Small portions and not authentic Italian, being from NY I know what good Italian is like and this doesn't even come close.

Hadn't been here in a while , thought it was pretty good last time. This visit the food was fantastic!! Wish they had more wine choices. Definitely will return. read more

My sister, a world traveled foodie, came out of Carusos with the following comment. " you can get as a good elsewhere, but you'll NEVER get a better one" read more

Came here on the whim due to Italian cravings after the Carolina BalloonFest. Wow! I'm in awe of this place and wish we lived closer. The dining room was spacious and there was not a wait. Hostess was very courteous and say us immediately. The restaurant is ambient and warm. The rose colored paint was welcoming and definitely gave me an appetite. We started with a caprese; and oh my sweet Jesus was it delicious! Super fresh cheese and devoured in seconds. Ate the Santa Margarita Pasta? and it was amazing as well. The garlic made the dish incredibly flavorful, but not overpowering. Our waiter listed their desserts and I had to get the pistachio gelato. Um. Nomnom. Why is this place so far from us?!? Thank you for making our Saturday night and bellies full. Kudos to our waiter as well. You're the real MVP and had humor! Many, many thumbs up. We'll stop by again if we're back in the area. read more

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Simply consistently outstanding food and services. Been a staple for close to 15 years. Daily Specials always bring delightful eating

This place is awesome! The best restaurant I've tried in the area. The atmosphere is classy (a great date place or night out with friends). As far as dress goes, we showed up in jeans and a polo and it was fine. The place is in a strip mall, but don't be fooled by its exterior, it amazing! Here are the highlights: Stuffed mushroom appetizer- 5 stars! If you're hungry when you get there, it a must! Seafood linguini entree-5 stars! Just unbelievable how much seafood you get. Lobster, scallops, mussels, the works. Definitely worth the $29 price tag! Bacon wrapped chicken entree- 4 stars, a little too rich of an entree for me, but my boyfriend loved it. Service- 5 stars, they were extremely attentive. I never had to ask them to take a plate away, just wonderful! Would definitely be back! read more

Caruso's - Seafood linguini, so good! - Italian Near Me - Mooresville, North Carolina

One of my favorite places to eat. From Dallas TX and cannot wait to come here when I am in town. Great flavors. Great prices, higher end Etc. Great atmosphere. Servers know their specials that are endless. Must try. Yummy read more

Caruso's - Veal parmesan yummy - Italian Near Me - Mooresville, North Carolina

food is really good, but the menu and decor have been the same for 15 years...time for a little change up?

My husband and I went here for our 26th anniversary. Caruso's is fine dining at its best. The service was excellent! Waiter was attentive and knew about each dish on the menu. We had appetizers, entree and dessert and every bite was perfection! The atmosphere was elegant. You would never know from the inside you're sitting at a restaurant in a strip mall. Notice the art work! It was all done by the chef/owner. Such a perfect little place! It's pricey so we will return for our next special occasion. Enjoy!! read more

I'm visiting from Portland, OR. that is somewhat known as a foodie spot so my expectations are fairly high for good food. My beau chose a handful of "must try" restaurants in the area and touted this place as the best Italian restaurant ever. I have to admit, pulling into a shopping center for a nice Italian meal is a bit daunting. It's not at all what I expected. However, once we entered the doors we were immediately transported into a beautiful Italian getaway with gorgeous paintings hanging from the walls and intimate lighting. The staff moves effortlessly and refilled our glasses as soon as we sipped from them. Now onto to the food, both my date and I nearly licked the appetizer plate of Polpettone. That sauce is out of this world good!!! I ordered the special which was a lightly fried chicken with veggies and he had the Pollo Involtini. Both were absolutely delicious. I think the best parting words I can say about this place is that it's in my top 5 favorite restaurants in the US. read more

Caruso's - Chicken special. - Italian Near Me - Mooresville, North Carolina

Another great meal on Thursday of this week. Caruso's never disappoints. I had the veal chop and my wife had the Lobster Ravioli... can't wait to go back!!! read more

Caruso's - Italian Near Me - Mooresville, North Carolina

Amazing dinner! My husband had the veal chop special and said best he has ever had. The room was beautiful and Service was superb! Don't leave without trying dessert...yummy! read more

