La classe! Finally stopped in to Gina's and it didn't disappoint! Oh the days you long for just a big bowl of mussel frites to take you back to the city of love. The cream sauce under the heap of mussels and shoestring fries is to die for! Sat at the bar and came during happy hour! It is a quaint space so reservations are recommended! Great HH deals. Also, hands down the best bone marrow I've had in this city ! Cocktails are delish! And half off during their HH! I'm not a dirty martini gal at all and here they use an onion brine garnished with pickled onions....so delish! Street parking. Definitely will be back! read more

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Really good food and so far our favorite Italian spot in downtown Austin. The restaurant is cute, cozy, and has a really comfortable atmosphere that makes the whole experience even nicer. Good service as well. Everything we have tried has been delicious and we always leave happy. We will definitely keep coming back. read more

Gina's on Congress - Drink Menu - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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A group of us came here for happy hour on a Saturday night. The happy hour is every day from 3 to 6 where you can get half off house cocktails and snacks. we thought it was a pretty good deal given that it's right on Congress Street in the middle of downtown. The inside of the restaurant is cozy and quaint with a cute bar and it makes you feel like you're really in a big city they have outside tables as well, but they aren't as cute. The appetizers were decent but if they weren't on happy hour I probably wouldn't order them again. We ordered a variety of drinks and they were all really good. I would definitely come back again for happy hour just for drinks at the bar. We each ordered a different pasta and I'd say they were all great. My favorite was the mafaldine mushroom pasta, which was a 10 out of 10! The sauce was creamy and flavorful. The noodles were the perfect. I would definitely order the mushroom pasta again! We finished with a tiramisu for dessert which was also really yummy. Overall, I'd say this is a hidden gem right in the heart of Austin's downtown. It's easy to get a reservation and the staff were very helpful. They have great deals for a date night, happy hour, and prefix menus so I would definitely consider this when looking for a dinner option. read more

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Wonderful dinner and drinks experience at Gina's! Inside is romantic and fancy vibes. Our waiter was amazing too. For drinks we had multiple rounds of the hot and skinny because we loved it so much! It tasted like a margarita meets a dirty martini, but definitely not too olive heavy. It was a perfect not too sweet drink and would come back just for this drink! For food we started with the smoked salmon dip and crab croquettes. Both were great, I liked the salmon dip a little more! We also got the bread and butter. It was exactly what you would think, nothing special but did its job. For entrees, we got the mussels and fries, bucatini and G.O.C Burger. I think the mussels and fries are what they are known for and they lived up to the hype! The sauce they are cooked in is so perfectly savory and creamy. I will warn it is a messy meal, but so tasty. The crunchy fries are a great texture mixed with the mussels. The bucatini was so delicious as well. Would come back for both of these dishes. My friend who got the burger enjoyed it. I enjoy a thinner burger patty so this burger wasn't for me, but the toppings looked awesome! We also got a side of the shells and cheese and it was cheesy and great! I really loved everything we ordered here and it was a great vibe for a girls dinner. Can't wait to come back and try the happy hour or their prix fixe menu! read more

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This is one of the best spots we have tried in Austin - my friend said it was his favorite spot in Austin thus far. I love French and Italian food, and Gina's has both. It's a cozy, classy, candlelit spot in downtown Austin. Our waiter was also a delight - he was patient, friendly, energetic, and kind. I wish we got his name! The Happy Hour is wonderful - It is 3-6 PM everyday and half off appetizers and drinks. They also have a $40 pre-theater dinner special that is 3 courses and from 4-6 PM. The drinks (I had the Straperol Spritz) were amazing. Food: -Pumpkin Soup ($12) - Creamy and delicious. -Gougeres ($9) - Like a cheesy, soft, choux pastry! -Rabbit Rillette ($17) - loved it. -Bucatini Brisket Bolognese ($25) - The pasta is seemingly homemade and fresh, and was some of the BEST pasta and bolognese we have had. The sauce itself is rich, flavorful, and textured perfectly. -Sourdough Bread & Butter ($5) - so yummy! Can't go wrong with high quality bread and butter. -Stracciatella (Cookies and Cream-esque) Gelato and Pizette - this was the dessert to the $40 3-course special. Cherry on top. What a wonderful meal! read more

