Poeta Reviews

Poeta is such a nice find just east of downtown Austin. It’s small and cozy. It has indoor and outdoor seating even in the winter. And a nice bar with just a few seats. The food is Italian. The wine list and menu were small, but they’re very nice. I had a great glass of Italian red wine with my dinner. My husband and I both ordered a pasta dish and we shared a salad. It was plenty of food. My husband had the carbonara which he really enjoyed. I had the meatballs and polenta. I wouldn’t recommend those because the meatballs were small and not that great, Although I love the polenta and the sauce that came with it. We would definitely go back and I would like to try more of the dishes there. The service was very accommodating. The noise level was low enough that we had a great conversation without shouting.

Poeta will check all of the cliché Austin brunch boxes with an Italian twist but prepare for your wallet to cry a little in the process. The interior is ridiculously cute and aesthetically pleasing, the workers were welcoming, service was quick, and the food was tasty but it’s so pricey and just doesn’t seem worth it. I had high hopes for Poeta and wanted to love it as much as Intero but I left feeling like it’s incredibly overhyped. I made a reservation for brunch on a Saturday at 12:30 pm. I arrived a few minutes early but got seated right away. FAST FACTS: * Parking - There’s street parking around and a map with dedicated lot options on their website * Reservations - Available through OpenTable * Brunch - Saturday & Sunday from 10-3 * Happy Hour - Daily from 3-5 * Dog friendly front patio SERVICE - Fantastic! The workers were all very personable and had smiles on their faces! Our server spaced out our order into three courses and all the items came out quickly. PRICING - This is my biggest gripe… the value just isn’t there. I’m all for paying high dollar for elevated meals but I didn’t feel like the portion size and/or food quality matched the prices. The total was $81.18 after tax and before tip for a cappuccino, benedict, arancini, prosciutto panini, and wafflegato. Considering the portion sizes are pretty small, my wallet and stomach were both a little grumpy after! CAPPUCCINO (8/10) - Not listed on the menu but they do offer espresso based drinks. Honestly, this was one of the best items we got value-wise since it was only $5 and a pretty decent size. It was tasty for a basic cappuccino. ARANCINI (6/10) - This dish was delicious but I just can’t justify $24 for 4 arancini. They come in a tomato butter sauce with two poached eggs and “roasted lamb” (I use quotes because you have to dig around to find any… I forgot it was even part of the dish because there was so little of it). I would never order this again because it isn’t worth the price. BENEDICT (6/10) - Kind of a similar story… it was very good but overpriced for the small portion size. Half the plate is just a garnish of frisée (curled endive). It has a béarnaise instead of a traditional hollandaise which I really liked but it wasn’t worth $18. PROSCIUTTO PANIN (6.5/10) - I really liked the flavors in this… the prosciutto and fig jam compliment each other well and the ricotta has a great taste but the two pieces you get are pretty small (like 3-4 bites) and it doesn’t really classify as a panini. The small bibb salad that comes on the side (let’s be honest… it takes up a majority of the plate) is just some lettuce with a basic lemon vinaigrette. It’s light and tasty but it isn’t going to fill you up by any means. WAFFLEGATO (7/10) - This was definitely the star and my favorite item! The maple gelato is SUPER cold and doesn’t melt right away which is fantastic and the espresso butter poured overtop is delicious! You obviously get that standard coffee taste but the richness and slight saltiness of the butter flavor takes it to the next level. The waffle is basic… I think an additional texture like some crunchy pecans or something similar on top would elevate this dish! But, this is one of the few things I would order again and felt worth the price. Maybe it’s better for dinner but Poeta’s brunch just falls short of expectations, especially considering other brunch options in town. The brunch menu definitely leans into lunch more than breakfast so some people may enjoy that but it isn’t my preference. I don’t think I’ll hurry back here as there are many other places I’d rather go for brunch (and I’d probably pay less too).

Creative menu, with excellent and unique choices. Every dish was well prepared and easy to share. The Pate app was excellent, as was the pasta and branzino fish. Servers were very friendly and acoomodating.

Outstanding new location and menu -- on Gonzalez near Cake & Spoon. Fixed menu Thursday through Sunday. Good wine list. Excellent service. Reservations are likely needed. Nice outdoor space -- come with children, let them play, while you have cheese and drinks. Highly recommended.

From the minute we walked in the staff was welcoming; professional and delivered excellent service. Lunch was lovely and we were glad we stumbled upon this new gem!

A real treat, we liked this restaurant a lot. For myself, the grilled cauliflower and the grilled sea bass were the hit of the evening. But the peppers as an appetizer and the pasta dishes were excellent. Plus the olive cake at the end. Good drinks and first-rate wine list. The service was great!

A VERY SPECIAL EXPERIENCE. While described as a "neighborhood" restaurant--it is worth a long drive for the excellence of the Italian cuisine. The items on the menu are clearly creatively and carefully developed, cooked and served. We (four) had a particularly special experience sharing single servings of numbers of each of the categories of dinner items. It was amazing!! Do go to Poeta and let them help you put together a memorable dining experience--the staff cares deeply about food and developing unique presentations. THANK YOU to Poeta.