Chef Napoli
 

We heard a lot about the new resturant "Chef Napoli" and decided to try it for lunch today. Although the wait/service was painful the wait was worth it. Their sauce is as good as any you would get in New York City and the food was cooked perfectly. We definitely would go back.:mmmm:

Went there last weekend with a large party . . . had reservations and we got in after a short wait . . . drinks and bread came quickly but the wait for a stingy salad seemed like forever. Wait staff was good, no happy hour, drink prices are a high as any place around, no draft beer, food was very good. Not as good as Federal Hill in Providence but as good as any place around the Villages. I'll go back but not in a great hurry to do so!

Agree
 

Do agree that the salad with the meal was seriously poor given all the other offerings. We waited about an hour for service and the waiter kept saying it was coming and we continued to wait. Net: Food was excellent, salad really lacking and service needs lot of help. :popcorn:

We went there last night with a party of eight which is the least number you can have if you would like to make a reservation. The salad portion was small but they were very generous with the fresh bread before the meal came. Meal portions were more than enough one couple split their meal a few of us had take home boxes. Food and service was excellent.

Meal was excellent but they should ditch the salad if they don't change it and offer something more appealing. Great to have a real chef in the area to show these short order cooks the way.

was there Saturday-were seated right away-food came quickly-very good-service excellent-don't understand the complaints based on our experiences

Chef of Napoli
 

Took us 2 hours for lunch and we did not have appetizers or dessert.

Purple rain is a deep longing or desire that will likely not be met.

Chefs of Napoli III
 

Hands down, it was the best Italian food we've had anywhere, and we've eaten at plenty of them. Down side, if you want to look at it that way, is it takes longer to get your choices since everything is made in the kitchen as the order is turned in. No problem for us. We ordered an appetizer and made some good friends as we waited. The inside has three large rooms with nice décor, wonderful service with well-attired servers, and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, they have a strolling guitarist/vocalist who was very good and amicable, visiting each table and singing their requests, or serenading them with a choice of his own. We ordered the Bruschetta, which was very good. My husband ordered the Manicotti, which he said was the best he had ever had, and I had the Chef Napoli Trio, which was Gnocchi in their delicious, homemade tomato sauce, Eggplant Rolatini, and Chicken Parmigianino. It was also brought to our table piping hot, and was excellent. They have only been open for two months, but the place was packed when we went on the night of Black Friday. They offer a full bar, and are located in the Wildwood Business Center, on North Highway 30l. Highly recommended!

Will definitely put it on the list of "must trys" next time we are down there. Thanks for the review!

ate there twice now...good quality but always go out hungry...Used to New York where you get a plate full. Salad small and veal parm small also

Went there Tuesday and probably will not go back. Very nice setting, decent food, but terrible service. They were not very busy and got seated right away in a nice quiet booth. Waited for 10 minutes and was about to leave as no one had been to our table when a bus boy brought us bread. OK will give it some more time. Waited another 10 minutes and no one came so got up to leave.

Another waiter asked why were leaving, I told him, so he said give him a minute, which I did and a waitress showed up. Took our drink order, plus meal order. Salads showed up and were small but OK. Asked about the wine I ordered and asked for water. Water came after a few more minutes. Was ready to leave again when meal finally came, still no wine so asked again.

Bottle of wine came when dinner was half finished. Once dinner was finished I had to finally get up and ask someone to send our waitress. She finally came back and I ordered dessert and asked her to bring the check. She brought the check and I put the credit card in it before she left. Finished dessert, finished the wine, but she still had not picked up the check. I finally found enough cash to cover the bill, took my CC and left. And because I couldn't get change had to leave her a very generous tip. 35%.

In my opinion when it takes over 2 hours to have dinner in a not very busy place with food that is just decent, not great, I will not go back.

Based on all the complaints I have since read about their service it has to be a management issue, not a wait staff issue.

Our group of 8 had dinner here last night. The food was delicious, the service was excellent and we had a great time. The bartender (sorry, I can't recall her name) gave us samples of blackberry sangria she had made, and it was marvelous. Will definitely return for another great meal. Like anything else, attitude is 90% of every experience.

