Gennaro's Trattoria — Restaurant in Texas

A spontaneous Friday evening led us to Gennaro's Trattoria, a place where previous impromptu visits resulted in substantial waits. This time, however, we were seated within a mere five minutes, a delightful surprise. Our server, Bill, a seasoned veteran with a decade’s worth of experience, including time in the kitchen, guided us through the evening's specials.

The culinary journey commenced with an appetizer of stuffed portobello mushrooms. These were a revelation: generously filled with crab meat, spinach, and cheese, and imbued with an unexpected, yet delightful, smoky char, suggesting a masterful grilling technique. The layers of flavor and the tender, yielding texture of the mushrooms were a testament to the kitchen's artistry.

For our main course, we both opted for the Chilean sea bass, a personal favorite. The fish, cooked to perfection, boasted a delicate, flaky texture and was bathed in a luscious lemon butter sauce that struck a harmonious balance between richness and acidity. We substituted the standard pasta with gnocchi, which were tender and pillowy, absorbing the sauce beautifully. The sea bass, a testament to freshness and skillful preparation, truly showcased the kitchen’s ability to elevate simple ingredients.

While the complimentary bread looked tempting, my gluten intolerance prevented indulgence. However, the absence of bread was hardly a sacrifice given the caliber of the dishes. The specials, particularly the sea bass and mushrooms, were clear indicators of the chef's creativity and expertise. It's a culinary philosophy I wholeheartedly endorse: always explore the chef's off-menu offerings; you can always return for the reliable comfort of a pizza.

Despite my Lenten commitment to abstaining from desserts, the Italian cream cake beckoned. Instead, I concluded the meal with a cappuccino. The froth, a common failing point in many establishments, was expertly crafted, a testament to the attention to detail that permeated the entire dining experience.

Gennaro’s Trattoria, while on the higher end of the local price spectrum, justifies its cost with the exceptional quality of its ingredients, the meticulous preparation, and the overall culinary finesse. It's a place where the food speaks volumes, making it a worthwhile investment for any...

10 stars…no joke. Literally my new favorite place. Every. Single. Thing. Was. Amazing!!!

Staying at a nearby cottage, the Hubby found this spot he’s driven by before.

DO call for reservations. He did and we were able to get one same day.

It was a Saturday night and the place was packed. Still we had amazing service. Jeremy attended to us and he was so incredibly knowledgeable. He ran down the three Chef Specials (which included buffalo, lamb with blueberry reduction, and halibut) seamlessly.

When the Hubs mentioned a ribeye, he let him know they had those too than had been aged…but there was only one left. He stopped taking our order and quickly went to the chef and claimed it for us.

Here’s what we ordered/received:

Crab cakes (came with three) with stalks of asparagus- literally the best I’ve ever had! We were told that all seafood is wild caught and less than 40 hours old. It tasted like that was true!!

Complimentary bread with oil and herbs- so tasty and we used the leftover sauce from crab cakes to dip.

14oz ribeye with gorgonzola potatoes and a three shrimp- served medium as requested, hot potatoes were perfectly done

Gamberi Portabella- this dish was perfection as well. Fettuccine, portabella mushrooms that were the perfect size for bite and flavor, three jumbo crab stuffed shrimp that were an explosion in the mouth, and 3-4 shrimp added to the wholeness of the dish

Sautéed spinach- this was unlike any spinach we’ve had. Carried a smoky flavor that was not too much and not too faint. Pleasant on the palate.

While we wanted dessert, we couldn’t even finish our meals so opted for a cappuccino to end the meal and the night.

This is a rare find in a smaller community. The family started the business elsewhere in 1988 (found that in their website) and I am so thankful the hill country is where they landed.

Guys- if your wife is a foodie and you want to impress her…this will do it! Just make sure you have a reservation!!!

Can’t say it enough- highest regard and rating for this establishment! A well-oiled machine, this restaurant has it all: customer service, established, well-thought out menu prepared by very seasoned and talented chefs. To the owner- well done! We hope you are in business for many years to come....

Soooooo. First I will start out by saying we love this place. Food is usually awesome and service is pretty good. The reason I am giving one star is because no matter how good the food, if you treat your customers like crap the experience falls flat.

Firstly, the front hostess needs to spend less time on her phone and more time engaging and helping guests. The last 3 visits we made here we waited in front of her to request a table while she texted away. Smile, be friendly, look UP at your customers!

Secondly we were helped by a great server named Zach who kept it fun and well mannered as our host. He presented the specials etc. the only advice I'd give is keep it short and sweet. Great attitude but went a little far with the up sale schpeal. After which I clearly pointed to the steak and alfredo meal and asked for that item and asked if I could substitute alfredo sauce instead of the lemon sauce and my steak to be cooked rare.

Meal comes out steak is raw, I don't mean rare, or bloody I mean barely touched on both sides and raw cold inside. Shrimp, WAY overdone, it was hard to bite through. I give them credit the fixed the food and it came out awesome!

Where the one star comes in is the check. This meal said 24 dollars. My check? 54! When I asked about the price I was told I got the "premium steak" instead? I asked what's the difference I was told the normal one is 10-12 ounces the premium is 16.....

I'm not one to complain usually as my mom was a waitress for 22 years, but 54?! I left paid my check and called to speak to a manager. Some girl picks up and says she was one of the managers, I explained my situation and her response isn't "I apologize how can make this right?". It's "next time you should remember that the servers are trained to upsale so make sure you know what you're ordering." What?! To be fair the ACTUAL manager finally got on and made things right.

So my advice for future events!

Front Hostess, Please put the phone away

Steaks - if it's not cooked right don't slap it back on the grill......make a new one. This is common sense.

Most importantly...