I love tavernas but had Bobby G as my waiter and I don't think I'll ever be back because of him. He was short and dismissive to our table to the point where everyone was irritated with his presence when he brought us our food. The vibe of Bobby was very annoying and rude. He rushed us the entire time and never filled our waters once. I don't normally have this bad of a rating about a server but he was the absolute worst. Move sections if your sat with Bobby G. read more

We came for brunch on a Saturday morning. Nice atmosphere and relaxing vibe ... until noon and then the DJ started and we were suddenly at The Club with Club music blaring and impossible to have a conversation at a table for 2. XXX lyrics, so don't bring the fam. Seemed like a dance party for the staff in the DJ corner. Pretty disappointing. read more

Holy crap I don't even know what I just experienced at this restaurant. First of all, the manager is walking around with his mask not over his mouth or nose the whole time. The atmosphere is now adjacent to what you would find in Miami or Vegas or LA. Super loud music, and people who think they are important with girls in super tight dresses. Guys with their sugar babies. Awful vibes all around. The kicker though? The amount of times we saw the staff dealer casually strolling through wearing his LV mask. We watched him exchange stuff with the manager multiple times, hearing the manager say "oh wow that was smooth." The guy kept returning back, would nod to a few staff members and manager and then go directly to the restroom. Multiple times, then just leave. It was so bizarre how obvious it was I literally felt like I was back in Vegas. They made our drinks incorrectly, we asked for them to change them to what we ordered and they didn't want to. Food was meh. Waiter was very kind and honestly seemed like a great hard working guy. read more

We're in the middle of the pandemic, Omicron is spreading fast. Our first 2 options to have dinner were closed and we get here hungry. The waitress took forever to bring water, some of the drinks arrived after we finished the appetizers; the waitress as excuse said she cut 2 fingers, our focaccia (not very good) was taken to a different table. Terrible service. The only thing she was quick to bring was the check. Nuestras dos opciones primeras para cenar en Austin estaban cerradas o sólo con servicio para llevar; en el restaurante donde terminamos nos tocó una mesera que se tardó la vida en servirnos hasta el agua. Todos traíamos tanta hambre y pensábamos que nunca íbamos a recibir comida. Las bebidas de Bianca y Naty las llevaron cuando habíamos terminado nuestras entradas. La chava primero salió que tenía cortadas en 2 dedos, luego que mil disculpas, que nuestra focaccia la llevaron a otra mesa, y así... de esas noches en que se acumulan los detallitos. Pero esta hermosa familia no paró de ser educada y paciente. read more

Sooo the butternut squash entree cost $22.... there is almost nothing in the container. We couldn't believe it. ??? read more

Taverna - Sad amount of butternut squash entree. - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Really like Taverna! You could definitely find me coming back here any weekend. Whether I'm looking for a date downtown or a girls night out, this is a great menu, with a warm ambiance. read more

Taverna - Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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for my birthday me and my brother with some friends went to go eat.. we ordered one champagne bottle that my brother paid and after that me and my brother aswell as the group lost recollection of what happened in there... when I wokeup the next morning I noticed a charge on my account (which matched the same number that my brother was charged with) none of us to this day recall what happened in taverna.. except for my brother paying for everything which ended up for some reason charging me aswell.. been 2 instances that this has happened especially in TAVERNA beware... nowhere else I've had this issue. Felt like we were drugged by staff. read more

Probably some of the worst service I've experienced in a long time. Reservation was at 1pm and were seated then. Waited until 2:05. Still no food. Our appetizer order got lost somewhere in the process. We were starving at this point. We get to go out once a month without our child and this was almost 2 hours wasted. We walked out super hungry and super annoyed. The manager came and spoke to us but after 15 minutes still no food we walked out. I will not be returning. read more

Ordered the Wagu burger; which was average.. truffle fries were great! Other items Mussels in red sauce.. ok and spicy, not how they were described, also salad w/side of shrimp average. Overall average food. Service was ok considering AC was apparently not working, they had floor fans out. Given that we liked the atmosphere and ambiance. I'm sure in early spring/fall and ordering chef/house specials would have been a different experience then the $140 one we had... read more

