Osteria il Muro

Nice Ambiance, Fresh Ingredients—But Lacking a Wow Factor We had been looking forward to trying this restaurant for quite some time, and finally scored a reservation for a double date. We went with friends who are Italian, and between the four of us, we ordered nearly everything on the menu—except the risotto, due to an allergy. The overall vibe of the restaurant is lovely: it’s small, cozy, and charming, with a beautiful little garden in the back where they grow many of their own ingredients. Everything is made from scratch daily, and you can tell they really care about freshness and quality. Major points for that. That said, the food itself was just okay. Everything was prepared well—pastas were cooked properly, sauces were balanced—but nothing really stood out. There was no “wow” dish that made us feel like we were having a truly memorable meal. It was all… fine. Not bad by any means, just not exceptional. The wine list was also underwhelming, which was disappointing for a place that clearly puts effort into their concept. Would I go back? Probably not, especially given how hard it was to get a reservation. It’s a cute spot and a nice experience for a date night, but for us, it didn’t live up to the hype.

Great food! Worth the tricky reservation process. Everything we tried was really delicious. The sourdough focaccia to start off with was really great. The offerings were flavorful and decadent. Would definitely come back and try different seasonal items. Looking forward to new offerings! Service was wonderful and I loved the recommendations. Manager was attentive and kind.

Incredible food and service. Brie did a fantastic job giving us the run-down of the menu and making the evening so special for us! Every dish we had was so thoughtfully created. Our favorite dishes were the Triangoli with black truffles (triangle-shaped pasta) and the focaccia bread starter. We will definitely be back!

I didn’t care about the 1 hour drive from Mansfield to Denton for amazing pasta! From the focaccia bread to the pastas down to the gelato. It was perfect date night. The service was impeccable, I am glad I was able to snag yet another reservation to go back with my friends the end of the month. Can’t wait!

There is not a single doubt in my mind that this is one of the best dining experiences in all of the DFW area. It’s a quiet and unassuming exterior that is matched by its small and intimate indoor atmosphere . The servers are as attentive as they are knowledgeable as they guide you through what is largely a very unique food experience. Me and my partner are not culinary connoisseur by any means, so we were largely confused by just about everything on the menu (or at least I was). Though it was all okay, our waitress was beyond wonderful and it was made abundantly clear to the both of us that there is a high standard for excellence here. The food was genuinely perfect. A great mix of interesting and unique mixes that was so fun to experience. We will absolutely be back. Me and my partner have not stopped talking about it since. We agreed this is our favorite restaurant we have ever visited.

One of the best dining experiences I’ve had in my entire life. My husband and I came here for our anniversary and were wished congratulations upon entering the door and they even had a card for us on the table. The waitress took the time to walk through each of the menu options and provide ample recommendations. I’ll definitely be coming back and highly recommend to anyone who loves a good meal.

My husband and I absolutely love this place. Amazing food, good wine, and great service. The server will go through the menu with you and give recommendations. Everything we’ve tried has been delicious! We can’t wait to come back for a third time (and more after that).

The best place I’ve ever been to! The food was amazing and the recipes were very surprising! Top notch execution to perfection!We loved everything that we ordered. The reservations are very limited, I was able to get in after trying nearly 3 months. Totally worth the wait and definitely better than the hype

Wow.. what a dream dinner. One of the best Italian dinners I've ever had. The attention to detail in each dish and the freshness is incomparable. I highly recommend starting the dinner with an order of the focaccia and burrata. The warm bread is baked fresh and changes daily. We loved the arancini as well. My favorite pastas of the night were the gnocchi with ramps and also the pasta that had the rabbit sausage. I was skeptical at first but there was no gamey or tough texture to the rabbit sausage at all. Always end the night on dessert! My favorite was the chocolate caramel flan. My friends really enjoyed the vanilla cake (similar to pound cake). Definitely a must try restaurant if you are able to book a reservation! All the staff is super nice and informative about each dish. The restaurant is this cute little house so it's super intimate. 5/5

Osteria IL Muro made our 19th wedding anniversary an unforgettable feast! From the moment we stepped through the door, it felt like we were being welcomed into a warm Italian home. Ben, our server extraordinaire, was like the godfather of good vibes and impeccable service. His enthusiasm for the menu and the dishes was so infectious, we almost asked him to join us for dinner! The food was pure Italian magic. Every dish was a love letter to our taste buds - from the melt-in-your-mouth Wild boar polpette, Heirloom wheat focaccia with house made cultured butter to the Pansotti and Spizzulus pasta dishes that made us question every other pasta dish we've ever had. Ben's recommendations were spot on, and his passion for the cuisine shone through with every delightful morsel. Celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary here was a brilliant choice. We laughed, we ate, we toasted to another 19 years. If you're looking for a dining experience that's as heartwarming and joyous as an Italian family reunion, Osteria IL Muro is the place. Thank you Ben, James and team! You've won our hearts and our stomachs!

