San Carlo in Birmingham

Not a particular fan of UK Italian restaurant as my overall experience of them are not very positive. Did book a table on Sunday night as San Carlo is one of the Birmingham signature restaurants. Didn’t expect much but I do think they did a great job. Food was delicious overall and in generous portions which is a bonus. Calamari was good, freshly fried and still crispy with some squid flavour instead of a rubber in most Italian restaurants. My frutti de mare was good, loads of seafood, probably the pasta is overcooked a bit to my taste. But I like the subtle spicy that bring the dish better. Reasonable service, can see some wear and tear from the decor. Price is reasonable considering the portion is big. Not a exceptional food but definitely a nice one.

Booked for my wife’s 60th birthday last night…. everything was fantastic… wine choice is excellent, although slightly on the expensive side, having said that the wines were excellent quality… food excellent and staff were great… all 14 guests really enjoyed it… thank you

Just a fantastic experience..: thank you guys.:. Special celebration and you 1000% delivered. Thank you

I used to be a regular and not been for a couple of months but today the service was dire . Nobody seemed in charge at all . Lots of talking by the hatch though. The Food just ok but the veal needed tenderising as a bit tough . chips now nearly 6 quid a portion which must be the most expensive in Bham . But when asked for the desert menu they brought the bill instead ! i finally asked for a lemon ice sorbet but was given mango instead . The Expresso was stone cold too . Sad really and 15 pounds for a glass of house rose is a bit steep too . Very disappointing and the front of house lady was missing often and folks came in and left without being served to a table . Management needs to sharpen up fast as standards have radically dropped and prices gone up over 35 % percent since covid too .

Great food apart from the tomato bruschetta - no flavour and seemed if was rushed it lacked taste but everything else was delish. The waitress was quite passive aggressive and rude. I wish I didn’t pay the service charge. She was very intimidating. No people skills. Other staff were great.

The food was absolutely perfect and the service was spot on. Both had a lovely time and felt so welcome and warm. Will certainly be coming be coming back again to try more of your stunning menu

From the moment we arrived, the service was nothing short of disgraceful. We were not greeted or acknowledged in any meaningful way—no confirmation of our booking, no pleasantries—just hurried along to a dirty table with no care or consideration. The silverware was grubby, the seats were peeling and visibly worn, and there was a complete lack of basic hospitality. Throughout our 45-minute wait for what was described as “fresh pasta”, we were only approached once—and that was simply to ask if we wanted table water. There was no engagement, no attention to our table, and no effort to provide even a minimum standard of service. The maitre d’ in particular was dismissive, arrogant, and made us feel like an inconvenience rather than welcome guests. When the food finally arrived, the disappointment only deepened. Bland, poorly presented, and served in miserly portions, it fell miles short of both expectation and value. I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying authentic Italian cuisine many times, and this was a cheap, careless imitation at best. For the price charged, one expects far, far more in both quality and execution. Ironically, the only part of the experience that was prompt and “efficient” was when it came to asking for payment—an insult, frankly, after the appalling service and food we received. This meal was supposed to be a special occasion—an anniversary lunch following a particularly difficult period for my wife personally. Instead of the joyful and relaxing experience we had hoped for, it became a thoroughly upsetting and embarrassing ordeal, ruined entirely by the pig-ignorant attitude of your staff and the shockingly poor standard of both service and food. I sincerely hope you understand the gravity of this complaint. We left your restaurant feeling unwelcome, undervalued, and wholly dissatisfied. For an establishment that markets itself as a premium dining venue, this was an unforgivable failure on every level.

Have dined many times at San Carlo over the years living in Birmingham. Food is always good. Wine list caters to all budgets. And they have great seafood dishes. There are two levels to the restaurant and we were sat at a table tucked away which was great. Lots of mirrors with a ceiling full of artificial roses. It’s over the top but suits the venue and adds to the experience. Great wine. Lots of Italian choices. We had a couple bottles of the primitivo after a round of negronis (pleased an Italian place can make these well too) My starter was overdone under the grill. I’ve had the baked aubergine parmagiano many times and this unfortunately wasn’t their best. Monkfish tagliatelle and the shared dessert more than made up for it. The dessert was three mini portions per person and a limoncello shot for £9 each. Great value. Will look forward to my next visit.

