Carmelo's Ristorante

Can't believe some of the negative reviews I read about Carmelo's. But then again, there are folks in the world who will never be pleased with much of anything. As for us? We've lived all over the world and have experienced fine-dining in such places as Paris, London, Rome and Tokyo. I say all that so you'll know we understand the difference between bad, mediocre, good and extraordinary. And Im telling you right now that our evening at Carmelo's was extraordinary. Forget the food for just a moment. The physical ambience was perfect. Limestone walls. Soft lighting. Low ceilings. Soft, accordian background music. All in all, a wonderful romantic atmosphere. From the time we entered the front door, the staff embraced us as though we were family. Friendly. Efficient. Attentive, but never over-bearing. Moreover, we were never rushed. Each item ordered was spaced out, giving our stomachs time to settle before the next course arrived. And now, the food. We're light eaters, so we didn't go big. We shared two anti-pastas, each had a salad, and then shared a fettucine carbonara, which was prepared tableside. Everything from the bread and olive oil, down to the last bite of carbonara was exceptional. I have nothing negative to say about Carmelo's. Great atmosphere. Great service. Great food. We'll go back, more

Would prefer to give it 0 zero starts. Right before my husband's birthday, I made the mistake of mentioning that I have never had a good meal at Carmelo's. So, when said birthday rolled around, of course this was his restaurant of choice. I tried to keep an open mind...all in vain. I like to say something good about every restaurant so here goes. The bread was fresh, served with olive oil and the tableside prep was fun to watch. That's it. My food was terrible. I had to make myself dinner when I got home. That bad terrible. But the worst sin of the restaurant was the wine list. We were very excited to see some interesting selections. We made our first selection and fnished our cocktail. Our waiter was soon back to tell us they were out of that wine. To make a long story short...after our FIFTH SELECTION was unavailable and we sent our food back because we still didn't have wine, the manager came over. The waiter didn't want to tell us yet another bottle was unavailable. The manager made up an excuse and said he would like to help us pick out a wine and and give us a discount. We told him what we like (Big CA Cabs).....and shows up with....an Israeli wine! My husband told him to open it before I could say a word and it was....a total disaster. I am convinced the manager picked that bottle because it was expensive and they couldn't move it...you know, Israel being renowned for their wines and all. Anyway, from now on, I pick the birthday restaurants for hubby, this was even worse than last year's disaster. Do yourself a favor and STAY AWAY. This beautiful building needs a decent restaurant. more

The food here was of very fine quality. Only downside was the waitress didn't warn me of no free soda refills. :( Not good for a soda addict. ... more

We decided to give the Sunday brunch a try since it was ideally located downtown and it was so worth it! The service was amazing (they pull your chair out for you!), the selection was delicious and plentiful! They offered: made to order omelettes, pasta, mushroom risotto, salad, french toast, fresh fruit, meatballs, crepes, breaded chicken & so much more! My omelette was made to order then delivered to my table so I wouldn't have to wait for it, our drinks were constantly refilled, empty plates promptly removed & they even came by and noticed that I was low on sugar packets and they refilled our sugar caddy! Every server in the restaurant was equally attending to every table so that no one ever felt neglected and yet we also never felt overwhelmed by their presence, it was the perfect balance. more

This was no ordinary Valentines dinner for me and my husband. We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Austin has hundreds of places to choose from and being new to the area we chose a place that sounded romantic and well known...and they had my favorite dessert, Creme Brulee, for dessert. Our dinner party included my parents and sisters, with their spouses, and the only person we know in Austin, our Realtor. We all agreed that the food was very good but the customer service left much to be desired. Our waiter never introduced himself or welcomed us to the restaurant. He never told us anything about the menu or asked us if we had any questions. He never smiled....not once. This was unacceptable. Fortunately, we had taken the time to review the menu provided online and knew what we wanted. The waitstaff brought us our food in a prompt manner. No one ever came back to ask us if we needed anything. We finished our appetizers and main course and when it came time to order dessert...I was ready. What ever his name is brought out a few samples of cakes....not what I wanted. I was ready for Creme Brulee. I asked him if it was available. He hemmed and muttered something and then said.....I'll have to go downstairs and get it....as if I had just asked him to drive to Houston and pick some up. I was flabbergasted. I didn't know what to say. Thank goodness my baby sister could see my confusion and asked him if that would be too much of a bother for him. I did get my Creme Brulee but the anticipation and excitement was overshadowed by the lack of kindness and courtesy. This was not an inexpensive place to dine. Because of this we expected the experience to be equally exceptional. I have had a better experience and customer service at Outback or Olive Garden. Needless to say...we won't be going back. Guess you don't always get what you pay for. Sorry this was such a lengthy comment. This was a momentous occasion for us. Thank heavens my dinner party guests made the occasion memorable. Thank god for family. Pros: Very good food Cons: Poor customer service more

