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Paggi House
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
200 Lee Barton DrAustin, TX 78704
Neighborhoods: 78704 (South Austin), Bouldin Creek
(512) 473-3700
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
314 reviews for Paggi House
Review Highlights
"Blood orange margarita is to die for."
(in 22 reviews)
"Can't wait to return for happy hour."
(in 120 reviews)
"And there's always the Chicken and Waffles Sunday Brunch."
(in 30 reviews)
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314 reviews in English
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Review from Jordan S.
Austin, TX
1/28/2012
as for HAPPY HOUR:
We sat on the patio and watched the sunset over downtown Austin surrounded by twinkling lights. WOW. Perhaps that was enough for the 5stars. Great ambiance, the happy hour prices are a steal and they have complimentary valet which makes this great place to drop in. The service was quick and friendly. The Texas Wildflower cocktail is worth a try at 1/2 price. The mussels and fries were a highlight! The bruschette was good and the cheese plate was mediocre. Will be back to try out some other dishes and cocktails! -
Review from Eric B.
Updated - 1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a very late review.
This is based on our experience for the last restaurant week. I'm not even 100% certain of what I had...and I think that says it all. The food was just really sub-par for a restaurant of this "quality". Cocktails (again) were just really odd and not very tasty. Bread was cold. They also sat us down in front of a goddamn A/C vent that was just blasting away right on us the entire meal. Not cool. (hur hur).
You can do a lot better for this price range in Austin.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/12/2010
I really enjoyed Paggi House. It's been quite awhile between my visit and this review so some… Read more »
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Review from Shalini R.
Austin, TX
12/27/2011
Paggi House is a surprise. Nestled in the back of a deep lot, surrounded by condos and Taco Cabana, near the hike and bike trail, just across the river from downtown, is an 1840s house serving delicious and expensive food. It's one of these delightful juxtapositions that rapidly-changing Austin still offers.
The restaurant underwent a massive renovation a couple of years ago. I never saw the before, but the after is a series of gorgeous outdoor and indoor spaces. Paggi House feels like two separate ventures: the huge patio buzzes with a young happy hour crowd, while the two indoor dining rooms that flank the entry hall are sedate and elegant.
It's a good thing the setting is unique and beautiful, because the old school menu has little to offer vegetarians. On the night we visited, three of the five salads had meat, and there wasn't a single vegetarian item in the starter section of the menu. There was just one vegetarian entree. It was very good, but it would be nice if Paggi House had more choices for vegetarians.
Full review of Paggi House from a vegetarian perspective here:
http://un-granola.com/... -
Review from Kathleen B.
Myrtle Beach, SC
2/8/2012
Love this place! Everything we had was fantastic. I thought I was a taster on the food network. We started with the crab cake with apple slaw-a fabulous mix of flavors. We split the warm brussel sprout salad, once again a great dish and combo. I had the lamb chops and my husband the venison. They were both fabulous. I can't think of anything I would change. We finished with the German Chocolate Torte with Caramel ice cream . The ice cream was a bit salty,but the tart lucious! We sat in the front room with the fireplace. It was very cozy . They have a great bar in the atrium and a fantastic patio if the weather is warm. The twinkle lights on the trees just made it feel very warm and magical. It's worth the money for the whole experience. Can't wait to come back!
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Review from Pazinhim D.
Austin, TX
2/5/2012
Great setting, great service. But for the price, I would have hopped for bigger portions. Left hungry but just couldn't justify spending any more money. Food and drinks were excellent though! One thing I thought was strange is that like another reviewer mentioned, there is only one menu option for vegetarians besides salads, and that is a rissoto. Well, thankfully I decided to confirm this with my server and she said they actually have an $18 off menu vegetable plate. She said it always changes but the option is always there. Thought that was super strange to not have that on the menu! For $18,I got 6 potato slices, 4 small esparagus slices, qunoa, and a smear of sweet potato. Good but tiny portions.
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Review from jessica h.
Austin, TX
1/5/2012
Went here for a Friday happy hour recently. There were 5 of us and we managed to find a table and get drinks pretty quickly. I LOVE the valet parking for happy hour. So much easier than trolling around the neighborhood like I have to do with some of the other spots nearby.
The apps we got were all really tasty, and thanks to happy hour specials, were all really affordable. I definitely recommend this spot for a happy hour after a long day at work! -
Review from Melissa A.
Austin, TX
12/5/2011
I'm writing this review in the spirit of Ra Ra Riot's "Can You Tell?" and I will never again think that parodying a song for a review is easier than writing one from scratch.
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ------
Paggi House, have I been too discreet?
How long am I supposed to wait?
I think about you nightly,
Oh can you tell I'm losing sleep?
What am I supposed to do?
It's hard to stay cool.
When you serve me cheese.
And have happy hour every night.
My tab's too big for just me
I promise I won't care,
When you forget my bread,
Sitting on your shady deck.
Oh baby baby please
My heart sinks to my feet
when you say you're out of fish and chips.
My tab's too big for just me
We really ordered two cheese plates?
