San Carlo in Manchester

We had a lovely meal at San Carlo. Service was great and the food was lovely. Restaurant itself was very nice and there was a lovely atmosphere about the place. Will definitely return the next time we visit Manchester!

Went with 14 people for work Xmas meal. All was good except we noticed the kitchen staff start preparing someone’s expensive steak on a small table outside kitchen next to where I was seated. Next thing a member of staff pointed out they had spilt a large amount of meat grease on my coat which was next to me on my seat. My coat was an expensive coat, fully waterproof coated and fully labelled stating must not dry clean. I used products known to remove grease stains on the affected areas twice and although lifted a fair bit, it wouldn’t remove it completely. Their guest relations kept replying stating would cover dry cleaning costs even though I sent them all details and photos of the coat, the labels and the stains. After 2-3 months and as many emails still only offering to cover dry cleaning, they have since completely ignored and won’t respond to my emails. All of which have been polite. I’m now left with what was an immaculate expensive coat that has stains. It is now 5 months since it happened and will now be seeking legal advice.

Still one of our favourite restaurants in Manchester great family tradition and still keeps Italy alive in Manchester

I was having only good opinion about San Carlo in Liverpool, but after today’s experience in Manchester i will never come back. My partner despite confirming 4 times with waiters she’s intolerant to gluten, and dairy received… regular pasta- instead of gluten free. After 15 minutes she was already in pain in their toilet, for next couple of days her life will be a painful struggle. They’re lucky it wasn’t allergy, and reaction wasn’t fatal. In 2025 with such a knowledge around intolerance to make a mistake like this, is simply unacceptable.

The food is always gorgeous, and the service is amazing. A huge thank you to Mariella who always makes our visits so special❤️

PART 2 (carrying on from Sam Tomlin's review) ✨chicken allergy ✨ On our way out, we spoke to the hostess, who was at first confused as to why we hadn't ordered, and then seemed shocked when I explained what Salvador had said. She said that "I don't understand why they can't cook it separately, in the same way they would something else" and she was rather apologetic. We then were introduced to the General Manager, who I thought was Salvador. He apologised, but seemed equally adamant that chicken was in the pasta water. We do understand his position as he had only just been made aware of the situation and the particulars of the allergy. However at this point the trust in the kitchens ability to cook anything was irretrievable. Further, he was still unable to explain why there was chicken in the pasta water. We were offered complimentary drinks and snacks, but had plans later that evening & didn't want to stay any longer. This palava had taken close to an hour and we were now left trying to find a place that had availability on a busy Saturday night and that would be able to cater to my allergies, which from our experience we know is difficult. It then took 8 different restaurants before we found another restaurant that could cater for my allergy and had a table. We still don’t know why there is chicken in the water at San Carlo’s Manchester. Nor why their chef's cant cook pasta in a pan with boiling water. But this is not for us to judge. Why we weren’t told this over the phone, however, we can judge. While this is obviously a unique circumstance, it does call into question the cleanliness of the establishment in the kitchen. Do they not wash the dishes? Is raw chicken on every conceivable work surface? Do the chef's know anything about food hygiene? The doubts continue. For such a fine dining establishment, one would think they would care about the hygiene & the customer experience. Thank you for reading about our experience, after talking about this with our friends and family, we have heard of another San Carlo restaurant that also was unable to competently deal with an allergy. It goes without saying we won’t consider eating here again and encourage other people with allergens, dietary requirements and preferences to save themselves the bother. Thoughts for improvement, (we want to improve the industry, not just state issues) so here’s some things to improve. Communication - restaurants should take longer to discuss the particulars of any allergen over the phone. Menu restriction can mean many things, from the obvious (no chicken dishes for me) to the down right ludicrous ie over half the menu. General allergen awareness- The customer knows their allergy the best. Listen to what they are saying and try to make it as easy for them as possible. I don't expect to be pampered, but it would help if the manager listened and tried to make alterations. A note on this restaurant in particular: there were many empty tables, but we were instead crammed in on a back wall between two other tables. Knowing that other customers can hear and are listening intently, makes the whole debacle much more embarrassing and awkward

