We came here for lunch on a Monday. This restaurant exudes ambience on the inside- it has beautiful views of hilly austin scenery. It is located in a luxury hotel as well, which has vallet parking and other amenities. The food was good but not memorable- but Im not sure if that's because we had lunch. It was good, but not as high end as expected. To be fair the price point was also not bad, coming in under $40 per person, but still feels like a missed opportunity. The shout out was the service- it was slow so we had full attention and our server went above and beyond. It was my birthday and they even included a surprise cake :) which was absolutely delicious and if you come here you have to try the pistachio and ricotta cake! Overall had a wonderful time- top of my list for special lunch dates! read more

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Located inside Hotel Viata, this inconspicuous Italian restaurant delivers Mediterranean vibes without ever leaving Austin. The hotel and restaurant are both aesthetically beautiful with gorgeous hill country views, and the standout tree in the middle of the dining room is a stunning design element. We were seated right beside it which made for a great atmosphere while we enjoyed happy hour drinks. One thing I didn't love and hope they reconsider, is that happy hour drinks can only be ordered at the bar. It feels unnecessarily limiting and takes away from the overall dining experience, especially when you're already seated and trying to relax. Aside from that everything else was solid. The entrees that stood out the most were the bolognese, which was well-portioned and the striped bass, which was cooked perfectly. For appetizers we tried the burrata and the meatballs and the meatballs were the clear favorite. For dessert, we went with the tiramisu and pistachio ricotta cake and to my surprise the ricotta cake ended up being the better-balanced and more memorable choice even though I'm usually a tiramisu fan. Overall, it was a pleasant experience with a beautiful setting and good food, though I wouldn't say it's mind-blowing Italian cuisine. If you're staying at the hotel or happen to be in the area Laurel is worth a visit, especially since they're open from breakfast through dinner. read more

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Laurel is a beautiful restaurant with some good (but not incredible) food. The patio dining area is beautiful with an amazing view. We got brunch there and the lavender iced latte was amazing - the lavender flavor wasn't too overpowering. I got the panettone French toast which was okay - I like that it came with bacon and the sauce on top was delicious, but the French toast itself didn't taste great because I think the flavors of panettone just don't go well in a French toast recipe. read more

Laurel Restaurant - Panettone French Toast - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

The drive into this place makes you feel like you're in Tuscany just stunning. The Laurel is beside the Hotel Viata. The decor is modern with Italian artwork and textiles. Service was outstanding we had the pleasure of Luis taking care of us. Food hit the spot for a lunch date great taste and portion size. We will be back for dinner and a spa day . Will update with more photos of keep your eyes peeled guys. read more

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I attended a beautiful yelp event here. And I will absolutely be back to enjoy a cocktail, take pictures and share some delicious bites with my friends. Definitely a hidden gem that you will not regret visiting. Lovely, courteous staff and immaculate attention from the bar staff and servers. read more

Laurel Restaurant - Lovely views! - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

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I struggled about whether to give 2 or 3 stars. The ambjance and courtesy of the server once he arrived pushed it to a 3. As guests of the hotel, we decided to come to brunch Saturday morning before I attended an 8am meeting being held at the hotel. Website says Laurel opens at 7am. We arrived a minute after from our room. The dining room was clean, set and beautiful, but there was no staff member at the host stand or at the bar... my husband went to ask the front desk to verify we hadn't gotten the hours wrong. We hadn't. The server came out of the kitchen rolling prep items for the bar at 7:15am. He saw us standing there and told us to sit anywhere, but proceeded to bring those items to the bar before providing menus. Apparently prep for a Bloody Mary is more important than seating potential customers. However, once we had his attention, things were better. He offered us a kids menu for my daughter. The coffee was hot and he never let my cup go empty... wish I could say the food came out as hot. The hottest thing the three of us had on our plates was the maple syrup. Overall, the experience was disappointing. I might be back for the ambiance if I'm staying in the hotel... but I'm not planning to make a trip otherwise. There are plenty of other restaurants in the area to visit. read more