Taverna is a great place to step into to after shopping on 2nd street for a great bottle of wine and superb food. Atmosphere is inviting and upbeat. My server Cole, provided awesome service and paired wine that complimented my meal perfectly. Outside seating is available, fun people watching spot. read more

"9/11 at Taverna: Drag Queen Brunch, and the Return of L's Boobs" When I woke up in my dorm room at Trinity University on September 11th, 2001, I only did so because my phone wouldn't stop ringing, and it appeared as if skyscrapers were falling apart in New York City. I literally almost slept through the whole thing. Of course we all have our "where were we" stories, and I remember listening to my friend cry over the phone after hearing my roommate's mother's disarmingly blasé voice mails concerning the whole situation. I finally got dressed (in a Levi's (?) shirt, of all brands; girl, I was a MESS that day), called my dad who's from Jordan and told him they were probably going to round him up and put him in a concentration camp like in "The Siege", then hung up and headed to the impromptu church service at the chapel. Ten years later, I found myself saying the "Our Father" again with my church family at St. David's Episcopal, just like all of us students and professors did at the chapel that terrible morning. I always thought it was one of the most poignant Lord's Prayer I have probably ever recited. After some quiet reflection during the service this year, and a liturgy that incorporated the solemn memorial of the day, I had enough of being depressed and decided to do what any red-blooded American would do after church: go a drag brunch. I was meeting my friends L and L's Boobs, whom you may remember from my review of the Driskill Bar. L's Boobs paid for my drinks at the midterm election party there last year, and I hadn't been out with them since. I put our name down for 2 at 1:00 PM sharp, and the wait was 35-40 minutes. L was in a cab on the way, so I saddled up to the bar for the usual round of pre-brunch cocktails. Through the growing haze of my $2 mixture of 3 vodkas and 3 juices, I said hello to a friend of mine from Trinity who happened to be there that afternoon as well; he's an actor now, and I remember seeing him in a gay indie movie he recommended...something about a desert, a hotel, and him as a top in a sex scene; I couldn't remember the name of the film, and I still don't. Oh well. Personally, I think he's adorable. L and I were seated at one of the tables for 2, and we asked for bellinis with a standing order they be refilled until we said to stop. I ordered the smoked salmon and bagels, and L opted for the Belgian waffle and fruit. When our food came, she dryly stated holding her bellini that she ordered food for a 5 year old, and booze meant for a 65 year old alcoholic. She almost made me spit my drink out on L's Boobs. She said her waffle was OK, and it seemed like it came topped with plenty of fresh berries. I'll be honest: something about their cream cheese was off (I want the thick kind, not that bullshit "whipped" version they tout nowadays), but other than that, it was fine. An order of breakfast potatoes rounded out the meal, although they were clearly liberal with the pepper. Our waitress had an overloaded section, but she did a fine job keeping up as best she could. I appreciated she wished us a "Happy Pride" when we were leaving. But still--how could she just *assume* I was gay? Biggest disappointment? Not enough drag queens. I saw Nadine Hughes and a friend of hers hanging out by the bar, but when I heard "Drag Brunch", I thought that would imply a running show in the corner or guest drag queen waitresses. It was basically Taverna on a Sunday with a couple of drag queens in the mix. They passed out some Absolut swag that I'll absolutely never use, but it was nice to see them there. Not sure who this "Mr. Pride 2011" dude was, but he was there and working the room, too. As I lit up my cigarette on the way out, I thought how this was such a perfect Nathan-style observation of the 9/11 anniversary. Like my quick tip from the day said: Nothing tells the terrorists "We won't be kept down" like gays, Absolut Pride Punch, bagels & lox, and some fierce drag queens. God bless America. read more

