Food was priced okay, however they do not put any seasoning all their food, very bland. The music is great on a Friday! We had the calamari, and buffalo steak. Both were very flavorless. I actually had to send back the steak. I asked for it medium and it came out very well done. The second time it was rare. I didn't want to be "that's person" so I ate around the "blue." For an expensive dish I was very upset. The drinks are great! Very nicely priced and tasty.
(3)
Jamie C.
With such good reviews I really wanted this place, so close to home and not a chain, to be much better than it was. This was our second time at Centro Grille, the first was lunch the week they opened. Tonight, The salmon was good and I'd order the potato coquettes again, if I ever went back, which I won't. Those were about the only good aspects of the dinner I had recently at Centro Grille with my husband and eldest son. The menu looks promising, and the lobster crab ravioli special with salmon and tuna tips and calamari sounded appealing. What emerged was an overcooked, bland plate of stuff slathered in what appeared to be diluted tomato puree. The ravioli had a vague whiff of their purported ingredients, the fish was so overdone, it might have come from a can, and the calamari where worse than rubber bands. The chicken parm wasn't a lot better. The tomato sauce had a distinct metallic undertone that indicated its canned origin. The salmon was a redeemer, crisp on the outside, flaky and moist on the inside. But the accompanying risotto was a letdown: flat, with a hint of smokiness that didn't exactly titillate the taste buds, but left you wondering just what it might be. The service started out good, but became slower as the place got busier. I got the impression that it was understaffed. We were brought the wrong bill, nothing was taken off despite our comments about the quality of the food, and they didn't apply a check-in discount until we asked for it again. To boot, the place is very loud, with no cloth to absorb the reverberation of voices bouncing off the atrium-like dining area. We will not return.
(2)
Kristina L.
I am happy to improve this rating but I'm still waiting to hear back from management or an owner regarding an incident there almost 2 weeks ago.... I emailed them and followed up with a phone call, to no avail. For now I will just say that the bartenders need a lesson in professionalism and customer service. After reading through some of these reviews, I'd be surprised if I do hear from management or an owner.... it seems avoiding problems is the order of the day....
(1)
Zack F.
Oh boy. I'm glad I ordered a stiff drink because by the time I got it I was dry. It was 37 minutes before we got drinks or bread to the table. I wasn't too impressed with the food or lack of expedient service. The place is big and acoustically very very loud. So, if you want to wait a long time in a loud area for ok food, I guess this is your spot. We almost walked out but we're too hungry to find another spot after sitting there for so long. Would not return.
(2)
J M.
Service very poor and ridiculously slow. Took 20 min to get a water refill and the place was only half full. Server did not come by to see how our food was during the meal...not once. The oysters were sickly looking and 2 were rotten smelling and tasting; they were returned. The vodka penne was extremely salty and burnt tasting. The beer was good which accounts for the 2 stars instead of 1. Will not go back ever.
(2)
Phil R.
Overall it's pretty good. We've been several times and the food is good. I've been to several events as well and it was always good. It is a bit pricy but not over the top crazy!
(4)
Vince S.
A tad over 3 Yelps. This is based mainly on the happy hour, though I've had lunch and dinner here as well. It's a nicely designed space and the chef/owner comes from the well respected Acacia in Lawrenceville. His food here is a departure from the style he employed there, this is more Mediterranean based. There are some touches of new American. I think this is a good spot for happy hour. Reasonably priced drinks, some even using premium spirits. And small plate snacks priced at $3, $4, and $5. My favorite day to come is Wed, when they feature $1 oysters. There are several varieties to choose from, and since they only bring them in that day, they are very fresh. I do agree with others who have said that service could be improved. But this can be said about many happy hour places. Bivalve lovers should give it a shot.
(3)
Susan R.
Myself, my husband and son stopped in yesterday about 4pm. We sat outside. They've got nice outdoor seating here albeit on a busy corner but still it was nice to have outdoor seating on such a beautiful day. My husband ate a buffalo filet with Gorgonzola sauce for $35. It was a very small piece of meat but according to him it was tasty. My son had penne vodka with grilled chicken. We all tasted it and came to the same conclusion - tasted like chef boy-ar-dee and the chicken was like jerky it was so dry. Truly a disappointment. He couldn't even eat it but since the waiter was scarcely seen he couldn't get a replacement meal. For a place that has only about 3 other occupied tables, there should've been no reason we saw our waiter so infrequently. I had the French onion soup and I must say it was probably one of the better French onion soups I've had. My meal was the crab cake dinner. 2 crab cakes. They were very good and mostly crab with not a lot of stuffing but held together well. Would have liked to been offered a sauce with these however that was not part of the entree. In summary, wait staff has something to be desired. Do not go here if you are in any kind of a hurry because we spent almost 2 hours in an empty restaurant trying to get in and out. Food was ok, nothing exceptional. Really can't speak to atmosphere because we were there at 4pm. The inside of the restaurant looked beautiful though and the bathrooms were very clean.
(2)
Julia W.
Beautiful decor and centrally located on robbinsville town center. Our server was friendly but that's about it. For the main purpose of a restaurant, it fails spectacularly. I ordered a salad with chicken and the chicken was raw, as in still red in the center. The mixed greens were wilted and everything was bland. When I told the waiter about the raw chicken, he took it to show the chef and came back to offer me the same dish, which I turned down. I thought the manager would come and apologize but they must not be interested in repeat business
(1)
Julianna C.
I've been wanting to try this local gem for a while. What a wonderful experience :) Our server was Greg and he was awesome! He knew the menu really well and recommended that we try the chicken parmesan and the centro splash to drink and also the crab and shrimp ravioli and an Awesomtini. All was sooo good! I will definitely be back soon!!
(5)
M V.
Awesome burgers, buck a shuck oysters on Wednesdays are tasty, and the outside area is nice!
(4)
Caila C.
Not sure why this place has such not great reviews. Great food, great service, nice atmosphere, and $2 brunch cocktails!!
(4)
Melissa C.
Not quite sure why this place has such poor reviews! My family and I went to Centro Grill around 4pm on a Sunday. The waiter was very attentive and helpful. Unlike many of previous reviews stated, service was prompt and courteous. I ordered the Baby Kale salad as an appetizer and it was 1) huge 2) delicious. The wasabi yogurt dressing was a spicy addition to the salad but my sister ordered the same salad with a different dressing very easily. I ordered the veggie grilled cheese sandwich for my entree and it was good. My only criticism is that the challah bread used for the sandwich wasn't even toasted. That was a little strange for me. My brother ordered the SoHo burger and enjoyed it. My dad ordered the pan-fried chicken Parmesan and substituted pasta for spinach very easily! Overall a good experience. Definitely no room for dessert though, portion sizes were huge!
(4)
Joe C.
Tasty food. Try the arugula salad with pear and grilled chicken. Our favorite. Great atmosphere and location. Very good for families or couples. The place to see and be seen in Robbinsville.
(5)
Gail Z.
Went here with about 5 friends a few Saturday nights ago. We sat at the bar for drinks and dinner. The bartender, mark was wonderful and was great in putting up with a bunch of women, who could sometimes drive anyone a little crazy.. Lol. I ordered the grilled pork chop with peppers and potatoes in a sauce which is on the main menu. It was absolutely delicious, I finished every boy on my plate and it was a huge portion. I will definitely return.
(4)
Jeff B.
Centro is a big beautiful, contemporary open space in the 'burbs-hip Washington Townsquare Center, in Robbinsville. Expectations are high when you walk in, because it's pretty apparent the (original) owners dumped a lot of money into this place. Dined here with a group of friends the other evening, on a cold, foggy winter night. With one bartender on duty, bar service was decidedly slow. Our waitress (Sarah) did her best to accommodate this, and apologized for the delay. Despite our request for separate checks, and some other special requests, Sarah remained positive, upbeat, and professional. Thank you, Sarah. The conundrum I see for Centro is that while the decor & setting promises fine dining, the menu and food quality delivers Houlihan-level cuisine. Not bad mind you, but it's an assemblage of ingredients, rather than a harmony of taste and texture. Wine & drink list is decent, and prices certainly won't break the bank, but I guess I was hoping for something with a little more "wow factor". My pasta was a bit underdone, even for those of us who like their pasta al dente, but otherwise my pasta florentine dish was pretty good. Portions here are sizable, so you may end up with some to take home, unless you're a big eater. My dining companions enjoyed what they ate (some flatbread dishes, some pasta, some salmon) but no one raved about anything in particular. I'd say that Centro is ideal for dining or drinking with a large group, because it's such a wide open space. As long as your group is okay with food that is better than your typical chain eatery, but not quite upscale (or priced that way), you'll likely enjoy Centro.
(3)
Cheryl G.
One word: Buck-a-Shuck If you like oysters and beer, come here on a Wednesday. We've tried lots of food and it's mostly very good, but the oysters. Oh yes, the oysters. Service can be a little slow sometimes, but when it is, another server/manager/host/somebody will come help you. Support local small businesses!
(5)
Kathi S.
My husband and I have frequented here about 3-4 times in the last 6 months. We always find the food delicious. Service is a a little slow for me but I am a go, go , go type of person. Last time my husband had a special of braised short ribs I think. Whatever it was - it was amazing! Portion was large enough that even he couldn't finish it. Mashed potatoes are always very well seasoned and of a home made consistency. I adore the crab cakes and the arugula and roasted pear salad. Definitely one of my favorites places in the area.
(4)
Ling L.
Food is mediocre. Nothing special that made it memorable for me. The decor is nice and I love the high ceiling with decoration in the between. I had two drinks there and they decent. I would give an extra star if the service was better. Lots of staff but the server was unattentive.
(3)
Karen P.
