Azzarelli's Hours: See Profile   12460 Memorial Dr Houston TX 77024 713.467.2219 You might also be interested in these:     Italian Food Restaurants    ZIP 77024 Profile Description: There are more than 200 Italian restaurants in Houston…but only one can say it was the first. Serving up traditional Italian, New American and Southwestern inspired menu items, made with the freshest ingredients and a passion for quality and great taste, Azzarelli’s is still wowing crowds just like it did in the old days. Come taste why Azzarelli’s was a favorite then and is a favorite now. We just know good food. It’s in our blood.   Add Review PROFILE     MY REVIEW: My wife and I went to Azzarelli's for dinner with two other couples and had a very mixed experience. The ambiance is what it is, not great and not bad. I had the special buffalo rib-eye with 6 sauces. I must say it was one of the best cuts of meats that I have ever had, easily on par with M*orton's or R*uth's Chris. My wife had the redfish and she said it was overdone. The appetizer's that we had were the mixed platter of mushrooms, scallops, and crab claws. They weren't anything special, but certainly weren't bad. The experience overall was pretty good until the bill came. 6 people and it was $300 + tip. I thought that, given the overall ambiance, location and the fact that it is a BYOB restuarant that that was very high. (only one appetizer, and 3 desserts). NAME: withag SUBMITTED: 6/17/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 6/13/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Went on a rec from a friend and the food was outstanding. Try the house salad, it's like nothing I've had before (skip the Cesar salad, it tasted not so great). Spectacular food, but it's BYOB and their prices are a bit high although the food is of good quality. Tasty, but pricey. NAME: DrgnLdy77 SUBMITTED: 11/4/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: We moved to the area last year and I've been whining since then about the lack of good restaurants in the area. However, everytime I do whine, my hubby reminds me how much I love Azzarelli's. I've enjoyed their pasta's, their steaks, and their chicken dishes. We've also tried their chef's tasting menu which was a wonderful option. Their specials are always wonderful, my husband now doesn't even look at a menu, just orders off their list of specials. They are also very accomodating. Recently went with my sister and they willing split a wonderful salad of beef steak tomatoes and crab and then also split our entree of their strip steak for us. NAME: memorialmom SUBMITTED: 9/28/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 09/07 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: Azzarelli's is a great local restaurant with first rate food. The atmosphere is warm and homey--it was our first visit and most of the people seemed to be known by the waitstaff and chef. We had two wonderful salads, one capriese and one special that were a great start. We shared the chef's choice for dinner which was plenty for the two of us. We finished with the special Italian wedding cake. It was great to be able to bring our own wine. We highly recommend it and plan to come again soon. NAME: J&E SUBMITTED: 6/10/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: june 2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: My wife and another couple visited here on Saturday night and were very pleased. After reading reviews regarding the Chef's Special Tasting plate I was reluctant to try it, though after reading the description I changed my mind. Three of the four of us had it and it was delicious. Portions were certainly smaller than an indivdual serving of each, though more than enough for a meal. It was preceded with a wedge salad with beef carpaccio with a roquefort dressing that was superb. The place is small, a little noisy because of a large group, though the waitstaff was very attentitive to us and we left completely satisfied. What makes it even better is you can bring your own wine and there is no corkage fee. We eat out at least twice a week and this is one place that is on our list to return to frequently. NAME: Michael SUBMITTED: 1/8/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: This is a very small comfortable Italian restaurant that we really enjoy, however we went there last week and I was very disappointed. I had ordered the Chef's special and it was to be Seafood Lasanga and a piece of Beef Tenderloin at the price of $ 30.00, however when I got the Lasanga which I am speeling wrong right now it was the size of a small cookie about 1 1/2 inches square and the filet maybe 2 inches square and neither were more then 3/4 of a inch thick. I would recommend this restaurant but not for their portion size on the Chef's plate for sure.. NAME: Jadaguy SUBMITTED: 10/30/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: oct2006 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: WOW!!! I've found my new favorite restaurant! I ordered a pasta dish, and my husband had a stuffed chicken dish - both were excellent! We enjoyed our own bottle of wine without paying a corkage fee and even ordered dessert and cappucino. We were stuffed by the time we left!! The food is excellent - the best Italian I've had in a a long time. Don't expect a romantic dinner here - the tables are very crowded and it's noisy, but the food far makes up for any downfalls. I was disappointed in the bread, but the olive oil for dipping was very tasty - packed with fresh herbs. Also, the capuccino was overpriced. You can also order wine from a neighboring wine bar and they will bring it over for you. A few minor complaints, but we will definitely be back again and again!!! NAME: BT SUBMITTED: 6/26/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: June 24, 2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: My first visit. My wife had been previously with some "Bunker Hill Ladies". Very packed and smells of garlic, just what we like. My wife had buffalo and I had seafood lasagna. Both were excellent. The Mushrooms Azzarelli were outstanding. I particularly like the no corkage fee