Birraporettis Reviews

Went in on a busy evening around 6 without a reservation, but got lucky to sit near the bar area and get fast service and great attention from the wait staff!

Fun interactive dinner show, staff makes you feel like an old friend

The food was good but unfortunately the service was not. The hostess greeted us rudely but showed us to our table in an almost empty restaurant after confirming that yes we had a reservation. The server was awful and dissapeared for the majority of the meal. After waiting for too long with empty plates and cups in front of us we were going to miss our show. Our server disappeared just after our plates arrived and never came back. We were forced to request our check from the hostess and ask someone to please run our credit card so that we could leave. Food was good just wish the service was better.

Great place for dinner or a lunch pizza before the show at the Alley.

Food was not good. Service was terrible. Never again!

Nice intimate ambiance and food. Service was a little slow, as they forgot to bring my salad (which was my entree) after they brought my date's pizza. However they were apologetic and brought it quickly after being reminded. Food and drinks tastes great.

The food took forever. The atmosphere was lovely though.

Super rich with the best service in a nice and beautiful place

Beautifully decorated for the holidays. Service was great. Not crowded. Food was delicious and on point. I advise that you ask about options before ordering the assorted cheese cakes. The Manager and our waiter Michael were so nice. Thanks for a memorable evening!

This was by far one of the best Italian restaurants that I have dined at in Houston. Ask for BJ. Not only is he a GREAT waiter but he gave us the best recommendations on the menu. The lemon pepper chicken, the eggplant parmesan and the burgers were amazing. The garlic toast and pizza are also on point. The drinks are the perfect flavors and great portions. THE FOOD IS AMAZING, BJ WAS AN AWESOME WAITER, AND THE SERVICE WAS PERFECT!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! THANKS BJ AND STAFF FOR MAKING OUR NIGHT GREAT AND FULFILLING!!!

Great Bellinis & Pizza before the show at The Alley! :-)

Shrimp Diablo isn't on the menu but it's awesome here. I love this place, atmosphere and service.

Good place to eat after a play at the Alley theatre!!!

Absolutely the worst customer service in the entire city. I placed a delivery order at 6:09pm today (Saturday, 8 December), the delivery time was stated to be 6:54pm. I called to check on the order twice. The female that answered the phone the first time stated that she would speak with the delivery driver and then abruptly hung up. I called back again at 7:30, and spoke with John. Upon asking when my order would arrive, He stated, and I quote " we are busy, and it is what it is , and we are re-making your order." I get restaurants are busy on a Saturday, but there is no reason for sarcasm when a customer is simply asking for the status of an order. The order finally showed up at 8:10 pm (about two hours after the initial order), and it was a COLD
Pizza!!

Update-- I called back and spoke with one of the managers, Ryan. He was very helpful. He offered to fully refund my order and he also offered a free order and free delivery on a future order. Thats how you handle cutover service.

I saw Birraporetti's back in March and have wanted to try it since. My husband and I were attending Home Alone at Jones Hall Friday night and wanted to grab a bite three hours before the show (4:30 pm). When we walked in, the hostess, who needed to run a comb through her hair, rudely said if we didn't have a reservation, we would have to sit at the bar (note: this was not posted anywhere, and there were maybe four tables that were full). We headed to the bar and sat down. I had figured out what I wanted, and my husband, who was growing frustrated, noted none of the four bartenders right in front of us had acknowledged us sitting down or took our order. After 10 minutes and being blatantly ignored, we were both fed up and left. None of the staff bid us good evening - they just blankly stared at us like the bartenders did, and when I posted this review on Yelp, the owner didn't apologize for his staff being rude. Instead, he pointed how I said the hostess looked borderline hobo. (If you're going to work at a higher-end restaurant, you have to dress like it.)

We won't be back, and I sure as heck will discourage as many people as possible from dining at this establishment. We ended up eating at a place that took our drink orders within 30 seconds of sitting down. That's how you treat a customer.

For Mother's Day, my mom wanted to go somewhere in downtown Houston, a new experience. So I looked at recomendados and reviews and decided to try this place. I checked the website and menu online and even called to make reservations figuring it would be busy. After being seated in the beautiful main dining room, we asked for menus but then told that the main dining room was for patrons having the Mother's Day buffet. If we wanted to order off the menu we had to go to the basement dining. And it was awful down there. I wanted to cry. It was depressing, but it was late and we were all hungry, so we stayed, hoping the food would make up for it. My husband enjoyed his pizza, my daughter enjoyed her tortellini, and my parents both got the fried shrimp which they said was ok, by my grilled chicken capellini was very bland. Service was ok. I was upset that we had to sit in the basement dining but there was no indication on the website (the link in Google maps) or when I called that that that would happen.

Place is terrible service. Never come here ever ever ever never ever

Staff was friendly and attentive. Food was okay. Venue is nice and a great location in downtown Houston. Recommend it if you're in the area wanting some okay Italian.