I had dinner here tonight with a few girlfriends. We arrived at 8pm to a nearly empty restaurant. We left after 11. Not because we chatted over glass after glass of wine but because service was unbelievably slow. Things started off good, our waiter was there within a couple minutes of our being seated. However, it took a good 25 minutes to get our drinks after placing our order. Our food took quite awhile and our waiter never came by to check in and see if we needed more drinks or water. We had to ask. We were offered the dessert menu, then it took over 20 minutes to actually get it (3 tables in the whole restaurant at this point). It took well over 30 minutes to get our chosen desserts. It took 15 minutes to run our credit cards and bring them back to the table. Our waiter never came over to apologize or explain what the hold ups were. When it took so long to get the dessert menus we honestly thought maybe he'd forgotten and left for the night. Food was ok, decently priced, although between the 5 of us it was mixed as to if our dishes were good or not. Some dishes were just not quite right while others were perfectly fine. One of our desserts was AWFUL. It was supposed to be a peach and blueberry cobbler made with (as per the menu) Jersey peaches and blueberries. I'm not sure where exactly we thought they'd be getting these ingredients as blueberries have just started to be in season and peaches won't be for another month. It was awful, there was such a heavy clove flavor that you couldn't even distinguish what anything in the dish was. We told the waiter that it wasn't good, he said he'd talk to the pastry maker tomorrow to find out what the issue was. Not really helpful. I'd happily eat here again if the service hadn't been such an issue. But judging from other reviews slow service seems to be the standard and that's not ok.
We have been here several times. The service usually not great but we had Brett and he was much better than normal. The place has so much promise but generally fails to impress. Good for locals. A reasonably priced non chain restaurant that tries hard to offer varied fare. The bison steak I had was very good but a bit too much Gorgonzola crust. The calamari appetizer had great flavor but very chewy. The dessert blackberry cobbler with ice cream was great. Keep trying guys.
(3)
Song C.
Our server was just ok, but the food....not good at all. No flavor ... We had hot wings, seafood pasta, Alfredo pasta, baby kale salad, caesar salad and kids' meal mac and cheese ( box mac n cheese) and cheese burger. Nothing was good :(
(1)
Brandon T.
I'm writing another review as an update on my experience at Centro. I want to love Centro I really do, since it is right next to my house, has a nice atmosphere and is one of the few restaurants in Robbinsville. The food is about an 8/10 in my opinion. Sometimes I say to my girlfriend, "well we can go to Centro..." and then we both kind of just "meh... I don't know. I don't want to be there all night." My past 3-4 experiences have been exceptionally poor when it comes to service and timing. One bar experience we served by a bartender who served us our drinks/ checks etc without saying a word. No, "here you go, can I get you anything else?" Just plopped the drinks down and walked away. He was rude, too busy making loud conversation with his buddies who seem to be regulars and far too rambunctious for others to comfortably enjoy the otherwise nice atmosphere. The other 2-3 times the dinner service was exceptionally slow. There's a couple waiters that are good, but there's a few that are rather negligent, don't know the menu, don't know what's on tap, etc. But far and away the worst problem was the wait on the food. Last time we ordered two sandwiches it took an hour. That's far too long for a couple of sandwiches. This seems to be a repeat offense, so even though I want the food and atmosphere at times I just can't justify going here because I know it's going to take so long and if I sit at the bar I know I will be disappointed with the service. Too bad this place can't tighten up these little problems because they've snowballed into the regular culture of the restaurant and how it's run. I'd be less disappointed if there were more places in Robbinsville. For a while I was content to settle for mediocre at this place but I can't justify it anymore.
(2)
John C.
I live in Robbinville and very much want Centro to thrive. Noise is a problem, and the speed at which food comes to the table is a concern. There is an inconsistancy with the drinks you can order the same thing many times and it always tastes different. The staff is always friendly. Centro is a neighborhood gem. In my 5 years living in Robbinsville I lived through Santinos (disaster) Posedian (liked but too pricey for area) and Centro. Centro has the right prices which we need they just need to polish the apple.
(4)
Nicholas D.
Painfully slow and just horrendous service. Food is good Prices are fair Owner is very nice but what a bad experience Stop in for a drink at the bar but don't try it for dinner
(2)
L S.
I wanted to like it here and for the most part I did. The food was very good. Service was very good as well...almost to good / pushy. The waiter was very nice and very eager to please. To the owner.... Why are you serving Flip Flop as the house wine, why? The Benzinger, Beninger or Mondavi was just to much for you to buy. Please.....
(3)
Nicole B.
Went there for our holiday work party. The person who set up the party couldn't make it and there had been miscommunication but the staff and owner were beyond accommodating to meet the needs of our diverse staff. Everybody was real friendly, the food was absolutely delicious, and the place was decorated beautifully for the Holidays.
(4)
A M.
After reading all the mixed reviews on here we were a little hesitant to try this place, but I have to say we went here last night and we were impressed. The food was delicious, everything well-cooked and seasoned. I had the crab cakes and hubby had filet mignon, both dishes were wonderful. Service was friendly, prompt. The desserts were yummy. We had the lemon curd tart and apple pecan crisp, both lovely. I am deducting one star for something that is easily fixable, the loud atmosphere in there. High ceilings and tile floors make for a loud atmosphere. However sound absorbing panels, drapes, etc could go a long way in making this a more quiet, intimate atmosphere. I think people out for an evening who want to engage in conversation with their dinner companions would appreciate this. Other than this I have no complaints. Best of luck at this location.
(4)
A M.
Tried to order by phone to pick it up...Two things I tried to order they didn't have because apparently their online menu was NOT updated. How come a restaurant like that doesn't update their online menu?? Terrible experience trying to "guess" what they really have in the restaurant.
(2)
Jay F.
Place is so average. Completely mediocre food. You could get better Italian food in any of the dozens of hole in the wall joints in hamilton. It's pretty expensive ($20 entree). Service is average. Ambiance is nice. Parking sufficient. Meh. My chicken parm was bland and cold. My wife said her fish was ok . Feel like I got ripped off. Dinner was $100 plus and it was no better than Olive Garden.
(2)
Dave W.
This review could have come in at 3 stars but too many factors made that impossible. First off, getting into the place proved to be problematic. Since we have never been there before we had no idea where the main entrance was located - a little signage would have been helpful. After trying 3 doors with no luck we finally hit the jackpot. The bar and dining room were packed but we had reservations - and were seated in the dining room next to a set of doors that, for some reason, allowed people to come in, letting in a blast of frigid air. Nice in outdoor dining weather but not so nice on this night. They were out of, not one but two, house wines and didn't seem to have any idea what they should do - like offer another wine at the same price. One wine that they sent out was absolutely horrible, like the bottle had been standing around for a few weeks. Our waitperson was good but totally overextended. The dining room is large and I think there may only have been two people serving tables. The room is large with 20 foot ceilings and some kind of fake tree in the center. They need to do something to mitigate the noise in the room. Having a conversation is truly a challenge. Now, to the food ... We started with the Calamari and Chicken Meatball appetizers which were excellent. The meatballs with a salad would make a nice dinner. Two at the table had the Crusted Sole and found it to be good. My wife had the Pork Medallions with mushrooms and figs but there seems to have been a shortage of figs that night - like none! Also, they did not trim the asparagus correctly, leaving the almost inedible end on the stalk. I had the Centro Meatloaf which was good - large portion with nice vegetable medley. All, in all, the food was just okay.
(2)
Freya J.
Not sure why this place gets bad reviews so often. I was here for 4th time over the weekend, and the meal was great. Food is tasty, portions are sizeable, prices are more than fair, and they offer a wine list of 20 bottles under $25. Went with a group of 6, everyone enjoyed their meal, almost everyone brought home leftovers, and we all agreed that the space is absolutely beautiful. Very open, very modern. The service at the bar was crummy (a friend and I arrived early for our reservation and wanted a drink before our group arrived), hence the 4 stars. I think the bartender was just catering to the regulars instead of a few new faces, but still he was S-L-O-W and a little brusque, to be honest. That aside, an overall great experience.
(4)
Mark G.
The crab Cobb salad was GREAT. Super generous portion of lump crab for a reasonable price-- $14!
(4)
Stewart G.
Calamari was amazing. Drinks were novel and great (Manhattan) and the main dishes were great and substantial. Brett's service was top notch. We'll be back.
(4)
Frank P.
Food was great and portions were large, WHEN they finally arrived. Sevice was barely excistant and management could have cared less. Over an hr before good arrived, almost a half hr for first drunk round and there wasn't even apps involved. The waitress, when questioned, had a very bad additude toward the whole situation. (Seemed overwhelmed for no reason) I would never come to this establishment again.
(1)
Rebecca B.
I want to love this place. I really do, but unfortunately it is just ok. The location is great, however, the food falls short. I have been here for both lunch and dinner. The apps are tasty and the bar area is nice, but the entrees fall short on flavor. I usually come to Centro for a drink while waiting for my table to be ready at nearby DeLorenzo's.
(3)
Melissa G.
Came in tonight for my birthday with a bunch of friends, beyond happy with my choice of restaurant! We shared a bunch of apps including the calamari, sliders and antipasto, all of which were great! I had the blackened bass with risotto, it was amazing! Everyone loved their dinners, our server Luigi was excellent and very accommodating. The staff brought out an apple crisp with a candle and sang happy birthday for me as well, such a great night!
(5)
D And C C.
Went back again last night. I give up. The slow service, inconsistent to bad food preparation, and lack of improvement just aren't changing. It's too bad because we've tried to give this place a chance. We've never had a meal here without glitches. Good thing there are other worthwhile restaurants in the area.
(1)
Sal V.
I have been here twice and both times it was very good. Happy hour drink specials, good service food was fresh and original. Seafood dishes were the best picks of the night nice decor
(4)
Timothy W.