PART 1/2 My Girlfriend and I visited this restaurant for my 22nd Birthday on 15th March, and she had booked it as a nice surprise, a week ahead. I have a very serious allergy so understand that it may not be a completely smooth process. I am in fact allergic to poultry (chicken, turkey, duck etc.), and am 1 of 3 in the country for the allergy. I'm also allergic to Crustaceans. Due to this my girlfriend called the restaurant before booking and spoke to a waitress, then a manager & then a chef, who said that they would be able to cater for my allergy, and that although there would be some restrictions, they would be able to find ways to cook what I wanted. With that, she was satisfied and booked. We got to the restaurant at 4.30pm, so that it wasn't too busy and that it would be easier for them to cater for it. Upon sitting down, the waitress asked about allergies & my girlfriend explained the situation. She got the manager to come over and speak to us, and to take our order. (The waitress by the way handled this faultlessly, we were very pleased.) Salvador, the manager, requested that I write down my allergy on his pad, so that he can discuss with the chef. So far, so good. After about 5-10 mins, he came back and said “the chicken is just an intolerance, correct sir?” Which at this point was ridiculous as we had called and spoken with Salvador on the phone, and explained the seriousness of the allergy in person, (showing the Epi pen). At this point, I was beginning to lose faith in the quality of the service. After another wait, he came back and told me that due to cross contamination there were some dishes that I wouldn't be able to eat. He then went on to say that out of the 4 sections of the menu, I wouldn't be able to eat 2 of them: any of the pastas or steaks/meats. Due to my Crustacean allergy, the only fish dishes available were the whole seabass, the whole monkfish, or the whole Dover sole. He gave us time to think and went away. I have eaten in many Italian restaurants before and they have always been very accommodating and safe, so I was shocked that I couldn't eat any of the pasta dishes. We were confused and asked him to explain when he came back. He said that the pasta water had lots of cross contamination with the chicken and that "there is chicken in the pasta water". I was very confused and quite miffed. It is worth saying that the only fish available were the 3 most expensive & that pizza is pizza, and is fairly the same everywhere, which is why I really wanted to try some of the pasta. When he came back the next time, I asked how the fish would be cooked, and he said that it would be done in a section away from all chicken, and done in a new, separate pan. I asked why the same couldn't be done with the pasta and he repeated the same line "there is chicken in the water, we can't risk it". By this point, it was becoming rather embarrassing and the tables around us were looking over. I still don't understand why there is chicken in the pasta water, or what that means for people who want their meals to be vegetarian. Unfortunately, my allergy is also a severe thing, so when the manager didn't seem able to properly explain, I didn't feel comfortable staying and eating at this restaurant, which was a great shame after the amount of time & effort we had gone to booking & calling. By the time we got up to leave, the table next to us had ordered, eaten starters & mains & asked for the bill, and it was 5.30pm.

Fantastic from start to finish. The food and service top notch. Justino looked after us as though we were movie stars. Not even that expensive considering the experience you get.

Very nice place and the servers were brilliant in an event that I attended there. Steak was amazing!

ZICO was a very wonderful server, he made sure we all understood the menu and didn’t rush us with our food. Had a very nice time such a nice environment

Amazing food and zico our server was attentive and friendly

One of the best in Manchester 👍🏼

Great restaurant. Had a great time with my friends.

Amazing food, the Lasagne was fresh & all around amazing, 5stars.

Amazing restaurant and great customer service definitely coming back with the whole family next time

Quality customer service and very decent prices I would recommend it.

The best food on Manchester, good vide and nice employee ❤️❤️❤️

High quality italian food Great service

Just simply amazing food and a great experience! Worth a visit. Great value for money and the service is exceptional.