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More Bellini miss? Yes please! 5 minutes later: Another Bellini miss? Oh, yes please! 10 minutes later: How bout another Bellini? Shhurre.... 2 hours later: Can I top off your Bellini? I reeally shoulnt. Was yo name, cutey? And the rest shall remain hidden. Ahh, those good ole days of bottomless bellinis for brunch are gone now, but not the fond cloudy memories I have of spending many a Sunday morning with friends on the patio eating focaccia, sippin drinks and adoring our town. I'm afraid we are probably the reason they don't do that anymore as a big group of us could easily while away 2-3 hours here, leaving only to go to the go-cart place and drive em tipsy in the rain. Wait, uh that's what we thought about doing anyway. Taverna is a great place for a leisurely brunch with entrees like eggs benedict with crabmeat, pizzas, and a terrific salad with salmon. They have a tiny little patio that faces 2nd street and all the people watching and they allow pooches too. They do still have bottomless water bowls for the dogs! Can't wait for warmer, patio weather! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with a friend to Taverna today. Taverna became our B-plan after we found Starlite unacceptable due to very loud music and a noisy atmosphere. We were told we'd have a 45 minute wait, which made my friend cringe, but we chose to wait it out anyway. Inside was somewhat noisy , but we lucked into two bar stools and settled down with some $1 mimosas. The mims were pre-mixed, and we were skeptical, but there was actually a decent amount of champagne and they hit the spot. Within 15 minutes or so, our name was called for a table, and we were astonished. It wasn't inside as we had requested, but, by this point, we were glad to escape the noise inside and have a glimmer of hope for being able to eat soon. Although the brunch mend didn't appeal to us in the slightest, we found great comfort in the lunch menu and homed in on some items immediately. Our waitress, Ginny, was absolutely fabulous. I told her it was our first visit and asked to make some recommendations. She immediately recommended the Risotto Agli Scampi e Zucchine, which was the first thing that caught my eye. My friend wanted to go with the Homemade Porcini Lasagna with Bolognese sauce, Bechamel & Parmesan Cheese. Ginny artfully explained the exact preparation of this dish and gingerly suggested that if you wanted a traditional lasagna, this was not your best bet. My friend wound up ordering the same Risotto dish as did I. We also opted for the House Salads as a starter. The salads were really tasty. I know by now you're thinking "How do you screw up a salad?" and someday I'll tell you about a little Italian restaurant many years ago that managed to do just that. When you start off with a really good salad, it just whets your appetite for what's to come. The Risotto Agli Scampi e Zucchine was delivered to our table after we had reasonable time to finish our salads. I should have taken a picture, but there was a brief look of horror on our faces as we stare at this mound of green risotto with fried zucchini strings atop. But we looked at each other and said "What the hell?" and dug in. It was fantastic! I'm a sucker for shrimp and for risotto, so this brought the best of both of my words together at once. My friend is very picky when it comes to flavor and preparation, and she was wowed by this dish as well. Let's just say my plate left clean, and although my friend could not eat all of her portion at one sitting, she definitely asked for the to-go box at first chance. We asked for the dessert menu, and Ginny recommended the Tiramisu, the Budino di Cioccolato, and the Crème Brulee. I would have taken the Tiramisu or the Budino di Cioccolato, but my friend talked me into the Crème Brulee. Once again, a total hit. I thought it was a great Crème Brulee, and my friend, who considers herself a Crème Brulee connoisseur, remarked that it was probably the best she'd ever had. She pointed out the ground vanilla bean to me, which spoke of thoughtful preparation rather than a splash of imitation vanilla flavoring. Ginny's service was perfect. Always there when we needed a drink or it was time to change courses, but she stayed out of the way at all other times. And she had a great attitude and was very helpful as we perused the menu and made our choices. Everything hit the mark. Lengthy review, here's a summary: Highs: - Faster than expected seating on a busy Sunday - Good value. Six $1 mimosas, two great $2 salads, two incredible $12 entrees, and one awesome $6 dessert for about $42 - Incredible flavor on all items - Excellent waited table service Lows: - Noisy inside, less so outside - Asked for inside table, assigned outside table with no explanation - Pesky pigeons that occasionally startle you with an unexpected flight mid-course - Tight table spacing which caused me to sit at an angle to the table Will I be back to Taverna? Absolutely. I don't think I can give it up! read more