So my wife and I are moving to Robbinsville and wanted to do a little exploring as to what is in the area. We intended to go to De Lorenzo's, but sadly they were closed as it was on a weekend for lunch. So walking down the block, we ran into the Centro Grill. I am actually surprised by all of the mediocre reviews on this place. Is this a true fine dining restaurant? No. But it is a local slightly-upscale restaurant with decent food and decent prices. My centro story..... My wife and I, with our 9 month old in tow, were starving. We walk into the place and were immediately seated. The place was maybe 1/3rd full at lunch time on a Saturday. I do have to say that it took awhile for the server situation to get figured out, as it appeared that there were only two plus a runner working. The menu has a good bit of options but leans towards Italian. As I love a good vodka sauce, that is what I ordered. My wife got the Salmon and we both shared the antipasto. The antipasto was excellent. I highly recommend it. Large chunks of Mozz, very tasty prosciutto, and a rather interesting choice of beets to go along with the roasted red peppers and portabellos. This along with the fresh baked bread was an excellent start to our lunch. We actually had two different types of bread. The first a regular roll, the second was an extra tasty cheddar bread. I always like when restaurants give you a variety of breads. So our lunch arrived and we did not need this much food. The bowl of pasta was huge and cooked to a perfect al dente. The sauce wasn't the best vodka sauce I ever had, but it was good. The little chunks of prosciutto really added to the flavor. My wife's salmon was also huge, but nothing special and a bit overcooked and a little dry, but not terrible. The service does have some hiccups, But.....i think this is more a management issue with staffing as opposed to the staff itself. Our hostess was very nice and even doted on our 9 month old. (He is really cute and seems to always garner the attention of wait staff wherever we go). So after all is said and done, we will definitely come back here. I admit we went at an off hour for a late lunch and I reserve the right to change my opinion after I eat dinner here. But lunch prices were completely reasonable, you get a ton of food, and the staff were all nice and welcoming. I just feel they probably could have used an additional server or two, and after reading some of the other bad reviews, it sounds like other people feel the same way. We also weren't drinking, so I can not attest to the wine selections or anything bar related.
(4)
Thomas M.
After trying Centro several times I don't think I'll be going back. The restaurants appearance is nice and inviting but the quality and the food and cocktails is far from it. My first meal at Centro started with calamari which was rubbery and covered in marinara sauce which wasn't very good. For my main course I ordered the swordfish which also came covered in the same marinara sauce. The fish was way overcooked and I was confused why it was covered in tomato sauce, they just don't belong together. I don't think I finished half of it. My last trip to Centro was for a few cocktails at the bar. I was hoping they could redeem themselves from the poor food quality with being able to serve proper drinks. My girlfriend and I each ordered dirty martinis. They were two of the weakest martini's I've ever had and I switched to beer for the remainder of my stay. On the plus side the beer was cold and the servers were really nice each time but it's going to take more that to keep me coming back.
(1)
David H.
Based on the earlier reviewers, I was expecting something a bit different. I was pleasantly surprised the the food quality and service. Our waiter was Antonio and he was extremely attentive and sometimes a bit funny. Besides my wife, I took my son and future daughter-in-law there to celebrate my son's job promotion and also their engagement. We started off with the calamari which was lightly breaded and sprinkled with a dark sweet & sour sauce. Very well done. I also had the raw oysters which were served with Tabasco, cocktail sauce, and onions with malt vinegar. Plump, fresh and excellent! My wife ordered the mozzarella and roasted red pepper spring rolls. She couldn't believe how good it was. For dinner I had the salmon. Very nice size portions along with broccolini and mushroom risotto. My son had the lobster mac & cheese. Nice large chunks of lobster meat. Some tail, but mostly claw. Both ladies had a caesar salad for dinner. We all took food home as well. Very filling. Both my son and I had our dessert in liquid form. I had the Don Corleone which is Knob's Creek with espresso, Baileys, etc. Excellent dessert. My son had the Macallan 12 year neat. The only concerning item is their bar seems to operate under a different cost center. Very strange how they charge for their drinks. My wife ordered a Malibu Bay Breeze, which she claims didn't seem to have any alcohol added. They charged $6.50 for a Bay Breeze and additional $1.50 for Malibu. Same for my martinis. Watch out for the hidden extra charges from the bar. I wouldn't be surprised if they charged extra for using a glass. I heard they do charge extra for ice.
(4)
Melinda G.
Avoid at all costs. Horrible service, long waits. Owner apologized and said one meal was off then full bill. Offered us dessert.. Really? Even a drink took forever. The only thing that came regularly was the water.
(1)
Melissa S.
First time to this place and we opted to sit outside. Our waitress was so nice. We had the artichoke tempura and it was a unique tasting app, very light and not over greasy. Than the main dishes came out. He order the Prime Rib special at 22 oz. OMG you don't know what 22 oz of meat looks like till its in front of your face. But it was amazing and nothing was left of it. I ordered the Roasted Pear and Warm Goat Cheese salad with chicken. It was nice and warm and delicious. I eat slow so my goat cheese started to cool down and crumbled as I cut into it. But the combination is so tasty and filling. Definitely returning to this place. Oh and I used a 15% off coupon!!! The only thing that doesn't work is their bread and oil in the beginning. Bread is dense and cold and their style of pouring oil doesn't do it for me. I would rather have had no bread on the table or maybe warm bread and butter.... but that just fills you up for no reason.
(4)
Jennifer M.
This place is beautiful and the food is OK ..its nice to go in the summer when you can sit outside and relax but when its to cold and you have to stay in its terrible! they do not play any music all you hear is the noise of other people talking when you are in there! the roof is so high that the chatter echoes and is soon loud! they need to play music!
(1)
Alex K.
This place has changed owners/names so many times. For some reason business just fails here. But the area, exterior and interior of this location is really nice. Firstly, the parking situation blows. The parking lot is way too small for the other businesses, condos/residential above the stores and this restaurant. Everytime I come here I have to drive around at least a few times to catch someone leaving so that I may take their spot. So get here early if you come during the busy dinner rush. The ambiance is nice, they did a nice job with the space. I really like the high ceilings and the tree in the center. We were a table party of 7 and got sat in the back. The service is extremely SLOW here. It took the waitress 20 mins just to take our drink order. Then another 20 mins to actually get our drinks. It then took another 15 mins to take our appetizer order and we had to hunt someone down after being ignored for another 15 mins to take our main course order. For apps we got the calamari which was nicely breaded but nothing to write home about. The steak quesadilla which was the best app we had, the skirt steak was cooked well and the mushrooms, cheese and salsa had good flavor. It could have been spicier in my opinion but I like things extra spicy. The artichoke dip was boring and just eh but they gave us a nice size portion of the antipasti and it was very fresh. I ordered the veal as my entree and it was delicious. It was wrapped in prosciutto with garlic spinach with a cream sauce over top. The potatoes were over cooked and gritty but the veal was so good I really didn't care. Overall, this place is ok. Some dishes were good while others were ok. The service is horrible and if you're going out with friends to spend over $400 on a meal, you want good service. I will probably give them another try but not anytime soon as there are plenty of good places in the surrounding area.
(3)
Boz T.
I so wanted to like this place. The menu looks great, but in reality, the food and experience were not. Ordered grilled octupus, it was totally bland and barely grilled. Added some salt and lemon juice, which made it somewhat edible, but not worth finishing. Mohitos didn't taste of mint. Waiter couldn't offer help with the wine list. Ordered mushroom ravioli, which were very good, but the side of shrimp the waiter suggested I add never appeared. The waiter kept apologizing for the food and forgotten orders. It was very loud, and not very crowded, and the bill for 2 was over $100. I may try it one more time, but looks like many others have had a similar experience. I won't keep my hopes up
(2)
Barry E.
food came out cool (appetizer, soup and entree) , had to send it back each time, they were out of entrees at 7PM on a Friday, very very disappointed. this is basic stuff, how can they not get this right?
(2)
Joe P.
Had Dinner with friends last night, Food was as good as it gets..service was good considering how busy they were! Chef Owner Joe Immordino made everybody feel at home. Tell your friends, enjoy!!!
(4)
Anthony O.
Went there for Mother's Day had reservations but we were seated and no one came to our table for 40 minutes to even offer us a drink. Food was Less then perfect. The wine we ordered they were out of and they substituted food without notification. We will not be going back but I am sure others may have had a better experience.
(2)
Justin P.
I would give it zero stars if possible. I went to the restaurant on Mother's Day 2014 really hoping it would be a good experience. Was I wrong! When the party I was in of four arrived we had reservations and they immediately sat us. 20 minutes later our waitress finally came over to our table. I would say at this time the restaurant was a 1/3 full and it was like that the entire time. The waitress was nice and took our order. 25 minutes later the drinks came and 15 minutes after, the bread came. The appetizers then arrived. The salad and appetizer bourbon jumbo shrimp were the best part and they weren't that good. Although we asked for dressing on the side and we got the salad was drenched in it.1 hour later our entrees came. My party ordered 2 seafood capellini, 1 mushroom ravioli, and 1 vodka penne. The seafood capellini had clams that we're unopened and lobster tails that were chewy and rubber like and tasted frozen. The mushroom ravioli was very good, but the vodka penne was too saucy. 1 hour later they take our plates and we say we wanted dessert. 25 minutes later we get our dessert menus and they said it's on the house because of the wait. We order and 10 minutes later the waitress says they don't have one of the desserts. 30 minutes later the desserts come delivered by a bus boy who said he didn't know which dessert was which, with the dessert she said they didn't have. Someone in the party ordered coffee and asked we're it was and the man said he would personally make it for her. 30 minutes later we left with no coffee. 1. Poor service 2. Overpriced food 3. Poor service Did I say poor service?!?!?
(1)
Charles Z.
Slow, Slow, Slow service. Our waitress was waiting on our table and a large party. Seems par for the course at this place. Food is average, Portion sizes very good, Prices are fair Prices are fair. Parking is terrible
(2)
Christina H.
Every time I've eaten here with my husband the food has been fantastic!!!! The sandwiches are great, the fish is fresh, and the desserts are tasty!
(4)
Benedetta L.
The food was was decent but the service was awful. Staff is young & earnest but poorly trained, so I don't blame them. This is one of those places where the owner has visions of running an "in spot" but clearly has no idea how to accomplish this. Drink orders were brought out single file & took over 20 minutes for everyone in our party of 9 to receive theirs. Dirty plates were left on the table through later courses. Dishes were brought out of sequence--I got my salad with my main course. The chaos was not just at our table. Plus, the room is noisy. If you are looking for a good dining experience, sadly you won't find it here.
(1)
Maryann C.
After reading some of the bad reviews I was hesitant on dining at this restaurant. I did, and I found it to be great! The service was great, the food wonderful and the portions large. I would highly recommend this restaurant. I don't know where all the bad reviews came from. The pork chop was the best entree, huge, juicy and tasty. The crab cakes were loaded with crab and hardly any filler. I will be going back. Everyone seemed to complain about the slow service. We had no problems. The staff was very attentive and our food arrived in a timely manner.
