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Anothertraveler

Joined 2 years ago

a take on italian. First two things are a constant - the zucca chips will shock you with goodness and the lines on weekends. I would also agree that the tables do tend to be more cramped then others but its not as bad as it used to be. So either wait longer to get in and sit down or sit family style with an inch in between tables. I'd rather wait. They also feature a very good steak, outside of that you must always ask about the dishes as they are prepared differently than Italian food you may have had in the past. I'm told it a modern twist, but it seems something you would find in california.

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bennie1129

Joined 3 years ago

Great Food, Awesome Happy Hour Prices. The ambiance was nice and the service was very good, too. We had the zucchini chips (excellent) for an appetizer and the (amazing) goat cheese and fig pizza. The cost for both of those during happy hour was only about $10! Will DEFINITELY go back.

Doesn't Recommend

LetsGoOutAndEat

Joined 4 years ago

Terrible- Waste of Time. I go to the Domain a lot and have always walked by Nroth and it seemed it like a good place since there was always people inside but after my dining experience, I wish I hadn't.

My wife and I got sat inside by the open window at a tiny table that could barely hold all our plates and glasses. The waiter was very pushy and we couldn't enjoy our expensive, overly priced dinner. And besides the table being way too tiny, we were being attacked by flies the whole time. The tables inside are too close together and it was very loud.

After speaking to the main manager about the situation, he didn't do much to make our dinner any more suitable. My wife and I left very disappointed and I don't think we will be back. If you want pushy service, flies in your face, and expensive food, then this is your place to go.

I will say this though-the food was good. Wish the rest of the restaurant would catch up to the quality of the kitchen.

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waylandsq

Joined 6 years ago

Best food at The Domain. Service & food is ALWAYS exceptional at this great spot. Outdoor seating is the best as are the Zucca chips!

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MTaylor815

Joined 7 years ago

Great food, a little noisy. My wife and I have been 3 times. The food has been consistently good, though not the best Italian I've ever had. The biggest complaint I have is that hey have really crammed too many tables in the place -- I always feel like the people at the nesxt table are dining with me. The large number of tables has also made the place VERY loud.

Still, a good place, and we'll be back.

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bc3

Joined 11 years ago

Kind of expensive, good food. We recently took my daughter & her friend for her birthday. I was pleasantly surprised that our waitperson charged the kiddie price on the pizzas that she & her friend ordered (cheese, pepperoni) - it's been a while, but it was less than 1/2 the adult price. Pepperoni was a buck or two additional.

Food was good, but a little pricey.

We obviously got the new wait staff because she put the water glasses on the wrong side, had trouble opening the wine, was not terribly knowledgeable about the menu, didn't bring the bread until the food, etc. She was nice though.

We sat outside & had no problem with flies. (It was in the evening). It's quiet outside, very loud inside.

I had called ahead & asked it they would put us on the list, since I really didn't want to be hanging in the bar or shopping expensive shops with 2 13-year olds. They said yes. Despite a $10 tip on arrival to the person I spoke to on the phone, I don't think we got any special consideration on seating as we had to wait about 30 minutes.

Doesn't Recommend

kniaz

Joined 5 years ago

Service is for the flies .. or the birds ... I am not usually the one to rant and rave, but I had to rip this joint everywhere I could. I have not experienced service this crappy since .. well .. I don't know when.

We arrived at the restaurant, all 9 of us, on a Monday evening. The hostess offered to seat us outside, which didn't seem that bad until we actually got to our seats and got attacked by dozens of flies. I am not kidding - there were easily 20-30 flies just over our table. Everyone around us was sort of waving them off, and covering their food with napkins. Out of 9 people, we had 5 kids, the oldest of whom was 7. So when kids food came, all four adults spent 30 minutes waving hands and napkins in the air, trying to get kids to eat fly-free food.

I got tired of it and complained to the waitress, once, twice, and kept hearing that she was talking to the manager.

Our kids finished eating and our food was brought in. We could not actually eat and constantly protect the food from the flies. They were everywhere - drinks, food, napkins, tables. Finally, we asked for the food to be packed up to go, as it was ridiculous.

So, we have a manager that was supposedly trying to do something about the fly problem. I'd give him/her a pass if that was the very first instance of flies ever appearing. I find it hard to believe. So the problem existed before and he/she chose to disregard it - no business of being a manager. Was not aware of the problem? No business of being a manager. He/she saw/knew that there were very unhappy people and did not even come out to appologize, never mind give credit for food that was half spoiled by the flies.

To add insult to the injury, the food we've asked to take to go was mispackaged and went to wrong families as a result. Maybe this place screwed the pouch on this particular night - but there are so many places to eat around that area, I am definitely staying away from them and recommend the same to others. Let them hang with the flies.

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chudy512

Joined 7 years ago

Very good food; Great service!. We have been to North twice now and love it. Our waitress was awesome the first time we went. The only negative thing I can say about it is that the Osso Bucco is not worth ordering. It is good, but tastes like oven roast (very good oven roast, but roast nontheless).

Our second trip was just as great. We had the same waitress (Dawn) and she is so sweet and is always on top of things. And she remembered us even though it had been 4 months since our last visit.

The chicken parmesean is outstanding! And the spinach salad with the goat cheese is great.

They also make great drinks.

It does get busy and a little loud, but it's worth it!

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dlsomers

Joined 5 years ago

Good trendy,modern italian food. The atmosphere and decor at NoRTH is great, very modern, yet not over the top. The wait on a Friday night was 20 minutes, not too bad at all considering they don't take reservations. Our waiter was excellent.

The food was very good, but not spectacular. We started with the zucca chips, which I highly recommend. The tomato soup was also one of the best we've ever had. My girlfriend had a fig and goat cheese pizza, which was very tasty, but seemed to missing something. I had a shrimp pasta with a garlic sauce. The sauce was excellent, however the shrimp were very small, seemed to be previously frozen, and a little undercooked.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Domain-goers and northwest Austin diners consume Italian dishes as modern as the decor at this Arizona import.. The Scene
Fashionable diners pose while seated at white leather booths that contrast sharply with the dark floors, mod accents and exposed brick walls. In keeping with the see-and-be-seen style of The Domain, large windows provide a view of shoppers and other nearby eateries. Casually clad servers capably weave in and around tables while the display kitchen keeps cooks in the mix.

The Food
Despite the chain status and Disney-esque location, the food at this modern Italian spot is as deserving of the buzz as any of the in-town trendsetters. The trattoria-styled menu features seasonal treats like crispy zucchini chips, grilled artichokes with lemony aioli and a caprese salad of local tomatoes and aged balsamic vinegar. Savory wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas and a popular seared scallops dish whet appetites for creative secondi--a short rib osso buco with polenta, herb-crusted pork tenderloin and tender fingerling potatoes, daily fish specials, and grilled lamb chops with white bean ragu.

Hits: The angled mirror in the bar area provides for ideal people-watching with views of the entire dining room.

Misses: The restaurant does not accept reservations so expect to be elbow-to-elbow with people in the bar while you wait. Or take your assigned pager and stroll around the shops..