Would highly recommend this San Carlo! Amazing Carbonara. Staff were lovely and attentive. Special thanks to the manager Nello who overheard there was a birthday and brought out a lovely dessert without us asking! Will definitely be coming again.

My first time going to San Carlo for food. Been to the Liverpool one for drinks which was lovely. Very cramped space upstairs with as many people shoved in. The roof needs repairs with some brown stains on it. I was actually really looking forward to the food but it disappointed. The focaccia is not focaccia. It’s thin crusty bread. The monkfish dish tasted like it had Heinz tomato soup with it. My friend also order a rum and pineapple (which she drinks regularly). She didn’t think there was any rum it it. A few of us on the table tried and agreed however when mentioned to staff they were adamant rum was added. No offer to make another drink. Really disappointed with my first time here as I had great expectations but I don’t think I’ll be back.

great evening great food lovely friendly service

Whenever we are in Birmingham San Carlo is a must to visit. Always a first class experience. Good food with plenty of choice. Service second to none. Value for money too.,

The best seafood 🦞 Always everything- food and service is spo good. I don't know what happened but last time there wasn't service at all. We were waiting so long for menus my friend was about to leave. After the side plate for seafood shells weren't changed at all so I needed to use my friends plate for that purpose. If we wouldn't be there many times before we wouldn't go back so hopefully it was just one time occasion- maybe people weren't trained enough.

Creo que este lugar se enorgullece de sus visitantes famosos con fotos adornadas en la pared. Interiores encantadores. Esperó 10 minutos antes de que le dieran un menú de bebidas y luego otros 15 para las bebidas. La comida principal era agradable pero no demasiado caliente. Había que pedir que se sustituyera una bebida. Intenté cobrar £ 25 cargo por servicio que pedimos que se quitara y también las dos botellas de agua cuando solo pidió una. Hicimos comentarios a la camarera que parecía agradable, pero el camarero caballero ni siquiera nos reconoció cuando nos fuimos como tomamos de los cargos de servicio. El lugar estaba ocupado, pero no hay excusa para el mal servicio que recomendaría que es una firma no espero mucho mejor servicio. Mucho mejor italianos en Birmingham no siguen el bombo.

The food was terrible. I’m not sure whether it’s because it was busy or not? The veal tasted off, the lobster was chewy and the steak tasted like it had been cooked on something soapy. None of the party finished their meal. The staff were lovely though and very attentive. My sis in law was still finishing her starter and about 3 different times alters came over to see if we were ready for the next course, felt a little rushed but I understand when there’s a full house. The atmosphere felt very cramped and loud. There were tables that were very loud which echoed around the room ( not the staffs fault though)

So the food the bruchetta was almost inedible the bread being hard as a rock. However the rigatoni alla norma was absolutely fabulous one of the best pasta dishes I have had in a long time and to follow the strawberry merguine cake which rains supreme over any cake I have ever had! It's a shame that before my dining experience i was kept waiting at the door for 15-20mins while the host was laughing on the phone, it really set the tone for service not being checked on during the the meals or having water poured, this however picked up after my main! Overall it is a nice reasturant with lovely food but the level of service i received was not worth the price especially when similar reasturant fumo is a short walk and offers a much higher quality and more attentive service!

Best customer service I have ever received, very high quality food and a great atmosphere. More than worth the price you pay

Always a lively and vibrant atmosphere, food amazing, warm welcome, friendly, helpful Staff, and a great evening. Highly recommend.

Birthday Celebrations ruined. Bad service, lukewarm and burnt food. Having booked way in advance poor table, 45 min wait for food order to be taken. Complained verbally and in writing to guest relations. A week later standard cut and paste reply. No concern that a special celebration had been ruined. Sadly after many years I will no longer patronise this venue.

Busy restaurant, nice atmosphere Attentive staff. The lemon sole was 10/10 Premium price but justified in my opinion.

La semana pasada estaba cenando Sancarlo Birmingham. Fue una experiencia excepcional, sencilla y sorprendente, que nunca olvidaré. Tengo que dar créditos especiales al joven escritor profesional Aldoss. Él hizo de nuestra noche una experiencia agradable y plena. Muy recomendable. Mi compañero y yo volveremos.

Went here for my birthday really enjoyed. Mario was really sweet. Drinks were nice and not that expensive. Must visit everyone!