Showed up for a Valentine's Day brunch after my partner made a reservation so please take this into account. The dining room is nice and modern. Other than that consider this place an overpriced hotel cafeteria. I'd sincerely avoid this restaurant if you have literally any other choice. For starters we ordered the salumi board. Guys: 6 slices of 3 different kinds of meat with pickles isn't a shareable dish, nor should it be on any menu ever. I was astounded that the 23$ this dish cost only earned a third of the charcuterie meats kit that costs about 7$ in HEB. The deli meats weren't that good of quality, and the sad attempt at bread or crackers were either burned or soggy from pickle juice. I'm not going to rate this dish, and whoever runs this place needs to either get rid of it or make the proportions make sense. I ordered a Sicilian sandwich and my partner ordered biscuits and gravy. My Sicilian sandwich looked like the waiter ate the other half of it. Except for the fact I received a plate full of fries and 2 sad quarters of what I imagine was a reheated sandwich. I'd give this dish a 3 out of 10, with a special note that if the sandwich was an appropriate size for the price tag I would have given it a 6. But since I only received a half of my sandwich it only gets a 3. The biscuits and gravy were passable, my partner didn't have too many complaints and gave it a 6 as well. When we sat in we planned on getting a dessert but by the end of the meal we decided to look for somewhere else. In summary: DO NOT GO HERE FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS. I wouldn't come back under any circumstances, but coming for a valentines date was a huge mistake on our part. The food was equivalent to a mediocre pub at an airport with matching prices and lacking portions. read more

I came here for Austin Restaurant Week on a Friday. It's not busy, I think it's new. We were seated next to the tree that they kept preserved. It makes the whole ambiance and I love it. Staff were attentive and friendly. The food was very tasty and well-balanced. I enjoyed the meatballs (most places make it too salty, this was perfect), the pappardelle bolognese was my favorite dish. I did enjoy the striped bass as well. I loved the pistachio and ricotta cake over the tiramisu. Grab a drink from the bar for happy hour prices and enjoy dinner in the gorgeous room. The drive here is very scenic and the parking is the garage next to the hotel. read more

This review is regarding brunch. The lemon ricotta pancakes were outstanding, fluffy pillows of delight topped with berries and the delectable bourbon maple syrup. The "Vista Brunch Burger" was also very good, the burger is on a buttered brioche bun and is topped with crisp maple pepper bacon, an egg-your-way (I opted for over-medium), cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and sliced pickles. The fried have a nice crispy, seasoned coating. The drip coffee is really good and refills were at the ready. We were a larger group and service was good. They had a nice long table set up for us in front of a window. The grounds are beautiful; going in mid-December the trees surrounding the property were in all their Fall glory. read more

Laurel Restaurant - Brunch Burger - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

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Great food, warm service, cozy ambiance, and drink selection--perfect date night.would highly recommend

Looking for a spot that combines cute Instagram aesthetics with a side of culinary disaster? Look no further! My cappuccino was the shining star - hot, frothy, and actually tasty. Now, onto the lemon ricotta pancakes saga - the first attempt tasted like a regrettable encounter with lemon-scented cleaning supplies. I summoned the bravery to have my husband try it, and it was a unanimous "nope." As I awaited my pancake rescue mission, I engaged in a full-on fruit fly battle. Those little buggers were on a mission to conquer every crumb in the joint. After an agonizing 25 minutes, a lone pancake emerged. At this point, my patience was thinner than the pancakes, especially since there were only 3 other souls in the entire restaurant. I questioned the space-time continuum that allowed a half-hour pancake reconstruction for a grand total of one pancake when it was meant to be two! Summoning the manager involved a time warp of its own - 5 minutes to emerge from the abyss of the kitchen. Frustration peaked, especially considering the customer-to-table ratio was astoundingly low. We decided to make a swift exit, and the waitress, sensing the impending disaster, offered not to charge for the pancakes. My retort? "I wouldn't pay for them anyway." The manager, fashionably late, apologized and acknowledged the pancake mishap. He insisted on boxing up the lonely pancake, but at that point, I was more interested in escaping than embracing a to-go tragedy. I would never ever go back here, nor would I recommend it. For a completely empty brunch place on a Sunday morning, the service sucked, the food was DISGUSTING, and the flies were plentiful. read more

Laurel Restaurant - One lonely pancake - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

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Atmosphere is very posh and nature-y. It feels like you could be in the Italian wine country. Service - waitress was very friendly and kind. - Sizeable appetizers - burrata needs olive oil, more salt, and black pepper. - Calamari and shrimp could be crispier. also needs a lemon and more salt - Beef tenderloin was medium rare but kind of dry - Chilean Salmon was tasty - The pistachio cake was delicious and not too sweet - The donuts were good as well The pistachio cake was my favorite dish. read more