I truly believe the dining room space needs to be changed. The area is wide open with high ceilings and tends to be extremely loud. When the restaurant is busy, it's a battle to talk over everyone else. The decor is modern and has an oddly placed tree in the center of the floor to try and break up the room. The service each time I've been there has been sub-par to fair but has never wowed me. My most recent experience had a slightly pushy waiter (and in the same dining experience, a 2nd waiter came by to tell us he should've been our waiter for some reason). Each server was quick to ask how everything was to make sure we were doing okay. The food...had some good and some not so good. The octopus was unevenly cooked (some well done and some burnt while none of it was cooked medium to keep it from getting too chewy) and was overly dressed. The po' boy wasn't the fried seafood version but rather beef and was tasty but somewhat hard to eat. The portobello mushrooms were very thick and could've benefited the dish if they were sliced thinner. The beef was tender and tasty. I was delighted to see fish tacos that were grilled instead of fried. Unfortunately, the pico de gallo caused the bottom of the taco shell to become rather mushy and unappealing. The cod used was flavorful with the pico de gallo and the addition of chipotle sauce was great - just had too much on top.
(2)
Savannah J.
I really really wanted to like this place. After recently moving to the area, I was in search of a non-chain restaurant, so I was excited to try it and have it be a "go-to" place when people visited. Unfortunately, it did not deliver, which is such a shame because I feel like the area is lacking in quality restaurants. If we want to build up the town center and draw more people in, we need a good restaurant! I went there once with friends and once again with my husband to give it another try, and neither was a positive experience. PROS: -Nice enough atmosphere and location -Bread in the beginning of the meal is decent -Coffee is acceptable -Large portions CONS: -Service is sloooow, which was very surprising because both times I was there, there were only a handful of customers at other tables. It took a waiter at least 15 minutes to come to our table for our drink order. Once we actually ordered, it again took a very very long time for the food to arrive. Completely unacceptable -Food is just not good and gave both me and my husband a stomach ache (chicken was very dry; when I went back for Sunday brunch and ordered the eggs with sour cream and salsa, I couldn't finish it. It was just tasteless and wasn't sitting well) -We were incorrectly charged more for one of our dishes, which I suppose could happen anywhere, but it added to the general feeling that the staff is not very competent -Silverware on the table was dirty and my husband had to snag another fork from a nearby table -Did I mention that service is slow?!?
(2)
Mario M.
Table for 4 on Valentine's day everything was ok except the food. Penne vodka was more of a tomato sauce instead of a creamy vodka sauce. Couldn't finish it. Chicken was burnt not grilled. Linguine white clam sauce was also terrible. Nice place. Decent service. Food was bad. And way to expensive.
(2)
Wendi L.
Sorry centro. I have been there several times... Need to get more waiters on the floor with faster service and better quality food. Food is just ok. Bar scene is good ... can be expensive without happy hour. This restaurant could be a gold mine if they switched up the menu and made it more unique options with fresher ingredients.
(2)
DREW P.
Went for half price wine night and apps. Bad start because they were out of the bottle of wine we wanted. Service was very good but mixed results on food. Mushroom steak quesadilla was very good and would definitely be ordered again. Calamari was horrible. Undercooked and had no taste. Comparable to something you would find in the frozen food section of your supermarket.
(3)
Dorthy K.
I recently celebrated my birthday at Centro and had a really wonderful experience. The service was impeccable and they seated us immediately even though we had additional people join our reservation last minute. The food was delicious! We started with an order of antipasto and oysters and both were awesome. I ordered the scallops and they tasted excellent and I was really surprised by the large portions. Other people at our table ordered the salmon, steak, and crab cakes and everyone was pleased with their selection. I highly recommend Centro Grille and look forward to returning again soon!
(5)
Julie C.
Went to lunch here with a girlfriend today and the experience was perfect. The service was exceptional. Our server was a tall gentleman who was very kind and helpful. We got their signature calamari appetizer, which was recommended by our server, and it was DELICIOUS!!! My friend got the penne vodka which she requested without prosciutto (she's pregnant) and added grilled chicken. Out waiter obliged kindly. I got the three cheese stuffed eggplant lunch and it was yummy!! Great experience. I will definitely be going there again!!
(4)
Louis R.
This location has been a lot of different restaurants over the years. Seems some people are holding past iterations against the current one to me. It's not the best Italian in the Robbinsville area, but it's not bad. I got a steak special, and it was huge and very good. The goat-cheese side dish left a lot to be desired though, & I couldn't eat it. Service was a little slow. Overall, not a bad experience. For the price though, there's not enough reason to keep coming back over all the great (cheaper) BYOs in the Hamilton-area.
(3)
Laura D.
I have to admit I was a little skeptical about coming in after reading some of the reviews, but I am glad I decided to try it anyway!! First the atmosphere was great, we were greeted as soon as we walked in. The bar and dining room seemed pretty busy so we opted to sit outside on the patio. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. She recommended the halibut special (which I ordered) and my friend ordered the filet mignon. Everything was cooked perfectly and delicious!! Our drinks were great as well we both ordered the classic Cuban mojito! Yum All in all I thought this place had it all great food and drinks, great service, and great prices!! I will definitely be back soon!!!
(5)
Michael L.
Went her last month. Wednesday's HH offers a variety of $1 oysters which is a good deal. Drinks were just ok, they dont make a good blood orange martini. Ordered the baked cod that came out over cooked, but the bartender insisted that it be replaced - took 20 minutes, but the second one cmae out prepared proberly. A bit reluctant to return, but going to give it another try this eveing for HH - will report back. almost forget to mention that the appt fish taco's were fishy, nothing like the clean neutral flavor you would expect ... someone like my gf would not have even touched them
(2)
Andrew D.
Went there on 9/21/13. Food was fantastic. I was surprised by how great the steak was. Pleasant atmosphere and very nice bar.
(4)
Greg H.
The food is hit or miss. When it's good, it's very good. But when it's bad, it's actually inedible. Given our proximity to this restaurant, we've given them a few chances. However, after our last visit, we're done. The service is the worst of any restaurant I've ever been to. But even worse, is the fact that it's a rudderless ship. The two kids who were in charge on a Friday night (they both looked 19) had no clue. They made zero attempt to make up for the bad service and instead just seemed dumbfounded. On top of it, while we were waiting to pay our bar bill (it took 35 minutes to get our drinks), we overheard one of the waiters telling the hostess he wouldn't wait on any more tables. She just took it, as if he was in charge. For dinners that regularly run $30+ dollars per entree, you can do better. Grab a bottle of wine, drive a mile down the road and just go to Villa Barone.
(1)
Pete W.
Service, service, service... Unfortunately that may be the downfall of Centro Grille. I've been there 3 times for dinner. I was happy with the food every time, as were those I dined with. But the service is mediocre at best. At times it's down rite poor. STEP UP THE SERVICE CENTRO AND YOU JUST MIGHT MAKE IT WHERE OTHERS HAVE FAILED.
(3)
Georgianne V.
The hubby ventured over for dinner on Saturday night (we never go out on Saturday night) because we had worked a bit late and had a gift card - "thanks mom and dad". We had a very nice waiter who was very eager to please. We started off by each a martini - Yum! Mine was so tasty and now I can't remember the name but it had amaretto and cream, need I say more? The hubby had a dirty martini, also very well made. I loved the fact that they were not huge glasses. I'd rather have 2 small ones that one huge one that is warm by the time I finish. The hubby had the prime rib and oh goodness, it was so tender and flavorful. Honestly more tasty than my steak at my last review, which was had at a fairly expensive steakhouse! I had a veal dish that was huge and had wonderful flavors. We each finished with a desert. I had the chocolate mouse and the hubby had an apple crisp. The restaurant was about 3/4 full when we arrived but the food came at a nice pace for us. The place is a bit noisy and could use a few more "warm touches", they should probably do something about that but other than that, we had a very pleasant meal at a good value. It's not that convenient for us given where we work and live but I'm sure we will go back in the future!
(3)
Joanna K.
Oh Centro... I so wanted to like you. This review is the combination of two experiences with Centro, one dining in and one take-out. First, my bf and I dined here a few nights ago. There was a 30 minute wait for a table despite it being 8pm on a weeknight and the restaurant fairly empty. I knew our evening would be rocky at best when the server had no idea what beers were on draft. For some reason it took 10 minutes longer for my beer to be delivered than my bf's. We were then brought bread, and unfortunately every roll except for one was so hard they were inedible. The service was not attentive, and I had to ask for my water to be refilled by someone passing by with a water pitcher after waiting for at least 10 minutes with an empty glass. The only positive of the meal was that the food actually tasted good (this time). I had the eggplant club, and it was quite good. My bf had the chicken wrap and he also liked it. However, we both felt the food was overpriced for what it is. On to our second experience, this time with take-out. We placed our order and were immediately concerned when the person who answered the phone seemed unsure and did not recognize the items we mentioned. When my bf went to pick up the food after the 30 minutes quoted, it was not ready. When he did come back, we discovered the food we were given was incorrect. We ordered the meatloaf, and we received a strange version of the eggplant club. We also ordered the steak sandwich with no mushrooms. We received it with mushrooms and with no side item. The steak on this sandwich was so full of gristle/fat on one half of the sandwich it was inedible. The quality of the steak was incredibly poor for a $12 sandwich. My bf went back to the restaurant to hopefully get the meatloaf he ordered. He was given the meatloaf and an entirely new steak sandwich after another 20 min wait. This sandwich was no better! It tasted strongly of 'char' and it was missing the horseradish sauce. To spend $35 on this meal is a shame. The manager did give my bf a 25% off discount for our next order, but it is too little too late. After both these experiences, I know we will not likely return. It is too expensive not to have a great experience.
(2)
Richard F.
Food was good. Service was horrible. The waitstaff kept forgetting items throughout the meal to include a meal. They told use that the dish ordered just wasn't coming. Manager didn't want to be bothered and we never were told sorry for the problems with service. We were essentially held hostage for three hours awaiting our meals and then checks!!! I have never seen a restaurant that refuses to acknowledge mistakes and make right by the customer!!!!
(1)
Mary Ann B.
Food was good, atmosphere is nice, casual and elegant! Service was superb! Be sure to ask for Brian to be your server; you will have a fabulous dining experience. The new owners are doing a nice job! Highly recommend!! Mary Ann
(4)
Lawrence N.
