Had a special occasion to celebrate so we made reservations here for a Sunday evening dinner at 6:30. Arriving earlier than expected, we walked upstairs and were warmly greeted and immediately sat at our table. Our server Krystal too great care of us the whole evening. We decided to split a bottle of wine and the hardest part about the menu was deciding. Krystal made some interjections and recommendations while we had decisions paralysis, but ended up going with the Shrimp St Thomas, arugula salad, veal melanese, house chop salad and Scottish Salmon. Everything was delicious! There was warm bread with beans while settling in and we decided on a lemocello martini as our dessert. Krystal did come out with a piece of lemon cake with a candle for the birthday celebration and perfect way to end the evening. Overall the restaurant seemed like we had the place to ourselves and the bar area was busy but all we could hear was indistinguishable chatter and laughs. I can see this place being crazy when it's peak, but I loved the fact that our quiet birthday celebration was nice and intimate. read more

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This is a great spot for a special occasion; excellent service and high-quality food in a cozy setting.

Truly fantastic Italian food! We loved the two pasta dishes we got. Still dreaming about the gnocchi. Also loved the white bean dip and bread! The parking lot was almost filled up at 7 on a weeknight but we managed to find a spot. We had a pleasant walk around the cute neighborhood before dinner. We will be back! read more

Primo Prime - Gino - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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We had it our Christmas party here and it was my first time visiting. Everything was delicious and what a neighborhood hidden gem! We'll definitely be back! read more

I stopped into primo prime with my parents for my dads bday and we had a great time! They have a small parking lot, so I ended up finding a close street spot but maybe be a little early in case you aren't so lucky. I started out w a cucumber collins cocktail and it was very yummy. For starters we ordered the eggplant rollatini and the spinach ricotta gnocchi which were delicious. If I go back I would definitely order the gnocchi again they just melted in your mouth and were topped with butter and Parmesan - what else could one want?? For my main I ordered the peppercorn steak - why did I do this at an Italian restaurant?? I don't know. It was pretty good but I definitely ended up eating more of my dads linguine and the special pasta dish of the night that came with lamb that my mom ordered. For dessert, I got the tiramisu and an espresso martini. The martini came with a lemon peel which I didn't really like, but the dessert was tasty. I'd definitely come back again!! read more

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That's amore paisanos! This was our first time at Primo Prime, and we had a great experience from beginning to end. Our server was attentive and helped us make our selections. For starters, he brought us a soft, crusty bread served with a tasty bean bruschetta. We opted for the steak carpaccio appetizer, which was flavorful and full of arugula - a nice surprise! I had the salmon which was cooked to perfection and enhanced by the fried kale - yum! Hubby enjoyed the pasta bolognese. Kudos to the bartender for the generous pour of Perolla! It's a small restaurant, but the tables were spaciously separated and the noise level was minimal. Great spot for a date night or special occasion meal. read more

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I had the pleasure of dining at this gem last night, and I can confidently say it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. The food was absolutely amazing--perfectly prepared, and beautifully presented. The service was equally impressive. Some of the waitstaff have been with the restaurant since it opened, and their knowledge, attentiveness , and genuine warmth made the evening even more special. They guided us through the menu with thoughtful recommendations and were incredibly helpful every step of the way. Thank you Dean & Ceasar! The restaurant itself is quaint--not very large--which adds to its charm. The ambiance was awesome: cozy, welcoming, and full of character. We left feeling not only satisfied but already excited to come back. Highly, highly recommend! If you are looking for exceptional food paired with top-notched service, this is the place to go! read more

Had a fantastic meal (black grouper special) here last week! Service was top notch in an old school atmosphere.

Loved the food, service and ambience. Must try their homemade garlic French fries. Yummy dessert. read more

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Came here for restaurant week. I've never even heard of this place before, but my friend went through the restaurant week list to choose someplace we've never been and chose this one. First, It's a bit confusing to find the restaurant. I saw the sign on the building so walked in... um, it was a different restaurant called Zio. Turns out Primo Prime is up the stairs on the outside. They could really use a sign with an arrow near the stairs to point you in the right direction. I got the crab cake to start off. It was ok. Alot of breading and could use more sauce underneath. I was close to getting the squid ink ravioli but glad I didn't. A girl in the group got it and ended up sending it back because she didn't like it. One gal got the 8 oz by strip steak and said it was good. I got the lamb shank over risotto. It was very good but definately needed more risotto. I got the tiramisu for dessert and liked it. It did not have a strong coffee flavor, thank goodness. read more