I promise I won't care
Sitting on your shady deck.
My tab's too big for just me
When I order too many French 76s
I promise I won't care
Sitting on your shady deck.
When I eat cheese
I tend to lose my thoughts
Don't forget my bread
Oh what was that you said?
You'll comp my birthday cake?
Paggi House, you're so kind
Oh can you tell?
I can't even explain.
Oh baby I can't even explain
What am I supposed to do
It's hard to stay cool
When you have free valet
And they say they love my old car
Oh, sitting on your shady deck -
Review from Megan F.
Austin, TX
2/2/2012
Delicious drinks but the food portions are a joke. We went there for happy hour and ordered the cheese plate. I'm not sure where the cheese was but there were two pistachios neatly placed in the middle of the plate and a singleton walnut. Then maybe 4 small dollops of cheese - dollops is a strong word.. I'd say they were like quarter-sized. What a mess! Go there for drinks, then head out for real food elsewhere!
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Review from Nikki J.
Austin, TX
2/3/2012
Great place for happy hour. I love the indoor "patio" area around the bar. Great for cold, really hot or rainy days because it's indoors but almost has the feeling like your outside. Great drinks and good happy hour specials. The mussels and fries were pretty good.
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Review from Wanting H.
Austin, TX
1/16/2012
I like this restaurant which was a house and re-innovated into a restaurant. I never tried their dinner plates because they are too expensive. I went for their happy hour at their bar area in the back. Surprisingly, the bar area is elegent yet cozy for hanging out with friends. The patio area at the front of the restaurant also has a great view and very cozy for after work fun time. On their happy hour menu, I like their jalapeno dish, fries and their mussels dish. The jalapeno with salt dish is definitely a try because it is very unique and tasty. I would recommend to share with friends because the portion could be too big for one person. The mussels is also a winner because the sauce was great and mussels were awesome. This is a great value dish on the happy hour menu so definitely try it out. I also liked their fries even though it was not very unique or anything. I just liked fries to be properly fried and seasoned.
You can definitely get full with their happy hour menu. The dinner menu is much more expensive and may want to try sometime. -
Review from Deja C.
Houston, TX
12/1/2011
While visiting Austin a few weeks ago, we were looking for a place to grab some lunch/brunch on Saturday and wound up at Paggi House. I did NOT regret it.
Great location, really cute little place. We were seated on the patio immediately on one of the first gorgeous days of the fall season- YES. We started with mimosas and headed inside for the buffet. This is not your standard brunch buffet, though they do have some of the standard fare inside. Which is a good thing, because I'm not your standard brunch-goer. I like variety. I don't want bacon and eggs. Paggi delivered. I remember the cheese and fruit being especially delicious and was pleasantly surprised by that. There was a mushroom quiche-type thing which was super yummy, and the ceviche was to die for! I had to go back for seconds.
In addition to the brunch buffet, they offer made-to-oder items that are also included in the brunch price. I LOVE this idea! One of the main reasons I don't enjoy brunch buffets is that eggs simply do not fare well on hot plates. Paggi recognizes this and offers fresh egg dishes made-to-order. Everything looked super delish, but we decided to try the chicken and waffles. This is something I'd never tried before but have always wanted to. Boy, was I glad we chose this. AH-MAY-ZING. Fried chicken atop a freshly made, fluffy waffle with just a TOUCH of maple syrup... my mouth is watering now just thinking about it. Divine food of the Gods! A must try.
We decided to change up our drink order halfway through, and wanted to try their fizzy sangria drink (I forget the actual name of it.) We ordered a pitcher which should run $20, but our fantastic server told us he'd give it to us for $10. Now THERE'S a man who knows how to earn a tip! It was delicious and VERY strong... well worth the $10!
Oh, and did I mention the free valet parking?? This place just couldn't get any better. Next time we're in Austin, Paggi House is on our list! -
Review from Kristina H.
Austin, TX
10/21/2011
OH EM GEE, Paggi House. Where have you been all of my life? Oh, in the same spot longer than I've been in Austin? Yeah, I get it. You're awesome and I'm stupid for not trying you until last night. I will go sit in the corner and be quiet now.
Seriously, not sure why I've turned down multiple Paggi House offers in the past, but I did finally get to go here last night and wowzers.... love this place. We ordered a shit ton of stuff, y'all. Like a gazillion appetizers and a couple of entrees and a gazillion drinks between the two of us and there's nothing I didn't love that I put into my mouth.
Their happy hour deals are great. The service was fantastic. The atmosphere is gorgeous and the weather was amazing.
Highly recommend! Go tonight, before that stupid heat wave somehow makes it back to Austin and to sit outside in nice cool weather is just a faint memory you long to have once again. -
Review from Kelly S.
9/26/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Confession time: I've never eaten at Paggi House. Did I just lose friends? Probably. Not living close, I don't think about it. I have however, had some of their delicious drinks. Cucumber margarita? Check. Texas Wildflower? Check. Vodka, water, squeeze of orange? Check!