In all my years, in many cities nationwide, nothing compares to the fabulous food and service of Carmelo's! We are in town for a symposium and it was convenient to the Hilton. Beef Stroganoff and Dover Sole were our entrees. The beef was cooked tableside and was melt in your mouth tender. My husband had the sole and did nothing more than rave about it throughtout dinner. We had dessert...the creme brulee...also fired tableside and a chocolate creme concoction that was to die for. Service...outstandingly attentive without being in our way. These guys know what a romantic dinner is all about...and we didn't go there for that. Absolutely outstanding all around. Pros: Ambience, Service, Food, Quality; Perfectly romantic...leave the kids at home. Cons: Its too far from home...I live in Dallas! more

My first expirence dinning at Carmelo's was PERFECT. It was mine and my husbands 7 yr wedding anniversery and we were looking forward to a quiet dinner alone, well when we first walked up to the place you notice it's kind of hidden, which I like. Once there we were promptly seated and a candle was lit as arrived to the table(very romantic). We were sat in the very back corner table. When I first walked in thats where I wanted to sit so the seating was perfect. The waiter was very nice and prompt they don't ask if you'd like water they just serve you some and as you drink they fill it up. When we put our order in they didn't have the dish that I wanted but they said they'd make it however. I had a grilled chicken w/alfredo and steemed broccli and my husband had the steak dinner. Both were Perfect! When he took our order we forgot to order salads so we told him when he passed by and we thought we'd have to wait a long time or it would come out close to when our dinner would come. Nope it was Immediately brought out. Everything was fresh and so delicious. When we finished our salads our table was cleaned and fixed again, not bothersomly. We tasted a few wines and picked out the best one we liked when the cup was empty they would Immediately pour some more the dinner was a little pricey but not expensive; Well worth the food and service. I would go back every day if I could. My husband and I plan to eat there once a month now. \r On our way home and when we got home thats all we kept talking about. It was PERFECT! Pros: Warm Welcoming; Privacy; Decor; Fast Service; Great employees Cons: NONE! more

I totally agree with review titled ""very impressive"". The lighting was perfect and romanic; the food was so good! and fast; the service was EXCELLENT and elegant; the bill was worth it. This is not for sneakers or jeans. nice casual attire. they had live music (on a monday! most places only do that on weekends) and the building is a historical site to which the owers kept natural. Yes, the price is more, but for 2 glasses of wine, an appetizer, a steak dinner and a seafood dinner both with 3 meats, and dessert, we paid $80. Guys: great place for a very special date! Pros: parking, food, atmosphere, service, everything Cons: nothing! more

Reading some of the reviews left me in shock. I have been to Carmelo's before on a surprise date, and I was amazed at everything in the resturaunt. When we pulled up the valet immediately took the vehicle and parked it, and with no reservations were seated as we walked in the door. We were immediately waited on and given a wine selection. The waiter brought the drinks we ordered, the bread, and the appetizer with no problem/ no wait. Our order was taken promptly. I also noticed that everytime they brought something to the table the wait staff would rearrange everything on the table back to its place, as well as dust the table of bread crumbs and so forth before giving you anything new you had ordered. I had ordered a seafood alfredo type of meal and my date ordered one of the steaks. Both meals were delicious. ( I had to taste my dates steak). Im glad i did it was the best steak I had ever tasted. It seemed to have melted in my mouth, so tender and mouth watering. My pasta was awesome as well. I recommend eating at Carmelos. We have already made plans to take another couple with us to dinner. I have to say it is a little pricey, but well worth the food and service. The setting and scenery made the night even more enjoyable. I cant wait to go back. Pros: Ambience, Parking, Service, Food Cons: NOTHING more

Definitely the most delicious meal we've had in Austin. A really great dining experience overall. Excellent food, service, and ambiance. Highly recommend the Esgarot! more

