First time here after it was recommended by a patient at my wife's work. Initial impression is less than good. I am editing this review to attempt to provide details to my experience. Though face coverings have been required by Executive Order 2020-50 since 3 August 2020 to help fight COVID-19, I only saw two employees wearing a mask while another 8-10 are not. While in the restaurant we saw less than 15% of customers wearing face coverings when not at their tables. A few minutes after we were seated a customer without a mask walk past our table coughing. They are maybe enforcing the 50% occupancy. Some of the booths were closed off however every table we saw was occupied, so probably closer to 70% occupancy. The six feet between tables was not being followed as there is a family with a baby about four feet from us. If we hadn't driven almost an hour to come here with friends I would leave and go someplace else. The food was not outstanding like we were expecting. Good, not great, is how I would describe it. Between us we had steak, salmon, and shrimp and grits. The fillet was good, salmon just okay, and the other two meals were mediocre at best. The steaks were cooked as ordered, which was good. Our waitress was unable to provide us with a beer list, other than Bud Light as their only draft. No list of bottles or cans, she didn't offer to get us a list or even check on what they had in stock. We asked for a cocktail list which apparently is also not available. She was also not wearing a mask and I question is she was washing her hands every time between touching dirty dishes and serving food. Though we did not visit the bar, from our table it appeared to be full with disregard to social distancing. While I will normally give a restaurant a second chance, I am not sure that I can this time. read more

I don't typically do this but after tonight Carolina Cafe will no longer get ANY of my business. We were told a 30 minute wait for a table; we waited for 1 hour and 20 minutes for a table. Then once we sit down and order 2 appetizers; they come back and told us they are out of them. Then we order our food and wait for another hour for our food to come out. While we are waiting there was multiple other parties that were having issues with their food and serivce. Once our food gets there they tell us they are out of sweet potatoes which is the one side that was choose with the chicken plate. We were told it would be taken care of. Then we get the check and they take 99 cent off for the sweet potato. IT WAS HALF THE MEAL. A side of sweet potato is 3 dollars extra and they only want to take 99cent off because according to the manager that's what they take off when you don't want a side. We didn't not want the side they did not have one. Carolina Cafe has been going down hill for years it has officially hit rock bottom. It is not about the money it is about the service. PS. Carolina cafe teach your managers not to argue with Customers. The customer is always right. No wonder everybody complains about your service. read more

First time there tonight but definitely not the last. Saturday night so it was busy, they said 45 minute wait but we were seated in 20. Good service, very attentive. Had the ribeye with the "killer shrimp". Very nice cut of meat. Ordered it medium rare & it came out medium rare, unusual for the area as most places overcook them. Tasted great. Killer shrimp, what can I say. Good sized shrimp wrapped in bacon, lightly bbq sauced & grilled. Dinner for 2, with drinks right at $50. Worth every penny. read more

We went to Carolina Cafe last night after graduation. While we waited for a table we got to hang around the bar and have some drinks. They accommodated our party of 10 in a separate room and our server was very attentive and enjoyable, although I didn't catch her name. I ordered the Charleston Trio - your choice of blackened or grilled fish as well as some grilled shrimp and a crab cake, all with I think a creamy Cajun sauce and two sides. It was delicious! They also give you the really good warm ciabatta rolls with honey butter. They're only open for dinner, I think 4-10 and there can be a bit of a wait on busy nights, so be prepared. But also be prepared for some good food! read more

Carolina Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Gaffney, South Carolina

This place is awesome! Ribs were fall off the bone great, Half rack is more than adequate. Drinks were solid and the service friendly and fast. This place is a must stop If you're in Gaffney South Carolina. read more

I know someone that worked there not very sanitary, baked potatoes inches off the floor, nobody practices safe food handling, I told him I was going there and he told me don't bother read more

This is one of the all time best restaurants in the Spartanburg/Gaffney area. First thing first, the food is so super awesome, people are lining 45 minuets to hour before the doors are open. That should tell you something and you better be prepare for a wait. "The WAIT IS WORTH IT!" The staff are great, helpful,friendly, courteous, clean and awesome. The decor is awesome and very clean. The food is awesome and the prices are great. You just have to go and try the place out. Plus their Cheesy Grits are the best. read more

My husband and I went Saturday night to celebrate my birthday. We were seated right away. Our waitress came and took our orders. We were early, but the dining room filled up right away. There seemed to be plenty wait staff for the crowd. We watched as table after table of folks who came in after us were served. After a about 30 minutes, I called to our passing waitress and asked if we could have bread. She came back and said there was no bread ready, even though, as I said, every table in sight had food and bread. We waited quite a while longer and she finally came with bread and our dinners. I asked her about the hold up, and she said that "things had got a little crazy." My crab cakes were cold as stones. My husband said his flounder was great. I was very disappointed, and wouldn't send my dinner back since it had already taken so long just to get it. When we paid her, she asked if everything was ok. I told her my crab cakes were cold. She asked why I didn't send them back and I explained why not. She replied "well, sorry about that." We used to go about once a month at least. I don't think I'll go back. This was our second bad experience getting our food. It's usually very good, but this was totally unacceptable. read more

Me and my family go to Carolina cafe about every weekend in fact I'm here right now, there food is the bomb expecially there Carolina ribs I definitely recommend, if u have one in your area definitely try it. read more

My family has eaten at Carolina Cafe for many years as the food and service have always been the best. Lately though the Carolina Cafe has been slipping. After eating there tonight with a somewhat disappointing dinner I won't rule out going back but it won't be anytime soon. You usually have to get to the restaurant early say around 5 or you have at least a 30 minute wait. The parking lot would be packed and people would be waiting in numbers on the porch as well as in the restaurant to be seated. The bar would be packed and the restaurant would have the hum of a school lunchroom. You would get a wonderfully fresh large house salad with 2 cups of dressing with many entrees. I always enjoyed ordering the steaming hot crescent rolls drizzled with butter and honey to eat with my salad. My favorite is the shrimp and grits or the killer shrimp and steak combo. The unsweetened tea has always been brewed to perfection. Several visits ago things started gradually changing and the restaurant seemed to be less busy. The once delicious crescent rolls were either over cooked or doughy. The salad is almost half the original size with only one cup of dressing and the usual coleslaw is overrun with vinegar. The service is still good but none of the usual people are there anymore. There is a sign at the front looking for servers, line cooks etc. There are empty tables but the wait for your meal is longer than it has ever been. I am still not giving up on the Cafe and hope they are just experiencing a bump in the road and will soon return to the same restaurant that made them the best place to eat in Gaffney. read more

Arrived around 8:30, went in to inquire about a table for 6. There were many tables for four as well as booths in the bar area but we were told we'd have to wait on the table where a large party was seated and had not gotten their food yet or the event room where they were finishing up but remained celebrating. After forty minutes I inquired about the wait and specifically asked can we not pull two tables together to which I was told they could NOT do that. She then offered to seat us in two booths back to back but we opted to pull a chair to the end of the booth table so we could all be seated together. I ordered a sweet tea and was brought a water. As the waitress was taking our order, she realized and said you ordered a tea didn't you, I'm sorry, I'll bring you one. I had water with my meal. I ordered the Charleston Trio and couldn't eat it. The grouper was blackened on only one side and was slimy. The crab cake was not done and was mushy. The shrimp were okay but for a dish that used to be $11.95 and is now $16.95 that's a little steep for only 3 shrimp. My daughter ordered fries with her dish but got a baked potato. My grandson asked for BBQ sauce with his ribs but didn't get it until he'd finished them. My son in law asked for a baked potato with butter only but got one with sour cream. And the best part of this night, they pulled two tables together to accommodate another party that came in after us. I don't know what's happened to what was once a really good place to eat, but we won't be back. read more

Great food. Plan to wait atleast 20 to 45 min to be seated. This place stays busy, but it's well worth it.

We were visiting nearby Chesnee for a wedding, and Carolina Cafe was suggested as THE place to go and get some great ribs. More of a steakhouse than a cafe, the place is big, but still crowded enough for a waiting list on a Saturday night. Our server was polite and professional. The other couple we were with are from the area, and knew just what they wanted. Three of the four of us ordered ribs, while the rebel went for shrimp and grits. I have eaten ribs in many well and lesser-known spots throughout the country, and can say that Carolina Cafe's version can most certainly hold their own. Moist, tender, fall-off-the-bone meat seasoned with a tangy, robust sauce. The slaw on the side was just the way I like it: sans mayo. Prices were very reasonable, and portions were generous. It was great to find such high-quality food in a small area of South Carolina without much else to draw people to the area (though it's some lovely, scenic country). The rest of the menu was dominated by steaks, burgers and other American fare with a Southern twist. Grits as a side are highly recommended! read more

Boy do I love this place! This is my first check-in here but I have been here many times and I'm never disappointed. I know some people do not like to eat early but if you are not here by 5;00 you will wait a little while, any day of the week. We arrived at 4;30 Saturday and received one of the last tables without waiting. The tables in the dining room are a little close so I prefer the booths in the bar area because they are a bit more private feeling. we started with drinks, my wife ordering the lemon shot which is served in a martini glass with sugar on the rim, watch out! It doesn't taste like any alcohol, but it is delicious. I got a mixed drink that was a tad week and served in a tall thin glass rather than a rock glass. My daughter got a Blue Motorcycle that is a Long Island Iced Tea with blue curacao We all ordered main courses that came with either house or cesaer salad. Talk about fresh, crisp lettuce and veggies! It beats any menu salad anywhere. The main courses were Salmon on cedar plank, the ribeye, the killer shrimp and I had the Charleston Grouper, blackened, and has a crab cake and 4 shrimp. It comes in a house made cream sauce. Everything is cooked perfectly. The amount of food you get, and the fair prices just cannot be beat. Carolina Café is worth the drive from anywhere ,(for us Forest City) And a must have is the Apple Dumpling with vanilla ice cream. Be prepared to share! read more

To be fair I can only give them 3 stars due to them being out of so many things. To their credit they did inform us they were out of filet, medallions, tips, strip and just about every side prior to seating us. Which beats sitting down, getting drinks only to learn what you want you cannot have. Though by the time you are there and it being so remote it's not like you can go somewhere down the road. Nor is there anything comparable remotely close. I really wanted steak so it was a bit of a disappointment. The service was wonderful. Having been here once before that seems consistent. Friendly and on top of things and timely. We got the outlaw chicken as appetizer. Strangely it is good. Ranch, chicken and cheese all naked. Served with tortilla chips I happen to just love it. Their croissants which I got in place of a salad are really yummy. Dripping with honey butter they just are so good. My daughter who likes salad also welcomes that it's not just lettuce and a tomato though she will eat lettuce on its own. The pile it with a couple shredded cheeses, feta and bacon bits. Our entrees were good. In general flavorful. The alfredo my son got like many alfredo was fairly bland. My kids favorite and an unexpected one are the Apple dumplings. My daughter is quite the foodie and she doesn't care for Apple pie. These though she can inhale. Warm and cinnamon with the contrast of a scoop of ice cream and she is moaning with pleasure. I'll go back. Maybe call to ensure they have what I want. Not as an omg I have to go there thing but a decent solid place for good food. read more

This amazing, almost hidden gem of restaurant is definitely worth the drive! Both times we've visited we've had very short wait times for a table, 15 minutes max. The menu is typical southern cuisine but that's where the typical ends and the extraordinary begins. Once the food arrives it's abundantly obvious someone in the kitchen knows what they are doing and takes pride in their food. We both ordered the Killer Combo, the ribs were so tender and flavorful, truly blissful with each bite. The bacon wrapped shrimp were "killer". From the salad to the sides and finally dessert, every bite was a delight. Seriously one of the best meals I've had anywhere in the Upstate. On a personal note, I'm happy this restaurant isn't so accommodating to large parties. How many times have I received poor service and treated like an afterthought because my server was trying to take care of a large party. Good for Carolina Cafe caring enough about the rest of their customers not to subject them to the chaos of large groups. read more

So we had dinner at Carolina Café again last night. Tuesday's is a great day to go no waiting easy parking. Our server Meagan was absolutely wonderful. Steaks were cooked to perfection absolutely delicious. Another great experience at Carolina café read more

Y'all have a great place here! This is the type of local restaurant I look for to try and stay away from the food chains when traveling. If you want good eats you go where the locals go. Some colleagues and I decided to go here based on the Yelp reviews and we were glad we did. It is out of the way and tucked along a country road, but the parking lot was packed.... Which is always a good sign. We had a group of 5 and waited a reasonable 15 minutes for a table. The atmosphere is very warm and not what you would expect at a cafe. They also had a bar, and that's a huge plus to have some suds with a great home cooked meal. While there we were greeted by Samantha, who was polite, helpful, and very attentive. She did a great job and made the experience all that much better. All of us ordered the ribs and a few got the combo platter with bacon wrapped shrimp. The food was very tasty and even our Brazilian colleagues thought the ribs were great. For those of you that don't know.... Brazilians like their meat. So if they say it's good, you can pretty much go with it. Another point to note is that we received way more food than anticipated for the price. You definitely get your money's worth here. Overall this is a great place to go for good home cookin' and at a reasonable price. I know that any of us will be back the next time we are in the area. read more

I would give this place 5 stars for food quality, but the restaurant is let down slightly by its tiny dining room. Wait time can be horrendous. Everything I saw and tasted was EXCELLENT. I've eaten in countless steakhouses across much of America, and this place prepared the single best Filet Mignon I can remember, though it's not a steakhouse. Do yourself a favor and and try this place! read more

our table was served food that management admitted was not fresh /good but it took them 40 minutes to come back and tell us ... we were not offered another menu item or anything. we ate our sides during the long wait and they charged us for the sides!!! we complained and both the waitress and management told us not to come back!! I have never seen any restaurant treat customers so poorly!! willnot return! read more

The food is great. I've eaten here twice. The first time was dine-in, and the second time was to-go. I'm just a regular guy, but I feel a little underserved when it comes to the quantity of meat in some of the dishes. I ordered a double order of beef tips for takeout. A double order of beef tips filled me up nicely, but I wish there was an option for a larger meat portion on the beef tips, like an upsize or add-on. Not being able to upsize the main entree pretty much forced me to order extra sides that I really didn't want. Also, there was a 10% to go surcharge on my order. If that's to offset the expenses of to go trays, etc, they are doing a bad job because they don't have any plastic ware. The extra 10% should at least warrant a plastic fork. If it's for a tip, they should tell you up front that it's for a tip, because I ended up tipping 30% instead of 20%, as I intended. read more

We find ourselves in Gaffney a few times a year to have our RV serviced at Freightliner. We took advice from locals and had dinner at Carolina Cafe. Definitely try the Killer Shrimp & the ribs! Wow were they ever good! I'm a huge fan of shrimp and grits and these are right up there with some of the best I've ever had and you can't beat the price ($9.99)! Portions are big so we came away with lots of leftovers. The salad that comes with the meal is almost a meal by itself. If you're ever near Gaffney, SC be sure to stop by this local favorite - you won't be disappointed. read more

I have loved going to Carolina Cafe for years but the last couple of times we went the salad was not fresh taste like the prepackaged kind also our main course took longer and we got cheesecake for dessert which was good but portion is alot smaller than it use to be. The servers are wonderful but it seems to be something with management. read more

Since I drive past this restaurant when I visit my parents - I called them to attempt to place a to-go order so that I could pick it up on my way. What was I told? They don't take to-go orders on the weekends...ok, fair, I get that, because it's a small place and they are at greater than max capacity every evening. What came after that was why I probably won't go back to eat there at all: I was told "we don't take to-go orders over the phone at all". Another reason why I probably won't eat there: we were told by a server on one of our visits that the employees aren't allowed to eat the food there...like not even on a to-go order. I'm guessing this is why they refuse to allow anyone to place a to-go order over the phone...because they think someone could be getting food for an employee? This is a ridiculous and absurd policy. Their food is literally amazing, but I refuse to go in person to order food and wait on it. That is an incredible inconvenience. I also refuse to support a business who has such an outlandish policy about their employees being forbidden to eat their food...especially if they are a paying customer. read more

Very good restaurant. In the evening, I don't know if they take them but it's always packed so a reservation would be helpful. Delicious ribs and amazing Caesar salad- pretty sure they make their own dressing there. Good prices for large portions. read more

Wish this experience could have been better but unfortunately it was not. Would not seat us until all FIve of the party arrived. Food took forever. Charge to share. Food cold. Bread hard as a rock. Not consistent. Leaving hungry even though paid dearly for food I could not eat because they wanted to charge me to share with my husband. read more

This play is super good it's just like a cool restaurant back off in the woods great food great atmosphere everyone there treats you like family read more

We decided to try this place since it's so close to Strawberry Hill. They open at 4:00 pm so they're extremely busy starting at 4. They start to thin out around 7:00 which was around our time of arrival. We waited about 15 minutes; and used that time to review their menu, ask questions of the super nice staff. Everyone recommended the Charleston Trio which has fish, shrimp, crab cake and a side. It was by far the best meal we've had out in quite awhile. We were stuffed as it was plenty of food. Everything was fantastic. I didn't even touch my sweet potato because the seafood was super tasty. The shrimp had the right blend of spices and garlic. The crab cake was full of crab and the fish was perfectly cooked. It came with a Cajun cream sauce for dipping. I cannot say enough about how much we loved this place. We've decided to go back at least monthly. They deserve their 5 star rating. You won't be disappointed. read more

This is not our first trip to Carolina Cafe we usually have a great experience but have noticed a steady decline in service and all around care for customers. Tonight we were sat by the bar and had to listen to the bartender flirt and use profanity with several customers all while a family with children were in ear shot. We waited a while for our meals only for me to receive the wrong order. Then my husband got the "Big Chief" which is like a $30 steak which looked exactly like the smaller ribeye, he also got my side and I got his. I feel like staff is not upholding the same family atmosphere that the owners have tried very hard to achieve. Food was good not awesome but customer service is definitely lacking. read more

This place is known by locals to be a hidden gem... it's off of SC-11 about 6 miles north of I-85... basically in the middle of nowhere. It think it used to be an old fish camp and it retains it's rustic charm on the outside with the wood siding and front porch. The inside is clean and updated. My standard order here is the killer combo and I don't stray from this very often. It's a combo of a skewer of killer grilled bacon wrapped shrimp with bbq sauce AND a half rack of ribs. My side this night was the steamed broccoli which, as we all know, cancels out the terribly unhealthy ribs. A dinner salad to start, with homemade dressings and lots of toppings was delicious. I sometimes get the chili instead and it is equally tasty. The mains arrived quickly, as always and as usual my half rack of ribs had another quarter rack hidden underneath it. These ribs are literally fall off the bone... just give one a shake. They are meaty and delicious with very little fat. Options here are dry rub with sauce on the side or sauced with one of their 3 bbq sauces. They are all great but I go with the spicier red sauce. The killer shrimp are 6 big shrimp and they are smokey and decadent. The broccoli was steamed and seasoned perfectly... served doused in (maybe too much) butter. This is a lot of food and a normal person will probably want a to-go box. Another must try here is the Hershey Bar Brownie dessert... it's a brownie topped with a full melted hershey bar sided with lots of ice cream and whipped cream. It is ridiculously good and you should probably share but I'm not judging. We were just too full to order it this time around. The service here is always great... there is plenty of help so the wait staff isn't spread too thin. This night was no different as we felt like our waitress was only ours. She did an awesome job. Keep in mind that although the location is out there this place is very popular and the wait times can be long. Go early or go late if you don't like waiting. See you there! read more

Very pleased on our first visit to Carolina Cafe! My salad had everything I like in it and the Cajun Chicken was yummy! We waited about 30 minutes, but it was worth it! read more

I'm only giving 1 star because 0 is not an option. I'm not sure what people in this area are accustomed to, but I do not call their customer service acceptable. We had a party of 15, in which we had called earlier in the week to make a reservation. Since they do not accept reservations we were told to do call ahead seating, and within 30 minutes or so they would have a table ready. Once we did this, and arrived 30 minutes later, we were told they had just changed that policy that particular day and our wait, because it was such a big party, would be close to 2 hours. After searching other reviews on multiple sites, I learned that this frequently occurs at that place. I do have an issue with their dishonesty. Instead, we called Kelly's Steakhouse, in nearby Blacksburg, SC. They took us in immediately, seated us in a private room all together, and provided a fantastic meal and service for a 70th birthday celebration. My advice, skip Carolina Cafe and head straight to Kelly's. read more

I am from out of town and wanted to experience South Carolina cuisine. This was a great place to have that dinner. I had the Killer Combo: a skewer of grilled bacon wrapped killer shrimp, a 1/2 rack of ribs, and sweet potato. The shrimp was grilled perfectly and was very tasty. The ribs were just a little on the dry side, but the meat was still falling off the bone. The sweet potato was probably the best I have ever had! This is obviously a very popular place to eat. Thursday night and finding a parking place was a challenge. There was a waiting list but the wait was minimal. Joan H was my waitress and she was very helpful in recommending a good meal. She was knowledgeable about the kitchen process and everything on the menu. The service was very good with lots of support staff working the tables. The food was slow to arrive but I can see why with all the food being processed. I definitely recommend this place for a good South Carolina dinner experience. read more

This is a wonderful restaurant. Celebrated my birthday there on Tuesday night. Wonderful food and great service. Highly recommend their steaks. read more

They will lie to you. we had a large group for a birthday party, we called the cafe on Thursday to make reservations. we were informed that they do not take reservations, but if we would call about a half hour before we arrived they would have a table ready. fast forward to Saturday evening at 5:30, we made the call that we were 30 minutes away. when we arrived we were told that the wait was an hour and a half. we told the greeter we had called ahead and should have a table ready. we were told that they do not do call ahead seating. we asked when they changed that policy, and we were told today. we were not happy with the way we were treated. no one seemed to care about our situation either. my advice is to avoid dishonest people and their businesses. we called Kelly's down the road in Blacksburg, and they were happy to seat us on such a short notice. we were put in a private room and served promptly. the food was fantastic, everyone in our group was very happy with Kelly's. The only reason crapolina cafe got one star is because you can not give NO stars read more

It doesn't get any better than the Charleston Trio. Get you Grouper fried, crab cakes and a shrimp. Comes with two sides...only $14. My go-to plate every time! read more

My husband and I ate there because of the recommendation of the staff at the KOA Campground. When we got there they said it would an hour wait but it ended up being less than 30 minutes. Only had Budweisser on tap but had a good selection of bottled beer. The wine pour was generous. My husband got the Killer Combo and I got soup and salad. The salads came with too much dressing. The ribs were fall off the bone tender and the red Carolina sauce was perfect. Service was also excellent. The only reason we didn't give them a 5 is because the shrimp were too salty and they had run out of Chardonnay. read more

Great steaks, shrimp, salmon, and chicken. In 10 years I've had one mediocre steak, the remainder were excellent. I've taken guests as well, they were always pleased with both the steak and salmon. read more

This was our second time here and it was just as great as the first. The food is absolutely excellent. The steaks are cooked perfectly and the salmon is mouthwatering! With that said here is a word of advice.... IF YOU ARE GOING IN A PARTY OF 4 OR MORE BE PREPARED TO WAIT A WHILE. They do not take reservations and you can do call ahead for seating but you are still going to wait. Especially during prime hours 5-9ish. Both time we went we had 6+ and there seems to be only one section for group seating. Therefore you are waiting at the mercy of the party or parties before you. It's been worth the wait for us so we weren't upset at all just hella hungry. The wait staff is very good at what they do . Almost overly so because it seems she was asking to refill or get us something every 20 seconds. Mildly annoying but still ok. I love his place so far and we plan to definitely go back. Let me say it again couples or parties of three usually wait no longer than 30 mins 4 or more YOU WILL WAIT REGARDLESS OF CALL AHEAD SEATING. It is worth the wait though. Come hungry and patient and you will leave full and satisfied. read more

Carolina Cafe - Carolina medallions with cheese, mushrooms, onions, shrimp and the most massive sweet potato known to man. Sooooo perfect! - Seafood Near Me - Gaffney, South Carolina

Food was great and the staff was very friendly. Will definitely be back when in Gaffney.