Il Brutto Reviews

We’ve been wanting to come here for awhile. We just had a salumi plate & a pizza. So our experience is limited to these. But in an Italian restaurant these should be very reliable items. The salumi plate was the only meat board. It had a generous portion of meat and the flavor was tasty. But the three meats were prosciutto, cotto & speck which tasted like three variations of the same thing. We actually got kinda bored with it. A capicola, mortadella or pepperoni would have been nice as something complimentary to make it more interesting. And there were no side flavors. The capricciosa pizza sounded wonderful. Italian ham, roasted artichoke, olives & basil. But the toppings were sparse. We sat at the bar overlooking the chefs so we were able to watch the food being prepared. The pizza felt assembled by someone reviewing a checklist of ingredients rather than being created by someone with a passion for great food, much less pizza. It was pretty lifeless in the end. When you watch people inspired to create great food, like Suerte or Uchiko or Odd Duck, you can sense their passion in every bite. This was not that. I realize that we’re just talking about pizza. But if you love great wood fired pizza like Bufalina, then you know it can be wonderful. Unfortunate because I wanted to like this restaurant

Il Brutto is one of the best restaurants I have been to in Austin. The food was delicious, immaculately prepared, and served with a professionalism that belied its casual context. The restaurant was slammed, as it was the start of restaurant week. We ordered from the regular menu and our server, Jade, was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and competent. These are qualities lacking in so many otherwise fine restaurants in town. While I would not say that the menu is classic, or "authentic" Italian cuisine, the spirit in which it is prepared is emminently Italian in the finest sense: fresh, wonderful ingredients prepared simply with great care and attention to detail, with creative and surprising flavor combinations. Reminded me more of eating in a great restaurant in Italy more than any Italian restaurant I have tried in the US. The wine list is wonderfully curated, creative, off-beat, affordable, and fun. The Manzone Dolcetto was wonderful, far more interesting than most examples of Dolcetto one usually encounters here in the States. All the dishes we tried were wonderful: Burrata with Speck, Beet salad, Polpo (tender young octopus salad to die for...), Tenderloin, Lamb alla Scottodito, Cacio e Pepe, Tiramisu, Gelato trio, Blueberries and Cream...and the house-made Limoncello is an absolute delight.

We were impressed with the expensive pasta plates we ordered. The pizza was fine. The beer and wine was bottom shelf with top shelf pricing.

Great location, nice terrace, good brunch cocktails and brunch menu. The only thing I would improve is the service, they were a little slow and made a mistake with one of our dishes. Still the experience was good and we really enjoyed it.

Underwhelmed, food was good not great not memorable. Lovely service however with a kind and thoughtful waiter. Had a mediocre pizza. Boreing pasta

We sampled a range of dishes during our visit, with mixed impressions. The beet salad was the clear standout—fresh, well-balanced, and beautifully executed. Unfortunately, the salt cod appetizer, presented more like a crudo, fell flat and was only passable. The tuna crudo leaned more toward a fruit-heavy ceviche, where the sweetness overshadowed the delicate flavor of the tuna. For mains, the lasagna was fairly run-of-the-mill and unremarkable, while the broccoli paired with puréed sweet potatoes felt more like a misguided experiment than a thoughtful dish. The real highlight of the evening, however, was the service. Attentive, warm, and professional, the staff elevated the experience despite the inconsistencies in the food. In short: the kitchen delivered one excellent dish, a few misfires, and some mediocrity, but the service was outstanding and left the most lasting impression

We were very pleased with our meal at Il Brutto. Started with the mussels, prosciutto and Fornarina Bread appetizers. Moved on to the Cacio e Pepe, Pappardelle w/lamb and the Annolotti pastas. Finished with Tiramisu. Attentive service.

6th Street is rapidly changing from bars, cheap eateries, light industry and a dwindling stock of old houses to a street of apartment blocks and upscale eateries. Il Brutto is a great addition to the transformation of 6th Street. Noise levels can be a bit much when it’s packed but if it is try the patio (weather permitting). Service is really good with happy employees like Nina putting Brutto’s best foot forward with a smile. What’s it hurt you to try the place?

We went here on our last night of a roadtrip and had such a lovely waitress called Sarah (M) who picked up on the fact that it was my friends birthday and suprised us with a ‘Happy Birthday’ Desert. This was such a lovely touch that certainly wasn’t expected. The food was gorgeous and we were recommended the wine. With a gluten free option also the Tiramisu was the best I’ve ever had. Thanks so much to Sarah and team for making our last night a great one.

My wife loves Italian food so we picked this restaurant based on review in Austin paper. Everything was perfect. Atmosphere is very nice, service exceptional, craft cocktails very good especially the Bitter Party of One, the Sangue E Sabbia, and the drink with Prosecco and Lemincello. The appetizers are well prepared, fresh, and served with simple but attractive presentation. The tomatoes and fresh mozarella were divine. For main entrees, can't go wrong with the pizzas, but don't miss out on the lasagna. My wife's favorite and they did not disappoint. Desserts are all very good, but the Tiramisu was fantastic as was the house made Gelato. Ask your server to recommend a Vermouth drink. Something different and maybe not what most would think they would like, but we tried the servers recommendation and it was very good. Will go back again!

Good looking restaurant, tried awhile back, food was okay, not great, I made a simple sauce change request with the restaurant maybe 20% full and the “chef” refused, have not been back, had hopes it would be a local favorite but no.

For a city that is not noted for Italian dining, Il Brutto is a welcome addition. As a transplant from the northeast its nice to see an Italian restaurant in Austin that is not afraid of serving pasta accompanied by a red sauce. The pasta dishes were very good as were the appetizers. The service was friendly and efficient. Parking is a breeze as there is free valet service on weekends as well as validated parking in a nearby garage.

The restaurant was a delight. Italian food, done extremely well and accurately, with fresh ingredients, and special care in presentation. We ate on the outside patio, under a beautiful old live oak that was strung with italian wedding lights which resulted in a completely delightful ambiance--the very epitome of al fresco dining. The menu is broad enough to provide plenty of options but focused enough to truly highlight the chef's experience in Italian cuisine. The pasta is handmade, and fantastic. The burrata from Italy, and was just decadent. The desserts, particularly the Monte Bianco, were innovative and delicious. If you are a fan of Italian Amaros, then this is your place. It's the only place I have ever found Braulio outside of Italy. And that was just one of about a dozen Amaros, plus a half dozen grappas and even a Vin Santo, which is also very rare. They have Fernet Branca, which is becoming standard, but they also had Fernet Menta which is much more elusive. They had a cocktail called "Bitter, Party of One" that had Cynar, and Fernet, and it was superb. Overall, this was one of the best Italian meals I've had in the states. Our only issue was our particular server. She was just not friendly or interested. She didn't welcome us upon arrival, provided no input on the restaurant or their specialties. When clearing plates (which she did way to early, others in our party were still working on their main course when she started), she reached across other diners to retrieve items. None of the standard approach from the right, etc. It was not the service you'd expect at a nice restaurant where the bill ran over $200 for 3 people. Our interaction with one of the other servers and with the manager were great. So I would definitely return, and can recommend this restaurant with the one caveat, your experience may vary greatly depending on your server, but the food will be stunning!

I love Il Brutto, and I love telling others about Il Brutto as I want it to remain in Austin for a long, long time. I’ve dined at Il Brutto twice and have another reservation scheduled within the next week. In a nutshell, what charms me most is dining al fresco on the patio, under the twinkling lights of the grand tree while listening to the talented jazz trio perform. Thursdays are an especially great time to visit as that’s when the trio plays, and it is the only night when diners can enjoy off-menu gnocchi. Last week I tried the sausage gnocchi in a light olive oil sauce, and it was so good that I ordered an extra serving to take home to my husband who also thoroughly enjoyed it. Other menu highlights include the scrumptious burrata; pici with shiitake mushroom; and the heavenly Monte Bianco a.k.a. pavlova. The service is terrific, with special shout out to Nina as well as Madeline at the front desk. Cannot wait to return!

Three of us were in town for a convention and were trying to get a late dinner and had encountered some 1 hour+ waits elsewhere. We spotted this restaurant with open outside tables, and were immediately seated. Two of the three of us are gluten intolerant, and it was a delightful surprise to find the menu accommodated their dietary needs with GF pasta and several other choices. We all found tasty food and delightful beverages ranging from non-alcoholic options to beer, wine and great cocktails. We decided to split the amazing "sweet, salty, savory" ice cream/gelato bowl and it was wonderful! The astounding combination: pecarino, bitter chocolate, and cranberry-pear!. And to top it off, our server (Nico) was knowledgeable, patient, friendly and helpful. We were so happy we stumbled upon this place!

I was amazed about the customer service, the server very friendly , the food was delicious and we got complementary shots. The whole experience was great even the Valet service was complementary. I recommend this place, very authentic Italian food 🇮🇹 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We loved Il Brutto! The lasagna was possibly the best we have ever had, pizza and gnocchi were also wonderful. The tiramisu was fabulous. Our server Sierra was friendly and knowledgeable and brought us a special dessert treat at the end of the meal. Highly recommend.

Fabulous Italian restaurant on East 6th. I’ve been here for date night and most recently with a friend visiting Austin. They have an optional gluten free & vegetarian menu. While you’d are here you can dine like the Italians and start with a Berto Apertivo with a twist of orange, side of soda water and a few olives to build up an appetite. Everything here is delicious, but my favorite is the cacio e pepe especially during truffle season! Don’t forget dessert, their tiramisu is a must. The bartenders are spectacular and we especially love it when Liz is behind the bar.

Not every place in Austin has a superb gluten free pasta. This one does! They make the pasta in house, and it’s fresh, delicious, and really impressive. I had the lamb ragu. Freaking incredible! The lamb itself was just amazing. The sorbet was fantastic! We had the beet salad, and that was first class. It was a little light on the beets though. One thing for sure is that if you are super hungry, make sure to order a few appetizers. The pasta was delicious, but a small portion in my opinion. We had a couple cocktails which were fantastic too.

The place is nice, they make the pasta and use superior quality ingredients. My husband ordered the lamb ragu and it was delicious, I would go back for that dish again and again. The tiramisu for dessert was also delicious although it was not the classic recipe, particularly in the topping. The portions are not large, so I recommend ordering a starter, main course and dessert.

After knocking down East 6th street great neighborhood to gentrify it apartment and significantly lowering quality of life in the section of town, a new restaurant pops up. It tries (again) to be "authentic" Italian. Well it's a little closer than the rest of the Tex-talian places in town, but surely not there. The antipasti were all good. The mozzarella and the meats were nicely selected good quality. However Antipastis are overpriced there. And the best here: Half price alcohol until 19:00. so booze up early. Main courses; the ravioli (other rave about) where tasteless and presented without love, mussels were good (but you can't do much wrong with mussels), best dish were the lamb chops. Good: not oversized portions. The Tiramisu was FAR too sweet and covered with sugar streusel. There is NO Italian region doing it this way; that's for authentic. A nice touch was the house limoncello after dinner on the house. Seating is nice, decors are contemporary and well presented, there is outdoor space (unusable in summer), but right on the street, so really not very romantic.

I had the pleasure of popping into II Brutto this past Saturday for the first time. I sat at the bar with a group of friends that were visiting from the East Coast. Being the New York pizza snobs that we are, we weren't expecting anything great dinning Italian in Texas. Lets just say; this restaurant knocked our socks off! The food was OUTSTANDING. Mark our bartender was extremely attentive and a master at his craft. Mark made us some exceptional cocktails and even treated us to a little limoncello. Any time I get a craving for Italian, I will be back to this location. Excellence

We visit Austin every year and have to say that this restaurant was a nice surprise located closed of our apartment. The pizza was delicous and the ingredients had good quality. This is restaurant is on my Austin’s list.

We went here based on outstanding reviews from family members who loved the place. Appetizer of clams and mussels was mediocre. The redfish was bland and the lasagne was just "ok." The service was good. And the atmosphere is fun. I would NOT say this is the best Italian restaurant in Austin. If you do, you're standards are pretty low ...

I booked this restaurant on a whim looking for an outdoor patio. I appreciated that on the day of the reservation, I got a text confirming and asking if I wanted to move it indoors, as it was too windy for patio heaters. Everything was delicious, but the pecorino gelato was not my favorite.

This place has great ambiance. Nice seating outdoors with lights and lots of room. Great food, nice wine list. Lemoncellos were the bomb!

Such tasty food! The pizza was classic and delicious. The staff was attentive and patient with our large group. We went for dinner and would recommend a spot on the patio. There are trees and twinkly lights, and we were lucky enough to enjoy some live music too!

Great food. Service was excellent. The pizza was really good (4.5/5) and the tiramisu and chocolate torte were ridiculous! Patio is awesome and drinks are half off for happy hour

The food was delicious, as well as the service. The presentation of food was beautiful too. The pasta is made fresh daily. My ONlY complaint, I ordered a nice gin over ice and the waiter said “a cube of ice ok?” I said sure. When I got the bill (we spent 400.00 on our meal and drinks for 5 of us) they charged $2.00 for the block of ice in my drink. WHAT???? Craziness. I plan on writing the restaurant directly. So don’t order a drink over ice!

