Solid rounded 4stars. The sampler player with chicken, lamb and beef is excellent. We ordered sausage and onions with pasta. Excellent dish! Our 12-oz ribeye was cooked exactly to our instruction. Very good. Lasagna was very good. read more

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One of our favorite date night spots! The food is so so good and the staff is always very welcoming. The bolognese and fillet Oscar are our favorites read more

Service was terrible. Our waitress Ashley was rushing us, forgetting to ask if we wanted a drink, our bread was served with our appetizer, and was disinterested. Our drinks and bartender were good. Our food was flavorless (calamari) and entree was overcooked and not worth the price. read more

This restaurant is super stingy in their portions. No water unless you request, no refills for drinks, bread only with order of entree.

Came here to celebrate my bf's birthday and lo and behold, best Italian food we had in a while. Yes, they maybe a little on the pricey side, but the quality is superb. Spoke to the owner who is a humble man and he's also the chef; he takes pride in his grandmother's recipes. Highly recommended. The place is clean and we didn't see a live band that night, but that's okay. read more

Carmela's at the Loft - Eggplant parm and forgot what the other pasta is - Italian Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

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I honestly have no idea how this place has good reviews. First & last visit was tonight. Service was terrible. My drink stayed empty the entire time, I should not have to ask for a refill when my glass is empty. The food...well I hope you like sugar and garlic because everything is sweet and reeks of garlic. Oh and no bread with the meal? Even olive garden has bread with pasta but none here. We saw other tables receive a cold glass with their beer but it took us 10 minutes just to get a bottle to the table. Oh and to top it all off apparently it was bring your rowdy kid to eat night because all we heard were kids running around knocking stuff off walls and being loud, definitely not the atmosphere you'd expect for a place like this. We asked for to go boxes but then just left them because we didn't want the food. We just hate being wasteful but we also expected food that was way better than received. And no we didn't ask for a manager since it took our waitress forever to do anything else we needed we just wanted to leave and forget we ever decided to go here. If I could give 0 stars I would. We rarely never give a place a second chance but absolutely nothing here made us feel like we should. read more

This place is charming and delicious. I recommend everyone to check it out. When we first entered, the aroma of fresh Italian food grabbed me and it did not disappoint. My wife and I stopped in for a couple appetizers and were pleasantly surprised with how good it was. I recommend the crab stuffed mushrooms. We also had the flatbread and the marinara sauce was incredible. It had a perfect blend of sweet/salt and savory taste. Next time I will be looking for a spaghetti as that is my favorite and with this sauce it will probably be my new favorite. The service was good, everyone is friendly and they took good care of us. This would be a great place for a date night or a family outing. I am looking forward going back. read more

Delicious food and excellent service. The owner always visits your table to check on your meal. The outdoor patio is so cute for warm weather. read more

My wife and I decided to give this place a try and were very disappointed the service was slow drinks stayed empty to the point of me asking for a water on the side just to wash down the over garlicky overly sweet food. I got the bolognese and it was watery the sauce wouldn't stick to the noodles and was just sweet and raw garlic flavor 3 bites and I was done. My wifes chicken parm was soggy and greasy and overly sweet as well. Also do not get the itialan dressing on the salad it hands down had a offencive amount of garlic in it. I love itialan food and not afraid of spice and garlic in general but this was over the top and pretty much piss poor for 100$... lesson learned don't believe the hype. read more

I came here to eat a couple of weeks ago and had a pretty decent experience. I ordered a filet entree off of the seasonal/temporary menu, and it was supposed to be topped with a crab sauce type of thing? The sauce was good, but it didn't taste like crab nor did I find any crab meat lumps in it. It was a nice meal (with fried potato balls and asparagus) but seemed to be too expensive for what it was. I also ordered a few drinks which I found to be decent enough, but not worth the price. I was having a fun time with my friends while we ate and drank, but our waitress took forever to check in on us/take our orders and kept acting like we were a group of intoxicated people. I don't like being treated differently when I go to eat with friends after a very long week/day and feel like I'm being judged if I happen to be smiling or laughing more than the average silent restaurant-goer. I might give this place another try if I happen to be in that neighborhood again. read more

Honestly this is one of my favorite places to go in Lynchburg. My go to dish was always the stuffed shells. They have amazing flatbreads as well. I would recommend trying whatever they have as a special on your visit. The owner is super nice and always comes to check and see how your experience was. read more

The food here is amazing, they just have soooo many hidden fees. Card up charge, no notice of fee. No refills, nothing on the menu about that. read more

We came here after being recommended this location by one of our professors and it was an experience! The first thing you notice when you walk in is it feels very rustic, everything appears to be made out of wood with a full bar on the left and desserts for display. Our group was served a collection of garlic bread knots with butter and it didn't disappoint! The bread was pillowy and soft and the butter spread easily and melted instantly. Next up was the salads and I personally got their wedge salad. Something that I dread is that in wedge salads, it can be difficult to wash the lettuce while maintaining its shape in a wedge but what I was served was crisp and fresh. The dressing was delicious and the salad came together cohesively. Hell, it was crisp enough to be cut with a knife which is what I had to do to eat it effectively. Nothing against the salad itself but the wedge salad was more of a disc and not a wedge. My friends got the caprese salad and whatnot. Everything was great thus far. We got a flatbread for the table to share and it was a bit lackluster. It was cheesy and bready and thin but a bit floppy for my tastes. It felt like a wasted opportunity. Finally the entrees, my friends got the diavolo, the carbonara, and the alfredo and everything was more or less what you would expect. The diavolo didn't have enough sauce but they made up for it slightly with all the shrimp they gave. The alfredo was very dense but more or less what you would expect from an alfredo. I wish that the mushrooms were cut a little smaller for the alfredo though. Another baffling decision was theirs to use blanched whole cloves of garlic. Not pan seared, not cooked, not roasted, but whole cloves of blanched garlic. It had all the appearance of raw garlic with none of the taste. It was... odd. The carbonara was fine. I personally got the chicken piccata with a lemon cream sauce. It was perfectly adequate. The only thing I would mention was that everyone's pasta noodle were slightly overcooked. Just a tad too soft. This place is definitely worth shot although it was odd that easily the best thing I ate here was a salad which is not what I would have expected from an Italian restaurant. read more

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This is a hidden gem on Timberlake Rd! They are only open four days out of the week, but it is definitely a place worth making plans to go to. There was no one else here when I came for dinner a few weeks ago, which I thought was surprising since I can't wait to come back! Their garlic knot and salad were fairly standard compared to other Italian places in Lynchburg, but the tides turned when I was so impressed with my entree (eggplant parm). I think the major highlight was how beautiful the interior is. I would love to bring a group of people here. There is also a sort of romantic feel as well (perhaps I'll have to schedule a double date). I also loved the attentive service that made me feel like I was at a fine dining restaurant. Looking forward to returning soon! read more

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Yes. I was unprepared to have my life changed by a wedge salad, but it was. Miriam, our server, was knowledgeable, polite, and very personable, reading our vibe and adjusting to be who we needed at the time. The actual best wedge salad I've ever had. Also, delicious cheesy bread and a great fettuccine Alfredo. My wife ALSO had the best lasagna she's ever had as well. We will be returning! read more

Carmela's at the Loft - Fettuccini Alfredo. Creamy, delicious, could possibly have used more flavor but the sauce-to-noodle ratio was - Italian Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