The crucial part of paggi is the patio. The moment the weather drops below 95, it's the place to permanently park your butt. Shaded in back and lounge-y in front, there's no better place to sip on something gorgeous and hobnob. It fits the bill for basically any gathering. Fancy dinner with the fam, girls night out, cocktail happy hour or late night noshing.
It's intimacy incarnate and lord knows we all need more of that. -
Review from Jay W.
Austin, TX
11/23/2011
Here's the story with Paggi House. It is a really great place for appetizers and drinks and not bad if ordering entrees off the menu, but don't waste your time on the brunch.
First off. I don't generally like all you can eat brunch buffets. Mainly because I don't think they generally put out quality food. There are exceptions to this rule. However I think most places overcharge and put out relatively flavorless food on brunch buffets. (Moonshine included). Tacos and Tequila actually does an all you can eat and manages to put out flavorful quality food for about half the price of either Moonshine or Paggi.
Paggi's buffet lacks imagination and is just poorly put together. They offer fruits, every breakfast meat known to man and some specialty dishes. One of those dishes is grits. They are the worst grits I have ever had, and I'm frankly surprised that the kitchen lets them get served. They are clumped together with no seasoning and basically taste like rancid oatmeal.
I was especially surprised by the lack of creativity on this buffer considering that they have some unusual and delicious options on their regular appetizer menu: including a watermelon caprese salad with an aged balsamic and sweetbreads both of which are delicious.
stay away from the brunch, go there for drinks and appetizers. Also the ambience of the restaurant is beautiful and they have some very good live music on their deck in the Spring and Summeer. -
Review from Megan C.
Austin, TX
Updated - 10/22/2011 Seated via OpenTable
So, because I was slightly disappointed with the small portions I had for dessert on my last trip, I decided to give the Happy Hour food menu a shot at redemption. Other yelpers have raved about the HH specials.....I'm not exactly sure why.
On their website, they have about 12 options listed under the bar food menu. However, at the restaurant that list had been pared down to about 6 options. It would be helpful if they updated their website to reflect menu changes before making the trip over there expecting different options. My friend and I had the Bruschetta, the Fish and Chips and the Butter Lettuce Salad.
The Bruschetta was a pretty sad sight. First of all it wasn't actually Bruschetta, the miniature crostinis (each about the size of two quarters side by side) were grilled, but the mozzarella and tomatoes were cold. It came with about 6 "crostinis". I was really confused by this, and you had to assemble the cold cheese and tomatoes atop the tiny crostinis yourself. Even at half price, the portion wasn't worth $4.50.
The Fish and Chips was good, the batter was a tempura batter that I enjoyed but the portion of actual fish was about 1 1/2 ounces! The "Chips" part consisted of two slices of potato cut in half, making 4 "chips" total. Wow. I had a hard time even paying the HH price of $7 for that, I can't imagine others paying $14 during regular hours.
The Butter Lettuce salad was not a HH food item, and cost $10. There were about 4-5 full leaves of butter lettuce, and the "pears" and "gorgonzola" consisted of a few measly shavings of pear (that you could see through) and a couple tablespoons of gorgonzola.
The only redeeming quality about their HH food menu is the mussels and fries. I saw another table that got the Mussels and Fries and it was a HUGE portion. Unfortunately enough for me, I don't like mussels.
Also, WHERE'S THE SALT? I have never been to a restaurant that didn't have salt and pepper on the table.....is this a new trend?? I was sourly disappointed with the overall experience, and probably won't be coming back.
Bottom Line: If you're at all budget conscious you might want to skip this place and avoid being disappointed. If you have superfluous amounts of money to spend on dining out, this is your joint.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/18/2011
My friend and I decided to try Paggi House for dessert on a Saturday evening. We made reservations… Read more »
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Review from april t.
Austin, TX
12/26/2011 4 photos
best lamp chops i've ever had! i still think about this meal a lot
my boyfriend and i went here for valentine's day and it was super delicious! we've been here for happy hour too and thought it was just ok (the mussels are really yummy), but don't be fooled! that food is no indication of what the non happy hour food is like.
for appetizers, i ordered the quail & wild mushroom black truffle risotto, and my boyfriend got the creamy lobster bisque. the quail was perfectly salted and lightly smoked while the risotto had great texture. sometimes places leave the risotto too hard, but this was perfect. the bisque was full of flavor and a great start to the meal.
entrees were the pecan crusted lamb with salsify puree, root vegetables, & potatoes, and the beef tenderloin with green beans, crispy onions, & bordelaise. the lamb came with two gigantic chops, cooked perfectly medium rare. it was super tender and the sweetness of the pecan crust on the outside paired great with the gamey-ness of the lamb. i don't usually like to eat vegetables, but i ate all of these. i didn't pay much attention to the tenderloin because i was eating my lamb, but it came in a good portion and the sauce was delicious.
dessert was maple cinnamon bread pudding and eggnog ice cream. you can't really go wrong with bread pudding and homemade ice cream, so needless to say, this was an awesome ending to the meal.
if i were on food network's "best thing i ever ate: meat edition," i would definitely talk about this place! -
Review from Beverly S.