Awful experience. Would not recommend or visit again. We were seated in an awkward place. No care or attention for young children. We waiting over an hour for food after asking several staff for an update. No apologies or understanding from the staff.

Absolutely fantastic!!! What a place! Food was out of this world and the staff were amazing. We’ll be back!

beautiful food,amazing atmosphere 5 star

Lovely food and they make a big fuss of you and yep we saw all the footballers. Just glad it wasn't my money. Nothing justifies paying this.

Really poor service. Very clique. Avoid unless you’re a footballer or otherwise in cahoots with these clowns

We've been meaning to go to San Carlo Manchester for ages, as we love the San Carlo bar in Selfridges at the Trafford Centre. We finally went last night for dinner. We absolutely loved it! It will definitely not be our last visit. The staff were attentive without being intrusive, the atmosphere was vibrant and the food was absolutely delicious. Cannot recommend enough.

San Carlos is always a go to restaurant for us when we are in Manchester. Meet and greet, decor, atmosphere, food and wine are always superb. Would definitely recommend to anyone they are well worth the visit. 👍🏼

Felt ripped off. £5.00+ for water ( no mention of availability of tap water so assumed like a lot of restaurants the 'bottled water' was from the tap) that was the first mistake made. Charged twice for an appetiser when we only wanted extra bread to finish the dips. We were told it was only served with the dips! That was the second mistake. We were pestered to accept our main courses earlier than we wanted them. My main course was a completely different pizza to the one I ordered. By this stage we gave up and just took it as fait accompli. Conveniently, no one came to the table to ask if everything was okay. By this stage we just wanted to pay and leave. This was when we discovered the 'additional' charges. We had encountered 9 staff in our hour in the restaurant, maybe this explains the reason for such high kprices! Sad, because we've always had a great experiences at San Carlo, but we would definitely be hesitant to return. We have given feedback as requested, but received a 'standard' response. We would expect better from such a reputable restaurant.

Great atmosphere, attentive staff but my Lasagna was cold in the middle which was disappointing

Well worth the trip from Birmingham, the food and service was excellent 👌

Disappointingly poor. Food was just awfully bland.

Tasteless food for a massive price. The bread was burnt and chewy, the Ragu pasta dish had ONE piece of tiny meat in it. The Coke bottle was 200ml and over £4! The staff look stressed and are running around making the whole vibe unrelaxing. The tables are so close together and you can’t hear anybody over the noise of the restaurant. A waitress rudely took our plates by reaching over us without saying anything or checking we’d finished! Overall would not recommend this place, very overpriced and over hyped!

I booked a trip to Manchester and wanted to treat myself to a nice lunch out and when I saw there was a San Carlo in Manchester I instantly booked a table for myself and it did not disappoint. It's such a beautiful restaurant, the staff are all extremely friendly, they didn't rush me at all, I have a lot of food allergies & it was no issue for them something I always appreciate and if I had been in Manchester longer I 100% would of come back. I have now dined at Signor Sassi, San Carlo in Liverpool, San Carlo in London however I had a very bad experience there and now San Carlo in Manchester so I think it's very safe to say I really do enjoy the food here. I am very aware it's quite expensive however my goodness getting real, good quality and authentic Italian food is priceless and it will have me coming back for many years to come. Thank you to everyone at San Carlo Manchester for being so understanding with my allergies, being so cautious and so lovely! If I come back to Manchester I am 100% coming back to this lovely restaurant with the most delicious spaghetti I have ever had and not to mention the most incredible steaks!

We went for lunch as a family with my 8 month old son - Oscar. firstly, Mariella was amazing! She was so good with my son who particularly loved her. Also the food at San Carlo is exceptional! I always love it there but particularly the service I received with my son. Thank you for an amazing meal! We’ll be back.