Well, it's been a while since I've left a review. But we tagged this place yesterday. 1. Wild boar appetizer. Really great sauce. The meat is also great. 2. Service is truly impeccable. I normally dont care about service - slap the food on a plate and gimme. But the service was perfect. 3. It's literally some old house. Which is quite interesting. It gives the place character. 4. The bread and butter appetizer, wow. Best part of the meal, ha! 5. Wine is interesting. Got a unique unfiltered one. Great taste. A bit expensive but this place doesn't even try to say it's anything "value" oriented. This is a bougie restaurant, so I get it. 6. I mean, what else is there to say. Cons? Reservations. They are impossible to get. Ya gotta get lucky. And I get why. It's literally some dudes old house, it's not a large space. Take it for what it is. 7. Price. For two we spent $170. Definitely expensive. But again, this isn't advertised as a cheap or value place. This is advertised as fancy, unique flavors, cooked right here all by hand. And it tasted as such. It's a celebration restaurant, not a casual lunch. 8. The chef owns the place. Apparently he cooks there every day in the mornings, prepping pasta. That's pretty cool. Will I go back? Honestly... Probably. Probably yes. Which I'm shocked to say about a fancy bougie restaurant. I'll bring my family. And they will love it.

Best Italian lasagna that I've ever had! We stumbled upon this walking back to our hotel and the staff was so amazing! We started off with espresso martinis and then ordered our entrées. We finished with a crisp white glass of wine! I can't wait to go back!!

Much like all the other reviews have said, it took a bit of work to get my reservations. I finally scored a reservation and gave them up because we made reservations for their Spring wine dinner instead. I bargained with my husband like a child for this wine dinner for our anniversary and fortunately he loves me enough to agree. The space is intimate and inviting. Wonderfully homey with a special occasion feeling without feeling like you have to be too dressed up. Our meal was impeccably paced and the wine pairings were perfect. The staff was friendly and inviting and the manager was very informative discussing each wine between courses. The food was delicious. We enjoyed every course. I cannot wait to go back and will waiting until the reservations open again to snatch one up.

Heard from others that since I am well-versed in Italian food, that this is a place for us to try. I was warned that there's a bit of a dance to score reservations. Luckily I like a challenge. Have had the pleasure to dine here twice, once inside and once on the patio. The restaurant is in a quaint, converted house. It truly gives an "at home" feel and vibe to the place. The patio situation is nice. I'm glad that it's covered and has protection from the weather. We felt comfortable eating dinner out there as well. One thing to note: If your reservation time is for x:xx time, it truly is for that exact time. If you show up early, and even if your table is empty, they will not seat you. So, early birds out there, be aware of that. You can order a glass of wine or beer and wait outside or stand off to the side indoors. Both times we've dined here have been excellent. The pasta was perfectly handmade, prepared, and served with a sauce that you know took a lot of work and effort to make. Starters to not sleep on and are must haves: The fried squash blossoms and chicken liver mousse are by far two of the best things I've ever had. Cannot recommend them enough if they're available on your visit. At our visit last night, we tried the special of the night which was 48 hour boneless short rib with a parmesean polenta. It was very delicious, and I'm not typically a short rib fan. The Torta al mocha had gianduja crème, blood orange meringue, and nocciola. If I had the opportunity, I would have one every day and not think twice about it. Love having a place like this in Denton, where it's not far of a drive. The key part though is scoring a reservation