Austin, TX
12/28/2011
The best place in town for dinner. We never go out for dinner on X-mas Eve, but we sure are glad we did this year and it will become a new tradition. The food was excellent, the service was fantastic, the owner Derrick is as nice as he is handsome. A big plus is that they are Dog Friendly and I will be back with Sophie to enjoy happy house. Would highly recommend.
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Review from Emily F.
10/15/2011 Seated via OpenTable
The hubs and I went on a double date with friends last Friday night. We easily made a reservation for an hour ahead of time via Yelp.
The parking was a little tricky as the whole Paggi House parking lot is valet and the street parking is precarious. We managed to parallel park after some searching and made our way inside to our table for four.
Paggi House changes their menu frequently based on what local supplies are available. Apparently the drinks menu changes, too, or the menu is out of date on the website because my cocktail isn't listed. It was a nice cocktail, but not special enough for me to remember what it was called...
My husband and I split a crabcake as an appetizer. Then I had the chicken with mashed potatoes and hubby had grilled prawns. For the price, we were left with a "meh" feeling. I want to give Paggi House 2.5 stars because our bread came out fairly late so we received an appetizer on the house--mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and bruschetta.
I've read and heard so many great things about Paggi House's brunch, so we do want to give it another shot. -
Review from Prad N.
Houston, TX
10/22/2011
Just went for a romantic dinner with the gf. Got major points for this one. From start to finish, incredible meal. We sat outside which I highly recommend- the weather gorgeous, the ambience classy yet relaxed. Waitress was very friendly and answered our many questions about the menu (so many great options!) with patience and great recommendations.
Everything was delicious, but favorites were the pork chop entree, their signature martini (started with a T?), and the pumpkin bread dessert (in that order). Price point was right around $100 with drink, appetizer and entree for each of us, with dessert to split. Absolutely worth it.
Bonus points for a great soundtrack-- mellow lounge music that really set the mood. Overall, great experience. Would recommend to everyone and will certainly be back. -
Review from Sara B.
Austin, TX
11/20/2011
Love this happy hour. The drinks are fantastic, the food is wonderful, and there is free valet? Perfection.
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Review from Cody L.
7/11/2011
Chronically Slow.
I like the Paggi House for its outdoor dining, food, view of the skyline.
However, the pace of the service has utterly ruined nights for me.
Example 1: I was out for my birthday with a group of people, got a hotel room, called a cab, was planning on getting drunk to make all of those steps worth it. Dinner at Paggi House took HOURS out of the night, waitstaff let a table of 15 people willing to spend money sit around with no drinks, waiting for courses, waiting for the bill, waiting to run the bill. I was resorting to getting drinks from the bar. By the time we left we barely had time to hit another bar before last call.
Example 2: Friends from Chicago in town for the weekend, having forgotten about the above experience I suggested Paggi House. Again, large gaps of time between courses, long wait for entrees... This triggers the repressed memory of my ruined birthday, so I asked for the check while the food was still on the table. I wanted to show my friends Cake Balls at Holy Cacao and by the time we got there it was closed and our list of places to bar hop was reduced, and I felt like my friends missed out on seeing a few more Austin spots.
If you have no where else to be after dinner I would consider Paggi House, but since I never go downtown just to eat, I have to take a pass from now on. -
Review from Selia S.
San Antonio, TX
9/22/2011
I'm giving the Paggi House four, rather than five, stars because I've only had brunch there and only one time. That experience was amazzzzzinggg but I've got to admit it's easier to hit a buffet out of the park than particular items ordered off a menu.
That said, let's get to the good stuff.
Paggi House is tucked back off of Lee Barton Drive in such a way that it makes you feel like you've discovered a secret when you first go there. The outside patio is amazing and the whole restaurant has a mild LA feel to it.
If you like brunch, go to this place on Sunday mornings. $1 mimosas and $3 bloodies, and guess what? The bloody marys are actually GREAT. So is the food at the buffet. It's delicious beyond belief. So much so, upon looking at my half-eaten plate my boyfriend looked at me and told me how disappointed he was in my poor show.
He's right. This place deserved more.
I had a great time. Decent service, wonderful ambience, good eats. -
Review from Michael S.
Boca Raton, FL
8/29/2011
Went there this past weekend on a trip to Austin. For an appetizer, we had the Tuna (which was great) and the pot stickers (which were ok). For the main course I had the duck, which would have been amazing if it wasn't so salty. It seemed like everyone's food was a little too salty...
I found the staff to be pretty friendly, but the service was a little slow. -
Review from Jimmy S.
Austin, TX
11/27/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Been here twice with my wife, both times we've been treated so well by the hostess, wait-staff, and wine connoisseur. Food is great, excellent ambience, makes it a fantastic place for a date night.
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Review from Samuel Y.
Austin, TX
6/17/2011
PREGNANT WOMEN CANNOT EAT RAW FISH!!!