I always raved about how this restaurant is THE HIDDEN GEM in downtown Houston. We had several waiters before meeting Felix. Felix was the absolute best (everyone else is slow and lacks hospitality). He has a great personality, great suggestions, and even better service. I recently found out he isn t with Birraporetti s and I am not certain the food is worth going in with bad service. The spinach alfredo is the best I have ever tried and the bread is amazing. However, I went in yesterday ordered by usual and I still had 1/3 of my plate left and the waitress brought the check out. I told her I wanted desert and she brought it out before I was done with my plate. Along with the desert she brought the check.
When servers bring the check out before you are done eating you know the service is horrible. They miss out on guests ordering more and a better tip.
Management needs work too. They never seem to be able to seat anyone even if the restaurant is empty.

UPDATE TO OWNERS RESPONSE:
I actually went in right after lunch hour, so around 2:30 PM. So no the whole flipping tables scenario does not make sense, and its due to lack of good hospitality. However, throughout the covid pandemic I have continued to support the restaurant. Hoping that once all this is over ya ll will come back better and stronger than ever!

Came here before going to see the Sound of Music, LOVED the spinach fettuccine chicken Alfredo!

They use sweet bread for buns on their cheeseburger and it's amazing! Highly recommend getting it.

Nice view of the city streets. Well seasoned musicians. Food fresh drinks strong, service is nice.

This was a cute place downtown. I was happy they where open late. The drinks where good but the food was over priced and underwhelming. I will go again to try it during the day.

Everything is great at Birraporetti's! The Stuffed Mushrooms in Cream Sauce were decadent, and even a simple cheese pizza was perfect - Crisp crust, rich sauce and plenty of cheese which a slight baked crunch on the top.

Still a town staple and food is just as I remember but add a few years . Give some props to Earl our waiter who delivered exactly what we ordered and also to the Bartender who served up our desert and after show encore drinks Mr. Smalls!

Wooow! Italian food buongiorno!!!!!! Delicious just delicious taste and flare! And the vibe here is perfect to relax and unwind! We loved it here totally recommend it! 5 stars Bravo! Bravo! And the piano man took my Sade request!

I always enjoy coming here before a show or movie. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is upscale looking and cozy without being pretentious. The drinks from the bar are always great and the food is pretty good, but some dishes taste a little too salty. I recommend making reservations as it can get very busy when there are shows going on at the multiple venues around. The Sunday Jazz Brunch is awesome!

Great atmosphere, and very conveniently located to the Theater District downtown. The pizza is delicious, the wines are very nice. Michael was our server and he did a great job taking care of us.

One of the best italian food places I have been! Dress nice if dining in.

Service was great, even during peak dinner hours. This location is close to 2 theaters within walking distance and many go there before performances. Food was quickly served after ordering and tasted delicious. Workers were very courteous to all patrons.

We were not going to eat here but sure glad we did. The food was very good and the ambiance set the mood for a perfect Italian dinner. The only thing I was disappointed over was the fact they charge extra for bread/toast. The quality of food for the price was good.

Came here for the first time and really enjoyed it. We came late but our waitress was still very nice and courteous. The food was good and the prices weren't outrageous for an Italian place in downtown Houston. I had one of their pizzas, which was really good. My wife and I also had the creme brulee, which was delicious. I would definitely come here again to try some of their other dishes.

Great Italian food, however there was one fruitfly flying around. Some pest control is needed

It's like going back in time. Decore looks like from a few decades back. Food was ok. Waitress was friendly and attentive unlike the host.

Atmosphere very nice, waiter was knowledgeable and service is good

Food is fine, but the service was less than desirable. Not what it used to be.

Food is good. They are stingy with the alcohol in the mixed drinks. Don't waste your money. Eat here but drink elsewhere.

Food was awesome, service was on point, Francisco was very nice and helpful. Will make this a regular spot to enjoy good food and service. Thank you for being open.

Went on a Monday night and they had some really amazing live jazz music. Nice place to grab a drink or some food after the ballet.

Took my parents and girlfriend for dinner after a show at Jones Hall. Service was great and the food was even better! I would recommend this place.

Great Italian food. Vegetarian options. Try the stuffed mushrooms!

Wonderful food, drinks, and music. Great, fast service by a very kind group of servers. We love the whole fun experience of this restaurant. Great for couples on date night or after a show at one of the many venues in the nearby Theater District!

Not worth the price. Rude staff and manager. Complete waste of time and money

Great place to go before or after a show. Highly recommend the bruschetta. Everything else is just fine but the bruschetta is amazing.

Food was great,service was ok, but there was a party of 70 and I was ina party 17

Reservation at 5:30 PM. Got a table then it got pretty crowded around our table. The waitress on the other section kept bumping my husband's chair until I told him to move so she wouldn't keep bumping him. He moved, then she bump our table & spilled water on our table. The pizza was really greasy all in all the experience was a 1 out of 10! Our waiter was excellent. Food was really not worth coming back

One of the worst dining experiences of my life. The server was not friendly, efficient, or helpful in any way. They included the gratuity in the bill which is the only reason they received any tip from me.. they left me no choice. The philly cheese steak sandwich I had was way too chewy and not at all worth the price. I would ve been better off buying a sandwich at Subway.