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I brought my friend Jackie here to celebrate her birthday, and I had noted the occasion when making the reservation. The staff went had a sweet, personalized birthday note waiting at our table when we arrived. Such a thoughtful touch that really set the tone for the evening. We started with the Bone Marrow and the Gougeres. The gougeres were okay, but the bone marrow was absolutely fantastic -- rich, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. For mains, I had the Lamb Shank and Jackie ordered the Red Fish -- both were delicious and beautifully plated. We ended the night by sharing the cheesecake, which was a great choice, creamy and not overly sweet and they put a birthday candle in it! Super thoughtful. To drink, we ordered dirty martinis (a little on the small side, but still tasty) and each had a glass of wine, which felt like the better value with a good pour. The service the entire night was spot-on attentive without being overbearing, and clearly invested in making the night special. I'll definitely be back. Gina's hits the right balance of great food, warm ambiance, and stellar service. Highly recommend! read more

Gina's on Congress - Lamb Shank - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Went on a Monday night and was happily surprised with all night happy hour, which is a really good deal on cocktails & apps! The bartender crafted me a special mocktail, I love when I can make a special request and it's a hit. The place is small and intimate, you could get a bigger table for a bigger group i.e. a work dinner, but I would book early cause most tables were for smaller groups & couples. The lights were dimmed around 8pm. They also have a small patio on congress (but right next to parking spots) The apps were really yummy, and worth it at happy hour price. Small portions for the full price though. The salmon is very fresh. The crab is more saucy. Both were a hit. The pasta were good, fresh, and perfect amount. The sourdough bread was homemade and served warmed with butter and salt, you can't go wrong! The gelato was ok, but to be fair I was very full. Pro-tip: pay with In-kind app and get cash back on your dinner! read more

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I stopped by for lunch with a colleague who recommended this place. The restaurant is cute and cozy, with a comfortable atmosphere that makes the experience even more enjoyable. The service was great, and everything we ordered was delicious. I chose the Gemelli pasta, which was the perfect portion for me. Conveniently located in downtown Austin, it's a lovely spot for work lunches, dinners, or group gatherings. Overall, a solid and reasonably priced experience. read more

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Went to Gina's for HH and enjoyed it. Snacks and drinks were 1/2 odd which is a pretty good deal in Austin. The smoked salmon dip was good as was the other appetizer, gougere. Pasta was good but I thought the mushroom pasta one of my friends got was even better, so if I come back, I would get the Mafaldine instead. Ambiance is nice with both indoor and outdoor seating read more

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Stopped in for a quick drink while dilly dallying on Congress. The bartender provided delightful conversation while we sipped our drinks. Gave us some background on what certain ingredients are meant for and which drinks they are best mixed with. The place was cozy with a long bar and clean restroom. read more

Gina's on Congress - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This restaurant was very quaint and romantic. All of the waiters were men and I loved their uniforms. The service was a lot slower than expected especially since it wasn't super busy but they made up for it by giving us our tartare on the house. Both pasta entrees were amazing. The tiramisu had a bit more chocolate than I was expecting but the sorbetto was amazing! If they put the sorbetto and the chocolate together somehow that would be fire. Unfortunately the tartare was disappointing. It was doused in so much onion it was all you could taste. The salmon dip and chips, however, were delicious. Overall I would definitely recommend this place. read more