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I had a friend swear by this place (the food and service). I decided to give it a try this week and was very disappointed. The server seemed inexperienced in the restaurant industry and made many mistakes. I waited for a water refill twice. My food was not good and left my stomach hurting for hours after. The ambiance was very loud. I wouldn't return to this establishment. There are way nicer restaurants around the area to include food and service! read more

I decided to try this restuarant after seeing their menu from restuarant week. It's on a side street off of providence road and you would never notice it. The parking lot is kinda small but the parking lot next door allows you to park there without any problems. The service was great! We arrive 20 minutes earlier than our reservation and we were seated right away. The atmosphere is intimate and perfect for any night out Our waitress was very accommodating and service was prompt. I expected to wait due to it being restuarant week but the wait time was limited. I chose the Fritto Misa as an appetizer .The shrimp and fried zucchini were delicious starters. For an entree, I selected the salmon which was amazing and I highly recommend. I cleaned my plate with hesitation. For dessert, I had the cannoli which was good but the chocolate mousse my friend selected was better in my opinion. Overall, I would high recommend this restuarant for a visit. I would suggest making a reservation to avoid waiting. I will definitely be returning. read more

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Service was amazing we had a bit of everything the eggplant rollatini was amazing I can say that much. As for the veal I found it a bit chewy and the Alfredo was a bit watery. All and all I can say I gave them 3 stars because of the service but for 600.00 a party of 6 with 4 kids and a bottle of wine I would expect this food to be awesome. Unfortunately I don't think I would return as the beef carpaccio was over dressed. Could not taste the meat. The spinach ricotta was so dense and not very flavorful. The duck was over cooked sent back and over cooked again. Creamed spinach needs a lot of help again watery. So all and all if the server was not so good the food was not impressive. If I ever do go back I promise to review it again but I can't say run here to eat dinner. read more

Great little place I discovered and am shocked I am just finding out about this place. Unfortunately Sunday is not a busy day for them which worked out Into our favor getting our meals very fast. The skin on the salmon was probably cooked more than preferred but the fish was delicious. The duck was amazing and the service from Amanda wonderful. I will be back read more

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Primo Prime has been one of my bookmarks for years so when I saw it on the July 2019 Restaurant Week list we made reservations immediately. Upon arriving we were seated and our drink orders were taken and we received bread with some amazing cannelloni bean spread! Our waitress was very sweet and provided her recommendations based on the Restaurant Week menu. We all decided to try different items so that was great. For starters we ordered the Beef Carpaccio, Fritto Misto, Spinach Gnocchi and the Crab Cake. The highlight was by far the Carpaccio. As for the Fritto Misto, my pick, I missed the marinara sauce that I typically enjoy with this dish. The dipping sauce was heavy and didn't seem to go well with the fried fish. Entrees included the Veal Piccata, a family staple and my Mom enjoyed, the Mushroom Ricotta Ravioli which was absolute heaven. Paper thin pasta sheets with a perfect blend of Mushroom and Ricotta, perfection. We also ordered the Lamb Shank which was not as enjoyed as some of the other entrees. For dessert, couldn't pass up the Cannolis and Tiramisu. Overall, we definitely enjoyed and I'm glad I finally made it. I will be sure to go back as their regular menu does look amazing and offers some additional items. read more

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One of the best spots in Myers Park. It's not flashy or gimmicky, it's just a perfect place to get incredible Italian food with great service! read more

This was me and my boyfriend's first time. The atmosphere is small but intimate which I like. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable. She was able to answer all the questions we had about the menu. We enjoyed everything from the appetizers to dessert, and loved how fresh the food was. We will definitely come back and would recommend you make reservations due to seating capacity and limited hours open.. read more

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Outstanding food, great service, and the ambience in the restaurant is very nice. I had the Caesar Salad, which was excellent, Chicken Francese which tasted so fresh and rich. The Gnocchi was cooked to the right texture, the sauce was the ideal amount of creaminess. For dessert I had the lemon cake which had an excellent dense texture which was simultaneously airy so as not to be heavy and the flavors were layered so well. read more

