Patrenella's Ristorante Italia

Elite '08

26

48

Katie S.

Houston, TX

I have been going here since I worked for my dad on Jackson Hill in highschool.  The food is just as good as it was then but the restaurant has definitely grown!  This is a great place to have a nice Italian dinner on a white table cloth with out the white table cloth price. It has a great neighborhood feel and if you go during the week it is not very crowded.  We even went here right after my son was born, he fell asleep in his carrier and we had a great dinner.  Though, it is too fancy a place to bring the bigger kids, I think you would get looks!  My favorite thing is they set out hard cheeses and olives for you before your meal...yummy!

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Elite '08

11

97

Rose K.

Houston, TX

Patrenella's didn't have a lot of vegetarian options, so I don't feel right penalizing this place because my dinner was kind of bland.  Everyone who eats the meat here says it's great!  I just wanted to use this Yelp to point out that I had the best tiramisu I've ever had.  At Patrenella's, last night.

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1

2

Lacey D.

Houston, TX

Patrenella's was amazing!  

Great, authentic Italian food set in a cozy...well...house I suppose..with a beautiful patio and what were obviously many satisfied return customers. (Heck even one of the chef's came out to say hey! to a couple seated near me and ask how she liked his recipe for something or other!)
I had the Caesar, as recommended by other yelpers and it was just as I had hoped; fresh, delicious, and with two large anchovy slices placed neatly on top in a cross shape.  It was one of the best Caesar dressings I have had ever!
I was ecstatic when the main course arrived - I ordered the Salmon and eggplant dish (forgive me for forgetting the name, this review is a couple of weeks old, but I couldn't bear not to do it) and it was plated beautifully with a scattering of mozzarella and tomatoes at the base of the eggplant.  

The whole thing was delicious - and a lot of food might I add - and left me only wanting one thing....Tiramisu!!

I was so stuffed, but I managed to half the dessert with my boyfriend, and it was immaculate!

Now after all this, you might ask - why 4 stars?
Well, it's nothing HUGE but, I felt like our waiter kind of ignored us because of the way we look...?  It sounds a bit silly but yes this was a very nice restaurant and yes...I have blue hair and am under 25.  
I kind of understand, but when my wine glass went empty he never asked me anything(we opted out of bottle service because my boyfriend's under age and I'm not a lush....yet), and we were given our salads with no silverware, so we had to wait until the busboy came to refill my boyfriend's water to ask for some.

It was weird because when we ordered he actually looked away from us...like he wasn't paying attention - something even my usually dense boyfriend picked up on immediately and questioned.

Otherwise, like I've said, for Italian food - Patrenella's was....authentic and delicious.  I would recommend any of my friends to top this food!

P.S. I am a waitress, so I always find myself tipping *extra* well when I can tell my waiter/waitress thinks I'm not worth their time because of how I look...maybe one day it'll start working!   0_o

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8

35

Gilberto V.

Houston, TX

Italy, Meet Houston.  Houston, Meet Italy.  Good old fashioned real Italian meals graced this menu - highlighting why Patrenella's is all things that I love about Houston - unassuming, gorgeous, and with a local history and flair that make you believe in Italian Food.

I ordered a bottle of Chianti (and for the Yelp record, I am a red wine kinda guy) - specifically the Rocca delle Macie 2005 - and the waiter was prompt and efficient in delivering our table the bottle.  

Starting with the Dame's Sausage topped with marinara and roasted vegetables, I began my journey to the old country in style as the combination of food plus wine created a complete taste sensation - and this was just the appetizer.  I had to control myself not to fully indulge lest I not fully enjoy the meal.

Next up was a small Ceasar salad made the way that they are supposed to be made - with real fillets of anchovies and a small slice of perfectly chopped bacon (bring on the meat, I say!) and I ate garden greens the way God intended - with meat and wine.  The beauty of their dressing is that it complimented the leafy portion, it did not overwhelm it.

As a tester, I always make an Italian restaurant serve me the simplest dish - this is my way of checking up on them.  If you can't do spaghetti and meat balls, then you may as well pack up your things, head outside the loop to Pearland or Conroe and open up an Olive Garden.  Patrenella's did not disappoint.  The meatballs were clearly made in the Sicilian style - spicy but there to enhance the pasta, not dilute its flavor.  And this dish was exquisite not just in simplicity, but in its perfect balance of pasta and sauce - this marriage was grand to behold on my plate, and I relished devouring every bit of it like a glutton gone mad.

The table ordered desserts family style - we had the array they had to offer and nothing - NOT ONE THING - disappointed.  In fact, it is hard to determine who was the winner!  The tiramisu? Perhaps better than any I have ever had in New York's little Italy.  The Italian Cream Cake?  Even the Mandola family of Houston could not get this right.  Canolis?  You'd have to have them Fed Ex'd from Sicily to get them this good.