Grazie mille!!!! My mouth waters while I write this thinking about the food again. Food - 10/10 Atmosphere - 8.5/10 Service - 9/10 first night, 10/10 second night. My husband booked a reservation two nights in a row one for date night for us and the second to invite some friends. You know when you stuff yourself on a type of food you're like "I can wait a while to have Chinese again" but not for this place. I couldn't wait to go back... and it was authentic and delicious. I didn't feel gross after like a lot of other places. It was SO flavorful, good portions, creatively put together. We truly felt like we were in Italy all over again Antipasti - we got burrata, spicy and sweet. Delicious. Arancini was soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside, cheesy. Three per order. We got the bigger order of Salumi, was plentiful for up to 4 I'd say. With 6 people we had one piece each of a meat. Primi - tagliente bolognese was DELISH. And I got a pasta dish both nights, different ones, and perfecto. Chefs kiss. On the el dente side which I love. Dolci - WOW. We literally tried every option and you cannot go wrong. Torta della nonna was SO FRICKIN GOOD. As was the Gelato, which was rich, creamy, I had the Orange which was sweet and a little bitter, tasted so good. Could not find anything like it anywhere. Atmosphere - in a cute house like restaurant. Smaller, there's like 10 tables inside so if you're with one other person you'll have another couple on each side of you which is fine. Simple interior. But I can't for the food so I don't really care, it's cute, quaint and simple. Service was great but just truly exceptional our second night with Elsa. She was so friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. She explained all options of the primi without even asking which was very helpful. Reservations - are in advance and we had to set an alarm and go on otherwise you're at a loss, which yes can be frustrating but it is what it is. They keep their restaurant what it is, small and special.

Osteria Il Muro is an incredible meal that impressed us with the high caliber of food and service. This not so hidden gem anymore is popular and now I understand why. Our meal began in their new patio seating, which I would definitely recommend taking advantage of when the weather is nice. We were immediately comfortable in the warm and homey ambiance. It reminded me of the old, quaint and equally hard to book favorite: Lucia. Benjamin waited on us and immediately impressed with his extensive knowledge of food in general. He was very well versed in everything from origin to execution of the entire menu and made an excellent and practical wine pairing. A guide like Ben can easily make or break an entire meal and I love to see when establishments invest in people. I immediately knew we were in excellent hands. I have to admit I was very apprehensive at first. I hate high barrier to entry or pretentious food with a passion. Osteria is both hard to book and pricey, so I was maybe even over critical. The focaccia immediately put me at ease. It's easily one of the best breads I've ever had and was served with a perfect rocher of cultured butter. The rich crumb with the tangy fat were absolutely incredible and I would never skip this! When Ben mentioned they sourced wheat locally and ground it themselves, I was thoroughly impressed. I love simple pleasures that are executed very well and honestly the bread may have been my single favorite item of the night. The pastas were all incredible as well. Of course they make the pasta themselves as well. There's is a northern style pasta made with double zero flour and plenty of yolks for a yellowish tint. I prefer it over the semolina/durum style of pasta. The tagliatelle with bolognese was my personal favorite. Bolognese is commonplace now, but nobody does it right... expect here of course. It was a perfect meat sauce with an incomprehensibly rich body that was damn near perfection with the wide and al dente bite of tagliatelle. I'd be willing to bet that their bolognese jiggles at room temperature like it should. This was easily my favorite bolognese in North Texas by a large margin. All of the desserts looked enticing, so we ordered them all of course. The gelato here of the evening was espresso and excellently crafted, but the favorite was the chocolate tart. The quality couverture chocolate ganache tart was so refreshing with the tangy crème fraiche and crunchy salt crystals. I'd prefer to roast and purée the peanuts into a salty butter or sub for a burnt salty caramel, but I just personally don't like loose peanuts and it was still a very great dessert. Overall Osteria Il Muro was an incredible meal and it's really splitting hairs to criticize anything. You can tell they are passionate about what they put out here and they hold themselves to a very high standard. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they get nominated for a James Beard award soon and then it will be even harder to dine here. Great for them. I will be back here soon.

Making a reservation for this restaurant is very challenging. I tried to book a reservation for my 1 year anniversary and looked at the date that they open their reservation for the month of July. This was in May when I tried to book through their online system. I received a notification that I was put on their waitlist even though the month of July had just opened up. And I know they don't take reservations over the phone because you are directed to voicemail when you try to call the place of business. I have heard great things about the food but with how much trouble it is to even eat here, is it really worth it?

This place was not worth the hassle of the reservation process. The waitress was standoffish. Felt more like when we asked questions it was an inconvenience to her to answer our questions. The food is average nothing to write home about. My friend and I ordered and her food came out cold mine was lukewarm. Well the management did fix the issue it's just was not worth it. The focaccia bread was great. I would not come here again.