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Our dinner experience at Laurel was exceptional. Simo, our server was amazing. He made wonderful recommendations. Steering us towards the Burrata appetizer. I ordered a pasta dish, the ragu with braised beef and veal. It was very good. I would definitely order it again. All the pasta is made in house. My husband ordered the steak with Verde salsa. It was cooked nicely. They also brought out the pistachio ricotta cake with coconut, it was delicious. After dinner, we had time to kill. We wanted to soak in the views and incredible ambience, so we took a drink, and walked to the outdoor couches. We just sat and enjoyed the evening. Both of us forgot we were in Austin. If you're looking for a mini vacation, even if it's just for the dinner hour, take the gorgeous drive, enjoy really good service, live music, amazing views, and ambience, your partner. This dinner was not lost on me. One I will re-create time and time again... read more

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We went to Laurel (inside Hotel Viata) to change things up a bit! It was around 11am on Sunday and we were expecting a hustle and bustle post-church crowd and were pleasantly surprised at how many people WEREN'T here. It was pretty quiet and felt like we were on vacation far away from home. We cozied up to the bar which was super comfortable. There was one bartender who gave us waters and took our drink order. I ordered one of the juices (carrot) and my guy ordered their signature award-winning Bloody Mary. We put in our food order and sat there with our waters for a good 10 minutes... had no idea where the bartender went, but finally he came around the corner with both of our drinks. We almost left. We just assumed there must've been another bar around the corner of the restaurant where he made our drinks. He told us our food would be out promptly and it was, so that eased our mind a little. Food was great!! I had the Barbacoa hash and was in heaven. Boyfriend ordered the bagel with lox which is the entire reason we went here. We also got 10% off our bill for checking in on Yelp. We'd come back for sure! read more

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We went to the Laurel Restaurant inside Hotel Viata for Sunday brunch. Brunch is not a buffet. The menu was very limited and gluten free options were even more restricted. It is very casual considering the ambiance of the Hotel itself The prices were very high and they could have used more servers to improve the service experience read more

This was the weirdest dining experience ever! Like Monty Python doing a Fine Dining skit. We were given the New Year's Eve five-course prix fixe dinner for two at the Hotel Viata restaurant as a Christmas present. It was purchased onsite from the hotel, in advance, and included a reservation time plus an open-table gift card with paperwork showing the prix fixe menu and price for the purchase. We were seated on time at 6:30. Then the weirdness began: 1. Every item on the prix fixe menu was different from those advertised. Some of the substitutions seemed to be down-grades. 2. no bread, ever! Only one tiny cup of water. No refills offered. There was a guy with a pitcher but he never came near us. 3. Table setting: one fork and one butter knife had to be used through all courses. Normally, you start out with cutlery for all five courses laid out on the table. If not, the waiter brings appropriate cutlery out before each course. We were not even given as much as a salad fork. A steak knife randomly appeared halfway through the main course "because we might need it". Then, right before the dessert sorbet appeared, someone gave me a soup spoon and my husband was given a dinner fork!?! They knew we had ordered sorbet, so that was a puzzle. Thankfully, the sorbet arrived with tiny spoons in the tiny bowls. 4. Is there a dedicated "sauce person"in a professional kitchen? If so, he/she was MIA. The salads had no dressing and the duck had none of the advertised pomegranate sauce. I asked for some and it was plopped on the table about ten minutes afterwards, in a metal ketchup cup straight from the cold refrigerator. Since the duck was not exactly served hot, this was definitely not an improvement. 5. The service was truly unprofessional, like people from totally unrelated parts of the hotel Viata had been drafted to replace the wait staff at the expensive restaurant. Were they on strike? There were a lot of staff walking around, some in uniforms and some not, and while they were friendly enough, we had no dedicated waiter. Most courses appeared before we finished the previous one, so the dishes were not cleared from the table. I started just handing them to whoever was passing when we finished a course. 6. As someone on Open Table Reviews noted regarding their own Christmas prix fixe dinner experience, the New Year's prix fixe menu at our table listed a price of $115 per person versus the advertised $90 pp the hotel charged the gift giver. The restaurant ultimately charged us the advertised $90 pp rate, but this was after an uncomfortable discussion. This place has been open a long time for this kind of experience to be had. read more

Such a cool, trendy place to eat inside the Hotel Viata. Cool music, cool furniture, cool decor. We ordered a bacon burger, side of fruit, & the Almafi Salad plus grilled shrimp. Absolutely delicious! & beautiful presentation. High-qualify items. I love that the fries that come with the burger are the kinda well-seasoned crispy fries. The Almafi salad is huge, and they're very generous with their ingredient components. Loaded with olives, artichokes, chunks of soft cheese, capers, & tomatoes. Loved it. The Shrimp were the best ever too: seasoned to perfection with some sort of herb mix. Very happy with our food & experience. Great service too from Troy. read more

