We attempted to visit after seeing Les Miserables, but unfortunately the restaurant was about to close. Made a reservation to return another day and I'm so glad we did. We were greeted and seated promptly. The interior is so cute, it's totally my speed. The seating is close but if that doesn't bother you, it's not horrible. They have the wine list on the ceiling which was hard to capture in a photo, but pretty cool to see. The menu is full of tapas which I love because it gives you a chance to try a variety of things and even share with others in your group. Everything I tasted was very good - for starters I ordered the Basilico, a refreshing herb cocktail. We also tried the olives, fish, pasta and other tasty items. Everything was seasoned well. I'd return in a heartbeat and try other dishes. Location is great, right in the center of everything - just walking distance from shopping, theatres and more. read more

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My wife and I visited San Carlo Cicchetti for dinner on a recent trip to London. The restaurant features a large selection of sharable Italian dishes so this allowed us to try a variety of foods. We tried the Bruschetta, Sicilian Arancini, Ravioli Aragosta, Polpo & Patate, and Dolci Cicchetti. The Bruschetta featured lightly charred toast topped with juicy tomatoes and crisp arugula. The Arancini were nicely crisp on the outside and filled with a savory cheesy risotto. The Ravioli were savory and al dente and filled with tender lobster and prawns and topped with a creamy lightly briny lobster bisque sauce. The Polpo & Patate had nicely tender octopus and creamy mashed potatoes. Finally, the Dolci Cicchetti was the perfect way to try bite size pieces of multiple desserts including tiramisu, chocolate cake and pistachio mousse cake. All the dessert pieces were delicious. Overall, we had a nice dinner. read more

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This is a review for the location on 172-173 Picadilly. The food was good, service could have been faster. It took nearly 30 minutes just to put my order in. My reservation was for 5:30, the restaurant was nearly empty and I did not leave until 7pm. When you first sit down the hostess asks if you want still or sparkling: I asked for sparkling - I was brought still in a glass bottle by who I assume now is the manager. I asked the waiter if he could bring the sparkling instead because I cannot stand the taste of still water in London. He took the bottle away and brought the sparkling. When I got the check, I was charged 5.50 TWICE for each bottle of water. I immediately asked for the still to be taken off because 1 I didn't ask for it, and 2 they took it away from the table and it hadn't been drank from. The manager came and had an attitude because I said it was odd that it was so expensive and I was not told water costed extra. I took the bottle of water with me just be sure to check your bills since this is not something they inform you of and it feels quite scammy! read more

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We were staying at a nearby hotel and decided to stop by for dinner. Inside the restaurant was pretty busy with tables placed closely together. The restaurant is Italian with dishes served tapas style. We ordered about 5 dishes and they were okay but nothing special. Each dish was also pretty costly (about the price of a standard entree) considering it was tapas and meant to order multiple. If I had known this. I probably would've went somewhere else for a decent meal that was decently priced read more

Very fun, great food. Usually packed. Love that it is tapas style. The service was very good for how busy it was. Be wary that food may not come out in the order you ordered it. Also don't hesitate to wave down the servers. Beyond that 4.5/5 read more

San Carlo Cicchetti is a great choice on all levels. The food is excellent. The service is terrific and it is a great space so the ambiance is wonderful. We were dining with two children under five and they were incredibly accommodating. The cocktails are fine, but wine list is excellent -- the 2018 is amazing and a bargain at the price. read more

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I went here recently with two friends and had a remarkably bad time. First, one friend had nut allergies, which we informed the server of. A different person came over, and questioned them quite rudely about their allergies and how bad they were. We at first dismissed this experience as a one-off, because it makes sense to be concerned about allergies and to take them seriously. Next, though, I asked for water - none arrived; other guests were served items that they asked for later than we had. I asked again, and then, after about 10-15 minutes had passed, a third time. Finally we got water. Then, upon ordering food, the same person who was strange about my friend's allergies was quite harsh towards them for not specifying which burrata they would like (there were two on the menu). They got a bit flustered and changed their order. Finally, food came out. Some of the items were decent, but the carbonara was extremely salty. The bruschetta had far too much dried basil on it, and none of the food was particularly tasty (though some of it was more edible than the carbonara). One of us ordered a drink and it did not arrive until all of us were done eating, after 2 separate reminders. My other friend also was given a strange look for asking for a box at the end. We could not help but feel a little singled out, since other guests seemed to be spoken to relatively nicely and had good service. We wondered if our age, clothing (not that dressed up) or gender nonconformity might have played some part in how negative the experience became. We genuinely tried to be friendly, and pleasant (of the three of us, I am definitely the least pleasant of the bunch, yet received the most positive service). But generally the atmosphere felt tense and I could not have been happier to leave. I don't often comment on service in restaurants, since it's clear to me that servers have a legitimately challenging job and that a difficult day can cause customers to treat them poorly. So while I have sympathy for the servers involved, I certainly did not enjoy my dining experience at this restaurant and I would advise diners against it. read more