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I LOVE it here!!! This place has such a fun atmosphere! The place is beautifully hand-constructed from repurposed wood, built by the owner himself! The owner (Ralph) greeted us himself during the meal and is so friendly and personable! He treats you like an old friend and the rest of the staff does, too! The entire staff we interacted with was so welcoming, balancing very warm and welcoming service with allowing us our own time to enjoy the meal leisurely. It's the place to sit down and take your time, not rush through the meal. And the meal! Wow!!! Those arancinis are INCREDIBLE!!! I'm not usually a huge fan of Italian food but this is out of this world. I love the crab cakes too!!! If you're a big seafood lover or like Italian food (or even are a skeptic about it), GO HERE!!! It's the best Italian food I've ever had by far! Fine dining is hard to come by here in this area, but Carmela's is the place to go if you're looking for a very special and fancy meal with unique ambience. read more

We were told at least three different times that they were busy. The waitress spilled my husband's food on the table and the marinara sauce dripped all over my friend's shoe. Nobody was in a hurry to clean it up -- but hey, they were busy. To compensate my friend for spilling food on the table next to her and on her shoes, I suggested that they take the cost of her meal off the bill but they said that the best they could do was take the $2.75 for the cost of the tea off the bill. Best that they could do? So unacceptable! What happened to the concept of good service and making your dining experience memorable? To be fair, it was memorable. I finally pushed, and they removed the cost of my friend's meal from the bill. A more professional restaurant would have offered to do that automatically. The Loft's prices are a little on the high side for the quantity that you get. After eating at Isabella's one develops high expectations for food as well as service. The calamari was very so-so and just barely warm. The eggplant parmesan was fair but was just over-loaded with marinara sauce. The rolls tasted store bought and not at all like the type of bread one usually associates with a good Italian restaurant. The best thing I can say about the restaurant is that their Gorgonzola dressing was very good. All and all, I would give this restaurant a zero rating if I could. Waitresses should never tell customers they are busy as an excuse for not providing good service. Clearly, the manager and her staff need to be more attentive to their customers and make sure that they provide a good dining experience if they hope to have repeat customers. We weren't nasty to our waitress but she clearly was overwhelmed as was the manager. They were happy when we left but I was so disappointed in the manager's original offer to take the tea off of my friend's bill as if that was really fair compensation. I love to eat out and I particularly like Italian food but between the poor service and the manager's lack of interest in making it right, I'm done with the Loft. I have never posted a review for a restaurant before but this needed to be said. B. Smith read more

Food was good Service was slow and poor Management was rude and dismissive Never going back Too many restaurants.. need good food and good service.. not finding it here read more

We joined our friends for dinner at the Carmela's at the Loft the last time we were in town and enjoyed it. We thought the menu was a bit small, but they have a niche and they do it well! I originally wanted to try the chicken Parmesan with zucchini noodles but they weren't keen on substitutions so I went with the lasagna, which was great. My significant other ordered a chicken dish with zucchini noodles and it was a decent sized portion. Our friend ordered the stuffed shells and that came in a fairly large portion as well. We all split an dinner roll appetizer which was good, too. We thought the prices were a little high, but chalked it up to pandemic inflation. Great little spot if you like Italian food, and if you are lucky you may even get to experience the jazz band! read more

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Eh, I struggled with this review because I wanted it to be my new go to for Italian food...but....not the case. The best part of our meal was the balsamic vinaigrette for the salad, wowza. I ordered the eggplant parm, and it looked NOTHING like any of the photos. There was so much breading on the eggplant, I couldn't even tell if it was eggplant; not to mention my entire plate was swimming in red sauce. It was quite a healthy portion, easily could've been split between two people, I must say that to their advantage. But the pasta is not made fresh, entirely too much breading and then alllllllll the sauce!! Maybe it was a new chef or something, but I won't be going back for quite a while; if ever. read more

Great restaurant! We loved the outdoor seating. The food was delicious - we got the prime rib and the ribeye and both were excellent. Excellent service - the people were very welcoming! read more

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Very good , Services's were very good always sat down in main floor going. To try upstairs. You can't beat the flavors of the food, bread

Hands down, the best bolognese sauce we've ever had at a restaurant!! Great service too!

Too expensive for what you get, definitely not worth it. Management was rude. Will not be coming back.