I recently dined at San Carlo in Birmingham and had an overall wonderful experience with the food and ambiance. The dishes were absolutely delicious, with fresh ingredients and bold flavors that made every bite memorable. The staff, especially the servers, were attentive and friendly, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. However, I did encounter an issue with the manager, Nicola. Unfortunately, I found his behavior to be somewhat rude and unprofessional, which was disappointing given the otherwise positive experience. Despite this, the quality of the meal and the excellent service from the rest of the team made up for the awkward interaction. I hope that Nicola’s approach to customer service improves, as it would complement the fantastic experience the restaurant provides.

Poor service poor food quality of food was of poor quality and full of grease, the mozzarella has too much garlic and overpowered the taste of the cheese. When we complained we where treated poorly. Would not go again .

Great birthday party,staff professional, but any small requests that make the night perfect and special met. Good menu,all dishes excellent, service for a big party,on the table hot food. Not one dish missed. Hope we can get in there again. Superb! Excellent management. Never seen cleaner toilets!

Style over substance pasta chalky and slimy sauce tasted like it came from a jar and garlic bread should have seen the oven

Good waiters who attended to me and advised me of my gluten free options and lovely meal options. My penne pasta dish was absolutely perfect as was my pannacotta dessert. Service was great and a very classy restaurant"

All you need in a restaurant. The food was good, and the service was good 👍

As a staff member, this is one of my favourite food experiences at San Carlo. All of the food was extremely hot fresh and delicious. The seafood platter was so good and the pastas were presented perfectly and super fresh you can tell the food in this kitchen takes a lot of time and detail I loved it.

El personal era excelente, pero por desgracia la comida no lo era. El filete que comí fue el peor filete que he probado en un restaurante, demasiado cocido e insípido.

Excellent food. Most staff were excellent however, when I asked one of the male servers if something was gluten free his response was I don't think so rather than go and check. Other than that was a great meal.

Excellent food, bit on the pricey side but food was excellent 👌

Good food if a little pricey, good service at table but service from the kitchen was slow, we were sat at our table for nearly 3 hours.

Nos topamos con este restaurante por casualidad mientras caminábamos cerca, y su hermosa configuración inmediatamente llamó nuestra atención. Desde el momento en que entramos, quedamos impresionados por el ambiente elegante y acogedor. Comenzamos con calamares bien cocinados, un sarro de ternera perfectamente equilibrado y un carpaccio excepcional, cada plato con ingredientes de calidad y preparación experta. El pan de ajo también fue una deliciosa sorpresa, lleno de sabor y maravillosamente crujiente. Para nuestra red principal, disfrutamos de ravioles de setas caseros, ricos y sabrosos ravioles de langosta y Spaghetti Gamberoni picante. Todos los platos estaban bien ejecutados, pero mis favoritos eran el carpaccio y los ravioles de setas, que eran simplemente excepcionales. El servicio fue fantástico — cálido, atento y genuinamente hospitalario. El personal se aseguró de que teníamos todo lo necesario, mejorando nuestra experiencia gastronómica general. El restaurante en sí no solo es elegante y muy bien mantenido, sino también impecablemente limpio, lo que aumenta el placer de cenar allí. Una experiencia verdaderamente memorable, y que recomendaría encarecidamente!

Please read other reviews - they truly reflect the poor service, mediocre food quality and lack of atmosphere - I would certainly not recommend you part with your hard earned money to dine here! Very disappointing meal with friends! ☹️

This has got to be the worst San Carlo in the chain. We had a terrible evening here the service was awful. Two meals arrived 20 mins after the others, zero apology, our steaks were cold and over cooked. The wait time for food was unacceptable. The black manager guy was so unbelievably rude. The two forgotten meals should have been removed from the bill, they weren't and the best bit is they tried to charge us £78 for the service!! We love the San Carlo chain but unfortunately the Birmingham restaurant is one to avoid! Credit to the guest relations team for refunding the £78 service charge! This should never have been applied in the first place

The service was awful, they basically ignored us during our visit. Considering the restaurant was more or less empty, we expected more. Our wine and water was not poured, the dessert menus were 'plonked' on the table, and no one bothered to follow up and ask what we wanted etc. The only time we had their attention was when we asked for the bill. As for the food, the pasta dishes were so disappointing, luke warm and bland. There were no anchovies, capers, olives or fresh parsley as advertised in the ' spaghetti gamberoni piccanti'. The 'penne salmone' did not have any salmon or peas either. Nobody took the time to enquire how we were enjoying it, therefore depriving us of the opportunity to explain.