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Gina's on Congress is such a great place for a date night! It's as if a Parisian bistro eloped with a Roman trattoria. It's French meets Italian! The space is just so charming. Perfect for a date night or dinner with friends. The decor is a lovely blend of old-world charm and modern chic! It's fancy without the stuffy. We start with the Gourgères, Gardiniera, and Crab Croquettes. The Gourgères were delicious, light, and warm. I do wish there were more than 2 per order. I could've eaten 4 of them. The Gardiniera was a nice contrast. Crunchy, tart, and refreshing. The Crab Croquettes were comforting without being heavy. Delightful. Next arrives the Bone Marrow and Caesar Salad. The Bone Marrow was SO good. I wish more sourdough was given to soak up all of that butteriness as it was very rich and the marrow to bread ratio was off. The Caesar salad was very unconventional. The escarole and radicchio are more robust than romaine, so the salad had a different kind of texture and more assertive flavor profile. Instead of chopped hard boiled eggs, the fine texture of the sieved egg smoothly coated the greens. I love this salad. For our entrees, we ordered the G.O.C Burger and the Mafaldine. The burger was a satisfying combo of savory, sweet, and nutty. Cooked perfectly. The shoe string fries were the perfect pair for this entree. The mafaldine was a little cold which made the dish a tad bit off putting. The texture of the pasta and the texture of the mushrooms went together so well, but would've been exponentially better had the dish been hot. For dessert, the Tiramisu Marquise. This take on tiramisu caught me off guard. It's 10x richer and extremely chocolatey more than anything. Very good but not what I expected. The service was good! Our server knew the menu well and his suggestions were great. Overall, it was a lovely date night! read more

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The Good: Was fun to see how they're made over the old La Triviata space. Loved the Gouges and crab croquets! Our waiter was knowledgeable and made good recommendations. The Not So Good: Although tasty, the espresso poured into my affogato wasn't warm and never melted the ice cream. The Ugly: Nothing glaring to add here. read more

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Really digging this place! Came in for happy hour and really enjoyed everything! Half off snacks and cocktails. Good menu. Friendly staff, fun atmosphere! ...oh and they have matches! Always a plus read more

Gina's on Congress - Crab croquettes - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Came here for lunch on a Sunday! We were only one of two tables occupied, and our server came to say hi right away. He confided that he wasn't supposed to have had to work, and so we were very empathetic! However, the service from there on out was extraordinarily slow. It took nearly 25 minutes for him to return and take our order, unfortunately. The food itself was pretty good! It was difficult to justify the price (~$20 plates), however. The vibe was bright and nice and clean, but I'm not sure we'd come again! read more

Gina's on Congress - Croque Madame - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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A stylish spot with serious flavor in the heart of downtown Austin. Food: Creative, crave-worthy Italian with a modern Texas twist. The pasta is house-made and perfectly al dente--don't miss the cacio e pepe or the short rib ravioli. Great cocktails and a fun wine list round it out. Service: Friendly, upbeat, and knowledgeable. Staff made us feel right at home and offered great menu recommendations without rushing us. Ambiance: Chic and lively with a touch of retro charm. The space feels upscale yet inviting, perfect for both date nights and catching up with friends. Bonus: great people-watching from the patio. A fresh, vibrant addition to Congress Ave--definitely worth a visit! read more

so grateful for a lovely Christmas Christmas Eve dinner. Started off by treating ourselves to the roasted bone marrow, and salmon and dip with etc. caviar and potato chips. Divine. Nice wine selection and they also offered a delicious French old-fashioned cocktail :-) For the mains, we tried the Hanger stake and grilled halibut. The only suggestion for improvement is to include something green on the halibut, even a dash of parsley would be a nice touch. Our server was very friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. Will be back to try more dishes from the menu. read more

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Per this restaurant's website: "Gina is short for Regina in Italian and translates as Queen...At one point dubbed "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World." The name Gina is short for Regina, which is Italian for "Queen." It's a bold choice for an establishment that treats its customers like afterthoughts and its staff even worse. Our group had a New Year's Eve reservation--arguably the biggest night of the year for dining--and this place had the audacity to cancel it at the last minute without so much as a phone call or an automated email. We shouldn't have to play detective on social media to find out holiday plans have been nuked because the "Queen" couldn't keep her house in order. If you're wondering why the service is nonexistent, a quick look at the news explains it all: apparently, they can't even manage the basic human decency of paying their workers. "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World"? Not even close. This place is an ugly mess from the management down. If they can't pay their staff and they can't respect a reservation, they don't deserve your business. Save your money and go somewhere that actually values its reputation and its people. Avoid at all costs. read more

We tried the price fixed menu and it was delish! We got an app, meal, and dessert. This is on Congress so parking is scarce but depending on the time of day, you may snag some street spots. We sat at the bar and the vibe is really fun! read more