Nestled in a strip mall with an unassuming store front. Many people may pass by this little gem. I call this place a gem because it has potential of being a great restaurant. Once you enter your transported to times past with a dimly lit environment and appointments of wood framed oil paintings, candle wall sconces and high back booths. The decor reminds me a scene from a Scorsese movie. Though Caruso's wants to embody elegance and class, it is slightly diminished once you encounter the staff. Though they seem to rattle off the daily specials (which were plentiful) but the mention of having a great cesar salad produced a mediocre experience. (More about that later). Caruso's uses a reservation system (I would recommend making them) but they will also take walk-ins. The staff yet plentiful, is a mix of experiences in the food and beverage industry. My server (Kyle) seemed like he was either behind (in the weeds) and just couldn't catch up OR he just didn't care to much about providing quality service (he just covered the basics). His knowledge of the wine list seemed limited because when asked about wines by the glass (since I was eating by myself), he only rattled off the varietals and no Vineyard was given. So I orderd a glass of chianti. The entre (pollo fagutini) is a great concept. Stuffed chicken breast with mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and Italian herbs accompanied with a tomatoes cream sauce. Served on room temperature plates made the entre not very warm and enjoyable. The garnish though it can go with mashed potatoes is way too overpowering served whole. Snow peas and rustic mashed potatoes were my accompaniments. The snow peas were unfortunately over cooked but the mashed potatoes were good but would have been better if they were warm. I would recommend leaving some skin on the potatoes if your going to make a rustic potato. The desert, Vin Sanyo, was the best part of the meal. Fresh blueberries and strawberries drizzled with honey and fresh whipped cream made for a good ending. I just wished the rest of the meal was as good. Don't take me wrong, the meal was good but not excellent. When I see the attempt in decor and ambiance exude high class I expect the service and food to match. Overall the experience was nice. It didn't exceed my expectations as I had hoped for. I will return again to give it another try though. Hopefully it will be a better experience. read more

First time in NC. HIGHLY recommend for genuinely amazing Italian food. Thank you to our waiter, Alex who was fantastic and very attentive.

Uhh. Am I missing something? You walk into this place and it reminds me of an Italian restaurant circa 1989. Maybe that is the look they are going for. The waiter was pleasant, but took a bit to get to us after we were seated. With that said, pretty good service. Super cramped inside. Tables are basically on tables, and and it's far too "cozy" for my comfort level. Went on a date with the wife, and felt like we invited 8 of our friends, that weren't friends. Now they know everything about us and they didn't even buy us a drink! Anyway, food was really mediocre. Got the shrimp and scallops in a vodka sauce. Scallops were a bit chewy. Sauce was fine. Wife got the chicken Milanese. A bit dry, over cooked. Place is loud cause it is cramped. Prices are high-ish, but not Charlotte high. Not going back. The reviews are pretty generous for this place. And I can't get there. read more

This authentic eatery is hidden at the end of a strip mall (Brawley School Commons), next to Big Al's Pub. This past Christmas Eve, my family stopped in for a celebratory dinner. We had reservations (which you need way ahead of time since very few restaurants are open on Dec. 24th), and we got seated immediately. Unfortunately, we didn't get the table in the side-room (which is more intimate) like my mom had initially requested. Our table ended up being in the main room, towards the center -- parallel to the booth-sided tables. Our waiters were all prompt and attentive, delivering two baskets of bread and a bottle of red wine for us to share. Our appetizers returned fairly quickly, five lobster bisques and a Caesar salad. The lobster bisque was silky and perfect -- the best I've ever had! For entrées, we all ordered the Sole Stuffed with Lobster + Crab, with mashed potatoes and veggies ($22). It took about 30 minutes to get our food, but the wait was well worth it! The mashed potato scoop was delicious, and the stringed veggies were buttery and tender. The seafood dish was interesting -- it wasn't as moist as I had anticipated... I'm guessing they cooked it a little too long? The sauce on top was nothing new to my taste-buds -- they simply used the lobster bisque, which seems to me to be a bit lazy of a move. Not sure if I would order this dish again, since it didn't blow me away in taste. ***Tip: Typically, there are between three to five specials not on the menu -- no fear, the waiter normally informs you (I would suggest asking for prices, though). read more

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Excellent food service and atmosphere. I forgot to take pictures but I had the biggest most amazing scallops and pasta dish! Will definitely return next time in Lake Norman!! read more

