We happened upon this place after office chair shopping nearby and wanting dinner at like 4:30 PM on a Saturday. Little did we know the gem we were about to discover... APPETIZER: Fried Mozzarella. WOW Amazing! My husband and I ate up every gooey bit of cheese with the perfectly seasoned crust. The marinara that accompanied it was delicious. I haven't allowed myself to eat that much cheese in one sitting in awhile, totally worth it. PASTA - RIGATONI: My husband got this but he opted for the gluten free pasta (maybe thinking it would be lighter as does less carbs now). It looked great and he said it was good but he kinda wished he had ordered the "real" pasta. I being a native New Yorker knew better that at this type of joint you massage your current dietary guidelines because whatever pasta comes out of that kitchen as intended is probably gonna be darn good. I was right... PASTA - LUMACHE: I have never had anything like this - the combo of the small shell shaped pasta, the slivers of mushrooms, and the perfectly portioned bits of crispy salumi versus the squash were in great balance. I could have used a tad less salt on this one however I suspect the fontina cheese in the buttery sauce was bringing that extra layer. Still, at times I found my eyes gently closing as I chewed so I knew this was some sweet sweet pasta. And it was actually al dente, yay! SERVICE: Even with the initial rush hub bub we were kindly greeted and seated. Our server kept on top of our water - sign of great service, keep guest hydrated - and checked on us just enough we felt attended too but not so much that we were constantly interrupted. Solid balance. We did not venture into wine or desserts, our meal was efficient but tasty. I happened to be sitting by the chef owner was at the bar and told him this was the best Italian food I've had in Austin (been here 5 years) and I meant it. Look forward to going back and trying the other dishes which I'm sure will be fantastico! read more

There's a new neighborhood Italian joint in North Loop! And I love it. No reservations, but if there's a wait I found a lovely wine bar right next door. Rocco's has a small covered patio on the front, and cozy seating inside. The delicious smells immediately hit you when you walk in. When we were seated, we automatically ordered the Sour Duck sourdough and 2 Diet Cokes. The bread was served with a tasty tomato jam and smooth butter. The sodas were served in cold cans, interesting aesthetic but still crisp! The fried mozzarella are in huge triangles and pretty thick, be careful they will fill ya up! The caesar salad was perfect. We ordered the rigatoni as well as one with white sauce, crispy sausage, zucchini and peppers. The noodle shape was very unique and perfectly al dente and when the server described it, I knew I had to try it. I loved my experience here and I will definitely be back since this is in my neighborhood, and the prices are very reasonable here as well! read more

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To start, great appointed atmosphere. The walls and seating give an "old" charm. Bartender was friendly, hostess was superb. Food is delicious. read more

Rocco's - Drinks. - Wine Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Food was a mix of mediocre and bad. The Bolognese tasted like plain tomato sauce on pasta, and they charged $2 for a tiny cup of Parmesan. The arancini was awful -- thick, tough crust with a mostly hollow inside and a gluey blob of cheese. The cacio e pepe was different than usual but actually pretty good. Ambiance and service were average. Overall, disappointing read more

Excellent service, vibes, and food!!! Would highly recommend for your next upscale casual date night.

This restaurant completely missed the mark on Italian cuisine. We started with the sourdough bread, which arrived cold and tasted like basic grocery-store bread, served with butter and jam that were honestly unpleasant. It set the tone for the rest of the meal. Next were the meatballs. While they came out piping hot, they were completely bland--no seasoning, no depth, no flavor whatsoever. Our third course was the orecchiette with sausage, and unfortunately it was the worst dish of the night. The pasta was hard and chewy, and again, there was absolutely no flavor. The dish was wildly off balance and not enjoyable at all. I would never return to this restaurant, even if the meal were free. Considering this is from the same chef behind Sammie, the difference in quality is shocking. This place doesn't come close and frankly shouldn't even be compared. What we were served didn't resemble Italian food in any meaningful way. This is my boyfriend review Hungry Man, microwaveable ready food, not even suitable to be called Italian. Have you recent burned your tounge or lost your sense of taste due to COVID, then this is a restaurant for you. Be prepared for plate temperature of luke warn mixed with cold bites, with no flavor in their meat or insta-ready pasta. I feel bad for Italians that have to eat this. read more

FABULOUS. from the food to the hostess to the waitress, loved it all!!!! 10 stars. Carpaccio and the cappelletti spritz were the highlights.