Amazing experience. The floor manager Michel was attentive and made sure everything was perfect. The primitivo wine is great and food is delicious.

Absolutely beautiful and amazing service. Worth every penny and will definitely be back soon !

Really good, the automatically applied 12.5% service charge was a bit steep.....

I've been eating here, on and off, for decades, during which many other restaurants, some superb, have ascended spectacular heights only to eventually fade and disappear. Yet, San Carlo Birmingham persists. This got me thinking. How? I believe the answer is consistency. Yes, there are alternatives, with hot chefs creating amazing dishes, but they soon burn out. Or, if they continue their prices, along with their available tables become inaccessible. Yet San Carlo is still here. Reasonably priced well prepared food in a great atmosphere, and usually a table can be found if you walk up. Clearly they have a loyal following, this place seems to thrive, not only in the busy hours, but also during the quiet times of late afternoon and early evening. Underpinning everything here is the first class service, delivered by a cohort of professional and friendly staff. 'I'll be back' and may the years smile with favour on this venerable eatery.

Food was really good but when you are used to better service, then this is not great.

Nice place, food was ok. Fries were hard as rock but the pizza is massive for one person, pasta portion is humongous...

Having not visited for a year. I took my fiancee. Excitedly to my favourite restaurant. Last time I was treated like a star. The staff were approachable, friendly and attentive. Continually checking that everything was ok. This time WAS HORRIBLE!! From the start we were treated appallingly. 6 different waiters. Throughout the horrific experience. Ordered oysters to start then fillet steak and lobster. Not once were we asked if we were ok or needed anything. We were completely ignored. The fillet steak was sliced in to thin stips and was salty. How could we know if it WAS a fillet steak. The 5th waitress was told about this and I asked if (Having been before and had an amazing time and was given a small taster of each desert on the menu) I could have this again. Another waitress came over and told us the service charge would be removed. Laughable since we received no service and was ignored by ALL the staff. We asked for the bill and not having reception the machine failed. At this point the staff became very aggressive and ordered the security guard not to let us leave. We were very intimidated. The staff were then talking about us in Italian. Which I understood fully. Don't BOTHER with this place. The staff are RUDE and the food is NOT WORTH the PRICE and was NOT a fillet steak which I paid for. As you can see from the pictures. The steak was sliced which I didn't ask for nor expected and was NOT explained or stipulated by the menu. So how do I trust or know that I was served and paid for a fillet steak??? I am disgusted by the whole establishment . We were made to pay for the meal into an employee's PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNT . NOT THE RESTAURANT ACCOUNT. IS THIS PROFESSIONAL? IS THAT ILLEGAL ? DEFINITELY immoral AND UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT??? The manager did NOT ONCE handle the situation OR SPEAK TO US ( the gentleman who wears the different trousers) he in fact was standing talking rude about my partner and I. On what we were wearing. Which I was actually wearing Chanel hat and coat. At this point I spoke out and to the shock horror of my disclosure that I could understand EVERYONE and what was being said. The staff disbursed and pretend to be busy. DISGUSTING. We should have been asked for our address and allowed to leave the restaurant. Not forced down stairs which had even worse signal and strong armed into paying into a personal employee bank account. Horrible from start to finish. AVOID AVOID AVOID.

An absolute disgrace - San Carlo should be thoroughly ashamed. Starters were just about acceptable. Mains were ridiculous. Barely warm pizza (basically cold) and just about warm ravioli dishes priced at almost £25 each! Yes, the duty manager was informed. I did not want another pizza (which had marinated uncooked whole olives from a jar one it - herbs included!). My daughters barely touched their raviolis. Service was so slow that it was almost non-existent. The audacity to try to add a 12.5% “service” charge was cheeky at best - yes it was removed. All in all. A waste of £75 - see receipt. I had a starter. Nothing else, yes - I left hungry. Simply incompetent staff from top to bottom. This is not what you would expect from this brand. Having travelled from London to visit my daughters - thanks for ruining a simple lunch. One star as Google does not allow zero/negative stars! UPDATE FOLLOWING CONTACT FROM RESTAURANT CHAIN: DO NOT BOTHER EMAILING THEM PER THEIR REQUEST! A WASTE OF TIME - THEY SIMPLY COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE (AND COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME!). RESPONSE FOLLOWING EMAIL PER THEIR REQUEST: Good morning Thank you for taking the time to contact us about your recent experience, we truly value the feedback of our guests. Having addressed your concerns with our management team they would like to extend their sincere apologies that your experience on this occasion fell so far below expectation. We understand not receiving our usual top-class service and food is very disappointing and as such our Senior Management team will be addressing the concerns you have raised with the front of house and kitchen teams. Once again, we are incredibly sorry you have had cause to complain and would like to apologise unreservedly that you have left feeling disappointed. Kindest regards, Guest Relations.

