Food: The food was good, but not great - . The flavors were all very simple and not particularly complex. I had the Brascoletti and the steak had good color (medium to medium rare), but it was not particularly juicy or tender. My wife had Veal Parmigana, and the flavors were good, but the veal, which is know for its tenderness, was not tender at all. Drink: They have 1/2 off wine from 5-7 Mon-Thurs, which allowed us to get a nice bottle of wine at a very reasonable price. I don't know a lot about wine, but their selection seemed good and I enjoyed what we had. Service: The server took away a used fork after appetizers and we had to ask for a new one after our entrees had been delivered. They took our leftovers to box them, then brought us our paid bill without bringing back the box. Again, we had to ask for it. All-in-all the service left something to be desired (though, in all fairness, there were only two servers and 1 hostess for about a 15 tables or so). 2 stars = "Meh. I've experienced better." (via yelp) read more

Carmelo's - Brascioletii and pasta with Alfredo sauce. - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I have not actually ate here however my boyfriend and I have tried twice on the weekend, where their hours specify that they are open until 10pm. The first time we went to the restaurant at 9:00pm and we were seated and then told very apologetically they were no longer serving for the night and offered us bread and dessert on them. The second time we called on a Friday around 7:00pm and asked how late they would be serving because we could not be there till 9:00pm. They stated if we came in at 9:00pm we should be just fine. We called enroute to the restaurant at 9:00pm to ensure they were serving since we anticipated arriving around 9:05pm and they told us they were no longer serving. My boyfriend and I have heard great things about this place and really wanted to try it, however every time we try to go they are closed prior to the listed weekend hours of 10:00pm. If they are only open till 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday's they should indicate that as being their normal hours, not 10:00pm read more

The service was absolutely great. All the servers seemed to help each other and there was a quiet kindness in the dining room. The new decor is lighter and very warm and welcoming. Food as usual is great and they have gluten free options. Delicious. Tiramisu was fantastic - maybe the best ever? But that is not gluten free. read more

Nice little mom & pop Italian place in St. Paul. Good food & prices are reasonable. Chicken Carmelo is always good. Only area for improvement is parking can be tricky. read more

Recently discovered this hidden gem. The food was amazing, the service great (our server was Shelly), the atmosphere cozy. The prices were great as well (and if you go on a week night the wine is 1/2 off!). I started my meal with the house salad with peppercorn dressing. The dressing was so good. They also give you homemade garlic bread that is so soft. For my entree I ordered the seafood cannelloni (seafood mixture of crab, shrimp, scallops, ricotta, fresh basil & sun dried tomatoes wrapped in a pasta sheet. topped with a portabella mushroom cream sauce). It was delicious. The sauce was amazing, the seafood not at all fishy. The only complaint would be that the sauce got a little salty towards the end, but that is somewhat common with white sauces. My companion ordered the Chicken Carmelo (lightly breaded, baked & topped with fresh crab, parmesan & a lemon cream sauce served over angel hair & garnished with roasted vegetables) which was absolutely amazing! The veggies were so crisp, the chicken was tender, the lemon very refreshing. If I went again I would order this dish, hands down! read more

I cannot believe I forgot to review this little hole in the wall that if you blink while driving down Snelling you will miss. It is small. Which makes this a wonderful intimate dining place to have a nice meal with somebody you enjoy. My daughter and I used to go here for lunch because we are big pasta lovers and we enjoy the cozy atmosphere. Never had anything that I did not like here off the menu. read more

It's been a while since we've been to Carmelo's. After the meal we just had, I'm kicking myself and wondering why it took so long to get back. It's just what you want in an Italian restaurant. Family owned, quaint, unpretentious, beautiful hearty meals, and a very attentive and helpful staff. I had the Bistecca Pomadora which is a NY Strip stuffed with garlic and Parmesan, served on marinara and topped with onion, mushrooms, and roasted red pepper. Very nicely cooked to medium rare. My wife said her Chicken Milanese was very good. I've had pasta dishes in the past that were excellent also. The bread is homemade and extremely fresh and tasty. As good as I thought my meal was, nothing could prepare me for what came after. I ordered the Tiramisu. My wife and I spent our honeymoon in Italy, and I can honestly say that this Tiramisu was better than any I had there. It was so much different. Not prepared in a big pan. It looked individually prepared and the Flavors and textures were amazing. I highly recommend Carmelo's. Not the place you would want to bring the kids (although last night there was a table with rather young kids there). Prices are very reasonable throughout the entire menu. We will be back soon for sure. read more