Stopped by for brunch. Wish I hadn't. Should've left when I was served a room temperature mimosa in a plastic glass. Burrata was more like a ball of cream cheese, caprese salad had no salt or balsamic in it so it was just all bland, avocado toast was a joke (It was a slice of like Dave Killer's bread or something, cut into quarters, slopped with sloppy guac and pale farmed salmon strips, horribly cut onions, rotten spring mix and dried half capers on the side). Wish I had taken a pic but I was too hungover. Veggie omelette was offensively thick, torn in half and folded and tasted like powdered eggs filled with more spinach than Popeye would be able to stomach PLUS the breakfast potatoes were flavourless and mega greasy. Anthony Bourdain is rolling in his grave. Never again man, never again read more

I don't know what it is about Taverna but I feel like LMFAO and very tempted to yell Champagne Showers, over and over again. Whenever I'm visiting good ol' funky Austin this has been my go to Sunday Funday brunch spot. It might not be a crazy setting but this is my cup of OJ. Trust me... I know how serious Austinites take Sunday Funday. If you forget to make a reservation (which I happen to do all the freaking time) walk on over to the bar and enjoy some class-ee* bellinis and mimosas while you wait for your table. *class-ee is a reference to a Flava Flav contestant who represents these $2 elixirs quite perfectly. Their intentions are good and meant to have some elegance to the experience; however, they can get you cray cray if you don't pace yourself. I've had my Lindsay Lohan moments and looked a tad bit like 2007 Britney and my dapper moments feeling like George Clooney. $2 Sunday Funday drinks can definitely get you feeling like you're a million bucks buying drinks for other people. The food here is quite delicious and I can't get enough of their chicken and waffles with the mango marmalade. The chicken is seasoned so beautifully with a nice crispy, tenderness to the crust. Paired with fluffy, buttery goodness us Texans prefer in our waffles- you can expect a dish brought down from the Gods. I also love their pizzas and the brick over crust they feature. Their food offerings has quite a nice range and will have something for everyone. Make sure to sit out on their patio, if possible, and take in the Austin view and see the rustle and bustle of downtown. read more

Bland and overpriced food in a place where you pay for the location (definitely not the service, which is slow and as transactional as a restaurant half the price... especially if you don't order alcohol). Even my teenagers commented on how the food had no flavor. We tried a pasta, a pizza, and a steak, but none of them had much flavor. The Parmesan truffle fries were best part of this nearly $90 meal. read more

Had the best service yesterday at Baci Room/Taverna. Hope and Taylor over extended their attention towards every table in the room. I observed how they were able to multitask and still create a fun environment everyone. Also the management team is the best I've seen in the industry. Every single one interacts with guests making the experience unforgettable. Special thanks to Carlos, Yuri and Adam. read more

Website said no reservations on Sunday. Showed up on father's day (Sunday) with the family and was turned away for not having reservations. They offered to let me my wife and my infant sit outside in 98 degree heat. Do you think they know how to run a restaurant? read more

We went there for New Year's Eve dinner. Very good location. We can walk to city hall and bridge for fireworks easily. I have been there in summer. But it was a little bit hot outside and there were mosquitoes too. This time we ordered two pastas, three pizza and one eggplant dish. Their pizza are all thin crust. They all taste good, especially the shrimp one. Pastas are all OK. Coffee is OK too. Tiramisu is too dry. I called for reservation, but they said they don't take reservation. I don't know if it's because of New Year's Eve. When we got there, there are several empty tables, but the manager still asked us to wait for 45 minutes. I guess they don't have enough waiters. One of friend said their bathroom is designed for midgets because everything is so low. read more

I ordered my appetizer first thing when I arrived and was immediately concerned with the amount of people seated. I don't normally go out due to covid 19, but I was visiting family and went out hoping for a fun and SAFE experience. Oh boy... tables were sat within TWO FEET of each other. I was hoping I could just enjoy myself for a short time then leave but, then they sat somebody within arms length of me. I no longer felt safe and immediately had my food boxed up and left the restaurant. Covid-19 should be taken seriously and this restaurant should be ashamed to be putting their guest, and employees at such a risk. I will from now on call any place I hope to dine at before going to make sure that they are taking the proper precautions to keep people as safe as they can during their dinning experience read more