Very good food! Spending just the weekend in London and found this gem! Small portions that allow you to try several items from a very authentic Italian menu! It was a full house, and as great vacation travelers, we just walked in at around 9pm on a Sunday night! After very little wait we were presented with our table. read more

This is our second time at this restaurant but first at this location. The food and service here are FANTASTIC! I love the small portions and ability to try numerous different dishes. My boyfriend and I love the fresh wood fired pizza and tried the spicy sausage this last time and it was out to this world. All of the pastas are so fresh and flavorful. The Cacio E Pepe is my all time favorite. Make sure to save room for the dessert. The tiramisu is lovely and light with a beautiful presentation including a glass of Marsala wine. If you want good Italian at fair prices and a gorgeous atmosphere in London this is where you need to come! read more

San Carlo Cicchetti - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

Despite the amount of people inside, I didn't seem to quite get it. The food is solid and you can definitely get your fill. The burrata used to be so so good, but it tasted like it was taken from a can this time. The seafood boil with the bread on top was okay, not much taste on the pastry puff. Overall, a rather mediocre experience...! read more

Ahhhh San Carlo Cicchetti how I miss you. We've been back since my birthday to celebrate my husband getting a job. Apparently this place is where we celebrate things. Again, the food is delicious, the drinks are also very good, our waiter was very attentive, the atmosphere is just so cozy and wonderful. BAH I want to go back tonight! I'm trying to think of dishes that stood out but really I liked all of them- the crab pasta, the lobster ravioli, the octopus salad... all very delicious and unique in their own way. I think I'm normally more of a savoury girl. Actually no, I like both, but whatever. Generally the savoury dishes stand out to me at a restaurant like this, but their gelato. Oh my god their gelato was absolutely fantastic. Get their Gelato. DO IT. read more

The food was tasty, and I get that it was supposed to be Italian tapas, but honestly for the price I would have expected the food to be so much more. Location was convenient if you are staying near Covent Garden, but the service was lacking, it's amazing that there were waiters everywhere but we had to wait for someone to help. read more

Excellent small plate Italian menu. We tried the caprese salad, prosciutto & mushroom pizza, penne arrabiatti, and fettuccine bolognese! All dishes were delicious. read more

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-Tried several (6+) dishes - every item was cold when it arrived at table. Restaurant advertises "tapas style" dishes that are delivered upon completion in the kitchen. Food temperature disagrees with this claim. Quality of the food was otherwise good and if not room temp or worse at the table would have been a plus. -Multiple incorrect dishes brought around to ours and nearby tables. Waitstaff had multiple arguments with adjacent tables over miscommunications and were surprisingly confrontational. We did not have this issue but it wasn't great to hear. -Good ambiance - will fool you into thinking the above issues wouldn't be possible when choosing places off the street! If this sounds like a £120+ experience to you - come on by! read more

Pasta and drinks were amazing- scallops and over service could be better. Breadcrumbs on the Scallops was extremely thick and tasted like a layer of sand. Bartender seemed preoccupied, but nonetheless we loved it for everything else and will be back read more

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One of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. The beautiful window and packed restaurant drew us in. The fun ended there. Utensils were dirty when we sat down. Server was rude and indifferent. Took 20 minutes to get a clean fork and longer to get the drinks we ordered (tap water and a glass of wine). Sea bass was obviously burnt and tasted as such (there goes the fork we fought so hard for!). Then there was the bruschetta, which took about an hour to arrive because "the kitchen is busy and we have other things we are doing." The piece of thin toast with a smattering of tomatoes was comical. Don't be fooled like we were. Life is too short to eat bad food with bad service. read more

