Been wanting to try this place for a while. I love old school restaurants and Italian food, sooo, seemed like it would be a home run. Loved all the nostalgic decor, red checked tablecloths and cozy environment. We went on a Sunday evening a couple hours after the Panthers game ended. Being seated was a giant cluster. The owner was checking everyone out and seating people, which was just extremely inefficient. We had to wait for a party of about 15 people to be individually checked out and for three other groups that arrived after us to be seated, just because there was no organization. I certainly don't mind waiting for a table when its busy, but that's just understaffing. Our waitress was great! Friendly and quick and made some recommendations on the menu. I think there were only 2 servers working so she had a ton of tables but was seriously hustling. You know those days you're just in the mood to eat concerning amounts of cheese? This is where you need to head on those days. My boyfriend and I shared a bottle of Chianti, Antipasto salad, Chicken Parm and Lasagna. The medium antipasto salad was a large portion and I loved that it had beets on it. The chicken Parm was excellent. Good sauce and smothered in cheese, comes with a side of pasta too. Definitely a good comfort food spot. read more

My husband and I always do the same thing. Where do you want to go idk how bout you what do you want to eat idk what do you want. We came from out of town to attend a seminar in Charlotte. We decided to yelp a place on our way back to the hotel. I said we will go to the first place that pops up. So this was it. We were a little nervous when we pulled in and there were 4 cars in the parking lot. It looked very sketchy. But we said we are starving let's do it! The food was delicious. Real old school Italian. My husband had a meatball sub. I had the baked ziti. Excellent service! The waitress Beth was very helpful telling us what their specialties were. Don't judge a book by its cover. The food was delicious! By the time we left, the place was packed! read more

Wow I haven't been here since I was knee high to a grasshopper and all I have to say is BLEH! Not impressed whatsoever.. I don't know what did it in for me the stale store bought bread, the plastic cup my tea came in, the soppy noodles in my chicken barcelona, (quite frankly I'm surprised that my entrée didn't come out with a little paper plate and plastic fork), OR the fact that our waiter wanted us to pay the bill not even half way through our meal! Sigh. I'm glad we used Groupon.. I definitely would've dined and dashed hadn't it been for that.. I'm sorry (not really) but I would rather go to olive garden than go to this place ever again. read more

The Open Kitchen - You'd think paying $14 for an entrée they'd give you a regular cup instead of a plastic one.. :| - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Bleh never again!.. Except to pick up tiramisu! We came here last night, despite the mixed reviews, with a groupon for dinner. There were about 4 or 5 other parties in the entire place and the lighting was very dark. We were quickly seated at a small table in the corner. The server was nice and attentive. What really sent this place off to a bad start was the condition of the silverware, eww! There was dried, old marinara sauce covering most of the prongs of my fork. I have never seen a fork so disgusting in an eatery in my entire life! Sent it back right away for another set which also had a less amount of dried, old marinara. I had to switch out my silverware twice, that is really terrible and made me question the hygiene practices of Open Kitchen. I was afraid to think of what they do to the food in the back. Despite this, we stayed. I ordered the fettuccine Alfredo and the bf had the lasagna parmigiana as well as an order of cheesy garlic bread and some marinara. The food, nothing special here. Our very flavorless, tomatoey marinara was $3.25. Not worth it at all. I had to add a ton of salt, pepper, and chili to make the fettuccine edible. The lasagna parmigiana was unfortunately not edible, extremely mushy! I couldn't get past it. What a bust, nothing tastes fresh! Dessert on the other hand was delish and my favorite part of the meal. The tiramisu was amazing! After the groupon, I ended up paying $20 with tax and tip. Not worth it! We definitely won't be coming back. But, I will be taking tiramisu to go! read more

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Ok, I must admit that just based on food alone, I would have to give it only 2 stars. However, being a native Charlottean, I can't help but become overwhelmed with nostalgia when I walk in the door. I have some good memories of coming here with friends & family when I was a kid and that makes me enjoy the place more than I would otherwise. This is certainly not authentic Italian food by any stretch of the imagination. Like so many restaurants in Charlotte back when I was a kid, this place is owned by a Greek family, so you really are getting Greek-Italian-American food. That usually means over-cooked pasta, sort of bland tomato sauce and loads of cheese. It's not a place I frequent, but on occasion, its fun to go for a lunch down memory lane. read more