Sometimes you need patience to experience greatness. It took us several tries to get reservations here. I wasn't ever upset...just knew that it was worth it to keep trying. So we booked our table for a Thursday night and has been excited all week waiting. Honestly, we had high expectations and hoped we didn't set the bar too high. We arrived a few minutes early and like clockwork; were seated almost exactly at our reservation time. The hostess was very nice. It's a small restaurant but the smells were hopefully an indication of what was coming. Loved watching them preparing the fresh sourdough at the front. Then we met Ben, our waiter. This guy is what every restaurant wants. Personable, very knowledgeable, patient and doesn't disappear but certainly doesn't constantly check on you. Ben walked us through each step and we never felt rushed. Not once! We ordered the Focaccia sourdough bread to start and Ben recommended two glasses of red wine. The wine menu appears to be all outside of the US. However, you can get it by glass and very reasonable. The bread is so amazing. Crispy outside and just incredible taste. Some of the best I've ever had. The wine choice was spot on too! Then we ordered the Crostone, based a recommendation again from Ben. It's slices of ribeye on top of crispy pieces of a bread. So good!! I chose the Agnolotti and my beautiful bride ordered the Tagliatelle. OMG you just can't imagine how fresh and delicious they were. The portion sizes were perfect too. I would consider this the best Italian scratch dinner I've had outside my last visit to Little Italy in Manhattan. Another great recommendation by our neighbors a true next table was the Vanilla Cake. It's a fresh pound cake that is grilled and has an amazing chocolate suave with nuts on top. We had high expectations and honestly....they blew them out of the water. The price, outstanding table service and outbid this world taste in everything. Well worth the wait... We will return soon.

Ever the pessimist, I was a little suspect about just how long the waitlist was to get a table. Months? Really? In Denton, Texas? Well...after we were able to take advantage of a last minute cancellation, we went to go see what all the hype was about. I will be the first to admit...everything everybody says is true...the food is amazing...the experience is even more...the simple charm it all lives up to the hype. I can see why people are waiting for tables for weeks; auctioning reservations that they can't make anymore (kidding, not kidding); and writing about the incredible food. For reference we sampled a big variety of offerings and the staff was very kind to box up what we didn't eat for an encore experience. The bread and warm olives are a must - even if you don't like olives...the burrata is second to none, and the care the chef takes to age, cure, and slice the sulumi sampler is worth every bite. The complexity of flavors in their entree dishes is what sets this restaurant apart. You have to intentionally eat slow as each bite brings out a new, subtle flavor than the one before. PS. Sydney, our server, made it even more perfect with her knowledge, great vibe, and awesome service. I don't jump on bandwagons or follow the crowd - and sometimes intentionally go against the crowd "just because" - but Osteria el Muro is one where I am now one of those reviewers who says, "you've got to go. Wait the weeks or months for a table. It'll be worth it. And yes, even in Denton, Texas."

I wasnt hungry or excited when I showed up for my reservation, set two months in advance. But when I started eating, I immediately became hungry to try the whole menu and may declare this place the best Italian restaurant in all of DFW! I wont go into great detail with what I ate, since they are micro-seasonal and the menu changes quite a bit. But what I can say is everything was good. Not a single thing I ate was subpar or a dud. Whether its their salami, their pastas, or their desserts, everything is hand made, in house, and as fresh as can be. This is tucked away in more residential area, not far from the square, not not necessarily that close. Its like eating in someone's home, since it feels like this was a residential home, converted into a restaurant. This place is not big, and it makes sense how they sell out fairly quickly. I dont like Italian most of the time because of how many mediocre they usually are. Especially within the suburbs of DFW. This is a huge exception, because quality comes first before anything else. There are no shortcuts and it shows in every dish.

Incredible food, incredible people and service, the space was cozy and intimate. Awesome place!

We had a great dinner. It was a bit of a trick to get in for a reservation. They open up reservations every so often and they fill up for a couple months (high demand but intimate dining area. We saw a note the day off that space had opened in their outside covered and heated dining area so we jumped on the chance. Wait staff was excellent, food was excellent. Well worth the extra steps and prior planning.

There is no greater dining experience in Denton - hell - in DFW than Osteria il Muro. Everything on the menu is made in-house daily from scratch, and the menu changes, if slightly, every single night. Service wise, it doesn't get better. Each server we've had walks us through the menu with such care and passion, accommodating our tastes and our guest's dietary needs. It truly feels special, like the meal you order was created and embellished just for you! The food is, no exaggeration, some of if not the most authentic, delicious and enchanting Italian we've had. Because the menu changes all the time, I can only recommend what we had that night, which would be the tajarin with black truffle and mushroom, the pork special, the cavatelli, and the oxtail tortelli - all blew us away. The cured meats were delectable, the burrata is a must. Always start with the focaccia! No exceptions. Wine and beer list available, but they also accommodate BYOB with a $35 corkage fee. Reservations open up every 2 months, and book quickly! It is 10000% worth it, and every time we experience it, I always can't wait to return! Can we nominate for a Michelin star??