Very pleasant experience Nice atmosphere Good customer service

Rubbish service over rated and expensive. AVOID AVOID AVOID. 1 hour 20 for lasagne to arrive. Really…! The food was returned because it was cold.

As per usual, me and my friends had an amazing time at San Carlo. The food was incredible and we would just like to thank hector. He always goes above and beyond and we’re so grateful 🙏 🍝🥂

***Review 1*** So I'm giving San Carlo a 3 out of 5 rating, which I feel is very reasonable. Let's start with the positive! The food was actually DELICIOUS!!!! The steak and oysters were to die for! The reason I'm only giving 3 stars is for the service. Now, let me say that the staff were very apologetic but it still ruined the experience slightly. Our reservation was for 7.30pm, we arrived on time as we were already in the area. The table wasn't ready so we were asked to wait at the bar. At 8.05pm we were still waiting for our table. At around 8.15pm we were seated and our order was taken. At 8.45pm we still hadn't even had any drinks. I know this seems a little harsh, but 3 out of my 4 plates were cold/raw and didn't even require cooking. There was no option to remove the service which I didn't feel was deserved. Was the food worth it, ABSOLUTELY! ***Review 2*** After having a horrendous experience at The Oyster Club we decided to walk over the road to San Carlo. I have to say against all odds, we were able to be seated immediately. The food was served waaaaay quicker this time and the restaurant itself seem to be running a lot smoother!!! Again, the food was very nice quality. The Chablis wine is delicious!!!! They've definitely redeemed themselves, which has made me edit and improve my Review. Thank you for saving my birthday meal!!!!

Dreadful service. Long delay before food arrived. Was then served lukewarm lasagna. When I asked for this to be replaced they just reheated it, with parmesan melted on top. Waiter blamed cook without making any genuine apology for the restaurant. Likewise no apology from the cashier when I refused to pay a service charge. I returned to this restaurant after having very happy memories eating there about fifteen years ago. It is just a shadow of its former incarnation. Will never return.

Very bad experience and not helpful at all. I came from London last night to enjoy my new year in Birmingham and i made a reservation at 10:30 pm, but because i didnt make the reservetion on time they didnt try to be helpful. The restaurant was open and they choose not to serve just because i didnt come on time. So unhappy with the service and not helpful at all.

The service at San Carlos was very poor, we had to ask for food and drinks menus and call over waiters to order our food, drinks and our fries came as a side when we finished our meal completely. Food was delicious but based on the service our experience was let down overall.

Poor quality food. This place was going down hill before the pandemic. My visit was a new level of rubbish! X

They say that are fully booked-always a lay. Most of the dishes have 2 options ( small or large) - you are never ask which one would you prefer but you will always pay the most expensive option. You HAVE to pay for service. I have not been asked if I would like to. I will not go back in this restaurant. There are so many other options in Birmingham with the same type of cuisine. If you care about your money, this is not the place to go.

Excellent food! Couldn't fault the staff, but they do wedge those tables in! Be prepared to hear next doors conversation if it's busy!

Food was good for an Italian restaurant in UK. Wine could've been better if not served at probably 24 degrees. Very loud. But service... Bad. Had to ask at least three times for a glass of wine and even about four times for the bill. Expect to spend about £130 for a couple or more. Couple next table to us waited almost 45 minutes to get their food after ordering. Made me feel strange stuffing my face while they're where waiting with a glass of water

The buzz and service at San Carlo Bham is as good as it’s ever been. The staff are a credit to the Brand and we had another fab lunch - thanks to all the staff for looking afterwards so well - food and wine list just perfect - large table of 8 in the corner best table in the house!!

