Best Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in East Austin

We were visiting Austin and we always like to try new places. The amazing thing is we were able to get a last-minute reservation unlike other venues. When we got there, it was very quaint, the waiter was excellent and the food stellar. Just realize this is an Italian restaurant, and the portions are probably small. We ordered two appetizers and quickly went to three. I think this is a hidden gem.

Really amazing experience! I especially loved the quality and freshness of the oysters. The red snapper ceviche was so fresh and just the perfect combination with citrus, orange and cilantro. The tilefish with garlic butter just melted in your mouth. Amazing! I even loved how they did the salads with very simple olive oil and lemon. Truly amazing foodie experience! Landry did an incredible job serving us! The service, food and dining experience was outstanding!

In my humble opinion, this is quite possibly the best restaurant in Austin right now. Definitely one of the best. The ambience is great, the architecture is nice, the lighting is flattering in case you're going for a date, and the food is out of this world. They are really well put together dishes that you're not gonna get somewhere else, and/or you won't get it that way somewhere else. And the bar is just as much a part of the restaurant as the kitchen is. If you love booze, definitely sit at the bar. The bartenders are so knowledgeable and you can tell they enjoy what they do and the vermouth menu is fantastic. It sounds cliche but it really is more than a restaurant it is an experience. My husband and I came here on a date, we both work outside and make very middle class wages, and so yes it is a bit expensive but you get what you pay for. I think if we were a little more well off though, these prices would seem really reasonable for the level of quality that you get. Definitely bring decently nice clothes as most of the clientele seems upscale. Do not sleep on this place! Go if you can!!!

My girlfriend and I made a last-minute decision to visit Perla's, and we're pleasantly satisfied with just about everything. We ordered 3 appetizers: Octopus, crab cake, and tuna tostada. All of them are excellent in different ways. Individually: - Crab : great brightness from the (celery?) And green apple salad to compliment the fresh brightness and creamy sweet aroma of the crunchy cake. By far my favorite. - Octopus: the sauce it's served over has a nice subtle dimension without overpowering the octopus. Nice smoky spicy profile. - The tuna tostada is what you expect from a Tuna Tostada. Nothing special, but you get exactly what you pay for. The tostada integrity and texture and crunch was phenomenal. The tuna itself was of fantastic quality and generous portion. Wouldve preferred some sort of spicy ponzu instead of the typical habanero aioli. Seems played out, but maybe that's just my preference. Then, we finished with the lobster bucatini. Now, this was value! Super rich and creamy and filling. The lobster was stupendous. Only gripe is there was one claw that I couldn't pry open. Sadly, that was tossed out. Dining room was clean and beautiful but quite tame. Service was fast and intelligent. We had dinner in about 60 minutes and left full and extremely satisfied. Overall. Dishes were pretty and tasty. Everything was great. Will visit again Didn't get my servers name, but that man was obviously a seasoned server as he read the room perfectly and approached exactly at the right time and for the right amount of engagement. 5/5

We had a great meal! Portions were big and well priced.