Criniti's - Carlton

Given that we are asked to pay a 15% surcharge for a public holiday, it would have been great if we hadn't had to wait so long to order. Our table was sticky. The water just never arrived. The pizza was nice enough. Overall, wish I'd gone somewhere else.

We booked a table at 6.30 pm for 8 people through the website. Thankfully, they gave us sort of 'private room' (inside their wine room) which was nice that we had more privacy to celebrate our friend's birthday. When we ordered food, we asked for a tap water, then the server told us their tap water is broken, so we must choose either still water for $14/1000ml or sparkling water. We decided not to take it. The food was pretty bland, we ordered garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, 4 pastas, 2 pizzas and all of them mostly were bland. Not rich in taste, not the taste we would expect it to be. Other restaurants were much better regarding their food, taste, and authenticity. 20 minutes after we started to eat, we felt the need of having water. Therefore we asked another server (not the one who served us before) for tap water, hoping that they would have it. Thankfully, couple of minutes later, she brought 2 jug of tap water and gave it to us (which left us in surprised since 20 minutes ago, the other server told us the tap water is broken, and he did not inform anything about whether it has been fixed or not). As we were celebrating our friend's birthday, we brought a cake from home and asked them if we can put it in their fridge and have it served after we done eating, they said yes (with extra charge of $2.5/ person if we want to have the cake there, I said no). After we done eating, I asked the front of house staff to have the cake, she said that I need to clean the table first (WE CLEAN THE TABLE FIRST). So we decided to stack our used plates, set them aside, and we still had to wait for 10 minutes for the server to take all dirty plates out from our table. After waiting for a while, they did not bring the cake in, therefore I had to went to the front table and asked again if they could bring it in as we had our table clean already. They said I have to wait as they are preparing the cake. I went in again to our table, sat for a while, and still couple of minutes later no sign at all. I went to the front again for the third times, standing still because no one were available at that time, and I went to the bar area to ask someone if they can bring the cake in as I already saw the cake we brought was put on top of their table. They said I have to wait for 5 mins, then I went in. Though they came in 4 minutes later and brought the cake, we were already dissappointed. Definitely not coming back, not worth the price, not worth the service, experience was terrible!

I rarely write reviews, but unfortunately, this visit left much to be desired. The staff were clearly undertrained and lacked even the most basic knowledge — including the difference between a Pinot Gris and a Cabernet, which is a glaring oversight when you’re serving an Italian menu. We ordered a bottle of Pinot Gris and were given a Cabernet with no explanation until we questioned it. The pasta was overcooked, soft to the point of being mushy, and no pasta spoon was provided — a small detail, but one that reflects the broader inattentiveness to proper service. To top it off, a couple of items we ordered never made it to the table, and no one seemed to notice or follow up. It’s a shame, because Criniti has always been a favourite. Something has definitely changed. The overall lack of training, menu knowledge, and care in both food preparation and service made for a disappointing evening. Definitely not what you’d expect from a restaurant presenting itself as Italian.

We booked a table for family occasions a few days before and they gave us a table in worst spot of the restaurant near the toilet and we had to wait for 20 minutes to find us another table. Ordering food was very easy but the quality of the dishes was just OK nothing special and takes long time for a food to come.

