San Carlo - Bristol in Bristol, City of

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. A great menu to choose from and the food was presented beautifully. Never disappoints.

Worst service ever! Arrived on time/ told ti wait at bar 45 minutes. Carried our champagne to table- waited ages for someone to take our order. Recurring theme all evening. Tables on either side of us seemed attended to. Food okay but entire experience was lacking. Very disappointed

Really poor experience. service was extremely slow. took a while to get seated and then wasn’t served for a drink, took our food and drink order after we had been there for 25/30mins. starters came out relatively quick but then waited over an hour for our main course. the pasta wasn’t up to the usual standards it was hard and dry.

Carbonara is excellent. The calzone is a really good size.

Almost a must for the city of Bristol.

I met with three friends for lunch on a Sunday at San Carlo. We all chose pasta meals which were enjoyable, however the portions were small - better suited to the average 12 year old as opposed to an adult portion. The service itself was good, however the one thing we all felt was that the staff were off-hand and unwelcoming, we will not be returning. A warm welcome and a smile on arrival and during a customers stay is vital at any eating establishment, the staff at this restaurant are sadly devoid of these attributes.

Waited over 2 hours and still had not had our main course. Staff were rude and unapologetic. Don’t waste an evening of your life… lots of better restaurants in Bristol

Horrendous. The only decent thing was the expensive wine. Paid the remaining bill out of being gracious. But will never ever go there again Horrendous.

Been here loads of times, always good food and service. Staple of Bristol x

We visited on Christmas eve as a party of four. We were greeted, shown to our table and coats taken. We were asked if there were any dietary needs and although there were allergens, no allergen menu was offered. On explaining the allergens the information was not clearly understood by staff who decided to substitute and omit ingredients without further discussion with the customer! Some of the ingredients were clearly bought in, not made in house and tasteless. Some of the food was well presented and enjoyed however the salad and pasta dishes were not as described on the menu. Tirimasu did not taste of any alcohol despite the hefty charge. Overall the experience left us very disappointed which could easily have been avoided had they handled things differently. Overpriced. Service charge added to the bill despite our obvious disappointment.

This was yet again another great experience with fabulous food and service. The produce was really good and the service very genuine. Highly recommended.

Won't be returning over priced for poor quality food need to change chefs ASAP the over use of cheese on lasagne and the over powering use of garlic bread which was soaked in oil my prawn starter was soggy in a dough ie battery lots of order didn't arrive

Service not good. One of the staff waved his hand at us to get us to pass plates over for clearing - very rude. All of the staff look miserable to be here and felt like we were rushed out of the restaurant once we’d paid the bill, despite having leftover wine. Food good though but spoiled by poor service.

Not cheap, but food is always good

the fish was delicious - the waiting staff was polite but the manager was grumpy, badly dressed and not welcoming - shame as it's certainly not a cheap restaurant.

Sadly the food was slow to arrive and when it did, some of our meals were cold and needed to be reheated up. As this was a 50th celebration it was a shame that our meal didn't live up to the standard we were expecting.

Amazing food and service again today we always ask for vouchers as presents for this fantastic restaurant and we are never disappointed!

Not the best, 35 min wait to be seated after booking, the food for the price charged is well over rated unless you like bland pasta dishes. The service is way off what you expect in comparison to their competition. I personally would not use again. It just seemed like an unfriendly place to me not the best experience.

This really is the best place to eat in bristol ! Nowhere has a range like it ! I went last night 6 dec and the Xmas parties made it loud and buzzy . Paskauli ( spelt wrong I’m sure ) was friendly , funny and utterly charming and made my visit ! Food stunning as always ! Can’t wait to return !

Awfully slow service, rude waiters who make you feel that you have inconvenienced them by asking to order food or drinks. 45 minute wait before we had our orders taken, over an hour before starters arrived. Other tables arrived after us and were served before us. Overall an incredibly poor Italian restaurant experience. Especially when you could get better Italian food from Marmo, Pasta Ripiena etc in the same area. Food was either bland or too salty too. It wouldn't be missed if it closed down. The menu is far too big to maintain any kind of quality

Disappointed. Slow service, high price and food just okay. Went to Hôtel du Vin nearby last week. Actually cost less and the food was far better (châteaubriand) and received a free bottle of Malbec which was delightful. Just disappointed.