Let me preface my review by stating that I DID write an email to the manager after a HORRIBLE dining experience here, but, after nearly a month received no response. They have completely ignored my correspondence. So here goes! My wife and I had eaten here about 6-8 times prior to COVID 19 and always had a fairly good experience; over priced, but no complaints about the food or service. We had said some good things about the restaurant to some friends of ours who had not been here, so we invited them to go with us for dinner on October 18. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR EXPERIENCE, FROM BEGINNING TO END WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. First- Our friends' drinks were sent back because there were no spices in the Bloody Marys they ordered. My wife's Manhattan was ok. Second-I ordered calamari for the table. When I tried to eat it, it was so tough it was like trying to chew rubber from a tire. I put one in my mouth, left the table, and went to the men's room to spit it out. The only response from the waitperson was,"We get them from Mystic, CT". I really don't care where they come from-THEY WERE INEDIBLE. About 90% of them were not eaten. Third- I ordered a bottle of wine that was uncorked and a tasting was served. The waitperson never offered me the cork when offering me a tasting. When he left, I looked at the bottle and it WAS NOT the wine I ordered. When confronted, the waiter said that they were having trouble getting some product, so they were "upgrading" some selections. NO GOOD RESTAURANT DOES IT THAT WAY. He should have told me they didn't have my selection and made a suggestion. Fourth-My caprece was 2 chunks of mozzarella on top of 2 pathetic slices of tomato. Fifth-Both my friends ordered dishes that had shrimp in them. They said that the shrimp was so terribly over cooked that they barely ate any of their entrees. My wife's entree was "ok", Sixth-The BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF ALL WAS WHAT THIS RESTAURANT CALLED "OSSO BUCO". When my entree was delivered, I was surprised to NOT see a veal shank. Instead, there were some shreds of meat of some kind in a brown sauce over pappardelle. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!! And HOW IN THE WORLD COULD ANYONE CALL THIS OSSO BUCO?? I did write an email to the manager here, but he/she, apparently didn't care if we were disappointed with Caruso's or not. After nearly a month, we haven't heard from him/her. If you plan on spending about $250 a couple for dinner, SPEND IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. DO NOT GO TO CARUSO'S EXPECTING TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WORTH THE MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND. Len C. read more

Great food every time, mature wait staff that is long in tenure and knowledge of each plate

We dined at Caruso's a couple nights ago (July 2022) and everything was spectacular! The food was so very delicious (our compliments to the chef!), the ambiance inside the restaurant was romantic and comfortable, with beautiful artwork hanging on the walls, and the service was extraordinary! Calvin was our very attentive server and provided us an evening of fine dining that we will remember for a very long time. THANK YOU! read more

Amazing food, atmosphere and service. A hidden gem in an otherwise nondescript strip mall.

Pascualg is the best !!! The feed is exquisite.. Lisa is the best server she Goes above and beyond

My wife and I were looking for a place to have a nice anniversary dinner. Caruso's popped into our heads. It's been a long time since we've been there. The last time was a number of years before they moved to where they are now. Living southwest of Mooresville, it's a 45 minute drive to get to Caruso's, the meal was worth every minute of the drive. The storefront isn't much to look at and will deceive you into thinking it's just another hole in the wall food joint. Don't be fooled. The interior decor is beautiful and I'm told that the owner Pasquale Caruso, an artist in the kitchen, is also the artist who paints all of the incredible art work on the walls of the restaurant. As people who have read my other reviews know I get long winded sometimes, sorry. We had reservations for 6pm. When we arrived there weren't very many people and I thought, 'Hmmm, Thursday night, why bother to make reservations." By the time we had gotten seated and our water poured, the place started to get busy. There is a "no young children" policy that we thoroughly understand and appreciate. Enough bloviating about the excellent surroundings, let's get to our menu selections. Lisa our 'wait-person' (PC) was very nice and told us in great detail of the specials. For apps, wife chose the wedge salad, said it's the best she'd ever had. I chose the special app of Scallops with a Grand Marnier Demi-glaze, I thought Lisa said 3 scallops only got 2, a bit pricey but excellent. My wife set her sights on the Scallopini Arrabbiata. Wow! what a taste sensation. Perfectly prepared moist, tasty, super tender veal medallions with the spicy red Arrabbiata sauce. The side was mashed potatoes with fresh, crunchy green beans. The portion size was amazing and she couldn't finish it, I was the benefactor as I finished it for lunch the next day. For me the Pollo Florentine (same side) sounded like a winner. Chicken breast wrapped in Prosciutto with spinach and Mascarpone that created a wonderful creamy sauce in a light puff pastry. The sauce was very rich and smooth. This was a was a very sizable portion as well. I know people say this a lot, but we both feel that this is one of the best dinners we have had in quite a long time. Desserts all sounded fabulous. We decided on the Almond Tiramisu, light and fluffy and as tasty as you can imagine. The menu has many other interesting sounding entrées that we will definitely be back to explore. If you get the chance to get to Caruso's, make a reservation and check it out, you won't be disappointed! read more

Don't let the location fool you. Caruso's has the fresh authentic Italian food and the best in the area by far. It is fine Italian dining so step it up a notch and wear something nice. Excellent food and excellent service read more

Great place. Excellent food and service. All the positive features of an old-time supper club.

