On a Monday evening, we did not have many choices in Waynesville, so we tried Bocelli's. The 3.7 rating on Yelp is very misleading. I had the salmon and my wife had the lasagna and we found the food very good. A yelp rating closer to 4.5 would be appropriate IMHO. read more

Our dinner was excellent. I had the chicken piccata and the chicken was perfectly cooked as was the risotto. My sisters had the baked ziti which they absolutely loved. My brother in law had a cup of the creamy tomato basil soup and a ham and cheese calzone. He could not stop talking about how amazing the soup was and the calzone, which was a small size was huge and delicious. Our waitress Nikki was very attentive and made sure we were happy with everything. We would all definitely come back again, when in the area. read more

Note: I had wrong location before. My bad. This is the fourth Italian restaurant I have tried in the area: two in Waynesville and two in Maggie Valley. I still haven't tried the one in Sylva (heard good things), and I think I'll pass on the one in Bryson City. As for this joint, the outdoor dining area is supreme. Well, maybe it was just supreme on that day thanks to the weather. I was on my way to poker (it went well again thanks to me designing and applying TNP a year ago), and I wanted to get some good calories under my belt since tourney poker players don't eat much for 7-10 days when WSOPC is in town. I definitely got the calories! The Chicken Parm and pasta portion here is HUGE! The salad is also the best salad of the four Italian restaurants I have tried in the area. For bread, the garlic knots were very high quality, and if you like garlic knots, you will love it. But in the bread category for me, Frankie's wins with ease, simply because it's a large portion of traditional Italian bread with butter. I love butter. In fact, it's one of my favorite things in life. Sometimes when I'm driving and I glance at my rearview mirror, it looks like a stick of butter, especially during sunrise. For Chicken Parm, I have Frankie's and Bizzaro's tied for the lead over Vale and Bocelli's. But all four are good! For pasta, Bocelli's is in last. For some reason, that sauce works well with the Chicken Parm but not with the linguine. I give Bizarro's the nod for best pasta of the four. For service, all four are amazing. For value, Bizarro's. For atmosphere, Frankie's. For outdoor dining, Bocelli's. For quality red wine, Vale by a mile. Best red wine I have ever tasted! For storytelling, Vale! He will feel like a good friend within a 15 minutes. So ... for Bocelli's, solid Chicken Parm, best salad, great garlic knots, didn't love the pasta, and excellent service and outdoor dining. Definitely recommended! I need to try the pizza at all these places next round. read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Salad - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

Really good nostalgic pizza - reminds me of school or roller skating rink pizza (slightly elevated of course), which is a good thing in my book. 16" pizza, dozen garlic knots that came with a really good marinara sauce and a buffalo chicken salad came to $65. Crazy that for just $15 more you can get a sit down, better quality experience than fast food for my family of 5. read more

We just had our last meal at Bocelli's. I have been a loyal and faithful customer since they opened. We spent over $80 for three of us to have supper. Through the course of our two hour ordeal, our server went from being pleasant to inattentive and eventually downright rude. My appetite was light so I ordered only a cup of tomato soup, which is always delicious and did not disappoint. I ordered a side of two meatballs, and when they finally arrived an hour after we had placed our order they were cold and without flavor. My wife's dish of trout was noticeably smaller than the servings and portions they once gave and the dish was over salted. It was a struggle to get our glasses refilled. We watched three different tables, two couples and one four top get seated after we ordered, these three parties ordered, ate, paid, and left before our food ever arrived. Our server never asked how our meal was and was never at the table long enough for us to express our concerns. No host ever checked on us. After our meal, I was unable to locate our server, and I was unable to locate a hostess to express my concern. This is so disappointing because this does not reflect how this restaurant began. read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Fettuccine Bolognese with garlic knots - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

Mediocre at best but I wound up sick. Bland pasta and sauces. Service was good but even the atmosphere where the dishwashing station is separated from the kitchen and the movement back and forth was off putting. read more

The creamy basil soup is the best! Nikki also make sure that everything was to our like. This place is great!!

