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La Traviata

314 Congress Ave

Austin, TX 78701
(512) 479-8131
dataworlds.com

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Business Description from the Web

brought to you by

wcities

If you're not tired of Italian cuisine, La Traviata gives you another reason to smile. Chef Gilchrist prepares innovative dishes of chicken, duck, and other meats to suit every palette. The staff know their food, so feel free to ask for advice if you're not sure what to order. It's not surprising to find the restaurant crowded; reservations are wise. The alltime Italian classic dessert, Tiramisu, ... more

Posted by wcities on October 24, 2007

brought to you by

austin360

Marion Gillcrist has conquered the basics. She set out to serve classic Italian cuisine with an occasional subtle twist and she succeeded admirably. In fact, the fundamentals don't get much better than this. The crisp polenta was served with a Gorgonzola cream sauce. The spaghetti Bolognese was a veal-beef-pork ragu cooked in chicken stock with vegetables and a touch of cream at the end. And the flavorful ... more

Posted by austin360 on July 25, 2007

brought to you by

discoverourtown

La Traviata Italian Bistro is an intimate restaurant with a knowledgeable staff.

Posted by discoverourtown on May 07, 2007

Tips About This Business

What to Drink

brought to you by

Citysearch

Two of the best wines by the glass are the Tomasi pinot grigio, great with the calamari puttanesca, and Le Calcinale Chianti to complement the spaghetti bolognese.

Posted by Citysearch on April 03, 2008

Editorial Reviews from the web

brought to you by

Citysearch

In Short Although often filled to capacity, the restaurant feels more cozy than bustling. The stone-walled dining room features a bar and wine racks. While the business crowd populates the scene at lunch, come nightfall, La Traviata is a haven for couples. The menu changes seasonally, but highlights include the crispy polenta with Gorgonzola sauce, calamari puttanesca and spaghetti bolognese ... more

Posted by Citysearch on April 03, 2008, (Edited May 18, 2006)

brought to you by

frommers

If you're tired of Italian restaurant clichés, you'll love this cozy, Euro-chic trattoria, with textured limestone walls complementing the hardwood floors, sleek bar, and sunny yellow walls. The food is as unfussy and fresh as the room. All the ingredients used by chef/owner Marion Gilchrist are of the highest quality, and the sauces are delicious without being overwhelming. You'll remember why classics ... more

Posted by frommers on May 25, 2007

Other Reviews from the web

Loved it!

brought to you by

Citysearch

My sister and I went for lunch the day of my wedding and had a great meal (roasted red peppers & goat cheese, mesclun salad with shaved parmesan, etc.), so we took a bunch of family back the next night and had another wonderful meal. My husband's veal with a white truffle sauce was amazing! Nice atmosphere, good service, great wine list, and fantastic food...definitely recommend it!

Posted by Citysearch user on February 20, 2008

Absolutely Delicious

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Citysearch

It was our anniversary so we were hoping for a nice evening and La Traviata definetly delivered. Our reservations were for 6 but we arived early at 530 and they promptly seated us. We had a nice little table for two. The watiter quickly came to te... Read morell us of the specials, and help us pick out a glass of vino, and a few appitizers. he crispy polenta was all I had read about on other reviews ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on January 17, 2008

Horrible Service, Great food

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Citysearch

The food was delcious but the service was horrible! I would definetly have recommended the restaurant had it not been for the HORRIBLE service .The blonde waitress that we had pay no attention to us and blew us off most of the time. She only had 2 other tables and gave them 85% more service. She judged us because we looked like college students so she probably figured she would not get a good tip ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on October 19, 2007

Anyone open for Italian?

brought to you by

Citysearch

This is a great restaurant in Austin. It is Italian with a Congress Avenue wash. The food is surprisingly good. Lunch is easy on the pocketbook. How nice it is not to have another Italian restaurant from a cookie-cutter mold with food prepared on a pound of butter. What is interesting about this restaurant is that it has old time charm (okay a hundred some years) without the Welcome-to-Paris, ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on August 11, 2007

Little gem.

brought to you by

tripadvisor

Had a fantastic dinner here. The wine recommendations were very good. Had the spicy lamb meatball pasta and duck confit. Both were phenomenal. We loved it.

Posted by pgsanjay on June 10, 2007

La Traviata is Great

brought to you by

austin360

We have gone to this fabulous little restaurant several times now and have loved it every time. In fact, we now refer to it as our favorite. The chef has the best caesar salad dressing I have had. The balance of flavor is perfect. And the Carbonara is without question, one of the finest dishes we have ever tasted. I have traveled all over the US, enjoying restaurants from NYC to LA, from Seattle to ... more

Posted by blueeyedguy on June 08, 2007

It was okay

brought to you by

austin360

On trip to Austin in February 2007 we ate at La Traviata for lunch. I got the sandwich and my friend the special. I had asked if my sandwich had olives on it, I was told no, when I got it it was covered in olives. I told the waitress that I was allergic to the olives, I asked for another one that I could eat, she refused. I didn't eat and refused to pay for the sandwich I could not eat. My friend' ... more

Posted by austinokie on May 01, 2007

austin monthly magazine

brought to you by

austinmonthly

la traviata, an inspired downtown italian bistro, looks and feels like the sort of cosmopolitan eatery youid expect to see in new york or san francisco... more

Posted by austinmonthly user on February 01, 2007

north america : usa : texas : austin : restaurant : la traviata review

brought to you by

frommers

when i lunched at this intimate italian bistro, i immediately loved the euro-chic atmosphere, the way the textured limestone walls of the 1890s building complemented the hardwood floors, sleek bar, and sunny yellow walls... more

Posted by frommers user on January 14, 2007

aol cityguide: austin - restaurants, dining, pizza, mexican & chinese … - la traviata - overview

brought to you by

digitalcity

an old venerable favorite in the italian circuit... more

Posted by digitalcity user on January 11, 2007

Finally! Good Italian food in Austin!

brought to you by

Citysearch

Wonderful Italian dishes, and I loved the atmosphere. It is a bit busy and slightly loud, but that's what gives it its hopping vibe. They have a good wine list, but the service could use some improvement. I'm just excited that I found another rarity to Austin...a good Italian restaurant besides Vespaio.

Pros

+ Great dishes and atmosphere

Cons

- Slightly lacking service

Posted by Citysearch user on December 11, 2006

Great food, but lackadaisical service

brought to you by

Citysearch

For years this had been one of my favorite restaurants in Austin. The food is almost always excellent and until the past year the service was also. The service now is quite awful. The past few times my husband and I have gone we have been disappointed. The staff is not very knowledgeable about wine and gets testy when asked for fresh ground pepper. I felt pressured to buy the most expensive wine to ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on August 24, 2006

Great place for dates or for meeting friends

brought to you by

austin360

While the restaurant itself is fairly small, it is continually packed. The food really is exceptional and service is great. Their spicy lamb pasta dish is an absolute must try for anyone's first visit. We've taken lots of friends from out of town here and they are always amazed by the quality and freshness of everything. They also have very creative daily specials and a good wine list. Expect a wait ... more

Posted by Diane on April 18, 2006

Delicious

brought to you by

Citysearch

I don't like the atmosphere much - it's a bit noisy with a trendy feel - but the food is so delicious that I think it's my favorite Italian restaurant in Austin anyway. I've been here four times and none of my entrees has been less than spectacular. The carbonara was memorable. The appetizers have been less so but still good.

Pros

+ food

Cons

- atmosphere

Posted by Citysearch user on April 07, 2006

Loved It!

brought to you by

tripadvisor

This is quite possibly the BEST italian restaurant I have ever been to, and I've been to many. My boyfriend and I drove into Austin from Houston and stayed the night and happened to walk by the restaurant... more

Posted by A TripAdvisor Member on March 27, 2006

Wonderful Downtown Lunch Spot

brought to you by

Citysearch

I discovered La Traviata late last year, and I have been a frequent visitor since! Lunch seating is never a problem, and the food is INCREDIBLE. For something light, I would highly recommend either of the sandwiches on the lunch menu, possibly my favorite sandwich I've ever had. My personal favorite is the calamari pasta. I've never had non-fried calamari that didn't taste like rubber, but it ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on February 07, 2006

Chef Gilcrest is a Genius!!!

brought to you by

Citysearch

We've been going to this restaurant since its opening several years ago. We dropped in one day for lunch and found our "staple" restaurant. When guests arrive from out of town we MUST take them there. The chicken parmesean is WONDERFUL! The duck is mouth-watering. The fettucini with mushrooms is so good that I often get an extra order to take home. My favorite is the tiramisu.....that's the ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on November 28, 2005

Nice surprise!

brought to you by

Citysearch

My husband surprised me for my birthday in June, 2005. And what a great surprise! I had the special that night with shrimp, scallops, and many others included. Pasta had to have been freshly made! Our waiter was great, the appetizers were different and light (fig brushetta), and the wine selection was very good. We enjoyed it so much, we had to eat dessert (lemon tart with blueberries and cream ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on November 21, 2005

LA TRIVIATA IS ITALIAN DONE SO WELL!!

brought to you by

Citysearch

What a great night out! Not overpriced. The atmosphere is loud but warm- not obnoxious. The food is DELICIOUS! The Fig appetizer is a wonderful idea! Lamb Ragu-mouth watering! Calamari Plattanesca-seasoned to perfection! Nice wine list-we had an oustanding French White. Waitstaff is friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. (I don't how they squeeze-passed each other in this little restaurant, but they ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on August 27, 2005

Best Simple Italian Food in Town

brought to you by

Citysearch

Spaghetti Aglio Olio is fabulous, better than we have had in Italy or NYC(we used to live in Little Italy).
The pasta is always perfectly cooked, never over or undercooked. The Veal Picatta is some of the finest I've ever had and the daily soups are just that. Handmade daily, delicious and savory. The Profiteroles with ice cream and chocolate sauce is wonderful. The atmoshpere is sophisticated, intimate ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on February 25, 2005

Drunk Owners

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Citysearch

I work downtown and have been to this place for lunch and dinner on numerous occasions. The food is decent Italian and well priced, but the waitstaff and mangement seem to be often disorganized and under the influence of their vino.

Pros

+ location, location, location

Posted by Citysearch user on July 09, 2004

great italian for austin

brought to you by

Citysearch

my husband and i tried la traviata for the first time tonight. great urban ambiance, quite romantic. the prosciutto di palma was wonderful. the spaghetti aglio olio was excellent- esp paired with the tommassi pino grigio. will probably come again. (the server was very knowledgable and helpful)

Pros

+ food, service, ambiance

Cons

- , noisy

Posted by Citysearch user on April 06, 2004

GREAT Food HORRIBLE noise

brought to you by

Citysearch

The food was great. Had to wait a while to get it, but overall it was excellent. Our waitress was very nice as well. The MAJOR problem with this place is how loud it is. The room is very narrow. One side of the room has a stone wall which makes for horrible acoustics. We had to yell to have a conversation, and we could barely hear the waitress. Plus some mornon across from us was on his phone ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on October 25, 2003

Simplicity Pays

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Citysearch

The best dishes at la Traviata are the simplest- the spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, for instance, is simple, basic, and yet exquisitely flavorful. Why anybody would go the Spaghetti Warehouse when a place this wonderful is so close by is beyond me!

Pros

+ Excellent food

Cons

- No parking, Cramped when busy, Sometimes noisy

Posted by Citysearch user on April 29, 2003

hello TV dinner

brought to you by

Citysearch

At first glance La Traviata isn't that bad...If you're glancing at the entrance. The seating is horrible, each table 8" (at most) from the other. The hardwood floors and stone walls make the room echo like an amiptheatre, making conversion impossible. I heard more from the person at the next table than I did from my date (mostly due to the sardine-like seating). The waiters were put in uncomforterable ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on February 15, 2003

lost my reservations

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Citysearch

I am furious with the this restaurant. I made reservations for Valentine's day two weeks in advance, i never got a call for confirmation, and I was dropped from the list. Management has the nerve to accuse me of lying, so here i am the day before 2/14 and I have no reservation. There is no way i will ever be going there for dinner, I can just imagine how the service will be!!

Posted by Citysearch user on February 13, 2003

Just 3 Words

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Citysearch

Spagghetti Aglio Olio...DIVINE cannot even begin to describe it. I've eaten this classic in NYC and even in Italy, but I am shocked to admit that the best rendition I've ever had of this dish was in the middle of Texas. It is spicy and garlicy, so my only advice, if you go on a date, is to make sure you both get it!

Pros

+ exquisite food, quick service

Cons

- pretty pricey, but worth it

Posted by Citysearch user on January 14, 2003

Austin Needs More La Traviatas

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Citysearch

La Traviata is small and homey but the acoustics are such that the restaurant is not overly loud. On a Monday night, every table was occupied. The wine list good, though there aren't a lot of "by the glass" choices and the bartender was very knowledgeable about the different wines, as was our waiter. I had the chicken parmesan served with a creamy red sauce and fontina cheese and my friend had ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on December 24, 2002

RESERVATIONS?

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Citysearch

I'm not sure they want your resrevations on a week night. We called and left a message of when we needed the resrevations. Their message says it didn't guarantee a reservation. So we left early got there and we weren't even listed. However, not a big crowd. Just seems as hard pressed as restaurants are these days a little more attention to "customers" would be helpful.

Posted by Citysearch user on November 12, 2002

Yummy

brought to you by

Citysearch

We arrived not knowing we they took reservations, but were offered a table within a few minutes. We decided to stay at the bar. The atmospher was like Manhattan. My boyfreind ordered crispy polenta (the best polenta I've ever had), I had a procutto with endive & truffle oil, very good. The scallops over cous cous were devine and my freinds tenderlion with gorgonzola cheese sauce was great. Growing ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on September 03, 2002

A taste of Italy

brought to you by

Citysearch

I have recently dined at La Traviata for the first time. The food was wonderful. I had the chicken parmesean. Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The best!!!!!!
The only drawback were the tables were too small not enough elbow room. Regardless, it worth the visit, I doubt you will be disappointed.

Posted by Citysearch user on June 18, 2002

Excellent Restaraunt

brought to you by

Citysearch

I am a regular and all I can say is that the food is outstanding. I would highly recommend this place to friends. The prices are reasonable for what you get.

Pros

+ Food, Consistent, Excellent

Cons

- Cramped

Posted by Citysearch user on June 03, 2002

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