new Napoli III restaurant 301 Oxford
 

My advise...don't bother. We went Fri. evening. It had only been opened 3 days and thats not a good way to start with a restaurant, however, we had reservations at 7:30. They put us in a room very small that had four large tables and full of people. Every space was filled. The wait staff was running around like wild people trying to accommodate everyone. It was so loud in our room, we did ask to move which they did. However, we ordered almost immediately but we never did see our salads at 8:30. The waitress told us that they put in extra tables ...not a good thing. We left and the salad hadn't come yet. The bread is good. The prices were very high and the portions did not look that good. The waitress told our friends when they left soon after us that we were not the first to leave. Not a good way to start a business...there are too many restaurants in The Villages and we do not need to go there. If you do, wait a long time...hopefully it will get better but once I have a bad taste about something I will not go back.

We went on opening night as a party of 4 and the place was packed. Food is excellent, portions are generous, prices not for those used to paying Olive Garden or Carrabba's rates. Service was pretty awful, but I would expect it to get better as time goes on. It's just opened! Love Chefs of Napoli 2 and will definitely go back to Chefs of Napoli 3 once they get the service kinks straightened out. This is the best Southern Italian-style food anywhere in TV, IMHO. Coming from NYC (and being of Italian heritage) this food is close to home in flavor. No complaints about the food or the price. You get what you pay for! Just hope the service improves...it couldn't get much worse.

There's another thread that was already started on this new restaurant. However while I just last Fri went to the one in Inverness. I was very impressed very good Italian food huge portions. Desserts to die for. I had a huge 16" Margherita Pizza that was awesome took a bunch home all for $13.25 can't beat that for fresh mozzarella and fresh basil!
As I stated on another thread these people probably had no idea how The Villages is when i comes to a "new" place to go eat at. Everyone wants to be one of the first to eat there and try it out. I am sure they did not realize how crowded it could and would get. Give them a break and time to work it out before slamming a soft opening. I can't wait to try the one now close to home :)

gmracket,
Too bad you decided to leave after you ordered food. I hope you (at least) told them you were leaving.

These problems should be expected if you want to go to a place that has only been open 3 days!!

More than one Villages restaurateur has told me The Villages is the WORST place to open a new eatery.

A new place is inundated with diners who are afraid to go out in public to eat in groups smaller than 12 and demand supper before 4:00 p.m. They do not trickle in the door. It is more like the day after Thanksgiving early bird sales when the slow or polite ones get trampled.

Many seniors demand to order their drinks and meals at the same time which kind of interrupts the normal flow of things. Ordering is complicated by the diners who think hearing aids are evil.

In other words, people, chill. Napoli III are experienced restaurant owners, but no amount of experience could prepare them for the ONSLAUGHT!

I grew up in the restaurant biz, my parents owned one for close to 20 years. Then I worked most of the way through college waiting tables and here is one infallible truth.

NEVER, ever, never go to a new restaurant within the first couple of months of them opening.

So true!!

:BigApplause::BigApplause:Well said!

:BigApplause:

Or for some restaurants like the old Havana's CC, ...first couple of years...

Skip

Wait - they put the big ads in the paper. That's why there's an ONSLAUGHT.

Skip

Okay, my 2 cents worth -

Went opening night (did not know it).
Jammed but was seated on time (lucky I guess)
Some errors - ordered penne with my veal got angel hair, friend ordered veal francese got chicken. My pasta error - not a big deal. Other mix-up was fixed, the charge taken off the bill and desert brought at no charge.

Veal was (IMO) MUCH better than the other two "new" Italian rest. This place actually uses spices and has flavor.

Disappointment - Pasta Fagioli was very bland.

Will go back. Especially want to try their pizza!

I had lunch there yesterday. The eggplant parm was fantastic. My friend had chicken francais and it was also excellent. The place is beautifully decorated and despite the experience of the original poster, the service was top notch.

Went to the opening night dinner and then again for Sunday lunch. They are terrific! A truly authentic Italian Restaurant in the Villages! I'd rather pay a little bit more for quality any time! The portions were very large and I enjoyed the leftovers along with a loaf of their warm from the oven bread the next day too!

SERIOUSLY?? you gave them 3 days to be Perfect??? wow...shame on you. I am from NYC and have eaten in some of the best italian restaurants.... this is par to some of them... Nice portions, fresh salad and Fantastic bread... sauce was as good as my old Italian aunt... YUMMY!! Chef Napoli. You are THE best italian restaurant in the Villages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Order a piece of the Lemoncello cake!!! Fantastic!!!!