The Open Kitchen is a great restaurant with great people and great food. Started in 1952 it shows and it's awesome! Some people won't like it because it looks old but it works for me. The service is as good as the food. Prices are reasonable as well. Will definitely be back. read more

Been eating here for over 20 years. The parking lot tells the truth. It is almost always full. I had lunch here Wednesday April 1 2015. The place was full at 11:30, and stayed that way the whole time I was there. My favorite lunch is a tossed salad, and meatball sub and fries. The simple tossed salad is great. Fresh crisp lettuce, tomatoes and dressing that tastes house made. A thing of beauty. The homemade meatballs on the sub roll are almost the size of baseballs, and loaded with flavor. Anointed with tomato sauce and oven baked. Perfect!! When the lot is full, including cop cars, that says a lot about what's inside. read more

The Open Kitchen - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

One of our favorite family restaurants. We eat here almost weekly. Consistently great food and very affordable. We love the family owned, authentic 1950's feel and hope they never close. A hidden Charlotte gem! read more

I got the lasagna parmigiana and it was delicious. I couldn't even finish half of it. Cheesy and meaty. We got a calamari appetizer and they were cook good. Thought it was strange they served it with cocktail sauce instead of marinara. Had to ask for marinara. Hubby got spaghetti and meat balls with mushrooms. He personally likes the marinara sauce better than the meat sauce. He didn't like that they served canned mushrooms instead of fresh mushrooms. I personally like canned mushrooms. Bread is good. Both servers we had were super friendly and helpful. read more

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The decor is tired and old but cozy. The waitress was sweet and attentive. That's the good news. The food was horrible! The veal Barcelona was pre cooked roast beef, canned mushrooms and butter over overcooked mushy pasta. there was no lemon or anything fresh. I told the server that the meat was dry, overcooked and old tasting. She assured me that it was cooked earlier today and reheated when ordered. I asked if there was anything cooked fresh to order. Her answer was no, everything is pre cooked and reheated when ordered All the chicken, veal, and meat is prepared earlier. The red sauce is from a can (hunts) I think. The bread was cold and tasteless. I will not be back. There are too many good restaurants around read more

First time here!! A little apprehensive at the look of the outside, but so happy I gave in and came on in!! Yummmmmm is all I have to say!! The best lasagna and spaghetti I've had in the Charlotte area, so far!!! Salad dressing is homemade! So good!!! Will most definitely be returning!!! read more

I always love eating at this place when I'm in downtown Charlotte. The atmosphere is really cool with tons of flags, pictures, memorabilia, etc. this is truly one of the best Italian restaurants I've ever eaten. I usually get the Ravioli Parmesan, but this time I got the Chicken Parmesan and it was delicious. The service is good for it to be as busy as it is usually. My only complaint is dessert. I have gotten the cannoli multiple times and it's good, but it's pre-filled and the shell is always soggy. My suggestion would be to fill it upon order to keep it fresh. Definitely returning and I would recommend this place. It's been around for a long time for read more

The Open Kitchen - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

So glad we hit this place up. For the price its a great experience. It has nice old school charm. Service and Food was as advertised. read more

Food is very hearty and you can tell it is indeed made from scratch. Interesting decor...Looks like an original Buca DiBeppo. A lot of regulars (age 60+) eat here. I've read a lot of comments about the poor service. The waitstaff seems rushed and 'appear' too busy to be bothered with your questions about the menu but the food is good. They will easily make substitutions where possible w/o 'nickle and diming' you. Only two seafood dishes. Lots of beef, veal and chicken. If the aloof service bothers you then I'd suggest take-out :) read more

The Open Kitchen - Grilled chicken livers! Great flavor! - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I would give zero stars if I could...I found a long thick hair in my food. And no refund. Don't ever go here. Ever.