They seriously don't let you in until they open. Besides that the food is delicious. The meatball appetizer and lasagna are ample servings. It small interior fills up quickly. Service was attentive and pleasant. read more

What was ordered: - sour duck sourdough - Caesar salad - rigatoni pasta - lumace pasta Great spot for a nice (but not crazy expensive), romantic dinner. Went on a random Monday and I snagged the last table! So keep an eye out for that, prepare to possibly wait. All of our food was amazing, the dishes came out at the perfect time. Very laid back/helpful waitress. Overall has a great time and would 100% go back. I just wish there was an option to add some protein on any pasta dish, and maybe another dessert item or two. read more

If you have a website that doesn't specify what your closing hours are, and if you don't have a phone number such that we can call to ask what time you close, and if you don't reply to emails that ask what time you close, then what are you doing being in the service-oriented restaurant business? How can you care so little about getting customers in the door? While Rocco's updated its website to add their closing times after we told them that their closing times weren't on their website, they chose to leave us in the dark and not reply to us to tell us what their closing times are -- and they chose to not thank us for bringing this self-defeating, glaring website error to their attention. Since Rocco's ghosted us, our party of five ate elsewhere that night -- at a fabulous new place on South First. Some day the Austin restaurant scene will get soft and then restaurants like Rocco's, who seem to have a culture of disregard for their customer, will surely falter. Two of us eventually ate here on another night -- which I agreed to do only because my friend wanted to try it. The dining room is lovely. Parking is ample. Staff is nice. And yet we won't go back. read more

Horrible service. After we closed out and tipped Kathryn (the manager) came over and told us the wrong check was given to us so now we need to pay $100 more. The initial check was correct so as a table we were very confused. She was extremely rude and did not want to help us understand the situation. She was mean and condescending. I would hope no restaurant has a manager that acts this. I hope the management can rectify the situation. No table should feel this type of unprofessional behavior when dining out read more

Rocco's - Wine Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

We recently tried Rocco's when we had a guest in town. Maybe because this particular location (RIP Bun Belly) has become a trial-by-fire pop up spot, there was little to no attention given to the actual dynamics of the space. What another reviewer has said is true: it is beyond loud. Uncomfortably so. The center tables are also overcrowded, paint is chipping everywhere, and they don't have the proper shades for when the sun goes down. Let's put it this way: if the food/service wasn't good (which it mostly is), we'd probably give this place one star based on our experience. As mentioned, however, we really did love almost every single dish that came out. The fried olives with blue cheese felt completely original. The meatballs were also good, but unfortunately Rocco's subscribes to the popular trend of serving super saucy dishes without bread in effort to get you to buy a separate plate of bread, which you obviously want for the sauce. (FYI this is a loser move that does not go unnoticed by the customer.) We weren't in love with the fig and burrata salad because the figs weren't particularly good, but on a different day, it could have been better. The pasta dishes we had were stunners. The vodka rigatoni was nice and spicy and the mafaldine was a unique take with the butternut squash and greens. Love! We wanted to try the cannoli, but due to the acoustics and crowding, we left as soon as we could. We want to shout out the hostess who came running after us in the parking lot to say she had a table after initially quoting a 45 minute wait. That turned out to be bittersweet because while service started strong, it started to lag once the place was completely packed. There was also a really, really long gap in between our apps and the pastas. Bottom line: this *could be* an excellent restaurant with some finesse and editing, but as is, there is no way in hell that we would go back considering the decibel level and suffocating dining room. The food is good, but enter at your own risk. read more

We (my family) loved this place... good service and quality of food and best rigatoni I ever had!

