Carbone's Pizzeria - Long Lake — Restaurant in Long Lake

Complete disaster. I went in with co-workers for lunch. Many of us already know of Carbone's and love the pizza.

As a pool player, I've eaten dozens of pizzas at CR Billiards over the years. I also frequent the Burnsville location for drinks and bar games on Friday or Saturday nights.

We waited over 20 minutes before a server came by and she took our food and drink order in one visit, then we waited another 20 minutes and still didn't have drinks. My boss finally had enough and went to the bar to get our drinks.

After another 20 minutes (we've now been there an hour), we notice several tables just get up and leave- we followed suit. The server never checked back. Management never stopped by to acknowledge there was a problem. Nobody thanked us for our patience or thanked us for coming in.

As a former restaurant general manager for several multi-million dollar restaurants (20+ years in the biz), I'm here to say this is unacceptable.

They are grossly understaffed and mismanaged. If you're opening a new restaurant, you need to eat the labor costs and run with EXTRA staff for a couple weeks while you work out the kinks and learn your business flow.

The issue isn't that there was a problem, the issue is how they handled (or, didn't handle) the problem. Yes, opening a new restaurant has challenges and unforeseen circumstances, and I don't hold that against them. My issue is that nobody acknowledged our wait or apologized. Nobody ever came to check on us.

Lots of disappointed tables walked out hungry today. Lots of others were still there, hopeful, with menus in-hand, despite not getting greeted in their first 15 minutes there.

There are 15 people in our office, right across the street, and many dine out daily for lunch. I doubt any of us will be going back any time soon.

The best marketing is flawless execution and you'll never get a second chance to make a...

Ordered take out tonight, we have ordered several times hoping one time it would be ok, just because we want to support local places here, I order the same thing every time I order, large Veggie Oasis, I learned to order extra veggies and add banana peppers to the pizza as we in our house love them, I can’t order a meat pizza, I have dietary restrictions, lots of times we barely get any veggies, or the extra veggies I request, and I am charged for, but tonight was it for us, I called finally to say, you didn’t put the banana peppers on it at all, it was kinda the last straw, the lady goes on to tell me, it wasn’t on the ticket, so she can’t help me, I ordered it with two other people with me over the phone and I said it multiple times, and made reference to the numerous times things are forgotten on our pizzas, so the lady who answered the phone begins to argue with me that it wasn’t on there so we didn’t order it, and she can make me a new one, but I’d have to pay for it! What??? Not even a hey, I’m sorry, I mean, come on! You push back at a customer that they are lying and you didn’t make a mistake? What is wrong with company’s now a days?? I was so upset by this that I said thanks and I will look else where to order from now on and she had nothing to say, I didn’t even get to tell her it was also burnt, two pieces were all that was eaten of it, and normally there isn’t a slice left. We also ordered a spartan and garlic bread for the teenagers who can have meat.. so I will not spend any more money there, the many chances we gave them and the few times we tried to talk to someone about it, it was never a good out come, they don’t really care about their customers it seems.. especially when your spending over 50 bucks, should be a little nicer, an im sorry that happen could...

Great staff, and the owner is a great guy (I don't know his wife). Some constructive suggestions: The prices are high relative to the value of the items I have tried, both pizza and the sandwiches. Wings: the standard order of wings is only 10 relatively small wings, and one time they were overcooked. I ordered the French Dip, and while it was good, it just didn't make me say "wow" inside when it was placed in front of me. Besides, it was essentially a half of a sandwich. Perhaps, the burgers are the best bet, can't really complain. However, as Carbone's is a pizza restaurant, while I haven't tried all of the different pizzas, the ones I have tried I would say are good, but not great. My points of reference for fabulous food in comparison at better prices are the Detour 19 in Loretto (their French Dip will rock your boat as will an order of their wings, as will their homemade pizza, and everything else on their menu). Thus, when a group of us wants great pizza, sandwiches, etc., that is one of our first choices. Another great choice, farther away, but worth the drive, is Schuller's in Golden Valley. Ditto on everything I just mentioned regarding Detour 19. Thus while Carbone's is minutes away, we drive to where the food is top shelf. For take out, Forkless, in Maple Plain makes Rock Star wings and their ribs are out of this world, and Monies pizzia and burgers are great.

Thus, to the owner of Carbone's: Please visit Detour 19 and Shullers and see what they are doing and do what they are doing. I would recommend maybe a few changes to your decor, make it like a Northern Wisconsin Bar up in the woods, and You will be off to the races, packed to the gills every night!!!!!! My 2 cents. ...