Laurel Restaurant - Almafi Salad with shrimp added (it came with 5 added shrimp) - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

Lovely restaurant in a beautiful location. The food was good yet nothing truly exceptional but the atmosphere really takes it to the next level. We did a brunch here, for my friend's birthday, and they gave her an extra portion of these delicious fried balls filled with custard, with a candle. I had purchased a Travelzoo certificate which really made it worthwhile. Laurel Restaurant is located at the Hotel Viata which is up in the hills along 360. It's a truly beautiful location. Plenty of parking attached to the hotel. Good service and not too busy or noisy on a Sunday morning. Reservations through Open Table were quick and easy. Will likely go back again. read more

Overall the food was fairly good. The service was great. Very attentive. Beautiful decor. Food: Broccolini - good Sausage and pepper pizza - good Salmon - good Affogato - good read more

Had a little staycation at Hotel Viata and dined once for Happy Hour and twice for lunch. We are not vegan, but heard the Impossible Meatballs were delicious...annnd they were! A little on the salty side, but with the bread and sauce flavor they were amazing. I will say though we had them during Happy Hour for $12, then had to have them again for lunch for $19 and were served 4 meatballs for HH and 3 for lunch. Not sure what happened there. The Meats by Linz Steakhouse Burger was pretty good and included bacon. Fries were nice and crispy. The Pepperoni and Sopressata Pizza $21 was alright. We added ricotta. Nothing special. The sauce has a good flavor. The Crispy Brussel Sprouts $15 were absolutely delicious!!! The Tuscan Salad $16 was absolutely amazing!!! So fresh and just plain delicious. Although I was a little annoyed with myself that I didn't read the menu correctly on pricing and adding the salmon was an extra $19....sooo that was a $35 salad!!!! A little steep for my liking, but it was totally worth it in the moment. I ate every last bite of that salad! Next time though the salad is sufficient enough with flavor and filling without the salmon. I would give the restaurant 5 stars, but have 4 stars because although the decor of the restaurant was absolutely gorgeous and staff very friendly the wait time for our food and a few ordering mistakes were made. It was really slow when we went to eat during the week. I'm not sure if perhaps they were understaffed, but the wait time for our food made no sense with there not being many guests. Once that improves I would be glad to give 5 stars! read more

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Talk about date night ambiance! We ate here during a getaway honeymoon without a reservation. Simo provided perhaps the best service we received while in Austin. He was so attentive and even brought roses to our table. The food was so delicious! The portion sizes and flavors were brilliant. The kitchen even gifted a slice of cake and macaroons to celebrate us! read more

Laurel Restaurant - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

Kody was so wonderful! He took what we asked and made it happen! Great food!! We'll be back!

This has got to be one of the worst meals I've had in a long time. If you stay at this Hotel, don't mess with the restaurant. And if you do, do not order the carbonara. I repeat, do not order. The carbonara. The breakfast was alright. It's hard to mess up breakfast. I'm sure they could do it but we didn't order anything complex enough to give them the chance...They have the good sausages. You know what I'm talking bout. Potatoes were burnt but still kinda good, still ate them. read more

Laurel Restaurant - Eggs "over medium", breakfast sausages and potatoes. - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

I will not be returning to this Restaraunt. First, the water they bring you is $7.00!!!!! The risotto was barely eatable as it was not fresh. The carbonara was about the same quality. The cost of this Restaraunt is wasted with so many great places to have dinner in Austin. We live in the city and know tons of places that we love to visit. Laurel is not a place we would ever return to. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

We originally met out bartender JR at the pool earlier in the day and he was great! We then came to see him at the bar at Laurel for dinner. I got the Italian side of Austin to drink w\tajin rim and it was so good! I also got their fettuccine lemon with shrimp for dinner and it did not disappoint. We then found out they had homemade chicharrones and ordered them as well. We were overall pleased with food and service! read more

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Food was adequate at best. The live musician was blasting at an earsplitting volume. Ambiance was nonexistent. The service was horrible. We waited 20+ minutes to get water. cocktails had 0 alcohol in them. I will never go back read more

