Went for a date night dinner and enjoyed our experience. It's a great location, right on the river. We started off with cocktails, arancini, and calamari. The drinks and arancini were great, but the calamari was a bit soggy and the lemon and caper mayo it came with was too salty. For mains, we had the paparadelle with veal ragu and the mussels in nduja sauce. The paparadelle was perfectly cooked and the ragu was rich and flavorful. The mussels were great and we loved the broth (if only there was more!). I wish they would have provided more bread for soaking up the sauce, and to make the dish as substantial as a main should be. The staff paid great attention to us, especially since we were early and one of only a few diners. We'll be back to try the pizzas next time! read more

POPOLO - papparadelle with veal ragu and mussels in nduja sauce - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - South Brisbane, QLD

Made a booking prior requesting a view and was seated with a gorgeous overlook of the city. The service was a 10/10 from what we assumed was the supervisor/manager. She was respectful, attentive and welcoming. The food exceeded expectations and was served swiftly for a full restaurant. read more

POPOLO - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - South Brisbane, QLD

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Racism is alive and well in Australia.... We showed up two nights in a row more than an hour before the restaurant closes... on the second night, a white famkly walks in front of us and gets seated ... but no they are not going to seat brown people. Meanwhile, the host extremely rude and gave attitude. It was not right. I can tolerate the restaurant not seating us but talking in an insulting manner is unacceptable. read more

Plenty of tables available and, given the late hour and the fact that there was no sign saying 'Please Wait to be Seated', we walked in and sat at a table. A few minutes later, we were given attitude by a waitress who advised us that this was 'NOT a self-seating establishment and that our table (and presumably the 10 other free tables) were reserved' We are from another state so I asked why there wasn't sign and was informed that people ignore them! Ummm, not in my experience!! It would have certainly saved us having to be put through the awkwardness of her snooty attitude!! Won't bother going here again. read more

3.75 The food was decent and the view is quite nice. What I liked: 1. Pasta with beef (not sure if it was short rib or braised beef?). Tasty and tender. It might be a little heavy if you eat only this, but if you are sampling different dishes, it was one of the better ones. 2. Pumpkin ravioli was good. 3. Calamari was good. 4. Pizza was decent. Not great, but not bad. What wasn't that great: 1. Mushroom lasagna: Lacks sauce and the pasta wasn't that soft. Lasagna is one of my favorite foods and this one felt dry and unsatisfying. 2. Meatballs are just ok. read more

POPOLO - Nice view of the river from here - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - South Brisbane, QLD

Gnocchi di ricotta! Holy! So good. I was going back and forth between ordering that and the controfiletto con sugo alle chianti (sirloin) and I think I did not regret my decision. Ricotta gnocci, pumpkin puree, italian sausage and some nice slivers of cheese on top (probably a parmesan of some sort? I'm not good at naming cheeses, sorry) But yummmm! We kind of randomly chose Popolo and I was actually really happy with my meal. Highly recommend the gnocchi! read more

POPOLO - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - South Brisbane, QLD

With stunning views of the river, a to-die-for menu and an enviable wine list, Popolo is certainly making waves as South Banks new kid on the block. This kitchen and bar does something a little different and presents it's Italian cuisine as share plates and tapas, and avoids being your cliche Italian restaurant by incorporating dishes a little more interesting and exciting than your average garlic bread and carbonara combo. I went along recently with a few friends, and Popolo treated us to a gorgeous night of relaxed dining and great food and drink. We opted to choose 6 or 7 different share plates (there were 6 of us) and shared everything. Worth a mention are the warm fried olives stuffed with anchovies, the pecorino board with muscatels and warm apricots, the pumpkin gnocchi and we also had the half serve of suckling pig which was absolutely to die for! On the muggy Brisbane evening we also indulged in a few bottles of Rose. The restaurant design and layout are fantastic, especially the blazing Popolo sign above the kitchen. One of the great things about Popolo is that (with the sound advice from our waiter) we ordered the perfect amount of food and left feeling satisfied rather than bloated and sleepy like many other Italian dining experiences I've had. The bill was extremely reasonable too considering we certainly didn't hold back on the food and drink. The only reason I hold out on the elusive fifth star is because the wait staff weren't yet well versed in all of the dishes and the wine list, but I guess this is to be expected from quite a young restaurant. I absolutely loved the Popolo experience, and will definitely be back again soon. read more