The service was not good when we went and the food was mediocre. We waited 20 minutes for a table, then our waitress took our order. We waited another 20 minutes for our salad which wasn't that great of a salad. We then waited another 20 minutes for our food. Our waitress never returned to the table to check on us. We also asked for a bag for our boxes and she put the bag on the table and walked away. I would have thought she'd have put the to go boxes in the bag. Needless to say, we won't be returning. read more

So far we have been here at least 10 times and always with a large group. Food is good, staff are welcoming and personable. Recommend giving this restaurant a try. read more

I come to Bocelli's nearly every time I'm in Waynesville. The pizzas, calzones, salads, garlic knots, and pastas are all delicious. My two favorite things: The garlic and spinach ravioli, and the homemade ranch. The portions are great as well. A few times, it's taken quite a while to put in orders, get food, and get the check. It gets busy, and I'm not sure if they're frequently understaffed or maybe I've caught them on bad nights. Regardless, the food is delicious and I will be back. read more

Tomato Basil Soup Panko breaded grouper / risotto Outside patio - pet friendly Service, as the only customers outside - excellent I should've taken a photo of grouper plate topped with the fruit chutney. It looked as wonderful as it tasted. We would return again!! Oh, almost forgot the salad with the house made Strawberry Basil vinaigrette. Greens were actually greens and not some premixed precut mixed greens. Very fresh!! read more

We have dined at Bocelli's a few times since moving to Waynesville, and it has always been consistently good. The food is equally exquisite to any Italian cuisine, and I travel for my profession. The atmosphere is casual, yet elegant. Our server, Nikki, was welcoming and offered great knowledge explaining the wine list and menu suggestions. She remained attentive without being obtrusive while dining. I highly recommend Bocelli's! read more

I went with a party of 8, and while I love every single one of them we really were a pain. The hostess and the staff were amazing. Each change of plans, each modification to make accommodations for our disabilities were handled with grace and a smile. The food was spectacular to boot. The strawberry basil vinaigrette was delicious, and the chicken Parmesan was huge. If I lived in the area, I would definitely be coming back. read more

My wife and I went to Bocelli's when we first bought our vacation home in Maggie Valley in 2017. Now the restaurant is much bigger and they offer a great happy hour along with fun and professional service with, always a smile. I strongly recommend this Italian eatery, in the heart of Waynesville, a block away from Main Street. We'll see you soon! Francois McKinnon ‍ www.MigInvestigations.com read more

Ordered lasagna and a "house" Chianti. Shocked that the two pours were $14 a glass!! Asking for a house wine shouldn't result in that. Chianti is a $10-12 bottle at most graceries. Really work on being upfront on pricing, or better, maintain a few recommended offerings for regulars. Adjusted tip accordingly. Sorry Dominique, but pricing is a management call, not yours. read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

The prices are more than double of what you see on this site. First the ravioli. 6 tiny Raviolis on a plate to be exact. Next, Chicken Fettuccini alfredo - piled high with cheap pasta and very little chicken despite being told it came with a large chicken breast. And last, Tortellini Campagna. The pasta was not Tortellini, it was gobs of mush and very little meat. My daughter, son-in law and 2 kids made up a separate ticket. Together, we were a family of 5 adults and 2 children. For this, we were hit with a mandatory party fee of 20%. How did a normal size family become a party? I was shocked when I got the bill, and it really wasn't good. I guess the party starts now, as we won't be going back. read more

One of our three favorite restaurants in Haywood County. Best pizza by far. Very good shrimp scampi. We go regularly.

If you live in western NC or are visiting Waynesville and trying to decide where to enjoy a nice dinner, look no further than Boceli's Italian Eatery. They are simply the gold standard for Italian cuisine! The service is excellent, the food is authentic, and the atmosphere is relaxed. Last night a group of 18 of us met at Bocelli's and enjoyed a delicious dinner. Our group had previously visited the restaurant and it was a unanimous choice to eat there again. I ordered several orders of garlic knots as appetizers and they were a hit! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and, because of the size of the portions, most of us had to get carry out boxes. Adriana was the staff member who took care of us - and she provided superb service! Our glasses were never empty and she was always nearby for any request we might have had. A very special thanks to her for her professionalism and world class customer service!!! Bocelli's Italian Eatery is simply the best! I have spent quite a bit of time in Italy, and Bocelli's is genuine. So, make yourself a reservation, bring your guests (and your appetite!), and treat yourself to a nice evening. You wil not be disappointed! read more

Visiting from out of town, we have been highly surprised by the nr of restaurants with delicious food! our last night we tried Bocellis Italian restaurant. We ordered a calazone (filled to the brim with veggies & sauce was thick & fresh). our white pizza was one of the best we've ever had) . atmosphere was quiet, good service by staff.clean bathrooms. wish we had a Bocellis where we live! highly recommend this place read more

Food was excellent.. server, Macy, needs to learn to smile and make her customers feel more welcome .. have had excellent servers before so we were all shocked at how "drippy" she was... no smiles at all and we were polite, respectful and Friendly, nothing to deserve the poor service read more