Taverna - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Darn. I should always read the Yelp reviews before venturing out to any new restaurant because I now see I missed out on $5 bottomless mimosas and bellinis. However, probably best I didn't know because drinking at lunch is never a good idea for lightweights like me...sigh. Anyway, on to what I did try on Taverna. My eyes were focused on the salad section of the menu so when my lunch companion mentioned she loved their chopped salad I decided to follow her. So chopped salad it was- sans bacon, but I did add some delicious shrimp! The chopped salad sure was good, but the complimentary foccacia bread was even better! That bread is reason enough to come to Taverna. Yep, that and the bottomless mimosa/bellini of course! read more

BRUNCH REVIEW: $1 mimosas and bellinis keep me coming back, over & over & over again. The wait is always stupid long if you arrive after 11am on a Saturday or Sunday but brunch extends from 9am - 3pm which is great. You can drink while you wait in front of the restaurant for your table which makes for some extra fun people watching. The brunch fare here is pretty good, they've got plenty of options from a basic plate of eggs w/ bacon, sausage or potatoes to some exciting fritatas and a breakfast pizza! I'd recommend checking out the specials on the chalk board, those are normally what I order for brunch and they're pretty darn tasty. My favorite is probably the breakfast pizza or the smoked barbecue hash. Throw a fried egg cooked correctly on anything and give me a mimosa and I'm happy. If you drizzle some truffle oil on that fried egg, I'm extra happy! I can't really comment on the service because I know the staff is trying to get people in & out of there at brunch, the past few times that I have been around noon, they have brought us the check before clearing our plates & asking if we would like a last round of drinks or anything else. I don't like being rushed, especially if I just waited almost an hour to eat! I've only been to a meal there once other than dinner but have been to brunch plentyyyy of times so I can't comment on their actual food. The only thing that I wish they did was take reservations on Saturday or Sunday brunch, that would make me a whole lot happier. But I guess they'd lose out on the drink revenue they're making while people wait for tables. read more

Great place!!! Josh and GM Jordan are the best. Love them!!!!!!!! They accommodated a large party with no issues.

I don't understand how this place has such great reviews??? We called weeks in advance for a party of 11, and they said no problem. Kept calling up back throughout the week before asking if we really had to be together or can we be split. They then sat us at 2 coffee tables on ottomans. We had to hold our plates to our mouth to eat, and squeeze together. They have house music through out the restaurant too. Weird, bad service. 0/10. read more

Service: 5 stars. Our server had a great sense of humor, was down to earth, very cool yet professional. Specials: 5 stars. Dollar mimosas and belinis on their brunch menu. Win. Food: 2 stars. I had just the simple focacia as an appetizer and, while it started out nice and warm and chewy and perfectly "pizza without the fun", as it cooled it became so crisp and hard it was too hard to chew. I ordered the eggs benedict over crabmeat which I will ALWAYS order, anywhere, as long as it's on the menu. The hollandiase was skimpy and both my eggs were undercooked to a point I couldn't eat them at all. I liked the fried potatoes that came with. My companion didn't like his eggs but that was his fault for being a moron and ordering them "over hard"... over hard = slab of rubber, genius. Of course you didn't like them. Over all, I'll go back for their brunch based expressly on their prices . Also, every Tuesday they have 1/2 off all bottles of wine. read more

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Brunch Review... So Austin has come a long way since I last lived here. Circa 2003/2005, there was no "Sundae Fundae" in this town. I had to go to Houston or Dallas for that. Now, there seems to be a sizable list on the Sunday afternoon drinking rotation, and apparently Taverna is the first stop - and for a few reasons... Patio dining $1 mimosas Decent blood marys Loooong wait. About 45 min for our party of six. And they won't seat you until every. single. person. ... is there. Tables don't turn too fast since, well, those $1 mimosas keep many folks camping out after their brunch. However, for as packed, chaotic and crazy this place gets, I was impressed with the service. Our drinks were always filled, and the food came out at warp speed. I ordered the eggs Benedict with my choice of crab meat rather than ham (yuck!). Only one of my English muffins had crab though. No big deal considering my "hangover" was more interested in the carby roasted potatoes and muffins. I'd love to come back and check out their dinner. They're apparently known for their risotto - my fave. The pizzas looks amazing as well. read more