I took my family here for a pre-Christmas meal. I haven’t visited for over 10 years, so was excited given the restaurant ‘s reputation. Sadly, the food, the service and the atmosphere didn’t live up to expectations. We were stuck behind a pillar in the corner downstairs, so essentially there was no atmosphere and we were sitting on our own. The service wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t good - and nowhere near what I’d expect of top restaurant. And the food was ok - but again, not what I’d expect for the price or reputation. I won’t be returning.

All in all a fairly average experience - however hugely disappointed based on high expectations from reputation and price point. For starters, the service was quite lacking with inattentive staff, upon arrival there was no one to welcome us at what looked like a host stand so naturally we made our way downstairs to speak to a members of staff which is when we were told to go back to the entrance. After a further 5 minute wait we were finally seen to by a welcoming member of staff. This however was only the start of San Carlos issues. After being seated following this delay we were at our table for all of a minute before being asked to stand up and move again. This time our table was next to a particularly rowdy group of drunken individuals who made the atmosphere hellish. Following our table move it then took us another 10 minutes before receiving any form of service. Eventually after making eye contact with staff several times (and being blatantly ignored) we were able to order. The disappointment continues… When our food arrived both my sister-in-law and I felt thoroughly let down. Portions were a reasonable size however flavour was completely vacant in both the calamari (which was lukewarm at best) and the burrata. I think it says a lot that the bruschetta we ordered - that came slightly burnt - was the best part of our meal. To be clear, this experience did not live up to our expectations of San Carlo and we will definitely not be returning anytime soon.

Amazing food. Authentic, classic, dining experience

We booked for our sons 21st birthday as he wanted to try this restaurant. We arrived 10 minutes early and the place was buzzing, which was great as we were celebrating. We were asked to grab a drink whilst waiting for the table which set off alarm bells based on reviews I had read. The host then took us to a table downstairs saying they were opening the downstairs. Now this is a lovely place but we were the only ones there. Three other tables came in whilst we were dining but there was simply no atmosphere. The garlic bread we ordered to nibble on was delicious and the main courses and sides were very tasty (fillet steak and monkfish pasta) however again we were disappointed as we had initially ordered the chateaubriand and a chicken liver starter both of which we were later advised were no longer available. In summary, really tasty food just not our preferred options, and clearly the booking system is too tight to ensure tables are turned in time. It's not the cheapest place and so sadly I'd be reluctant to recommend as I wouldn't want to spoil someone else's celebration by risking similar issues occurring for them.

Brilliant food - which sadly is a lot lot more than could be said for the atmosphere - loud and rowdy, and not what you expect for the prices charged.

Lovely birthday meal celebration here, food was lovely a real special occasion place! Birthday singing was so nice, thank you! Food was good, service wonderful

We had booked for today's lunch giving us two hours until we had to leave for the theatre. The restaurant was very busy. We chose for the 'festive Christmas' set menu and both had the mushrooms as a starter. The mushrooms were served with toasted bread but were very cold. We informed staff who didn't seem that concerned about this. Service was so slow we had to leave for the theatre without our desserts. Our main meals were fine. We did ask if we could return later to have our desserts, and we could.

We have always had an excellent experience at this restaurant but, sadly, today this was not the case. The service was exceptionally slow and one or two of the courses were very mediocre. The restaurant was expensive ( to be expected) but for the prices paid one expects quality. Sadly not so. There were not enough staff for a very busy lunchtime. When you are charged over forty pounds/bottle of wine service has to be good. Sorry to say it but it was unsatisfactory.

The positive - pleasant staff Starters adequate but difficult to ruin burrata / pate The negative - fillet steak inordinately tough - three of us ordered and all disgracefully tough. I’m puzzled as to where you can buy meat of this poor quality or how any chef can ruin a fillet steak consistently. Pistachio tart poor quality pre-made dessert Not what you expect for a £40 steak and £90 per head meal I did eat here in 2022 and had a similar poor quality meal which I reviewed but they obviously do not read or action any of their feedback

First time going there with a lovely friend would go again..

Was very busy, so maybe the staff were too rushed. Food ok but not great. Beef tartare not much taste and sorry but I didn't like the pizza base at all was a bit like it was made from wholemeal or brown flour... as I said not bad just not to my taste. Eating lunch with 5 others, all the other dishes, fish, pasta, etc were fine. Personally it's not somewhere I would return to.

