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17 Reviews for “Carley’s Ristorante”
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April 20th, 2009
Bad night at Carleys. The “stink” is still there. It was so unpleasant we asked to sit outside (thankfully the weather was mild enough). Things did not improve with the change in location, however. The “gorgonzola” salad came out without any gorgonzola on it, but with more onions than I have ever seen on one plate; another salad we ordered had the same onion overload. Mushroom risotto was overcooked and had WAY too much cheese in it and also had a pile of onions placed on top - was like a plate of melted parmasean topped with carmalized onion. The squid that we were told was fresh “just came in today” had tasted a little too fishy to be that fresh and the grilled quail had a strange flavor that I at first attributed to some kind of maranaide, but about 4 hours later (when I clearly had a touch of food poisoning) attributed to the quail not being so fresh either.
Never again.
December 5th, 2008
Awesome experience!!! Just had probably the best Italian meal ever in Harrisburg last night. The whole branzino (sea bass) was delicious. I spoke with the owner about some of the earlier reviews on the smell in the restaurant, because I did not smell it at all. They solved the problem about two weeks ago. He said the smell was coming from the underside of the dining room tables. The tables were custom made from mahagony wood on site. The underside of the tables were not sealed and that is where the smell was coming from, so they hired a contractor to come in and seal all of the tables and the smell is gone! Definitely give this restaurant a try, well worth it, and very reasonable.
October 28th, 2008
I had dinner on October 23, 2008. I was in a large party that continued to grow—ten of us when we finally left. Even still, wait staff was never bothered by this and continued to be accommodating by adding tables and chairs. It was the first night for a new pianist—she was very polite and willing to take our requests.
Appetizers were plentiful; I’d recommend “The Board.” The chef even sent out a few “nibblers” for us to enjoy. For those at my table who ordered dinners—beef, veal and chicken dishes—the food was exceptional. Veal dishes seemed to be the favorite. For those at my table who ordered sandwiches, the reviews were not as “high.” I would return—BUT, I would have difficulty recommending this restaurant to a friend, and let me tell you WHY:
The previous reviewers are not exaggerating, there is a definite stench. I would describe it as the odor coming from a cat’s litter box–we finally asked our server if they had a cat! Their reply was that, “We get asked that often, but have been unable to figure out what’s causing the problem.” My recommendation would be to keep looking!
Eventually, we got used to the smell, or else the aromas from our food and wine finally over-powered the feline smell. With that said, the food is EXCEPTIONAL and it’s a unique niche in Harrisburg. Carley’s is still definitely worth a try, but be careful if you’re taking someone who may be bothered by strong odors (or someone you’re looking to impress).
October 17th, 2008
Marinara sauce has way too much garlic. At least it did the night we were there. Won’t be back.
October 5th, 2008
Nice atmosphere, great food. We had the “meatball” appetizer which came with three fresh home made dipping sauces. For an entree we had the chicken marsala. A family size portion consisted of a pasta side (rigatoni in a garlic olive oil sauce) and 3 whole chicken breasts in a wonderful marsala sauce consisting of a blend of mushrooms.
The only downside was that the place had a stench to it when we walked in. It pretty much smelled like garbage. The management should take this into account as we almost walked out.
However, we were glad we stayed. After our noses adjusted and blocked the smell out, we had a pleasant experience.
September 12th, 2008
Finally glad I was able to visit. This place has a nice cozy charm and a great ambiance after their remodel to Carley’s. The food taste and presentation exceeded my expectations. Service was great too! Would definitely be back. This is another top notch restaurant in Harrisburg!
July 1st, 2008
I went to Carley’s for lunch two weeks ago and ordered a panini. The panini sounded good, but when it came out it was missing 2 main ingredients. It was missing olive tapenade and balsamic drizzle. I sent it back and they threw a few olives on it, but no balsamic. I was rather displeased with this restaurant. I had high hopes. I love italian food. The antipasto board was good, but rather small. Also, there was a strong plastic odor in the restaurant, as if they finished some construction work and it left a plastic smell. It gave us a headache.