Birraporetti's

I ordered the garlic bread with my family, the chicken piccata. I got the normal house salad with the vinaigrette and I’m waiting on seeing this dessert tray. Upon entering, the host was very pleasant. She had rocking hair, live music provided by the lady in the dress with the supplied acoustics was phenomenal. The garlic bread was immaculate. It looked as if it would be crunchy and almost hurt your teeth, but it was soft and crunchy at the same time beautifully tasting and buttery. The chicken piccata was a delicate and pleasant journey as well. Garlic, cheesy creamy and the mashed potatoes compete with five star steakhouses like for real. I was catered to (Brandon did a Fantastic Job, thank you so much sir!!!), the wine was perfect. Coke zero on top was was great. I’m sure the dessert would be a hit as well. Overall 12 out of 10 thank you so much for an amazing experience! And another shoutout to our wonderful waiter, Brandon!!

Overall ok food but service was very subpar. The spinach artichoke came out hot and was really good. The pizza was really good and much larger than I had anticipated so enough for 3 people. The cheese ravioli was good but would skip the sausage next time as it was cold and lacked flavor. They had a good live guitarist/singer so provided nice background music. The servixe needs improved as server seemed to disappear for a long time so refills, getting bill etc wasn't easy.

We had a fabulous time at our first visit to Birraporetti’s. What a fine restaurant. Lovely Christmas decorations and great first impression with hostess and our waiter Jonny. He was very kind. He explained the menu to us and was very helpful in explaining to us the difference between a bar mitzvah and a bat mitzvah. We had no idea what a bat mitzvah was. He recommended some dishes for us. When I told him I could not eat very much but really wanted to try the brick oven pizza he was most kind in letting me know it comes in a smaller portion. I will include pictures of both of our dishes. My husband had the veal piccata, and I had the special. For dessert we had chocolate chip cheesecake, and I had the key lime pie it did not disappoint. The key lime pie had a very strong taste of lime which is just the way I like it. It was also very smooth. We will definitely visit again when in the area, The restaurant was very clean as well as the restrooms which is always a plus. I highly recommend this restaurant, great ambiance, great service, great menu.

12/26/25: We tried pasta and some pizza here and it was so good. We will be coming here again. It was pack that day and service was still great👍. Please Like,Share and Follow for #JaysTrueRating.

Visited for the first time with a friend and enjoyed an amazing dinner! Every single staff member was friendly and the wine was fantastic. We look forward to coming back soon!

Had a wonderful experience at this restaurant! The food was delicious and the drinks were just as good. The staff was very friendly and made us feel welcome throughout our visit. Great atmosphere, great service, and definitely a place I’d love to come back to!

Not bad at all! Next time I’ll order the chicken Alfredo, as my crab cakes weren’t what I expected. That’s just me. Everything else was AMAZING! Lovely staff lovely restaurant thank you!!

We enjoyed a quick dinner here, before watching the outsiders at the hobby center. We parked at the hobby center and walked over to Birraporetti's, it was a ten minute walk. My daughter and I shared an appetizer and an entree so that we wouldn't have any leftovers since we were going straight to the musical. The atmosphere was beautiful, of course, it's all dressed up for christmas, we did not have a reservation and sat in the bar area on the shared seating area, it was really nice a little snug, but we made it work. We met a couple that had just come from the outsiders, and we met another couple that was going to the symphony. All of the patrons around us were very nice and it didn't feel uncomfortable at all sitting next to strangers we just made new friends.

What a little gem this is. I've passed by this place a ton of times and never thought to try. After missing Taste a bystander directed us here. The interior of this place is lovely. It's around the corner from The Alley Theatre. It reminds me of New York. A blend of Italian restaurant and Irish pub vibes. The Christmas decor was a nice touch. We came in close to closing but the bartender was very nice. I ordered a cosmo and bacon chicken pasta which was great. It came with a salad to start which was refreshing. I liked the food & drink and can see myself coming back here.

It's been years since I've been here and my expectations weren't high. I must say, I couldn't have been anymore wrong! Our waiter, Roger, helped the entire experience great!! We started with the stuffed mushrooms and they were so good that I ate 3, even though I wanted them all! We also got these cheese pizza, delish, and crab cakes and calamari. I don't eat seafood, but the plate was completely cleared. There was a big group of us so I was lucky to try a bit of it all! For my meal I ordered the cheeseburger with fries. It was so good! I also got to try the strawberry pecan salad with chicken, the chicken Milanese, chicken piccata, and chicken Alfredo. Every single thing I ate was perfection! I'll def come back next time I have a show to watch or I'm looking for some good food!

Came with our annual pre-Thanksgiving soirée which we've been attending for the previous years. We got to the party fairly late, especially since I don't live around the block. We got there about 35 minutes before ending. We only had time to collect one plate to dine. Didn't really have time for starters or desserts, and the staff was at the catering tables, ready to remove the food, without making any form of notice to the party members. I got the sample, the fettuccine Alfredo, chicken and turkey with some vegetables, which everything was very good. The vegetables could've been steamed a little bit longer for a little bit more tenderness they were more mainly on the crunchy side. They was completely out of peach Bellini for a few days I was told which was an absolute favorite from the previous years. But the house Moscato did not disappoint. When I ask staff members for a box to potentially collect items that I didn't even get to touch I was informed that no one could get a box people from earlier couldn't get a box. They can't even get boxes to take home for themselves which forced me to utilize two plates to try to collect some items that I didn't even get to sample. The one gentlemen (Manny) told me when she go through here. I'm gonna remove everything. I'm very thankful for Regina providing me with three boxes to place some items in since the gentleman told me that the food was going to the trash which ironically, I noticed when they roll the service, tray, they was collecting all the food trays to place on that and the trashcan was behind the very gentleman (manny i think his name was) who denied or refused to provide me with a to go box. This forced me to place food on plates and then had to box them up later instead of just doing one motion. It was just someone was being difficult for no reason. This made an experience a little bit awkward. 10/5 I'm so thankful for the management Regina, what a beauty who have baby soft skin/ hands. She was very pleasant, and helpful, from prior to my arrival to my departure. Event Parking garage was $12.

Great spot for dinner and drinks before and after a show at The Alley Theater. For an Italian place, they have a shockingly great burger. Wine selection is good and well-priced. Liquor options are plentiful. Servers are nice and bartenders are friendly. Definitely worth a visit next time you see a play.

Love the romantic ambiance. Friday night music was exceptional. Tried the del mar trio and it was delicious. Service was not as good as previous visits, but because of the escargot and the awesome pizza, I will be returning.

It's a decent place to go before attending an event near Bayou Place. Service is pleasant, dining area is large, wine selection is decent, and the food is good (but nothing fantastic). For convenience sake, I would go again. But you I want a high quality meal, I would look elsewhere.

The best part of the meal was the my style cheese cake and coffee. That's all I would come back for. Both were fabulous. Had ravioli and added meatballs. The ravioli were bland, sauce from a jar and meatballs were just ok. Service was lacking. But it's close to the alley theater and while we didn't get the pizza, it looked pretty decent. Would come back and try

Dinner before our show was a perfect call and wow the Bruschetta might be one of the best I've ever had! Had the manicotti with sausage- sausage very clean and tasty. We will come back to try other items son!

My expectations were low coming because the pictures of the fettucine Alfredo didn't look great to me and because I'm a snob. But right off the bat the marinara that came with the calamari was delicious, the calamari was decently cooked. I ordered the salmon with asparagus and linguini. Pasta needed a little salt but otherwise it was lightly olive oiled and the fish was seasoned well. The chocolate mousse was luscious and a big portion. Thr cappuccino was cold but it did come with a nice chocolate chip biscotti. The paloma was all tequila.