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This is why I love Charlotte restaurant week. I just love discovering new restaurants that I ordinarily wouldn't visit. If it were not for restaurant week there's no way I would have found this place....Not even because I'm never on this side of town but because it's hidden down a remote side street and nestled away above another restaurant. It's also very small, quaint and primarily focused on wine and Italian cuisine. As it was restaurant week they had a set menu with 3 courses for$35. Quite a few things sounded great which is why we chose this restaurant to be the only one we visited during restaurant week. It started off really good. They offer all patrons beans and freshly baked bread and both were delicious. The bread was good enough to stand on its own but the beans made for a great pairing. The beans were covered in olive oil and mixed with tomatoes and onions. For my first course I had the lobster bisque because I always have to get it whenever I see it on the menu. There's had something really different. They drizzled dollops of pesto inside it and it was awesome! My wife's appetizer was even better than mine. She had a salad grilled shrimp and crab meat with a lemon dressing. It was honestly one of the best salads I've ever had. I would go back to this restaurant just for that salad alone. Unfortunately after that is where it went terribly wrong. My wife and I both got the lamb shank and it was prepared in a way that I've never had it before. It was cooked in a tomato based sauce and it was just not good at all. Thankfully the management was gracious enough to allow us to choose another entree. Though it was much better, it was also disappointing. This was the New York strip with fingerling potatoes and green beans. The steak was cooked in some kind of res wine sauce and it was good but just not great. I needed to add a lot of salt. The potatoes were pretty good but the green beans were just okay. My wife didn't like any of it. They redeemed themselves with the dessert as the cheesecake was really good. Strangely this is the first time ever in my experience with cheesecake where I preferred the cheesecake over the crust. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing but it was a really good cheesecake. My wife got their version of a creme brulee but she wasn't a fan. No I did not have the best experience there was so much potential. As mentioned above, I will go back again just for that salad. I must have it in my life at least one more time. I hope that next time the main course will redeem itself. read more

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We went here for restaurant week. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was a great date night! The stand outs of what we ordered was definitely the spinach gnocchi and the lamb shank. The gnocchi was perfect! The lamb was good but what was best about the lamb was the risotto it came on. It was probably the best risotto I've ever had!! read more

Primo Prime - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Primo Prime is the prime restaurant for Italian food. This place is hands down the most authentic restaurant for Italian food in Charlotte! We had the calamari and crab salad. The salad was so fresh and the dressing was really on point! That dressing was just very fresh and delightful! The main course was a crab and shrimp ravioli! The sauce and the taste of it was hands down so good! I enjoyed and savored every single bite. I think I even closed my eyes once and thought back to my time in Italy. The gnocchi with braised short ribs was very savory sauce to it. I enjoyed both these meals. The dessert was my least favorite thing as the creme brûlée didn't have the thick layer of burnt sugar but it was still really good. The service was spectacular and the place was cozy and open but yet felt extremely private. I highly recommend this place! read more

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Went for an early Valentine's Day dinner last night. It was a little concerning how they packed people in there and we actually requested to be moved to a table that wasn't on top of other people. We started with the fritto misto which was a very generous portion and so good! Loved the peppers in it. I had the lobster stuffed ravioli for the main and my hubby had the short rib pasta. Both so delicious. We finished with the creme brulee cheesecake which was awesome. I wish I hadn't opted to share it with my hubby. I would definitely recommend this place for a wonderful Italian dinner. Our server Mia was great and the poor girl seemed to be serving all the tables and working the bar but she remained attentive to us and didn't leave us hanging. read more

Primo Prime - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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We went here for Charlotte Restaurant Week and overall had a generally positive experience. Our server was friendly and checked on us often enough to make sure we were having a great experience. We got to try many dishes since there were four of us in our group, and we shared all of our three courses with each other. Some highlights: the fried calamari, the Bolognese sauce on the rigatoni, and the Nutella mousse. I would have given a more positive review except for these two tiny details--but with food experiences, even the tiniest details matter: 1) I was really excited about the daquiri on the cocktail menu and ordered it because it specifically said it would be garnished with LUXARDO maraschino cherries--it was not. It had just regular, bright red maraschino cherries. I'm not sure if it was a menu typo or if the bar ran out of luxardos, but as there is a HUGE difference (taste, look, and price), I think it's worth mentioning. The daquiri was still decent but I would have just stuck to a glass of wine instead. 2) The menu on the bottom had a note informing guests that you can ask for "fluten" free pasta options--it was already the 8th day of restaurant week and you would think that maybe someone at that point would have caught it and maybe would have changed it, but it was still there. Starting our meals with these two issues set the dinner off in not the most positive note but the food and our server made up for it all! I'm still thinking about the Nutella mousse!!! read more