Really good food, nice atmosphere and amazing customer service! I would really recommend it! The fish was amazing

It is great being served by professional waiters. Food was excellent and served timely. A great way to celebrate both a birthday and graduation. Thank you.

Food is outstanding and a proper Italian service

We visited on Sunday the 17th/Nov for dinner, from the beginning there wasn’t much of a warm welcome, no offer to take our wet coats etc or questions about our day/evening etc. We opted for 4 different pasta dishes, and no starters. There was a little bit of a wait but it was worth it as the food was amazing. Unfortunately the service couldn’t be further from amazing, the staff barely spoke, asked anything etc, hardly smiled, nor were they very friendly. It created a kind of hostile atmosphere to be honest, as it wasn’t particularly busy when we were there, and there was more staff than people eating. Unfortunately we wouldn’t visit again, the food was amazing, however with service this bad, it ruined the whole visit.

Beautiful restaurant with excellent service and amazing Italian food. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend. A lot of choice.

Beautiful restaurant with excellent service and the most amazing Italian food. Definitely recommend.

When I came here six months ago, had a really good experience Food was on point service was Good. I have time everything locked. They forgot our mains the guy who was taking the order. He wasn’t even writing it down when the food came. It was really bad. The waiter Dropped Food on my brace top. Never again.

Service was good at the beginning but throughout the dinner, especially towards the end, it got worse. Felt like the staff were rushing us out even though we had 45 minutes left of our booking. Was taking our plates and glasses away very quickly and someone even tried to take my friend’s ice cream when she hadn’t finished it. We also noticed the staff lingering around our table which gave us the impression they were waiting for us to leave so we ended up leaving very early. Food was quite good for most of our group although the chicken in my pasta was a bit dry and one of my friend got food poisoning from either her meal or the water.

Gran comida y servicio, ambiente muy agradable y realmente se sintió cuidado. Todos disfrutaron de su comida, desde filetes hasta platos de pasta y disfrutaron del vino también. Definitivamente volvería.

Excellent Italian restaurant in the center of Bristol. Very extensive menu with the most succulent sets. Friendly and attentive staff. Highly recommended.

Absolutely delicious. Definitely recommend it.

Came here with some friends for dinner one afternoon. Food was lovely. Sadly did not have any oysters in stock. Pasta was just the right amount. The wine was also nice. Very busy restaurant. Lots of staff around, friendly and helpful.

a nice restaurant with good food but toilets were very unhygienic and messy, hugely disappointing for the prices of this restaurant.

Great italian restaurant! The food was really good. We ordered a Diavola pizza and a pasta and everything was delicious. The quality of the food was great and it was a good price-quality ratio. The place is very nice and the staff was very friendly.

Impeccable service food, wine and decor made for the perfect date night.

*EDIT I find it funny how they send everyone the same apology email, but as soon as you reply to that, you are simply disregarded* Felt spoken down to by the bloke who took our order, like we were some kind of nuisance. Starters came quickly, but they forgot one, and his then finally appeared after we had all nearly finished ours. Mains took a very long time to come out (the table next to us, ordered, had starters, and mains and finished within this time!). I called "excuse me", for a member of staff who turned then continued to walk away, until someone else noticed and he finally came over. When I asked where the mains were he said they were made fresh and would be 3 minutes. Another 10 minutes later they finally arrived, warm, but no means piping hot. Friends were then made to quickly eat their last piece of garlic bread as the waiter needed the stand elsewhere. When I said I was disappointed with the service given for the price expected, I was spoken over, and then had the so called manager sent over. He told us we were given the best seats (at the front , chilled by aircon) and that he would see what he could do. He removed the "10% optional service charge" that is stated as optional on the online menu! Not exactly doing a favour! As a restaurant manager, I would be embarrassed with this experience. I definitely won't be rushing back, nor would I ever recommend anyone else to go here.