The coffee was strong and fresh, the service was beyond exceptional.  I had to meet the owner, and we chatted.  Turns out he is a huge Texas A&M supporter - which, if possible, would warrant an additional star on this rating.   He is best friends with one of The Junction Boys of Texas A&M, and if you are unfamiliar with that story, then you need to get on the Google and learn about those brave men.  

In the end, I am glad these folks stayed true to their roots and did not inundate the menu (as many Italian establishments have) with silly tofu or fru-fru nonsense meat alternatives - there is a vegetable lasagna, which I chided one of my table guests for beginning to order and she chose the meat one (and she loved it!) instead.  

Pure simplicity in the combination of meat, veggies, and pasta made the day (I love a truly balanced meal) and all with a wine selection and service that will make Nino's blush.

Stop in, stay a while, and ejoy this mecca of Italian goodness and the wall of Texas A&M 12th Man glory.

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0

19

MOrgan C.

Houston, TX

This place is over the top good ESPECIALLY for a family run establishment.  The seafood is very fresh, I have had the ahi and scallops and each time they were excellent.  The size of the different dishes can vary, the chicken parmagiano (or was it romano?) is massive, while other dishes are smaller so ask your waiter.  Service is always great. Worse problem I have ever had is waiting too long for a menu at rush hour and the waiter picked up on it, apologized and was very attentive the rest of the meal.

Wine selection is very nice as well.  Can get very busy at peak times but dinner time seems to slow early, so you would be fine rolling in at 8:30 on a saturday night.

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Elite '08

42

151

Adam O.

Houston, TX

It shocks me that more people haven't written about this place.  I have heard a ton about it, and when I went there last week it was teeming with people (I guess not teeming with avid yelpers...).

The feel of this restaurant is just as the owner intended.  The restaurant is actually built in his childhood home.  They have since bought out the adjoining lots to make it bigger, but essentially they are feeding you inside his home.  And the staff and the atmosphere make it feel very much as if you are at home.

Our waitress was a bubbly (read: overdosing on caffeine) young lass who thought my friend and I were funny.  Too funny if you ask me... I think it was the coffee she had flowing through her veins.  But due to the pending heart attack, she was running around serving everyone quickly and quite efficiently.

The bread that they serve before meal was fantastic, and they give you a plate of olives and cheese to go with it.  We decided to forgo the appetizers and just jump straight to the mains... not because there were not appetizers on offer... but the 3 of us were tired and shagged out after a long squawk (anyone catching the reference?).

I got the Gnocchi (which I always try to get when I am in an Italian restaurant), my friend's mom got the Chicken Saltimbocca which looked incredible, and my friend got the Fettuccine Alfredo (yawn).  All three of us devoured the food, it was delicious.  My friend's mom noted the Saltimbocca was not how it is usually prepared, but that it was really tender and really good.  Unfortunately she didn't offer me a bite... because I definitely would have said yes.

So in conclusion, go here.  You won't regret it.

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0

3

Joe B.

Houston, TX

I am fairly new to Houston. Upon my arrival, I was told this City is/was the "restaurant" capital of the USA---per capita more people eat out here than any other city in the USA. Well for the most part, I pity the people who eat out as I think Houston's restaurant food is at best, fair and at times this is a generous rating. But there are true jewels and one of those jewels is Patrenella's. I would put this place up against most Italian places in NYC or SF.

The sauces here are robust when they need to be robust, classic when they need to be classic and subtle when they need to be subtle. Yes in some ways there are disappointments--what great or good restaurant doesn't. But I can live with the disappointments for the jewels outweight them!

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4

16

Mary Ann K.

Houston, TX

I was amazed at finding this little restaurant in the Heights and Sixth Ward off of Washington. The historic Patrenella home is now the quaint location for an authentic Italian restaurant with a bit of an outdoor patio. Of course when you enter the front door you are like on "center stage" trying to figure out WHY is everyone staring at me and WHY am I standing in the middle of the restaurant. Luckily I was not left standing there too long as I was able to locate my friend who was waiting for me at the bar, which is located in the middle of the house.

I had the Veal Meatballs, which was one of the many specials that evening.  It was so tasty, the sauce was definitely loaded up on tons of garlic, but the tomatoes rounded out the flavor quite well. It was a good thing I did not have additional plans after dinner as I would definitely have scared everyone off. The dipping sauce for the bread was filled with plenty of garlic, herbs and olive oil.

I would definitely recommend Patrenella's as one of the Best Italian restaurants in the city. It's like eating "home cooked" Italian food in a cozy little setting. Not surprisingly, Patrenella's has been awarded  many of the legendary Marvin Zindler's  "Blue Ribbon Awards."

Parking and finding the restaurant can be a bit of a challenge.....

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1

6

Frank B.

Houston, TX

Compliments to the chef, he is my high school buddy! All their dishes are awesome and the staff is friendly. Be prepared to wait though as their cliente is grand.

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