So disappointed with the whole experience! It was meant to be a special meal but just appalling from start to finish. We never got our drinks order after being there for an hour and had our food with only water. The meal was mediocre at best and did not resemble the lovely food that I had previously just a few weeks before. The service was terrible and extremely disorganised. I have never been to a restaurant where I didn't get my drinks order!

Terrible service, waited over an hour for drinks that never came without an apology and got the bill before the drinks came and we asked 4 times. Pizza was mushy and they tried to do a service charge but we asked to take it off. They sent over an unknowing member off staff who had just started his shift for bill.

The food as always was delicious most waiting staff were exceptional but unfortunately there is always a fly in the ointment- we were unlucky to receive bad service from one waiter - Firstly he threw the menus upside down & back to front Secondly he poured a glass of wine into my husbands glass when he wasn’t drinking - no apology just walked away. Thirdly he offered Parmesan cheese for our meals but chose not to return. On payment we did raise our complaints & we were offered to remove the service charge but that wasn’t fair on the rest of the amazing staff. Would we return - we won’t rush back as we enjoy not only delicious food but good customer service too.

Usually love visiting this Restaurant as the staff are attentive and food delicious (although overpriced) on this occasion it was obvious the restaurant was over-booked and not enough staff on duty. We waited over 5 mins just to be acknowledged and shown to our pre-booked table, service was very slow and the waitress was unfriendly and unwelcoming. The noise in the restaurant meant we could not hear ourselves speak and could not wait to get out of there.

Another great meal yesterday for my birthday before a shopping trip! Great service and food as ever. Only option for quality Italian food in Birmingham in my opinion.

Overated and overpriced, had the ragu which was a watery tomato sauce with a few little chunks of beef, pasta was meant to be al dente it was under cooked. Far, far better Italians out there for half the price and better quality food!

Good food to be UK, but standard quality in places like Spain or Portugal. Price is way over justified, and atmosphere is unpleasantly noisy. Will not come back.

Starter lovely. Ordered steak, sauce cold , plates cold, chips cold, returned to kitchen came back same , staff unhelpful and rude. Advised on exit its Saturday usually problems not what you expect, been saving to go there as a special treat. Would not recommend, will not be returning!! Spoilt our day out.

Excellent meal and service for my girlfriends birthday meal, staff were very friendly and extremely attentive

Beautiful Italian, off corporation street! Excellent service, lively vibrant atmosphere and the food was delicious! Great portions sizes too! Will definitely be coming back

Not so nice food. Mediocre service.

Fantastic venue for a family get together of 10. Couldn’t praise the staff highly enough.

Excellent place in city centre.

Pretty restaurant, feels very luxe but prices are decently affordable, recommend for a date during a nice day out in the city. Food was tasty and hot when served.

The food, wine and service were 10/10. My wife felt there wasn’t enough cocktail varieties but it’s not enough to knock a star down, they had an extensive wine menu in keeping with the Italian culture

Very dissapointed with the food and service. Arrived on time for an 20:30 dinner reservation for 6 people and was told to wait downstairs by the bar for our table. We weren't seated until after 2100 having stood in the busy, grotty area between the bar and the restaurant for over half an hour. Service at the table was very slow, so we ordered all of our food at the same time as our drinks. Starters were underwhelming- my beef tartar was quite flavourless. The one dish we did enjoy we asked to keep on the table to enjoy alongside our main but we had to explain this no less than 6 times to the waiting staff not to take it away. My partner's main course of lasagna was very poor and appeared to have not been warmed up from the freezer properly as it was cold in parts and tasteless throughout. Most dissapointing was the attitude of the staff who seemed to think they were doing us a favour by being there. We had intended to spend more time there but as the service was so poor and the waiters clearly wanted us to leave, we did so without another round of drinks, desserts or coffee. We have had much better experiences at other San Carlos, but I would never reccomend the birmingham branch to anyone.

It is perfect selection and I would like to thank Mario for his advice in the selection of the food

Vero ristorante italiano. I camerieri parlano tutti italiano e sono molto gentili e cordiali. Cibo fantastico per essere in Inghilterra e anche in Italia si posizionerebbe nella fascia di alta qualità.