What a disappointment. Very much style over substance. Very expensive and the meals were average at best. Plus the waiter was quite rude. This is probably the first negative review I've put on Google and I take little pleasure posting it but save your money folks.

Service was terrible .8 of us eating with 2 prams shoved in a corner next to the cutlery stores

Took at least an hour between courses and had to keep chasing them. Food was very average. Very disappointing experience, especially as I had booked for guests from abroad. Didn't appreciate the mandatory £33 added to the bill, especially when the service was sp bad.

Can't ask for more than perfection !

Just wow, fine dining and definately worth treating yourself.

Beautiful restaurant staff nice but very busy food was lovely we went as it was our anniversary

Do not go here if you have a food allergy, I have a shellfish allergy and don't really eat meat but I eat out all the time without issues , today I wanted to order fish there were a few options without shellfish on the menu however the waitress when I told her if my allergies asked" are you happy to accept cross contamination with shellfish?" A very odd question to ask someone with an allergy she then said she wouldn't recommend I order any fish , so I ordered a chicken dish with a side of potato with bacon and garlic, oh no ! she said she would not recommend I order the potatoes unless I was happy to accept possible cross contamination as shell fish could have been cooked in the same fryer?? So we left ! Why is this restaurant not able to offer safe allergy food ? I eat at wagamama, mogli etc with no issues , we went to Cibo I had an amazing fish dish , so either the waitress is ill informed or this restaurant does not want to invest in allergens , very disappointed

Wonderful food in a great setting.

Food was average, not awful not incredible. Service was poor, some nice members of staff but others rude and make you feel uncomfortable. Very loud and unpleasant atmosphere for couples.

Its always a wonderful experience eating at san Carlo. The food is perfect, the service is impeccable, even when busy. The atmosphere is 10/10. San Carlo you never let us down x

Excellent as usual. Many thanks.

I actually couldn’t believe how busy it was on a Thursday night, it’s nice to see a place doing so well and they obviously must be doing something right. I loved the wait staff, proper dressed up and just very respectful and knowledgeable. Kinda gives me Godfather/Scarface vibes. Everything I had was super delicious and they were happy to box stuff up cause I ordered too much. Meatballs with pasta is far too expensive for what you get but everything else was perfect.

No reservation during early afternoon and restaurant was fairly busy, but seated promptly and drinks arrived within 10 mins. Food was delicious but moreover staff and service was excellent. A lovely experience overall.

Great experience! Entered to a friendly welcome. Our waiter made recommendations and never left us waiting for any extended period of time. The food was delicious and very satisfying. I will revisit and would definitely recommend.

Best Italian restaurant I have been to in the UK. Worth the hype

Really busy restaurant with tasty food and very attentive staff.

We have been to San Carlo many times over the years and it’s sad to say that it’s lost its magic. Albeit there are a chain of San Carlos around the UK, it always felt like a personal experience like Carol himself was somewhere in the restaurant keeping things just as they should be and it always was somewhere romantic to take your partner. It feels more like a high turnaround food chain now, with most food (although lovely) supplied pre plated up and you feel overdressed unless wearing a pair of jeans or a hoody. It’s a shame and we are unlikely to return for a special occasion given this new style of service.

Massively overrated, service was practically non existent, automatically added a service charge without any warning. Food was okay, nothing to scream about tbh. Save your money for somewhere else.

Very tasty food in lovely surroundings

We shared a really nice meal here. Location was great! It had a Great busy vibe and majority of staff were friendly. Drinks at the bar were really nice. Food came out quick and staff were attentive. Would visit again. Staff seemed rushed off their feet, prehaps the resturant was slightly overbooked. Thats why i wouldn’t rate 5 star as i feel staff may have been more friendly and happier if they were not as busy.

“Everything was perfect, especially the lasagna! The staff was also very kind and welcoming, making the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommended!”