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Went here for my friends 30th afternoon drinks and nipples. We sat outside, originally booked the lounge chairs but we couldn't get them straight away because someone made a mistake with the booking. However, they certainly made up for the mistake. The service was impeccable! The manager was really good at recommending good wines for us girls, when we felt like switching it up each time. The food was delicious and fresh. The ambience is great, as it overlooks the Brisbane city River and is surrounded my lush garden. The only thing I could suggest would be allowing the music to be a little louder in the outside drinks area, to create a bit more of a vibe (it was playing just quietly). Overall, great service, great food and drinks and a great view! read more

POPOLO - Cocktails with the ladies in the couch area (that we finally got to have after the other table left) - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - South Brisbane, QLD

I was able to try the beautiful food at Popolo at a work function. We were on a set banquet menu, so everything was a delightful surprise. The carpaccio was so tender and tasty. I would return just to have a plate all to myself. The other stand-outs for me were the arancini and the pizza. By the time the mains came out, we were almost too full to enjoy the suckling pig. The tiger prawns also smelled amazing, but I didn't have room. I did manage to squeeze in a bite of dessert however. One has to balance the palate after a meal like that. We shared the chocolate donuts (which were also filled with yummy warm chocolate) rolled in orange sugar, with pistachio crumble, and sweet basil gelato. The donuts themselves were great. The orange sugar was very subtle and almost false advertising. The gelato was perplexing. It was so herby, nearly off-putting, but yet intriguing enough that we kept going back for more. read more

POPOLO - Carpaccio di manzo affumicato - smoked eye fillet, lilliput capers, mustard cress, vinaigrette - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - South Brisbane, QLD

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Best Italian meal I've ever had - in my life. The gnocchi was fresh and innovative - hand made and large sized and tasted like maybe it was grilled a bit? Simply divine. The pear and Gorgonzola salad was also amazing- the cheese had a sublime flavor, not overbearing. Even the bread was grilled and delicious. I'll be back before I leave Brissy. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed the Funghi Pizza and the view is terrific. The menu has a bunch of items that interested me and I'll certainly be back to try them out. The Arancini were good and a lot larger than I expected. In fact, everything was a larger portion than I was expecting based on the waitress saying "The portions are smaller and designed to share". The only reason I didn't give them 4 stars is that the service was very unattentive. It took forever to do anything (take drink orders, take food orders, clear plates between courses). If they'd nailed that I would have enjoyed it much more but it was still a fine experience. I'm glad to have a place like Popolo in the Brisbane dining scene. read more

Went for dinner on Easter Sunday and enjoyed the Mangia Mangia menu. Was a fantastic night - the food was all fantastic, but there was soooo much!! My favourite dish was the pear and walnut salad, followed by the gnocchi (which was very rich). read more

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Came here for a dinner with the family so there were numerous critics at the table. Firstly service was good without being excellent. Cmon bringing a pepper shaker to a table with nothing in it is poor preparation. Apart from that it was a good service, kept with all our requests including a recook of the chicken (for my grandma and pregnant cousin) My mum was recommended two excellent Italian reds to accompany her meal. Whilst there were two cocktails ordered around the table that were equally enjoyed. Now food wise, it was good. Started with the calamari, which was a soft, in some areas too soft for my liking. We also had the spaghetti, good oil and spaghetti but was bland in flavour. The clams that come with it are alright, the lobster or langoustine though we're very soft and mushy. The 'suckling pig' was more of like a Sunday roast pork, but still slightly dry. The gnocchi was good crispy outside soft crazy inside perfectly. Paired with the pumpkin and caramelised onions. Chicken wrapped in prosciutto was succulent and the salad was a very nice accompaniment. The stand out dish was the risotto though. Very creamy and rich but not overly so that it would put you off. Overall it was a good meal but wasn't anything that wowed us. Side note for those that didn't realise the phones are used for taking orders. read more

