Gabriella's — Restaurant in South Padre Island

I breezed into to town from three hours down the road from Corpus Christi, excited to see an Air Show that I never seemed to locate (despite the fact that F-22s should be very easy to find). Fairly disappointed but not wanting to waste my time in a new location, I decided to walk A DIFFERENT part of Padre Island and after walking for quite some time I was appropriately famished and decided to explore the local area's food offerings. Gabriella's stood out so I made my way in and was promptly seated.

I really enjoyed the lighting and decor of Gabriella's, and I had ample room at my seating since it was just me all by me onesie. I loved the detail of the candle on the table as well. A little off-putting was the fact that there was no music playing; all you could hear was the cacophony of chattering diners who were all quite loud. I remedied that by putting in earbuds and playing some light jazz. They were playing Mary Poppins on a screen and I felt like that added a lovely, nostalgic feel to my solo dining experience.

My waiter (whose name I can't recall; sorry) was really fantastic and very attentive. He had great suggestions and was very knowledgable about the menu. He was able to help me deliberate between a few different choices and accommodated some special requests. He checked up on me a reasonable amount of times and my glasses of water and soda were never empty, which is incredible if you knew how quickly I was guzzling both of them down. Really fantastic service.

The food overall was pretty good; I really enjoyed the bread with oil, garlic & balsamic vinegar that comes at the front end of the meal and the Caesar salad was huge and quite delicious. The entree I decided on upon the recommendation of the server was pretty good, if a little bland for my tastes but that's certainly not his fault. It was overall made pretty well--pasta was al dente, the texture of the sauce was good, the temperature was great. I also had a piece of pistachio cheesecake, which was delightful.

I found it to be a little on the pricey side, but not really too far out of the realm of what's reasonable considering the location; I received really stellar service and apart from a few little points that I'm generally critical of in terms of atmosphere I really felt relaxed and happy as solo-dined. I do think the cheesecake was quite overpriced despite being very good and a decent portion, but so it goes.

Overall I enjoyed my dining experience and was very curious about some other dishes on the menu, including the Spaghetti Festival. And as pricey as the cheesecake was, there were so many different flavors and it really was QUITE good--I might be able to justify splurging again. If I find myself in South Padre Island again I'll be very tempted to stop in at Gabriella's for some delicious...

Gabriella's South Padre offers an exquisite Italian dining experience that leaves your taste buds craving for more. The menu is a beautiful blend of traditional and contemporary Italian dishes, each prepared with finesse and high-quality ingredients.

Starting with the Calamari, it was a delightful appetizer. The calamari was cooked to perfection, with a tender interior and a crispy, golden-brown exterior. The accompanying marinara sauce provided a tangy contrast, making it an excellent starter.

The Classic Calzone was a hearty and satisfying dish. The dough was perfectly baked, with a lovely crisp exterior and a soft, chewy interior. The filling was generous, with a delicious blend of cheeses and meats that were well-seasoned and flavorful.

Antonio's Pepperoni Pizza was a standout. The crust was thin and crispy, just as a good pizza should be. The pepperoni was flavorful and had a nice spicy kick, while the cheese was gooey and delicious. Each bite was a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

The Fried Mozzarella was another highlight. The mozzarella was melted perfectly, with a crispy breadcrumb coating that added a delightful crunch. Served with a tangy marinara sauce, it was a delightful treat.

The Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken was creamy and indulgent. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the Alfredo sauce was rich and velvety. The chicken was tender and well-seasoned, adding a nice protein boost to the dish.

Lastly, the Bottomless House Salad was a refreshing accompaniment to the meal. The greens were fresh and crisp, and the house dressing was tangy and delicious. The fact that it was bottomless was a bonus, allowing us to enjoy it throughout our meal.

The service at Gabriella's South Padre was attentive and friendly, adding to the overall enjoyable dining experience. The ambiance was warm and inviting, making it a great spot for a casual dinner or a special occasion.

In conclusion, Gabriella's South Padre offers a delightful Italian feast that is sure to please any palate. The dishes are well-prepared, flavorful, and generous in portion size. I highly recommend giving this...

We had to wait outside for 40 minutes for our party of 3 on a Thursday evening with just one group in front of us. After being seated for 15 minutes, we finally got our soda and bread, and omg. It was the best bread I had ever tasted. If I had left right there, I might have left this place a five star review.

I was so distracted by the bread that I didn’t realize until later that the Diet Coke was definitely not Diet Coke. It was either Coke Zero or just regular Coke. Towards the end of the meal, I braved letting them know, but what they returned with was still the same thing. Soda drinkers will know how annoying this is.

The pizza was not for me. It had that pizza sauce that Italian restaurants like to use that if you’re a fan of pizza chains or if you’ve actually been to Italy, then you know it doesn’t fit into either category. What it lacked in flavor, it tried to make up for in sweetness. Yuck.

Someone else at my table had the tuna (cooked medium), and they said it was amazing. So there’s that.

The desserts were the final slap in the face (if you don’t count the triple digit bill for the whole disappointment). The tiramisu…

This place does not know what tiramisu is. They do get points for using fresh ceylon cinnamon (if you know, you know). But the points stop there. The tiramisu is otherwise absolute garbage. If the tiramisu was at least grocery-store level, then that plus the amazing pre-gaming bread would have earned this place a four stars from me. I’m wild about tiramisu, and I’m willing to overlook some crazy things for some crazy good tiramisu. But that’s not what this was. My disappointment was immeasurable, and my day was ruined.

I tried the desserts the two other people at my table got, and they weren’t great either.

I plan on going back some day for that amazing bread, but I’ll be trying entirely different items on the menu. And maybe I’ll get an unsweet tea if they haven’t sorted out their Diet...