My wife was pregnant at the time we went last Fall. She got the salmon and the middle was raw. We told the waiter and he said he would ask the chef. The waiter came back and said the chef said it was OK for pregnant women to eat a little undercooked fish. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Even Taco Bell has signs "pregnant women should not consume raw fish..."
I cannot believe how ignorant the staff are at this place. Especially the chef!
The next day I called the place--no one picked up. I also emailed the place and I got no response. Seems like they don't care about their practices.
So sad that this place would blatantly endanger their customers.
There was so much potential here. Great deck out front. Good ambiance inside. The starter and my pork was good. But serving raw fish to a pregnant woman is just insane. -
Review from Sarah N.
Austin, TX
11/8/2011
Went here for the first time on my birthday - Happy hour prices for incredible wine started the meal out wonderfully - delicious brussel sprout salad, incredible crab cake and the duck was perfect. Husband was talked to the Sika Deer which was too rare and too refined for our tastes - Share the chocolate tartlet for dessert which was pretty good. Overall we had a really nice time -
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Review from Darla A.
There are a lot of places in Austin with great food and wine... but not many help you pair them as well as Paggi House.
Excited to dine on their gorgeous patio on Lee Barton Drive with the downtown skyline peaking above the trees and golfers practicing their putting at the course below, I met a friend here for Austin Restaurant Week. We sat on the patio and enjoyed a nice glass of Adami 'Garbel' Prosecco for just $5. Most wines by the glass and appetizers are half price from 5-7 (a bargain).
The main thing that peaked my interest on the ARW on-line menu was their Strube Ranch Wagyu Beef Carpaccio. I was disappointed not to see it on the ARW menu they had a Paggi House. I explained to Aaron, our server, it was the main reason I selected Paggi house for ARW. It turned out, they did not feel the Beef they received was good enough for carpaccio. The manager nicely agreed to sub out with their Venison Carpaccio with frisée salad greens, red onion marmalade and a pepper parmesan. It was amazing. It had a fresh spice about it and the slight sweetness of red onion marmalade perfectly complimented it as did the 2008 William Fevre 'Champs Royaux' Chablis (also $5 at HH price). We both ordered the same thing, and it was a good thing, because I do not think I would have been willing to share that. It's all mine!!!
Next onto the entrees. Paggi house is KNOWN for their Duck, so I ordered the tea brined duck breast with asparagus quinoa slaw, orange gremolata, and foie gras jus. Aaron suggested the 2009 Croix de Marson, Bordeaux Blanc. This was some amazing duck. It was savory, buttery and literally melted in my mouth with each slice. The quinoa slaw was the perfect side with this and the wine made it taste even more fantastic. My friend had the same wine with her potato crusted Atlantic salmon served atop baby spinach with maitake mushrooms that were topped with star anise jus. The potato crust on that was like a very thin potato chip. It was beautifully presented and even more delicious.
For dessert, they offered a goat cheesecake with blackberries or a chocolate ganache flourless cake with biscotti. We ordered one of each and paired that with the 2007 Le Paradou Viognier from Provence. The goat cheesecake was light, airy with a slight hint of butter in the crust. YUM! But the chocolate dessert was satisfying my inner Paula Deen, as it tasted like a rich chocolate butter.
The evening, albeit a touch warm, was a perfect combination of excellent and tasty seasonal food, wonderful company and great wine. The service was beyond fabulous and the patio was perfect. Bonus points for ordering all my wines by the glass before 7 pm to take advantage of the HH prices.
You can spend as much or as little as you want at Paggi House depending on if you come for HH, Brunch or Dinner. It's a great special place for that special occasion yet casual enough to hang out for HH.Listed in: Prosecco rules!, Things I LOVE about Austin, Great outdoor patios in…, C'mon get Happy..., Wine all about it!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/12/2010
I was a Paggi House virgin until yesterday.
I lost it yesterday on their Sunday Brunch, complete… Read more »
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Review from Betina F.
Austin, TX
7/16/2011
I have been going to the Paggi House about 20 years and love it. When they renovated a year or two ago they changed some things, some for the better others not so much.
The food is consistantly delicious and beautifully plated. The service is just right attentive but not in your face constantly. The only downside is the outside bar, since renovation they added a bunch of glass and concrete which makes this area unbeleivably loud once there are a few tables. I avoid this area completely.
The front porch is my favorite, its the perfect place to sip a martini or mojito and chill out. The valet's are good and did not flinch when I said they were not driving my 1975 Triumph convertible and still gave me a spot front and center. BTW-I tipped him even though he did not park the car. All in all I love this place and go as often as I can. -
Review from Hugh G.
Austin, TX
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very nice atmosphere and solid food! The butter lettuce salad was simple but with quality cheese and maple affective. The watermelon and mozzarella salad worked well. The Risotto was good on a HOT day. The Panna Cotta dessert was also very good.
I recommend. -
Review from Lori L.
