Caffe Piccolo — Restaurant in South Carolina

I’ve been looking forward to coming to Cafe Piccolo since my dad moved down here over a year and a half ago. We were sat outside and the atmosphere was great. I liked how it was made to be hidden and intimate.

When we were sat, no one came to greet us. A guy finally came to pour our waters but did not tell us who our server was or let us know when someone would take our drink orders. Our friend stopped by to say hello and happened to stop a server to ask who had our table and it just so happened that person was our server. Total, we waited for over 25 minutes for someone to even get our drink order. She had an attitude like we were the inconvenience and taking up too much of her time. She started off by asking if it was all going to be on one bill or two and we said one, she then made a comment about we can get whatever we want since it’s my dad’s wallet paying for it. Very rude and presumptuous. We waited a very long time for our food and while waiting, our water was never refilled and we weren’t checked on. When my dad asked if a salad was included she responded, “yes, I think you can afford that extra $1”.

Finally, when our food arrived, my dad made a comment about how long it took and the reply was “sorry we’re really busy”. The table behind us was sat after us and was already paying their bill. She didn’t feel the need to have the manager come speak with us and do service recovery.

I know that things in the service industry are difficult since Covid and everyone is just trying to do their best. People are rude and don’t consider the hustle and bustle. However, we weren’t rude and we came to CP excited for a great experience and good food yet were met with subpar service.

The food does not make up for the service and we will...

A harsh realization…

That it is no longer worth it to eat out. When you first step into Cafe Piccalo, you get the sense of a quaint, intimate Italian restaurant with leather bound menus and plastic candlelight. However, the longer you sit, the more you notice the mishmash of country/rock music and off-putting wall decor.

Upon opening the menu I was confronted with the realization that you could not order a chicken dish for less than $30. With high price tags come high expectations. I initially ordered the Chicken Marsala, and my company ordered the Chicken Gorgonzola. What I received, however, was not chicken Marsala. It had the floured chicken and mushrooms, but the sauce was a dark red that had spice and an unwelcome peppery taste. The Chicken Gorgonzola was pungent to say the least and abrasive to the taste buds. After asking my friend what she planned to do with her leftovers, she stated she would take it home and “doctor it up” to help with the flavor. Not something you want to hear after spending $30. When the waiter came to check on us I asked to return my dish as it was not Marsala, and I was advised that this was “their marsala”. I opted, instead, for the Chicken Piccata. While the chicken was tender and juicy, the only flavor it had came from the sauce, which was largely held up by the capers they threw on top of the chicken. With hardly any (oily) sauce, pasta, and a single split chicken breast, it was not enough to fill someone up. While the waiter was kind and exchanged my food, it unfortunately wasn’t enough to justify the...

When I made the reservation on Open Table I was asked if this was a special occasion. It was. When arriving we were met by a hostess who made no eye contact, didn't say "welcome" only asked if we had a reservation then walked us to our table, placed the menus on the table, and walked away saying nothing. After some time our wait person walked by and said he would be right with us. He was disheveled at best; not the look one would expect at an upscale restaurant. Of the three appetizers ordered the stuffed peppers shined with the calamari and eggplant only passable. And yes, the bread and dip as we were told were very good. We ordered a veal dish and scallop special that were both very good. The special ribeye steak for $45 was very disappointing. Thin, no char or crust, over-sauced and undercooked. When it came to dessert we informed the wait person that we had a birthday at the table. The table next to us had a birthday and had a dessert with a candle. Our limoncello cake and profiteroles were institutionally purchased and thawed out and arrived , yes, without a candle! When I asked why, he said that if I really wanted one he could go and get one. We declined. At no time did anyone from owner to management come by our table. When we left no one was at the front door to thank us for coming. For three appetizers, three entrees, two desserts, and two drinks our tab with gratuity came to $270. $90 per person for a special occasion that felt more like we were an imposition. Sorry but true....