Carluccio's South Kensington

Slow, lousy, surly service and food a total rip off. For example, I ordered toast and jam and got three tiny pieces of toasted French bread, no jam and all for an outrageous £5. I also ordered fresh orange juice and it clearly came straight out of a carton. Never again.

I was extremely satisfied with the service at this restaurant. The tall blonde server at our table was fantastic and very attentive. She made us feel at home and provided great assistance with the menu. The food was also outstanding. I had the chicken burger while my friends ordered ravioli and sea bass, and we were all impressed with the flavor. We were very happy with the overall service and will definitely return again.

I took advantage of Carluccio's current 50% off mains promotion and visited their lovely branch in the upscale South Kensington area. The restaurant had a romantic and sexy atmosphere in the evening with dimmed lights. It was a large establishment, bustling with a nice ambiance and some available tables even at 19:30 on a Friday night. The cleanliness was decent, although my seat had some crumbs on it. The menu offered a variety of options, including pasta, fish, salads, and more, with displayed calorie information for each dish. The service was impeccable, with friendly and attentive staff, including a great manager who was on top of allergies. I ordered my favorite dish, the Veganesca Spaghetti, which featured a unique puttanesca-style sauce with olives, capers, tomatoes, chillies, and garlic, topped with toasted mixed nuts, raisins, garlic, and herb breadcrumbs. The combination of flavors worked well, with a hint of chilli, sweetness from the raisins, and crunch from the nuts. The dish was well-presented and freshly made, although I would have preferred it to be warmer. Despite that, it was a good portion size and worth it, especially with the discount. I would recommend Carluccio's, and I hope they keep this branch open as they seem to be reducing their presence in London.

We decided to grab lunch before hopping on the South Kensington tube. I wish we hadn't. There was plenty of staff, but they were chatting each other instead of attending to the full restaurant. Took us too long to even get someone to take our order, which was unfortunate since we had 3 young children with us. One child asked for pasta with the sauce on the side and no cheese. It arrived with the sauce and cheese on top. We ordered drinks but they never arrived, despite a second and third request. Very bizarre other tables had the same issue as well. Mushroom soup was underseasoned would avoid that one. There are better options in the neighborhood. Would not recommend.

Went there years ago and so keen to visit again. Seemed initially friendly to find a table and menus produced quickly Waited ages no one collected our order or even offers a drink on a stifling evening Asked Manager. Did not bother warning his staff of the issue Attracted another member of staff who did serve. No apology Ordered draft beer x 2. Served more expensive huge bottles. Also one non alcoholic lager but was served one with alcohol Took it back but did not reappear with replacement so asked another staff member. Bill had both beers on it Sorry to say asked fir service charge to be removed Poor management and inefficient staff member Food itself okay