The ambiance is gorgeous, like something out of a French movie. But they did have the fire going outside when it was already over 100 degrees The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived. There was 1 large party and 2 other small ones, we all had the same server. The food took a while to come out & I assumed it was because of the larger party that was also there. We started with the burrita appetizer and one piece of the arugula salad was extremely salty, like they sprinkled salt only right there. Other than that, it was delicious. I ordered the salmon, it was cooked to perfection and so tasty. My brother tried to order the chicken & goat cheese ravioli but they were out, at 730PM, when the restaurant was empty. The server said that it's popular and the kitchen has a hard time keeping up... so he got the sausage pasta instead and it was nothing to write home about. My mom had very strict dietary restrictions and had to order something gluten, dairy and nut free. She decided on the potatoes, but the server suggested she not get the sauce due to her restrictions, after completing the meal we researched pistou & I'm almost positive she could have had that, which would've added more flavor to the food. Overall, it was a beautiful restaurant with delicious options. read more

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I highly recommend Simo as your waiter when you visit Lauren restaurant. He truly went above and beyond to make our anniversary night special. From the moment we were seated, Simo was attentive and took care of our every need. He made sure our drinks were always filled and checked on us frequently to ensure we were enjoying our meal.l. We left feeling pampered, satisfied, and grateful for his outstanding attention to detail. If you're looking for a memorable dining experience, be sure to ask for Simo as your waiter. read more

Laurel Restaurant - Italian Near Me - West Lake Hills, Texas

Amazing flavor! I had the spaghetti with impossible meatballs and my husband had the sausage and peppers pizza . Then for dessert the bombaloni. Service was awesome. Enjoying our vacation day 1 read more

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Food quality was not good and so very over priced. The waiter was not as attentive as he should've been and the restaurant was only 30% full. The waiter brought bottled water to the table without asking if that is what we wanted at $7 a bottle (Ridiculous). The ambiance was good but the food was just so, so. read more

We had dinner here last night and the service was great. From the moment we arrived the valet was very accommodating and let us know where to go. We were given menus and our server Hari was also 5 star, his son also is a food runner and was amazing as well. The food was great and seasoned well, everything was ate was wonderful. We will definitely go back there read more

Went to Laurel restaurant recently. We are vegetarian and the appetizer salad was fresh and tasty. Ordered Margherita pizza and eggplant cachiatore which were really yummy ! The ambience was lovely and the service was great ! They found out what we were celebrating and gave a free dessert on the house. Definitely plan to go back again and recommend this restaurant! read more

The ambiance is great. The service is friendly. Prepare to take your time. The meal is very slowly paced, which we like on vacation. The food was a 6 out of ten. The dessert was 10/10 though. read more

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Delicious food and wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend the Risotto and the Chicken dish. Our waiter, Simo, was the best.

Amazing service and food was cooked to perfection our server was hari an he was exceptionally attentive!!!

The food was definitely nothing to get excited about. I've never had a filet mignon with a bone in it until this dining experience. It was cooked perfectly, but the sauce and brown mashed concoction on the bottom of the plate was so heavy in balsamic it overpowered the entire steak. The dessert tasted like a store bought desert, if that good. It was also over sauced and covered in mounds of whip cream. Service was outstanding I must say. That was the best part of the meal. The decor was very commercial and plain. The tree in the center of the room was nice, but that the only thing that helped the ambiance. I also really didn't like the glass sweat all over the table. No coasters! Up your game guys. For the price it should be fantastic. 3.5 stars if it was possible, but not worth 4. read more

Karla was an amazing waitress. She handled the entire floor by herself with a smile. Food was amazing. Great place. But yes a special tip of the hat toward Karla an amazing professional and waitress.!!! read more

Great breakfast!!!! Service was fantastic! Breakfast was simple and filling. Very healthy options, and the Cleanse juice was terrific! A bit pricey for the options but overall a great experience with the scenery, soft music and awesome coffee! read more

Unbelievably tasty food at this hotel restaurant. I'm a foodie and the fish tacos yesterday at lunch, pizza last night and the avocado/egg toast breakfast this morning were nothing short of perfection. Excellent waitstaff too. If you are in the Austin area or staying at the Hotel Viata, eat here. Mixed drinks menu served poolside are fabulous too. read more

While the environment is nice, the service needs to be much better ...especially for the high ticket price of their small dishes. Tonight, I ordered a salad and added a side of chicken. I received a chicken with a few leafy lettuces. I had to chase the waiter/ bartender and ask where is the salad. He took back the dish only to return with 2-3 more leafy greens. The guy sitting next to me at bar thought I was being pranked. I couldn't get the bartender back to ask if this is a joke, so I left. Very disappointing! read more