This is my all time favorite italian restaurant in DFW so far. The focaccia is amazing! The pastas were delicious. I had a rabbit filled pasta and my date had a bolognese-like pasta. (i can't remember the italian names sorry) All staff is knowledgeable with wines and how they pair with food and honestly this place has the service of a fine dining restaurant in a home-like setting. Booking is definitely difficult but worth the effort.

Competitive eating at its best! But maybe not in the way you might be thinking. This is a reservations-only restaurant with a small amount of tables, so the competition to snag one is fairly fierce. WORTH EVERY EFFORT. The facility is unassuming, an older home converted into a dining experience, but one that will blow your mind. The care, quality, and thought put into the menu is impeccable, the service on par with the highest of haute cuisine. With an ever changing menu, I can't confidently recommend specific items, but I can say whatever you choose might be the best thing you've ever eaten. We started with arancino then shared the tagliatelle bolognese and corzetti with a rabbit and iberico pork sausage. We topped it off with a vanilla bean semifredo with amarena cherries that I actually dreamed about that night! I stated following them on Instagram (@osteriamuro) so I could relieve the dream! Highly recommend.

Never disappoints. Fresh, delicious, and worth every penny. Our waitress was so knowledgable and every recommendation was perfection. I can't wait to go back again.

Great food and excellent service. Very cute place in an old home with about 9 tables. Starters The bread-, really good Arancini- very tasty. Had a nice sauce. Was a bit heavy to have two and then eat a ton of pasta. But really good. Pastas Paccheri * wild mushroom trifolata * pancetta * parmigiano reggiano: this was really good. I'm not a mushroom guy, but I didn't mind the mushrooms and honestly probably wouldn't have known it had mushrooms if you didn't tell me. Very flavorful dish. Tagliatelle alla bolognese * parmigiano reggiano * rosemary oil: really really good. Not your typical bolognese as it wasn't a red sauce. I really enjoyed it. Bucatini gigante * tomato sugo * burrata * Calabrian chili oil: this was only dish I didn't think was great. The pasta was cooked extremely well, I just wasn't a fan of the sauce. Desserts Salted chocolate tart * hazelnut shortbread * whipped crème fraîche: really really good. Stracciatella gelato: huge serving and excellent. Excellent service. I forgot our servers name, but he was excellent. He did a great job describing every item on the menu. I will be back.

Great food, great service, and an even better manager. James was great, he came out at the end to see how everything was so that was truly a great addition to the night. We sat outside, and the sun shade worked well for especially how warm it was outside.

What a fantastic meal! We started our meal with the chicken liver mousse (incredible) and the grilled focaccia with the sausage and ramps (also yummy). Then we ordered the gramigna and the special. It was fun trying to gramigna pasta shape, but the dish tasted like it was missing something. Maybe some salt and/or acid. The special had short ribs, mushroom, and gnocchi. Honestly the short rib was my least favorite part of the dish. Again, I think it could have used some more salt (the crust was seasoned but the interior was a bit bland). The mushrooms were delicious and the gnocchi was so so fluffy. For dessert, we ordered the flourless chocolate cake, which I loved. I can't wait to return for another meal, maybe for the summer menu!

Yes it's very hard to get a reservation.... But there is a reason. We have now been twice since it opened and both time have had spectacular meals, service and overall experience. Having been to many fine dining establishments in DFW it is beyond me how this place doesn't get the recognition and notoriety of some of the others. Step for step this is as good and better than all the major players. The focaccia, charcuterie, pasta, desserts, wine, service, ambiance this is easily the best meal going. Kudos to chef and the team.

food was delicious but honestly it's very comparable to Eataley in Dallas or Vegas (price and food wise). I felt one of the biggest difference was osteria was very difficult to obtain reservations ; when reservations were available, all seats were sold out immediate within 2 minutes except 8:45pm for 2 people. My husband also tried to get a reservation for 5 (3 children & 2 adults) and it was impossible; perhaps to obtain more Than 2 seats you need a inside connections... Food: it was delicious. I wouldn't rave to the world about it, but it was delicious; portions were small and prices were expensive (just like Eataley). Still I felt like their food was similar taste wise to Eataly.... main difference was osteria service was spectacular! osterio is delicious we tried everything on their menu. a few tips: 1) don't buy a gift card because unless u have a inside connection it would be difficult to use and 2) you should always try this place once- it's delicious; 3) our 845pm reservation- end of this night. etc dessert was sold out ) cus they only have one left and we both wanted one each! So we order ievanilla gelato) last I wish they had pictures of each dish to choose from instead of their menu with names no one could understand about their dishes... food all In all were delicious. I would only go back for special occasional. it wasn't anything special to rave about. it's once in a life fine

Excellent!! Everything on menu is prepared by hand! Server shared ingredients & flavor experience s in fine details of the menu & pairing wines also.