Expensive place. Excellent but scarce food

Very slow service I think on a changeover,if fact the staff were getting served with dinner before our order but when the food came it was perfect,for the amount of staff the service should be first class,a pity

Was lucky to get table for 4 pax. Place was crowded when we walk-in. We were seated quickly but took awhile for them to take our food order. We ordered 3 types of pasta dishes n 1 sirloin steak with garlic broccoli. My steak was cooked accordingly and broccoli was simply delicious. Pasta dishes were up to expectation too.

Really tasy food feeling of stay in Italy.Nice and friendly staff

Absolutely marvelous food in a beautiful setting and a great atmosphere. Had two great main courses, namely the Mushroom Risotto - which was wrapped in Parma ham! Amazing and delicious. Also the pasta tubes with a spicy sausage ragu - so moreish.

I've always wanted to go here for a meal after walking past so many times, and my partner brought me here for dinner last Friday, and let me tell you it really lived up to my expectations! The setting and atmosphere was really nice, it felt elegant and romantic, the staff were attentive and polite. I had the arancini for starters which was lovely, very rich but a small enough portion that it didn't fill me up too much before the main course. I had the Tagliatelle Monte Carlo which comes with monkfish in a lobster bisque, and it was absolutely delicious, quite possibly the best pasta dish I've ever had, I'm already annoying my partner for a return visit! Of course I had to have tiramisu for dessert, which again didn't disappoint. The Chardonnay was also a lovely accompaniment. Was one of the more pricey meals I've had but I would say it was definitely worth the quality of the food and service, and was happy to pay the service charge as I thought it was well deserved! Will definitely be returning as soon as possible!

This is third time reposting this review. For some reason, it is either San Carlo Bristol has been deleting my review or Tripadvisor is just wack……..here we go again! We felt unwelcome from the start after realizing we had mistakenly booked a reservation at the wrong San Carlo location. Despite this, we were seated, but the unwelcoming atmosphere didn’t improve throughout the meal. As we were leaving, a waitress – who hadn’t served us – gave me a dead stare. It was unnerving and unexpected, enough to startle me. I immediately brought it to the attention of someone I assumed was the manager. What shocked me further was that the waitress stopped clearing tables and simply stood there, still staring as I drew the ‘manager’s’ attention. The manager tried to change the subject, but the behavior was clear and disconcerting. I believe she might have been offended by someone else. I’ve had a wonderful experience at the Leicester San Carlo and was expecting the same, if not better, here. However, that encounter at the end of our meal soured the night. How is a business allowing already upset staff face customers?? I’m open to reconsidering my opinion if this was just an unfortunate off day. If things improve on my next visit, I’ll leave a supporting review. However, if this happens again, I won’t hesitate to share as well.

Visited San Carlo for first time in a few years for a special occasion, off the back of good memories. Well this time the memories certainly wouldn’t be the same. Started with a 20/30 past our booking time which is ok it’s a busy restaurant but not once offered a drinks menu or service or to even look at the food menu, which I feel is not acceptable. Once seated we ordered pretty sharply as now we both hungry, Olives, garlic bread, arancini, gamberoni luciana prawns. Arancini were over done dry on inside and still seeping with oil which left an unpleasant aftertaste, the mayo served with dish deffo saved this one. Prawns were good, slightly over but nothing to complain about good solid flavours with touches of garlic and fresh tomato served with really crispy thin bread would recommend. Garlic bread was ok, not best lacked any real fresh garlic flavour, felt very “pre-made” And olives hit the spot for that sweet salty tangy vibes. Mains we ordered the 18oz Chateaubriand steak to share, with fries, garlic and chillie tender-stem broccoli and sautéed potatoes. Overall the steak was cooked to perfection, soft tender filet with good crust on outside cooked mid rare and finished with plenty of flavour throughout the meat. Could taste the deep meat flavours yet succulent butter finish on the palette. Sides were hit and miss, fries were either over done or just about cooked and absolutely not flavour or seasoning at all. Broccoli again some had nice flavour and fresh with a crunch others lack anything and left a lingering after taste. Potatoes just too crispy Almost too crispy to eat and again flavour profile was minimal. Overall best things here were the steak and prawns, but the rest was pretty poor and when eating it did not make you want to eat the whole plate, were ok leaving half of it because just dint leave amazing taste profile for you to want to finish the dish. Service was pretty slow and uninviting, no real effort too make the experience of dining here special. Wouldn’t be rushing back to have food again. Shame because I had high hopes for San Carlo based on previous visit few years ago. Overall would score the experience 6.5/10 Lots of improvements needed, that extra care in the food with the flavours would boost this score massively and service that welcomes you and makes you feel wanted in restaurant too would improve the score.