San Carlo Cicchetti - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

Our decision to dine here was based on the overhyped reviews on Yelp. Here's our account of the experience so you may make an informed decision. Food: Italian style tapas, with 4-5 plates recommended for 2 people. The tomato and basil bruschetta was meh - one slice of dry, toasted sourdough topped with fresh cherry tomatoes, one basil leaf, drizzled with some olive oil, and sliced in half. The tuna tartare was crafted 'table side'. Our waiter brought out the ingredients, raw tuna, rocket, lemon, and some spices like mustard, etc. and combined it all in front of us. Shame he went a little heavy on the salt, but otherwise this was the best thing we ordered. The gnocchi was really a croquette masquerading as one. They were deep fried, and sitting on a bed of cheese sauce, almost like Velveeta. Sweet potato with pancetta and onion was bland and the pancetta was absent. Lobster and pasta was so-so. Over sauced noodles, and too heavy on the salt again. Perhaps their way of getting you to consume more wine. Service: Reasonably attentive, but ever so stiff and formal. Don't expect your waiter to smile. They tried too hard to come across as formal wait staff for a 5-star business, and it felt disingenuous. Cost: £73 for 5 dishes, ranging from £3-£15 each, two glasses of wine at £6.25, and one bottle of still. Overall: Food was mediocre at best. Not a single small plate screamed delicious. Don't waste your money here. You could do better for the money in Covent Garden/Soho area. read more

San Carlo Cicchetti - Bruschetta with tomatoes. - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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Came while visiting London on a Tuesday evening with my boyfriend on the recommendation of a friend that has frequented San Carlo Cicchetti. Started with the bruschetta romana and calamari, both of which were great. I found the bruschetta fresh and the calamari was lightly battered, which I prefer. For entrees we split the pizza diavola and tagliolini granchio (pasta with crab meat which seems to be a very popular, recommended dish, according to other yelpers!). The tagliolini was tasty and cooked well, but I would try something else next time for variety. The pizza was the star of the night and was wonderfully spicy (but not too spicy) and the sausage was perfect. Boyfriend finished off with the pistachio cake which he found to be delicious. I finished off with my personal favorite dessert of a double espresso and sambucca! The unfortunate part was that the service seemed to be a bit off. It was busy but there were some simple mistakes made. Our pizza came out about 15 minutes after our pasta main. And it took the bar about 15 minutes to come out with our drinks (which were simple, on the rocks). Walk to the loo downstairs was a bit unpleasant (smelly). I'm hoping it was just an off night for the service. The place was PACKED (reservations recommended/ needed) even being a weeknight. I'll try it again and give it another shot. read more

Can't really review this place. I went in to have dinner with some colleagues. We asked if any table were available. They said yes and to give them a minute. Five minutes later I commented that clearly they don't have a table available. The waiter or host became nasty. I said to him I asked if you have a table available. He said we are checking to see when one may be available. I again stated that I asked if he had a stable available. I did not say hey can you make me stand in your tiny area and have people stumble over me while you rush a previous diner out. Needless to say I left. I may have waited if when I asked initially they said please give us a few minutes to see how long till a table would be available. Make a reservation or don't bother this place is super busy and the staff is nasty when they are busy. I will not try to come back here. In my opinion the staff is is rude and not able to handle a crowd. read more

We had a reservation booked several months ago for Christmas dinner and received email confirmation. When we went to the restaurant they were closed. It is completely understandable to be closed on the holiday, but don't accept reservations. read more

My Family went for dinner. I had recently been to the branch in Knightsbridge by Harrods and had enjoyed it so We decided to go to Covent Garden as it was more convenient. It was good but sadly not as nice . We ordered two pizzas as they have a pizza oven as a feature in the restaurant and a fairly extensive pizza menu. Both had great toppings but the crust was limp and soggy . Too doughy and soft.you couldn't hold it by the crust and eat it without the toppings falling onto you lap. We tried to order fried calamari. One of the reasons we came in the first place. Unavailable. England is an island and catches more fresh squid than most nations. Don't know why they didn't have it... we ordered scallops instead. They were not cooked through and partially raw. Very lukewarm and bland.Tempura prawns looked good but as we were four and they only come three to a plate I couldn't comment on them. The melanzanie ( sp aubergine) was extremely good. So was the black seafood ravioli with vongele clams. Both were exceptional . The carbonara was fairly tasteless. Egg yolks were curdled ( too hot a pan) and fairly flavourless. Either there wasn't enough cheese added or cream was added I don't know which but it was extremely devoid of that rich salty flavour it should have had. Gorgonzola gnocchi was disappointedly devoid of flavour . Chocolate tart for dessert was excellent. Pannacotta was much smaller than in the Knightsbridge branch and covered in way too much berry sauce. Too sweet and disappointing . I ordered a double espresso. It took two attempts to get it right as the first coffee was undrinkable. Camillo our waiter was friendly and provided a very good service even though he was a bit slow clearing finished plates ( tables are small so plates collect quickly and looking at dirty plates detracts from my meal a bit. We had a gavi de gavi fairly priced at 51 pounds and was very good and professionally served. Maitre d' from Sicily offered a warm greeting and made a point of checking in at the end of our meal. It was my daughters birthday so we were given a complimentary profiterol and strawberry plate. Overall a nice evening but definitely not as nice as Knightsbridge . Very touristy and I doubt they would survive in Venice read more

I love tasting lots of little dishes rather than committing to one, so in many ways San Carlo Cicchetti is perfect. But perhaps the concept should translate as small dishes for small groups. My experience as part of a large group of ten left me hungry and out of pocket. Everything I tasted was delicious, but just a tasting menu it was. Staff were very friendly but not very helpful and just added to the confusion. It feels they got more orders wrong than right and couldn't tell their broccoli from their spinach (actually, it turned out to be chard - luckily I love all greens). I am also a little bit sad that this means PJ is no longer - San Carlo replaces a retro burger joint with the names of regulars carved into brass plates ... I wonder if they sent them to their respective "owners"? Seems as though the location asks for tackiness somehow and pleased to report that the new surroundings look just as tacky to my eye. read more

San Carlo Cicchetti - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

We decided to give this restaurant a try on our way home from the theatre, not knowing that we would be treated like second class citizens. The server (tall, bald with goatee) was rude and obnoxious from the start. He had zero recommendations and when our (expensive) glasses of wine came out at the temperature of a warm cup of coffee, he said, "put some ice in it". The food was ok, but definitely not outstanding. We ordered 4 plates. He delivered 3 of them and then there was a 25 minute gap waiting for the mussels that we ordered. We were tired and fed up from waiting. We politely told the waiter that we had been waiting and wanted to cancel the mussels and he abruptly said "NO, they are on they're way out now!" 15 minutes later the mussels came out. Not kidding... At the end of the meal, to try to beat the waiter with kindness and as a joke between my partner and I, I offered to leave an extra tip on top of the included service charge. Well this was a MISTAKE. The server was so inconvenienced by being offered more money, it was like pulling teeth. He then had to re-run our card a couple of times and I asked him for a copy of the cancelled receipt, when he loudly said, "WHAT, DO YOU THINK I CHARGED YOU TWICE?! I'M NOT GONNA CHARGE YOU TWICE!" All the tables around us were staring and as appalled as we were. I suggest that the owners of San Carlo Cicchetti teach their staff some common manners when dealing with hard working, paying customers. We will not be back...Ever. read more

One of our favorite restaurants. Perfect potions where you can try so many different dishes. My son loved their hot chocolate

Get yourself a glass of wine and settles in for multiple starters-- only thing, make sure to order the pizza Fiorentina!! You won't regret read more

San Carlo Cicchetti - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

They say good things come in small packages! San Carlo Cicchetti pronounced chi-KET-tee serves authentic Italian dishes on small plates. From the outside, the restaurant looks like a butcher's! There are meat, seafood, cheese, dried food and wines on display at the front of the restaurant, seriously. Once you entered the restaurant, you will feel like you have been magically transported to a different place. I like the sophisticated interior of the restaurant, it feels posh! The restaurant is part of the San Carlo Group. They are inspired by the delightful Venetian culinary custom of cicchetti. The food here taste so much better than the ones I had when I was in Venice. Cicchetti launches a new menu every season. Their classic favourites would be retained while the new dishes will include seasonal ingredients sourced all the way from...Milan. Ask and you will receive the complimentary freshly baked pizza. There is also a sweet snack, that looks like the sweet version of poppadom! The tagliolini with lobster tail was delicious, not too heavy. The sauce was, however, a little too salty to my taste. The dessert of mixed selection of cakes is a must try! The cakes were fresh and light. My favourite is the pistachio flavoured cake. Good food and great customer service. Ciao, grazie! read more