My Girlfriend and I stopped in on a whim. No reservation, 6:00 on a Thursday during the holidays. We were unaware that having a reservation here was the norm. Luckily someone had cancelled and they had a table for 2. I was immediately impressed by our waitress, who knew the menu in its entirety, like the back of her hand. The whole meal from the bread, to the dessert was amazing. My personal recommendation - let your waiter/waitress pick for you. We did, and she did not miss. We will definitely be hopping on a reservation in the near future, and also placing ourselves on a waitlist. However, we are proof that it never hurts to stop and in see if there's a table open. Who knows, you may just get as lucky as we did.

Delicious always and what a fun fancy experience to have. Staff is great as well and the place is beautiful.

Came to this cute little place for a friend's birthday dinner. It was quite a drive from Dallas, but well worth it!! The space is very intimate and has a lot of charm. The restaurant prides itself in coming up with fresh seasonal menu items. Every single thing that we ate was delicious, and you could tell that the chefs put a lot of thought into each dish. I would definitely make the journey to come back!

Could not rave about this place more! We wait months to be able to get in to eat here. The servers can tell you where almost all of the ingredients in this homemade food came from. It's an experience to hear the passion they have when they go over the menu with you. We usually go with a table of 6 people and we get one of everything on the menu!

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 Value: 5/5 ----- Chose this place as my birthday meal, and it didn't disappoint. I think it's worth the drive to Denton for sure. Everything is fresh, delicious, and interesting. Portions were very generous as well. All of the little touches of service were really what sealed it for me. A birthday card signed by the staff, they let us celebrate with a small birthday cake, and they also helped us take a photo outside of our group as well. Just wanted to drop a review to say thank you for a great night!

A friend recommended this restaurant, mentioned how difficult it can be to get reservations. My friend loves Italian food. I was determined to get 2 reservations and I did. I love the overall environment, and the food was authentically top tier. We had the focaccia, salumi misti, seafood gimella, the house special which was short ribs, and bonet for dessert. It did not disappoint. However, at the end of our dinner the manager James delivered our receipt and his demeanor was not as appetizing as the food we had just enjoyed. Maybe my expectations were too high because Belen said it was a finale, I expected to be asked about my first experience at the restaurant or my thoughts on the food. Our server Belen was amazing and knowledgeable about all the dishes. I decided to gift my 2nd reservations to a friend. I hope they have a greater experience.

Bri was our server and she was delightful! She knew the menu well and was able to give us clear, informative details about it. There were three of us and we shared some wonderful squash blossoms to begin along with the yummy homemade focaccia. Each person got a different main course so we shared and enjoyed all. Our red wine, SAVUTO CLASSICO ANTICHE VIGNE was perfect for our meal. The most unique and delicious pairing of the night was the two desserts! We had the grilled white cake with strawberry reduction and the blood orange gelato. Thank you Bri for your expert suggestions. We will definitely go back. (And hope we get Bri again!)

**Warning: you need exceptional discipline with your calendar or a major stroke of waitlist luck if you want a seat at the table inside this one-of-a-kind, "eclectic regional Italian" fare in the heart of Denton. Reservations open one day a month for the following month and typically sell out in 8-10 minutes. That said, if you know - you know - this joint is WORTH IT! The entire menu emphasizes relationships with local farmers, seasonally grown produce, and making everything in house by hand from scratch. Menu offerings change frequently as a result, but WHO CARES when the food is this good. Everything they do is intentionally curated and executed with precision - not a single entree will leave you disappointed. Corkage fee is steep at $50 per bottle .... but worth it IF you know your way around Italian wines; I had my wine in mind weeks before our reservation. We took a 2012 Brunello di Montalcino made by a producer you can't (easily, if at all) find state side, and we were mindful of proper storage and service temp on the way in. We uncorked at appetizer, shared first pour with the House, then decanted until entree. The ownership is diligently evolving the wine program to craft a well rounded selection of Italian varietals. For our forthcoming July reservation, we will select wine off his newly expanded menu.

