Trio

My husband and I love going out for happy hour and a good wine. We were thrilled when we moved here this year and discovered the best happy hour in town. Trio is fantastic, the room is beautiful and hip, the crowd was great, not to mention the food and wine which absolutely delicious. They have an extensive wine selection, and Mark the Sommelier new exactly what to pair with our delicious meal. My favorite appetizer is the Ceviche and my husband?s is the Pork Belly, we can?t get enough of it! so this weekend we will be back for more. My compliments to Todd the Executive Chef, as well as the entire staff, everyone was extremely professional and kind. Thank you for the wonderful experience!!!

Pros: Best Happy hour in town

Posted 12/18/09

Austin is steadily trending upward as a location for great eating experiences, and TRIO is at the top of the surge.

After several stellar happy hour visits, we finally managed to clear an evening for the full dinner version. The service struck the perfect mix of class, attentiveness and Texan friendliness. Sommelier Mark Sayre has already been mentioned in other reviews, and for good reason - his wine knowledge and selections are second to none in this city; and he carries his wisdom with childlike enthusiasm.

The "3 for $39" menu was a wonderful and affordable way to get acquainted with various aspects of Chef Todd's creations. Every plate over-delivered - but special shout-outs go to the butternut squash salad, porkbelly app, the mac and cheese, the herb-roasted cod and the Niman Ranch tenderloin. And my wife, who has an aversion to creme brulee, ate more than her share of their dark chocolate rendition. We will be back as soon as possible - and hopefully the weather will allow us to enjoy the beautiful outdoor patio next time.

Don't let the guests of the Four Seasons keep this place to themselves -- TRIO should be on every Austinite's short list of places to frequent for meaningful meals.

Pros: fabulous food, wine and service

Cons: now I crave those buttery, cheese-encrusted dinner rolls!

Posted 12/14/09

We really enjoyed sitting on the patio for this business lunch with colleagues. Trio has a terrific assortment of salads with lots of ingrediants - but other intersting lunch options are scallops or lobster grilled cheese! The ice is made from whatever drink you requested - ice tea cubes, which is a nice touch to the table. I will return soon - next time for dinner in the lovely dining room

Pros: Wonderful Service - NIce View of Lady Bird Lake

Posted 12/10/09

My wife and I drove from Houston to have our first wedding anniversary at Trio. It was a night I will never forget. Mark Sayre is an outstanding sommelier when it comes to service and knowledge of how to exceeds ones expectations. I relinquished all thoughts of trying to decide what to eat and drink and put my trust in his expertise. The entire staff blew us away as Mark made sure we would not be disappointed. My wife was moved to tears at one point in the night because of the special attention paid to our celebration.
When we began to eat our meal of several courses, we each would get something different and a specific wine that complemented the dish. I never new one could experience such and overwhelming enjoyment when consuming such simple yet exquisite creations. The wine Mark chose for us was paramount. His knowledge of wine and food and knowing which ones to pair for a perfect taste is remarkable. I have a new affinity for things of this nature now. I recommend Trio to anyone in the Austin area or in Houston or San Antonio. It is worth the drive. You will feel as if you got one over on them when you realize how reasonable the price is. It's a small price to pay for such a magnificent meal.

Pros: Service, food collaboration, ambiance & wine selection

Cons: None

Posted 12/03/09

Trio is such a great dining spot for Austin. My husband and I like to dine out, and have tried almost every restaurant in Austin. We continue to go back to Trio because the total experience is memorable every time. The food is such a wonderful combination of innovative and local. The ingredients are fresh, the best of the best, and expertly handled. The wine list- by the glass and by the bottle- is so complete. The span the globe and price, but everything is great. The sommelier, Mark Sayre, was named The best Sommelier in Texas, and he is such a nice guy. He makes the list and menu navigable for any amount of knowledge or experience. I have also found the wine prices to be surprisingly low- at or lower than any other restaurant in town. That is such a nice surprise in a swanky place like the Four Seasons.
Lunch and dinner are always winners, but now they have upped the stakes with a wonderful Happy Hour. Half price appetizers and wine! How can you beat that? Its a great indulgence without spending too much, and perfect for winding down after a day of working (or shopping).
My very favorite thing about Trio is to end the night on the adirondack chairs in the lawn, finishing up the second (third, fourth) bottle of wine. The staff is so accommodating, they will do everything they can to make your night perfect and most likely will remember to do the same thing next time you visit. Go- you won't regret it!