The service was shocking, the food was poor3/10 and the drinks were even worse. The staff were unbelievably rude to myself and my friends. I wanted to make a complaint to the manager and they refused to meet me after I had paid. I wanted to just say that I was dissatisfied with my food and they never gave us drinks we ordered (we asked 3 times). However they ignored me and pretended they didn’t hear me. It was a joke. I would not recommend this to anyone.

We hadn't been for a while. Excellent visit. Superb service and the food was spot on. We know it's not cheap and you can't visit all the time but it's worth it.

Augusto is the man! Every time we get him he always makes sure the food is on point. I love this place! Best Italian in Manchester

beautiful experience thanks Augusto for your incredible service, starters first drinks everything perfect, it was really worth it

If you're looking for a true Italian experience, San Carlo is the perfect choice. The warm atmosphere, attentive service, and high-quality ingredients make every visit special. Augusto’s hospitality stood out, ensuring we had an unforgettable evening. From start to finish, everything was perfectly curated, from the food to the wine selection. Authenticity, passion, and excellence define this place. Highly recommended!

Fancy Italian which is renowned for their seafood. High quality food, stylish atmosphere. Is extremely busy on a weekend, booking recommended!

Well I don’t even know where to start… Me and my cohorts decided to set up shop at this eatery after a cracking time in the ale house and what better way to line your stomach then an authentic Italian meal at san carlo, compliments to the chef the penne salmon (think I’ve pronounced that right) was absolutely scrumptious and just a perfect way to combat the 8-10 beers that were drank beforehand the staff on duty at the time were an absolute credit to the franchise we all had a great laugh (maybe too many) and rigorously enjoyed our time here and will be back again soon hopefully.

Horrendous service. Nobody addressed us at our table for about 10 mins. We sat down for 1 hour, only was served water and appetizers, mains were nowhere to be found. When we asked about the status of our food or to order dessert ahead of time (since things were taking so long), we were condescendingly told that we can order after our mains come out. They never came. The case of the missing carbonara continues…

Great service, fresh food however it’s slightly outdated, needs modernising, we tried a bit of everything and it’s probably best saved for date night.

Lost my wallet in the city centre just before Christmas. One of the San Carlo team found it and tracked me down online. Got my wallet back just in time for the holidays. Thank you Alberto and team, legends!

The food is ok but it’s not worth the price in my opinion, same with the service it was fine but nothing was extraordinary. Kind of feels like it’s had its day in the 2000s and most of the celeb photos they hand around are from this era. Also found it odd they only serve half pints of beer. Lots of nicer places to visit in Manchester around this price point

Dinner in an Italian restaurant....Italian menu....all quite Italian. Good wines, very good food, well prepared with good raw materials. The only flaw is that this is where the fifth star, the dessert, is missing. The menu said vanilla ice cream with biscuits and hot chocolate....instead they put some topping and not even much; failed. Impeccable service, the place is very large, but the numerous staff in the room never make you feel "abandoned". Quick to serve dishes, perhaps too fast. Account .... salty perhaps too salty, but you eat well and you won't be disappointed, perhaps you can avoid going back in the future (for the shopping), but I don't think you can find much cheaper in the area. Just to clarify, I bought mussels, grilled fish, a glass of wine, a bottle of water and a dessert for 91 pounds. It seems a bit much to me

3rd visit here and always highly enjoyable - chateaubriand very good , pastas enjoyed by others, usual high level service

Great food and really nice atmosphere will be returning

Small food portions for a very large price, one of my friends ordered a main course which was pollo Milanese ( small bit of chicken ) £23 with no pasta when we addressed the issue with the staff they were nothing but rude and unhelpful I would not recommend.

Absolutely disgusted with the meal on Saturday 18th January. This was for my partners 30th birthday. We come from Sheffield and decided to do a weekend in Manchester. Open arrival our table was booked at 7.15, we didn’t get seated till I complained about being there 55 minutes. Finally at 8.15 an hour after our table we got seated. Drink and food order got taken quickly, starters were “ok” as the portion size was not allot compared to other “ San Carlos we have been too. At 9pm our MAINS came out nearly TWO HOURS after our table was booked. There was FOUR of us. The other couple got their food fine. Me and my partner ordered steak and truffle fries, the truffles fries didn’t come with the order so we asked for them. At 9.15 ONE truffle fries came, so I asked for MY fries, 5 minutes later the manger came and said it would be 10 minutes so I said EVERYONE ELSE HAS EATEN, my food is now cold. I got extremely upset because now it is 9.40pm. ONE AND A HALF HOURS after my table was booked. And I have still not eaten my main. Why would I pay allot of money for a meal if everyone else has eaten already? I’ve been to San Carlo flying pizza in Leeds multiple times. Had NO problem. They took my steak and service charge off “ as a gesture of goodwill”. I left your restaurant in tears and ended up going to McDonalds. My partner and 2 friends payed the rest of the bill and a member of staff asked my partner “if I can get your gf a drink, which he replied you are past that as she has walked out. I will certainly never be attending again

Didn't get served for 40 mins so we left

The food itself was quite good, but the service was extremely poor. I had made a reservation, yet I still had to wait around 20 minutes before my table was ready. After finishing our main course, no one came to inquire if we would like to order dessert. Furthermore, when we requested the bill, I had to ask three different people before it was finally brought to us. I fail to understand why there is a service charge for this level of service.

Absolutely incredible. Our first time here and will definitely be returning for many more visits.

The food was exctellent, staff were very attentive,made sure we had a good dining experience xx

I came here for my dad's birthday on 28th December and unfortunately probably one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Despite having an early reservation (5.30) and arriving early, we didn't get seated until 5.50. I asked twice for updates on the table and received no apology or understanding from the hosts, just was ushered away. Upon seating we ordered quickly and when they brought the food they forgot my dad's steak. We chased it and they brought one out a few minutes later. They forgot the sauce so again, had to flag someone down to get the steak sauce. The steak was then pink when requested well done, but unfortunately as we had a show on after and the delay in seating- we didn't have time to do anything about it. We wanted deserts but again slow service meant we didn't have time (we had left 2 hours for dinner). Portions were also all quite small. We were sat near the kitchen so just heard the kitchen staff shouting for service continuously through the meal so atmosphere wasn't great. I know these reviews don't get monitored well based on replies but sharing so others know not to come here !

First time here with friends really enjoyed the night , very busy place food good,

Not the cheapest but good atmosphere at 5pm on a Friday with decent amount of people in. All agreed food was excellent and very promptly served. Fresh salads and tasty mains. Nice wine selection, again a little pricy but nice. A good late afternoon meal enjoyed by my family.

I went to San Carlo for a work Christmas party, and have been a few times before with no issues. On this occasion though, within 10 minutes of walking through the door their waitress had chucked a menu across our table towards me and knocked over my glass of red wine which went all over me and the table (including a brand new fur and suede coat). One dismay and half arsed apology from her and then the manager came over to advise she'd change my parties table as there was red wine everywhere. Nothing was said to me about the face there was red wine all over me until I prompted her and she advised they'd cover my dry cleaning costs for the coat. I had to sit through an entire meal sodden and upset. I've had to go out of my way to sort the dry cleaning and collection and am still waiting on their accounts team to reimburse me. The email address they seem to throw out 'Guest relations' has not been helpful, poor customer service with scripted and unhelpful responses. I phoned the restaurant to speak to a manager but was told they were 'too busy and also 'too busy' to phone me back. Similarly, I asked the nameless Guest Relations email to phone me to discuss the service and my experience but they have failed to do so and have send me a scripted email response saying they'll chase up their accounts team on paying me the measly cost of the dry cleaning. Up there with the worst customer service I've experienced.

Call in today with my family there was 5 of us with they sat us on a table which was a joke way to small then the food came the starters which was tasteless I ordered a stake which 70 percent was fat in my honesty appinyon I think the place is over priced and below average food so will never be going back My name is Alan and the table was booked for new year's day at 2 pm not only was the table small the staff must of bumped my chair well over 15 times bit of a joke

food is decent at best, except the pizza which imo was pretty good. service is extremely poor, waiter was stacking up the plates right in-front of me. absolutely appalled. 2 of us also had chipped plates. wasn’t able to get any attention asking for the bill, had to walk towards the reception before we got any attention.

Lovely drinks and atmosphere. Seating is a bit cramped in places. Food and service wise was mixed. Focaccia with truffle isn't quite what we expected - was more like your average cheesy garlic bread with some slices of truffle instead of focaccia. The truffle ravioli was incredible and is highly recommended. The Zitoni Toscanini was a bit of a letdown and felt like something you could easily rustle up at home. Tiramisu was again, amazing and the creme brulé was also lovely, however the waiter forgot this or the kitchen didn't make it so had to wait longer for 1 dessert to come whoever we received no apology for this and the dessert was just thrown down. The main waiter we had (young, slicked back hair) was lovely and attentive but the other waiter was not. An older waiter also almost threw a drink over my partner by stopping suddenly and backing up, causing someone else to almost knock into him

Visited 1 rst time for a dinner with friends in December.Food is delicious,restaurant very nice and beautifull decorated!Staff friendly!Highly recommended!

Was alright. Service was pretty rubbish. Leeds branch is a lot better. Food was lovely as it should be but won’t be going back.

We used to visit here regularly for birthday celebrations and special occasions. We recently had friends fly to Manchester to visit us and we decided to visit our favourite restaurant San Carlo. Before we visited I had called up to ensure they had vegan options as both our friends were vegans. They confirmed they had multiple options so we travelled there. Upon arriving the waiter told us that they did not know if they had any vegan options and would find someone that does. Then another person came to our table and insisted that our vegan friends tried their seafood dishes. We had to explain that vegan and vegetarian are two different things and they do not eat seafood. The person started to be rude towards my friends and said maybe they could just eat a vegetarian pizza then. This was extremely embarrassing for us as we had highly recommended this place and was really let down. It should be standard to know what items on your menu are vegan or at least explain over the phone that you don’t offer it so we don’t make the journey.

It's the 1st time we have been but the staff and food were excellent, and at some point we shall go again

Just visited San Carlo, booked for 4.15pm Friday. Not impressed. Food ok, definitely had better. Not one to leave negative reviews but when you're visiting a restaurant with a reputation and it's a special treat, I'd save my money and go elsewhere. Starters prawns in garlic and my partner had mozzarella. Mains quattro staggioni pizza, ribeye steak with fries and garlic butter. Dessert almond and chocolate cake, San Carlo ice cream with hot chocolate and biscuit. Desserts were a let down, sounded better than what came. Slow for staff to bring starters and drinks. I had to eat my prawns as they were barely warm to begin with and as I finished my partner's starter came. Ages to clear starter plates, so ages for the main meal to come. Staff were definitely too busy to provide service. Never asked if we wanted any more drinks. Always seemed preoccupied when we asked for anything. Such as dessert menu or bill. Had to ask a few people. Definitely not the only agitated customers. Tables all around waiting for orders to be taken, complaints of food taking too long.

Had a beautiful meal in San carlo Manchester.. beautiful food and great service..extremely well looked after by gheorge who was brilliant

A great night with our lively family from Dublin. It was Claires birthday and we had a fantastic night. George really looked afterous and had a great sense of humour. Sn Carlos was not open when I left Manchestet to join 5he Army. But would definately cone back

We waited 1h for the food to come out on a Monday. Food was very hit or miss. Truffle pizza was extremely good, chicken alfredo and seafood pasta was not. Is it worth the price? No. Would I go back again? Maybe, but just for that truffle pizza. Nothing more.

Had an excellent meal. Service was good.

Amazing food, nice wine, ok service, distrusting bathrooms

I’d written to San Carlo when I made our booking to explain that my husband had suffered a stroke (he is now severely disabled) and to request a booth near the front of the restaurant as this would be helpful for his mobility challenges. We were told when we arrived that we only had a few minutes to have a drink at the bar although we were 10 minutes early for our table. I tried to get a round of drinks for this very special family occasion but none of the bar staff even made eye contact with me. Then we were told we had to go to our table or else we were going to lose it. We were ushered to a table in the middle of the room at the back of the restaurant. When I explained that I had specifically asked for a booth near the front of the restaurant I was told that requests cannot always be accommodated. This was more than a little sad situation since my husband was struggling to get across the floor and he struggles to hear and to communicate so this would have been no fun at all for him. The staff did find us a booth but there was no apology. In fact their attitude made me feel uncomfortable. It spoiled our night and after many happy times in San Carlo, including holding our wedding party there, I don’t think we will go back.

We visited last week with family for a pre theatre lunch. I was most disappointed by the reception staff , we arrived earlier than our booking only to be told to go away and come back as the bar wasn’t open , there was no offer to sit and wait . When we returned the greeting was equally unfriendly . We were left waiting for some time before anyone asked if we would like a drink , staff were too busy talking amongst themselves. We were left with our coats bundled on seats and had to ask if there was a cloakroom for them . The food order was eventually taken however there was no follow up regarding extra drinks / was everything ok , we had to ask each time and each time we were referred to another waiter to assist us . On a positive note the food was good but is definitely being let down by front of house staff. Such a different experience from the Leeds San Carlos . I would definitely not recommend or return .

We ordered mussels with a bread but the bread is totally burnt. Staff attitude is not nice at all. We have been to this restaurant before, but the portion and taste of this dish is completely different this time. It’s is very spicy, very little portion and very little sauce. The picture we attach is the additional bread they bring over. The tables are packed and we are sitting very close to the next table.

Can't fault the food nor the venue but you can argue that when it comes to feeding the 5000 - the place is huge - there's a tendency to take your eye off the ball. Service was too intense, if that makes sense. Staff almost waiting to pounce to take your plate away and that's what happened. Arguably slightly overpriced.

Ordered the main course lasagne (£18). See the pic for portion size. The fork is for perspective. The waiter confirmed it was a main course portion……with a straight face.

Food is average. Service is non existent or friendly when it's busy (visited 21st December). Then they enforce 15% service charge on the cheque without asking. When you compare to the London or Dubai equivalents (Signor Sassi) this establishment lets the brand down massively.

What a lovely time my friend and I had this afternoon at San Carlo - just class Lovely surroundings atmosphere and perfect food Special thanks to Huzaima who really looked after us and brought us little pastries with coffee - just perfect

Overhyped and far from decent. We visited for my friend's birthday this Sunday. The place was full. Our table wasn't ready, so we needed to wait by the bar. When we finally sat down, the staff was acting pretentious and condescending, making me feel uncomfortable. They couldn't understand how could we ask for starters to be served together with mains. The food arrived literally 5 minutes after we ordered, which was very suspicious. I understand efficiency, but this just shouted microwaved meal. It was bearable, but as native Italian, my partner described it as 'fast food Italian'. We paid £120 for two pasta mains, a starter, a bottle of water, and 3 glasses of wine, which I find absolutely disgusting. They never brought my friend's birthday cake, and we couldn't even catch anyone to ask about it as they were all running frantically. I really don't understand the popularity of this place. To me, it was a big disappointment.

Went for a work Xmas meal , place looks lovely. Staff were prompt with orders of food and drink . Food was poor quality , my colleagues pastas were basic and overly salted and my scallops were unpleasant and overpowered by soggy breadcrumbs . A disappointing experience