Scottsdale, AZ
10/16/2011
Kitchen Melt Down
I really wanted to like this restaurant. It was a beautiful Friday night and after waiting for 15 minutes for our table, we were seated on the outside terrace. Our waiter took our drink order - we ordered a bottle of wine which came fairly promptly.Then we gave our waiter our food order. The starters also came in a reasonable amount of time. 2 hours elapsed before we saw our entree. During that time, we felt sorry for the waiter making all sorts of excuses. The people sitting behind us got up and walked out. Finally at 10:45, our food arrived just as the large party sitting next to us lite up thier cigarettes. I lost all appetite for the food and was so tired, I just wanted to go home. We were very patient, but enough was enough.
As we left (we did pay for our wine), the manager explained that the problems were caused by a new menu rollout. Why would a Chef rollout a new menu on a weekend with a full house of dinners?! The kitchen could not keep up with the patrons, which was unfortunate. It was a beautiful restaurant, but with the high prices of the food, I would be very hard pressed to give them another chance. I wish this was a better reveiw, but this was exactly our experience. -
Review from Nathan I.
Austin, TX
3/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Nathan's Review of Paggi House: The Return of Dr. Ann
Brunch plans, once again, were the inevitable love child of Friday night revelry and my friends' insistence on being fabulous on a Sunday morning in Austin. Who am I to argue? Old staples were mentioned, some new names were tossed around, and finally it was N's foodie opinion that we should try Paggi House that won the debate. Paggi House it was then...with my brunching partner-in-crime Dr. Ann, her friend Jackie O. (that really is her initial), and my friend from church, Rhiannon (like the song). Rhiannon ultimately could not make it, but fear not--you will be introduced to her in a different review. And many more in the future, I'm sure.
We had actually all planned to meet up at St. David's Episcopal for 11:15 service like last time, but with the time shift forward, I was lucky I was able to drag my own lethargic behind there. And I completely forgot it was Lent (The liturgical equivalent of a total buzzkill). However, I must say that I was glad to see both Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan made cameo appearances in the sermon, under the clever pseudonyms "TV Actor Spiraling Out Of Control While Mired In Substance Abuse Issues", and "Hollywood Starlet Who Steals High-End Jewelry", respectively. Bravo.
I spoke with the married couple I knew in the pew ahead of me and asked their opinion of Paggi House ("It's wonderful") before heading there myself. I had made 12:30 reservations, but was running late. I called Dr. Ann and told her she can let the hostess know I was on my way, and that the reservation was under "Anastasia Beaverhausen", as usual.
Parking: a breeze. Free valet. Though, they ought to hire hotter guys. The exterior makes it seem like a giant treehouse, which is fun because of its location, and it's different from the other restaurants. I was greeted by two hostesses, who promptly rolled their eyes when I said I was here for the "Anastasia Beaverhausen" reservation. It's gonna be like that, huh? The tall brunette totally threw attitude at me, while the shorter blonde seemed more neutral. Fine, I guess we don't do humor here. I found Dr. Ann and Jackie O on the patio, each now a $1 mimosa ahead of me.
We caught up as Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" played and I started catching a buzz. The short blonde made it quite clear we needed to sit at our table indoors. She seemed a little nicer, but I still don't like the ever-so-subtle hint of being rushed. I'll sit down when I'm good and ready, my love; don't mess with me during brunch. Our waiter was cute in that tall, skinny way. Jackie O took to him quickly and said he looked like Robert Pattinson. I could see it, somewhat. I said he'd look better with a few more muscles. "Or naked", Jackie O deadpanned. Well, well...and with that we hit the buffet.
$24 per adult gives you access to the buffet and several orders that come from the kitchen. We ate, literally, everything. At least a sampling. The consensus? I'm glad you asked. Fruit and cheese, housemade pastries, French toast, niman ranch bacon, breakfast sausage, corned beef hash, mushroom leek quiche: All solid. Bagels and lox: Yay! And yum. Bleu cheese grits: I die (better than the gouda grits at Olivia). Chicken and waffles: excellent haute soul food in a light syrup. Garden omelette w/ asparagus,tomato,goatcheese: Light, flavorful, and healthier than the bacon-brie alternative. Only gripe? Home fries: a little heavy on the oil. Otherwise, all of it is fantastic fare.
Sidebar...I used the restroom outside, and I loved the modern decor with the rocks in the sink. What I didn't like were the two guys who came in and began to talk about one of them planning to "nail a chick" as he took a rather loud and offensive #2. Oh--is this acceptable guy behavior now? Objectifying women AND a brazen BM? Blecccchhhh...I have never been more offended and repulsed on such a visceral level than I was at that moment, and this is ME we're talking about. Nothing shocks me. Suffice it to say, the look I gave him as he awkwardly washed his hands next to me most assuredly conveyed: "You make me want to wretch."
A note about alcohol: if you don't have $1 mimosas, you don't have a brunch. (1) $6 mimosa at Olivia = 6 mimosas at Paggi House. A healthy buzz is critical to the experience. I thought this was common knowledge in the public domain. Dr. Ann and I are VERY adamant about this.