If I had to describe Birraporettis in one word, it would be okay. We went to the Alley Theatre, so this was a very convenient place since we could just walk around to the theatre. The restaurant itself was very neat. I liked the vibe, the location, and the decor. Made for a very comfortable place. The service was subpar. The man who greeted us was the best thing, very kind and personable. The waiter was kind but not very attentive. Our drinks were not well maintained, and we had to ask for refills repeatedly. We asked for lemon wedges for the water three times before they were finally brought to the table. I ordered shrimp fettuccini Alfredo, and it was okay. That is my go to dish at Italian restaurants, and this one would not make the top ten. The starter salad was just not good as it was missing about half the amount of dressing needed. With all the choices Houston has to offer, I don't think I will try Birraporettis again.

Good service. Singer was very good. Seemed like it was music playing but was actually a live singer. She was excellent singing holiday songs. Very handily located next door to the theatre. We only had drinks. Prosecco good, Irish coffee was just ok.

Went to Birraporetti's before going to see the Lion King and had a great time. The atmosphere was very upscale and I wasn't mad about it. I felt very important sitting in this restaurant. Our server was great (can't think of his name) but he made sure we were taken care of the entire time. I ordered the grilled salmon with a Cesar salad. This is usually my norm for every place I go but it was decent nothing to stood out but I was a tasty meal. Now the Bruschetta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could eat that for days. Overall loved my experience here and will be back

This place needs some more positive reviews! My family and I had a lovely time here before going to the Houston Symphony. The staff was kind, food came out in a timely manner, and the chicken piccata was the best one I've had in a long time. One con is that it has three entrances but only one entrance has the hostess stand, which is pretty confusing. Otherwise it's a fabulous restaurant for dinner before a show!

Left a tunnel and found myself in this area. There's a small lunch menu that ends @2pm. Bar and restaurant seating

The Trio Del Mar was horrible tastes frozen premade. The mushroom was horrible. Caesar salad ok. Drink was good nice and strong. Service good.

Birraporetti's has been around for a while and is a good Downtown restaurant. I prefer a bit more flavor in my food so my review might be skewed due to my tastes. A bit of history, the restaurant still has an elevator to send food to the lower floor and the downstairs area serves as a private area to host group parties and wedding dinners.

I love this restaurant. Some evenings they have a live band which is fun. Great bar. Great service. Great food. Calamari was fresh and delicious. My go to is eggplant parm. House salad dressing is delicious. Reservations a good idea since it is crowded before operas and shows.

The Meatballs with Italian Sausage is honestly what i would come back here for! Great sauce! Delicious flavors altogether with the bread on the side. I could eat that sauce by itself with bread all day! I had a a grilled chicken salad here! Made to my liking! Great servers , I was able to fix my salad the way i wanted. Amazing service! Very attentive to me and my girlfriend. The ambience was very nice. Great spot to grab some good Italian food and hit the streets again! Back to buffalo bayou trail haha! :) Thank you Birraporetti's!!! For a Wonderful Meal and Great Experience. I sincerely appreciate it. The effort. I always notice. -PS. i see yall working hard in the kicthen back there!! Gotta give the chef and the staff some credit! -Santangelo Balli Gonzales

A Houston Classic That Still Delivers This place has been around for donkey's years--and it's still one of Houston's hidden gems. We've usually gone before shows or theatre nights, but after our latest visit, we've decided it's worth coming to just for the food. The menu has a great variety, the food is consistently delicious, and the wine list offers solid value. Big shoutout to Jay, one of the managers--he's incredibly friendly and genuinely helpful. Honestly, visiting Jay alone is reason enough to come back. And the desserts? All made fresh in-house, and you can taste the difference. So good. Do yourself a favor and save room for dessert--you won't regret it.