Lovely food. Davide looked after our table and made great recommendations for wine. *Deshawn whose area we were seated in was inattentive and unhelpful.

We came here for our anniversary and really enjoyed our evening. We had a charcuterie, and shared the Burrata and Pappardelle, as well as a few cocktails and the delicious tiramisu. However, what really made the night was the staff. Our waiter (I believe his name was Rob) was incredible - his recommendations were on point, and he/the restaurant brought desert for us to share for our anniversary. They made it an amazing night. As a side note, it was raining when we went, but we'll be back to sit on their lit patio on a clearer night!

Not your typical Italian food ,I had the ravioli filled with squash that was out of this world while my wife ordered the snapper dish that was delicious my son ordered the thick noodle dish (forgot the name ) that was good .great wine and service

The wine was very good. Happy hour was excellent. The pizza was delicious. The crostini was very good. Atmosphere was excellent. However, the best part of the entire evening was the service. Gabby, our waitress, was attentive, professional and made our meal extra special. This establishment is lucky to have personnel such as her.

Went with a group and had a nice separate room. Antipasti was very good. Lasagna had a hint of nutmeg. Zucchini was cooked with mint and was great.

Exploring new places for happy hour and thought we would check out this new place, they have been open 6 months, the 1/2 off all drinks (including all bottles of wine) 5-7, M-F is a great deal. Nice place, nice decor, great wait staff, extremely attentive, appetizers were great and we will be back for dinner. Always looking for a new restaurant to put into our rotation and this is.

Made reservations via Open Table. I thought I asked for a standard table but we got seated at a high table in the bar area. It was raining or I would have asked for a patio seat. I tend not to like high tables as I am 5 foot and my feet never hit the cross beams of chairs. It was my husband's birthday and I decided to go with the flow. We had Gabby for our server. Great girl but man she needs to speak up. Extremely difficult to hear her. Usually someone would have to repeat what she said once she left the table. We asked her what all the favorites were and she was spot on. We started with a few cocktails and the Limoncello 75 was my favorite. I may have to come back just for that cocktail (Lemoncello & Prosseco). For starters we did a caprese salad, the cozze e vongole (mussels & clams) and the funghi pizza. Their pizza oven is quick. The cheese in the caprese salad was very fresh. Then we split the squid in tagliolini, the lamb pappardelle and the beef tenderloin as a table. The lamb was amazing. Very well done. I would order this dish in a heart beat. The beef was also good. I thought a tad high at $26 for what exactly you get but a good dish. The squid ink tagliolini was a disappointment, way too salty for my taste. Mixed reviews at the table if that was salt from the boiling water or added post. Either way I would pass on that moving forward. We got their newer desert of peaches and cream. Not sure I got it. The frozen prosseco was great, the peaches were good but the "cream" part had a odd texture for me. We also got a scoop of raspberry sobet and it was lovely. We got two more scoops on the house for the birthday boy. A lemon and a honey nut. We finally ended our meal with lemoncello. It is not too sweet like many other's I have had. A cute place with a lovely patio. I guess there is a garage that they validate. We parked on the street. The noise level is high. We were there on a Monday night and it wasn't that pack but already very loud. I can't imagine the level if full of people. Overall a fun night with good food. A tad high on some dishes but overall a decent price. We will be back to try a few more of their dishes and park in the garage.

There were five of us there for dinner. We all enjoyed our meals and the service was definitely above average. I will say that the menu is fairly small and the room we were in (the main dining room and bar) was fairly noisy. But it was a good vibe and we'd go back.

Very disappointing. It’s a wannabe. Want to be fine dining but below average American version of Italian food. The heirloom tomatoes were tasteless and should not have been served. The lasagna was the worst I ever had - imbalanced flavors, dry, burned. The pei mussels broth was too salty. My wife did not like the lamb pasta- very tough meat. Way overpriced for the low quality.

Cafe style Italian on the East side serving authentic pastas, seafood and hand made pizzas. Our waiter was outstanding. Well shaded patio seating is available. A good break from BBQ and tacos.

I really wanted to love this place The location The restaurant The ambience The music All 5 star The choice was limited But the starters were ok We had two pizzas - 8/10 and 5/10 Topping on the second, the burrata was far to heavy making it sloppy We had to ask for knives because the toppings were so deep and as a result we struggled to pick the pizzas up But the service was the low point. Plates being taken away whilst we were still eating, literally a hand coming in from the behind to grab a plate whilst we were both still eating. Guys - you have cracked it in terms of everything above and quality ingredients just the eating experience needs some work!!