My love of these restaurants started with Sangrias in Dallas. Since then I've also been to the Taverna there, in Ft Worth, and obviously here. The funny thing is each one is actually a little different. The bellinis are a good example of that. Ive had them served both room temperature and icee cold like this morning. And while the brunch menus are the same, the chefs at each location seem to put their own unique twists on the items. The price is really the best part. Getting morning buzz before noon for $1 and change each drink? Yes please! The food has always been delicious. I've enjoyed the Belgian waffle, vanilla French toast, chorizo breakfast tacos, omlettes, and finally today tried one of their daily specials. It was a quiche with smoked ham, asparagus, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and fontina cheese served with a side Greek salad. They bake it with enough parmesan on top to give it a crunch and it was highly addicting. We got there a little before brunch cocktails started so we had beignets while we waited. If you don't order these when you come here you are missing out. The glaze had just the slightest hint of lemon that made each one pop with flavor. It's no secret my sweet tooth can be seen from space so this made me extremely happy. While drink prices are fantastic, the food prices are pretty steep. My quiche, while wonderful, was $15. I would understand if there was lobster in it, but for ham and eggs that's high. My husband had the daily hash with brisket and his plate was $18. Usually their non specials are cheaper though, the 'Eggs Any Style' being my normal go to. Still, a great way to start our weekend though after strolling the farmers market. read more

Taverna - New Orleans style beignets with cappuccino dipping sauce - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The curb appeal of this restaurant is what brought us in it was so cute and the patio was calling my name! I ordered a mule and my mom ordered a "crowd pleaser" but apparently that drink isn't served during brunch hours--rather than our waitress coming back and relating this information to my mom so that she could pick a new drink the waitress took it upon herself to just chose a new one for my mom that was not her favorite but she drank it anyways since we were going to be charged for it regardless. The food was average but still decent. We won't be coming back to the Taverna sadly. read more

Taverna - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I came here to meet a friend for drink and appetizers. Ordered Antipasto Emiliano, which was prochutto, salami, porchette, olives, slices of pitta bread and Parmesan chunk were big portion and delicious. Really nice environment and great service. They're plenty of sheets available @ 7:30 pm on Thursday evening. Perfect for grabbing dinner and drinks after work. I will back for dinner. read more

Taverna - Antipato Emiliano - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've visited Taverna twice and both times were very good, with one small exception- the mussels. We must have just been unlucky on that batch. On both occasions we've had very prompt and friendly service. Both times when we asked for recommendations the food was INCREDIBLE- Fiocchi al gorgonzola e pera- pasta stuffed with pears and gorgonzola. Holy moly that dish was so decadent- the pears were sweet and subtle but strong enough to stand out with the creamy gorgonzola. The special- grouper with baby octopus, potatoes, and tomatoes. That grouper was melt in your mouth fantastic. And the flavor and texture combo was delicious and just blended so well together! It is a very beautiful restaurant, and it really takes you to Europe! The seats are all very close together but the setting is quite intimate and romantic. read more

So sad to have to leave this review. We just favored Taverna and paid $18 for pasta and $8 for dessert plus all of the ridiculous Favor fees and received almost no food. It basically looks like somebody's leftovers were just brought to our door. Extremely disappointed in the quality, presentation and lack of a decent Italian portion of pasta. read more

Taverna - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Just want to start off this review with a big thank you to Amanda and Melissa. We flew in from DC for our good friend's bachelorette party and we definitely received the southern hospitality. The drinks and food were amazing nonetheless but the customer service went beyond our expectations solely due to them! Thank you for making our first Texas trip so memorable and we will definitely be coming back. The food was delicious. We ordered the shrimp scampi, carbonara, Margherita pizza, and the Bianca pizza. Absolutely mouthwatering! Highly recommend this restaurant if you want great food with excellent customer service! read more