Took the family to The Loft for the first time tonight. The restaurant is very inviting and is bigger than it appears on the outside. And yes, there is some seating upstairs in a loft! The menu is "Italian favorites", and has good selection of Italian fare, with one or two dishes off the beaten path, as it were. I chose the Chicken parmesan, this is my standard first dish at any Italian restaurant I try. The portion was hearty, chicken tasted fresh breaded. The spaghetti was done just right. The other dishes we tried were Chicken Picatta, Italian wedding soup with a side of polenta, and a chicken and sausage alfredo special. Everything was good and tastes fresh. I recommend you give it a try! read more

Carmela's at the Loft - Italian Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

Just one of the nicest, friendliest places to eat in Lynchburg with delicious apps, entrees and desserts. The owner, Ralph, is one of the friendliest most genuine folks you will ever meet. He treats everyone like family. read more

I can't believe we have NEVER heard of this place!!Anyone that know us know that quality food is extremely important to us!! Tomorrow is our sons 13th birthday and he wanted Italian cuisine. We were over the top impressed with the flavors and presentations of our dishes. The staff was top notch! This is a new regular for us!!! read more

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It's a hidden gem in Lynchburg! The food was great and loved the atmosphere! I wish I would have taken a picture of the shrimp linguine... it was amazing! Definitely recommend! read more

Beautiful & cozy atmosphere and delicious Italian food. The Chicken Parmesan and Lasagna were wonderful. We really enjoyed sitting in the loft part of the restaurant and our "family style" meal - it was enough to bring leftovers home for lunch the next day. We will definitely be returning and soon! So happy we found this place!! New favorite! read more

Carmela's at the Loft - Upper loft area by the fireplace - so beautifully decorated for Christmas. - Italian Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

ADORABLE! Come here!!! I am a traveler myself, and found this place when passing through Virginia. It's a GEM you guys. Best service ever, owner walked around and spoke with everyone. Beautiful establishment, completely decorated for Christmas, fireplace. I could not be more pleased with my visit here. Seriously could not. What a find. Thank you Carmela :)! read more

Carmela's at the Loft - Customary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, made into a smiley face by our server :). - Italian Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

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We heard that a new Italian restaurant had opened up in Lynchburg, and my wife has an unhealthy obsession with pasta, so we had to go! We were not disappointed! We ordered the Arancini appetizer, which was delicious, especially the house made marinara. For entrees I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs (which I always do the first time trying a new Italian restaurant) and my wife order the special chicken Alfredo manicotti.best spaghetti in town, and my wife enjoyed her entree also. The staff were friendly, especially the owner who stood and talked to us about his new restaurant for a couple of minutes. He seemed really invested and proud, which showed in the food. TLDR: Good food, good people, must try! read more

Carmela's at the Loft - Italian Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

Good but still learning. We had reservations on a busy Saturday night last weekend - the place was filled. All the people were very nice. It is a new restaurant, and they are clearly working out some kinks. Service was slow - but very friendly and apologetic for the speed, or lack thereof. Fish was great. Shrimp was overdone. Chicken in Chicken Parm was great, but the sauce was lackluster. The chef needs to work on bringing more depth to the sauces and seasonings. Cocktails were nicely mixed. Prices overall for food and drinks were very reasonable. I'm betting the management is going to work hard on improving all of the above, and the place will be much improved in a couple of months' time. read more

Great place with outstanding service and food! Definitely going back! If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle, this is the spot!