I will never give these imbeciles another try!
 

arrived there at 6:15 finally seated after 45 minutes despite the fact that they had already seated two large groups that arrived after us (we asked about reservations and they said they don't take them?) we ordered and waited, and waited, and waited. At 8:30 we informed our waitress that after waiting this long, we no longer wanted our food, she said she would bring the manager over....we waited....suddenly he shows up with our food as if in the nick of time..we informed him that at this point we were leaving...he launches into a tirade about how its busy, its cooked to order and YOU PEOPLE (villagers) don't know what its like to work hard. At that point I loudly called him the sphincter aperture (not in those words) that he is and schooled him on how hard life can be for others that don'cook for a living. I am not proud of my rather loud response
but stand by it and will never patronize this or any other of their restaurants. Honestly if thats the way he feels about his customers let him sink!
To be fair, the food was OK, not special and certainly not what I expected from a 'chef' who acted so affected, ho hum.

I too am from NYC and had better food from my local pizza shop in the bronx. They have 2 other places and should have this down before the doors opened for the first day, the only decent spot was the bread, how sad!

Have they stopped taking reservations?

We ate there last night and had a delightful experience.
Although we had about a 40' wait at 4:30, as soon as we got our seats, within the minute, bread and the most wonderful olive oil dipping sauce was on our table. The moderate prices, $15 and up, the huge selection and charming decor made for an enjoyable evening. The best part was the taste of the food, outstanding lasagna and spaghetti! Do allow for a 2 hour slot of your life so you may enjoy the evening to it's fullest.

My wife and I went to this restaurant at 8pm November 3rd and were seated immediately. We were going to split the Chicken Parm (my bar for Italian) and order and extra Ceaser salad. We were offered to have the kitchen split the plate with an extra salad for $2, no brainer. The Parm was exceptional, the bread some of the best dense crusty Italian bread around. We were very impressed and I've eaten in Little Italy, NY, Little Italy Baltimore (Sabatinos best CP) and Chef Volas Atlantic City. These folks are doing a fine job. We were so impressed, we ordered a Pizza to go the next night, Unfortunately not quite so good an experience, probably much better dining in. PS we are fans of Ricciardi's who has excellent Bolognese. Grazzi

You could click on to Restaurant Discussions going back years and the only thing you will read that is different is the restaurant's name; otherwise the comments will all be up or down as to food, service, cleanliness, prices.

I agree the blasting of new restaurants on TOTV is a waste of time. I just go and form my own opinion.

Bogie, You're right. Unless you read negative after negative with no positive reviews, all are rendered useless. Apparently, expectations and tastes vary so greatly that restaurants here just have to roll the dice.

But one thing you can count on, if you get slow service, the culprit is likely to be those two three 12-tops in front of you. Groups like that kill the kitchen.

I just can't see the point in more than three couples dining together. More than that, your service is awkward and you can't talk to anyone at the other end of the table anyway.

We were there last night at 7:45pm and were told 15 to 20 minutes, went to the bar, could not order a drink because " I have to clear these table orders first" after 45 mins we left.
menu prices seem a little high.

:agree:

This thread is another example of why TV doesn't have the better restaurants opening. People want quality, at bargain basement prices.

You can't expect a new restaurant to run like a well oiled machine. Just like when a new popular movie premiers and complaining the movie house, is full of patrons. Why not just wait for several weeks to go by, and then form your opinion. If the service is slow and the food stinks, then you have the right to complain. IMHO

Some things don't change and I will try this restaurant in the near future as it has been opened for a while and should have resolved, most of these problems. Mother and father ran a luncheonette and it always amazed me, that some people expect the same quality as if they were eating at home, or their mom cooked the meal. A little unrealistic!!! I tend to give a restaurant more than one try, as the cook could have had a bad night. IMHO

In Defense of C of Napoli
 

Didn't go on opening day. Reserved 10 days later. Since then have been there four times more. This place comes closest to the trattoria of Italy. Food is great. If you want well done noodles, don't recommend here. Go to Carraba's. If you like your pasta al dente, go here. Good food comes with extra care as Slow Food Society of Italy will attest. If you want fast service, I wouldn't recommend here. Am very happy this restaurant opened near The Villages. Check out the Olive oil which comes with bread. Can't find it anywhere else. Very tasty. Take a look at the wine selection. Bottle charge quite reasonable and selection quite good. Lemonchello cake is out of this world, European taste. Praying they will succeed. As far as I am concerned this is the Italian restaurant around here. I reviewed four times in Village Gourmet Review Section if you want to know further.