We tried to get in 2 times but couldn't due to wait times being long, but the wait was worth it. It's cozy, the service was great, intimated and overall good vibe. The food was DELICIOUS. Definitely recommend the sourdough duck bread and meatballs. Great experience and will be going back. read more

Rocco's - Wine Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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One of the worst dining experiences of my life: 1. Incredibly loud. There is no way to have a conversation. Tables are jammed together to get max diners seated. 2.Bowls of pasta (only one choice had meat sauce) are $25-$30, meat on pasta is extra. Expensive for a BOWL of PASTA. 3. No ice served in drinks. Only beer, wine and Italian soda available. 4. Do not take cash, only credit cards. 5 .It took 45 minutes to get appetizer and another 30 minutes after that to get entree. Asked for bread twice and it arrived w/entree and was extra cost. The $30 bowl of pasta was good but nothing special. read more

Delicious. Wonderful, attentive staff. A little cramped inside but it's a jovial experience. I highly recommend the rotini with vodka sauce.

Rocco's is a cool looking place. We arrived early and had a great table. The Caesar salad was very good, but then the wine and bolognese got there. Mediocre would be generous. The wine was barely drinkable. The pasta was the sort of thing you might find in a college lunchroom. I tried to imagine if anywhere in Italy would serve something like that but couldn't. Give it a pass! read more

Such a cute place! Great ambiance and great service! Food was all delicious. Defiantly recommend the Burrata! read more

Rocco's - Fig & Burrata. AMAZING. The tomatoes were some of the best, well seasoned tomatoes I've ever had. - Wine Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Fantastic! Welcome to the neighborhood:-) Easy course was super tasty..great service..great wine...great vibe. We will be back! read more

Needs more Non Pork Options but overall was good although overpriced and very busy. Service was great and overall vibe was nice read more

Rocco's - Pasta - Wine Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Pasta was so good! Wine was great too. Definitely recommend. Will be back. Only issue is the parking. The area was very small and I ended up having to park in the business that was next door. read more

The food was great! We tried all of the pastas and got 2 of each. Jillian was great and the whole vibe is very good. 10/10

Came here for a bday party before with 8 people (picture proof btw). Came today with 9 and told us they don't accommodate to parties with more than 6. They also refused to let us on the waitlist even if we split our party because staff wanted to go home early since they close at 9. Overall really rude and saddening because the food was good. read more

Great buzzy spot Authentic and great Italian. Exemplary service from the hostess station to wait staff..got us out on schedule to make our movie in time.. Will go back!!!!! read more

vibe was incredible, food was even better. casey our server was phenomenal, super accommodating and made our anniversary dinner so special. we will be back!!! read more

It was ok. The rigatoni was decent but not worth the price for what it was. They also don't have ice either which I thought was weird. It was loud which I don't mind, but the table kept shifting while I was eating which was uncomfortable. Service was ok but the waiter seemed stressed and didn't know the menu very well. Also, it took kind of a long time for the food to come out. Overall, I might come back and try something else but it wasn't my favorite experience. read more

Amazing service, food, and ambiance. Reasonably priced and BEST Caesar salad of my life

Rocco's is great! I live in the neighborhood and my husband and I have eaten there three times since they opened haha. We try different pastas each time and NOT ONE has disappointed! I love Italian food and this place might have stolen the show for me. It would be fun if they had specials or switched up the menu a bit here and there but I'm telling you all the dishes I've tried have been a dream! read more

The best pasta (and amazing meatballs)! They don't take reservations so get there early as there is already a line when they open. Totally worth it! read more

Solid neighborhood Italian joint, which is what they're going for. I'd give it a 3.75/5. Not on the same level as a Red Ash or Sammies (yet) but a very nice option if you don't want to plan out reservations months in advance. read more

