Amici's Italian Bistro — Restaurant in North Charleston

We stopped in tonight (after finally remembering to do so while in the area around dinner time) and were immediately seated. Ambience seemed relaxed enough. The bar wasn't too loud (it was only 6pm but still a Friday) and the waitress seemed nice/attentive (though, slightly "rushy" only just barely noticeable -- should that make any sense).

Naturally, we didn't know what we wanted being our first visit, so we spent a few minutes browsing the menu.

Drinks were received within 2-3 minutes of ordering them. We ended up ordering a Vodka Chicken Penne, a Lasagna and a Chicken Alfredo Penne, though we wanted to open up with a Calamari. My wife and I ordered the house salads as the sides (with Dijon Mustard dressing -- superb taste!) and my son, the sausage lentil soup (excellent!). Then came our entrees.

The lasagna for $15 was a little smaller than I figured, though not entire out of place in today's economy. Presentation wasn't quite what we had hoped (ovalish baking dish with bubbling cheese on top). Instead, it looked like something that had sat in a walk in for at least a day, with only a margin amount of fresher sauce dripped on top. It's taste? Disgusting, I swear it was "bad", though my wife ate it all up (she can be prideful to a flaw). My son, spat it on his plate (which he was done with, I'm getting to that).

My son's chicken alfredo... bland. I thought long and hard to use that word, as it will almost certainly bring out the "you're used to Americanized Italian and not authentic Italian." No, I've been to Italy (don't think just tourist locations) and my brother married an Italian girl (previous sentence make sense now?). Bland. Penne were boxed, nothing fresh there, though, not surprising either. The Alfredo, was creamy, had a little too much butter, and not any indication of garlic, sea salt, nothing.. bland.

Now onto my Vodka Chicken Penne. The chicken's consistency, flavor, etc. suggested/tasted/felt it was fresh. Penne, still boxed. The vodka sauce.. I don't know, as it was lacking. I hinted red something or another, but, it tasted/appeared more like a marinara, than a cream vodka tomato sauce. It was also, bland. The loads of dried (as in the shelved dried stuff from a super market) parsley on top had more taste than the sauce.

Now the disappointing part. Both my son and I had at least half the original amount of food on our plates. My wife (again, pride) had finished hers, how, my son and I do not know. Though upon asking, "Are you guys going to need boxes?" and receiving a "No thank you," followed by a "How was everything tonight?", I felt compelled to speak truthfully, "Meh.." Without being afforded time to elaborate, she asked "would you guys be wanting dessert tonight?" Needless to say, we didn't get dessert.

Conclusion. Piano, a little too loud. Lasagna, Vodka Penne, Alfredo are a bit bland. Listen, even in Italy they have basil, oregano, garlic, etc. Authentic shouldn't mean bland. Waitress was, well, I feel as though, the moment she realized we didn't like our meal very much thus declining to get desserts, her attitude shifted, not in a belligerent manner, but, stand-offish I suppose, thinking we were perhaps freeloaders? Nearly as though she thought she'd get nothing for a tip. Not sure, perhaps the drastic change in attitude will only leave me guessing as to the why or what she was thinking at that moment. Again, there wasn't any nastiness or unpleasantness, just a change. Still though, I paid the $73 for food, and left $12 for the tip (16.4% isn't bad when you really didn't care for the food entrees right? oh and when the appetizer comes out after the entrees). We wont be returning I'm afraid, unless invited (and we never ask our invited...

I’m usually not one to write anything but this one took the cake for me. So my father enjoyed this restaurant (not this specific location) he lived prior in Melbourne FL. Since relocated to Charleston, he hasn’t had a chance to get to this restaurant nor have take out. Let me just say, he’s a retired veteran and lives in a fairly nice retirement assisted living community. He’s been in and out the hospital and was currently in the VA Hospital. He was kind of down so I asked him what would cheer him up,… he says I’d love a good Italian dinner Can you stop by this place I’d really liked the one in Melbourne. I travel several hours to visit him on the weekends. So … to finally get to the “review”. Overall ambience wasn’t bad. I drive here get there a little early (I’m traveling to visit my father …). Doors open. One of the firsts there, a regular elderly gentleman and myself. Other patrons arrive sparingly (4pm). I ask the host if I can order take out and I’m told Oh sorry we don’t do takeout on the weekends. Ok, sorry I’ve never been here, could I sit down, order and then I can request to go boxes. So I’m seated. They were nice enough to allow me to sit at bar and order. They did package it in to go boxes for me and charge the to go fee X3 The staff were very short, not asking would I like to order a drink Finally get to my order. I ordered a Marsala, a chicken breast and some butter noodles, marinara sauce with side of meatballs. Food came out fairly fast. Asking for a drink seemed like a hassle or inconvenience to the staff. I was served a small tea. The ticket and food came fairly quickly. I had to ask for to go utensils and sauce. I questioned the order as I know clearly I asked where my meatballs were and see that they weren’t charged on the ticket. I ask the lady where this item was and she states oh you didn’t order that I just rang it up as meatball, it is same price as the side chicken breast you’d ordered. I clearly asked for both a side of meatballs and side of chicken breast. Feeling frustrated and like my presence was a bother for them I paid the tab and tipped nicely (over 20% … for a ten min interaction.. that barely was an interaction) Thanked the staff twice and left. Get to the hospital, set up the dinner for my dad. 1. The salad looked like a bag that was semi wilting tossed in a styrofoam box… not appealing nor tasty the dressing tasted like straight oil. Lettuce brown on several pieces. Very nasty! Salad came with a bread roll that was hard as brick. The Marsala was not good, didn’t have flavor, barely any ‘sauce’ the noodles were dry The chicken tasted like a store bought breast that was slightly tossed to a warm temperature and slapped with little to no seasoning. The butter noodles, dry no seasoning. The whole meal was NOT worth the sub par treatment and price quantity and quality. Very disappointed. I wonder did they think there’d be no tip so why even bother asking me if I needed anything or wanted drinks. They were tipped and tipped well Whilst I appreciated their accommodations for making my plates to go, I would not recommend based off the lack of customer service and the quality of food. I would have understood if the place was packed, this was opening hour and maybe one table sat behind me ( one or two more after I’d ordered came in to be seated) myself and the older gentleman who sat solo at the bar. Was thoroughly...

Menu Bruschetta$8.00 Bruschetta

5 Photos 9 Reviews Lasagna$15.99 Lasagna

3 Photos 11 Reviews Meatball Sliders$9.00 Meatball Sliders

2 Photos 4 Reviews Chicken Caprese$15.99 Chicken Caprese

1 Photo 5 Reviews Baked Ziti$15.99 Baked Ziti

2 Photos 5 Reviews Cannoli$7.00 Cannoli

2 Photos 6 Reviews Veal Marsala$16.99 Veal Marsala

1 Photo 4 Reviews Chicken Parmigiana$15.99 Chicken Parmigiana

3 Photos 6 Reviews Chicken Marsala$15.99 Chicken Marsala

1 Photo 3 Reviews Caprese Salad$9.00 Caprese Salad

1 Photo 2 Reviews Location & Hours Map 7648 Northwoods Blvd

North Charleston, SC 29406

Mon

4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Tue

4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Wed

4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thu

4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Fri

4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Open now Sat

4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Sun

Closed

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Amenities and More Health Score97 out of 100 Powered by Hazel Analytics

Takes Reservations Offers Takeout Accepts Credit Cards

Help Improve Yelp Does this business have Gender Neutral Restrooms?

About the Business Business owner information Jennifer Conlon Thomas conlon C.

Business Owner

Wine tastings every third Wednesday. Cooking classes every fourth Sunday. Find us on Facebook and Instagram

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Is this restaurant suitable for date night? Is it vegetarian friendly?

A:

Yea and yes

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I actually never got to get food from there. They were open with a sign that said 'takeout available.' I was nearby, the special for the night looked good that they posted on FB. I stopped in at 4:10pm on a Thursday. A couple at a table, one person at the bar. Thought I'd get a drink, order my meal to bring home. The hostess turned to ask the owner Jennifer if they would do takeout. She said no. I repeated that I was going to have a drink at the bar but needed to take the meal home. Answer was no takeout. I recently asked the owner on one of her FB posts about this. She was defensive. Now is posting that they were closed when I was there! She just posted on her FB today a rant about customers and don't expect to get a table etc. Got to Amici's FB page, it's long. Now she's commenting that Thursday is the weekend too, lol. I will say the food on her posts looks good but spend your money elsewhere instead of a restaurant that posts authoritarian rants at potential customers who are trying to spend money at her...