Anyways, Paggi House gets SIX stars from all three of us. We'll be back...and you better expect the Beaverhausen.Listed in: The Most Sacred of Meals
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Review from Karen W.
Austin, TX
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Havin fun with Jose, the master of the bar menu!! That was the state of affairs while we joked with Jose upon arrival. How quickly things changed.
I know. What a disappointment. One minute I'm exclaiming how much fun we were having, and in the next moment I am lamenting that we made such a poor choice for happy hour.
I have eaten here before when my husband and I were entertaining guests. The food was great, the wine was good. The portions were teeny-tiny, even by fine dining standards, and the check was large, even by fine dining standards. The ambiance was great in that it was intimate; however, the tables are very close together so the intimacy has to include your neighbors' conversations too. I digress...
The drinks read better than they tasted, and again, portion size must be Paggi House's answer to reaching the profit goal for the month. Thin, tall glasses packed with ice and a splash of a drink added equals an hour with a splash of happy. barely.
The coup de grace was the awful portions of the bar happy hour food menu. The cheese plate was pitiful beyond words. I barely kept my jaw off the floor when it was presented. There could not have been 4 oz of food on that plate--in total. And the tiny specks of cheese were crusty along the edges in the way that cheese gets when it has been sliced and stored under cellophane in the fridge until some unfortunate soul picks the short straw. OH, and forget the honeycomb that is described on the menu. You will get the honey minus the comb. For a cheese plate done right---EVEN at happy hour, look to Bess's Bistro on 6th. You know, I honestly can't remember what the other dish was. We inhaled it, not because it was extraordinary but because they were tiny specks of food that could be inhaled (ok, admittedly a hyperbole there) and made a mad dash to the door. On the way out I noticed a charming room that was set up to accommodate 16 people set around a large square--too bad I don't think I'll ever be back to reserve it.Listed in: Best Happy Hours in Austin
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Review from Emily Y.
Austin, TX
5/1/2011
5 star prices but the food was 3 star. Also, there are not many wines by the glass to choose from, and they start at $12 per glass!! If I couldn't see the Austin skyline, I would have thought I was in Dallas.
Also we had a http://Restaurant.com gift certificate that they wouldn't accept because they had changed owners. Not cool! -
Review from Gary M.
Austin, TX
3/12/2011
Summary: An exercise in conceit, coupled with a successful assimilation of the most regrettable aspects of California Trendy.
First, the wine. Pleasantly served, in the patio well seating. That the very heavy cocktail table was almost a foot too far for one to use I remedied personally. Ah, now a place to set our wine glasses. The wines by the glass? Pleasant enough, no complaint about the choice we made. The price, however . . . I'm used to 50%, even 100%, markups. I checked out the wine we ordered online just now. We paid 80% of the retail price of a whole bottle for one standard serving.
There, a first conceit, a very modest one: Using tiny carafes to pour the wine at the table. I've seen that before only when the servings were over-sized, so that the carafe with a second portion was left, for the patron to use to refill, rather than overburden the glass initially. Thought that was what was to ensue. Not here.
Into dinner.
Noticed the second conceit: No salt at the table. (Tres California) Of course, our chef's preference here is perfect, you must enjoy it the way it is served. As it happened, it was flavored -- including saltiness -- exactly to my taste. Nevertheless, saltiness preferences vary.
Ordered a butter lettuce salad for the lady, lobster bisque for myself. Two more conceits:
The lettuce leaves were artistically arranged on a small plate -- and left whole. The lady struggled through much of it, trying to cut bite-sized pieces without spraying the dressing on the cloth, gave up about 3/4s of the way through. I don't care if the original Caesar salad was made with whole inner leaves, to be eaten with the fingers. Greens covered with dressing are not finger food.
The lobster bisque: I was presented with a huge shallow bowl with a minuscule small teacup sized depression in the middle holding a small piece of lobster, a few bits and pieces of other stuff. The waiter then ceremoniously poured just enough soup from the pitcher to fill that depression. Not a bowl of bisque. Barely a cup. And it was lukewarm. For $12.
(More of the worst of California Trendy: Elaborate presentation, minuscule portion.)
Main course: Salmon. We wanted to split the entree, were told there would be a charge. So we split it ourselves.
Well flavored, of course beautifully presented, the "fatty" richest part of the fish. And almost raw! That is the worst of California Trendy. I lived there, had occasion to talk to a couple of chefs of whom such essentially uncooked preparation was demanded, and who hated doing that; the only fish that should be served raw -- excluding sushi, which I love -- is seared ahi tuna.
In any case (1) the menu should say so, (2) the patron should be advised, and (3) the patron should be able to say, "No, I want mine cooked." In reality, the texture of raw but heated fatty salmon is unappealing to most; it shouldn't even be offered.
I ate my portion, with limited enjoyment, noticed my companion had given up and was making do with the minuscule bit of (well flavored) sauteed greenery used as the base of the fish. I suggested we find her something else, but she was past caring.
The complete serving, by the way, would have been barely adequate for a single diner. If it had had some sort of side dish. It didn't.