I am so grateful my friend invited me to join her for her reservation tonight. I have been wanting to go to this restaurant since before they opened! The service was amazing and the food was even better. Ben was our waiter and he really took care of us. He wax will to give us recommendations and wax very helpful in explaining the menu. The special tonight was a red fish dish. I had a taste and it was amazing. But, all 4 of our main courses were delicious. The wine selection is excellent. We decided to try all 4 desserts. The Vanilla Bean dessert was our favorite, but the rest were tasty. I know pouring espresso over ice cream or gelato is a popular Italian dessert, but it melt the ice cream so fast. I think the espresso should we served on the side. The ricotta stuffed peppedaws were delicious. The Culatella was also good. I hope to be lucky enough to score a reservation soon, so my husband can join me and enjoy it with me!

Firs time here but won't be the last. Our waitress walked us through the entire menu described in appetizing detail. Limited menu but not complaining, varied enough that everyone in our party found something they loved. The best part was the desserts!

Absolutely amazing! We order the bread, kale salad, fried risotto balls, oxtail ragu, the sausage butter pasta, and pumpkin rice pudding. Everything was outright delicious! Top notch, superb flavors. Haven't had anything of this caliber or quality in Texas since moving here. Definitely a must try!

Talk about a Denton gem. Regional Italian by Chef Scott Girling and Chef Erin Stevens who put love into their food like grandma does. The entire experience was great, from GM James welcoming us in to our server Elsa (I believe?) being friendly and knowledgeable of every dish on the menu that night and the entire staff wishing us a good evening as we left. Reservations only, and I highly recommend trying to get a reservation! Our favorites for the night were: Heirloom Focaccia, Coppa (off menu special for the night), Bucatini & the Grilled Vanilla Cake. Excited to go back and continue enjoying the food from Osteria il Muro!

Made the drive to Denton from Dallas late Sunday night to celebrate a friend's birthday and I am so glad we did! It is the cutest family owned little restaurant. As soon as we sat down, there was a birthday card waiting for my friend. We tried a few of the appetizers including the chicken liver mousse and squash blossoms. They were all great, but I think the focaccia bread stole the show though! It was absolutely delicious and I probably could have ate the entire loaf by myself! I got the mafaldine as my main course and it was lovely. It had sausage in it and the sauce was eggplant-based. I sampled the other dishes that my friends ordered, but I think the mafaldine was by far my favorite. I would definitely make the drive back here again if I can snag a reservation!

The service and meal were amazing. Our waitress walked us through every dish on the menu with great detail to where we felt confident that we could make our meal choices with ease. Her service was personable and informative. The food itself was out of this world. Both bold and delicate flavors in every dish made our experience unforgettable. We look forward to coming back again!

Easily the best Italian meal I've ever had. Wait staff is incredibly nice and even more knowledgeable about the menu. The space is very small which explains the limited reservation spots. However it never felt overcrowded. Already planning our next trip back. 15/10 would recommend!

Had our anniversary dinner there last night. I hoped the dinner would be worth the 1 month wait for a reservation. And despite 4 noisy people at the table next to us and a very tight parking situation, the quality of the food made those things a complete non-issue. This is true Italian food. I know because I lived there for a year. All the pasta is handmade, the bread is made fresh daily on site. I had chicken liver pate with grilled bread as my appetizer and my husband had a salad. For main course he had waygu short rib and I had a pasta dish with sausage and a creamy cheese sauce. Dessert was excellent also. We got a bottle of wine and it was priced reasonably. Highly recommend this place. The chef is doing it right.

So happy this place exist in our home town. We need more high-quality local restaurants and Chef Scott and company have delivered big time. We went the first week it opened and were lucky to snag a friends reso a few weeks later. Hand rolled pasta, house curred meats, ingredients from the garden out back, fresh baked bread, etc...high fives and golf claps from me. Barely been open a month or so, and their monthly reservations fill up in a couple hour's max if that. Some people might come through because of the hype and exclusivity of it and try to compare to the best places they have ever been and best restaurants in DFW etc and try to say it is not that great or they have had better blah blah. I call bullsh*#. They just opened, everyone is raving, you can't get a Reso. Most places divebomb right out the gates. Bravo. I own and run a local restaurant, and I tell everyone that will listen to me about it. Although, I might regret it because I might not get back in ever again...keep it up, guys. You are making us all proud. I hope it is the start of more talented chefs to think of Denton for their first or next restaurant. Cheers

Hmmm...after attending their "hard to get a reservation,," we are still sketchy on their service, their explanations of their dishes (some waiters/waitresses knew a lot...some where completely clueless), and the quality of their entrees were good, but coldly rushed to accommodate the waiting customers. A whole lot of sizzle with no steak!!!

