Arro

Amazing food. Everything was spot on. The wine was fabulous as well. Made a reservation via OpenTable and only had to wait a few minutes for our table to be ready. We sat at the high top near the bar and door. Clarey was our server and gave us a ton of information to make choices. We started with a cheese plate with Brie, Bleu, and Basque. We also started with Frites and Gnocchi. For main course two people had the Beef Bourg and I had the Mussels with more Frites. To end our meal we had the Cookie Sandwich and Pot de Crème. I am glad we got to try it before it closes. I wish I had made time to come sooner. Glad the owners are taking care of their people and finding them new positions at their other estiablishments.

STEAK TARTAR. Enough said. One of my favorite meals in Austin! Large wine list and the bartenders and sommelier know their stuff. Love sitting at the bar after work and sipping on a dry red wine while indulging on the tartar. One day I need to forgo the tartar and come in for brunch.

In my humble opinion the difference between comfort, and indulgence is merely a paycheck. I believe we have all looked across the landscape of friendly gatherings, and subconsciously thought the exact same thing. Whether we are sitting in our front room, beside a packed dance floor, of merely the table at a restaurant. The question that whispers, oh so gently, in our ear, «is this worth it?»
Is it worth listening to your two fat uncles debate the ill-​functioning government, being that you bought the fight on pay per view? Is it worth the nervous twitch your face is feeling, being that you just made a shady deal in the dance club restroom? Finally, is it worth the hit your gonna take in the pocketbook, being that everyone has told you the restaurant you are at, has amazing food?
My answer to my paycheck, whispering in my ear, about Arro? Eh, not so much.
The bartenders are incredibly slow. A half full bar, with two bartenders, should move a bit quicker. I know that they might be mixing drinks, as mixologists do. Yet, I order a two step drink. (i.e. Jack and coke, Jameson and ginger ale, Sweet tea and water) Those drinks should not take that long. Especially after the order is taken.
The appetizer? Hmmmm? The white bean dip is bland, and literally boring.
The burger was fair, at best. Cooked a perfect medium/​rare. Fantastic bun, but being that this is from the same owners as Easy Tiger. What else would you expect? The burger itself was… meh. It was nothing better than I can cook at home. The meat was a decent quality, but it was lazily seasoned. For $ 14-​$ 16, it should be better than a $ 9 burger I go get at Casino El Camino.
Service was commendable, though. That is the only thing saving this from a two-​star review. Our server was bubbly, polite, and quick in response. She was on point with water, and apologized for the long wait on drinks. I will say this. I wouldn’t turn down an impromptu meeting with friends there. Yet, I would be hard pressed to recommend this place. For what your bill is at the end of a meal, this should not be true. I should be at least raving.
You can’t win them all. Trust me, I’ve been ripped off in drug deals, and felt more satisfied than I did after leaving Arro.

Great choice by my date, to celebrate the holiday. they take reservations which is increasingly harder to find with nice restaurants these days. We sat in their atrium area that was heated.
Obviously we ordered a cheese board to start and that was amazing, the candied almonds and sweet apple butter that was paired with the cheeses was a perfect touch.
we were suggested the cauliflower appetizer by our waiter but i as not very satisfied with them and will not be ordering them again (a little to hard and spicy for me) i was hoping for something softer and sweeter but there was not much done with them. The chicken was suggested to my date which did not disappointing him (it does take a bit longer to cook so don’t order this if you are on a time crunch) i ordered the gnocchi which was amazing texture and taste but the veggies and sauce was very minimal and i definitely would have liked more.
the best thing of the night was the chocolate pomegranate moose dessert, i will be going back for this and the cheese alone!!!
great indoor and outdoor seating and kind and knowledgeable staff.

My friends and I came on a Saturday night to celebrate my friend’s 21^st. None of us had ever been but we decided on Arro, one of the reasons being that they take reservations, and we weren’t disappointed!
The manager served us and took everyone’s orders and since I was the only one in our party underage, he promised he’d whip up a great mocktail for me, haha. He ended up getting me a virgin Arro Mule, which I enjoyed since I like citrus-​y flavors! We ordered a cheese plate (the goat cheese with peach jam was a delicious combo), dark chocolate pot de crème, pear almond tart, and profiterole. My personal favorite was the tart, it wasn’t too sweet and the flavors went so well together. The profiterole reminded me of a cream puff with ice cream?
The service was really nice — the manager came by to check in on us often and people on staff also came by and wished my friend a happy birthday. The manager actually gave us a dessert on the house too! All of us enjoyed our experience and will come by again sometime!

Great place!
I tried this place for brunch and it did not disappoint. The menu is well thought out, the food is properly prepared and delicious, the wine selection is accommodating, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable of the restaurant’s offerings.
I’m excited to try this place for dinner. It’s a great find in Austin!

Just not sure what all the hype is /​was about. Arro is fine. But no more than that. We popped in for a late supper, gagging for proper French food (which is unsurprisingly difficult to find in Central Texas) and were surprised by the American menu (frogs legs do not a Bistro menu make.).
The bread and butter was glorious (but that’s from Easy Tiger so they can’t have the credit for it!)
The mains were less France and more comfort /​pub food. It wasn’t particularly bad. It just wasn’t remotely french. All a bit meh.
The service at the bar while we waited for our table was great — but that fell off completely when we got to our table. We’ll almost certainly pop in a gain to sit at the bar with wine and snacks. I can’t imagine choosing to come back for the food though.

Amazing brunch … The lobster and eggs were amazing and the outdoor seating with the weather the way it is lately is amazing. Highly recommended for Sunday brunch… Good drinks, good food, good ambiance!

Petit plates were Delish. Salad had perfect combination of flavor texture and color. Halibut is a flavor sensation with capers lemon and other spices. I prefer my fish less cooked and next time will order it medium — ESP halibut which is prone to getting dried out.
Best thing of all was the desert.

Very nice experience. They welcomed us with complimentary glasses of champagne and a side of frites. I ordered the oysters and the mule. Both were good. Only complaint is the happy hour menu doesn’t include the oysters

Delish bone marrow. I mean that. The bone marrow is the best I’ve had. I would go there just for it. Also, it’s a solid French restaurant option in Austin. Plus, the wine option are great.

Great wine, great service, awesome pâté, fab chicken and a wonderful vibe.
I’m not a fan of all their restaurants but they nailed this one!
We will be back!

My husband and I went to Arro with a couple of friends that we dine frequently with. Whenever we’re out, it’s always an «event» and we take our time with the dining experience.
It’s nice not to feel rushed at a place so that we can socialize and our waiter was understanding. He offered a lot of suggestions on appetizers, main courses, and drinks.
Atmosphere was intimate and all of the staff was super friendly and attentive. Even the valet attendant went out of the way for us!
I thought pricing was a little high for what we got. The menu options are really just a protein choice. Everything else is ala carte.
Poe chop was top notch!

My girlfriend and I ate at Arro for our anniversary a few months back. The atmosphere is great and the service is outstanding.
Please know that this is French style dining, so your experience will likely last well over an hour and a half. This will be the same for any tradition French restaurants. We knew this going in, so no problems here.
The food was good, but not amazing, which is what the price tag suggests. The best part of the meal was the lobster bisque. The presentation is phenomenal, and the taste is not far off. I highly recommend it. I got the duck for my entrée, and it was a very good meal. Definitely not the best duck I have ever had though, and I do not think it was worth the heavy bill at the end of the night.
Overall it was a good experience. I think if I am going to spend this much money on a night out moving forward, I will be doing it at a steakhouse.

It’s a tossup between Arro and Uchi for my favorite restaurant in Austin. I used to love Haddington’s, which was in the same location but closed a couple years ago. Arro has filled its shoes even better. It is totally reliable French cuisine. The wine, cheese and breads are spectacular (breads from Easy Tiger). The marrow in every form they’ve ever served it, is to die for. Entrees are solidly 4 stars, but the service and starters take it up a star. If you haven’t been, go now and you will not regret it. The menu is small and changes at least seasonally if not more. Rely on your server to pick you a great wine if you can’t decide. They take real pride in their knowledge and they’ve never disappointed.

Arro was absolutely amazing. I popped in for Valentines and it ran about $ 200 I think everything included (tax, tip, etc). I really don’t know what to say besides the drinks were on point and the food was spectacular. I had the lamb and duck and man… that dessert was killer! Do yourself a favor and give this place a shot. It will NOT disappoint!

We are big fans of Arro and the elm restaurant group. Arro offers a great selection of French classics at a reasonable price. Their wine selection is top notch and their staff is knowledgeable about their wine selection. They also have a solid craft cocktail selection.
We’ve been serval times for dinner and their food is always well executed. From their mussels to their steak frites everything is always on point. We have never been disappointed.
We also recently tried their brunch. To be honest, their brunch did not live up to their dinner menu but it was still great. Their mimosas are made with actual champagne which is a nice touch.
The vibe of the restaurant is also solid. It is the perfect amount of fancy yet not pretentious. They also have a nice covered semi-​outdoor area that is fun to sit in during brunch.

