My husband and I went here for our Anniversary. Let me start by saying the food is outstanding. The waiter we had this past Saturday was amazing. My issue with this restaurant is, I want to go there and enjoy a meal. What you get when you go there and scan for your menu is political garbage. I'm about to eat and they are promoting to come on Tuesdays to help fund abortion rights. Goodness. I lost my appetite. I would have tipped over 20% because our waiter was the greatest, but they already added 20%.... And also added convenience fees for the use of a credit/debit card... I will miss the food at the this place, but not the overbearing political stance they take. So sad. read more

This place was listed on the Eater's 38 Essential Austin Restaurants so we had to try it for our Ladies Night Out. It did not disappoint! It's Italian cuisine and they make the bread, pasta, cheese, etc. all in-house. The attention to detail shows. From the appetizers (glazed carrots with pistachio butter, zucchini fries - yes, please!, and the fresh mozzarella salad with peaches) to the main courses (polenta, lasagna, and mafaldine w/ shrimp) to the desserts (tiramisu and cannoli), everything was deliciously executed. The dishes are small but very rich (a smidge oily, even) and sharing is definitely encouraged. On the drinks side, highly recommend you order one of the spritzes. It was cool, light, refreshing. They do add 20% surcharge to all bills since they're committed to the fair wage pay, an effort I can certainly get behind. It's on the pricier side so keep that in mind. The restaurant is located smack in the middle of the up-and-coming Mueller neighborhood (same area as the Alamo & The Thinkery) so lots of paid street parking available (free after 8pm). You can also park in the garage and walk over. We have definite plans to come back and try their pasta tasting menu read more

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I've been here several times now and have enjoyed my experience each time. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The food is great, and it tastes even better knowing it's local. They add 20% gratuity to every check to ensure their staff are taken care of. The zucchini fries were awesome. The mozzarella was light and refreshing. The risotto was out of this world! On a separate occasion, I requested to pick up an order of tiramisu for a special occasion expecting to be turned down as I know lots of places prefer not to do to-go orders since their work will not be served as they intended it to be enjoyed. To my surprise, they accommodated me without hesitation and were very responsive in my email request! Another great interaction with staff! Oh and the tiramisu was the best I've had in town! Highly recommend stopping in for happy hour or better yet dinner! The pasta tasting was great too! read more

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Super cute restaurant! I really enjoyed everything we ordered, the ambiance, and the attentive service. The roasted brussel sprouts were so well seasoned and roasted perfectly. The chicken milanesa was flavorful, and I really enjoyed the small salad served on top of it. My favorite dish was the lasagna. I would definitely order it again. I also loved the tiramisu. It is definitely meant to be shared and incredibly creamy. I like that gratuity is calculated in your check. My only complaint is that they don't validate your parking. read more

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The food was not great, the service was terrible, and it was so hot inside that everyone at the table was sweating. Some examples include: 1. We had to remind the waiter about the bottle of wine we ordered. 2. Someone forgot to put in one of our children's buttered noodles dishes, so they were the last ones to get their meal. 3. We had to return one of our dishes because there was a hair in it. I can't leave a review all negative. The restaurant is super cute and it is a great location. I just wish the food and service had been better. read more

Honestly not worth it. Focaccia was alright but came out cold after it was on the grill. We asked to heat it up and they said they would just give us a new one (yay!), but then that came out cold as well. Fettuccine Alfredo just tasted like bland pasta with the only flavor being pepper. Pistachio risotto wasn't great either. Not worth the price. Also added in a 20% gratuity at the end (you could just put a note on the menu that food prices include fair wages already and increase the food price you know), which I definitely wouldn't have given if given the option. On top of this the bill came with an abortion meeting flyer? Just strange. All around wouldn't come again. read more