This very well could have been the restaurant that Billy Joel was singing about in "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" on The Stranger album... "A bottle of white, a bottle of red Perhaps a bottle of rose instead Get a table near the street In our old familiar place You and I face to face A bottle of red, a bottle of white It all depends on your appetite I'll meet you any time you want In our Italian Restaurant." Visited Carmelo's on a quiet Monday night, around 6:30. Had called ahead for reservations, although for that night, at that time, they weren't really necessary. It certainly is a cozy (but definitely not cramped) dining room, so I could see how Thurs-Sun you would want to call ahead. There's a great atmosphere going inside Carmelo's. We chose a comfy booth, along the side wall. There was a good vibe going, with classic American standards (Frank, Dean, some Ella) playing softly in the background, and a good level of conversation happening among patrons - that perfect level of background noise, but not so loud that you felt distracted. The small candles on each table and good lighting completed the atmosphere. A pretty standard, nice wine list...none of the glasses were more than $5/6. Our waitress was very pleasant and confidently explained the specials to us. I went with the Chicken Parm with marinara, while my date chose a chicken ceasar salad (what's up with girls ordering chicken ceasar salads everywhere?). She said the salad was good...certainly looked good, so that's cool...I've got to compliment Carmelo's on my Chicken Parm. Good sweetness to the sauce, nice and hot bubbly cheese melted on top of a perfectly crispy, breaded chicken breast. Totally standard Italian-American fare here...but what's not to like about that? Carmelo's doesn't try to hide what it is...a completely unpretentious, comfortable, friendly, Italian restaurant. Our waitress was really attentive, the food was good, and the atmosphere was great. Check it out next time you want a good meal. read more

Teeny-tiny and unpretentious. I will admit that I am biased towards long-standing neighborhood restaurants, cafes and bistros, so even if there are things that I do not like about them, I will rate them higher than other places. I am also especially biased towards neighborhood Italian places. Let's see; my visits here were for date nights and my dad's birthday, (where I inherited my preferences for neighborhoody italian joints). I ordered the signature lemon chicken entree, which delicious other than being heavy on the lemon, and the pasta was a bit too oily. My BF ordered seafood cannelloni, which he raved about for days... months! So the food was great, but service was casual, in some cases, lacking. It's clearly a family-owned place; the owner's kid was working the restaurant floor, and would lift the glass by the rim - right where you put your lips - when refilling water. But it's evident that the owners/managers have a good relationship with their staff. Every visit in has had friendly but not obnoxious demeanor. They like working there. Lastly, the ambiance. From the street, it's nondescript. The space is tight, decor seems to be an afterthought, and the crowd is the frumpies you'd expect from the St Kate's area. My BF was going to wear dress slacks and a button down. I convinced him to change to jeans but he definitely was one of the more dressed up in his button down. It's homey - you hang your winter coat on hooks in the stairwell, and you can tell the focus is on friendly service and the food. read more

Visiting from Texas for the Twin Cities marathon. This place was a slam dunk! Charming, quaint atmosphere, easy parking, friendly service. The artichoke dip ruled! Caesar salad was good but probably not worth the upgrade. I ordered the Shrimp Macalester. It was beyond excellent. My girlfriend got the Chicken Picata & she thought it was as good as any she's ever had. Another nice thing was they did not over salt their food! Dinner with appetizers ran about $50. It took us about an hour & 15 minutes from the time we arrived. Reservations on weekends are probably the way to go. This place is tiny & there was a wait when we left. The neighborhood it's in has a great bookshop, record store & some other cool shops. Great area! read more

Carmelo's - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Carmelos is a perfect dining experience. Eating in Carmelos should be an extended affair. Begin your experience with some wine and bruschetta, explore a generous portion of rich and delicious pasta with more wine, and finish off with a piece of fabulous tiramisu. Extend your conversation and evening with a final glass or two of wine. Carmelos has a small and cozy atmosphere. It isn't presumptuous or pretentious. It is the perfect place for an anniversary, a date, a devoted conversational meal with a friend, or an evening's eating event. This Mac-Groveland restaurant serves a lasagna that I really enjoy, but if there is one dish to rave about it, my wife is devoted to one in particular. Seasonally, Carmelos serves a butternut squash ravioli in a sage reduction sauce that is anticipated year round. Patrons call to find out if Carmelos has begun serving this dish. If you can, go in the Fall and try this dish. As I have been told, "it is to die for." read more

Carmelo's has been a staple for years. Never have I been disappointed, last night was no different. Fresh seafood, show stopping red sauce and service to boot. Recommend take out if you don't feel like dining in. Definitely try this local fare, and the baked ravioli app read more

I love this place. I've been coming here on and off for close to 10 years. I've been here both weekends and weeknights, with 2 - 4 people and have always had a good experience. Service is consistently good, food is consistently good, etc. My husband loves it too and has pretty different taste in food than I do. I can't really imagine anyone not liking it. It's a small place and not terribly fancy so I wouldn't go in expecting black tie or anything like that. This sort of casual atmosphere is what I prefer at a restaurant so it works for me. I hope to continue to eat here for many years to come. read more

This is a favorite of ours - wonderful Italian food, cozy ambiance, excellent service. This restaurant deserves our business. Make a reservation and enjoy! read more

This is our go to spot for our date nights! It's an intimate setting to have a delicious meal on white tablecloths with very friendly, personable service. Shelly is amazing and we love to spend a few minutes with her chatting. I can't say enough great things about this spot. Lovely wine menu, fabulous menu and an atmosphere that we just love! read more

Finally, a dinner out with one of my girlfriends! While I confess, I attempted to take her to Scusi's first ( there's a few more things on that menu I want to try....) they were too busy and we just couldn't wait. Still in the mood for Italian, I suggested Carmelo's. I hadn't been there before, and even though my boyfriend and I had planned to go soon, well, there's no time like the present, right?! so off we went. We walked into a pretty empty, "quaint" restaurant, greeted by nice hello's from the staff and immediately seated and tended to. That was easy! The menu has a lot to offer, and seems to stay very true to traditional italian, at pretty reasonable prices. The special for the night was the butternut squash ravioli in a sage cream sauce. Two please!! Er.... they only had enough for one, or we could both go with two less raviolis and get a discount on our meal. Well......ok then. I am sure my waistline will thank me later. Not to mention I had already started on my wine (the red sultry blend...it's good!). And they hooked us up with bread (it was warm, soft, moist, i HAD to bring some home for the boyfriend!), and our dinners came with a salad!! woo hoo!! The ravioli was good, maybe even great. I was pretty busy playing catch up with my friend, so, I confess, i was kinda just shoveling it in, not critiquing like a good little yelper. But it was gone, nonetheless. The sage cream was flavorful, creamy, decadent. The ravioli was cooked perfectly and the squash inside (there was a nice sized chunk in each) was fresh and creamy and spiced nicely. Can't wait to go back so my man can try it too. And that scallop and crab pasta dish is calling my name!! I recommend. :) read more

Stopped back with six of my friends for dinner. Everyone was pleased with their meals. The wait staff was top notch. It's nice to see a little neighborhood restaurant packed with customers. read more

I've been putting off writing a review because I haven't been here since they opened, and I wasn't especially impressed. Since then, they have obviously gotten their act together. It was late Sat. around 8:30, we had to stop at Kinko's and we were pretty hungry and wanted some place close. It was the end of Cheesefare week, and it's a good time to combine cheese and seafood. So that means Italian or Mexican. So glad I thought of this, and it turns out I'm going to be thinking of it a lot more. Basil wanted soup, I ended up eating half. It was a tomato soup with mushrooms, so simple it was laughable. The first OMG moment. The second was the most delicious Italian bread I've ever had. Huge, generous slices take 1 pat of butter. Soup and bread could be all you need. Our cheesy seafood choice of seafood cannelloni stared us right in the face. It was a surprise, because when it reads a mixture of crab, scallops, shrimp, etc. It is a literal mixture not just a blend of pieces. I could only eat one of the two and was stuffed. It includes a nice house salad with a great creamy peppercorn dressing, get extra. We finished up splitting a tiramisu. Creamy and yummy, but my favorite is still Russian style at Moscow on the Hill. The service was good, but we especially took notice of Logan, a young wait assist/ runner. She does everything with a smile, clears plates, fills water, you name it. She also recognized us because she is good friends with our sons, which made it a very nice touch. This is not a great place for groups, yet one was having a great time celebrating a birthday. Strangely, there is an intimacy as loud as this place is. I like the roomy, handy spot for coats, as well as the general lay out. read more

Wonderful little restaurant with good good and a great setting! The lighting is dim and intimate and makes the meal enjoyable! read more

Carmelo's - Chicken piccata!! - Italian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I it looks like I'm bucking the trend here of great reviews for Carmelo's. I will say that this was my first time here and of course it could have been just an off night. The service was OK, we waited an unacceptable amount of time between appetizer and dinner service (empty wine glass during that time), and then very little checking back throughout. Food was good, though not outstanding. We started with the Calamari, which was well cooked and came with a tasty (very lemony) aioli. The Caesar Salad which I selected as part of my pasta meal was probably the highlight of the dinner, very flavorful and the recommended anchovies were a great touch. I had the Seafood Cannelloni, which was certainly not hot when brought our. My GF had the Artichoke Heart pasta dish, which she did like. I will say that the prices were great, and you'd be hard pressed to get the kind of value at most other restaurants around town. Atmosphere was also nice as promised by most other reviewers. With all of that said, I would go back as I believe in second chances :-) read more

A couple of coworkers and myself travel to St. Paul on a fairly frequent basis and we avoid chain restaurants whenever possible. Thanks to Yelp we found this cozy little Italian place on a cold winter night. After a long day of meetings the three of us headed there to relax and have a good meal. Mission accomplished. This is an old school, family run place with a handful of tables. On a Wednesday night it was fairly empty, but in turn received great service. We all enjoyed our meal very much. We started with the artichoke dip, which was really good. The salads were fine, nothing special. I had the fettucinne alfredo for my entree, which was a bit heavy on the garlic, but I love garlic, so all's well. We split the Tiramasu, which was a nice lighter dessert after a heavy meal. Including a round of drinks the entire meal was moderately priced. read more

We've driven by many times in our first year here, and that particular corner, along with St Paul Drug, has always struck me as friendly, neighborly, cozy. I was excited to finally try the place. A free lot is available on the southeast corner of Snelling and St Clair. We were greeted by our most friendly waitress, who seemed to have worked there for a while and also struck me as an actress (she delivered their specials with such ZEAL and FINESSE, you know). The place is really cozy; well, at least the main floor dining room is...I could not fathom going down into the basement to dine... The food is really good comfort food prepared "fresh and simple." The bread is just to die for. We liked their calamari, not heavily breaded and accompanied by a delish lemon aioli. We both got the butternut squash ravioli in sage sauce, and while I found the sauce too rich, the herbs and spices added such a nice touch to the squash. The wine list is decent, with cute descriptions. Dessert? Not this time...really must dine with someone who can go all.the.way sometime ;) All in all, we had an enjoyable meal here and I'm sure that we'll be back. read more

Our favorite, locally owned restaurant in the MacGroveland & Highland area of St. Paul. It was a consistent go to for date nights and family events. Now, with young kids at home, it's in heavy rotation for take out. Yes! Great place for take out. The food has consistently been delicious, homemade, and fresh. Love this place and hope you try and share it. Tom - a neighborhood friend. read more

Going to college across the street from Carmelo's is in itself a gift from God. The quaint restaurant that sits quietly between a old-fashioned corner drugstore and a chiropractor's office (I believe) is one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to. I had a pan seared chicken over angel hair pasta, and it was absolutely delicious. The chicken was tender and had a lime hinted flavor. It was one of the best Italian dished I have ever delighted myself with. The ambiance of the restaurant was quiet and dim, perfect for a romantic escape in gourmet land. Definitely the best place to take that special someone! If you're ever in the saint Paul area please have a meal here, you won't regret it! read more

I can not believe it took me this long to try this place. My husband and I would pass this place all the time and say that we need to try it. It took the pandemic for us to finally experience this delicious place. During the past several months, we have only been supporting local places, and I am so happy that if helped me find this place. We have been here multiple times now over the past 4 months, and each time it has hit the mark. We have had both the baked spinach ravioli and non-baked. I prefer the baked because it is cheesier and creamy. The non-baked is our son's favorite. I have also had both the pesto dishes - basil and sun-dried tomato. The dish is simple but extremely flavorful. In addition, we also got the rigatoni (substituted mushrooms for the sausage). The rigatoni has a spicy kick to it which is perfect for us. In addition to all this food, all the entrees come with salad (which is nice since restaurants don't do that anymore). But the BREAD - is homemade and fresh. I love how soft and tasty it is. We will definitely be back. The only thing that I wish is that the hours were a bit longer. I am hoping that these are just pandemic hours, and will be more accessible for late date nights. read more

Very easy to miss as it is tucked into a row of businesses but once you find it (and it is well worth the challenge of finding parking) you will be glad you did. It's small and cozy. If you don't have a reservation, you will likely find yourself waiting in line. Everything is very good, it's fresh, they have wine, they will grate fresh cheese and pepper on your food. The chicken Carmelo is very tasty but the Stuffed Steaks are really super. My dining companion got one of the stuff steaks the first time we went and although my entree was good, I determined that the steaks warranted a return trip. The food is consistently good and we always save room for tirimisu for dessert (even if it means having to box part of dinner, which it usually does). The wait staff is always friendly and will make suggestions if asked. Some of the best food I've come across. A favorite for special occasions. read more

For years this has been the go to for budget Italian. Cheap. Cozy. Dependable. I love their steak and lasagna. No frills and decently priced. read more

I finally got around to trying Carmelo's after years of driving past the tiny restaurant on Snelling. The inside is just as small as the outside makes it look. There are only a handful of tables, so I'd recommend making a reservation. When we got there at 6:45, the place was packed. The inside is very quaint, and you can tell this place has been around for awhile. We started our meal with an appetizer of the artichoke dip. The dip comes with crusty crostini and is very creamy. I liked the addition of the red pepper, but could have done with a little less onion in the dip. For my entree, I ordered the spinach and cheese ravioli with marinara. The ravioli are homemade, and were pretty tasty, but there was an odd flavor that I couldn't quite place. I think it might have been from the spinach. The marinara is your typical, American-style red sauce. What I liked best about this entree is you could tell everything was homemade. The portions are big so come hungry. My husband ordered the bolognese and wasn't too impressed. He thought the sauce didn't have enough meat, and the meat that was in there was too crumbled. Dessert selection is minimal. The have tiramisu, a cheesecake and a chocolate espresso cake. This is a nice place to come with a few friends to relax and enjoy a nice dinner. We didn't feel rushed at all during our meal, in fact, we ended up staying until close to 10 pm, and were some of the last people in the restaurant. read more

Beware of added amounts to your credit card. When I got my credit card bill they had added another $2 to my charge without my permission. I called to get an explanation of the $2 and they said they would check into it and call me back but seemed perturbed that I wanted them to research for $2. I told them it wasn't the $2 but the principal of it, were they adding $2 to every bill or was it a mistake. 2 weeks later still no response so I called again and was told they were too busy to check into it and were again surprised that I wanted them to give me an explanation for $2. They said they have never gotten this request before and had no way to credit my credit card for $2 and would have to mail me the $2 minus the postage fee, if they could even get time to determine if it was their error or the credit card company. Again, it's not the $2, it's the principal of a business adding money to people's credit cards for any reason and then being rude and confrontational when asked for an explanation. Keep your copy of your receipt and check it against your credit card bill. read more

Carmelos is a tiny hole-in-the-wall, but it isn't a place to be overlooked. Service was friendly and prompt without being overbearing. We took our time with our meal and never felt rushed. Their crab-stuffed mushrooms were delicious. I had the Ravioli Carmelo, which was tasty, but didn't have as much prosciutto in it as I would have liked. The wine selection is reasonably priced. read more

I have tried this place twice now. Both times were extremely disappointing. Horrible food. The chicken piccata tasted and looked like it was microwaved. Absolutely no browning. It went in the garbage. read more

We live just a couple blocks over from Carmelo's but, we hadn't tried this restaurant since there are many italian options to choose from in the neighborhood. It's a small, quaint little joint so you definitely need reservations. We had a reservation for our first time. Although, we sat for 15-20 before being greeted/water/drink orders. When our waitress came over the first time we could tell that she was rushed so I asked her about it casually trying to make light of the fact that they might be short staffed. It turns out that they were short one waitress. It's a small joint and most patrons looked satisfied with their wine, etc. We started out with the Bruschetta Lucia which was tasty. My wife and I then shared the Shrimp Macalester which is a pasta named after some professors at Macalester. We chose this plate because when asked about favorites on the menu we received the boring and ever annoying response "everything is good"....... Carmelo's also had the notorious split plate charge which is a little old school (just increase the price on your plates). I thought the Shrimp Macalester was good but, my wife did not enjoy it and thought that it had a funny taste and that the shrimp were "fishy". Disclaimer, we are pescetarians so we eat a good bit of seafood. Overall, we were a little disappointed mostly with the service factor even after we recognized that they were short staffed the waitress wouldn't even physically make it to the table for each check up (I would hear her behind my back)...weird. Bottom Line: Take your time with every table and be prepared to make sincere recommendations. read more

I absolutely love this restaurant. It's a little gem that's never boasting, but well-loved by the neighborhood. When we were there last it was busy, and you can feel a little cramped if you do not get the coveted window seat or one of the booths, but the server was great, the food tasty as always, and the wine also very satisfying. Somehow I always end up leaving feeling like I had a very special meal.. like I'd just been invited to dinner at my old Italian home, (and I'm not Italian...) read more

Quaint and delightful A great date or fun night out with friends Risotto is excellent and the wine pours freely read more

Nice place. Food was fantastic. Loved the atmosphere (lots of Frank Sinatra music and candles). Service was really good. Parking lot across the street. I'll definitely be back. read more

The pasta dishes are great. It's rather small but the ambiance is great. I highly recommend the chicken carmello. read more

Delicious Italian food at a neighborhood favorite - we did curbside pickup (in the parking lot behind the restaurant) and really enjoyed our aglio oglio and pesto with sundried tomatoes. Going to try a meat dish next time. read more

So sad how this place has gone downhill. The chicken tonight was dry and hard. Used to be thin and cooked perfectly. Service is okay, but the food has gone downhill in a major way. Not sure if there is a new cook or what has happened. read more

I have been eating at Carmelo's for at least 10 years and it's always amazing! The food is fabulous!! Literally my all time favorite places to dine! Love the small cozy atmosphere! Everything at Carmelo's...the bread, the wine, entrees and the staff are great!! read more

Quaint place, very small and cozy. We were there tonight and there were very few people there. So the service was great, the food was good, I did not care to much for the pasta which came with my steak. The steak was stuffed with peppers and other tasty things but the steak it self was kind of chewy...... I have eaten here before and it was great so tonight might have just been a glitch, lots of other places to eat for now. read more