This is a perfect restaurant for celebrating special occasions. The food was so good and the service was on a high level! I also like the design and atmosphere!

I feel that the restaurant is so overrated and it’s relatively overly priced for the food they offer. The food is decent but it isn’t WOW. Couldn’t go back.

We found this wonderful restaurant just next door and got a table for a friday lunch. Everything was delicious, friendly staff and really nice ambiance. Couldn't be happier and more pleased.

Extremely slow service - over 90 minutes waiting for the order, asked for medium steak - got totally different raw, hard to order drinks as again have to wait for ages. Bigger group of 10 and they were totally lost who order what….

The service was very poor. It took over an hour for our main course to come and they didn’t offer more drinks during the time we were there. They did recognise the food was late and deduced the garlic from the bill, however, with an established like San Carlo with a ‘good reputation’, you would expect quality customer service. We also encountered lots of small flies during our meal. One landed on my food and I had to squish it against the place and another went inside my partners wine glass. The only thing that made the evening somewhat better was the food.

We booked a table. The description is totally inaccurate. The only thing impressive was the surroundings. It is not a place to indulge, there are no exceptional tastes & most certainly NOT authentic to their highest standard. Very overpriced using low quality ingredients with no flavour. What is the point of all the hype with no substance if the food is awful. We had starters & wish we had walked out. Our mains were no better. They simply cannot cook here. Our romantic night was ruined.

Impressive surroundings although a bit noisy Average food not worth the money and very obnoxious waiters My recommendation would be spend your money elsewhere

This place is overpriced and the service is shocking!

The tables were a little bit close together, overall had a great experience. Food was lovely and staff were also fantastic.

We chose this restaurant because we got attacked by the atmosphere that the restaurant has from outside. Really nice and tasty Italian food! The “Prosciutto e Melone” freshly cut. The “Gnocchi alla Sorrentina” nice baked really good! The only thing the service wasn’t that good as the food really slow and very time we wanted a drink or anything that we were need it was taking really long time to get the waiter attention. I still think that it’s a really nice place! If I will come back in Bristol I will be back in this restaurant for sure!

Everything is absolutely perfect

Love the food as always at San Carlo! Ordered the mushroom risotto wrapped in parma ham - delicious. Creme brulee as a dessert was top notch

Food and Service was great. lived up to expectation

Great service, food and ambience. Will be back

Wonderful restaurant... Will be back soon Highly recommend!

Lovely food. Not cheap but worth it.

Amazing quality food and lovely atmosphere and amazing staff

The food was really nice. But the staff was a little weird, as one of the server gave off mean girl energy and was snarky with his little comments, quite frankly rude, as if he was looking down on us. He made us feel uncomfortable, every time he came to take the order. The set up was nice, even talked with the chef, super nice and good food. Could work a bit more of the service staff.

Me and my boyfriend came for a date night to san carlo about 2 weeks ago. Greeted by welcoming polite staff and shown to our table. Within minutes we had a drinks order taken and a food order followed by very helpful staff. My boyfriend had recently had a wrist operation and was in a cast and sling and he ordered a pizza, when the waiter brung over the pizza they offered to take it back and cut it for him, very lovely touch we thought. Amazing food and drinks, big portion sizes. Throughout the dining experience the staff were very helpful and polite and would Definitely recommend san carlo for a date night/special occasion meal.