Pros: Wine, Food, Staff

Posted 12/03/09

there are many great places to eat and drink well in Austin but Trio is one of those rare experiences that transcends the local with world-class service, a menu that is sourced locally and inspired by local traditions and cuisine, and the best wine list in town. My fianc?e and I enjoy a number of our local wine destinations but to dine at Trio is our escape to New York, to San Francisco, to Paris, all the while with a view of Lady Bird Lake and locally sourced and inspired ingredients. Sommelier Mark Sayre's pricing ranks among the most competitive and user-friendly I've seen and chef Todd Duplechan always delivers something that surprises, entertains, and thrills us. The best-kept secret? Happy hour with free valet parking!

Pros: world-class service, great food, best wine list in town

Cons: I can't afford to stay overnight at the Four Seasons!

Posted 12/03/09

This is one of my favorite places for happy hour. They have a lively atmosphere with great food and affordable prices. The staff is always very accommodating, and it is a good place to people watch for the Who's Who of Austin.

Pros: Great happy hour prices

Posted 11/20/09

Sometimes when the usual or "same-o" just won't do, I head over to "TRIO" at the Four Seasons for a real "Fine Dining" experience. Starting with the look of the place, the atmosphere and the amazing menu- everything sets me up for a great evening. The friendly but never overbearing waitstaff make it easy and fun and the food offerings almost beg for an algorithm to make decisions. In fact, my only criticism would be that making decisions about what to order can be very difficult. Sometimes I just have three appetizers and come back a week later for my main course to simplify the process. The wine list is just right, with a wide and intriguing list of some old friends and new names that beg for an introduction. The somelier aka "wine steward" is very knowledgeable and a great communicator and his love for his work makes it a real delight to select a bottle or a "flight" from his list. The wine "flights" are a great opportunity to taste and compare different but related wine selections, usually three small glasses of a wines in a specific category. After you've done the flight, you can order a bottle of the wine you prefer or- take another "flight"
Everything they serve at TRIO is of truly exceptional quality and if you're not sure about something on the menu, the waiter or one of the managers will be quick to help.

So next time "same-o" just won't cut it, cut out to "TRIO"

Pros: Ambience, cuisine, wine list, Service

Posted 10/23/08

If you are thinking about getting away, Trio is a great place to enjoy your evening. The food and service was remarkable!

Posted 10/10/08

We were greeted by some of the friendliest host/hostesses of any place I've ever been. That was the beginning of a very good experience. The atmosphere was divine. The view of the bats- what can I say!!!! Friendly service from all that we came in contact with. The desserts are to die for!!!! Very professional from the second we walked in, to the last minute that we walked out. IF you've never been to the TRIO then you are missing out on one good time!!!!

Pros: Service is beyond any thing I've experienced. The view you gotta see!!!!

Cons: none!!!

Posted 10/07/08

TRIO is definitely on my list of favorites. I've been there 3 or 4 times and each visit I've thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, food and the wine. Ah - the wine. They have a very extensive, well priced wine list and their sommelier, Mark, is fantastic. Really personable and obviously enjoys his craft. On to the food....my two favorite appetizers are the crab fondue and the kampachii with watermelon and pepper frozen yogurt - amazing. For entrees, I'd have to say it's always a toss up between the dover sole, the bone-in tenderloin or the halibut. Their desserts have changed a bit since the first time I went and it's always a tough choice. If you like chocolate (who doesn't?) trust me, you won't be disappointed.

So...if you're looking for a relaxing meal mid-week or dinner with a group of friends - I highly recommend TRIO.

Posted 09/19/08

Alright, so this is NOT just a special occasion restaurant, this is an at least once a week destination for me now.
I went to the wine bar and then got a table for dinner with a couple of my girlfriends. TRIO's award-winning Sommelier, Mark, was able to find me a perfect glass of Pinot Noir to start my evening, even though I knew nothing about wine. (But I definitely learned a lot from chatting with him before my meal and left with some knowledge about the wine that I like.) They have over 60 wines by the glass!! I think the wine bar is a great spot for happy hour, and far less noisy than the lobby lounge upstairs, so it served as a perfect location for chatting with the girls.