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The one star is not because of the actual food itself. That was pretty delicious. The waitstaff we had was beyond awful, inattentive, and rude. Our waiter barely checked on us. Then the bus boy spilled my wine on me (honest mistake), so they brought me a glass of the wine my husband ordered, not the wine I ordered that was spilled on me. Then they argued with me that it was the wine I ordered and forced me to taste it. When the bill came at the end of the night, they charged us for the second glass of my husband's wine! We disputed it with the waiter, who again was argumentative, so we finally dealt with the manager. My regret is that we didn't ask for the service charge to be removed. My friend, who is a local to the area and was with us, realized we should have. Hopefully the waiter sees none of that money!!! Also, earlier in the night, our same waiter fought with another customer over the door being open and it being too cold for the customer to sit there. The customer relocated to the bar -- smart decision given the lousy service. read more

We found this restaurant by trying to look for the Adelphi Theater for a matinee. We are so glad we found this place. The food was so good. We ordered too much. The best was their carbonara. I could have eaten the entire bowl. Their pate was delicious. Service was excellent. I loved the heavy Italian accent. Felt like we were in Italy. read more

Very special venue! Italian "tapas" at its very finest! Each small plate was presented beautifully and tasted delicious! The sea bass in particular was sublime! Wine selection was impressive! Our wait staff were all so very attentive and excelled at every task! Our favorite dining experience during our week in London! read more

San Carlo Cicchetti - Dinner before theatre.. Toasting our selection of venue in London! - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

Wow, what a gem! I friend and I went here on a Saturday night. We walked past and decided to stop in. The restaurant is beautiful. Gorgeous ambiance. And the food was divine. We got the seafood platter with buttery scallops, succulent prawns and delicious mussels/clams. The staff were all very friendly as well. I can't wait to go back. read more

Amazing Italian restaurant tucked in a side street two minutes from Covent Garden. We called in for lunch on a Thursday and it while it was busy the front of house was possible the best I've ever seen, he had us sat down immediately and was buzzing around the whole we were there making sure things were just so. The atmosphere and decor is relaxed and comfortable, the waiters were bantering back and forth in Italian constantly which was fun to listen to. Our waiter was very attentive, he explained the tapas style experience they have and we ordered x5 dishes which included the posh ham, lamb cutlets, some amazing cheese&ham bread and the duck. It was all great and we finished up with a cheese board to share. The cheese we found was a little short on strength for us but some great port with it made up for that. I'd highly recommend them and we'll certainly be heading back at some point. read more

We happened to come across this place looking for breakfast. I know they are known more for lunch and dinner, but the breakfast was really nice and quite affordable compared to other places offering the same things. The staff was wonderful and the breakfast is worth a try! read more

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This place is amazing. The dishes were incredible and will definitely be back. I went here for my birthday and haven't had such great Italian since I was in Italy over ten years ago. So impressed! read more

Awesome, first class service and Authentic Italian food!!!! We enjoyed it yesterday so much we came back today.. Great location for people watching & fun.. !! read more

Excellent food! The restaurant was a bit loud, there were a lot of groups. Not I would go for a romantic date, but great for dinner. We ordered an array of food and wine, everything was outstanding. I am looking forward to going back. read more

The food is very good, in every dish. The restaurant is very good looking as well. The downside is that dishes are small and cost quite alot. read more

Italian "TAPAS"... as if this is not an insult enough... Can say 100% the fish is not fresh.. would not recommend.

Service and food was amazing!!! So much better than the sister restaurant Fumo. Go for a late evening bite. You will not regret it!

Wow. The service is fantastic. The antipasti was just like italy. Great wine at fair price. If you love olives you will love the restaurant The tuna tartare was very tasty and the rest was great. read more

So horribly disappointed in the behavior of 2 of the waitstaff and the supposed manager. Ogling female customers, making rude gestures and totally disrespecting female patrons behind their backs in the restaurant. I asked to speak to the manager to address the issue. I was directed to the "manager" who was part of the issue. He stated that he was too busy and could not be bothered. Beware and avoid!!!! There is a terrible problem at San Carlo Cicchetti! read more