I had a really busy hectic week with a long training in North Austin and brutal commutes to my home in the SW and I was exhausted. I wanted to treat myself to a nice meal earlyish on a Friday night before things got crazy downtown as the SO was out of town and I was sick of the same pizza I had been eating all week. I was just going to cruise around the trendy warehouse district until some place caught my eye and Taverna did the trick. They had outdoor seating -- perfect for someone dining alone who wanted to people-watch and I liked the menu and thought the prices were very reasonable. The host was a blustery, red-raced dude crammed into a black suit, who let me look at a menu and then ignored me, which was all good as I took an instant dislike to him -- I have good instincts, as you shall see later.... Then a very nice waiter showed me to my preferred table outside and he helped me choose some nice wine and told me about specials. He recommended a safron risotto with pork tenderloin that was quite tasty and meaty. The rice was a tad hard, but it was still delicious, albeit missing the parmesan that was it was supposed to be finished with. I asked for yet more help on my dessert selection as was directed to a HEAVENLY chocolate boudin (?) cake, that was warm and squishy in the middle and was sitting in a lovely pool of creme anglaise. The meal was great. The service was great. The location was perfect. The wine was great. So. Why only 3 stars?? Well, I was by myself outside eating and feeling quite on top of the world when a waitress, looking a little flustered, came cruising in from the street at ten past seven. She was met by the ruddy-faced aging frat boy host who sat her down only two tables away from me, told her she was late and had to go home, handed her a written reprimand that he whipped out of his pocket, made her sign it, grinning like a fool the entire time. Wow. I really didn't want to see that. I didn't want to hear that. I had just been thinking about how great life was when this nasty little episode encroached and I felt so damn sorry for that waitress. Yeah, ok, my waiter told me that she was always late and deserved it. But -- Those kinds of meetings should be done: 1. Privately; 2: Gravely. it doesn't really matter if the person deserved it or not, this was a traumatic thing happening to her and it deserved gravity, not glee from the giver of bad news. He seemed like such an ass. I started thinking then, not about how great life was, which was where my little head was happily at before the nastyness started, but to how shitty life can be for all of us sometimes and also about the nature of bullys. I then thought about how this guy probably locked nerds in their lockers in high school and played football and laughed at all the unathletic kids. OK, so then I had to redirect and called my best friend and I spent the rest of my meal on my cellphone. Yeah, ok, that was rude, but I needed to hear a cheerful voice. read more

After 61 reviews, nobody needs to read another, unless you want to try a good rissoteria. Good things to mention: The place is trendy. Upscale. Not overwhlemingly noisy when packed because of the high ceilings. Interesting menu. Some specials like half-priced wine on Tuesdays and all you can drink Bellinis and Mimosas. Bad things to mention: It's a chain. It's overpriced. The tables for two are so small they have a hard time fitting the plates on it, not to mention the materials you want to share at a business lunch. The Rissoteria, however, is a nice niche. You could chose from about seven differnt dishes with this creamy rice dish seasoned with your choice of seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, etc. Having trtied it at home, here is a place to taste variations of this seldom found Italian specialty. It's a great place for an upscale lunch with a friend/spouse/partner. But this is not Andiamos. You can find better Italian food elsewhere at cheaper prices. read more

Meh. I'm not impressed. (I can only base this review on Brunch.) They need to update their site. $1 mimosas are no more. Service was pretty good. Friendly server. Relatively attentive. Drink service was a bit slow. I ordered the Taverna Hash, which is supposedly their specialty. I love poached egg dishes. But poached eggs need to be done perfectly. And I'm sorry, but if your job is cooking, I expect you to be able to nail it. The first dish that was given to me was so under cooked that the whites of my eggs ran as much as the yolk. Um, I'm not a meathead, I don't do raw eggs. The server wanted to know if I wanted them to redo it with a different style of eggs. No, I want properly poached eggs, thanks. Well the second try was over cooked. But I sort of expected this, and I didn't want my friends waiting on me all day, so I didn't send it back. The entire dish was dry and relatively flavorless. Give me the same ingredients at home and I could make a dish 10X better at home. I'd maybe try this place for dinner, since one of our party ordered a regular menu item and was very happy with it. read more