Ok, on to dinner. We selected a lake-view table on the terrace to get a view of the bats around dusk and were greeted by what was to become the most charming waiter I've met in Austin, Bill. Their are some low couches on the terrace as well that we saw other groups having cocktails at (kinda made me wish we'd started there, but then we might have missed the Sommelier).
As a group, we decided not to get appetizers because we thought we wouldn't be hungry enough, but our thoughtful waiter took care of us and sent out a couple of appetizers, "Compliments of the Chef" and they were to die for. We received some Cheve Ravioli (butternut squash and goat cheese topped with chantrel mushrooms and giner sugar) Oh my gosh, what heaven, and also an order of Kampachi with compressed watermelon and pepper frozen yogurt! Wow!!! (I'm salivating this very moment). And the apps were FREE!!

I ordered the Dover Sole for dinner, and I love sole, and this one was OUT OF THIS WORLD good. My friends both had prime steaks and said they were amazing. Side dishes are shared and we ordered TRUFFLE ROSEMARY FRIES, Squash Papperdelle with some amazing lemon juice sauce, and a Sweet corn brulee. Wow, Sinful.!
Skipped the dessert, and went straight for the dessert wine trio taste! A steal only $10

Pros: awesome wine bar, charming service, mouth-watering food

Cons: None

Posted 09/17/08

We went with great expectations, and left very disappointed. We made reservations for 18 people for a birthday gathering, and were provided with ONE waiter. We are a young group that enjoy a cocktail hour prior to dinner. The poor waiter could not keep up with the drink orders, much less the appetizers we ordered at the same time. After complaining twice to a host, we were told that they would get us a different waiter. We explained that the waiter was fine, he just needed help. As for the dinner, my hiusband and I both had steaks - mine medium rare, my husband's rare. Needless to say they were both overcooked and flavorless. The sides were fine, but nothing to write home about. And the final ticket came to $300.00 per couple.

Posted 07/19/08

I took my husband there for his birthday, and I was disappointed to say the least. We started off with the hamachi sashimi (which had a VERY strange, rubbery texture) and the shrimp trio (the ceviche was great, but the other two items were underwhelming). I had the Kansas City Strip, which was pretty good, and my husband had the monkfish wrapped in pancetta. I honestly don't know how he finished it. It was overcooked and stringy. The sides dishes were good. The best part of the meal was dessert. We had the pear trio, and it was superb. All of the ice cream is made in house, and it's unreal. Wine list is extensive, but there's a 3x markup.

Pros: Ambiance, service, great basics

Cons: More creative food really suffers

Posted 01/29/08

I just got back from Austin and had been looking forward to eating here for brunch. Citysearch implied that it's a reasonably priced meal. $48 for a buffet brunch (which included crab legas and champagne) isn't a reasonable price to me in comparison to other places in Austin. Not sure if there's a cap on the champagne or the crab legs for that matter. If you want a good priced buffet brunch, Moonshine is only a few blocks away. The food was delicious and it was only 1/3 the price.

Pros: They seemed to offer high end food

Cons: Citysearch should be more accurate in describing pricing

Posted 09/19/06

This elegant restaurant also offers outdoor dining. The patio faces the lake, so you can watch the eerie but beautiful bats! There were people having a picnic on the lawn as well when we were there. Cool experience, beautiful sunset.

Pros: view, valet parking, celebrity sightings

Cons: quiet, not really the "in" scene (unless you're a Wilson)

Posted 07/17/06

I highly recommend this cafe. It makes for a great date location for a special evening or celebration. The atmosphere is very pleasent and lovely. All of the staff is very attenive to your needs. I especially enjoyed the veel which I don't get to eat very often. The dinner portions are somewhat small but every bite is worth its price. Try the souffle. It is divine. Ladies...get your man to take you hear at least once if you are an austinite...its simply wrong to not go to Austin's number one rated restaurant.

Pros: Delicious Food, Nice Atmosphere, Good Service

Cons: Somewhat expensive, Small portions

Posted 12/21/03

I really enjoyed eating lunch here. Service was superb; wait staff did everything right. Although it was bit pricy, food was pretty good. And I really loved the atmosphere. It had a great view of the lake.

Pros: Service, Atmosphere

Posted 03/24/03