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Soooooo this review is not going to be in the right sequence. I had to jot everything down quickly so I wouldn't forget any details. Also, I think its important to mention, we tried this restraunt during restaurant week....so here it goes... They didnt give us a bag to carry out our food so we had to leave carrying two boxes of leftovers to the car. After we received our dessert, we had to ask for a spoon. We ordered lamb but sent it back. It was more like a lamb stew but it wasn't tasty. This was our first time having lamb made this way and we were not a fan. We sent the lamb back and ordered a steak. The steak was very bland but the wine we paired it with was delicious. The salad was also amazing. I forgot to mention. Our meal came with bread and beans. The beans were bland. My husband would like to give them another chance. We eat out all the time and we are aware that restraunt week can be hectic. I am not sure I have an interest in going back. The restaurant was clean and the inside was nice. I'll update my review if we return. read more

Primo Prime - This wine is delicious. - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Charming small restaurant. Romantic atmosphere, pretty decor and good service. Food was delicious as well. Will be back.

This is the best place we've eaten at in Charlotte! The food was amazing. We ordered one dish that wasn't on the menu chicken parmigiana and it was excellent probably one of the the best we've ever had. The noodles were homemade and the chicken was perfection. My food lamb chops were mistakenly switched with another customers and the manager fixed that and brought me a new plate and it was excellent as well. I didn't expect to have my dinner covered but not only did they do that but they covered the whole check. Incredible service we will dine here again thank you for being great hosts. Joe and Michelle read more

Wow! Hadn't been here in awhile but was blown away Friday night. Great food, cocktails and service! read more

Primo Prime - Linguini with clams and fresh tomatoes - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Nice cozy Italian place. Liked the light decor. Service was very attentive and pleasant. Food too. Would be a good place for a date night, restaurant doesn't get too loud so you can actually talk. Would love to come back. read more

I made a visit here for Charlotte Restaurant Week after reviewing their delicious menu. I ordered the Fritto Misto, Steak Au Poivre & Crème Brûlée, along with a glass of their Riesling "IQ". As we waited for our appetizers they served some Bread with a small side of beans. The beans taste better than expected and complimented the warm bread nicely. The Fritto Misto was absolutely delicious. I normally don't like fried vegetables. But they didn't over fry theirs and the breading on this dish was very light and seasoned well. And they didn't serve it with a flavorless Marinara like you often see. I could have ate another plate of it as my Entree. The Steak was nice. I am one of those people who do not like a Pink/Red steak, I don't care how much better you think it tastes, I don't agree. However, when I ordered my Well Done steak the waiter convinced me to go with Medium Well as their version doesn't have any pink. I am so glad I went with his recommendation as the steak was served perfect to my liking. Still nice and tender, not overcooked, with a good sear and NO PINK! I wanted to lick the plate of the Cognac Cream sauce that they served with it. The fries were nice and crispy. I enjoyed my entree as well as everyone else at my table. There didn't seem to be any complaints. I saved the name of that Riesling as a plan on hunting it down, it was perfect. Now the dessert is where the lost me. I make it a point to order Creme Brulee every place I see it, whether it's special or not. I am not a big dessert eater and the simplicity of Creme Brulee makes me happy. I must say, I have never had a Creme Brulee that I wouldn't order again, except this one. You expect that nice hard sugar shell on top that you can crack open with your spoon, and adds a nice crisp as you eat the Custard. The first attempt at theirs, I could literally see the Custard underneath between very small scattered blotches of sugar that they "attempted" to torch. I sent it back, the waiter told me that is how they serve theirs, I still insisted that they try again. It came back a tad bit better but not much. And the sugar they added now tasted burnt and wet. They served it with not so fresh strawberries & blueberries. How do you fail at Creme Brulee??!! I will definitely return to Primo Prime, but I will be avoiding their desserts. read more

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This superb Italian restaurant in Myers Park is the perfect spot for a romantic escape, with cozy booths and tables that let you escape the hustle of the city for some great food and a nice bottle of Chianti. We dropped in recently with friends and enjoyed a wonderful meal and outstanding service. Starting with a fabulous bottle of (reasonably priced!) Italian Rosso, we dove into plates of Spinach Gnocchi, Crab Cakes, and Beef Carpaccio -- all flavorful and delicious. For my entree, I enjoyed a near-perfect dish of Lasagna, while my wife had the Beef Tenderloin Pappardelle -- another delicious choice. We were all very impressed with every aspect of our visit, and would highly recommend Primo Prime to anyone looking for an excellent Italian meal in a cozy, intimate setting. Well worth a visit. read more

Thank you Joe D. for making my mother's special day better!! I have been wanted to support this restaurant since I saw the owner. The food was outstanding and the service was great as well. The lamb chops were amazing and my mother's veal and squash soup were both delicious! I will absolutely be back! A+ read more