Nice meal and served very quickly.only issue was I ordered the crab and lobster ravioli which was not hot.more like luke warm. Great atmosphere but real criticism was there seemed to be some new staff starting who dropped a couple of utensils to be greeted with distain looks by their more senior members of staff. A note to all.paying customers feel embarrassed if they see people being chastised.we all have to learn.

First time we've ever been. Really nice, great atmosphere.

Excellent restaurant. Great food, lovely staff.

Visited seasonally during my time at the University of Bristol, and the lunch dishes have never disappointed. However, it is evident that COVID has influenced a prices increase and somewhat smaller portions of food. Nonetheless, still a top choice for indian cuisine.

I love everything about San Carlo. The food is always great and I love the atmosphere. The staff are always great 👍

Excellent food and comprehensive choices, I had probably the best seafood linguine I have ever had, fast service attentive staff made foe a very pleasant evening. Bang in the middle of Corn Street it gets lively !!!

I had an excellent experience at San Carlo, Bristol. The ambiance was elegant, and the service was top-notch. The Italian cuisine was authentic and delicious, with each dish prepared to perfection. The staff were friendly and attentive, enhancing the dining experience. Overall, San Carlo exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a memorable dining experience in Bristol.

Not so impressed paid £30 service charge not even a goodbye as if they expected a cash tip on top of the £30 service charge to expensive for what it is feel ripped off,Atmosphere has good vibe nice restaurant table service was good but hence not really a friendly service . Wouldn't go again .

Lovely marbled interior. Very light and airy inside which was refreshing. Whenever I come here I always get the garlic butter scallops because they just never fail everytime. Also the Buratta starter is another good one that I recommend as the buratta is so creamy and pairs really well with truffle and cured meat. The staff are always friendly and I do think the prices are reasonable :)

Deliciosa! I adored this restaurant, so much good pasta and I adore it overall lovely staff and feels like a little slice of Italy in Bristol!

We have been there before and everytime is same great experience. The food is great and tasty whereas service is very professional. It is situated in city center very convenient to visit on foot. Strongly recommended for family gotherings. In general the environment is great and pleasant

Most of us went for the lunch menu. If I'm honest, the mussels were a little underwhelming and the polo milanese a bit dull.

On Wednesday, 24th July 2024, we celebrated our son’s graduation in Physics from the University of Bristol by booking a table at this delightful Italian restaurant. As an Italian myself, dining here felt a bit like being back home. The starters were delicious, and the atmosphere was lovely, with really friendly staff. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, although some of the dishes were a little too salty. Thank you, San Carlo, for the lovely experience.

Beautiful restaurant, very welcoming, excellent attentive service, lovely food! Loved looking at the photographs of all the celebrities who have visited.A bit more expensive than other restaurants but would definitely go back.

Eat here regularly and the food and service are top class. You pay for what you get. Worth every penny

Nice atmosphere and decor, service a bit slow, food was disappointing

San Carlo is an exceptional dining experience that truly stands out in Bristol for italian cuisine. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The décor is elegant yet cozy, making it perfect for both intimate dinners and larger gatherings. The menu is a delightful journey through authentic Italian cuisine. Each dish is meticulously prepared with fresh ingredients and bursts with flavor. I highly recommend trying their ravioli truffle pasta and the tiramisu for dessert – both are absolute must-haves! The service from Alessandra and Mario was excellent. They were attentive and knowledgeable, always ready to offer recommendations or accommodate special requests. Their passion for great food and excellent service is evident in every interaction. We were celebrating my friend's birthday, and Alessandra and Mario went above and beyond by singing along and making it a truly memorable experience. It really made the visit worth it! Overall, San Carlo offers a perfect blend of exquisite food, wonderful ambiance, and top-notch service. It's a place you’ll want to visit again and again.

What a fabulous Restaurant..the food was so good and the Staff and Service was excellent..thoroughly recommend a visit..