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Pretty mid if I'm being honest. Really wanted to like this place, but the food just missed. I love steak tartare and this was one of the worst iterations I've had in Austin. Giving flimsy potato chips rather than bread or a cracker is a joke. I scooped my steak tartare onto the chip only to had it break and make a mess. Tried to enjoy the tartare on its own but it just didn't taste great. It was fine at best. I had the mussels and fries and while it looks cool it's pretty annoying to eat. My server had to explain to take the fries off onto another plate to get to the mussels, then go back to the fries. Another giant mess. Is upscale food supposed to be this messy? The mussels tasted pretty good, but there wasn't as many as I had hoped so I had to fill myself up with the fries, which were basically all breading and no actual potato they were so thin. Service was great from the bartender so props to her. But yeah, won't be returning. read more

Gina's on Congress - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Nut allergy friendly: I only came for happy hour, but the servers seemed to be pretty aware of anything! Possibly one of the best weekend happy hours in downtown Austin! We stopped in with a group of 7 at 3:30PM and were seated with no wait. Drinks came out in about 10 minutes. They have their own twist on many classic cocktails. For example, the French Old Fashioned was much more fruity than a standard old fashioned. I didn't have any particular highlights, but the drinks were well crafted and very reasonably priced on happy hour. Paid via inKind with no issues. read more

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Been several times. Food is consistent and solid. They rocked it with the Austin Restaurant Week Menu as well! I like the ambiance. Refined, but not pretentious. Will continue exploring more of the menu. read more

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There aren't many great French dining options in Austin, so I was excited to see this new restaurant open downtown. I was even more thrilled to find out it's from the same owners as Gracia and Gusto, both of which I really enjoyed. I came here for happy hour before a show. For starters, we had the bone marrow and sourdough, which was super yummy and well-balanced, pairing nicely with my French 75 cocktail. For entrees, I chose the mussel frites. While the presentation was great, the fries got soggy in the broth, so I would have preferred them served separately. My date's dish the half spring chicken was much better and cooked to perfection. I surprisingly also enjoyed the mushroom bread pudding, which I typically don't like. The service was great, and the restaurant was intimate yet inviting, with a beautiful bar. I look forward to coming back for lunch or brunch next time I'm in the area. read more

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One of my favorite spots in Austin, you should go. Vibe (5/5): Really nice but not stuffy. Food (4.5/5): Delicious but not a big menu. Drinks (4/5): Good drinks, mostly classics Service (5/5): Wonderful Get the bread, corn chowder, and Buccatini. WARNING: The menu says "BEET carpaccio". As in it is beets. Not beef. Oops read more

Great venue and meal! First time at this cozy, albeit a bit loud (on Saturday night) Congress Ave bistro-like restaurant with a great menu, great service, and really tasty food. Greeted cheerfully by Ethan and seated on entry a bit before our 7:15 reservation. Nice start. Varied menu, and received wonderful suggestions from Christopher, our server, who was delightfully friendly, yet professional, knew the menu very well, and added to our dining experience. Started with a delicious, pate-like rabbit dish, along with the marinated veggies and olives, with cheese and salumi. Both yummy! Great start. Then had the beef tartare with a small (quail ?) egg on top, that mixed in easily (as suggested by Christopher), which was served with perfectly salted, sturdy potato chips. Wonderful dish. Yellow beets good too. Shared mussels with frites in a tasty broth as a main course. Great dish. Finished with a cappuccino and a rich, but smooth, chocolate mousse-like offering topped with a bit of bourbon and a tiny bit of sweetened nuts. My wife enjoyed her red wine and my Grey Goose martini, slightly dirty was perfect! A truly great dining experience from entry 'til exit. Thanks Ethan and Christopher, and nicely done to the chef and staff. Note, that, we parked in the corner lot which was 100 feet away. Yay! read more