I went with a large group to Carmela's tonight to try it for the first time. It doesn't look like much on the outside, but the inside is nice. The people there are friendly, which is always appreciated. As far as I know, everyone else at the table enjoyed their meals, but my chicken piccata was a disappointment. The chicken had that rubbery texture that makes you feel like it's not really done even though it was. I nibbled around some of the edges that were at least slightly browned. And if the chicken was undercooked, the overcooked linguine was there to balance the scales. I really dislike overcooked pasta, especially at an Italian restaurant. I don't like to be difficult at restaurants since it falls on the server who is rarely to blame, so I only said that I didn't care for it as I let my plate be cleared away, mostly full. I always hope in these rare situations that some type of amends will be offered ("can I bring you something else instead?" or just taking the meal off the bill in whole or in part), but there were none. The desserts looked great and I would have liked to have one, but couldn't bring myself to pay more money for dessert knowing that I'd already spent $15 on a meal I didn't eat. (I'd have happily taken a $7 dessert in recompense for my $15 meal, even, but it wasn't offered.) In hindsight, I guess it's a good thing I got a side salad and ate a piece of bread (room temp Italian loaf, but what are ya gonna do?), since that was the bulk of my dinner. I like to eat at local spots (and do so almost exclusively), so I'm sorry that this one is off the list. read more

The best Italian Restaurant I have ever been to outside of NYC. Everything is fresh and homemade. Amazing food, drinks, and service. The best in Central Virginia!! read more

Felt awkward upon arrival not being notice for 10 mins while the owner chatted with a couple beside us at the door and not acknowleding that we were standing there. We made reservations but it was not noted correctly and they had to find a table which seemed stressed. The food this time was mediocre, over priced meat and cheese tray, small amount placed on a big thick wooden slab. Staff seemed over extended, rushing around, kinda felt bad by being there due to our reservation not really being made. The Bolognese was bright and very flavorful and we all wished we got the same thing. The carbonara was flavorless.. no taste at all. The peas in the dish was undercooked and cool on the inside when biting into one which was an unexpected and unpleasant. Because of the lack of staff and the stressful atmosphere it was not as good of an experience than we expected. Our waitress was sweet and funny. I know the owner tries hard.. but maybe a little too hard. read more

A party of 14 came here for my graduation dinner tonight. Server: Joe was wonderful, attentive, made sure we were taken care of with our food and drinks. He was a great server with a large party considering we were ordering a lot of food and bottles of wine. Joe gets 5 Stars! Food: The food was decent - well prepared and good portions for the cost. Hostess Stand: The service at the hostess stand gets 1 Star, if that. I asked one of the hostesses to take a group photo which she replied "I'm too busy, you can ask someone else if they aren't busy." I went to another girl behind the bar, who was sweet and let me know she wasn't able to leave the bar area and asked another older gentlemen standing if he could help. He replied with "oh no, I won't do that." At this point, there were 3 people standing at the hostess stand and I asked if anyone could take a moment to take a group photo, which one finally obliged after looking frustrated and rolling her eyes. I understand it is not a hostesses job to take pictures and definitely was mindful when asking - making sure no one else was being seated, serviced, or even in the general vicinity. However, after bringing in a large group for dinner, I would've hoped for better service and more decency when telling a customer no. Overall: Service matters just as much as the food. read more

I was really impressed with Carmela's. Ralph the owner introduced himself when we got there and explained the 7 year process of building the restaurant and designing the menu. The space is beautiful and you can tell that the owner put his heart and soul into the place. We were there for lunch. I had the build your own flat bread pizza. It was huge and very good. My parents had the stuffed ricotta shells and Angel hair pasta. You could tell that the food was truly authentic Italian and high quality. The homemade desserts, cheesecake and cannoli's looked awesome and plan to try those on my next visit. Definitely check this place out. The best Italian dining experience I've had in a while. read more

The storage room where they hold their food has no walls or ceilings, im shocked their still open. Absolutely bland and disgusting. Never eat here if you're conceded for your health or your families health. I worked here since opening, the owner only uses threats and intimation and holds nothing up to code. My fiancé and I both got sick from the bland not cooked correctly or stored or correctly. Stay away. Owner takes all short cuts and doesn't follow restaurant law. read more

Never noticed it before, but what a wonderful place! The people go out of there way to accommodate you. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is phenomenal! The Veal piccata was melt in your mouth snd the stuffed mushrooms were incredible! I can't wait to come back again! Reservations are recommended! read more