and we can enjoy a good bottle of wine at a reasonable price. It's not cheap, but this meal with a similar wine would have cost twice as much at C*armelo's and not been nearly as good. Give it a try. NAME: Charles SUBMITTED: 4/24/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This was our first visit. Both entrees that we ordered were on the "specials" list. I ordered the buffalo tenderloin. It was excellent. My husband ordered the seafood lasagna. It was just OK... We were seated outside at a table with uncomfortable folding chairs. All of this would have been nothing to comment on until we got the bill. We had 2 salads, the 2 entrees and dessert. We took our own wine. The bill was $98!!!!! We have been to many excellent restaurants in town and paid less for a similiar meal that included wine and appetizers!! We were disgusted that they charged $30 for the "special lasagna"! We will never go back. NAME: Lee SUBMITTED: 4/15/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: April/ 2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This was our first visit to Azzarelli's after hearing many excellent reviews. The service and food were both excellent. Our server was very attentive and catered to the needs of our children. I was suprized at how one place could meet the needs of a "family night out" and "romantic evening" all in one. Price was very reasonable and portions were large. This will be the first of many visits. I highly recommend!!!! Forgot to mention a total of 8 of us went and each had different entrees that we ended up sharing, couldn't go wrong with any of them!!! NAME: Jeff in Spring SUBMITTED: 3/17/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 03/06 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This restaurant is walking distance from my condo, but I've never been there. I have a mixed review, but altogether not a bad one. We (a party of 8, including my nephews, aged 12 and 8) arrived at 7:30 on a Friday night. The restaurant was already 3/4 full. We were seated outside, which wasn't bad because it was a nice evening. It was good of them to set up a long table for us. Other plusses: no corkage fee, and we had brought three bottles of wine. The bread was excellent, as was their olive oil, garlic and pepper dipping sauce. Service was good, but it was slow. By that I mean, they got our orders right, and the appetizers came out when they should, but it took a while nearly 40 minutes to get our entrees. They did keep us well "breaded." We ordered two of the scallop appetizers. Good, but a little heavy. The entrees (my fiancee and I had chicken, my folks and sister had fish, the nephews had pasta, and my brother-in-law had the special, which was a rib eye. The portions are large, and the prices kinda match. I have a pet peeve about "specials." Why is it the special ALWAYS costs more than a regular entree? What is so special about that? That was a minus when the bill came. The salads were upper-moderate in price. One problem with being outdoors in a strip center is the lack of background noise absorption. The Memorial area is quiet, but we could hear our fellow diners conversations loud and clear, probably due to the brickwork. We will probably be back, but we'll go earlier, make reservations, and skip the appetzers. NAME: Bill in Memorial SUBMITTED: 11/14/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/2005 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: We love this place. The food is wonderful. It's a small restaurant, but very cozy. It's always crowded because everyone is finding out about their food and of course, it's BYOB (and no corking fee)! How inventive. If we could change one thing -- it would be their bread. For an Italian restaurant their bread is mediocre. They need to invest in some Artisan bread. Everything else about Azzarelli's is great. We'll be back!! NAME: The SUBMITTED: 10/5/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: Sept. 2004 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Azzarelli's is operated by Frank Triola, the grandson of Frank Azzarelli who opened Houston's first Italian restaurant almost 60 years ago. Azzarelli's has been doing catering for the last few years (Frank was the full-time chef of the Houston Rockets) and in August, opened his business for dinner. My husband and I went for "date night" and were delighted. The place is small (only 9 tables with 4 seats each), but the service was superb. Our waiter was very professional and attentive. The menu consists of both traditional italian fare, as well as some "heart healthy" alternatives. We went early and were seated immediately, but as word gets out about this place, I can see that a wait may be expected in the future. One of the best things about the restaurant is, it's BYOB, without a corking fee. As I said, the service is unparalleled, and our wine glasses were never empty. We started with an appetizer of stuffed mushrooms. They were very rich and melted in my mouth. We also ordered seafood kebabs on a bed of spinach, which weren't as good as the mushrooms, but still tasty, and a good choice if you are watching your weight. For our entrees, I had the special, lobster crepes in a rich, buttery wine sauce, while my husband ordered the Pasta "Southwest" (sauteed shrimp with cilantro, black beans, corn, jalapenos, roma tomatoes and linguine cooked in broth) - delicious and very tasty. It had a lot of flavor and a little bite without being too hot. The menu includes nutrition information for the health conscious. For desert, we chose a tiramisu and a chocolate mousse (cannoli, cheesecake, and berries with cream were also offered). The tiramisu was very yummy with a strong coffee flavor. Not overly sweet, just right. My husband liked the chocolate mousse very much, as well (so many places put something yucky in it, like brandy). Our bill was $51 before tip. We will definitely go back here, but probably order less food (we had quite a bit left over!) NAME: Melanie SUBMITTED: 9/19/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: september 04 FREQUENCY: Visited once ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY