Verbena Food & Drink

Came here with a group of 6 for a birthday dinner and it beat all expectations. We all smiled at each other with every bite and were constantly passing plates so everyone could try what the other ordered. For appetizers - my boyfriend and I ordered the Pulpo Enamorado and Birria Dumplings. 1. I don't typically like Octopus because it can be chewy, but the chefs certainly know what they're doing here. The char on the octopus was a little bitter, but the combination of the green sauce and fresh salad made for an impactful bite. 2. I was curious to see how a Birria taco could be a dumpling and wow - so inventive and yummy! Would definitely recommend these two. 3. My friends ordered the Lil Gem Salad, Roasted Maple Carrots and the Burrata Macha. They said the "lil gem salad was a great portion," they "wish they had restaurants in PA that served the Burrata Macha."For entrees:1. I have a gluten allergy (typically have minor gastro reactions) but I ordered the crab pasta and was fine. I'm willing to bet that the pasta was handmade and that's why I didn't have a reaction after eating it. The sauce was creamy, the crab was abundant and juicy, and the pops of lemon really tied everything together. 2. My boyfriend ordered the Barbacoa (lamb shank) and it honestly didn't need the knife that was given to us. It was fall-off-the-bone tender and cooked to perfection. He even smiled after the first bite. 3. My friends ordered the Chile Relleno, Crab Pasta and Salmon. "The salmon was the best I've ever had" - they even spoke about it the following day at brunch because they enjoyed it so much. The pink sauce with the Chile Relleno was delicious and my friend who also ordered the crab pasta was appreciative of the amount of crab in the dish. Lastly, with it being a birthday celebration, our waiter brought complimentary ice cream for our birthday girl with a candle on the scoop. Really nice touch! Overall, Verbena went above and beyond for us and is a place I'll be recommending to all my local Austin friends and will be on the list of restaurants to take out-of-town visitors. Would give 10 stars if I could!

These plates were unbelievable. First off, the restaurant and kitchen are all open as one, so you can see and smell everything going on. Very intimate and open.The steak tartare was next level. It was served with pickled mustard seeds, "yolk puddin' shallot", cornichons, and capers with toasted 'easy tiger sourdough'. It was the best tartare I have ever had and I would go back in a heartbeat to have more of it. I do wish there was more bread, that ratio was a little off but it was so tasty you could just eat the tartare with a spoon.The next thing we ordered was the prosciutto flatbread. This stuck out to me immediately because the sauce was tzatziki! I thought it was bold so I had to try it. It also had confit tomatoes, toasted seeds, and chili aioli. I felt like it was a weird pairing but I ended up having a 'ratatouille-like' experience in my brain with each bite I took. Not to be poetic, but the flavors were seriously dancing around my tongue.

I came here on a winter Thursday morning with my office team for an offsite holiday breakfast. It was in the 30s outside and what I loved most about this entire experience were the subtle details that made this a really sweet place to visit. As soon as you walk in it was warm. Considering all the windows everywhere, it was very comfortable temp. The holiday decorations were beautiful and the aesthetic overall was warm and open. The table settings were lovely with marble table tops and lived in textiles for your lap napkins. The bathroom was also impressive with full length backlit mirrors, warm water at the faucet and free feminine products with full length doors for privacy at the stall. While I do want to give major props for the food and how gorgeous it presented, it was good but not great for me. I am a lox fan to the core baby! But my deconstructed version was too boogie for me. The flavor was there but I wasn't thrilled by how much effort I needed to create the perfect bite and it was definitely a lighter dish. I thought the churro pancakes looked gorgeous but were a little dense for me which made them feel dryer to me and there was a slight sourness from the pumpkin cinnamon roll that while it added some complexity, spoiled my expectations of a better than Cinnabon dupe I thought it was going to be. If I'm being honest, I'd come back and try a different time of day and menu because the ambiance and service were really great.

This is definitely one of the more underrated spots in Austin. It's hidden away on west 6th. While it's on the Main Street you wouldn't think to go here bc it's a restaurant instead of a club or lounge. The food here is fantastic and it's a bit swanky. Every dish we tried was delicious.

This place came recommended so my group of 4 decided to try it on a Friday night. Indoor seating wasn't available so we sat outside in the courtyard next to some cozy heating lamps. It must've been an off night as a server didn't come by for at least 20 mins, not even to bring any water.We ordered a few different dishes, but sadly they all missed the mark. The pulpo had a predominantly burnt flavor, though it was dressed up in a citrusy green sauce and flower petals for color. The aguachile was citrusy, but lacked any salt to counterbalance it. The carnitas were too salty to eat and the barbacoa had no flavor despite having consomme and a side sauce.The inside of the restaurant looked cute though and the only highlight here was their espresso martini.

The lavender drink was refreshing and delicious! Thanks to the our amazing bartender Olivia!

Came here a few times during our stay in Austin because of their food and service. Reggie and Joshua are super nice and friendly and gave us so many tips of what to order and where to go afterwards. It was really lovely to meet them. It is nice that they have different menus for different times. They have a brunch, happy hour, and dinner menu. We ate there all three times to try it out. Everything was delicious. And the ambiance was clean, cozy ,and relaxing

A review way overdue because I feel so many people need to know about this place.As we sat with drinks in our hands at a patio bar on West 6th Street, conversation on where to eat within walking distance fluttered in the air. My cousin visiting from Dallas happened upon this place in his search and next thing I know BAM - here I am sitting at fine dining at it's finest on West 6th.The place was swank, the waiter was excellent, the food...insert emoji of an Italian chef kissing their fingers - "Al bacio!"This place takes ingredients to the next level. Not only do they have quality ingredients for a base, but then added even more layers. There is definitely an art to take something simple that would be good on it's own and add ingredients and still hit that perfect umami without being too umami.

I love a good happy hour, and Verbena's was advertised at the entrance of the hotel. Since we were staying at the Canopy we decided to stop in one afternoon for a drink and some oysters. We were seated at the bar right away and the bartenders were great. We got a dirty martini for only $10 as well as a glass of house chardonnay for $7 - pretty great prices even for happy hour! They had some delicious sounding options for happy hour bites, including a burger with fries for only $12. We went with half a dozen oysters for $12 - they were delicious but a bit small - I'd definitely get a dozen next time. The bar is bright and airy with lots of large windows, and the seats at the bar were comfortable. We only stopped in once while staying at the hotel, but it's a great option for happy hour.

Attended an event at Verbena in the Canopy Hotel on W 6th Street. Nice venue. Cannot comment on the food/beverage at Verbena, we did not partake of the menu. The event was a wine/food pairing thing, and the little bits we tasted were good. The staff did a good job with service. Good vibe to the place. Good for a private event.