Great for lunch
 

I had a great lunch there last week with excellent bread and salad brought it table. My calzone was delicious. Will definitely go back.

We just got back from our birthday dinner at Chefs of Napoli. (Jenny and my birthdays are within six days of each other.)
The food was great and the service was exemplary. Having read several posts about small dinner salads we ordered the small anti pasti Italiano and it was huge. Then we got soup with our entrees instead of the dinner salad.

Jenny had the spaghetti and meatballs and I had veal piccata. The veal portion was small by that's pretty standard. After the anti pasti, soup and the ever coming bread I had plenty to eat. The spaghetti and meatballs was a huge portion.

I had a very nice martini before my meal and a glass of pino grigio with it. Jenny tried the tiramasu cocktail.

Jenny finished about half her meal and ordered tiramasu for desert. I had a small taste. It's home made and was the best I've ever had.

If I could afford it I'd eat there every night. Without question, one of the best restaurants I've eaten in since moving to Florida.

If they had service issues when the first opened, they've evidently corrected them.

Very average Italian food and small portions.Coming from Chicago area this place was no better then the average pizza delivery place and smaller portions then meals costing far less.Needless to say will not be going back.Would suggest Bellview Pizza which I found to far better

Also from Chicagoland and ate there last night. Perhaps you should have had the veal special which was great. Folks at next table had pizza and it looked very good for thin crust. Certainly not deep dish like Malnati's but what is?

The food was good, as was the service. Tables were a little crowded in though and that huge, sweaty guy walking around asking people if the food was good should stay in the kitchen or where ever but he should stay out of the dining area looking like that. I assume he is the cook or an owner.

The big guy is Chef Luigi Barile, one of the owners.

Went to Chef Napoli for the first time last night with some friends.

I come from a city that has a high Italian population with a range of restaurants from small family owned to upscale which is owned by one of the top Italian chefs in Chicago.

The food was very good. I had rigatone salmone and my wife had fettuccine alfredo with chicken. I would give the restaurant a top rating. Yes it is a little expensive but when compared to a lot of the restaurants in The Villages it is worth it and the atmosphere is very nice.

Ate there twice and it was good.

Since then, I have eaten at Mom and Dad's on 441. They make a killer spinach lasagna. It is now my favorite Italian eatery. They were extremely busy the last time we went but we had reservations and still had to wait. Will go back when the snowbirds fly back home. :smiley:

Back to Chef's of Napoli.

Go to Stavros in Leesburg...excellent food, much better prices and you actually leave full...not hungry as you do from this place. $12 or less gets you eggplant parm, spaghetti and meat sauce (large plate), a good size Greek salad and garlic bread...all served fast, hot and at a great price...

Been twice and love this place.

Love Chef of Napoli. Don't consider it "new" since it opened in October 2014... but love the food just the same. Go early and avoid the rush!

My Wife judges an Italian restaurant by how they prepare chicken piccata which is chicken breast in lemon butter sauce with capers. Napoli was a disappointment. There was only one small piece of chicken. The sauce was scarce and very salty. What we thought was odd was that the side of spaghetti which is usually in the same sauce, was served in a separate bowl with tomato sauce. My chicken parmigiana was dried out. Probably will not dine there again.

No one has food as good as Federal Hill in Providence. However, Twin Oaks in Cranston runs a close second!!

Are they close to here?

Veddy good, dat.

You must know someone there. Never waited less than 45 min and sometimes longer to get the food.

obviously you have never eaten in NY

Right On!

Sold ?
 

I heard a rumor the original owners sold this restaurant. Does anyone know if that is true ?

Yup, ownership changed recently in Wildwood and Inverness.
The original owners opening a new "Chefs" in Ocala near "Top of the World".

So says the Gourmet Club's website.

Skip

The Chefs near OTOW has sat in the same untouched condition for a long time. I doubt it will open.

This statement is totally untrue. Ownership has not changed. They have simply taken on a new partner to help accommodate the new Ocala location. Best to fact check before passing rumors along. My fact check came from the owner.

Go to Stavros in Leesburg...better food, a lot more of it, and lower prices along with good service.