Food was delicious, drinks were kept full, plates were bussed quickly and we had a wonderful time. Our server, Robin, was sweet and funny and made great suggestions. Next time we go, we will request to be seated in her section. We had calamari, house salad, Caesar salad (it had tomatoes which was weird, but okay), fettuccini d'Alessandro with chicken, veal parmigiana, manicotti, and veal Barcelona. For dessert we had cannolis and chocolate mousse. A wonderful meal! read more

First, let me say as a native Charlottean I've been eating at the Open Kitchen (and formerly Gus's 49'er) since the 60's and have really enjoyed the food over the decades. With that said, I've also known over the years they don't make their own pizza crust using a pre-made suspected frozen crust. But since the ingredients were always good quality it was usually edible. Stopped by today and ordered the 16" Mama K Supreme. I'm sorry to say it was the absolute worst pizza I've ever had - including cheap frozen grocery store pizzas. Besides the sparse tasteless ingredients, the crust had a pita bread like texture and tasted like cardboard. I know it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks but if the owners read this ... PLEASE stop using the cheap frozen pizza crust and start making your own. I'll never fully understand why an Italian restaurant of this caliber would do this, especially with the opportunities to boost their bottom line by selling a better quality product. read more

Not great. Server was being overworked so the service was poor. Food wasn't worth the cost. Really wasn't good. Wish it was better. Would avoid read more

The Open Kitchen - Lasagne Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Best Italian food restaurant in all the Charlotte area--and a major tradition in the Queen City that dates back to 1952. Delicious pizza and pasta. Service was a bit spotty during our meal, which is why I give it four stars. We'll be back. The atmosphere feels more New York than Charlotte. Great place for a date. read more

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I very highly recommend This place. The food is godlike and the atmosphere is like a fancy, but rustic food kitchen. The people are extremely funny and kind, the owner even walks around the store and has conversations with the customers. The servers are incredibly good at their job and there are so many different options for food. Overall this place has bags full of atmosphere and the people are very nice and the food is very fresh. read more

We have been here before, but this time we were planning to speak with a concierge about booking a party. Our dining experience was okay when we first arrived. We were seated quickly since the restaurant was pretty empty, which is what we were looking for. We had told our server that we were happy that we got seated away from others since things are still unstable in the community. We got our food and began eating. About 5 minutes after we got our food, a host came over and began rearranging the tables directly beside us for a large party. The chairs were so close that the guy sitting in the end chair could not get in his chair without bumping our table. We ended up taking our HOT food out since they no longer cared about our comfort or needs. Even when we explained what happened to the cashier, he simply said "oh, no" and let if at that. There was no mention of reseating us in a different section or any solution to try to make your customer happy. We were not irate or rude to anyone, we just wanted to enjoy our meal inside of the restaurant. I know it's all about money. Little did they know we were looking for a restaurant to host a party of 70-85 people and that this was the restaurant we wanted to reserve. We will take our business somewhere else. read more

Quick recap: if you like Italian, this is your spot. A little spot in Charlotte that is family run. Nothing here disappointed and the service was amazing. Ordered pizza and baked ziti and both were on point. Friends got lasagna and chicken parm and no one left a crumb on their plates. The layout is a little dark but it makes it feel cozy and very local. Not a chain by any stretch of the imagination. Service was on point and not a single complaint here. read more

The Open Kitchen - Pepperoni pizza - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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The first time we have ever went to this restaurant was yesterday it was awesome and our waitress Robin was fantastic looking forward to going back today for lunch and taking a friend with us. My husband and I had a great time yesterday thanks again for being one of the best restaurants in Charlotte. Dale read more

1st time visit but not our last! Loved LOVED this place. Delicious meat sauce on perfectly cooked spaghetti noodles. Huge portion for under $11. Fantastic. Husband had the lasagne. Couldn't finish either dish. Love the old world, checkered table cloth feel. Cozy! Go and enjoy yourself. read more

Christina the owner was extremely rude to her employees and our table could hear the way she talked down to her staff and belittled them. Absolutely disgusting behavior from her. My family has been coming here for 40 years and we will never return after hearing in person how she treats people. read more