This wonderfully delightful neighborhood restaurant is a treasure. The team members are true gems. But the food is an inspired revelation. Shockingly curated and sublimely executed. We tried the pasta tasting and it was not heavy non proteins so we almost passed. The waiter shared how this is what would bring us back and he was right on target! It was all so very delicious I completely forgot to take photos of the food. The host Mincho is a wonderful person and I wish I could brag about the others by name - they were a fabulous team! This is one of the best restaurants in Austin and it is tucked away in the idyllic Mueller Village across from a small lake and trails, next to a children's museum (The Thinkery) and a Block from the Alamo Drafthouse. I'd say see your movie first because this dinner is so good you have to end your evening here! read more

L'Oca d'Oro - This menu has expired - we enjoyed it the last night. I cannot wait to discover the next one! - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great meal. Very nice restaurant. Service was good. I had redfish. Maybe the best redfish I've had. Wife had bucatini, a tad salty. Focaccia and mozzarella appetizers were outstanding. read more

Wonderful but expensive food well worth the price; the Mueller is a community rich in people from different cultures who do their work well. People should come and see what our former airport has become as a planned community with areas of well-done high density housing and single residences and people who care about people from diverse backgrounds and want to celebrate their significant holidays and festivals with them read more

Actually so gas. Will go back but will mentally prepare myself for the smaller portions because babe.. this isn't family style to me. Don't look at me like that. Had a vermut roselle to drink, loved that it as a spritz.The focaccia is insane with that honey butter. Needed more of that cacio e pepe. Fine dining with the changing of the plates and silverware between the appetizer, main course, and dessert. The best tiramisu for sharing between 3, I will say that. Felt like I was having my Italian summer dinner with the decor. Service was nice, what more do u want? read more

[Summer 2021] Link to the menu: https://www.locadoroaustin.com/qr-menu/ My family and I came here for dinner. Due to COVID, they only do patio dining. I really appreciate that the staff saw us getting heated (93 F outside) and tried to set up umbrellas so we could be in the shade. I absolutely loved the ambiance here: lots of green, light, clean, cute, quiet, and opposite a lake. Very Austin-like! Service: 5/5 Our server knew the menu so well and gave great and easy-to-understand descriptions of the food. She always checked up on us, and came with a bright smile. Food: 4/5 - Sourdough Focaccia: the salted butter with olive oil complemented the sourdough very well. Definitely start off with this if you want food right away. - Fresh Mozzarella (w/ steelbow tomatoes, colatura, basil, peach): Love, love this. My dad never liked cheese but he cleared the dish. - Wagyu Sirloin Carpaccio (w/ coffee shoyu, kohlrabi puree): very light and fresh; doesn't taste raw or meaty at all. - Grilled Squid (w/ preserved meyer lemon, fennel, chile oil, basil): Hmm, could be a personal thing but I thought it tasted a little salty (order this if you like salty and spicy). not my thing. - Cavatelli al Pomodoro (w/ ricotta cavatelli, overnight roasted tomato, Boggy Creek arugula): essentially a red pasta, overall very good but I wish it was less salty. - Spaghetti alla Nerano (w/ zucchini, Provolone Picanté, lemon basil): essentially a green pasta, tastes very light, very summer-fitting. Highly recommend this dish. read more

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My aunts and my little cousin and I came here for girls' night out, and we were extremely impressed... Everything we ate was absolutely delectable--particularly the homemade mozzarella and focaccia bread. Wow. We could have made a meal of those alone! The service was attentive and friendly, and the ambiance was cozy. Just FYI: although we brought an older child, I would say it's more of an adult-friendly, romantic, date-night kinda place. Anyway, I will definitely be returning to this little gem of a bistro! read more

This was a flavor tidal wave of wonderful deliciousness. We will definitely return. It was so good

Came here for drinks and the service was immaculate! Completely COVID safe with very speedy attentive service. Drinks were perfectly chilled and well balanced, with some very solid bread and whipped butter. Ambiance is great too, perfect for a sunny al fresco lunch. read more