Second time visiting Bocelli's and my family can't wait to visit again! So many delicious offerings. I had the Roasted Wild Mushroom Ravioli with sun-dried tomatoes, Gorgonzola cream and topped with candied pecans. An explosion of flavor for my tastebuds! The cream of tomato soup was a favorite with everyone in our party! The garlic knots, delish! We didn't have room for dessert due to the generous portions. Next time we're getting some Cannolis for sure! read more

Food, delicious. You must have the garlic knots. We had a large party and sampled most of everything. The eggplant parm was good. The calzones are made from what tasted like the garlic knots. The bolognese was great and had good flavor and was one of the best meals we had. The cannoli definitely holds its own, and is one of the best Cannoli's I've ever had and as a northerner, it's hard to find Italian cuisine similar to the north let alone beat it. read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Garlic knots - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

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Great food. Great service. Always enjoy coming here! I get the Chicken Parm almost every time but hubby gets different things and loves them all! read more

The food here is excellent! Service is better than anywhere else in town. I ate the Italian sub today, of which there is NO comparison in town. They have daily lunch specials, And I can say that I have never had a bad meal here. With a plethora of mediocre Italian restaurants both here and in Maggie Valley, this restaurant stands out as the standard which the others struggle to equal. This, my 293 visit to Bocellis Italian Eatery will be my last review on Yelp. As a 4 year Yelp Elite member, my status has been denied with no valid explanation. When questioned, they continued to blow happy smoke up my ass like they do to everyone! I have recommended a number of restaurants work with Yelp, as more exposure always helps. What resulted was a full on assault by an over aggressive marketing department. The were relentlessly pursuing the owners trying to get them to agree to marketing contracts that they weren't interested in pursuing. These business owners will no longer do anything with Yelp. It is understandable. They have terminated the Community Manager in Asheville, cut off Asheville as a support community and appear to be winding down. The happy smoke is not that effective anymore, now is it? read more

We went to Bocelli's for lunch. We had the ravioli marinara with garlic knots, and a half mushroom and sausage calzone. The calzone was absolutely excellent. The portion size was huge. The ravioli was ok, nothing special, but tasty. Our meal cost $34. Not a bargain, but not outrageous either. The restaurant is huge. We ate upstairs near the bar. It was quiet, clean, and well decorated. Our server (Nicky) was very attentive, professional, and prompt. They have a full bar with a nice selection of scotch, whiskey, and other spirits. We will definitely come back again. read more

Me and my partner were traveling through while moving. Stopped in, and thought this place looked great! Pizza was delicious, and service was absolutely amazing. We chose to ate outside because we wanted some sun after driving for 4 hours. Amazing ambiance inside and out, with cute little seating area out front. read more

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Found this little place on Yelp as we were traveling around the area. Hubby wanted to stop by. When we got here, I figured out why. He never gets spaghetti with tomato sauce at our home, because I am both gluten intolerant And have a sensitivity to tomatoes. Sigh. Anyway, salad came with our plates, and the House Salad was delicious -- greens were fresh and crisp, and the little additions of dried cranberries and toasted sunflower seeds gave it just the right sweetness and crunch. I ate every bite of my Chicken Marsala, but hubby had to take his Spaghetti home -- that was a Huge plate. Visit Bocelli's -- I think you'll like it, too. read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Plenty of Room -- Come on in! - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

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Calamari appeared frozen and store bought. It had no flavor accompanied with poor service. Same experience 3 weeks ago. Will not be returning to what at one time was a great Italian restaurant. read more

We love going here! The food is exceptional and service is top notch! We love this place so very much!

We love eating here! Fantastic food! We prefer eating upstairs near the bar- a bit more intimate. My hubby loves the lasagna and I loved the grouper. Actually, we have been here several times and have ALWAYS been very happy with our food!! The menu is super impressive with lots of great choices. Pizza is delicious. Portions are great and they have a decent wine selection. Our waitress is always attentive, gives good recommendations and is super friendly. Call for a reservation, they get very busy!!!! read more

