Rick R.
Yelp
Friends, here is an update for Renzo's, a reflection of our over half dozen visits over the past year. We had previously considered this trattoria as 5 stars, but now, unhappily we must downgrade our rating. In fairness, we think the establishment should rate 3/12 stars, but rating system as it is, we decided on 3 stars.
First, here in our opinion are found the strengths of the restaurant.
STAFF: We have always been warmly and cheerfully welcomed by the entire staff, from the receptionist, to the waitstaff, to the chef helpers, to the mixologists. The manager will often pass tables, inquiring of the dining experience...nice touch we think!
MENU: The menu is of moderate offering, (some have complained it might be too limited), a positive feature which should grant the chef liberty to offer his best takes on menu items, and some items are best described as stellar. (More on this later).
AMBIENCE: Renzo's offers indoor, bar, patio and patio bar seating, choices that should satisfy most guests preferences. The indoor area is smaller compared to the patio seatings, but on a busy night the sound level can present a problem. And the patio area is now enclosed with industrial plastic, a nice feature on chill evenings.
MIXOLOGIST: Honestly, we have yet to find a libation that we thought unacceptable. We consider the Dirty Vodka Martini and the Old Fashioned among the best.
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Certain nights, guitar and keyboard players may perform, adding another layer to the evening enjoyment...but more on this later.
But now, for the weakness that have caused our downgrade in rating.
MENU: There are in fact weakness that we have found to be rather consistent. We have ordered different fishes on the menu, and hoping for scrumptious morsels, the poor fishes have been overcooked on every visit. Think dry, chewy protein, the poor salmon and tuna fishes not even saved with what should be ample sauces. Our last visit, we even explained to the waitress our strong preference to not overcook the finned creature...but to no avail. We ordered the Carpaccio Di Manzo, and asked for the truffle oil on the side, not drizzled over the carpaccio. The protein was appropriately razor thin, but was so laden with oil that the oil bath ruined the dish for Marjan. (Thank goodness we ordered the truffle oil on the side). We visited the last day of Culinaria Week, and ordered the fixed menu. Disappointing was the pasta dish, uninspired, lacking any real character. And that has been our experience with pasta entrees...sometimes delicious...sometimes just pedestrian.
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: The entertainment stand is found on the patio, fronting the outdoor bar. There are speakers left and right of the stand, but none at the far extremes of the patio left, nor right. And here is the problem. It seems that the vocalists have only two volumes: very loud and very, very loud. On a couple of nights, the female vocalists could best be described as shrieking over the microphone. Perhaps we have a different idea of what live entertainment should present at an appointed restaurant, but I would think management would ask the entertainers for a bit more subtle nuance in selection and volume. After all, we are not munching sliders at a college bar on Austin's sixth street.
Yelpers, this is a very popular restaurant, which clearly ticks all the boxes for some diners. Here however are our suggestions. Best to visit for lunch: the indoor seating is not as noisy as during the dinner hour, and the menu items seem more consistent in cook...perhaps as the chef is not as hurried as the evening service? If wanting patio seating, ask for a table AWAY from the entertainment stand: the volume of the performers could definitely detract from the dining experience. And unless one actually prefers fishes finished to "well", we would eschew these menu items.
We haven't forsaken this trattoria, as we have had some delicious menu items, and we are optimistic that consistency in offerings will prevail. We so enjoy patio dining experience, and in truth, the patio is frankly, inviting. The lunch service does offer a bit better option in some ways, and for this we will definitely return. Be well Yelpers!