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

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly THE GOOD Our tall waiter (I believe his name was Mike) was polite, helpful and well-informed about the menu. The restaurant's restrooms were clean and had a charming decor. The in-house made Sourdough Focaccia with Cultured Butter was delicious and arrived soon after we had ordered. The Chicory Salad arrived about 10 minutes later and was refreshing and interesting. The brisket and pork meatballs arrived about 20 minutes later and were also good. Our favorite dish of the evening was the Tiramisu dessert, which was moist and delicious. THE BAD The design of this main dining room was terrible. It was a large room with a very tall ceiling, the tables placed very close together. Nothing says "intimate dining" like a huge, noisy barn. That is exactly the atmosphere in this dining room, with the noise level so loud that one could hardly hear the conversation. The restrooms had no sinks in them. Guests washed their hands in two sinks located outside the restrooms, situated in the hallway. My husband discovered there were no paper towels left to dry his hands. When I used the restroom about 40 minutes later, there were still no paper towels available. I mentioned this fact to a staff member, so other people would not have to return to their dining table with wet hands. The menu of food choices was surprisingly very limited for an Italian restaurant. We waited a full hour after receiving our meatballs before finally getting our entrees. Our extremely busy waiter informed us that the kitchen was "backed up" with orders. We had ordered the Rigatoni alla Norcina. The dish had a good flavor, but the pasta was not cooked correctly. It was extremely chewy. We also received a meager portion of pasta, for the price we paid. The Chicken Milanesa we received was very overcooked and dry. A huge disappointment. When chefs are extremely busy, that is not an excuse to execute the food poorly. We had waited an hour to receive our entrées and we did not want to send them back to be properly prepared. THE UGLY The painted cement floor of this restaurant had chipped and peeling paint everywhere, which made for a very cheap looking, ugly floor. I've been fortunate to experience a few excellent Italian restaurants in my lifetime. These restaurants presented interesting, extensive menus and served delicious, well-prepared food. The wait staff made you feel welcome and you never got the sense that they were rushed when they talked to you. The atmospheres in these special Italian restaurants were elegant, intimate and romantic - not the frantic, impersonal and noisy atmosphere we unfortunately experienced at L' Oca d' Oro. We will not be returning to this restaurant. read more

One of the worst dining experiences I've ever had, especially at this price and level of hype. Service was awful. Our server left halfway through our meal and it took them a while to even notice and find a replacement. Even after finding a replacement, we still had extremely slow service. We sat outside, in close enough proximity to their dumpsters to smell trash all night. The first few dishes we had were all under-seasoned, until the last dish, which apparently had all the salt they'd reserved from the first dishes dumped into it. Maybe we caught them on an off night, but to have a place listed as the #1 restaurant in Austin miss on all aspects seems pretty bad. read more

The food was tasty and very good. But the portions are EXTREMELY SMALL and barely enough for 1 person. Also, as usual they still charge the 20% service fee which they claim pays for all servers at the restaurant......... We would like to pay our server for the food quality and service offered; surely would not like to pay all servers at the restaurant. I can see many guests have complained about the service fee but the restaurant owners are adamant and would NOT take it out. The prices for entrees is not cheap either, so why charge a 20% service fee in the 1st place......... read more

A very impressive meal, from start to finish and an amazing twist on 'normal' Italian cuisine. I am foodie and in town from Phoenix, and this was an excellent find! We, also, had great service and the restaurant has a lovely atmosphere. read more

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

Top 3 Italian restaurant in Austin (Red Ash and Patrizi's being the other two... no way to rank them 1-2-3... they're all amazing). Always a great meal. Best seat is at the bar to watch the chef's do their thing! read more

This place was good but not great. Definitely not worth the price. I had the Grilled Watermelon it was good, they pulled an interesting flavor. My husband had the Ricotta Cavatelli. He didn't love the nuts in the dish. read more

Much too overpriced for overly complicated food that was very loosely Italian. The Italian soda was flat in my cocktail, the pickled green tomato did not match with the mozz, and the meatballs were sooo small for the price. I understand that they were high quality meat but really... it's a meatball. I would have rather had a few more lower quality meatballs for $25. The extra forced service charge and the credit card surcharge made very little sense when the food was already so expensive. read more