Okay - so this place is a Charlotte institution not for the reason that it's exceptional but it's definitely a throwback. If you go into your experience at Open Kitchen with the idea that you'll have a culinary revelation, you'll be disappointed. This is, what I would expect, would have been the same menu in the 50's and 60's and prepared the same way. In the days where eating "ethnic" was Chinese or Italian, this was your Italian option. Everything you've head about this place is true. Yes, the waitresses turn the table cloths over between servings and the drinks are served in clear solo cups. One little irk I always have with places that offer bread that isn't warm and cold butter. The bread would have been 100 times better if it warmed however the waitress did provide a plate of balsamic and olive oil. I had the spaghetti and meatballs and it was pretty good. The meatballs were large and the sauce was pretty good. The eggplant parm was also decent but was served with meat sauce; so not exactly an option for vegetarians. I would highly recommend trying this place at least once. When all the new restaurants are offering a new interpretation of what Italian food could be, this is Italian without pretense and it's not bad at all. Plus, they have pebble ice. read more

I really enjoyed coming back to this childhood favorite; it was very nostalgic. I felt transported to another time with the food, service, and ambiance. The service by Cynthia was excellent; she was so warm and friendly! I loved my Greek salad- the beets were a nice touch. We all enjoyed our pizzas and other entrees. We will definitely return next time we are in Charlotte. read more

Just discovered this place a couple months ago, food is delicious. The interior is a little out of the ordinary, but makes it feel homelike and old. Reminds me of my old grandmothers home. Everything that I've had here is delicious, the waitresses remember drink orders and quick to refill, owner and sons are super nice. Love this hidden gem! read more

I am baffled that this place is still in business and has a packed parking lot at night. It's dying for Chef Ramsey to come in and do a turnaround on it. It's textbook "We've lost the love of cooking" and now takes the easy way out and used canned everything. Even the "world famous pies" are frozen perfectly round manufactured pizzas with congealed cheese in one gross layer and no flavor. It's like a mini-frisbee with a little cheap pizza sauce and gross elementary school cheese. I ate one of the 8 slices of the pizza and called it quits. The lunch side salad came in a little bowl with iceberg lettuce and an INCH of Italian dressing. Yes, an inch. It was ridiculous. The lasagna and spaghetti is very generic. The only thing I can say anything positive about (besides the awesome kitschy interior is the seafood dish with bechamel sauce, but you can only get it once every 2 years for fear of heart attack because it's so rich. I'm sounding hateful, not because I want them to go away, which I don't but because I want them to reinvigorate their menu to be authentic Italian (or heck, even Greek since they're greek!) I love the place, but it's not enough to get me to eat the food, so that says a lot. I wanted to be a regular, but I just can't stomach it. I might phone up Gordon to save them from themselves... read more

I worked here for 3 years give or take so I can claim expert status on this review. Sausage Crumbles and the Marinara on the lasagna are way better than the normal meat sauce. The Meatballs are hit or miss depending on who makes them. Eggplant Parm is insanely good and my all time favorite. Sweet Tea is insanely sweet Chicken Parm is great for low carb but not low fat. The Barcelona is great! but you better like melted butter because there is a half a stick of butter on your plate. and no, it is not butter like substitute, it really is butter from an actual stick. The Ranch, Blue Cheese, 1000, and French are all home made dressings as is the Mama Ks but your side salad is not going to be some dolled up salad so don't expect it. Both the marinara and the meat sauce are home made. Yes the place is old and a bit dusty but if you can name one restaurant in charlotte that has been opened for 60 years consecutively that isn't, I will eat my words. *no pun intended. Thats my review folks! read more

This is one of those places you desperately want to love... the decor is amazing, some strange, psychedelic mixture of saloon meets slightly-cheesy italian... the waitstaff are a bunch of sweethearts, mostly old ladies...and it's been here for something like 60 years, pumping out pizzas and pasta and texas toa-er-garlic bread. But you can't really, because its pretty pricey-- and the food is bad. The combination kills it for you. Your pizza comes out, at a whopping $12 for a smallish two topping, and the crust is Elio's, or something, a poured batter-like pie shell texture crust. The sauce is hardly there, and the cheese is so plasticized, it stretches for feet. Your "greek salad" is $6 and is half a head of iceburg with oddly-flavored diced beets, a small sprinkling of feta, two tomato quarters, and two small olives. I've given it two tries, maybe the third will be different... but I get the feeling the recipes and style of cooking happening here haven't changed in 20 years, and are unlikely to in the near future. read more