We live in walking distance of Centro and have been here multiple times. Each time we have had horrible service. To the point of getting up and walking to a group of wait staff and asking if we can have service. Each time we have come there have been mistakes with the order. And the food, while it tries to be upscale family oriented, is very hit or miss. The Lobster was a plate of under seasoned dryness. I will say my son enjoyed his grill cheese.
(2)
Matt P.
It was our first time to Centro and from the outside it looks great. Once you step inside, it is extremely noisy and cold. Besides the attitude from the hostess for only making a reservation an hour ahead of time we were seated to our table. Once there we waited a decent amount of time before the server came by. The server was friendly and attentive. We ordered the calamari for an appetizer and it was very good. The main courses were the lobster Mac and cheese (which was velveeta sauce with some lobster on top) and ribs. The barbecue sauce on the ribs were horrible and tasted like ketchup and old bay seasoning. The pasta and sausage was ok. Overall the waitress and the calamari was good, won't come back again tho.
(1)
Aimee K.
I really wanted to like it...it's close to home, locally owned. They try hard, but can't deliver on the simplest things. Food quality is inconsistent, I've been there twice and my fries were cold both times (pity, because they were potentially tasty). How hard is it to take them out of the fryer right before serving? Food is hit or miss (and the hit is B+ at best), it's really noisy and not a great experience. After our first visit my husband and I gave the manager some feedback, hoping they would work on some basic issues, it doesn't seem like they have gotten any better in a month.
(2)
Michael K.
Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. First time I waited 90 minutes for food that never came. The manager couldnt be bothered to come out and talk about it. Six months later I was convinced the place is good and to give it another try. Sitting outside enjoying dinner with my wife and a 7 year old and they decide to let a group start smoking cigars where people are EATING!!!!! Hello!!! Whether you like cigars or not ( which i do ) noone wants have cigar smoke blowing by while they are eating. Especially around children!! I only gave 1 star because zero is not an option.
(1)
Melinda K.
Went for dinner on Saturday night sat at the bar. Very nice atmosphere. Steve was the awesome bartender who took care of me and my husband. The sangria was to die for. Yum! He also made a drink on the spot for me was very good for only getting a small amount of direction. I ate the cesar salad very good. The cheese on top tasted so fresh. My husband got the wings the sauce was great. Overall will very much be going back.
(4)
Adrienne W.
amazing food, service and atmosphere! luigi was an amazing server, definitely try the brazilian tiger fish!
(5)
Patti E.
I do NOT like to give bad reviews. That said, I do like to warn people about what they may be in for. If you want good food, this isn't the place, if you hope to get served in a timely manner, this is not the place, if you want to see a manager walking around making sure that everyone is happy, this is not the place. What the heck happened here? I just read a review that said it's owned by the people who own Acacia? If I find out that's true, I won't be returning to Acacia either. Specifically? I went with a friend at 3pm on Saturday May 11, 2013. We were seated at the tiniest table near a window with the sun beating down on one side our faces. There were only two other tables being occupied. I didn't say anything. We waited so long for a waiter that I had to stand up and wave my hands towards the kitchen for someone to come over. Obnoxious- I know, but we were hungry. We ordered a club sandwich each. After 25 minutes had gone by I had to WALK over to the kitchen, OUTRAGEOUS!!! and ask, "is there a problem with our food?" Someone -not our waiter- said they burned the chicken the first time so they had to make it over again. In the meantime, the noise was awful, the acoustics in this place makes every sound bounce off the walls. When the food came it was kind a dry but I already knew it wasn't going to be anything special. My friend paid the bill and I'm not sure how she tipped but I hope it wasn't 20 percent. Normally I'm sad when I see a business close it's doors. In this case, I will be happy to see the next business come on in. We should have traveled on down 33 and had lunch at Applebee's. And I don't like chain restaurants, but I"ll bet the manager there was on top of it. Seriously! What is wrong with this place?
(1)
Margaret S.
This was my 4th time at Centro and, sadly, while the food was quite good the time it took to get it was beyond insane. My husband and I chose to dine at the bar, on Saturday 5/4 around noon. Our bartender, Nicole could not have been nicer. We ordered the Soho Burger, brisket sliders and the wedge salad. Other than us the bar area was empty and it seemed like maybe 4 or 5 tables in the restaurant were occupied. Staff seemed plenty as we saw multiple people walking about. We had to ask Nicole 3 times to check on our meal..which finally arrived after 35 minutes. We were given an excuse that the kitche was preparing for two large parties that were coming in later that day, but that really did not make up for the fact that we were there and starving and not being served something that needed a quick grill (the burger) a slight re-heat (the brisket) and a chop (the wedge salad). We are moving in across from this restaurant and really hope to make it "our place" but if the service or lack there of, continues it will be "our place to avoid"
(3)
Dean N.
The fish and chips for lunch was decent-good sized and timely served.
(3)
Joe R.
Went with friends for a weeknight dinner. Restaurant less than half full. Seated at a window table (no curtains or blinds) so that the traffic outside shone their headlights in my eyes throughout th emeal. Dining room acoustics not good - - hogh celings and hard tile foors made for very noisy dining. Food was pretty good (3 extremely good, 3 good, 1 poor of 7 meals). Mixed drinks were bad, and Service was terrible. Waiter tried to force bottled water on us, and got huffy when we asked for tap water. He then walked away in the middle of taking our order in order to pour (bottled) water at a nearby table, then returned and resumed as if he had never been gone. Told us that it was half price on a bottle of wine only after we had ordered several glasses of wine for cocktails, then brough us a merlot instead of the pinot noir ordered - - then tried to charge full price on the bill! Yes we had sympathy, 3 of our party work in the restuarant business, but there was no excuse for this guy. Then, after we left, he changed the tip on the credit card bill, adding $13 to his tip. We liveless than 2 miles away, and will never go back!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Nicole B.
Food was priced okay, however they do not put any seasoning all their food, very bland. The music is great on a Friday! We had the calamari, and buffalo steak. Both were very flavorless. I actually had to send back the steak. I asked for it medium and it came out very well done. The second time it was rare. I didn't want to be "that's person" so I ate around the "blue." For an expensive dish I was very upset. The drinks are great! Very nicely priced and tasty.
(3)Jamie C.
With such good reviews I really wanted this place, so close to home and not a chain, to be much better than it was. This was our second time at Centro Grille, the first was lunch the week they opened. Tonight, The salmon was good and I'd order the potato coquettes again, if I ever went back, which I won't. Those were about the only good aspects of the dinner I had recently at Centro Grille with my husband and eldest son. The menu looks promising, and the lobster crab ravioli special with salmon and tuna tips and calamari sounded appealing. What emerged was an overcooked, bland plate of stuff slathered in what appeared to be diluted tomato puree. The ravioli had a vague whiff of their purported ingredients, the fish was so overdone, it might have come from a can, and the calamari where worse than rubber bands. The chicken parm wasn't a lot better. The tomato sauce had a distinct metallic undertone that indicated its canned origin. The salmon was a redeemer, crisp on the outside, flaky and moist on the inside. But the accompanying risotto was a letdown: flat, with a hint of smokiness that didn't exactly titillate the taste buds, but left you wondering just what it might be. The service started out good, but became slower as the place got busier. I got the impression that it was understaffed. We were brought the wrong bill, nothing was taken off despite our comments about the quality of the food, and they didn't apply a check-in discount until we asked for it again. To boot, the place is very loud, with no cloth to absorb the reverberation of voices bouncing off the atrium-like dining area. We will not return.
(2)Kristina L.
I am happy to improve this rating but I'm still waiting to hear back from management or an owner regarding an incident there almost 2 weeks ago.... I emailed them and followed up with a phone call, to no avail. For now I will just say that the bartenders need a lesson in professionalism and customer service. After reading through some of these reviews, I'd be surprised if I do hear from management or an owner.... it seems avoiding problems is the order of the day....
(1)Zack F.
Oh boy. I'm glad I ordered a stiff drink because by the time I got it I was dry. It was 37 minutes before we got drinks or bread to the table. I wasn't too impressed with the food or lack of expedient service. The place is big and acoustically very very loud. So, if you want to wait a long time in a loud area for ok food, I guess this is your spot. We almost walked out but we're too hungry to find another spot after sitting there for so long. Would not return.
(2)J M.
Service very poor and ridiculously slow. Took 20 min to get a water refill and the place was only half full. Server did not come by to see how our food was during the meal...not once. The oysters were sickly looking and 2 were rotten smelling and tasting; they were returned. The vodka penne was extremely salty and burnt tasting. The beer was good which accounts for the 2 stars instead of 1. Will not go back ever.
(2)Phil R.
Overall it's pretty good. We've been several times and the food is good. I've been to several events as well and it was always good. It is a bit pricy but not over the top crazy!
(4)Vince S.
A tad over 3 Yelps. This is based mainly on the happy hour, though I've had lunch and dinner here as well. It's a nicely designed space and the chef/owner comes from the well respected Acacia in Lawrenceville. His food here is a departure from the style he employed there, this is more Mediterranean based. There are some touches of new American. I think this is a good spot for happy hour. Reasonably priced drinks, some even using premium spirits. And small plate snacks priced at $3, $4, and $5. My favorite day to come is Wed, when they feature $1 oysters. There are several varieties to choose from, and since they only bring them in that day, they are very fresh. I do agree with others who have said that service could be improved. But this can be said about many happy hour places. Bivalve lovers should give it a shot.
(3)Susan R.
Myself, my husband and son stopped in yesterday about 4pm. We sat outside. They've got nice outdoor seating here albeit on a busy corner but still it was nice to have outdoor seating on such a beautiful day. My husband ate a buffalo filet with Gorgonzola sauce for $35. It was a very small piece of meat but according to him it was tasty. My son had penne vodka with grilled chicken. We all tasted it and came to the same conclusion - tasted like chef boy-ar-dee and the chicken was like jerky it was so dry. Truly a disappointment. He couldn't even eat it but since the waiter was scarcely seen he couldn't get a replacement meal. For a place that has only about 3 other occupied tables, there should've been no reason we saw our waiter so infrequently. I had the French onion soup and I must say it was probably one of the better French onion soups I've had. My meal was the crab cake dinner. 2 crab cakes. They were very good and mostly crab with not a lot of stuffing but held together well. Would have liked to been offered a sauce with these however that was not part of the entree. In summary, wait staff has something to be desired. Do not go here if you are in any kind of a hurry because we spent almost 2 hours in an empty restaurant trying to get in and out. Food was ok, nothing exceptional. Really can't speak to atmosphere because we were there at 4pm. The inside of the restaurant looked beautiful though and the bathrooms were very clean.