Decided to dine at Birraporetti's as it was conveniently next door to the Alley Theatre. We entered through the back entrance, and was greeted half way by a hostess, and was seated right away. Our server was friendly, as well as the servers that delivered our food. We order stuffed mushrooms caps as an appetizer. It wasn't heavily stuffed, but it was heavy on the cheese. Really enjoyed it. For entree, I tried the Marco Polo, which was linguine, shrimp and chicken in a Thai sweet chili sauce. Not something you'd expect in an Italian restaurant, but it was pretty good. My friend had the pasta primavera, which were also really good. We didn't have time or room in our belly for dessert, but all the options looked great. The restaurant itself has ample seating and reminded me of an Italian restaurant in NYC. I recommend this restaurant and will definitely go back. There is 3 hour max street parking, or parking in the Alley Theatre parking garage.

We visited Birraporetti's before going to the Wortham Center for a show. I had heard about it for years and finally had the opportunity to try it out! The atmosphere was nice and had a vibe that was open to business and casual dress. The food came out great and our waitress was very friendly and attentive. I wish we had more time to stay and enjoy the bar scene but will definitely make more time in the future!

The decor was a combination of theatre and Valentine's Day, the music was 1970's but not obnoxiously loud. Our server found out what time our show started so our meal could be paced properly. The food was delicious- the best garlic bread I've ever eaten, light and crispy without being greasy- and my lobster ravioli with aurora sauce was light but filling. We opted for coffee instead of dessert and it was very good- almost espresso level roast. If you're looking for dinner before a show, I highly recommend.

The food is just ok. Nothing special at all. Service was excellent. Ambience excellent. Very nice. I had the Salmon at $36. It was ok. The fettuccine was bland. Chicken piccata was bland. Mash potatoes were not hot. Very disappointing.

October 19, 2023 Came in for a bite after a musical at Jones Hall. Sat at bar...by 10p it was packed. I had a lemon drop martini and calamari...yum!

Solid good food. Caesar salad was great and the Manicotti w/italian sausage was good. We also like the Chicken Piccata. Just not exciting. Easy going yet professional service Old fashioned city restaurant feel. Think steak house vibe with bigger windows. The biggest draw is that it is close to the theater, which we did not go to and it is affordable. We may be back but it's lower on the list.

My recommendation is based on convenience. The Alley and dinner, one stop shopping.. we opted for set menu offered, three courses...boom. The Caesar salad was ok, nothing to brag about. I ordered the Trio Del Mar for my main. I found it tasty but the crab meat wasn't picked extremely well, so I had some crunchy bits. In my mind you can;t go wrong with Crème Brûlée. It didn't disappoint. The service was very slow initially. He was apologetic and I could see he was overwhelmed. I loved the decorations for Halloween. All in all it was a good choice for a pre-Alley dinner..

Honestly, the meatballs themselves are enough reason for me to come back. This place is a Houston staple, been coming here since I was little and have always ordered the same thing and its worked well for me. I've always sat at the bar, and have never had a service issue because of it. On top of that the restaurant is beautiful and is a great place for date night: The pizzas are fantastic as well.

Food was pretty good. I was the only person in the restaurant and the food took a while to come out. I would go again in the future.

Overall good experience, live singer was there! Make a reservation for night time as it gets crowded and we had to sit at the bar. Waiters are very nice with good suggestions and hype up the food haha. The food was good but some dishes had dry chicken. The restrooms and restaurant were clean and it wasn't super loud. Would recommend for a casual night out.

My family and I love this restaurant! We always go before seeing shows at the Hobby Center. Good drinks, food, & atmosphere. The service is great, they are super fast and friendly. Would highly recommend!

Had our waiter was a bit faster this would have 5 Stars!!! The food and drinks were fabulous! We shared the small stuff mushrooms, bruschetta and the lasagna. The bread is amazing. Our issues were that we had to ask another server for napkins and silverware after our food came out. We asked our waiter twice, but he got easily distracted. Then our drinks didn't show up until after the appetizers. I'm sure is was just an off day, because the atmosphere is wonderful and we will definitely eat here again!

This restaurant has really gone down hill over the years. I don't think we'll be coming back the next time we go to the theater. Slow service, server who obviously didn't want to wait on us, cooked-from-frozen dry chicken complete with fake griddle marks, linguine that tasted like it had been microwaved. Even the decor is showing signs of wear, with peeling wall paper and signs with missing letters.