Totally shocked by so many of the reviews of the OK! Here is what to get: Garlic cheese bread. It will knock off your socks and change your life. Veal OR chicken Barcelona (I'm talking veal people) but, this is for keeps. Crab meat Parmigiana-has the perfect touch of sherry. Deluxe Grilled Chicken Sandwhich-gives Chick-fil-A a RUN for its money! Add grilled chicken to a small Greek salad with Mama K's famous dressing and you've got one h** of a meal. The ambiance is enchanting. A collage of old photographs and memorabilia- I don't think anyone can walk into the Open Kitchen without getting a touch of nostalgia. Not enough places like this left in the world today! Oh, and don't forget the cheese bread! read more

TERRIBLE Customer Service from Manager. When trying to redeem a Groupon whose $24 promotional value had expired but the $12 actual value was still valid, the manager refused to honor it even though I showed him the fine print. After 10 minutes of trying to reason, the manager told me to "Get out of my hair" and "I hope you eat crap". Food was only ok, but good portions for the price. Our waitress was good, but the manager ruined any positive experience. read more

I went here as a kid every time my family visited Charlotte. I've never had a bad experience or bad food. It's family owned and operated, and the recipes are the same as when they first opened. The atmosphere is unique and whimsical with old pictures, toys, menus, college pennants, etc. Their meatballs are unbelievably YUM. And the chicken barcelona is fantastic!! Cozy yet great for groups (they have a large section in the back for groups and overflow), this place has lots of charm and delicious dishes you must try! read more

Unfortunately being a Charlotte institution does not mean tasty food. Open Kitchen has been around for a while, and it feels like it inside too. I have only found one thing on the menu that is actually edible (grilled chick sandwich). Their tomato sauce is very nasty, tastes like it came straight out of a can. So stay away from anything that has sauce on it (95% of menu). My workplace literally faces the back of OK and it sucks to smell food all day long, but know the taste will never be there. read more

i never leave reviews.But the food was awful! The staff was great,however my meal was terribletspaghetti with white clam sauce that looked like Fetuccini, I dont think there was one real clam in my dinner, I will never go back there again. Sorry but they missed the mark!And stop serving stale breadsticks and cold nasty bread. read more

For typical, American style, cheese bomb type Italian food, Open Kitchen is great. For anything resembling real Italian food, look elsewhere. Open Kitchen is a Charlotte institution that has been there for ages. The people manning the various positions, cashier, waitress, manager, seem to have been there for ages also. They are very friendly and at home roaming the spacious Open Kitchen floor. Ironically, the kitchen is not open, it is back through a narrow hallway. The lasagna was cheesy, and probably 5 thousand calories, but tasty nonetheless. It had a hint of Nutmeg which added some nice flavor. As long as you go in with the appropriate expectations and are OK with consuming massive amounts of cheese calories, Open Kitchen is a fine option if you are in the area. It's not fantastic, it's not awful. It's just there. read more

First time Visit...My group ordered baked ziti, chicken parm, and spaghetti, Caesar salad & garden salad. Everyone was very pleased with their selections. Disappointed salads do not accompany the entrees. Sweet tea was delicious but the sodas were flat and when brought to the waitress' attention, she offered another glass but said it probably won't be any better. Is that what you say to customers? Or should have said, let me have some check the machine I'm sure as that was needed was to do was replace the carbonation tank. Mr. Jon Taffer from Bar Rescue would have had a fit! This business has been around over 60 years & sometimes we get complacent in the way we do things ‍ Overall the food was delicious & don't forget to try the cheesecake w/pineapple OMG to die for! read more

World Famous? OMG...World Famous? I am a lifelong Charlottean and the Open Kitchen of my youth must be in a pod somewhere waiting instructions from the mothership. This place gives restaurants...no...anyplace with a kitchen, a bad name. Terrible greasy smelly cheesy food. Cinnamon or nutmeg or something in the sauce. flimsy plastic cups and paper plates, cold bread. And to top it off the woman at the register was very rude. Come back Mama K.....we need you. read more

The food here is awful. I got the veal parmigiana and not sure what I got, but it definitely wasn't veal. Completely tasteless. Even the side of spaghetti was so bland, took one bite and that's all I could muster. Not sure how this place has been around for so long. read more