:clap2:

Absolutely AGREE!!!! OMG yes the Lemonchello cake is to die for!

Loved the food at Napolis. Just like good Brooklyn Italian food. A little more expensive than the chain food restaurants but at least you get REAL food. We also went the first week it opened, during the week, about 4:00. Excellent service, cook came over and introduced himself. Best meal in the 2 1/2 years we are living here.

Had lunch there on Thursday. My measure of an Italian restaurant is the tomato sauce. Theirs was excellent. I'll be back often.

just one question, does the slow food society make you wait 2.5 hours before you get served, as I've eaten with them in Italy I can tell you NO! does a competent restaurant management offer maybe an appetizer for a table waiting for food over an hour? the answer is yes. does a manager when he shows up with food at 8:30 and is told it is too late and is asked to box it tell you that you are disrepecting him by not eating, "get out of my restaurant, you people don't know what it is like to work hard". So, fellow villagers, defend their food all you want knowing that they don't respect customers from the villages...and oh by the way of the 4 dishes brought out 3 were not what we ordered because these insulting little people don't care about their customers.

many folks fail to realize when opening a restaurant, that the first several weeks are very critical to your reputation

I like to wait until the restaurant has been open for at least one month, maybe two. Give them a chance to get their act together. I haven't been there yet, but will try it pretty soon it will certainly not be with a huge group. No place can handle that effectively and no kitchen can handle that many orders all at once except those very experienced in crowds. Kudos to Tracy at City Fire who handles the whole Football Club of 20+ people herself and the kitchen cranks out the food hot and on time. Tracy keeps the drinks filled and they are prepared for us, but we are there every Thursday so we are predictable. Pity the poor places who get hit with a crowd like this with no warning...

I live very close to this restaurant and gave it a try recently. Fell in love with it! I grew up eating Italian food, and this restaurant has some of the best I have had. I will say that when its busy, the services slows, but thats with any restaurant. (I know since I work in the industry.) Anyways, food is great, price is great, and I haven't had terrible service. So I would tell everyone to try it out.

I'm NOT from NYC and don't claim to be an expert on Italian food, seafood, Chinese food, water, bagles, pizza, etc. I actually like living here and never complain. I realize I can aways go back.

Now this is a four star restaurant review!

(I wonder if any of the whiners will take the hint)

That's a classic. :agree::icon_hungry:

We were there on the night of Black Friday and the place was packed, as was any other restaurant in The Villages. Everyone there was amicable and kept their pleasant attitude as they tried to accommodate everyone. For those who want their orders at their tables with snaps of their fingers, forget it! Chefs of Napoli III is not that kind of place since everything is made to order as the orders are turned in. If great food in a nice restaurant with waiters in proper attire sounds more to your liking and time isn't a big issue, I would highly recommend them. Do as we did and order an appetizer to quiet your hunger and make some new friends at the next table. We will definitely go back, again and again.

Ok we had been to their place in Inverness and loved it! Last night we decided at the last minute to go out and try the Wildwood location. We got their around 5:30 or so and were seated immediately even though it was pretty crowded. While I think we had a newer server the guys in the section we were in seemed very proficient at their jobs and very friendly to the patrons. Our girl was a tad slow but we weren't in a hurry. It took awhile to get our drinks (tea for us both) and way longer to get our salad an soup. (which another server finally got for us and it was delicious!) BTW in the meantime they did keep us filled on their super delicious bread and dipping oil :)
Our entrees arrived soon after I had Spaghetti Caprese and hubby an individual pizza. Both were absolutely awesome. Everything was so fresh and not drowning in spices and sauce pure and simple good old Italian cooking! This place rivals some of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago! People kept asking if everything was ok and thanking us for coming. Loved them singing in Italian Happy Birthday to someone. Loved the decor and omg though I was too full for their Lemoncello cake which is to die for , we took a box of their Italian cookies home and I will say I will be going back for more!!! LOVE Chefs of Napoli!!!!!

I ate at Napoli for the first time this past weekend. The service was excellent. Loved the bread and dipping oil. The salad was fresh with quality greens and I liked the house dressing very much. My entree was the cheese ravioli. While it was good, I wouldn't rave about it.

I need to try other selections to find one that keeps me coming back.