(2)Julia W.
Beautiful decor and centrally located on robbinsville town center. Our server was friendly but that's about it. For the main purpose of a restaurant, it fails spectacularly. I ordered a salad with chicken and the chicken was raw, as in still red in the center. The mixed greens were wilted and everything was bland. When I told the waiter about the raw chicken, he took it to show the chef and came back to offer me the same dish, which I turned down. I thought the manager would come and apologize but they must not be interested in repeat business
(1)Julianna C.
I've been wanting to try this local gem for a while. What a wonderful experience :) Our server was Greg and he was awesome! He knew the menu really well and recommended that we try the chicken parmesan and the centro splash to drink and also the crab and shrimp ravioli and an Awesomtini. All was sooo good! I will definitely be back soon!!
(5)M V.
Awesome burgers, buck a shuck oysters on Wednesdays are tasty, and the outside area is nice!
(4)Caila C.
Not sure why this place has such not great reviews. Great food, great service, nice atmosphere, and $2 brunch cocktails!!
(4)Melissa C.
Not quite sure why this place has such poor reviews! My family and I went to Centro Grill around 4pm on a Sunday. The waiter was very attentive and helpful. Unlike many of previous reviews stated, service was prompt and courteous. I ordered the Baby Kale salad as an appetizer and it was 1) huge 2) delicious. The wasabi yogurt dressing was a spicy addition to the salad but my sister ordered the same salad with a different dressing very easily. I ordered the veggie grilled cheese sandwich for my entree and it was good. My only criticism is that the challah bread used for the sandwich wasn't even toasted. That was a little strange for me. My brother ordered the SoHo burger and enjoyed it. My dad ordered the pan-fried chicken Parmesan and substituted pasta for spinach very easily! Overall a good experience. Definitely no room for dessert though, portion sizes were huge!
(4)Joe C.
Tasty food. Try the arugula salad with pear and grilled chicken. Our favorite. Great atmosphere and location. Very good for families or couples. The place to see and be seen in Robbinsville.
(5)Gail Z.
Went here with about 5 friends a few Saturday nights ago. We sat at the bar for drinks and dinner. The bartender, mark was wonderful and was great in putting up with a bunch of women, who could sometimes drive anyone a little crazy.. Lol. I ordered the grilled pork chop with peppers and potatoes in a sauce which is on the main menu. It was absolutely delicious, I finished every boy on my plate and it was a huge portion. I will definitely return.
(4)Jeff B.
Centro is a big beautiful, contemporary open space in the 'burbs-hip Washington Townsquare Center, in Robbinsville. Expectations are high when you walk in, because it's pretty apparent the (original) owners dumped a lot of money into this place. Dined here with a group of friends the other evening, on a cold, foggy winter night. With one bartender on duty, bar service was decidedly slow. Our waitress (Sarah) did her best to accommodate this, and apologized for the delay. Despite our request for separate checks, and some other special requests, Sarah remained positive, upbeat, and professional. Thank you, Sarah. The conundrum I see for Centro is that while the decor & setting promises fine dining, the menu and food quality delivers Houlihan-level cuisine. Not bad mind you, but it's an assemblage of ingredients, rather than a harmony of taste and texture. Wine & drink list is decent, and prices certainly won't break the bank, but I guess I was hoping for something with a little more "wow factor". My pasta was a bit underdone, even for those of us who like their pasta al dente, but otherwise my pasta florentine dish was pretty good. Portions here are sizable, so you may end up with some to take home, unless you're a big eater. My dining companions enjoyed what they ate (some flatbread dishes, some pasta, some salmon) but no one raved about anything in particular. I'd say that Centro is ideal for dining or drinking with a large group, because it's such a wide open space. As long as your group is okay with food that is better than your typical chain eatery, but not quite upscale (or priced that way), you'll likely enjoy Centro.
(3)Cheryl G.
One word: Buck-a-Shuck If you like oysters and beer, come here on a Wednesday. We've tried lots of food and it's mostly very good, but the oysters. Oh yes, the oysters. Service can be a little slow sometimes, but when it is, another server/manager/host/somebody will come help you. Support local small businesses!
(5)Kathi S.
My husband and I have frequented here about 3-4 times in the last 6 months. We always find the food delicious. Service is a a little slow for me but I am a go, go , go type of person. Last time my husband had a special of braised short ribs I think. Whatever it was - it was amazing! Portion was large enough that even he couldn't finish it. Mashed potatoes are always very well seasoned and of a home made consistency. I adore the crab cakes and the arugula and roasted pear salad. Definitely one of my favorites places in the area.
(4)Ling L.
Food is mediocre. Nothing special that made it memorable for me. The decor is nice and I love the high ceiling with decoration in the between. I had two drinks there and they decent. I would give an extra star if the service was better. Lots of staff but the server was unattentive.
(3)Karen P.
I had dinner here tonight with a few girlfriends. We arrived at 8pm to a nearly empty restaurant. We left after 11. Not because we chatted over glass after glass of wine but because service was unbelievably slow. Things started off good, our waiter was there within a couple minutes of our being seated. However, it took a good 25 minutes to get our drinks after placing our order. Our food took quite awhile and our waiter never came by to check in and see if we needed more drinks or water. We had to ask. We were offered the dessert menu, then it took over 20 minutes to actually get it (3 tables in the whole restaurant at this point). It took well over 30 minutes to get our chosen desserts. It took 15 minutes to run our credit cards and bring them back to the table. Our waiter never came over to apologize or explain what the hold ups were. When it took so long to get the dessert menus we honestly thought maybe he'd forgotten and left for the night. Food was ok, decently priced, although between the 5 of us it was mixed as to if our dishes were good or not. Some dishes were just not quite right while others were perfectly fine. One of our desserts was AWFUL. It was supposed to be a peach and blueberry cobbler made with (as per the menu) Jersey peaches and blueberries. I'm not sure where exactly we thought they'd be getting these ingredients as blueberries have just started to be in season and peaches won't be for another month. It was awful, there was such a heavy clove flavor that you couldn't even distinguish what anything in the dish was. We told the waiter that it wasn't good, he said he'd talk to the pastry maker tomorrow to find out what the issue was. Not really helpful. I'd happily eat here again if the service hadn't been such an issue. But judging from other reviews slow service seems to be the standard and that's not ok.
(2)Craig L.
Loved the atmosphere and the initial vibe when we we walked in.. Cozy and upscale... Appetizers were outstanding.. Large enough for sharing.. Especially enjoyed the Calamari. Service was friendly but a little slow.. Main course (16 oz pork chop ) was delicious ! Everyone at our table was extremely pleased with their "entrée" .. Large portions at a reasonable price. Bar was packed and everyone seemed to be having a good time .. Oversized deserts worth sharing was a great way to end the evening... this location has been very challenging for many restaurants.. this time I thing they got it right.. Will definitely come back !!!
(4)Dennis K.
We have been here several times. The service usually not great but we had Brett and he was much better than normal. The place has so much promise but generally fails to impress. Good for locals. A reasonably priced non chain restaurant that tries hard to offer varied fare. The bison steak I had was very good but a bit too much Gorgonzola crust. The calamari appetizer had great flavor but very chewy. The dessert blackberry cobbler with ice cream was great. Keep trying guys.
(3)Song C.
Our server was just ok, but the food....not good at all. No flavor ... We had hot wings, seafood pasta, Alfredo pasta, baby kale salad, caesar salad and kids' meal mac and cheese ( box mac n cheese) and cheese burger. Nothing was good :(
(1)Brandon T.
I'm writing another review as an update on my experience at Centro. I want to love Centro I really do, since it is right next to my house, has a nice atmosphere and is one of the few restaurants in Robbinsville. The food is about an 8/10 in my opinion. Sometimes I say to my girlfriend, "well we can go to Centro..." and then we both kind of just "meh... I don't know. I don't want to be there all night." My past 3-4 experiences have been exceptionally poor when it comes to service and timing. One bar experience we served by a bartender who served us our drinks/ checks etc without saying a word. No, "here you go, can I get you anything else?" Just plopped the drinks down and walked away. He was rude, too busy making loud conversation with his buddies who seem to be regulars and far too rambunctious for others to comfortably enjoy the otherwise nice atmosphere. The other 2-3 times the dinner service was exceptionally slow. There's a couple waiters that are good, but there's a few that are rather negligent, don't know the menu, don't know what's on tap, etc. But far and away the worst problem was the wait on the food. Last time we ordered two sandwiches it took an hour. That's far too long for a couple of sandwiches. This seems to be a repeat offense, so even though I want the food and atmosphere at times I just can't justify going here because I know it's going to take so long and if I sit at the bar I know I will be disappointed with the service. Too bad this place can't tighten up these little problems because they've snowballed into the regular culture of the restaurant and how it's run. I'd be less disappointed if there were more places in Robbinsville. For a while I was content to settle for mediocre at this place but I can't justify it anymore.
(2)John C.
I live in Robbinville and very much want Centro to thrive. Noise is a problem, and the speed at which food comes to the table is a concern. There is an inconsistancy with the drinks you can order the same thing many times and it always tastes different. The staff is always friendly. Centro is a neighborhood gem. In my 5 years living in Robbinsville I lived through Santinos (disaster) Posedian (liked but too pricey for area) and Centro. Centro has the right prices which we need they just need to polish the apple.
(4)Nicholas D.
Painfully slow and just horrendous service. Food is good Prices are fair Owner is very nice but what a bad experience Stop in for a drink at the bar but don't try it for dinner
(2)L S.
I wanted to like it here and for the most part I did. The food was very good. Service was very good as well...almost to good / pushy. The waiter was very nice and very eager to please. To the owner.... Why are you serving Flip Flop as the house wine, why? The Benzinger, Beninger or Mondavi was just to much for you to buy. Please.....
(3)Nicole B.