After leaving a show at the Cullen Theater, we walked here to grab a late night dinner. It was close and opened late, plus we were starving lol. I like Italian so it seemed like a good choice. This place was weird. It was dim inside which seemed to imply fine dining but the decor was chaotic and the fake candles on the tables were tacky. There was a musician performing love music but he was singing country music in this Italian restaurant. The food also left much to be desired. The Caesar salad was decent but overly dressed. The spinach and artichoke dip was soooo thick with improperly melted cheese that I was concerned I might choke trying to swallow it. The chicken piccata wasn't that great either. It was a large boiled chicken breast with sauce poured over it that just slid right off the chicken. The broccoli was unseasoned but the mashed potatoes were the best thing on my plate. My friend ordered a dish that came with spinach pasta noodles, red sauce, and salmon topped with a cream sauce. It was such an odd dish and she had a difficult time trying to keep the sauces separate so sure could enjoy her food. The entire experience was weird and I won't be returning.

I had a very fun time with friends at Birraporetti's and don't understand why everyone is so harsh to this place. In the background, a one-woman show sang jazz hits. The overall vibe was posh but attendees were in business casual. We ordered the shrimp cocktail, Tuscan bean soup, rigatoni with sausage, Cesar salad and strawberry cheesecake. I loved my Tuscan bean soup. The rigatoni was super cheesy and tasted good but not my thing (my husband liked it). I did not like the Cesar salad. The shrimp was actually really great and big but overpriced so skip it. The strawberry cheesecake may have been my favorite ever? Cheeseforward and wasn't disgustingly sweet - it was great. I also just want to note that the dessert tray our waitress brought around to display our options to us were the real desserts instead of plastic. That made me really happy. Very basic wine menu. The cocktail menu looked pretty good but we didn't order. So do I recommend? Probably not. We paid a lot for what ended up being relatively American fast casual feeling instead of super post, fine dining. $22 Shrimp Cocktail, $8 for a small bowl of soup, etc. This is a step above Buca and a leap below Damian's. The server was friendly and she tried her best and was accurate. But, coming the prices to recent meals like Sunday Press, maybe food is just more expensive now and this is a good deal for the area. These prices are fair for the location, and the quality of the experience/food is almost an afterthought. Regardless, my husband and I will be back to eat here after our annual Nutcracker performance or a future opera. But, I will not recommend my friends to come here again to dine for a special occasion or for no further downtown excursion.

I wanted to rate this place higher, I really did. I liked the 1950s vibe of the place, old elegance you don't see much anymore. But the service and food only justify a 3. Marco Polo is a mistake. The garlic bread came for dessert.

Busy old school Italian restaurant. It was so worth the wait. One of the best pasta dishes I have ever had in my life. We loved it so much !

Bought tickets for the Nutcracker Show for the holidays and I must say that it was a great show. After the show we decided to have a late dinner. Walked in and must say ambience was nice, we had seats at the bar and I must say that even though we waited for a good 10 minutes the bartender was very nice and made great drinks. Ordered an old fashioned and a xtra dirty martini, again great drinks. As for food started off with the calamari, a lil over cooked but great portion and overall good starter. Had this 3 course meal they were offering. As a starter a classic ceaser salad, can't go wrong with that. Love the crispy fresh romaine lettuce with the shaved Parmesan. 2nd course a 10oz Filet with 2 jumbo grilled shrimp ( which were grilled perfectly) and a side of fettuccine pasta, so delicious. For dessert a crème brûlée... perfection. Overall a great place to try if you have a play to catch. Meant to take pictures of the steak and shrimp but when it came I couldn't help myself.

When Birraporetti's is adamant the only seats available, without a reservation, are at the high top bar tables despite the restaurant being 90% empty on a Thursday evening, you take your business to Space City Tacos for buy one get one free and enjoy some of the best people watching on the streets of Houston. Thank you to the host at Birraporettis for an evening we won't ever forget. Sadly, I don't think we will be back.

