Savelli's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Knoxville

My daughter and friend chose Savelli's to celebrate my daughter's 26th birthday... We had 7 pm reservations... I arrived before my daughter and her friend at 7 pm and was greeted by no one... No hostess at the front door... Only 2 couples waiting before me, with one couple also waiting on a hostess to greet them... When the hostess/waitress showed up, she told the couple in front of me that she would seat them as soon as she could... She totally ignored me... I noticed a few empty tables and wondered why she had not seated anyone waiting at those tables... I also noticed that the hostess/waitress was the only person waiting on the entire room (at least a dozen tables)... At around 7:25 pm my daughter and her friend arrived and because we demanded to be seated (having made reservations), the hostess/waitress seated us... She gave us menus and then we never saw her again... We chose what we wanted for dinner and wondered why she never came back... Finally, my daughter walked up to the counter and ordered our meals... Within a reasonable time, a young man (very polite) came with our meals...The food was marginal, and not the food I remember eating there in the past... The food was overcooked, over seasoned and very salty... We ate... Never saw the waitress or waiter again... We were ready to leave and no one had brought the bill... Again, my daughter got up and went to the food counter and asked for the bill to be brought to us... I put my credit card in the bill folder... After a good bit of time, no one came to pick up the ticket and my card... Again, my daughter gets up and takes the bill to the counter... We continue to visit among ourselves for quite a while... We decide its time to leave and I notice my credit card has not been returned... I get up to go find it... The restaurant staff is grouped together behind the food counter having a gab session... They have my credit card and bill taped on the wall and say they lost track of whose it was... Couldn't believe it... Worst restaurant experience I have ever had in the over 30 years that I have lived in Knoxville... Do NOT patronize this restaurant... They do not deserve your business...

The next day I noticed on my online banking that the restaurant had charged me incorrectly... I had signed a bill for $24.59 + $5 tip and had been charged $54.59... I called the restaurant and spoke with the waitress (Kat or Cat) who seated us... I explained that the bill might be incorrect... She said that she had mixed up 2 bills the night before... She then reviewed what we ordered and I agreed with her on the amount of $54.59... I explained to her what a bad experience we had had the previous night... She told me that they were short staffed and had many people coming with groupons that they didn't have room to seat... I told her that should not have affected us because we made reservations and did not use a groupon... She offered to mail me a check for $10 because the service had been so bad... I gave her my address and she said that she would mail the check on the following Monday... I called back a few minutes later realizing that it would be a good idea for her to also mail me a copy of the correct receipt ($54.59)... A lady named Liz answered... I identified myself and she immediately lit into me telling me that I owed them $30... She yelled at me... Was accusatory... Told me that I needed to drive up there to pay them the $30 that I owed them... Would not let me speak... I finally told her that I had agreed on the amount that I had been charged ($54.59) and just wanted a corrected receipt mailed to me with the $10 off that Kat said she would mail to me... She continued to berate me... She sounded drunk... like a crazy person... Couldn't believe it! This restaurant should not be in business... I finally had to hang up on Liz because of her abusive language toward me...

Can't wait for my next Italian meal at Naples, Altrudas or Bravos! ...

My boyfriend and I were having a Friday night date night. I chose the place because I have heard from multiple people the food was really good and the portions were huge. We were greeted just inside the front door by the owner. We were told that because we didn't have a reservation, we would have to sit outside. We were fine with this because it was small inside and it was a beautiful evening. Our server/the owner didn't introduce herself or give us her name. We had told the owner it was our first time dining with them. We mentioned this several times. I was very excited because I've been told it was such a good place to eat. She said that they were only doing the "Specialities Menu" due to lack of staff. The menu didn't have any prices on it. Later we found out that they had another menu that they were doing only to go orders through and it had all the prices. This would have been helpful because their Special menu didn't have any of the typical dishes you'd see at an Italian restaurant. The majority of the dishes were fish dishes. We started with an Appetizer (12.99) of Calamari. It was a very small plate. It tasted chewy and it wasn't a golden brown like the calamari I have had in the past. Second, I had the Mahi Mahi with Creamy Pesto Pasta. It was good and pretty well seasoned. The portion wasn't very big especially for how much it was priced. (32.99) !! I was still hungry after eating my meal. My boyfriend on the other hand ordered the Lobster Ravioli in Alfredo. While he was talking to the server, he made it known he wanted a big portion. He even passed up another menu option due to her describing the protein being a little too small. So he chose the lobster ravioli thinking he'd be satisfied. When this plate came to the table, there were only 5 sad raviolis in a cold Alfredo sauce. (18.99)!!! They were about an inch by inch square of ravioli. For both of our "special" menu options, we were not offered a salad or any bread. I would think paying that much, you'd receive something extra. The servers seemed to be frazzled. The restaurant is very small. 14 tables and 3 servers. It was just disappointing. For the price of the meal, the quality of the food was...

While the food and atmosphere at Savelli’s Italian Restaurant in Knoxville were top-notch, our experience was completely overshadowed by unprofessional service, leaving us no choice but to leave a 1-star review. We visited to celebrate a family member’s birthday, and everything seemed to be going well. Our waitress was fantastic—attentive, kind, and professional—and our meals were delicious from start to finish. However, what happened at the conclusion of our meal was unacceptable and ruined what should have been a special evening.

After we finished eating, my 80-year-old grandmother, who had graciously offered to pay for our party of six, left a tip that we all felt was more than fair—20%, which we believe is standard for good service. Shortly after she paid, another staff member, someone we had not interacted with at all during our visit, approached our table and openly questioned the amount of the tip. This individual, who appeared to be another waitress or staff member from the front or back of house, implied that the tip wasn’t sufficient despite the fact that we had ordered appetizers, entrées, and dessert.

The interaction was awkward, uncomfortable, and highly unprofessional, especially considering this was directed toward an elderly woman who was already being generous. Speaking to any customer this way is unacceptable, let alone a kind and generous 80-year-old. This behavior was embarrassing for our entire group and completely soured an otherwise enjoyable evening.

While we loved the food and appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, the blatant lack of professionalism in this situation ensures that we will not be returning to Savelli’s. Furthermore, we cannot in good conscience recommend this restaurant to others until this staff member has received proper training or is no longer employed. Great food and a pleasant atmosphere mean nothing if the service lacks basic courtesy and respect. This experience reflects a significant need for improvement in how customers...