Real Italian restaurant. The waiters all speak Italian and are very kind and friendly. Fantastic food for being in England and even in Italy it would be in the high quality range.

Excellent lunch menu, great ambience.

We booked a table at 2:30pm and were left waiting with our menus to order for about 30 minutes. Our first drinks then arrived with our starters, as two waitresses competed for space on our table. We then waited an hour for our mains to arrive. At this point, we were then left for nearly 2 hours with no one even coming to ask if our food was ok or clearing our plates. We had to go and find someone twice to even come over and acknowledge we were there! Very disappointing. The food was ok, not great. But such terrible service really ruined the experience for us. We were given a small discount off the bill but no apology, and eventually left at 6pm… what a farce. We won’t be back!

Went to San Carlo for my birthday meal and what a meal it was. The level of service and attention to detail was first rate and the food was heavenly. For a birthday treat it’s a shame a birthday comes once a year.

We were there for 4 hours because the service was so slow. I ordered the crab and lobster ravioli for £35 and there were four pieces if ravioli, smothered in a sauce that tasted and looked like Heinz baked beans or spagetti hoops; no herbs, no salt or pepper, no garlic, no flavour. The tables are extremely close together, I think they want to fit as many people in as possible. You're practically touching elbows with the next table. I would not recommend this restaurant.

The food was dry and no flavour on it the worst mix grill ever even the avocado salad was bad the avocado was black not green and I gave them the note about it and they didn't do anything.

We came here after a disappointing meal elsewhere, and were so glad we moved! Being a chain I wasn’t expecting too much, but the food and wine were lovely, the service was friendly, atmosphere buzzy and the restaurant lovely and clean. The restaurant was quite busy and sometimes it was hardy to grab a server, but this was not really an issue. We were a large table of 7 but they still managed to fit us in without a booking on Saturday lunch. Everyone enjoyed their meals, and desserts were very nice too.

Very enjoyable dinner at San Carlos. Food was great and the service excellent.

Went as part of a hospitality course. Though I wasn’t served any food, the staff were ultra polite and professional. The decor was one of a kind. Would most definitely go back for dinner.

Awful service last night. Awful food.. im going to stick to Fumo, atleast they care about their customers over there and take time out of their day to come over and see if your still breathing and okay. Im so disappointed in how bad the service was here, your literally dumped on the table and left for the rest of the night which is disgusting to me. Our waiter spoke to us once, half way through the service NO one had came to ask if everything was okay.. it indeed was not but i refuse to ask those who are providing a service.. to come over and speak to me.

Absolutely wonderful atmosphere and Service in the restaurant. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience in San Carlo in Birmingham. I had an issue with a food item; the matter was dealt with swiftly by staff. Highly recommend if you are looking for a high-quality 5 star dining experience. Highly recommend the Merlot complementary desert wine, it was absolutely beautiful!

Lovely restaurant, great service and good choice of italian dishes on menu.

we had pre booked our table of six for the afternoon- we arrived to a wonderful air conditioned room... which we appreciated as it was quite muggy outside The staff were curtious and helpful. And we were quickly seated at our table - drinks service was quick. The Menu offered a good selection. Again Service was good and polite. Food arrived quickly, hot and well presented. By the time we left it was very busy. Would definitely recommend

Booked into to San Carlo to take a friend for a birthday lunch on Saturday 14 September. Our table was booked for 12pm as we were going to the theatre afterwards. Having had a nightmare journey with cancelled and late trains, we were actually 10 minutes early when I had been stressing that we would late. We entered the restaurant and it was completely devoid of people/staff. I could hear knives and forks clattering downstairs so started to go down to see if there was someone to speak to. A man appeared who told us to come back at 12 as they were having a staff meal. Quite honestly if this is the level of customer care I will not be revisiting! We left and I called and cancelled the table. I run a business and I have people turn up early for appointments; I will always try to accommodate them. In fact I will always assume that people could turn up early so I would always aim to be ready. This restaurant took a booking for 12pm so it was very likely that people would arrive early. If you are not open until 12pm on the dot then don’t unlock the door! I have worked in hospitality too and find that a pleasant, “we are not quite ready to open yet but can we get you something from the bar whilst you wait?” Would be a better way to deal with this. I had been to this restaurant once before and found they were not very friendly then so this dreadful experience just served to confirm my thoughts about it!