My experience was: the service was friendly and helpful and generally spectacular, including waitstaff and hostess. The dinner was uniformly excellent - appetizer, salad, entrees. The space was stylish and welcoming. One more thing: it was supremely overwhelmingly and profoundly loud. I would consider Rocco's to be a slightly less formal version of Sammie's, in every respect. Great service, delicious meals, stylish surroundings, comically loud to the point of distraction. I might take earplugs when I return to Rocco's. But I will return! read more

One of the most annoying dining experiences we've ever had in Austin. It gave us a lot to laugh about (at) and the food was fine, but omg we would never return if we were paying, and even if someone offered to treat us we'd really have to think about it. We went on a Thursday night. Promptly got seated. The restaurant is extremely dark but with white linen curtains...? Weird. And then we waited and waited. A waitress squeezed herself in between our table and table next to us, so her butt cheeks were basically on our table. Cool. Got a great view of that for a full minute while she talked with them. Then she turned her head to us and said she'd be right back. Ten minutes later, we were beyond ready to order (the menu is VERY short - a few apps, two salads, and only pasta as the mains). She returned, we said we were ready to order, and instead she insisted on "explaining the CONCEPT" to us. Apparently the concept is, you order your drinks first, then you order your food. WOW. So we ordered our drinks. And then she "explained" the food, and we ordered it. Fig burrata salad (fine, not great - burrata was not fresh and the figs weren't stunning) plus two pastas. For hubs and me. She said it was really important that they "course it out" (read: an excuse to be extremely slow in bringing anything to the table at all). She also said their pastas were family style, I guess to justify the $26 price tag, and warned that we might have a lot of leftovers (fine with me), but when what came out was a half a box worth of noodles and 1/4 cup of sauce, I'm not sure what family you're feeding. She was "attentive" but super pushy and eager, made zero eye contact and seemed deeply ingenuine but following the insane script they gave her, and ... we just wanted to eat our food and get on with our lives. As stated in other reviews, it is EXTREMELY loud in here, and they would intermittently play music on top of it. Seriously invest in some acoustic damping panels, fabric chairs, and maybe remove 20% of the tables since the kitchen clearly can't handle it (despite your efforts to justify it as "coursing"), and to reduce how many rear ends needed to slide across our table as patrons came and went, and waiters sausage-squeezed themselves into the space. We wanted a cannoli, but at $12, and god knows how long on the "coursing" of this "concept," we got out of there and happily stopped at Home Slice on the way home for theirs. Y'all keep thinking super highly of yourselves, Rocco's, and let us know how that goes! It's a very basic Italian American restaurant. There's no concept - just some pasta that's madly overpriced, and a lot of noise, and a lot of waiting, and plenty of butts on your table. At least we laughed our rears off once we got outside to go home. read more

It was my daughter's birthday last Saturday and I was given a 3-3 1/2 hour wait. Normally, we would have left and gone somewhere else, but this is where my daughter wanted to go. We left to kill some time. We returned 1 1/2 hours later and was told it would still be 1 1/2 hours before we would be seated. I told the hostess that by that time it would be 11pm, which is closing time. She assured me that we would be seated by 11pm. For some reason I did not believe it, so we left to go somewhere else. At 10:49 I received a text that my table was ready, followed by a text that my table was no longer available. I had been told that I had 15 mins to arrive after the text was received, but there was no 15 minute period given. i'm so glad I did not wait around. Please do not tell your customers they'll be seated when the won't. read more

We should have looked at the menu before we went. Very few Italian dishes. There were a lot more wine selections than food. We won't be back. read more

Place was crowded so we got on waiting list. It was incredibly LOUD and could not even hear the bartender asking us something? Lip reading a must. We left. read more

my family and I arrived at Rocco's late last week. the service was amazing. the hostess and our server were very friendly making us feel right at home. My nonna made really delicious pasta and since her passing I have not come to a restaurant that could ever come close- until now. the lighting and coziness of the restaurant was great. will come again read more

Rocco's did not disappoint, especially with Lily behind the bar! She knew exactly what to recommend, from wine to food, and everything was perfect. Great energy, great service - she made our night! read more