I had made a booking for Mother's day on 11/05/2025 for 2:30pm for a table of 8 patrons requesting a window table. We were showed to our table which to my surprise wasn't a window table but in between 2 other tables which was extremely tight and uncomfortable. I turned to speak to the waitress but she had left. I didn't raise it again because i was waiting for the rest of the people to turn up and also the window table was occupied. After 35 minutes, the window table was available and i asked the waitress if we can move there now. She said "it is already booked". I said that would be me as i requested it. She just rolled her eyes and left without saying anything. Another waitress came to take our orders (food and drinks). I had ordered the sirloin steak (medium) and a capricciosa pizza to share. When my steak arrived, it was extremely well done to the point that I couldn't even cut it with a knife, inedible. I called a waiter and said that the steak is not medium and to take it back and cancel the order, i do not want another steak, i was very disappointed and lost my appetite. No apologies, not anything. After 15 minutes a different waiter comes and asks me how i would like my steak. Are they serious, they should already know how i ordered my steak and I ASKED THEM TO CANCEL IT. I told her, i have cancelled the steak, i do not want it, how many times do i have to mention it? Everyone had already eaten and i was still to receive my capricciosa pizza. I did not eat it after receiving it 25-30 minutes after everyone had finished their meals, i handed it to my mother and she only had 2 pieces. I had no food to eat and let me tell you I have never, ever been so disappointed in my life. In addition to this, the limone veal was bland and unseasoned, the waiters could not be bothered to answer questions like what is the house white and house red (simple question), had to wait a while to get a waiter's attention, limone veal was bland and unseasoned, the only thing that was actually nice was the mac'n'cheese bake and risotto. Appalling service, very bad experience and especially on Mother's day, to say i was disappointed is putting it lightly. The worst part is that as i have recommended a lot of clients to you who have been loyal clients. I need an answer as to why this happened to me and what you can do to remedy this and keep me as a client and VIP member.

Absolutely disappointing. Made our Mother’s Day horrible and frustrating. We ordered cokes and got Pepsi which I personally don’t drink so I asked the waiter which by the way you have to chase down to just swap our Pepsis for cokes they told me they would come back and check my order which clearly specified cokes on the receipt 10 mins went past another waiter came and asked me what was wrong with the drinks I told her it was the wrong drink, she told me she will go check after another 15 mins still no one came so I took the drinks up to the bar and asked to get the drinks we ordered. The issue was rectified once I went to the bar with the drinks. The food didn’t come on time, everyone’s meals came out at different time and our seafood platter took 2 hrs to come out. For the price of food it was average chicken schnitzel was terrible, spaghetti bolognaise was terrible, seafood wasn’t anything special and most of it was cold. The manager waved the bill to me even though I purchased meals through the app. Absolutely disgusting service.

Waited an hour to be seated and served even with a booking, took 40 min to get our food

Kept bringing other people's food and drinks. staff very dis-organised. we sat outside but didnt know that we were allocated an outdoor seating arrangement. Had our older mother there so not ideal. Kept asking for the heating to be turned on, but other patrons were too hot so they kept turning it off. Our older mother was very cold. We have been to the restaraunt many times. This was not an enjoyable experience. Food is good but this was very poorly managed. Not likely to go back again unfortunately.

Very nice all round . Can’t wait until the next visit

Staff was friendly, food was amazing & delicious, great warm atmosphere.

It was a lovely night. Service was good food was great. We sat outside heaters were on. All good.

They seem to have forgotten our order as other tables got their meals before us and we ordered well before them

Food was good Our waitress Nicole was excellent Nothing was too much to ask Friendly and efficient, made our dinning experience most pleasant.

Once we had sat down we had ordered and waited an hour for one of our mains to come out. At the time we had ordered a pepperoni pizza, mozzarella pizza and a pasta In the end we only received both pizzas after an hour and told the waiter to not worry about the pasta as the wait was too long. We were asked I would say 4-5 times by the waiters what we ordered and in the end only one of them were eventually helpful to get our order to us it seemed. After letting them know we didn’t want the pasta anymore and would rather it refunded the manager had mentioned he could make a rush for it to be brought out made us think they had given our meal to someone else. No disrespect to them just thought it was harsh considering we paid a decent amount just to wait so long was all

Awesome food, friendly staff would definitely come back. Love the bikes on the walls

Didn’t realise our setting had to be finished by 8.15 so that was disappointing food was ok but very loud

Good service nice food a little pricey and music slightly loud

Great experience. Pizzas huge and were a hit. Soft drinks way overpriced however.