I went to Carmelo's Saturday night, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I loved the cozy, intimate atmosphere, and the service good. It felt very authentic; a musician played the accordian quietly in the corner, and the decor was beautiful. The food was excellent, and the prices were much more reasonable than I was expecting. Overall, I think it is a great place for a romantic dinner. Pros: Atmosphere, food, dessert more

We spent New Year's evening with a large group at Carmelo's.... Won't do it again! The service was horrible!! All of the orders came out at 4 different times, so everyone waited like 30 minutes before we could all eat together. Then when I finally got my dish, the shrimp was COLD- as if they microwaved it from a frozen state!!! Disgusting. When I finally received my main dish, my lamb chops were cooked well done - Ew. I felt like I was eating tires with seasoning on them. The food was very expensive and the quality was so much less than that of a Macaroni Grill. I did like the architecture of the place and the deco, but I would never recommend any of my friends to go there, and I won't be going there again, either! The dessert was good, but that might have been luck since it was the only one ordered (I have a sweet tooth!). How this place has such a high rating on City Search is beyond me... Pros: My wine wasn't flat Cons: Pretty much everything but dessert! more

waiter had no knowledge of wine. shrimp was half frozen on shrimp/crap pasta. steak diane tasted like a t.v. dinner. waiter was unattentive and had no concern about our experience. overpriced and overrated. my date enjoyed the chocolate covered strawberries, but was a little dissapointed when the valet couldn't even open her door in the 28 degree weather. never going back-- more

When I read the menu I thought this place was going to be great. I was so wrong. The food was terrible. I got the steak diane and it was reminiscent of Salisbury steak. Gross. They had tons of waiters on staff, but we barely got any attention. When I was asked how my dinner was I said I didn't like it and the waiter just walked away and that was that. So a $100 + dinner turned out to be a really expensive snack for my dog. The only good thing I can say about the place is that the bread and olive oil plate was good but really, how hard is it to mess that up?\r Pros: Bread and oilve oil plate Cons: Everything else more

We visited this restaurant this past weekend and decided it was not worth the money or the time. I ordered a salad and a side pasta dish for my meal and was very disappointed when my fruit and nut salad was delivered to me on a plate full of sloppy iceberg lettuce. Later, my side of pasta arrived with ham even though I specifically asked for no ham. The service was slow, and our wine came out after our meal so we sent it back. The only good thing I can say about this place is that the bread was decent and my water was filled in a timely manner. For a city like Austin with restaurants with reasonable prices and great services, I would definitely recommend going to any Italian restaurant EXCEPT this one. Pros: bread, timely filling on water Cons: slow service, not so fresh ingredients more

Before visiting this restaurant I reviewed Carmelo's ratings. I was undecided as to whether or not this was a place I wanted to visit. My date had been to Italy so I didnt want to be embarrassed by the food, if it wasnt up to his standards but at the same time I wanted him to enjoy the whole experience. To me this is a wonderful restaurant and just like any other there were things that couldve used improvements but overall I highly rate the settings, the food and especially the dessert. This is definitely a romantic place to dine. Please visit, BUT make it a special occassion it will be well worth it. Oh my date loved the whole date. Pros: Outdoor seating, Authentic Food, Valet Parking Cons: Price, Leaves falling outsid, Crowded inside more

I remember dining at Carmelo's about 4 years ago and thought that it was a pretty decent place...great even. Unfortunately, I was deeply disappointed when I went back lately. Their service has declined and worse yet, the food was mediocre at best. Pros: neat building Cons: food, service more

This was the perfect place to have a really nice lunch with my mom. We had great food and an AMAZING dessert. I would definatly recommend this resturante to any of my friends. Pros: Food, service, Location Cons: Price more

Carmelo's is the best italian restaurant in town. I am constantly recommending it to friends and out of towners looking for great italian food. more

Forget word of mouth here. We should've heeded the ""POOR"" reviews found here on ACS. BELIEVE EVERY ONE OF THEM! His plate: Room Temperature (re-heated?!). Her salmon:Overdone. Both plates:TASTELESS. Food Presentation:School-Cafeteria-Style. Service: Hurried & Mostly ABSENT. Table: Cluttered w/ salt and pepper ""shakers"" (we were forced to ask for crushed pepper) and a sugar-packet dispenser? What Ambiance? Dessert:Stale-(possibly from being on the cart ALL DAY?!). In the end, we simply wondered how this place stays in business. We're planning on writing the owner. No one should PAY TO SUFFER through an experience as abysmal as ours. Pros: Hope for Restructure. Cons: It's open. more