Such a cute atmosphere here with a beautiful view, though it doesn't feel authentically Italian if that's what you are after. Customer service is fantastic and genuine staff. About the food- Prosciutto pizza was beautiful - felt fresh in the mouth with fresh rocket for a bit of a kick and the base was cooked perfectly. Arrancini balls - stuffed with rice was a little bland and rice was undercooked a little chewy. Shrimp pasta dish - full of flavour, quite a kick of chilli though possibly unbearable for the unaccustomed but fabulous for the chilli lover. Donuts for dessert - delicious came with custard and apple sauce, they were a little bit soggy but delicious. read more

Sunday evening meal, 5 people, service good, but we were told, no fish, no chicken, no pasta special so not a good start. We had 4 shared plates to start, breaded olives - nice, arinchini - good, polpette - very good, salumi plate - too much bread not enough salumi. Mains, suckling pig good, but on dry side needed something more than chutney and anchovy paste, gnocchi - didnt mind this, prob best of mains and breaded veal chop, lots of bread, also on dry side. Nice Italian wine to accompany. We had an Italian in group who has eaten here heaps, me the first time and everyone else once before. Maybe its because Sunday just felt it wasn't its best effort. Would I go back, suspect It might be a while, too many other better than just average restaurants to try first. read more

We were recommended this restaurant by a friend and after reading the mixed reviews we were dubious but decided to check it out. The location is great, we had a table inside but was a great spot for the people watching that then turned into thunderstorm watching. The staff were quick to take our order and the food was great. We had the three cheese aranchini balls to start and then shared two pizzas and the risotto special. Everything we ate was delicious! The pizzas are a decent size for one person and great to share, they are traditional Italian pizzas so to person complaining about there not being enough cheese on them, go back to Dominos. The risotto was very lite and not gluggy. I would definitely come back again and don't know why this place has so many poor or average reviews. read more

Still a bit undecided about Popolo. Sure, there are amazing river views and an interesting menu with a bit more than the Italian norm, but the execution of some of the dishes wasn't that great... eg jus with the sirloin steak very concentrated/vegemitey, and vongole had clam shells that were shattered into tiny dangerous pieces. Sharing plates is the main idea here; with a variety of small dishes, pizzas and larger meals that can be served as full or half serves. This offers a lot of flexibility with eating. Highlights were definitely dessert; basil gelato and strawberry canoli were fabulous, and the suckling pig that seems to be their signature dish - yes, for those who are wary, peach, pig and anchovies DOES mesh well together. read more

Great place for a relaxed weekend lunch if you want to splash a bit of cash Shared plates is always a good vehicle for lots of tasty bites. The sardines are excellent swimming in their bright green pesto and the giant ravioli For mains we go for the whole chicken in its truffle butter butter butter and risotto. We need the side dishes to get some greenery and still for me the veggie side is light on...but I'm a bit of a freak like that. Most people can take broccoli or leave it. I have to take it over and over. Broc and me are besties. We share two desserts between four which so would say is light on. I thought it was plenty. I am going to sound picky here but some of the wait staff seem a bit too disengaged and cool for a fairly fast paced estabishment like this. Lurking near the bar on their phones. The waiters generally know their food and drink...after 3 visits I think this is a fair conclusion. If yelp had half stars I'd give them a half but they aren't really up to 80% which is distinctive, in any money, so it has to be 3 for the moment. But hey, heaps of potential here. read more

The overall quality of the food was fairly good, however the view is the main draw here. One main issue with the food - though we were able to share most of the dishes, when we ordered the 'full size suckling pig' it came out as barely four slices. We had other dishes to share - the chicken was delicious, the mozzarella pizza was ok, the gnocchi was nice and the entree meatballs were a bit chewy, but between 7 people the meals were quite small for the full size. I am wondering what the half size looks like and what happened to the rest of our suckling pig, poor tiny fellow... read more

Possible the best views in south bank. Popolo will make a picnic basket complete with blanket. The grass area outside is perfect for afternoons. Ask the girls for a special cocktail. Very relaxing. The staff are knowledgeable and very helpful. The food is delicious read more

Don't bother - in fact - avoid this place. Went with a group of 8 for a birthday lunch. Were advised it would cost $5 each person for them to cut the cake we had brought along for my sisters birthday ($40!). Food was average at best. Meatballs were gross. Charged for three drinks we didn't have. Advised the waiter at the front counter who was SUPER rude. There are heaps of restaurants in south bank, go somewhere else!! Jetty is good!! read more