I went in a party of 2 at 10 am on a Saturday morning. Parking: We paid for 2 hours of street parking right in front. However, if you want to walk a minute or two, it looked like you could've parked for free further down the road towards the neighborhood. Environment: I'm not the biggest fan of cutesy brunch places that have that iconic "come here for brunch and take pictures" look, but I must admit, I loved it. Tons of natural lighting, rustic (?) interior decor and some neutral tones that are easy on the eyes. See my pictures!! Drinks: We had the chance to be the absolute first customers to try their apple cider (pseudo)mimosa and it was fantastic. Perfect for fall and went down nicely with some sparkling water. (Wow who am I what am I saying) Food: We had the zucchini bostock appetizer and !!hello!! it was easily one of the better (and fancier) pastries I've ever had. It was moist, well-cooked, and hearty (but not too heavy). I ordered the Croque Signora and was pleasantly surprised that the egg wasn't droopy. Each bite contained all the different elements and was preceded by a green breath of fresh air! Also, there was a considerable amount of prosciutto on the plate that I really enjoyed. Service: Great service. Our server recommended the drinks and appetizer for us and was more than willing to accommodate us on both tap and sparkling water. She was quick and attentive. I paid $56 for the two of us. In total, we had 2 mimosas, an appetizer, and two entrees. $56 included the 18% automatic gratuity FYI. Price was the one reason I give this place 4 stars. It's a little pricey, but if you're looking to take someone out for a date, or if you're just wanting to enjoy a fancy brunch, this is definitely worth a look! read more

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tl;dr pros: Food was excellent; wait staff was very accommodating and apologetic for the issues we had; gratuity included in the bill at about 18% - which some people don't like, but I think it's great that the restaurant is trying to fairly pay its staff via this policy. (fyi - in many other countries they just charge more for food and drinks and actually pay their staff, no tipping required) cons: Strange lack of awareness of our request for indoor seating via Open Table; a couple of strange menu issues; location for our reserved table left much to be desired. The experience just wasn't as relaxing as we had hoped for a birthday dinner. Now the details: After reading about L'Oca d'Oro my spouse took a chance on a new dining experience and put in a reservation for my birthday dinner via Open Table. When we arrived the greeter asked if we wanted to sit outside. Well, we thought that was strange since we intentionally did not select the "outside" option on Open Table. They seemed a bit perplexed about having us sit inside, so we waited a few minutes while they surveyed their options. They seated us at a very small table for 2 against a wall, right between a large party and the doorway to a service area. The in-and-out traffic of wait staff was incessant right behind my husband, and my position near the large party meant I was in the way of their servers the whole time. On the bright side, at least we had a table at 8:30pm on a Saturday without much of a wait, I guess. The wait staff was excellent at explaining how things work at the restaurant. We looked at the QR code menu and made our selections. We wanted to order the grilled snapper, but the server came back to tell us the snapper was replaced by amberjack, so we asked for a few minutes to select another option since amberjack isn't really what we wanted. My partner then ordered a cocktail which apparently should not have been on the QR code menu because the server came back to tell us they didn't have it any more. However, when my spouse said he would just stay with water our server checked with the bartender who said they had "just enough" to make another one of those cocktails. So, that was ok I guess? Why couldn't the bartender have said that the first time, though? On the VERY positive side, the two pasta dishes we ordered to share with each other were beautifully cooked and very enjoyable. (we had the garlic sausage pasta and the lemon marscapone with vegetables pasta) The sourdough focaccia with rosemary had a wonderful texture and flavor. And, the tiramisu was creamy but not overly rich, and the espresso and rum amounts were well balanced. We'll probably give this place another try in the future. For reservations we'll call instead of relying on Open Table, and we'll maybe ask on the phone about any changes in the menu so we aren't surprised next time. read more

The ambiance and food was really good! The service was quick and we were well taken care of.

This place was unexpectedly good. The menu is very small and I'm quite a picky eater so I was a bit nervous. The waiter was very helpful talking through the items and helping us decide what is best to order. The focaccia is so good and the pasta is super yum as well. The table we were sat at was pretty tight but it worked. The ambience is also quaint and cute. read more

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

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Farm to table restaurant. Beautifully decorated inside and there is also a small patio area outside. Since the weather was actually really nice we decided to sit outside, but they sat us a table that had a giant bush pressing into the side of my face - not so pleasant. Since this comes off as an italian themed restaurant, I thought we would get some table bread or something, especially as they were telling us they make all their breads and pasta in house, but we didn't get anything to start. When our waitress was explaining the menu at the beginning of our service, she had mentioned that the serving sizes were not huge but were enough to satisfy a person's appetite. Both myself and the person I was dining with got a fish dish off the menu and were dismayed by the small serving that came out. The dish was plated beautifully and was delicious, but I was definitely still hungry afterwards and ended up having to get a snack on my way back to my hotel. 5 stars for quality of the food and service but not something I would come back to. I shouldn't leave a restaurant hungry after paying close to $100 for dinner. read more

This restaurant is some of the best pasta I've had in a long time. Great service. Everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable about the food being prepared. Meatballs were delicious. Pastas were next level. Atmosphere was straightforward and food was the focus. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in town. I love it here because every person makes you feel special. The menu comes from whatever is locally available at the time, so you don't always get to go back for your favorite dish, but each thing is created with an incredible flavor palette and it will become your new favorite thing. You've got to try whatever pasta dish they've created, and don't miss dessert. The mozzarella is home-made (as is the pasta) and it's always a treat. Go in with an open mind and expect to try things you may not have thought about before. You won't be sorry! read more

i came back to austin on vacation and after 2 years and it's still as good as i remember. everything my husband and i ordered was delicious and so flavorful. i almost felt like i was in an italian nona's kitchen and was super impressed to find out that everything is made in-house. the meatballs were absolutely incredible, the mozzarella cheese was amazing. we tried almost all of the pastas and ate every single bite. the service was also really great. it's rare to step into a restaurant and feel like the staff actually wants you there but we felt very much at home. will be returning soon. read more

Quite good Italian-cuisine, particularly good for Austin, but definitely a bit of a hit-or-miss affair. Their heart is certainly in the right place though, and between that and the reasonable prices, a lot of the "miss"es are made up for. Hits - Excellent wines on tap, at *very* reasonable prices - An exceptionally good wine list, with "by the glass" selections that are actually worth getting :-) - Good salumi and formaggi (yes, the sopresatta is more like nduja, but whatever) - A bunch of really good antipasti, long on vegetables, and most of which taste fresh (and thats a good thing) - Some of the mains are excellent (the sausage, the lasgna, and the bone-marrow pasta, for example) - The cookies, and the "leaning tower of s'mores" are *excellent* - The staff is *extremely* friendly and helpful, Misses - The pastas are long on "red-sauce" selections. Thankfully, no "alla vodka" around, but they all taste, well, the same - The porchetta should be retired. Its dry, chewy, and, well, bland. (Heck, it should be retired in America - i've *never* had acceptable porchetta here...) - The 'trenette' (in a pink sauce of some kind. meh) were actually something else - wide and flat (sagnarelli perhaps?). You gots to be able to name things correctly :-) - The blueberry crostata dessert (with the pepper creme-fraiche) *really* should be retired. Just Didn't Work. - Loud. Oh lords it's loud. The echo-chamber effect means you, literally, can't hear people across the table... The bottom line, i'll probably be going back. its early days, and I expect it'll get better... read more

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Everyone extremely happy, helpful and eager to please. Waiter, super knowledgeable. Food and wine delicious. Started with the Scrumptious house made, Focaccia, followed by tender, Meatballs. Enjoyed Tagliatelle and Rigatoni alla Pomodoro, whipped ricotta, kosho-gremolata. They source sustainably and they have limited their menu to a small selection. Only one complaint, it's loud! Make sure to get a reservation and street parking is limited but available. We parked in the lot, unfortunately encountered a long line of cars upon departure. Management problems. read more

This review is way overdue but here goes. This is without a doubt the best Italian restaurant in Austin, which is even more impressive considering it's not downtown. The ingredients are fresh, healthy, and inventive while remaining authentic. The constantly evolving small plates are like nothing we've had before (GET THE TURNIPS!) and the fresh pastas are toothsome and satisfying. We've been here too many times to list all the food with descriptions but take it from me, every small plate we've had (which is basically all of them) is packed with flavor! The staff here is also EXCEPTIONAL, and I love that gratuity is included in every check, so no need to tip unless you really want to. read more

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Great food and service. Friendly, helpful staff. Located in the center of Mueller district.

They make all their pastas, breads and cheeses in house. I vote 5/5 for the Pastas and bread. The cheese is 3.5/5. But every ingredient used in the various dishes we had were fresh and flavorful. I was there on a Friday night and it was as busy as it gets. Every table was occupied by 8 pm. But the indoor dining room is cramped. So, if you make a reservation ask for a booth or the side tables. The pasta tasting menu looked great but asking for the same price for a vegetarian option is not fair. Maybe when the pricing is fixed, I would try it. Staff are very friendly and make you feel welcomed. Highly recommend! read more

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With so many great restaurants in Austin, it's not easy to choose which places to hit with limited time. These are very very difficult decisions to make after all. My last two times i've been in Austin, I went here both times. The food is outstanding. What stands out for me are the pasta dishes. Great soul food with a wow factor. They also have a great wine list. They turned me on to a very nice Greek wine that paired well with my pasta. The staff here is top notch. Knowledgeable and friendly. A very welcoming vibe. Love the ambiance of the place plus I enjoy the music they play which is always a good thing. Next time I'm in Austin, yeah, I'll be headed there again. read more

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The food at l'Oca d'oro is fantastic. I really enjoyed my plate of pickled veggies, cheese, and cured meats. The pasta was absolutely delicious (I regret not ordering a larger 'shared' size for myself). I have not had any Italian food quite like this in Austin yet. It may be that they're still working out the kinks, but service was s-l-o-w. I think we waited 30+ minutes to get our appetizer. Also, let's talk menu and pricing. Given that they recommend sharing many of the plates, the prices are a tad steep for the portion size. But hey, it's prime real estate in Mueller. And it's beautiful. Just be aware that the things that say it'll feed 2 people may only really feed just 1 really hungry person. But truly...this is some delish stuff. I'm confident they'll work out their opening week issues and be a wonderful addition to Mueller. P.S. They automatically include 18% gratuity! I've never really seen a place do that here in Austin. Very interesting. read more

L'Oca d'Oro - Tomato Casarecce (fennel sausage and mushrooms). This is the bigger "shared" size. - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Great tasting food and high quality. The food reminded us of our trip to Europe and how everything is so fresh

This was pre COVID and the like. The atmosphere is nice, the service is ok and the food is...food. The location is convenient, has indoor and outdoor seating, and the space inside feels intimate and relaxing. Everything is clean and the host sat us almost immediately. If you really want to try out this spot, do it during happy hour when some menu items are half off. If we had to pay full price, we would not have ordered as much, and we would have left much hungrier. The food is pricy, but the portions are small. The quality is...average. I really don't mind paying more money for a quality meal (See my review for Nonna Osteria), but this wasn't it. If the price is higher and the portions are smaller, the quality has to be there. Nothing was bad, but nothing was amazing either. A few dishes didn't even reach good. The spaghetti was just fine, but it seemed like something we could make at home. It was barely done pasta, black pepper, garlic and some oil. No proteins or vegetables, no spices to wow me. I'd skip this place. read more

Phenomenal pasta dishes with a nice atmosphere. The drink menu had some interesting choices and we enjoyed everything we tried.

The place is super cute! The food was pretty good--however, they were out of two things out of 5 that we ordered..and the menu isn't very big read more

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