we could walk to it. My husband and I had heard mixed reviews after it opened so we decided to give it a few months to let them work their kinks out before we tried it. They still have A LOT of kinks to work out - the food is bland, the service was just okay, and the choices on the menu were slim. I'm giving it two stars because the decor was pleasant, the place was packed when we went and my husband and I were able to hold a conversation at a normal level which is nice, and we received a nice greeting upon our arrival. My biggest complaint is the food. My husband and I both optioned for a pasta dish. The pasta itself is light and fluffy - very nice texture. But the red sauce has no flavor. I kept thinking the sauce I buy from the grocery store is better than this. The serving size was about the same amount I would feed my 6 year old for dinner so you'll leave hungry if you don't order multiple things. We did get their version of Bruschetta for an app and when it had no flavor that should have been our warning. We opted to skip dessert and just head to Bribery next door since we know everything there is fantastic. As for the service, while we were seated quickly our waiter didn't appear to give us water until 10 minutes after we were sitting there. When he asked if we had looked at the menu we looked at him and showed him our empty hands containing no menu. He then grabbed a menu from the people next to us and passed it over. I thought that was a little strange for what is supposed to be a nice place and not a pub. I really wanted to like this place but until there is a new chef or I hear about some serious changes to the menu we won't be back. So far the best Italian in Mueller is Gino's Vino which I was hesitant to go to because it's below a hotel but it's amazing and the service was 100% better than this restaurant. BTW, if you don't like the service they still automatically tack on an 18% gratuity to your bill even with a party of 2. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

Went for our anniversary dinner last night. Atmosphere is ok, we were able to have a conversation without being on top of each other or having to yell. Sat at the bar and spoke to the bartender 3 times. Once to order a bottle of wine (which wasn't very good) once to order our food (which wasn't very good) and once to get the check (which was way too much for the experience we had) other than that no one checked in on us at any point. First the food. Bland is the best description. Our appetizer was a poor attempt at fancy bruschetta that looked far more appealing than it actually tasted. The entre noodles were fresh and had a great texture but the sauce was watery and bland. Second the wine. The bartender recommended a bottle claiming it had good notes and flavor. Again bland is what comes to mind. Third the check. The cost of the meal (2 bland entrees, a tasteless appetizer and a bottle of mediocre wine) came to around $70. I don't appreciate automatic tip amounts and 12% (with a line for an additional amount) was far more than I felt justified. Its a fine experience if you set your expectations pretty low. We won't be returning. read more

We dined there on July 6, and the experience was mixed. The bar service was spot on, after we ordered, and the drinks were very good. But the service seemed to come in waves, and thereafter we waited for refills for quite a while. The food was very, very good. And I really admire, and am in favor of, their approach to tipping. No tip just a service charge of 20%. Makes it easier for everybody. But, damn, the entrees came out for our table of six, in two different waves, separated by about ten minutes. That was a fail, but every restaurant has a bad night. Also, it's loud as hell. They have some panels on the ceiling but need to do more about baffling the sonic experience. I know this sounds negative overall, but we really did have a good time. The food, once it arrived for everybody, was delicious. read more

Delicious food served with creativity and an artistic flair. Great homemade pastas. Creative, tasty appetizers. Good selection of Italian wines. Service was impeccable. We really enjoyed the chocolate tiramisu and gelato for dessert. read more

My husband and I ate here with another couple on a Monday night. Had no expectations going in except noting that it is an Italian restaurant. Once we were presented with the menus, everyone in our dinner party had questions on what was being served. Items such as sbrisolana, cordova beans, taleggio, straciatella, and guanciale were on the menu so it was a little daunting to choose a dish with so many unfamiliar things. The waitress was very helpful and answered our questions. We ordered 2 appetizers from the happy hour menu, sicilian spiced pork rinds and fried mozzarella sticks. There were only 4 items to choose from, the others being grilled sourdough and seasonal preserved fruits & vegetables, so we went with what we thought would be the most substantial portions. Boy were we wrong, we received 3 mozzarella sticks to serve 4 people, and the pork rinds were just that, pork rinds. We each got one. Two of us ordered a beer on happy hour. The beer cost $3.00 and was served in a small glass. When happy hour ended, they ordered another round of the same beer. It cost $6.00 and was served in a glass twice as large as the happy hour glass. That really isn't the philosophy behind happy hour. For the main course, we all ordered something different: Rigatoni with Shellfish cream, pancetta, grilled shrimp ($18) Chicken al Mattone, Roasted tomatoes, crispy parmigiano ($24) Eggplant Parm, with Smoked chiles, straciatella ($18) and grilled rabbit sausage ($21) We were really disappointed that the portions were so small for the price. We weren't expecting gigantic portions which are sometimes typical in Italian restaurants, but we all left still a little hungry which was ridiculous considering the bill was $156. There is a 20% tip added to the bill, not 18% which was previously posted by another reviewer. It's really too bad because the food was really quite good, but it just felt like this place was just all about the money. The service was good, and the food arrived in a timely manner, but there's just something off-putting about high prices and small portions. read more

We wanted so much to like this place. We live in the neighborhood and will not even be giving it a second chance. The service was terrible and the food was laughably bad. Whatever is going on with the executive chef in the kitchen is a total joke. My Italian gf swore it was the worst gnocchi she'd ever had. Portions were small and we left hungry only to go get tacos down the street at Torchys. They also added gratuity on a two top, which is just silly. Would've been more satisfied at the Olive Garden. Still bummed at the total waste of a meal we had here. read more

My husband and I really enjoyed visiting L'Oca D'Oro when we visited Austin. It was delicious, in a lovely location, and offered fabulous service. We loved the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and the fair wage (no tip) policy. We hope that this exciting neighborhood restaurant continues to be successful and attract lots of new customers. We absolutely plan to revisit it the next time we were in Austin, Texas. Check it out and enjoy!!! read more

Really interesting Italian food very well prepared. The cornmeal fried snapper with the tomato salsa (a daily special I think), the risotto and roasted carrots were great. The pasta dish with the sausage and cream was so good I wanted to lick the serving bowl. The only thing we got there that I thought was less than a standout was some polenta squares with a topping that I think was fish-based. Dessert, an ice cream, graham cracker and chocolate extravaganza, was exceptionally good. Service was good and personable. read more

Great food, good service, it's not a vegan restaurant but I had no trouble finding vegan options. Everyone was really nice and the food was out real quick, no wait, good seating indoor and outdoor. All in all this restaurant was really good and very easy. thumbs up! read more

Yum! Just stopped by for a quick bite. ..turned out to be the grand opening. We got the meatballs (perfectly seasoned, a nice spicy sauce of clearly fresh tomatoes), the bread plate (all good, but focaccia was excellent ) a dry reisling ( $7 glass, more than reasonable for a good reisling) a truly lovely zucchini soup and the best damn roast carrots I have ever put in my mouth. Will be returning *soon*. Note: I especially the vibe...one of the rare (indoor) spots where I feel like my kiddo is totally welcome, but where I could also come solo with the husband and eat like a grown up on a date. read more

The customer service here is out of this world! I hosted a large event here and trying to find a place that catered to my needs was difficult, until I found L'Oca d'Oro!!! Amazing, delicious food paired with wonderful staff made for a great night. Allison was incredible at being prompt in her replies during all stages of booking and preparing for my event and always kept me in the loop. The night of went smoothly with no problems! Highly recommend for larger parties and events! The night went smoothly and all dishes served family style were incredible. Very cognizant and proactive about having guests with dietary concerns, as well! read more

Pretty surprising this restaurant is as highly rated as it is. Nothing on their menu stands out and we had no less than 6 selections from their limited menu. The food and overall taste is underwhelming but that pales in comparison to sub-par service we received from our server. Receiving your appetizer 10 minutes after you've finished your entree is simply unacceptable. On top of that they had the nerve to add a 20% tip for themselves which in my 30+ years of dining out I've never experienced . You of course have the option of adding more gratuity (which we certainly did not) but be aware you've already signed up for 20% and in our case 20% wasn't at all justified. One last gripe, their portion sizes are minuscule considering you're paying $15-20 for each plate. There's no way you're leaving there satisfied if you're not spending $100+ to sample several dishes. We're small people to boot. For my money, I'd much rather go to Juliet where the food, service, and overall experience is far superior to what you get at L'Oca d'Oro. Hard pass from my point of view. read more

You know something is off when a supposedly authentic Italian restaurant doesn't have Campari to make your Negroni and has to use a substitute--a poor substitute at that. Then you're told that you have to order everything all at once--antipasti, apps and entrees--so it's EASIER FOR THE KITCHEN. (What about what is easier for the customer?) As we contemplated this directive, we could hardly hear each other speak because it was sooooo loud! The waiter, however, was very nice and interested in helping us choose wisely. So when I asked about the seafood pasta dish (added to the menu the day before) he tells me it tastes a lot like shellfish. Uh, no surprise there, but then he tells me why: Because they use shrimp powder and clam powder for flavor. Seriously. That should have been a tip-off not to order the dish, but I did anyway. My bad. I realized why they had to use powder to get any flavor: because in this shrimp dish, there was exactly, and I kid you not, ONE SHRIMP, cut into four pieces. I explained to the waiter that that was really ridiculous and he agreed (though no effort was made to correct this). I also told him that telling a customer a dish is made with powder instead of seafood stock was a big mistake. But more than the description is the fact that the kitchen is using such a cheat in the first place and not even adding an appropriate amount of protein. Lazy and cheap. However, the meal wasn't cheap. I will say that the meatballs were very good, as was the antipasti, and my friends seemed content with their entrees. So there's that. read more

We went four days after opening. The food was incredible! Given the care and work that goes into each dish, it's a great value. The lasagne is made from pasta and cheeses made in-house. It even includes a fermented shiitake mushroom powder made in-house that adds depth and complexity to the flavors of the fresh trumpet and other mushrooms in this fabulous dish. All of the other dishes were equally delicious. With such delicious food, friendly owners and staff, and beautiful ambience, L'oca D'oro provides good value for an upscale, neighborhood dining experience. read more

This is some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten. Everything was perfect, but my favorite thing was the rich, sweet, juicy, roasted carrots with a buttery pistachio sauce and (I think) honey. The flavor explodes like I have never experienced. Really a treat, try this place ASAP! Also, very friendly and attentive staff. Sit at the bar if you get a chance and watch the chefs meticulously prepare delicacies right in front of you in their open kitchen. It was really fun to watch the care that went in to every plate. read more

I was in town on business. This place came highly recommended -- "worth getting out of downtown" -- and it did not disappoint. I had the Mafaldine and my wife had the Eggplant Parm. As always, we ate off of one anther's plate, and both dishes were delightful riffs on solid Italian cuisine, matching the whimsy of the decor. Looking forward to a return trip. read more

Don't waste your money here. I've been here twice and was extremely disappointed both times. Food is mediocre at best, service is fair, and prices are outrageous. I had asked the server about a certain kind of wine. I wanted something on the sweeter side, and he recommended quite the opposite. When I asked for something else, he had to check with his manager. He still charged for the first wine. We ordered appetizers. The meatballs were fair, but came with burnt toast. There was a mushroom dish that was extremely overcooked, and some kind of battered shrimp that still had the skins on! They had some kind of crustini bread that was so salty and oily I couldn't eat it. As you can see, the experience was not a good one...will not go back! read more

BEST MEAL IN AUSTIN so far. My wife and I went this week and plan to go back for our anniversary this week. The staff is extremely friendly and competent. The owners care about the quality of food and food-focused customer service. Most importantly, they care about people. All the staff took an interest in our story. Its great to know the Exec. Chef has Italian heritage and his cooking is influenced by the love of family and culture. The GM remembered me after meeting me a few days earlier and took the time to engage us in meaningful conversation about family and schools for our kids in Austin. Having been to several cities in Italy, the restaurant emphasizes simplicity, authenticity and quality of true Italian cuisine over mass quantity and run of the mill Italian dining in the US. The food was clean and all made in house. Even the digestives were made in house including limoncello.We had several dishes and each one was unique and exceptional. The pastas were rich and the meatballs were the best we ever had, made of 100% brisket. Where many would say the eggplant parm was burnt, we appreciate the flavors of caramelization that make this eggplant parm authentic and not overly cheezy and gooey. The olive oil cake with lemon curd and in house gelato was amazing. We look forward to the tartufo next time too. Whereas some complain about the 18% gratuity, to us it emphasized that the owners care about their staff. If you are in Austin you know that the cost of living is and affordable housing are getting harder for average people. We were happy to see an establishment that put their staff as a priority. They take pride in where they work as the owners take pride in them. Great restaurant, great food, great people, great experience! read more

We came here for my father-in-law's birthday (with six people total). The quality and selection of food were great; it's not typical Italian-American food with a ton of marinara sauce and mozzarella, and is definitely worth trying for really fresh locale fare and different flavors. I would highly recommend the polpette, spaghetti carbonara and olive oil cake. read more

This is a really special place. The food is fantastic but the feel unpretentious. The restaurant feels like you are walking into a delightful neighborhood spot, in large part because of the friendly owner who spends time at each table. The kitchen is accommodating to all diets, including my vegan one. The rest of our party devoured the meat and cheese. The pacing of the service is perfect - even if its crowded, you don't feel rushed. And the ethics of the place make you happy to spend your evening there. A must try. read more

Great atmosphere and the food tastes delicious. The portions are very small. Expect to spend $100+ for a dinner for two (appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine) and leave feeling hungry. The tables are seated very close to each other and did not appreciate staff seating another table for 2 inches away when there were plenty of other open tables. I will not return. read more

That place was definitely the best Italian Restaurant I've ever been to. The chef is truly amazing on not only the taste of the food, but their presentation of their food to their customers are just sublime, superb, and just fantastic. I definitely recommend to everyone to go there if they are in Austin. Also, it's a homie place, full of the authentic italian decor, that just made me feel like I was in Italy. Just amazing. Will go there pretty soon to try other foods in their menu. read more

Spectacular food! Tasting menu was sublime and recommended wines were spot on. Service was attentive but not hovering. Extraordinary dining experience. Go! read more

I'm not sure why L'Oca d'Oro doesn't have better reviews. Each time we've been in, we've found great service and really delicious food. The homemade pastas and bread are great. They make some of their own amari which are delicious as well (get a glass of amaro and adulterate your prosecco(s) with it). read more