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We went here for a belated valentines dinner and really enjoyed ourselves. We had bar top seating (which isn't the most comfortable to cross your legs at but minor complaint!). The bartender was incredibly friendly and guided us on drinks and what to eat. We started with the shrimp and prosciutto appetizer which is a large fried shrimp wrapped in prosciutto (Altho you can't really taste it) and doused in a hot chili honey. Tasty and different but nothing I would re order. We then ordered the mufaldina pasta which was really good with mushrooms. The star of the night though was the lamb shank. Incredibly tender and so delicious with the polenta it's served atop. Order this! Ended with a bourbon pecan chocolate pot de creme which was definitely boozy and perfectly chocolatey! Ambiance is really cute and cozy and great location to go out after. We'll be back! read more

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Was so excited to try a new restaurant named after my namesake Gina Lollobrigida. The restaurant was able to accomodate a large group of us, about 9 which was fantastic. The intimate setting was great. We absolutely loved our waiter, Christopher. He was so helpful and an absolute delight. They have an excellent drink selection and you can't beat a happy hour on cocktails and snacks that's available everyday, yes including weekends. Our group loved the giardineira, rabbit, salmon dip and gougeres. I had the conchiglie pasta, which they were able to accomodate a dairy allergy. It was good, but not the best I'd ever had. The sauce was more soupy vs. an actual red sauce. I think it'd have been better with a yummy red sauce. My friends loved the mafaldine pasta. Overall, I'd definitely return to try more. read more

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Gina's Hapy Hour Review: VQS 9 A romantic & chic French bistro serving modern French Cocktails and Bites. Value-9: All menu Cocktails and Snacks were half off which allowed us to try a variety of their offerings for half the price. Their Happy Hour also runs everyday unlike most other restaurants with similar offerings. Quality-9: Their food was so incredibly fresh and high quality. Everything including the chips and bread was house made from scratch. Everything seemed simple, yet incredibly on point. The best part about the salmon dip was the incredibly delicate house made chips it was served with. They were cut so thin to the point of looking translucent. The gougeres was our personal favorite and we both concluded we could eat it all day every day. The drinks on the other hand were a miss for us. 3 out of 10 cocktails were sparkling wine based and the rest were also on the dry side. They could have used some variation of mixed drinks with more creative mixers on the menu. I bit the bullet and ordered the 'It's raining in my Champagne' which was supposed to be mixed with Limonchello and Lemon and it seemed like I received a glass of straight champagne with a few drops of lemon in it. Quite painful to digest for anyone who isn't a hardcore Dry Champagne drinker. For someone with a stronger flavor palette these drinks would be a winner considering they are going for the French Champagne bar vibes Keeping the strong flavors aside, I'd still value their drinks at high quality due to their menu creativity. Service-9: Our server was absolutely amazing. She was friendly yet professional. She was so patient with me as I presented to her my picky taste in drinks while she explored the entire cocktail menu to see if she could find something that fit my choice. Most servers lose steam and leave it up to me to make a decision after pointing out the obvious answers. She was also very diligent about checking on us. The only reason I didn't give them a full 10 was because the hostess who checked us in could have been more polite. She looked visibly agitated due to a slight bit of confusion around whether we had a reservation or not. Still not rude in any way at all. read more

Gina's on Congress - Food - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

We were strolling around downtown recently, wanted a quick snack and stopped into Gina's. Really cute aesthetic and friendly service. We thought the portions were super small but we were happy with them. Not dying to return but don't have anything else negative to say beyond the portions. Friendly bartender who was attentive the whole time we were there. read more

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I'm so happy I ran into this cozy, delicious restaurant on my last night in Austin. The inside was inviting and peaceful. Our server was friendly and had great recommendations. My friend and I split the Texas tomato and Ceasar salad as appetizers and we each tried a different pasta - she the gnocchi and me the mafaldine. The noodles were fresh, the kale and mushrooms were plentiful, and the sauce was fantastic, buttery goodness. I was planning on getting an espresso martini for dessert but once I saw the affogato on the menu, I knew I had to try it and it did not disappoint. Overall a lovely experience and would definitely go back. read more

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Elegant and understated, one does feel like one is in a European bistro, street scene and all. I went on what sounds like a contradictory experience: a business lunch with a friend. He has financial expertise I do not, and happens to be Italian so yes, he knows good eats. We were both impressed with gougeres as appetizers, which were light, but very flavorful. My steak was cooked perfectly as were the potatoes. His fish as well! The service was attentive but never intrusive and the tab was reasonable for what we got (2 cocktails, appetizer, 2 mains, and a bottle of wine - did I mention he's Italian?). Would absolutely recommend for a quiet lunch, or romantic dinner. read more

1st timer. Brought a small group here. It was just a miss for us. The restaurant is quaint and comfy, the service was good, the food just wasn't it. The best thing we ordered were the Gruyère gourgeres. Flavorful and delicious! The entrees were so heavily salted that no one could stand to eat much. The gnocchi was bathed in salt and the texture was not at all what it should be. No pillowy softness. Just kind of soggy, dense and chewy. Perhaps an off night for them, but there are so many great choices in Austin, no need to pay for subpar food. read more

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Love their pasta. First time I had tartare. Liked it but had an onion aftertaste. Next time I'm in Austin will definitely go back.

Service was great here but the food was just a bit mediocre. The bone marrow and the beef tartare were a bit bland. The chicken was juicy but a bit bland. The mafaldine was good but wasn't as good as the other madaldine dishes around Austin. For dessert we got the affogato that was quite good. read more

Gina's on Congress - Bone marrow and tartare - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Gina's is a classy place with servers who you can tell are trained to be a certain. There but discreet . I loved my time here. Love the chill atmosphere yet very high end. The music was fabulous in the background. I sat at the bar and they have several nice pink tablecloth tables in the floor . The bartender was very nice but didn't bother me too much. I loved how they all checked on me but in a very low key way. The menu is very Italian and the drinks menu was too. The drinks and app I had were excellent . I wanted a cocktail but couldn't decide so he asked me what I liked and he made me what was kinda like a French 75. It was nice and light and not sweet. Then I had the shrimp and prosciutto small plate but plenty for one. Loved this . Jumbo shrimp battered slightly and the prosciutto was also crisped and all put together with a slightly sweet orange gastrique and cracked pepper. Light but could be your meal too. I had a side of sourdough toast with this too which was really nice and chewy. Perfect plate. Then I had an espresso martini which was also made to perfection. I opted for the affogato for a little sweet treat. The simple presentation I loved and you could taste the quality in the gelato and the espresso. This is awesome meal ended. This would be in my rotation if I lived in Austin. Definitely my kinda laid back place. Everything was the best of the best. read more

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We had a date night here and it was perfect. Romantic and cozy atmosphere. The food was amazing! I have to also mention that the lattes were phenomenal! I had 2 they were so good! We were in and out of there quick too and didn't feel rushed at all! read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner with friends and the service was great. Both in taking care of us before and accommodating us dropping off a small cake early to the actual dinner and meal. The food and cocktails were all great and we all walked away wondering why we had not been here before. A true gem on the Congress strip and a great place for drinks, Italian and vibes in a small intimate environment. read more

First time here. Place looks nice but a bit loud. Shared the gnocchi and lamb shank with hubby. Both were really good but the gnocchi probably won the fight! We will be coming back to try other dishes. read more

Gina's on Congress - Gnocchi with peas and ham - French Near Me - Austin, Texas

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First of all, the service is off the charts (thanks Mariah). And I'm a customer service stickler. Second, the atmosphere is classic French bistro. Cozy and welcoming. Not least, the food was some of the best I've had outside Europe (where we lived for six years) and hands down the best steak tartare I've ever eaten. The shoestring fries were amazing. And the wine list! Outstanding! (See: lived in Europe for 6 years. Also wine collectors.) We are in from Charleston, SC (again, know restaurants, food, wine, service), but will definitely make Gina's a priority when we are back in Austin. Also passing on our recommendation to our friends who live here. read more

Just finished dinner at Gina's on Congress and felt compelled to write a review. We spent a perfectly enjoyable evening where the service and food was impeccable. The cocktails constructed by Calvert, the bartender, were inventive and wonderful. Sam couldn't have been more informative, which made for excellent choices. Overall, we look forward to our next trip to Austin and Gina's. read more