Went there for our holiday work party. The person who set up the party couldn't make it and there had been miscommunication but the staff and owner were beyond accommodating to meet the needs of our diverse staff. Everybody was real friendly, the food was absolutely delicious, and the place was decorated beautifully for the Holidays.
(4)A M.
After reading all the mixed reviews on here we were a little hesitant to try this place, but I have to say we went here last night and we were impressed. The food was delicious, everything well-cooked and seasoned. I had the crab cakes and hubby had filet mignon, both dishes were wonderful. Service was friendly, prompt. The desserts were yummy. We had the lemon curd tart and apple pecan crisp, both lovely. I am deducting one star for something that is easily fixable, the loud atmosphere in there. High ceilings and tile floors make for a loud atmosphere. However sound absorbing panels, drapes, etc could go a long way in making this a more quiet, intimate atmosphere. I think people out for an evening who want to engage in conversation with their dinner companions would appreciate this. Other than this I have no complaints. Best of luck at this location.
(4)A M.
Tried to order by phone to pick it up...Two things I tried to order they didn't have because apparently their online menu was NOT updated. How come a restaurant like that doesn't update their online menu?? Terrible experience trying to "guess" what they really have in the restaurant.
(2)Jay F.
Place is so average. Completely mediocre food. You could get better Italian food in any of the dozens of hole in the wall joints in hamilton. It's pretty expensive ($20 entree). Service is average. Ambiance is nice. Parking sufficient. Meh. My chicken parm was bland and cold. My wife said her fish was ok . Feel like I got ripped off. Dinner was $100 plus and it was no better than Olive Garden.
(2)Dave W.
This review could have come in at 3 stars but too many factors made that impossible. First off, getting into the place proved to be problematic. Since we have never been there before we had no idea where the main entrance was located - a little signage would have been helpful. After trying 3 doors with no luck we finally hit the jackpot. The bar and dining room were packed but we had reservations - and were seated in the dining room next to a set of doors that, for some reason, allowed people to come in, letting in a blast of frigid air. Nice in outdoor dining weather but not so nice on this night. They were out of, not one but two, house wines and didn't seem to have any idea what they should do - like offer another wine at the same price. One wine that they sent out was absolutely horrible, like the bottle had been standing around for a few weeks. Our waitperson was good but totally overextended. The dining room is large and I think there may only have been two people serving tables. The room is large with 20 foot ceilings and some kind of fake tree in the center. They need to do something to mitigate the noise in the room. Having a conversation is truly a challenge. Now, to the food ... We started with the Calamari and Chicken Meatball appetizers which were excellent. The meatballs with a salad would make a nice dinner. Two at the table had the Crusted Sole and found it to be good. My wife had the Pork Medallions with mushrooms and figs but there seems to have been a shortage of figs that night - like none! Also, they did not trim the asparagus correctly, leaving the almost inedible end on the stalk. I had the Centro Meatloaf which was good - large portion with nice vegetable medley. All, in all, the food was just okay.
(2)Freya J.
Not sure why this place gets bad reviews so often. I was here for 4th time over the weekend, and the meal was great. Food is tasty, portions are sizeable, prices are more than fair, and they offer a wine list of 20 bottles under $25. Went with a group of 6, everyone enjoyed their meal, almost everyone brought home leftovers, and we all agreed that the space is absolutely beautiful. Very open, very modern. The service at the bar was crummy (a friend and I arrived early for our reservation and wanted a drink before our group arrived), hence the 4 stars. I think the bartender was just catering to the regulars instead of a few new faces, but still he was S-L-O-W and a little brusque, to be honest. That aside, an overall great experience.
(4)Mark G.
The crab Cobb salad was GREAT. Super generous portion of lump crab for a reasonable price-- $14!
(4)Stewart G.
Calamari was amazing. Drinks were novel and great (Manhattan) and the main dishes were great and substantial. Brett's service was top notch. We'll be back.
(4)Frank P.
Food was great and portions were large, WHEN they finally arrived. Sevice was barely excistant and management could have cared less. Over an hr before good arrived, almost a half hr for first drunk round and there wasn't even apps involved. The waitress, when questioned, had a very bad additude toward the whole situation. (Seemed overwhelmed for no reason) I would never come to this establishment again.
(1)Rebecca B.
I want to love this place. I really do, but unfortunately it is just ok. The location is great, however, the food falls short. I have been here for both lunch and dinner. The apps are tasty and the bar area is nice, but the entrees fall short on flavor. I usually come to Centro for a drink while waiting for my table to be ready at nearby DeLorenzo's.
(3)Melissa G.
Came in tonight for my birthday with a bunch of friends, beyond happy with my choice of restaurant! We shared a bunch of apps including the calamari, sliders and antipasto, all of which were great! I had the blackened bass with risotto, it was amazing! Everyone loved their dinners, our server Luigi was excellent and very accommodating. The staff brought out an apple crisp with a candle and sang happy birthday for me as well, such a great night!
(5)D And C C.
Went back again last night. I give up. The slow service, inconsistent to bad food preparation, and lack of improvement just aren't changing. It's too bad because we've tried to give this place a chance. We've never had a meal here without glitches. Good thing there are other worthwhile restaurants in the area.
(1)Sal V.
I have been here twice and both times it was very good. Happy hour drink specials, good service food was fresh and original. Seafood dishes were the best picks of the night nice decor
(4)Timothy W.
So my wife and I are moving to Robbinsville and wanted to do a little exploring as to what is in the area. We intended to go to De Lorenzo's, but sadly they were closed as it was on a weekend for lunch. So walking down the block, we ran into the Centro Grill. I am actually surprised by all of the mediocre reviews on this place. Is this a true fine dining restaurant? No. But it is a local slightly-upscale restaurant with decent food and decent prices. My centro story..... My wife and I, with our 9 month old in tow, were starving. We walk into the place and were immediately seated. The place was maybe 1/3rd full at lunch time on a Saturday. I do have to say that it took awhile for the server situation to get figured out, as it appeared that there were only two plus a runner working. The menu has a good bit of options but leans towards Italian. As I love a good vodka sauce, that is what I ordered. My wife got the Salmon and we both shared the antipasto. The antipasto was excellent. I highly recommend it. Large chunks of Mozz, very tasty prosciutto, and a rather interesting choice of beets to go along with the roasted red peppers and portabellos. This along with the fresh baked bread was an excellent start to our lunch. We actually had two different types of bread. The first a regular roll, the second was an extra tasty cheddar bread. I always like when restaurants give you a variety of breads. So our lunch arrived and we did not need this much food. The bowl of pasta was huge and cooked to a perfect al dente. The sauce wasn't the best vodka sauce I ever had, but it was good. The little chunks of prosciutto really added to the flavor. My wife's salmon was also huge, but nothing special and a bit overcooked and a little dry, but not terrible. The service does have some hiccups, But.....i think this is more a management issue with staffing as opposed to the staff itself. Our hostess was very nice and even doted on our 9 month old. (He is really cute and seems to always garner the attention of wait staff wherever we go). So after all is said and done, we will definitely come back here. I admit we went at an off hour for a late lunch and I reserve the right to change my opinion after I eat dinner here. But lunch prices were completely reasonable, you get a ton of food, and the staff were all nice and welcoming. I just feel they probably could have used an additional server or two, and after reading some of the other bad reviews, it sounds like other people feel the same way. We also weren't drinking, so I can not attest to the wine selections or anything bar related.
(4)Thomas M.
After trying Centro several times I don't think I'll be going back. The restaurants appearance is nice and inviting but the quality and the food and cocktails is far from it. My first meal at Centro started with calamari which was rubbery and covered in marinara sauce which wasn't very good. For my main course I ordered the swordfish which also came covered in the same marinara sauce. The fish was way overcooked and I was confused why it was covered in tomato sauce, they just don't belong together. I don't think I finished half of it. My last trip to Centro was for a few cocktails at the bar. I was hoping they could redeem themselves from the poor food quality with being able to serve proper drinks. My girlfriend and I each ordered dirty martinis. They were two of the weakest martini's I've ever had and I switched to beer for the remainder of my stay. On the plus side the beer was cold and the servers were really nice each time but it's going to take more that to keep me coming back.
(1)David H.
Based on the earlier reviewers, I was expecting something a bit different. I was pleasantly surprised the the food quality and service. Our waiter was Antonio and he was extremely attentive and sometimes a bit funny. Besides my wife, I took my son and future daughter-in-law there to celebrate my son's job promotion and also their engagement. We started off with the calamari which was lightly breaded and sprinkled with a dark sweet & sour sauce. Very well done. I also had the raw oysters which were served with Tabasco, cocktail sauce, and onions with malt vinegar. Plump, fresh and excellent! My wife ordered the mozzarella and roasted red pepper spring rolls. She couldn't believe how good it was. For dinner I had the salmon. Very nice size portions along with broccolini and mushroom risotto. My son had the lobster mac & cheese. Nice large chunks of lobster meat. Some tail, but mostly claw. Both ladies had a caesar salad for dinner. We all took food home as well. Very filling. Both my son and I had our dessert in liquid form. I had the Don Corleone which is Knob's Creek with espresso, Baileys, etc. Excellent dessert. My son had the Macallan 12 year neat. The only concerning item is their bar seems to operate under a different cost center. Very strange how they charge for their drinks. My wife ordered a Malibu Bay Breeze, which she claims didn't seem to have any alcohol added. They charged $6.50 for a Bay Breeze and additional $1.50 for Malibu. Same for my martinis. Watch out for the hidden extra charges from the bar. I wouldn't be surprised if they charged extra for using a glass. I heard they do charge extra for ice.
(4)Melinda G.
Avoid at all costs. Horrible service, long waits. Owner apologized and said one meal was off then full bill. Offered us dessert.. Really? Even a drink took forever. The only thing that came regularly was the water.
(1)Melissa S.
First time to this place and we opted to sit outside. Our waitress was so nice. We had the artichoke tempura and it was a unique tasting app, very light and not over greasy. Than the main dishes came out. He order the Prime Rib special at 22 oz. OMG you don't know what 22 oz of meat looks like till its in front of your face. But it was amazing and nothing was left of it. I ordered the Roasted Pear and Warm Goat Cheese salad with chicken. It was nice and warm and delicious. I eat slow so my goat cheese started to cool down and crumbled as I cut into it. But the combination is so tasty and filling. Definitely returning to this place. Oh and I used a 15% off coupon!!! The only thing that doesn't work is their bread and oil in the beginning. Bread is dense and cold and their style of pouring oil doesn't do it for me. I would rather have had no bread on the table or maybe warm bread and butter.... but that just fills you up for no reason.