At that price, I expect some accompaniment. Oops, California Pseudo Chic: Everything is a la carte.
Oh, yes: Apparently the bread is also a la carte. When we sat down, there was a bread plate and butter knife present in each setting. They were still there, never having been occupied, when we were done. "One Meat Ball" . . "you gets no bread with one meat ball". Maybe you get a roll only if you order an entree each.
Total bill for that fiasco: With tip, over $100.
Guys, don't emulate another's cuisine willy-nilly without evaluating its basic worth. Gary Denko's, in San Francisco, is excellent, imaginative recipes prepared to perfection, very expensive, very elegant service -- and asks how you'd like your fish cooked -- with an obvious sigh of appreciation when answered, "thoroughly."
And Chris (our waiter) -- I thought that waiters starting out by introducing themselves was a conceit that ended decades ago. "Hi, Chris ole buddy, pull up a chair and join us. Watya bin up to?"
In closing: I have no need to hide. I will be sending this review directly to Paggi. Let you know if I hear any response.
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Added, months later: Of course, they've not responded. Why bother? They already have the hoi polloi believing this place is a gastronomic heaven. It ain't. -
Review from Brittany D.
Austin, TX
12/25/2011
My husband and I heard about this place and decided to try it out on a whim... and I'm so glad we did! It was amazing. Service was great and so was the food! we started with the quial, which was amazing! My husband had the lamb which was the best lamb weve ever had! I had the scallops and pork belly which was also great, except the scallops where way to salty. Desert made up for that, we had the pumpkin break with ice cream. We will defiantly be back and im reccomend this place to everyone!
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Review from Cyndee V.
Pflugerville, TX
10/27/2011
Paggi House is adorable. There are lots of little steps that lead you to a very quaint and cool little red house. The restaurant is very open. There is dining inside and out. The food is pretty and balanced. Definately an American flare. Think chicken and waffles meets the Four Seasons.
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Review from Karl K.
Austin, TX
11/4/2011
... Our special occasion place. Always a special evening, always impeccable service and the food is prepared to perfection. I bet we eat there twice a year and have NEVER been disappointed. Quite the contrary. Five Stars!!!!
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Review from Greg H.
Austin, TX
7/24/2011
Good food, but very small portions. Nice outdoor atmosphere, but when it's 98 outside.....
Service was slow and spotty. Had great dessert, but left partially still hungry. Very popular with young crowd - great people watching. -
Review from Khanh N.
Austin, TX
5/12/2011
We went here a few weeks ago for our anniversary dinner and I should have written the review then because now my old fart brain is struggling to remember what we ate... sigh, the consequences of being an eternal procrastinator. I may be fuzzy on the details but I DO remember that we both enjoyed the experience immensely and would love to come back!
He enjoyed Manhattans and other various cocktails while I sipped on a delicious cab. For appetizers, we ordered the beef carpaccio and the bone marrow. The beef carpaccio was good but the bf felt like it could have used a starch (like a crouton or something) to round it out. I had high expectations for the bone marrow and while it was good, it just didn't have that melt-in-your-mouth quality I was looking for. It spread and had a mouthfeel more similar to a jelly than a butter.
For our main courses, he went with the tea-brined duck with quinoa and I chose the beef (pork? I don't remember, they ran out of whatever it was supposed to be so they subbed it out with the other meat mentioned) ribs over maytag grits. Yuuuuuuuuuuuum to the grits. My plate had so much food on it I could only eat one rib- but you can bet your ass I ate all of the grits! I gave the manfriend the rest of the ribs and he polished them off like it ain't no thang.
Overstuffed but feeling like we needed to order dessert cuz it was our anniversary and duh, what better excuse to overindulge? We ordered the pineapple upside-down cake. The cake was light and fluffy, the pineapple was perfectly caramelized, and it came with a mango sherbet that when combined with a bite of cake was the perfect ending to a delicious meal. -
Review from My-Tien N.
Austin, TX
Updated - 4/15/2011
I have been to Paggi House a few times now and this was a little bit less than enjoyable for me. It was the first week of Austin Restaurant Week (ARW) and we picked restaurants per the menu posted on the ARW website.
I asked the waitress I had noticed a menu changed and she indicated they have to submit their menus in advance so changes are made and seasonal items. Funny....the seasonal menu item that was taken off was on their regular menu. Very disappointing!
The beef tartare and mussels and fries was great. I loved the fries. The Duck salad, the egg was hard poached vs easy poached to our liking and there was a piece of bone in the salad. Veal carparccio was really good and we are glad we tried something new.
The food was good but neither of us ended up ordering from the regular menu. The other disappointing thing was where we were sat. The house a hardwood floors and we were sat right at the entrance so there was a lot of traffic and heels hitting the floor, shaking our table. It leads to a not so romantic dinner date.
I'll come back but I have my eye where to not sit.
TIP: Try street parking vs. complimentary valet - it's a cluster ....2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/15/2009
I said I'd come back if the service was better. This time it was kind of not really my decision or… Read more »
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