San Carlo - Birmingham

If I could give zero today I would this place varies to friendly inviting with excellent food to judgy lady on the door allocating tables with pony tail today) intolerant with food served in bisto . I’ve been coming all my life and it’s so sad that the experience is so inconsistent I was annoyed today so didn’t wait to be seated largely because I saw the lady look us up and down before she greeted us this put me off and I’d rather have eaten at home than here with that attitude this is at least the third time out of maybe 100 that this particular place where I feel like if they don’t like the look of you on that day they make it known on other occasions they are fabulous I hate to say it but it’s often when a woman greets me that I feel judged the blokes are great the whole mood was ruined so we went to the list and found instead no issues sort your staff out San Carlo, they are the opening to your world and they’re let you down AGAIN.

Perfect food and service made it feel so authentically Italian. Only downside was that we were sat upstairs next to the kitchen entrance, and almost felt like we were in the way of the walkway for waiters to get through. Would definitely go back for an occasion meal as it felt so fancy!

This was the same night that we transferred over to the San Carlo restaurant after a bad experience at the sister restaurant next door at Fumo (see other review) We were greeted professionally and taken to a table, sat next to the kitchen. Unfortunately, this restaurant had the same view as Fumo of quantity versus customer experience. All the tables were so tightly positioned that even the staff couldn’t walk between them to serve the customers. The waiter who took our drinks order, was very friendly and provided good advice on wines . The waitress who took our food order was very friendly accommodating. We started the meal with calamari and bruschetta. Both were delicious. Unfortunately, the main courses ruined our entire experience. My husband ordered the surf and turf style lobster and steak combo what a treat for our special occasion. What a shame more like! The steak was overcooked for his request of medium and the lobster was cold. When we advised the waitress, she came and took the lobster off his plate, leaving him with the steak. Five minutes later, returned with the same piece of lobster that had she told us had “been put under the grill for five minutes” to heat it up. This meant that the lobster was completely dried out and inedible. I ordered the gnocchi with beef Ragu. Because the plates had not been warmed, my dish was cold around the outside and a warm in the middle. It also only contained 10 pieces of gnocchi, and that is it. We were asked if we wanted anything else to eat, but we declined as we had theatre tickets and were aware that all the staff were now talking about us. When presented with the bill, both of the dishes were on there, but they had taken off the service charge . I had advised that we should not be paying for the lobster and steak or the gnocchi, as neither dish had met expectation or was edible. The female supervisor got very defensive with me and basically told me, that I would be paying for it at which point, I asked to speak to the General Manager. He was more understanding and removed the 2 dishes from the bill. Unfortunately, we had a gift voucher so now we have a credit to reuse at another one of their chain restaurants. After trying 2 in one night , we are reluctant to try another one again.

We have been coming here for a few years for special occasions and a treat of a day out. Normally we go as a table of 4-8 but today was as a couple, the second day together without children in 2 years. From the moment of sitting down we felt ignored and once again in the dead zone in the restaurant roughly in the middle upstairs. It has happened before but not as bad as today. After waiting for a good 15/20 mins we were finally brought some water after asking. No one returned again for a long time, at least another 20-30 minutes to even take our orders until we called someone over. Other tables in after us were served before. The waitress didn’t really want to take our order as I expect she wasn’t working our area but she did otherwise I would have walked out. Service was very slow, staff looked lost and wondering around I expect due to poor training or no management. We have been to busier and bigger restaurants but it was a shambles today. We didn’t bother with deserts as we already spent 2 hours there. Food was good but service was exceptionally poor and not interested in us as a table.

Well we were a party of six sat at at table to only be in formed to my shock they had no rib eye steak no sirloin anf few other items come on san carlo top restaurant sat night and items missing of your menu .anyway starters come all good mains come i had cheese pasta with broccoli a d cheesy garlic bread all of us nearly finished and come to take the garlic bread away my friends wife had to tell them to put it back rush rush rush dont like that and to top it off 10 pounds service charge a couple and then it said wud u like to leave a tip errr no wont be going again