Have frequented this restaurant for years plus others in their chain but sadly we won't be going again after complaining about a main course that cost £36.95 which consisted of one medium size prawn and two queen scallops. We did get a response but no suggestion of some sort of recompense!

Amazing quality food. Pricey but you get what you pay for.

Great food, great service and good wines. The staff were really helpful and friendly and the food and wine delicious. A good place to go for a special occasion or for some good food.

Alexander our female server was so so lovely and attentive the whole evening. I couldn’t recommend her more and had a lovely experience because of her - would love for her to get some recognition from our visit as she was so lovely!

Beautiful restaurant that draws you in but the food was too rich and the service very very slow

Totally disappointed in the wait staff. The time in between them checking in with the table left us without drinks for long periods of time. The time between ordering food and it arriving at the table was 1-1/2 hours. I will not be back

Food was good - not great. This is definitely a popular place and appears to be frequented by a lot of celebrities in the past. Service was great. If you were looking for a little chili kick to your Italian, then this is the place to go for you. I am not a big fan personally, but concede a lot of people will like this place.

Fantastic restaurant. Excellent food that is very tasty. I really enjoyed my visit there and cannot speak highly enough about San Carlo. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Had lunch at San Carlo with a good friend of mine. Minestrone was decent, Arancini was delightful with the sauce, although a little bit too oily. I also had their famous Spaghetti Frutti Di Mare (Seafood Spaghetti) and having ordered this before, it tastes just as good everytime! Highly recommend this main! The french fries with truffle and parmesan were also really nice and crispy. I'd say their mains and sides are better than their starters. Mocktails were good. Atmosphere and service is excellent, very welcoming. Most authentic Italian restaurant in Bristol, would recommend if you have a budget of £40pp+.

Amazing Resturant great place for a fancy night out a bit expensive but good for special occasions The food was really delicious, and their service was top-notch

A bit mixed feelings. Service was amazing. My starter was so small and no taste that week later I don’t remember it. My main veal was over salted so left the salt aftertaste and wanted to drink more… atmosphere was so Loud that we had to shout to each other it was quite ridiculous … I will not be returning…

I have visited this San Carlo 4-5 times and whilst I usually have an exceptional experience, I was extremely disappointed. I took a friend for her birthday and initially the staff were lovely as usual, three of which I told it was her birthday after asking if there was any event on two separate occasions . However, service quickly deteriorated after my friend was brought the wrong dish. It took 5-10 minutes to bring her the correct meal, after which I had already finished mine as my pasta portion was significantly smaller than usual. We both just had to watch each other eat our meals while one of us had no plate in front of us, which was extremely awkward and looked very unusual. Two more staff members asked on separate occasions if we were waiting on anything, and to reply no just added to the awkwardness. Having finished our meals we asked for the bill, and they charged for the wrong dish my friend was incorrectly brought. We asked for this to be removed, and in all fairness it was. This would have left us with an overall ok experience, but then we asked to remove the service charge, for obvious reasons. And when the waiter asked why, I explained to him it was her birthday and we were very let down, especially in comparison to the many other times I'd been and loved it. He said 'oh, well you should have let us know' (offering a free desert) and I told him we did, three separate times. I was planning to book San Carlo for a large event I have coming up in a few weeks where 12 of us would have attended, so it is a big shame I have to change this lovely venue and food (with usually great staff), for elsewhere. Very disappointed.

Service is good, food is okay not kind of awesome. Seafood is fresh , steak doesn’t meet my expectations.

Everything was excellent! The food was superb and fantastic service. Would definitely recommend!

A top recommendation to visit San Carlo's. The food was delicious and I'd highly recommend the mixed grill. Barbecue ribs (mainly the sauce) are super tasty.

Service a little long but excellent welcome and top class authentic dishes!

One of our favourite places to eat whenever we visit Bristol.

Very disappointing dishes. We ordered all seafood but expect the oysters the other seafoods were not fresh especially the shrimps. This is not professional at all. The restaurant was so crowded and noisy that we need to shout to communicate.