Food was great, our waiter was awesome, but the management was running around acting weird, and it made us very nervous.

My husband is so sold with their cooking! Therefore I'm so glad!

Great atmosphere, and the Manicotti with Italian Sausage was fantastic!

I had heard good things about this Italian restaurant. When we got there it looked like upscale dining. Unfortunately when our food came it was bland and tasteless. We asked for parmesan cheese and received a sticky shaker of Kraft not real parmesan. When we finished our waiter was nowhere to be found so we found another to get our check. We waited about ten minutes for someone to take our payment, finally I bought the check and the card up to the hostess and she got the manager to run the card. So if you want to spend $75 for 2 people to have mediocre food then by all means eat here.

A favorite spot for italian food. The fool was super appetizing. Looking forward to returning with my friends.

Servers were given too many tables so service was spotty. Food tasted alright but not mind-blowing.

*** UPDATE 5/7/2018 ***

Saturday was the first time we've been back to Birraporetti's since our last terrible experience 2 years ago. When we arrived a few minutes before our 6:30 reservation, there were already 3-4 groups waiting to be sat for their 6pm - 6:15pm reservations. When the hostess finally addressed us, she very casually and unapologetically let us know that there were no tables available, she had "no idea" how long it would be, and if we had a problem, she could "get the manager", then just stormed off. The (new?) manager was courteous, but the hostess was so incredibly rude (imagine rolling eyes, scowls, throwing our menus on the table) that we will not be back. EVER. There are so many restaurants nearby that there is no way we're going to subject ourselves to that type of treatment. Especially on a fun night out to the theater. To the management: I truly hope you fire the hostess that was working Saturday night at 6:30pm. Your patrons deserve better treatment than that.

Additionally, it may be time to change the way you handle reservations. If you can't honor them, it may be best not to take them.

Lastly, the waiter was great, the food was great, but because of the way we were treated by your hostess, we will never be back.

*** original review ***
The service is horrific (1 star), but the food is good (4 stars) and it's steps away from Jones, Alley and Wortham, so I'm going with 3 stars. I typically get the "Grilled Jumbo Shrimp Scampi" and my husband gets the "Grilled Chicken and Italian Sausage", both are consistently delicious. But, I doubt one can say that of other menu items. Long story short, if you're going to a theater performance and want to eat close by, you can go here with expectations of poor service, but good food. Be sure to make reservations, but don't be surprised if you have to wait 30+ minutes anyway.

How the mighty have fallen. Birraporetti's was once a place to take a date for a fancy night out or celebrate a life event with family. My last experience questions whether I would do those things at this restaurant in the future. For starters, I'm told they've covered their panoramic windows to the street due to the growing homeless population. Yet Sylvester Turner is celebrating another term as Mayor in Houston, but I digress. Picture this, dark sheets of painting paper blocking any ambient light that would normally be coming through a mostly beautiful scenery from downtown Houston. It's Saturday night during the holidays and you think every restaurant is going to be very busy. You decide on a staple, Birraporetti's has never let us down in the past, let's go there! Now you're here wishing you weren't. Understaffed and you can tell. The waiters and waitresses doing the best they can but people around you haven't gotten their food and yours comes out first. No one has tableware. The waiter is off trying not to drown. The food is mostly okay but you can tell it's rushed. Bringing it up falls on deaf ears, they all just want the night to be over so they can go home. Sound magical? That's exactly the experience we had Saturday night after our evening to celebrate a graduation. After the experience we had at Birra's, We just wanted to go home. 3 Stars was generous. They need to right this ship quick!

Great place. Love the food here. Try the House Bianco Pizza with Hand Carved Ribeye and Italian Sausage! :-) The Key Lime pie is as good as the one from Dexter!

By far, my favorite Italian-American restaurant in Downtown with an Irish bar spirit. Great live music on occasion on the weekends, amazing staff from Jay to Felix to Ella to Eli to Andres to Robert are all nice and helpful and will make your evening terrific. As a business destination for clients, a romantic dinner after an Astros game/live Symphony show, or just a casual lunch special spot with your co-workers, this is the ONLY Italian restaurant you need to visit in Downtown Houston. Coming from a native New Yorker, Birraporetti's is up-to-par with the restaurants like Carmines, Antonios, and even the old Italian shops on Arthur Ave

I love the bruschetta. Great service. Very nice ambiance. Old school Italian joint.

The bar Is very cool you must have a drink if your downtown

Convenient to Wortham average food great waiter Earl.

Did not enjoy food. Was poorly presented and tasted equally as bad. Would not recommend. For the amount of money paid.

Cockroaches behind the kitchen grill, and in the office...reported by KPRC 2 February 22, 2020

Absolutely Delicious ! ! Great place to eat after a play at the Alley Theatre. Order the bruschette, you will love it. So, I would have more picture of my meal, but I couldn't wait to dive in and forgot to get them. We order the veggie pizza and add pepperoni . Enjoy! PS. if you are lucky, you will get to meet some of the talented actors and actresses