I've been here before and the food is delicious and the service is great. I don't mind the wait at the door - it's worth it. Also, KUDOS for banning children under 5! I'd even support banning kids under say, 12. This place is not a family restaurant. No one wants to hear screaming kids or watch them running through the restaurant annoying other patrons and endangering servers. More upscale/adult-oriented places need to do this, because parents these days have zero idea how to parent and understand that their small children are not suitable to be in such places. read more

OK first things first; I'm from out of town. I am Italian. I have eaten in great Italian restaurants from New York to San Fran, to Rome. This place IS the real deal. If you want overly garlic'd "olive garden" food, don't come here. If you want excellent, authentic Italian food with great service, then this is the spot. I have found more Great restaurants in this area than in most big cities. read more

The very best Italian food in NC, Great food with authentic flavours and top notch service from professional waiters

Absolutely the best Italian I've had around the area. The service is impeccable and the food is even better. Every dish prepared perfectly. They bread they bring to your table is crusty on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle. The dipping sauce is spiked with garlic and tangy. We had stuffed mushrooms and chicken in pastry and it was all wonderful. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Lake Norman. Reservations are a must. read more

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After 42 years as a high school teacher and librarian, traveling from state to state with my husband acompany, we retired and moved to Mooresville. My goal was to try every restaurant in the area. Caruso's is one of my favorites. I love visiting Manhattan,NY and this restaurant takes me there. The old world Italian style ambiance is great. Once you walk in you feel as if you have been transported to a different place and time. Sometimes we get this older waiter that has this charming Sicilian accent that makes you feel as if you may step out on 43rd Street once your dinner is over. Oh, the food is great too. Just go and try as many of the menu items as possible. By-the-way, the bartender makes a great Lemon Drop Martini! read more

We tried Caruso's based on a number of recommendations. We had a mixed bag in our experience. Overall the food quality and service were top notch. The reason for the reduction in stars was really based on the presentation of the food. We started off our meal with the Grilled Octopus and the quality and presentation was very good. We both had the specials for the night (Pork Chop and Sea Bass respectively). We both liked the dishes that we had and the quality of the food was very good. The issue was really the presentation. I had the pork chop and it came with green beans and mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes portion looked like it was plated by a small ice cream scooper. I reminded me of going to a cafeteria when I was in elementary school. Additionally the pork chop was cooked with onions, peppers and sausage. Again the presentation was an issue as it seemed like it was thrown all over the plate. My wife had the Sea Bass which had great flavor but the presentation was just ehhh. There was a big plate with a little piece of fish and side. It really seemed weird. We finished our main meal and had desert. The cheesecake was incredible. It was made from mascarpone cheese and was so good. My wife had the gelato and again it was great. I hate to leave a so so review but those little details go a long way. Especially when it is a featured special and you are spending good money. read more

The BEST Chilean sea bass I've ever had! We also had the Zuppa di Pesce with the tomato sauce. Unbelievably beautiful and delicious. The prices are reasonable considering the quality of ingredients and service. read more

Caruso's - Beautiful & Delicious! - Italian Near Me - Mooresville, North Carolina

Authentic Italian food from Napoli, seafood was surprisingly surpurb, our server named Kyle was professional and an expert in Italian cuisine. Ask for him by name. The italian zabaione for dessert was off the charts. read more

Caruso's - Italian Near Me - Mooresville, North Carolina

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Fantastic evening. The service that Omar provided was exceptional. The food was delicious and the environment cozy and warm. A little pricey - so save for special treat! read more

Don't let the strip mall fool you, this place is memorable. There are some other really great spots around Lake Norman, but this place is the top one. Food and service that never disappoints. No kids allowed. I don't care, just a heads up. read more

If you value authentic Italian, from a friendly family greeting to the feeling of fresh Italian atmosphere and cuisine, this is NOT for you. This stuffy and unfriendly restaurant is tucked in between Publix and a nail salon. It's traditional Italian decor including outdated wallpaper and lighting were grossly unkempt and dusty. My family and I were greeted with rude, unprofessional and appalling behavior from both staff and restaurant owner. After having reservations for weeks and confirming reservations by phone with employees of this establishment the day before our dinner, we were declined service due to our children despite the fact that they were acting appropriately, dressed appropriately, and at an age that they would not require any special accommodations for seating or food requests. Employees never asked about specific attendees for my reservation when making reservations by phone several weeks prior and no where in the establishment or business website does it state their policy on children. In addition, the employee and business owner could not tell me a definitive age of young person that they would accept. Never even received an apology or appropriate resolution. Lastly, the rude discrimination in front of my children was heartbreaking to witness and explain later. Zero stars. read more

Oh my goodness, if you want to feel like you're dining in a Beauty and the Beast atmosphere, you must go to this gem! When I walked in, I noticed that it was kinda dark giving off the romantic/Beauty and the Beast vibe. I think it could've been because they had sconces that reminded me of Lumiere. Make sure to walk towards your left cause if you go right, you're just hitting a dead end, but still take a look cause the decorations are beautiful. There are nice and comfy couches for you to sit on while waiting for a table. I went in on a Thursday night without a reservation and ended up only waiting 10 minutes for a table. Not bad for a random drop by! What I loved about this place is that it is small and intimate. It is divided up into two rooms, I had sat in the side room, but there is a bar area in the main room. The decorations in there were beautiful paintings, and also a big beautiful chandelier in the middle of the side room. I also loved the black booth seats, they were very comfortable to sit in. The customer service here is spot on and the type of customer service you always want! I didn't get our server's name, but he was so cheery and friendly. He also offered to pack up my food when I couldn't finish it all. Now the food. Oh. M. Geeeee. It was AMAZING. The Crespelle Liguria is an appetizer I definitely suggest to try if you are looking for an appetizer. It felt like heaven in my mouth! I had tasted the Caprese salad and you just can't go wrong with that! So delicious. The entree that I had was the Vitello Trifolato and it was just what I was expecting...perfection. There were a little more mushrooms than I wanted, but they were still so good with each bite. Unfortnately, I didn't have room for dessert, but all their desserts are made in house daily so it was a bummer that I just couldn't handle stuffing anymore food in me. If you ever find yourself near this area or are looking for a romantic date night, you just can't go wrong checking this place out. Trust me, I ate so much that it was a good thing I decided to wear a dress (ya know, cause there's no restrictions on the stomach.) read more

Great Italian place for an area that doesn't seem to have many special occasion type restaurants. This is a *real* Italian restaurant -- if you're expecting Olive Garden or some other silly chain Italian restaurant, this isn't it. Interior is extremely classy and waiters are very professional in their demeanor. I felt a little bit under-dressed with jeans but they don't seem to require specific attire. You wouldn't feel out of place coming here in a suit and tie though. They offered a number of specials. I ordered a mini-rigatoni in white wine sauce and a salad. The pasta dish was very good -- flavors not too overpowering; well-balanced. read more

Caruso's is an outstanding restaurant nestled in a plaza on the corner of Brawley School and Williamson Roads in Mooresville. It is perfect for a date night, girls night out or work function. The servers are excellent (Omar, Michael and Lisa to name just a few) and the food is superb. It is a must try restaurant for those who enjoy fine Italian dining. I highly recommend Caruso's--we are fortunate to have this 5 star restaurant in the Lake Norman area! read more

I know several people who call Caruso's their favorite restaurant in Mooresville. While I'm not one of them, due to price, I would recommend Caruso's. Generally speaking, expect to pay approximately $100 for two people with wine. It's in an odd location, which isn't a bad thing, you just have to know where to look. It's in an older strip mall, where I believe they're finishing up a new Publix (which should greatly increase the visibility of this place and how popular is it.) While the location and exterior are a bit sleepy, it is beautifully (and classily) decorated inside - so much so you forget where you are. The food is really always top quality - fresh, quality meat cuts, and great flavor. They have a good wine selection too. I've had a number of dishes here, and remember being delighted they had Chilean Sea Bass on the menu (unsure if that changes by season...) I am a sucker for anything with Chilean Sea Bass that's fresh (not frozen), not fishy, fully cooked but tender with a good sear. The sides are very good and full of flavor and personality. Is this a place you should bring the family? Probably not. Is it a great place for a date or celebration, I'd say definitely! I think they more than earn their 4-Stars, but they don't beat my absolute favorite in Mooresville for this class - that award goes to Epic Chophouse in downtown Mooresville. However, Caruso's has great dishes from seafood, steaks, and hearty pasta dishes. Give them a try if you're in the mood for good food but willing to splurge. read more