Best part of our night was our server NICOLE F. She was fabulous in every way!!! HOWEVER ...THE ATMOSPHERE RUINED OUR EVENING. When I made the reservation I specifically requested a "quiet table for six" ... basically in the quietest area possible. Instead 1.) WITH a reservation we waited 15 minutes for our table. 2.) once seated it was upstairs where they sat us NEXT TO A TABLE OF 15 HS FOOTBALL PLAYERS!!! Noisy doesn't even cover it! Later on they seated a family upstairs where the child played a movie on her phone in full speaker mode!!! WHAT??!! The staff should have told them if they don't have earbuds they CANNOT watch a movie in the restaurant, I mean come on! FOOD CRITIC: 1.) chicken piccata tasted great yet looked anemic -- needed to add color to the plate vs. all white plate with a few capers 2.) meat lasagna was WEIRD not good, there were a ton of green peppers which ruined the flavor. Meat lasagna should ooze with meat, cheese, red sauce NOT peppers. 3.) all the house salads were DELICIOUS, fresh mixed greens, onions, tomato with excellent choices of dressings THIS WAS A VERY DISAPPOINTING EVENING BECAUSE WE COULD NOT HEAR ONE ANOTHER & I OUR REQUEST FOR A QUIET SPOT WAS NOT JUST DISRESPECTED BUT ODDLY REVERSED. It was as if I said, " please put us in the worst spot possible where we won't be able to talk to each other at all -- oh and also place us with a rude family playing a movie so loudly we can hear ever word and do not disturb them allow them to do that in your restaurant." read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - the dining area - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

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Wow! What an amazing, authentic meal. Pasta was fresh tasting, plentiful portions with abundant flavors. Service was good as well. We had a large group that included children they had seats indoors right away, excellent sanitation procedures followed (hand sanitizers available, socially distanced tables, limited capacities, mask worn) I highly recommend read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Bocellis Smothered Chicken - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

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My wife and I enjoyed dinner at Bocelli's recently on a beautiful evening. So we took advantage of dining on the patio. I had the Mediterranean veggie pasta with shrimp. My wife had the wild mushroom ravioli. Service was excellent! Both dishes were very good. However, I would have enjoyed more veggies, especially spinach in the Mediterranean veggie pasta. For my taste there were more than enough catamala olives. The house salads and dressing were very nice and the garlic knots were very good. We look forward to trying other dishes at Boccelli's read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Wild Mushroom Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

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We come here often. The food absolutely blows us away each and every time. We make reservations because it's always a full house. I have never had a bad dish. My favorite is the mushroom ravioli. Absolutely unbelievable. I also love the cream tomato sauce. Whatever you order is going to be delicious and will be a large portion. So four stars. But I wanted to mention a few cons. These cons won't keep us from returning but they are definitely negatives for us worth advising young couples about: Be prepared for a long wait. It's worth it! But a typical dinner service here takes about two hours from start to finish. Food is made to order and even salad takes a while to arrive. Don't arrive starving. Children run around the restaurant. And scream. If you're sensitive to this like I am, have s few cocktails at the pub attached first to calm the nerves because parents are not encouraged to curb this behavior. They play the same exact 70s playlist every. single. time. we. visit. It's The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Queen barf fest over and over and over for the two hours you're there. You would think that at an Italian restaurant they would play (ya know) Frank Sinatra or a nice traditional Italian playlist. But no. They never switch it up. And if you sit close enough to one of the kids tables you get to listen to Coco Melon. Or screaming. Again. Four stars because the food is out of this world. But sometimes I just want to bypass the kids and the music and get takeout!!! read more

The service is AWFUL! It was way before closing time and they did not pick up the phone. Went there and they refused to take us and were very rude. We tried another restaurant and it was better. Their rudeness is definitely not worth it. read more

We had a buffet rehearsal dinner there for 65 people. The food was delicious and the service was fantastic! Everyone enjoyed the food.

The food was great. Our server was wonderful. We will return. The house wine was good. Overall, a very pleasant experience.

Love this restaurant! Very homey, great service, wonderful food. Highly recommend in downtown Waynesville! read more

Bocelli's Italian Eatery - Mediterranean Veggie Pasta - Italian Near Me - Waynesville, North Carolina

Great Pizza, homemade dough, wheat, nice place, with lots of character. Hard working staff. Make reservations, they are busy! read more

So I have now found a local place that knows sauce. To me, sauce is the key ingredient for a pizza, spaghetti, whatever Italian dish you choose. The red sauce on my pizza sub was great. It had a tangy, slight lemon, slight spicy, very enjoyable taste. I'm sorry that I can't enjoy the smells inside the restaurant yet. Covid still requires that we pick up food and take to another location. I think the smells in this restaurant are going to be fantastic! My sandwich , of course, came with a side of either potato salad or french fries. I chose the fries. But I will say the size of the six inch sandwich was enough and the fries were not needed. However, I did enjoy the french fries too. You really need to try this place and expect to have a defibrillator nearby. The cheese is cheesy!! I think that you will clean your plate. I know I did. read more

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