Great dinner. Ordered a bottle of Blu Prosecco, a lovely accompaniment to the meal, light and refreshing in this 100 degree weather. The antipasto Emilio was huge, with plenty of salami, cotto, prosciutto, cheese, olives, and marinated vegetables. Don't fill up on it, though. The fiocchetti were little pasta fortune cookies filled with Gorgonzola, slathered in pears and parmesan cream sauce. OMG. This stuff is a mouth orgasm. But very rich, a few bites are enough, so plan to share. The chicken picatta was tasty, but overcooked and a tad dry. The flavor was spot on, however, and the julienned veggies/potatoes were more than serviceable. The margherita pizza crust was so light and crisp, and the tomato sauce sweet and light. A very nice pizza, and reminiscent of the pizzas I've enjoyed in Italy. Berry sorbet was a light, refreshing end to the meal. House made and delicate, it was served with berries soaked in Grand Marnier. Mmmmmm. Good service and very attentive. Very attractive facility. Clean restrooms. Caring management who checked on tables. I'd definitely recommend Taverna. The bottom line is that they do a lot of stuff right, for reasonable prices (for downtown), in a really nice restaurant. read more

Taverna - Interior - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went in for the first time since the remodel and the place looks absolutely amazing! The aesthetic combined with the already amazing food and stellar staff made it that much more enjoyable! Hats off to our waitress Rachel, who was an absolute gem while serving us. read more

Ate here 3 times in the week I spent in downtown Austin. First night, Friday night pizza and salad. Returned several days later with friends looking for something better than the conference food options, close by, and reliably delicious. We ordered more salads and pasta. All delicious- bonus - half off wine on Wednesday. On our last day in town, a local wanted to meet us and suggested the same. We didn't have the heart to tell her, and ordered yet agin more salads and the rest of the pasta that hadn't yet been taste tested. Every single dish was delicious, the service excellent, the restaurant setting comfortable yet elegant. read more

In about one month, I went here for brunch, dinner and then lunch. So, I figured it was worth me sharing my review with you Yelp readers. Here's some things to conside: Brunch: get there early. The $1 mimosas and bellinis definitely pull in a crowd and the food and service aren't half bad either. Our food served as a good base as Jeanine P., Mike N. and Al W. and I went out for a Sunday funday of drinking afterwards. I went for the vanilla french toast and was not disappointed - good flavor and more than enough to keep me happy. Dinner: I went here with Ana P. and Ana S. who were in town from Mexico. We shared the chef's focaccia (which is just delish!) and I started with a Cesar salad (which was OK). For my main course I had the Garganelli al Pomodoro e Basilico with the Bolognese sauce at the recommendation of our server. It wasn't what I thought I ordered (based on my surveying plates of others around us), but I really enjoyed it. We also shared a bottle of wine, selected by Ana S. Lunch: Well, Ana and Ana liked this place so much (especially since they said there is no good Italian food in Mexico), that they wanted to go back right before they flew home, so the next day we headed back for lunch. I went the pizza route and tried the Polpettine - it was more than I could eat in one sitting, but was just as good leftover for subsequent meals. All in all, I have to say that the variety on the menu is quite good - there are still things I'd be willing to try on a future visit, and it has a good selection for a group who all has different cravings at the meal. Overall: the vibe is tres-European. While it's cool inside, the air conditioning isn't overpowering and the tables are tightly placed. Additionally, if the weather were to ever get cooler, the outdoor patio is reminiscent of Parisian cafes. read more

Amazing Italian food. We ordered the focaccia for the table (which was incredible) and I had the Cacio e Pepe which was delicious as well, but it took longer to be served that dish than the other dishes my table ordered because they make it in the cheese wheel table-side. But it was worth the wait! Great atmosphere in a nice area of Downtown, but parking options are limited (and expensive), so consider taking an Uber there. read more