I've heard a lot of buzz about Osteria Il Muro, so I was excited to try it. Unfortunately I was quite disappointed. We tried quite a few things and most were underwhelming, and one was inedible. The salmon tartare was extremely fishy. I'm a big sushi fan and eat raw salmon regularly, and the quality of this salmon was nowhere near what is needed to serve raw. Even the crackers served with it were not good. The arancini were good, focaccia and the burrata were just ok. For the main course, my wife ordered a pasta with mushrooms (taglialini? Can't remember) and it was actually really good. I ordered the special short rib and it was not executed well. Flavor was good, but it was extremely dry for a short rib. I had to really saw at it with my knife which you shouldn't have to do with a short rib. Carrots that came with it were also over roasted. Maybe wasn't the best thing to order at an Italian restaurant. The dish was just not very good. Dessert was an apple cake thing. It was ok, but the cream on top tasted as if it had been in the fridge for a few days. You know that weird fridge taste. Service was excellent; food was average but way overpriced. Considering the cost ($150 for two people including wine but not including tip) I was extremely disappointed. Maybe we caught them on an off night, but you don't get second chances at this price point. Definitely would not recommend.

Delicious, beautiful food made with love. Excellent service. Amazing quality of food, especially for the price. You can tell the servers really take pride in their job. They're really knowledgeable about the menu, even though it rotates frequently. The food looks so pretty like you're in a super fancy restaurant, but tastes like comfort food. They're really into using authentic, fresh ingredients and everything is hand made/ made from scratch. Between the food, the service, and the intimate setting, it makes you feel like a guest in a little Italian grandmother's home. This was the first time I've seen the pasta my family makes for holiday meals on a menu at a restaurant (cappelletti), so of course I had to get that and I was not disappointed! In our group of 5, we tried quite a bit of the menu and everything was delicious. I was too excited about the food to remember to take pictures of it all but we especially loved the peppadew pepper appetizer, rosemary focaccia bread, beet cappelletti, spinach tagliolini, and paccheri (my favorite entrée of all that we ordered, wish I remembered what was in it). All three desserts we tried were DIVINE. We got the brown butter cake- pure buttery deliciousness- my favorite of the desserts. The gelato trio, each of which had SO much flavor. And the chocolate budino, which had just a touch of salt that brought it to the next level. It has its own parking lot, so parking is no issue. I highly recommend checking it out if you're in or around Denton, TX! It's perfect for a date night, but we had a girls night and it was great for that, too. It's small and reservation only, so make sure to reserve a table in advance on their website!

WOW! This was maybe an even better dining experience than we were expecting. The food was beyond delicious, our server, Ben, was gracious and extremely knowledgeable and the manager, James, was gracious. This is definitely one of the best dining experiences we've ever enjoyed! Thank you, Osteria Il Muro!

What an experience! Visited with friends on a Saturday evening. Staff was absolutely wonderful and the place itself is cute as a button! Nicely decorated with a charming feel that makes you very comfortable. The menu is unlike anything around. All fresh and very thoughtful ingredients. Everything we ordered was phenomenal. This is a wonderful date night or anniversary choice, you will not be disappointed as they've clearly put a lot into what they're serving. This restaurant is something special! Well worth the wait (they book up quick so be prepared to make a reservation ahead via their website) Once you try it you'll understand exactly why there is a waitlist! Absolutely Amazing.

It took us a while to get reservations (the restaurant is not big), but it was definitely worth the wait. Homemade focaccia bread was awesome and the pastas were too. Our waitress, Sydney, was extremely helpful in answering our questions about the menu. It's quaint and not overly loud. Highly recommended.

One of my favorite dining experiences. Denton is so lucky to have this special restaurant! When you walk into this cozy restaurant, you are welcomed with such a unique, welcoming atmosphere. Mallory, our waitress, did a phenomenal job recommending everything we ate and drank. Everything was impeccable and beautiful. We throughly enjoyed all of it- the wine, pasta, focaccia, gelato, espresso, etc. Every detail of this restaurant is clearly very thought out and it definitely did not go unnoticed. Our new favorite restaurant in Denton!

If you are looking for an Olive Garden experience, do NOT come here! This place is authentic as it gets!! Amazing service and the food is crazy good!! I had the veal. My man had the rabbit sausage. The bread is insanely good. The butter is homemade. The lemon tart!! OMG!!! Thanks to Mallory for being an amazing server tonight!! You better get a reservation now!! You won't be able to get one next month!!