Food was amazing Unfortunately we were in a very hot stuffy room 🥵

Excellent food but inside table noisey and hard to have a conversation, outdoor area would have been better. Next time😀

Waiters were friendly, food was served promptly and tasted nice as usual

Magnificent.. great food and atmosphere .. recommend to anyone that likes a great meal with friends and family

The waiter was really not nice and he was so mad. He was trying to make me leave when my time isn’t.I didnt really had a good time in this place. I wouldnt recommend.

My waiter didn’t even know the arrangement for the Valentine’s Day special, didn’t know what an amaretto sour cocktail was and me and my girlfriend didn’t get to have our dessert as it took over an hour after main and we still didn’t have it!!!

its was very busy and i think they needed more staff on, we had to keep asking for things and to clear up the table, which we were doing for them but food was nice.

Customer service and food was amazing , certainly go back in the near future

It was great and service was friendly and helpful so it was wonderful

Fantastic place for our Birthday celebrations. Great variety of food and love the whole atmosphere they create. Very welcoming and friendly staff. Highly recommend Crinitis Carlton.

Had a lovely lunch at crinitis today and the food we ordered was outstanding

Overpriced for what we had and being a warm night I would have thought the water would have been refrigerated or at the very least given some ice rather than just out of the tap. Pizza was ordinary nothing special although coffee was great. Won’t be dining there again. Not worth all the hype.

Overall, for me it was below mediocre considering the experience I’ve encountered with this franchise. The service reminded me of maccas drive through at 2am. The food however I enjoyed because I was starving. Would I come back? Respectfully No.

Good enough, nothing amazing, pizza was good and pasta could be better

Everything was amazing! We had a great time! Highly recommended!

Food quality was poor, pizzas basic, bruschetta the worst I have ever eaten, how they are still in business is staggering.

Meals were beyond our expectation, and quite good servings. The atmosphere was just right on this visit not too noisy. Problem was we got too comfortable and kept ordering so we wouldn’t have to leave. ♥️🤣

Dont often get to melb. When we do always enjoy eating there. Great food, great prompt service.

the noise was terrible. the music was so loud and sounded like a club. everyone in the restaurant was screaming to hear each other. food was good.

Busy sat night with great food and service. Have a great night

Great service and Great food .Food came out very quick

The food came out different times on the table, had to ask for the remaining ones and the food wasn’t hot.

Food was cold, drinks was warm. Dirty dishes and didn’t get served for 30 mins. Below zero considering we spent over $400

Very deliciously food. Great convenient location. Always a pleasure coming here

Criniti’s is a fantastic destination for anyone seeking authentic Italian cuisine. From the moment we stepped in, we were greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The service was exemplary—attentive and friendly, ensuring that every aspect of our dining experience was enjoyable. The menu at Criniti’s boasts a delightful array of Italian classics. The pasta dishes are particularly noteworthy, featuring rich, savory sauces and perfectly cooked noodles. The pizza, with its perfectly crispy crust and high-quality toppings, is a highlight. Every dish we tried was beautifully presented and full of flavor, making it clear that Criniti’s takes pride in its culinary craftsmanship. Whether you're enjoying a romantic dinner or a family gathering, Criniti’s provides an exceptional dining experience with both excellent food and outstanding service.

Rushed service main meals were served before entrees were finished!

When I arrived it took about 2 min for the lady to come to the front to ask are we ok. She was having a drink with the fellow team member laughing when they both looked at us and didn’t do nothing. Coming from customer service you attend you guest straight away even though it a great atmosphere staff are really pushy

Love the pizza and pasta, Food was amazing like always highly recommend for far everyone

Mains were cold. No sauce given with the steak ordered. Prawn risotto tasted off. It was the zucchini. The taste wasn’t pleasant. Pizza was great.

Great food, yummy drinks and food arrived in timely manner. Staff were friendly and cared about our needs.

The menu options are vast, food was fantastic and service was great.

Thank you very much dear Ceren for being so kind and attentive at all times. This was our second time and will definitely come again!