not long ago, I walked in there with the Mrs. Literally 2 people were there at 8 pm. They asked if I had a reservation. I said no. They had us sit and wait for 10 minutes. Finally sat us down. Waitress asks what we would like to drink. I ask for the wine list. Waitress says, "The Manager said if y'all wanna drink, we're gonna have to see some ID." I politely replied "If I order alcohol, I will be glad to show you my ID." Wife and I were so put-off, we just got up and left. So, to answer your question, no I've never eaten there.
i used to work on bee caves road, so i've been there a bunch of times for lunch, but never for dinner. i think the food is good, but overpriced for what you get. after trying a few things on the menu, i discovered the sea bass and get it almost every time i'm there now. i like the duck too, and the soups are always good starters. they serve this purple eggplant as a side to a lot of their entrees, which is good and something i dont see at many other places. i'm not much of a dessert person, but i do like their creme brulee. its a pretty nice place inside, and i think it would make a nice date place. i just think for that price range, there are lots of better options in town. and one thing you should probably be ready for is a long evening. the service is consistently s-l-o-w. i don't think i've ever made it in and out for lunch in an hour, and when we have groups of 5 or more, it usually approaches 2 hours.
I went once, and had a similar experience to what others are saying. It seemed like the management/owners might not have much experience running an (American?) "nice" restaurant. Good food, slow service, questionable pricing. But if your date wants to go, then go. You could do worse. It's not gonna break the bank, either.
I've only been once, and it was for lunch. I thought the food was very good (sea bass), and the service was fine. It was very crowded. So, based on my limited experience maybe they do better as a lunch spot?
Suck it. She's 2 years YOUNGER than me. That's right, a chick w/i 5 years of my age. I got screwed and am working the Mayweather/Hatton fight anyway, so she's going to have to settle for some "3:16" w/ no "Around Austin." Sucks for her. She owes me the "Around Austin" from my birthday, so it's in the bank. Either way, Bistro 88 isn't getting my business Sat.