I was excited to try out Primo Prime after years of eating at Zio's (right below). My husband and I booked a double date and felt very fancy at one of PP's white linen-draped dining table. Our server was very attentive and helpful. However, for the price, the food really fell flat for me. I felt that the dishes were underseasoned and underwhelming. We ordered the "Crab Cakes" as an app...Despite the plural on the menu it was 1 crab cake and didn't taste fresh. I ordered the Caesar salad (which was good, but also hard to mess up) and the cioppino. My cioppino was really blah...Didn't have enough flavor and wasn't light and fresh like it's supposed to be (I eat it every time I go to San Francisco). Everyone else in the party similarly remarked that their dinner was good, but not outstanding. The ambiance was great, so I may be back for martinis at the bar, however, I think I will jaunt down to Zio's to do the eating. read more

Wednesday Night Restaurant Week and it's a girls night...party of five. We has 7:30 reservations but because of the overwhelming response to RW we waiting about 15-20 minutes, because there wasn't a Hostess at the front to check anyone in. But after that mishap we were seated in a quaint little corner off of the kitchen with the most comfortable couch seating(we were asked in advance about sitting by the kitchen). The "hostess" brought out some Canela Beans and Bread for starters and that was good, I asked for a second round. Let me say that our Server Brent was amazing and funny, and well knowledgeable about the menu including the drinks, which is a huge plus. The atmosphere is very loud, not sure if it's like that all the time. I didn't mind because my girls and I are equally as loud with a few drinks, good food and great conversation. Ok on to the food...I ordered the Fritto Misto as an app, the Salmon as an entree and the Cheesecake for dessert. I loved the Fritto Misto(shrimp was scarce. Only has two) but they were delicious. My Salmon lacked on flavor, seasoning as well as the Spinach it was paired with. The Cheesecake was DELICIOUS. My drink was basic, a Tito's with Cranberry because you can never ever go wrong with that. We stayed until they were cleaning up and preparing for the next day and not one time did the rush us or make us feel like we had to go. I love that because we love shutting a restaurant DOWN!!!! read more

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Everything was amazing! Crema Catalano was the best dessert I've had in a long time! Also, the fact that is the service was great during restaurant week is impressive. read more

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We had a wonderful dinner last night for a table of 6. Excellent food and service. One of the best meals we have had in Charlotte! Everyone agreed! read more

Ordered two dinners for takeout. When I got home, I saw that one of the dinners had half of the order missing. I would have thought that during this pandemic, restaurants would be working overtime to keep customers. I think that some restaurants are taking advantage of takeout and they really don't care about the quality of the order since you're not there to send it back. To be fair, I did call to complain and they asked how to make it right. I wasn't about to go out again. read more

If you haven't been in a while, know that this place has been renovated, is up to date, and a fresh menu. Chopped salad was one of the best I've ever had, and another guest said the same about the house made pasta. The crab cake is also tasty. Top notch service in a great atmosphere. read more

I've reviewed Primo Prime before and I continue to be impressed with the food and the friendly staff. Last night I had a nice glass of wine at the bar as I perused the menu. I decided on the Scottish salmon with some lovely vegetable sides. But after discussing the special with the bartender and chef, who happened to be out of the kitchen for a moment, I switched to the special. I enjoyed a seafood "mixed grill" with fingerling potatoes and sauteed spinach. The seafood portion was a very generous serving of shrimp, scallops, mahi mahi and tuna. All was cooked perfectly. Since I took out my dinner, I missed what I am sure would have been a beautiful plate. But the food traveled well and I enjoyed it very much. I highly recommend that you visit Primo Prime. read more

Attended restaurant week and I will have to say this was not the best choice I have had. They are typically aren't open on Sunday and maybe that was a part of my issue. Out of the three courses I would rate the first course the best. The calamari while overcooked was way better than the chicken I had for my second course or the third course. Neither my dinner partners nor I thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I have never seen such a runny creme burlee or grainy chocolate mousse. My son wasn't happy with the kids menu choices as well. They had three different sauces for two types of pasta. All in all the three of us left unimpressed. It is however a nicely decorated place. read more

This is hands down the best pasta i've have had in Charlotte. My husband had the bolognese which we both loved. I had an off menu pasta dish that the owner recommended- scallops, shrimp, lobster, and sundried tomatoes in a cream sauce. I stopped stuffing my face long enough to take a picture. Yall. It. was. so. good. The service was excellent and we'll definitely be back to try more dishes! read more

Primo Prime - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina