Carmela's

Jason Pitcole

What a great place for a dinner. First time in area, and we decided to try the place and I am glad we did. The food was amazing, wine and drink selection was perfect (including homemade sangria), the service was top notch and it was just a pleasant and enjoyable ambience. The Shrimp Italiano is phenomenal and should absolutely be tried. Next time in the area, I will definitely be stopping by.

Diana A

They were very short-staffed, so we were patient knowing that, but service really wasn't that slow. They waitresses were working their tails off and did a great job. Ours was very sweet. We ordered pizza and it was delicious. Probably makes my number 2 spot, the other place being in Houston. We were happy they had NA beer. Most places don't. We didn't get to try the bread, though.

Mike English

Wonderful dining experience. Welcoming, friendly and professional in all respects. Pace of service allows a few sips of wine with appetizer or salad before entree service ... well done. Variety of Italian specialties will surely please anyone. Some service folks from breakfast / lunch at Cafe Lago over the years ... all great. I'm ready to go back again!

Jim Lewis

All the food was delicious. Owner is very nice. Music was a bit loud - but you can still talk easily if you sit near the front of the restaurant. A great local find.

If you are looking for great Italian food Great atmosphere and service not mentioning price's you really need to come to Carmela's at Lakeway it's a to go place.

We were there for a wedding dinner and they were incredibly prepared, capable, cordial and the food was delicious.

Very good food, Owner is nice and treat client like every owner should - Walk between tables and make sure all of her clients are satisfied.

Love going here with Lakeway friends to enjoy very tasty food and a nice selection of beverages. Nice service too

I love this restaurant. This a great location. The staff is very friendly and helpful especially Ashlyn.

One of the best Italian restaurants I’ve ever been to. Highly recommend.

We love Carmela's! The food is great Erica is the best bartender!

Great service, great food. The fettuccine Alfredo was perfect.

Wonderful food and atmosphere. Friendly staff

Food is amazing - I had Greek salad and pork tenderloin

Even though there's gluten cross contamination, it's an amazing Italian restaurant. Worth a "repeat"!!

Great experience. Staff is very friendly and is great and a good value. Jlbmlb1111

Good place for Happy Hour!!

Love this place and the service is always great.

Lobster pasta was delicious. Service was awesome.

Always get Togo but great people and great place

Great staff with the food to match.

Incredible food and wonderful service

Amazing. Thankyou

Very good experience!

Panseared Fish is outstanding

We had our 36th wedding Anniversary Dinner there & the food was fabulous. Service good even with a full house.

Their entrees and pizzas are always delicious and consistent. The atmosphere and clientele are also warm and inviting.

Everything was excellent. It’s hard to give good service when your short staffed, but they worked to make the guests as happy as can be.

The pasta was amazing and the appetizers were so good! The service was really good also.

Wonderful new find in Lakeway. Great food and service. Caesar salad was just right in terms of lettuce and dressing. Very fresh tasting. Pizzas are great. The fettuccine Alfredo didn't have much taste but was served piping hot. Dessert of mango key lime cheesecake didn't disappoint. Service was friendly and we'll timed. The atmosphere is much more open then the precious restaurant. Nice airy feeling to the space.

Mama mia! Carmela mia! How can other restaurants even compare to this magnificent establishment? When I survey a place that is new to me I try to tactically find items on the menu that are not complex, but should be rather easily executed excellently. From my visit tonight to Carmella's, it was calamari and the meatball pizzazaza. This calamari... So plump, so hearty, breaded so well, and fried exceptionally well. 4.5/5 stars. The pizza.... Thin crust, no overcompensating, fresh cheese, and meatballs... Real meatballs... A chefs kiss. 4.5/5 stars as well. I look forward to going back and trying many other items on this menu. So much to explore here. I did see a server bring out lasagna to another table, and it looked perfecto! If you are reading this review that means you are considering going here, and if you are considering going here you should just take my advice and go. And super friendly employees of the establishment, Carmela should be proud!

We love Carmela's in Lakeway, we try to go once a week for dinner. The food is amazing, but the service is the best we have ever had, Ashlyn is the best! Madison and Amy are also amazing. They all make you feel like Family! If it wasn't for the wait staff Carmela's would not be the same!

Great atmosphere, lovely decor! I always enjoy the salmon and it’s a bonus that they serve my favorite champagne. I’ve been many times, the service is consistently good, plus got to hear great live music! This has become my favorite local restaurant

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal there. The staff were all courteous and helpful. Ashlynn, our waitress, took excellent care of us. The food was good, really good, we even carted the leftovers back to our home state because they were so good, lol

Excellent calamari- very tender , perfectly seasoned. One of the best I have had in a long time. The Greek Salad was very fresh and a large portion. Very warm atmosphere and easy to carry on conversation. The wait staff was friendly and efficient.

Full house again tonight and just absolutely wonderful food can't wait to go back again.

They were very busy when we arrived. We didn’t have reservations, but they were able to accommodate us. We were amazed at how quickly they were able to wait on us. The food was amazing! Highly recommend.

Been going here for over a year and every single time I go the food is beyond amazing. The staff and the owners go above and beyond to create a cozy environment with great atmosphere. If you haven’t been, you should definitely check them out. Best Italian anywhere in the area

I loved this place! Waitstaff was super helpful and kind. We got our food pretty quickly and the pizza and fettuccine alfredo were both really good. I’d highly recommend this place to anyone and I will definitely be coming back.

This place had an extremely long wait, even with the knowledge of short staff it was atill excessive. We were very patient, reservatins for 7pm, we were 15 mins early, they sat us quickly but that's all. We waited over 35 mins for drinks to be ordered and then 20.mins to get them, and the same for dinner with almost a 35 mins wait for food. It was almost 940pm when we left, however the food was great and the atmosphere was fantastic, and if they would have had a full staff I'm sure the service would have been excellent All the staff was very very apologetic and they were all moving as fast as they could... this is why I still gave them 5 stars!!

I take my Grandmother here for dinner al.ost every Wednesday. Alex always has great jokes and wonderful food recommendations. The lemon cake is the absolute best 👌

Amazing food and reasonably priced! Super nice owners!

Jan 2024. Amazing! Sat in a booth and had Penne Vodka with a garden salad! The bread was also fantastic. Love this neighborhood Italian joint!

I had the spaghetti and meat balls and I asked the waitress first is it the best and she said yes. This was b4 I ate. It was definitely the best I've ever had

The food was great as usual. Great family owned Italian restaurant. Our server Ashlyn was great, friendly attentive and on top of everything.

New to Lakeway and friends invited us to meet them at Carmela's . The food was wonderful and the service was good. They have a nice bar and music but not too loud and food was wonderful.

We found this place by chance, we were working in the area and had little time. I was really surprised by their great service and the quality of the staff when they understood our hurry, also the food was delicious, I really recommend it 100% Thank you all.

It was our first time, and I was not disappointed! Food was very good, great atmosphere. Great work, Josephine and Miranda!

Always great! Josephine and her staff do an incredible job. And, the food is excellent, and reasonably priced.

The food was very good! We enjoyed the service and quality pasta more than we expected to. It was a great experience.

Cozy, friendly Italian restaurant. Food was very good & service was great. Thanks, we will be back next time we are in town visiting family!

True Italian,the food was awesome.Service was awesome.Erica was our wait person,bent over backwards to take care of us. Can't go wrong here folks.

Fabulous! Ambience and staff wonderful . Molte grazie

Good people and good vibes. I enjoyed the evening and listening to the live music they had.

Delicious home cooked Italian food. Great wine selection!

Support local small business and come eat here. This quaint Italian restaurant will not disappoint. Be aware, they are short staffed like most businesses. There's a sign saying as much. If you have some patience and some GRACE, you'll easily fall in love with this gem. The staff is absolutely lovely, fun, and made our night. Ashlyn knew the menu items and wasn't afraid to make suggestions, which were superb! The Trio was huge, easy to share for 2 people. The lasagna was so meaty and delicious. It didn't last the night for leftovers the next day. The Penne with Vodka sauce was a huge portion and was equally delicious. And the desert selection didn't disappoint either. We definitely loved this place and can't wait to come back. You will love it. ❤️

A hidden gym in a quiet, nice little strip mall in Lakeway. Family-owned and operated and some good Italian cuisine. Interestingly it's right next door to Domino's Pizza but if you're looking for authentic Italian food with great service Carmela's is your choice! The staff was super attentive and very welcoming.

Five stars all around! Great food, ambience (including live music) and friendly service!

Cauliflower crust was excellent and crispy. Service was perfect.

I went in with a party of 5 without a reservation. We had to wait just a short bit for a table to be cleaned off. During this time, I saw a sign indicating they were short staffed. Once seated, we were quickly greeted and had drink orders taken. Food orders were taken shortly after, and bread was brought out. Our orders were ready pretty quickly, and the waitress was very attentive. I saw no indication of what the previous review from 2 weeks ago complained about at all. Food was excellent and I would definitely visit again.

@Kathleen Hilton I was at Carmela’s this evening and Josephine, the owner, was telling me about your review. I just wanted to let you know that the server you had is no longer working there due to the very things that you spoke about. Josephine takes great pride in her restaurant, the delicious food they serve, and the service they provide. This particular server was new and obviously was not up to her standards, and therefore is no longer working there. I would urge you to give them another chance, because this place is truly exceptional and a gem in the Lakeway area, which is hard to find out here. Josephine has done an exceptional job in hiring good people to serve her customers. Sometimes, when you hire someone you don’t really know who they are until they show up. Again, given them another shot! I am sure you will not be disappointed

Krysta Bunch

Cauliflower crust was excellent and crispy. Service was perfect.

Debbie Mitchell

@Kathleen Hilton I was at Carmela’s this evening and Josephine, the owner, was telling me about your review. I just wanted to let you know that the server you had is no longer working there due to the very things that you spoke about. Josephine takes great pride in her restaurant, the delicious food they serve, and the service they provide. This particular server was new and obviously was not up to her standards, and therefore is no longer working there. I would urge you to give them another chance, because this place is truly exceptional and a gem in the Lakeway area, which is hard to find out here. Josephine has done an exceptional job in hiring good people to serve her customers. Sometimes, when you hire someone you don’t really know who they are until they show up. Again, given them another shot! I am sure you will not be disappointed

Bryan Goodwin

Five stars all around! Great food, ambience (including live music) and friendly service!

Stefan

A hidden gym in a quiet, nice little strip mall in Lakeway. Family-owned and operated and some good Italian cuisine. Interestingly it's right next door to Domino's Pizza but if you're looking for authentic Italian food with great service Carmela's is your choice! The staff was super attentive and very welcoming.

Jayme Rietcheck

I went in with a party of 5 without a reservation. We had to wait just a short bit for a table to be cleaned off. During this time, I saw a sign indicating they were short staffed. Once seated, we were quickly greeted and had drink orders taken. Food orders were taken shortly after, and bread was brought out. Our orders were ready pretty quickly, and the waitress was very attentive. I saw no indication of what the previous review from 2 weeks ago complained about at all. Food was excellent and I would definitely visit again.

From the moment we walked in the door, it was an excellent experience. Our waitress was cheerful and friendly, the food was excellent and the attention from the owner was very nice touch.

Brian Mitchell

From the moment we walked in the door, it was an excellent experience. Our waitress was cheerful and friendly, the food was excellent and the attention from the owner was very nice touch.

Good food and selection.

Thrilled to have our beloved Carmela's in Lakeway. Have enjoyed Hamilton pool location for years. I must say that the shrimp scampi and chicken Verona were quite disappointing at the new Lakeway location. No flavor. I had invited friends to come and try ...not a big hit for them. I stuck with my faves...the trio of lasagna, chicken parm and ravioli (very shareable). It was delicious. The atmosphere is perfect. 😊

Appetizers was tasty, fried ravioli and bruschetta. We had everything from spaghetti and meatballs to lasagne to pizza to alfredo...every dish was well prepared and scrumptious. Our waiter was courteous and helpful with making menu selections and gave us delightful service.

Good parking, friendly staff. The pizza appetizer was the best! My main Carmela’s chicken dish was ok. The Italian cream cake was dry.

I recently dined at Carmela’s and, while the service was excellent, I was disappointed with the food. The dishes lacked flavor and the presentation was unappealing. I ordered the shrimp scampi, but unfortunately, the shrimp were difficult to enjoy and the pasta was inedible. It’s unfortunate that the quality of the food did not match the level of service.

Jose Sanchez

I recently dined at Carmela’s and, while the service was excellent, I was disappointed with the food. The dishes lacked flavor and the presentation was unappealing. I ordered the shrimp scampi, but unfortunately, the shrimp were difficult to enjoy and the pasta was inedible. It’s unfortunate that the quality of the food did not match the level of service.

Poor service. Average food. Dessert was stale...

We are fairly new to lakeway and thought let's try an Italian restaurant! We made a reservation (not necessary), arrived on time and we were seated immediately. Ten - fifteen minutes later our server arrived, introduced herself as Alex. She brought the complimentary bread and water, we tried 2 different wines, chose one and ordered 2 glasses. We ordered an appetizer, salad and entrée, asked to bring separately, beginning with the appetizer. Maybe 10 minutes went by, she brought out the salad, said the appetizer was taking longer than usual. Another 10-15 minutes and she brought out the appetizer. 5 more minutes went by and she brought the wine. Meanwhile, we had to ask for water refills. Another 5 minutes later and the entrée was delivered, it was luke warm, chicken parmesan. The service was terrible, absolutely terrible. The food was mediocre. The service should be an embarrassment for the owners and management. She let us know that she didn't care about us or the service we received. When she brought the check, the name on it was Maria, we are not sure what her name is but, we cannot recommend Carmelas based on the service alone!!! We will continue our search for a proper italian restaurant.

Kathleen Hilton

We are fairly new to lakeway and thought let's try an Italian restaurant! We made a reservation (not necessary), arrived on time and we were seated immediately. Ten - fifteen minutes later our server arrived, introduced herself as Alex. She brought the complimentary bread and water, we tried 2 different wines, chose one and ordered 2 glasses. We ordered an appetizer, salad and entrée, asked to bring separately, beginning with the appetizer. Maybe 10 minutes went by, she brought out the salad, said the appetizer was taking longer than usual. Another 10-15 minutes and she brought out the appetizer. 5 more minutes went by and she brought the wine. Meanwhile, we had to ask for water refills. Another 5 minutes later and the entrée was delivered, it was luke warm, chicken parmesan. The service was terrible, absolutely terrible. The food was mediocre. The service should be an embarrassment for the owners and management. She let us know that she didn't care about us or the service we received. When she brought the check, the name on it was Maria, we are not sure what her name is but, we cannot recommend Carmelas based on the service alone!!! We will continue our search for a proper italian restaurant.

Service was very sloppy and food was also not great . Very expensive for the type of food that was served . Very disappointing experience.

Tried yet again to get a table the other night. We waited several minutes at the entrance to be acknowledged. One employee made eye contact with us, then walked away. Another ignored us completely. This isn’t the first time this has happened to us. I understand that you may be short staffed, but how can none of the employees working acknowledge us waiting? The last time we waited over 30 minutes for someone to talk to us and seat us. This was followed by another 30 minutes of us waiting for service at our table. We ended up walking out.

Terrible service. Our waitress wasn't attractive at all. She spent more time on the phone and talking with the hostess. We had to ask for our drinks to be refilled. After 45 minutes, we also had to ask for our food. While the food came right out it was only warm, not hot. It had obviously been sitting under a warm for awhile. The food lacked flavor and wasn't worth the price. If you want a drink, don't get the house wine, as it was very cheap and almost vinegar like.

I’ve never had a bad meal at Carmela‘s. Friday at 4:15 PM I entered an empty restaurant 100% of the tables were available But because I didn’t have a reservation, I was told there was a time limit, and that my party would have to be done eating by 6 PM at the latest When I suggested that the party I was meeting were regulars and liked to take their time, but together, we’d run up a big check, I was seated at a booth in the very back the far back and told this would give me till 630. We had a couple of beers, But the people we were meeting where regulars and had medical issues that prevented them from being able to sit in this booth at the very back. So we paid our check and left approximately 445, with 95% of the tables still available. I think this is probably an issue of newer and poorly trained staff But because we’ve heard from other workers about poor treatment and a recent staff mass exodus, this was the last time at Carmella’s for us. To be fair, this has nothing to do with the food, which is likely still outstanding But meals out are no longer a small expense and the last thing anybody wants is to have a time limit put on their social outing (even though it’s likely we would not have exceeded that staff imposed time limit) Maybe we would’ve been done by 6 o’clock, but who wants to have a countdown clock. I questioned the business acumen of this policy because it results in fewer total tables over the course of the evening and a loss in gross revenue. But I understand that restaurant real estate is money and that demanding customers reserving specific tables does limit options for management. That was the problem. Every individual table was reserved even though that policy is not communicated widely. My guess is there’s a small cadre of regular visitors who get this special treatment. But that’s not my problem, but a challenge management would be wise to address I’ve chosen to vote with my feet, which echoed loudly as I exited this empty restaurant.

MikeROC

I’ve never had a bad meal at Carmela‘s. Friday at 4:15 PM I entered an empty restaurant 100% of the tables were available But because I didn’t have a reservation, I was told there was a time limit, and that my party would have to be done eating by 6 PM at the latest When I suggested that the party I was meeting were regulars and liked to take their time, but together, we’d run up a big check, I was seated at a booth in the very back the far back and told this would give me till 630. We had a couple of beers, But the people we were meeting where regulars and had medical issues that prevented them from being able to sit in this booth at the very back. So we paid our check and left approximately 445, with 95% of the tables still available. I think this is probably an issue of newer and poorly trained staff But because we’ve heard from other workers about poor treatment and a recent staff mass exodus, this was the last time at Carmella’s for us. To be fair, this has nothing to do with the food, which is likely still outstanding But meals out are no longer a small expense and the last thing anybody wants is to have a time limit put on their social outing (even though it’s likely we would not have exceeded that staff imposed time limit) Maybe we would’ve been done by 6 o’clock, but who wants to have a countdown clock. I questioned the business acumen of this policy because it results in fewer total tables over the course of the evening and a loss in gross revenue. But I understand that restaurant real estate is money and that demanding customers reserving specific tables does limit options for management. That was the problem. Every individual table was reserved even though that policy is not communicated widely. My guess is there’s a small cadre of regular visitors who get this special treatment. But that’s not my problem, but a challenge management would be wise to address I’ve chosen to vote with my feet, which echoed loudly as I exited this empty restaurant.

Clorissa Mitchell

Terrible service. Our waitress wasn't attractive at all. She spent more time on the phone and talking with the hostess. We had to ask for our drinks to be refilled. After 45 minutes, we also had to ask for our food. While the food came right out it was only warm, not hot. It had obviously been sitting under a warm for awhile. The food lacked flavor and wasn't worth the price. If you want a drink, don't get the house wine, as it was very cheap and almost vinegar like.

Terrible, terrible food. Felt like I was on an episode of kitchen nightmares

Subpar Italian food

Disappointment all the way around. We were seated quick because there was no wait and many open tables. Someone else got us waters and bread and then we sat for thirty minutes trying to get anyone’s attention, without yelling and being rude. End result, we walked out. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Caesar salad- very fishy taste, anchovies shouldn’t overpower the salad. This tasted like fish salad. Was then brought house dressing that tasted like oil and oregano. Pasta was overcooked Lasagna had no sauce at all but a little on top. Lasagna is supposed to be layered with pasta,cheese,meat,sauce repeat. There was no sauce so it was very dry and the sausage was very spicy.

We ordered a margarita "pizza". This it's not a pizza it is made on bread dough not pizza dough. The rounds of mozzarella cheese are not melted. Won't make this mistake twice.

Terrible food, service is even worse. We got our Burrata cheese first and the bread came some 8 minutes later. The Fettuccini Alfredo chicken came with pasta first and over-cooked, hardened chicken separately dumped on it as an after thought. Kids would not touch it after trying it. The food and service does not justify the cost even remotely.

The ambiance and the vibes of the place is quite cozy. Our server was really nice. Their food taste decent. However, when we ordered our food for a group of 7, it took a little over 30 mins. to deliver it. Being an Asian-American, it seems this place have some sort of discrimination in a predominantly white community. When I requested just for a hot water with a tea bag during our dinner, it took them about 15 mins. to deliver it. Most staff there somehow have been ignoring us. I suggest if you're a minority, you need to avoid this place!!

Ate there tonight . Never again. Our server was wonderful. The food… awful. The manager or owner.. was awful too. Way too much attitude. The food was so bad I felt like I should have gone and helped the chef get his act together. I’ve never had such awful penne a la vodka. Our server was lovely and very sweet and very apologetic. This lady though .. owner/ manager?… no idea…no apologies at all. Just tons of attitude. Lady … get some lessons in customer service maybe?? And a new chef would certainly help. Never again! Do yourself a favor and do not go. Unless you love very bad so called Italian food served with a huge side of major attitude.

We went in on a Thursday evening excited to try a new place. We were quickly seated but that’s where the positive experience ended. We waited FOREVER for someone to acknowledge our existence. Finally after about 15-20 minutes someone came over. The house wine was vinegar-like. We ordered our food and when it arrived it was some of the worst Italian food we have ever tasted. Our waiter never checked in with us to see if everything was ok but merely dropped our bill a few minutes after receiving our food. We will absolutely not be returning and encourage others to think twice before wasting $100 on a meal here.

Tried to order online during normal business hours. Your website says not taking orders at this time. Tried to call and there is a recording saying it is not set up for orders. You lost business tonight because I couldn’t get a hold of you to pre-order. Probably won’t be coming to your establishment ever.

Both the veal and scampi were so disappointing. The sauces were excessively thick and bland, and the veal was tough and hard to cut with a knife and was hard to chew. I sent it back and ordered the scampi, assuming it would be difficult to get wrong, but that was not the case. The flavor lacked authenticity, and it also had a thick sauce. I won’t be returning. I will say our server was wonderful! She sat us quickly and came by and check on us frequently.

Services was submitted par, waitress moving to fast to get our orders correct the first 3 times. Dropped food off and never returned. Took 20 additional minutes after asking for the bill and boxes. The old Hispanic waitress gave our table nothing but aditude.

Cindy Sadjadi

Tried to order online during normal business hours. Your website says not taking orders at this time. Tried to call and there is a recording saying it is not set up for orders. You lost business tonight because I couldn’t get a hold of you to pre-order. Probably won’t be coming to your establishment ever.

Daniel Neal

Services was submitted par, waitress moving to fast to get our orders correct the first 3 times. Dropped food off and never returned. Took 20 additional minutes after asking for the bill and boxes. The old Hispanic waitress gave our table nothing but aditude.

Matthew Cafrelli

We went in on a Thursday evening excited to try a new place. We were quickly seated but that’s where the positive experience ended. We waited FOREVER for someone to acknowledge our existence. Finally after about 15-20 minutes someone came over. The house wine was vinegar-like. We ordered our food and when it arrived it was some of the worst Italian food we have ever tasted. Our waiter never checked in with us to see if everything was ok but merely dropped our bill a few minutes after receiving our food. We will absolutely not be returning and encourage others to think twice before wasting $100 on a meal here.