Where can you go and sit under a decorative chandelier covered in decades of dust, at a table that spins more than a DJ, while listening to Aerosmith and the Buggles, and eat pasta filled with lobster that was allegedly imported from Italy, and listen to your waiter tell you stories of his dreams to have a YouTube channel and a back tattoo of the Hawaiian islands? If you said anything other than Birraporetti's, you'd be wrong. The food was decent, but won't blow your mind.

We loved this place! Had a late dinner here with my husband and kids after A Christmas Carol at the Alley Theatre. Decorated for Christmas. Felt like we had wandered into an old NY Italian eatery. Great pizza! No really, it was fantastic! Key, our server, was friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. The staff kept our glasses full while we listened to a singer in the corner sing Christmas classics. So glad we wandered in. A hidden gem in downtown Houston!

Birraporetti's is such a cool place, but beware of parking! Usually when I come here I've parked in a garage downtown somewhere. I recommend walking from where you parked, the parking garage for the restaurant can be a little bit tricky. The food on the other hand is wonderful, I typically would visit for lunch time so they had some pretty decent pricing for lunch. I had a frozen coke & Hennessy and let me tell you that drink was so delicious and it was only $5! I'll usually enjoy an appetizer or a small meal when I visit and sit at the bar. The bartender assisted me with recommendations on the menu. This has an upscale feel to it, a nice place for a date. Just remember the parking before visiting this cool Italian spot. And be sure to have a cocktail because they are amazing!

Stopped by for Sunday Brunch and probably won't be back. Food was lack lustered, drinks were made from some manufactured mixes. Environment was great, but I think they cater to an older crowd for brunch. Which is totally fine, so I will be back in about 2.5 decades. More importantly, the staff and ambiance was awesome. Everyone was nice, knowledgeable and extremely helpful. The brunch menu had; Pizza Salad Fruit Fish Chicken Grits Eggs Bacon Pasta I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I'm my defense "it wasn't that memorable." Enjoy or Not ?

I was downtown for play and thought I'd make a quick food stop into Birraporetti's. I love that this restaurant is right in the heart of it all, and many parts of the theatre district are walkable. The food was priced fairly and commensurate to the quality. I had the pasta primervera and subbed Alfredo sauce. The service here could have improved immensely. I'm not sure if they were understaffed or the staff were new.

Good price Great Food friendly staff. Enjoy Mondays with a band Free parking downtown in the evenings

My husband and I came here for dinner for our 7th year anniversary and was blown away. The ambiance was so elegant and romantic feeling. The waitress was great, very sweet and pleasant. She answered all questions and explained everything clearly, and always made sure we were ok. The food was so good, everything just nelt my mouth. This Italian restaurant is a must return. I could not find one thing wrong. I'm glad we chose this restaurant for our special night.

I had the Chicken Piccata, sauteed with white wine butter sauce, with pasta. I expected sautéed, but it was more like a thin fried chicken fried steak - I did not order it that way. Unfortunately, the sauce could not save this. At least the Creme Brulee was good.

Vintage feel, cozy restaurant with wonderful Italian food Excellent service, we were fortunate to have Antonio as our terrific server I love eggplant Parmesan and was not disappointed...the side of Cappelli was covered in butter, so delish! The escargot was good and garlicky If you like lasagne and meat, be sure to order the Lulu, yum!! Very clean Reasonable prices Relaxing atmosphere Full bar, nice wine list

Creepy female taking to-go orders. Threatening undertones. Can't explain it but won't be ordering from Birras anymore. It's a shame, because it's the best pizza in town. Still a little freaked out by whomever was on the other end of the phone.

We come here pretty much every time we go see a show downtown. The restaurant is set up to have quick service that will get you in and out before your show starts. The food is excellent. I recommend the Marco Polo if you like a little spice but everything I have had had been great. Also, they don't put too much sauce on their food, like some Italian places do. Drinks are good if you like alcohol and sometimes they even have drinks based on the shows that are playing. Service is great and they have live music some evenings which is always a plus.