Oops! I don’t care-​o for Arro! What a HUGE disappointment. Had it «bookmarked to try» on Unilocal,so my husband, unbeknownst to me, stalked my Unilocal account to find a place to have dinner for our wedding anniversary (very inventive I must say). He looked for something French, as he knows how much I adore the cuisine, and find something on my «list» that was open on a Monday… which proved much more difficult than one would think. Hmm… so resos at Arro’s it was (there was another place we both really wanted to visit; however, sadly they were closed).
Free street parking on W 6^th was a breeze on a Monday. Bonus.
Walked into Arro and were greeted by a very friendly female staff member that guided us to our table. Arro’s décor is sleek, modern, pretty monochromatic, overall A-​OK. Nothing particularly romantic about the place, so I wouldn’t recommend it for date nights or special occasions… or for any other night really based on the following experience…
…our lackluster (i.e., no personality, slow moving) waiter arrived, provided menus, ask for drink order. About 10 minutes to receive a beer and simple cocktail and the place was pretty dead.
The overall menu is very limited. It’s my understanding that they change the items seasonally, which is usually great — but the choices on the evening we went didn’t scream true FRENCH cuisine — compared to any other French restaurant I’ve visited in the past or while dining in France. Just because a menu has frog legs on it, and what Arro calls a «Cassoulet» (weak attempt; failure) does not make it French.
Comp bread with extra creamy butter brought to table. The butter was probably the best thing we ate… that says a lot. =3.5 stars
App: Mussels and frites — bowl with mussels, large chunks of fingerlings, herbs… dish was delivered without the frites; manager walked separate bowl of frites to table about 5 minutes later. Positive — really plump, well-​cooked mussels; however, there were a few dead ones (not open) present — not a good thing. =3.5 stars; deduct 1 for not being delivered properly and the lack of attention to making sure all of the mussels were fresh. =2.5 stars
Sea Stew entrée — more plump mussels. Tons of cockles with meat cooked down smaller than pea sized, shrimp okay, dish was supposed to come with razor clams but only had ONE so I guess it was a chewy garnish. In my opinion, the dish had way too much overcooked pieces of fennel in it. Served with a long crustini covered with a heavy, greasy smear of… something…butter? =3 stars
Cassoulet — not very «stew» like at all as it should be. The duck confit was A-​OK, but the foie sausage tasted like cheap Braunschweiger we used to eat in Germany. How do you mess up foie? Seriously. Bad flavor and texture. Only 2 bites eaten, rest left rest on the plate. Waiter probably should have noticed this and inquired, but didn’t. =2.5 stars
Service: Again, not the best waiter. Waited over 15 minutes for a requested second cocktail to arrive. Manager stopped by the table a few times, which was nice attention, but sadly he didn’t seem to realize the dining experience and food was less than spectacular. =2 stars at best
Overall: Turned out to be a bit of a bust. Definitely nothing «special» about it. I can completely understand why Arro receives such mixed reviews. Would I come back for dinner? Absolutely not. Maybe [insert hesitation here] a nice place on W6th to go for happy hour and get a glass of wine and cheese board (mixed reviews on the lameness of those as well though).
TOTAL: 2.7 stars ~$ 140 for two with tip. Sorry, but meh…:’(

I came to Arro for my birthday dinner and had a wonderful experience. Our waiter was top-​notch on both table service and knowledge of the restaurant’s menu. I don’t know how he maintained such an effective presence at our table without hovering, but somehow he did it.
The assortment of bread from Easy Tiger was an excellent start to dinner. While it supposedly costs money for extra bread, no such charge was added when we were given a second helping. That apricot butter spread was quite delicious.
We ordered the Frog Legs as an appetizer, which was unfortunately somewhat underwhelming. There obviously isn’t much meat on a frog leg and the dish only included a pair. So while tasty, it didn’t seem to warrant the cost.
I had the Beef Bourguignon as my entreé and think it’s safe to say that I’ve never had such a large dish from a restaurant as nice as Arro. The sirloin steak was cooked to absolute perfection. The marble potatoes were delicious and proved to be quite an obstacle to overcome. If you don’t want to be completely stuffed then don’t get this dish (challenge accepted!).
Obviously since I was already stuffed, we ordered dessert anyways. If you order the Cookie Plate, then I recommend splitting it with your fellow diners since there’s quite a lot of cookie to be eaten! For what it’s worth, the chocolate chip cookie was my favorite.
My only complaint about my birthday dinner at Arro was our seating location. We were placed at the very corner of the restaurant bordered by W. 6^th St. and Neuces St. on either side. All the noise of the restaurant seems to focus down to this architectural vertex, which made conversation a little difficult.

Finally! A free night! I was determined to try this spot as so many had — they bragged — before me. Thankfully I have a great BF who knew that and planned ahead. We met a couple at Arro and sat down to the tail end of happy hour.
We started with breads and butters that were oh so smooth. The cheese plate was also delectable — featuring three cheese that I genuinely enjoyed. Afterward, I had the airplane chicken as an entreé. Bite by beautiful bite I enjoyed the sweet tomatoes, juicy chicken breast and the light potato purée under. Sounds boring right? I can assure you that was not the case.
Our service was impeccable — if a little TOO deferent — and they’ve done a beautiful job re-​imagining the space and opening up what felt like stuffy boys club.