This was a surprise birthday dinner and not only was I pleasantly surprised that I was going there, but I was quite happy with the food we ordered. The only problem we had was when my partner tried to make a booking - he had to book online because the phone rang out every time he called. Venue: The restaurant is on the very quiet end of Southbank Parklands, but the view of the River really adds to dining experience. The beverage menu: Really good range, a few Italian beers, a couple of non-Italian beers, a cocktail menu and a few wines gives diners a fair selection to choose from. I had the 'The Tempest' cocktail and quite enjoyed it. My partner had one of the Italian beers (his first choice wasn't available so he took the next option on the list). The food: It is supposed to be a shared plate dining experience - usually I'm not a fan of this new fad, but all the plates had a decent amount of food on them and we walked away very full. We had the bread and curds, the arancini, a pizza and the suckling pig. We were too full to eat dessert, but we would have loved to. The pizza was one of the best I've had in a while (I'm quite fussy when it comes to pizza), which a delicious thin base perfectly cooked through. The arancini balls were nice (I could have done with some salt), the cheese curd was nothing memorable, but still nice and the pork was to die for! I would definitely recommend going to Popolo for dinner. If you're not up for a shared plate dining experience, just grab a pizza and a dessert each and you'll walk away satisfied. read more

The gnocchi was the best I've ever tasted. It was prepared beautifully with caramalised onion, pumpkin and italian sausage. Popolo's is already drawing big crowds as everyone tries out the new precinct at South Bank but they were well prepared. We were served attentively and although a small mistake was made with our order, the staff more than made up for it and we left satified. The pizza is light, crisp and tasty and the wines, though not extensive, are fesh and interesting. It's interstingly priced, so that if you share a few of the dishes, as intended, you get to taste a range of very nicely prepared rustic Italian dishes and don't come away smarting too much from the cost. Good idea to book. We didn't and got a table for four just after 6pm, but needed to vacate by 7.45pm for a booking, which was fine. read more

Meh average. Couldn't bring out entrees together - "the bread takes longer" - umm, well then time the other entree to match like every other good restaurant! Chicken and Beef mains were very plain. Not in a rush to go back. read more

Very ordinary food, dry and cold, took 50 minutes to arrive after they forgot it. Service was okay, staff looked tired and overworked. Should have stuck with McDonald's... read more

Went for dinner with family. As an Italian restaurant, Popolo should seriously consider a BYO license. The wait-staff seemed fine, offered water at the get-go. Shared dishes. First dish (Antipasto) took an hour to get out of the kitchen. Antipasto was good. The salad with pear and gorgonzola - tongs were dripping with balsamic vinegar, barely any pear and only a tiny amount of gorgonzola, but still tasty. The pasta wild boar ragu dish was soggy - the meat was not mixed well into a ragu and clumped separately to the sauce. I am not sure if it was the pasta or the meat or the sauce but something seemed a bit strange about it. Steamed greens with toasted almonds - fine, if extremely basic with very few almonds. The 400g pepper crusted wagyu rump was served almost cold, with many un-crushed whole peppers dotted over it. Biting into one of the tomatoes revealed a whole peppercorn inside. The flavor of the meat was completely masked by the flavor of whole peppercorn. I became reminiscent of the time I ordered a pizza with extra pepper and they just threw a handful of whole peppercorns all over it. The waitstaff neglected to provide steak-knives, or notice as they hovered over me as I slowly and purposefully ground my butter knife over and over through a piece of meat. I did not complain, as I did not want to cause a problem with my family who were all busy enjoying their meal. The best part was the tiramisu which was disguised as a potted plant. Texture was spot on, presentation wonderful, and it was not too sweet either. Perfect. Price came out at about $40 a head. read more

Had a great night out with friends at Popolo. The food was mostly very good and we had reasonable service. Coffee was so so. One thing that pissed us off was that the ladies ordered teas with their desert and despite the table staff say they would do it, it didn't happen. The teas cam out 10min after desert was finished. Must be a Brisbane thing. They all do it and it determines whether we go back read more

Staff were great! Not share plate sizes... $5 pp to bring out a cake I bought in for my daughters birthday? No way!!

Stunning river-front view! Prices were reasonable given the location. The food was good - I had the Pancetta pizza which I was quite pleased with. The servers were quite lovely and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant. read more