aRoma Italian Kitchen

Reviews 11

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Hayden Walker

aRoma Italian Kitchen & Bar is a relatively new bistro located next to the Broken Spoke at The 704 Apartments. The “genuine” Neapolitan Pizza uses real San Marzano tomatoes that grow on the volcanic plains on the south side of Mount Vesuvius, ‘homemade’ mozzarella and dough that consists of wheat flour, natural Neapolitan yeast, salt and water, which is then kneaded and formed by hand without the help of rolling pins or machines. Although they break tradition with 12­inch rather than 8­inch pizzas they are baked in a wood­fired brick oven shipped directly from Italy, for 90 secs­2mins. I enjoyed the Grilled Calamari which is tossed in frisee, grapefruit, red onion, pistachios and EVOO and a tomato and basil bruschetta. I found it to be a rather enjoyable mix of flavors and refreshingly light, as all good appetizers should be. For the main course, I went all out with two pizzas! My favorites include the Quattro Formaggi, an absolute must for any cheese lover as it includes mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmesan and a beautifully creamy goat cheese. Then the Salsiccia with Italian sausage, smoked mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes.

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Edie Vitemb

I am surprised by the good review for this restaurant. When aRoma first opened we were excited it is in our neighborhood. We took my mother who owned a restaurant and was a caterer. Our family knows good food. The food with that experience was mediocre and we had to send back the calamari which was rubbery and had no flavor. So a few years later a friend gave me a gift card and the food was terrible again, but this time my vege ravioli, I couldnt even eat, I had one bit, asked my 25 year old son who lives in NYC to try and he immediately said we need to send that back. It tasted rancid. They brought me a lasagna that was over all good, but had hugh pieces of onion not cooked well that killed it. My sons lamb shanks had very little flavor. We were offered a free dessert, but no credit for out meals. We declined the dessert and will not return. The atmosphere is great, and the service was good, too bad the food didnt match. The owner needs to give this feedback to his chief and assistance. Maybe I was the unlucky one... twice

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Christine Wren

This restaurant is definitely getting better with age. The location is easy with good parking. Both the inside and out are well appointed and are comfortable. The food is great. A particular favorite of mine is their prosciutto chicken. It is extremely moist served bone in and stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella and spinach, served over a bed of crimini mushroom risoto. Some of the stands out dishes are their side dishes including cauliflower au gratin, broccoli limone, peas & pancetta, truffled cacatappi - so dont forget to check them out. The patio is dog friendly with a beautiful live oak at its center. And, the patio is actually decked so your dog doesnt get all that famous Austin gravel in their coat and ladies can wear a shoe and not get dust in it. Just an added bonus in my book.

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Kathleen Pendleton

One of the best dining experiences Ive ever had. Enjoyed an exceptional meal and service. We ordered the Special Bruchetta (melt in your mouth beef), La Casa (exceptional in-house made mozzarella), Pollo di Ripieno (crispy skin, moist tender inside) and Cioppino (fragrant bouquet and ample seafood). A particular pleasant and surprising element was our ability to carry on a table conversation and actually be able to hear one another. The restaurant has paid particular attention to the ceiling acoustics and baffle system which allows sound to be absorbed rather than increase in intensity as the venue fills up with people. They also keep the background music soft. In addition to the excellent food, for anyone who hates noisy restaurants or has difficulty hearing this is the place to go.

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Kim K

We arrived around 4:30 for happy hour - the restaurant was empty but filled up quickly over the next hour! Our waiter was extremely laid back and helpful - which says a lot - especially when dealing with a large group, like we had. We sampled all of the small plates on the happy hour menu and they were all fantastic. I also had the margherita pizza - it was ok but if I were to order pizza again, I would order I different type of pizza. My friends all ordered various types of cocktails, wines, etc. and they all seemed extremely please with their selections. (: Nice decor and free parking in the 704 parking garage.

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Jennifer N

Went here for Dinner, there is parking in the lot next to Broken Spoke, which is okay. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. We ordered an array of things, and there was a hit or miss. The meatballs were very good actually, the two entrees we got, were not. Pasta wasnt flavored well, and pizza was nothing special at all. The best thing is the cauliflower. I would go back for only that but the entrees werent there Overall I enjoyed two dishes but they werent enough to make me go spend a whole meal there again. Which is unfortunate, it had a lot of potential. Service was nice and very good though.

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Margaret Tran

Ive been here twice within the span of 6 months and things have gone sour since the first time. Their grilled calamari was tasty, a nice contrast from the usual fried calamari at most places. However, the pasta and pizza arent special and are lacking in flavor. This last time that I went, there was a 1 inch piece of plastic in my spaghetti with sharpened ends that seem to have broken off from the top of a plastic container. Our waitress was nice and accommodating to the concern, but when she addressed the situation to the manager, he never came by our table to rectify the matter.

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Shelby McWilliams

Weve been meaning to try this place for a while, and Im so glad we finally did!! We came during happy hour, but I have no idea why there arent more people here. The drinks are perfect and put together well. Our entrees are out of this world. I had the prosciutto chicken and my boyfriend had the fettuccine gambretto, and the flavor is perfect. We ordered a pizza to go, and I am sure it wont disappoint either. The prices we normally pay for food of this quality are typically double what Aroma charges. Its right in our neighborhood, so we will be back!

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Whitney Magnuson

Mixed bag. We went for a Sunday brunch, which had a fairly limited menu. I had the fonduta pizza, which had a deliciously crispy crust and good flavor, except for the overcooked egg in the center of the pizza. My husband, however, had the steak and eggs, which he described as pretty terrible. Chewy, overcooked skirt steak with little to no flavor, paired with one coddled egg swimming in synthetic truffle oil. The service was good, brunch drinks were average. All in all, pretty middle of the road.

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Chris Davis

YUM. Even though its only been open for like a week or so, this place is already at the top of its game (at least on the pizza I had). The pizza was that perfect brick oven kind... crispy and chewy at the same time. My friend had pasta at that was awesome, too. Inside is bright and roomy... great windows... very comfortable... modern decor. Very friendly staff. Go now while before before the crowd finds out!

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Dana Jackson

I celebrated my 30th birthday with a large party on the patio. The owner let me drop off my birthday cake early and was so polite and professional. The food, drinks and service were wonderful. This place has the best Italian cuisine Ive eaten in Austin so far and I like that they have Happy hour on Saturday. Great place to stop if youre on S Lamar or for a romantic date spot! Thanks Aroma

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