(4)Jennifer M.
This place is beautiful and the food is OK ..its nice to go in the summer when you can sit outside and relax but when its to cold and you have to stay in its terrible! they do not play any music all you hear is the noise of other people talking when you are in there! the roof is so high that the chatter echoes and is soon loud! they need to play music!
(1)Alex K.
This place has changed owners/names so many times. For some reason business just fails here. But the area, exterior and interior of this location is really nice. Firstly, the parking situation blows. The parking lot is way too small for the other businesses, condos/residential above the stores and this restaurant. Everytime I come here I have to drive around at least a few times to catch someone leaving so that I may take their spot. So get here early if you come during the busy dinner rush. The ambiance is nice, they did a nice job with the space. I really like the high ceilings and the tree in the center. We were a table party of 7 and got sat in the back. The service is extremely SLOW here. It took the waitress 20 mins just to take our drink order. Then another 20 mins to actually get our drinks. It then took another 15 mins to take our appetizer order and we had to hunt someone down after being ignored for another 15 mins to take our main course order. For apps we got the calamari which was nicely breaded but nothing to write home about. The steak quesadilla which was the best app we had, the skirt steak was cooked well and the mushrooms, cheese and salsa had good flavor. It could have been spicier in my opinion but I like things extra spicy. The artichoke dip was boring and just eh but they gave us a nice size portion of the antipasti and it was very fresh. I ordered the veal as my entree and it was delicious. It was wrapped in prosciutto with garlic spinach with a cream sauce over top. The potatoes were over cooked and gritty but the veal was so good I really didn't care. Overall, this place is ok. Some dishes were good while others were ok. The service is horrible and if you're going out with friends to spend over $400 on a meal, you want good service. I will probably give them another try but not anytime soon as there are plenty of good places in the surrounding area.
(3)Boz T.
I so wanted to like this place. The menu looks great, but in reality, the food and experience were not. Ordered grilled octupus, it was totally bland and barely grilled. Added some salt and lemon juice, which made it somewhat edible, but not worth finishing. Mohitos didn't taste of mint. Waiter couldn't offer help with the wine list. Ordered mushroom ravioli, which were very good, but the side of shrimp the waiter suggested I add never appeared. The waiter kept apologizing for the food and forgotten orders. It was very loud, and not very crowded, and the bill for 2 was over $100. I may try it one more time, but looks like many others have had a similar experience. I won't keep my hopes up
(2)Barry E.
food came out cool (appetizer, soup and entree) , had to send it back each time, they were out of entrees at 7PM on a Friday, very very disappointed. this is basic stuff, how can they not get this right?
(2)Joe P.
Had Dinner with friends last night, Food was as good as it gets..service was good considering how busy they were! Chef Owner Joe Immordino made everybody feel at home. Tell your friends, enjoy!!!
(4)Anthony O.
Went there for Mother's Day had reservations but we were seated and no one came to our table for 40 minutes to even offer us a drink. Food was Less then perfect. The wine we ordered they were out of and they substituted food without notification. We will not be going back but I am sure others may have had a better experience.
(2)Justin P.
I would give it zero stars if possible. I went to the restaurant on Mother's Day 2014 really hoping it would be a good experience. Was I wrong! When the party I was in of four arrived we had reservations and they immediately sat us. 20 minutes later our waitress finally came over to our table. I would say at this time the restaurant was a 1/3 full and it was like that the entire time. The waitress was nice and took our order. 25 minutes later the drinks came and 15 minutes after, the bread came. The appetizers then arrived. The salad and appetizer bourbon jumbo shrimp were the best part and they weren't that good. Although we asked for dressing on the side and we got the salad was drenched in it.1 hour later our entrees came. My party ordered 2 seafood capellini, 1 mushroom ravioli, and 1 vodka penne. The seafood capellini had clams that we're unopened and lobster tails that were chewy and rubber like and tasted frozen. The mushroom ravioli was very good, but the vodka penne was too saucy. 1 hour later they take our plates and we say we wanted dessert. 25 minutes later we get our dessert menus and they said it's on the house because of the wait. We order and 10 minutes later the waitress says they don't have one of the desserts. 30 minutes later the desserts come delivered by a bus boy who said he didn't know which dessert was which, with the dessert she said they didn't have. Someone in the party ordered coffee and asked we're it was and the man said he would personally make it for her. 30 minutes later we left with no coffee. 1. Poor service 2. Overpriced food 3. Poor service Did I say poor service?!?!?
(1)Charles Z.
Slow, Slow, Slow service. Our waitress was waiting on our table and a large party. Seems par for the course at this place. Food is average, Portion sizes very good, Prices are fair Prices are fair. Parking is terrible
(2)Christina H.
Every time I've eaten here with my husband the food has been fantastic!!!! The sandwiches are great, the fish is fresh, and the desserts are tasty!
(4)Benedetta L.
The food was was decent but the service was awful. Staff is young & earnest but poorly trained, so I don't blame them. This is one of those places where the owner has visions of running an "in spot" but clearly has no idea how to accomplish this. Drink orders were brought out single file & took over 20 minutes for everyone in our party of 9 to receive theirs. Dirty plates were left on the table through later courses. Dishes were brought out of sequence--I got my salad with my main course. The chaos was not just at our table. Plus, the room is noisy. If you are looking for a good dining experience, sadly you won't find it here.
(1)Maryann C.
After reading some of the bad reviews I was hesitant on dining at this restaurant. I did, and I found it to be great! The service was great, the food wonderful and the portions large. I would highly recommend this restaurant. I don't know where all the bad reviews came from. The pork chop was the best entree, huge, juicy and tasty. The crab cakes were loaded with crab and hardly any filler. I will be going back. Everyone seemed to complain about the slow service. We had no problems. The staff was very attentive and our food arrived in a timely manner.
(4)Christina L.
I dined here about a month ago and actually had a fairly pleasant experience. I was happy to see Poseidon close and a new restaurant opening. When my fiancé and I dined here last month the restaurant was not crowded but the noise level was over the top. Due to the construction of the building the ceilings are high am amplify the sound, plus there are no dividers or walls to break up the restaurant. It does make it difficult to hear the person sitting across from you. The first time I dined here I ordered the Soho burger and it was great, except it was somewhat greasy and not the way I asked for it to be cooked. It was very well done opposed to medium. In addition the grilled octopus I ordered was a disaster....it was drowned in a pool of olive oil and shriveled up from being so burnt. It also was fishy, rubbery and not exactly fresh. Very disappointing! My fiance's steak sandwich was okay, the meat was a little tough but he seemed to enjoy it. I figured we would give the restaurant another shot today because they have had plenty of time to work out the kinks. Unfortunately this dining experience will be my last at Centro. We did not receive much of a greeting, had three different people trying to wait on our table. One of the boys said that our table is suppose to be his, and that the waiter that took our drink order basically stole the table from him. The man who took our drink order was aggressive and pushy and seemed annoyed I didn't want to order bottled water. I just wanted an unsweetened iced tea! Then the best part....I ordered an Arugula Roasted Pear salad and my fiancé ordered the fish tacos. The waiter was annoyed I did not want to add any chicken or shrimp. Then it took a good 30 minutes for a salad (all vegetables) and three grilled fish tacos to appear. First thing I noticed was well, the salad I received was not the salad I ordered. It was actually a mishmosh of all sorts of things mixed together and looked like two different menu salads combined. The fish tacos were soggy and tons of liquid was pouring out of the sides of them. The salad was suppose to have arugula, fresh roasted pears, honey glazed pecans, goat cheese and craisins in a pomegranate vinaigrette. Instead I received the arugula, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, tons of red onions, CANNED pears and a pool of honey balsamic dressing. What a horrible clash of flavors and now annoying to not get what I ordered. The fish tacos were gross, who wants soggy tacos?! Neither of us bothered to say anything, we just wanted to get the heck out of there. We figured our aggressive waiter would be less than pleasant to deal with. The waiter was pushy for dessert and we declined several times and got out of there ASAP. I'll ever go back and don't believe they will survive a this location. Notes: the restaurant was not busy, maybe 2 other tables. We were never asked if we would like to sit outside or if we would like to choose our table since the entire restaurant was open. Instead they seated us at a very tiny table next to another couple dining. Staff is unprofessional, unpleasant and unknowledgable. The owners of Acacia owns this restaurant, which ay explain a thing or two about our dining experience. A few years ago I dined at Acacia and had a horrible meal and dining experience and vowed to never eat there again.
(1)Ryan L.
I truly believe the dining room space needs to be changed. The area is wide open with high ceilings and tends to be extremely loud. When the restaurant is busy, it's a battle to talk over everyone else. The decor is modern and has an oddly placed tree in the center of the floor to try and break up the room. The service each time I've been there has been sub-par to fair but has never wowed me. My most recent experience had a slightly pushy waiter (and in the same dining experience, a 2nd waiter came by to tell us he should've been our waiter for some reason). Each server was quick to ask how everything was to make sure we were doing okay. The food...had some good and some not so good. The octopus was unevenly cooked (some well done and some burnt while none of it was cooked medium to keep it from getting too chewy) and was overly dressed. The po' boy wasn't the fried seafood version but rather beef and was tasty but somewhat hard to eat. The portobello mushrooms were very thick and could've benefited the dish if they were sliced thinner. The beef was tender and tasty. I was delighted to see fish tacos that were grilled instead of fried. Unfortunately, the pico de gallo caused the bottom of the taco shell to become rather mushy and unappealing. The cod used was flavorful with the pico de gallo and the addition of chipotle sauce was great - just had too much on top.
(2)Savannah J.
I really really wanted to like this place. After recently moving to the area, I was in search of a non-chain restaurant, so I was excited to try it and have it be a "go-to" place when people visited. Unfortunately, it did not deliver, which is such a shame because I feel like the area is lacking in quality restaurants. If we want to build up the town center and draw more people in, we need a good restaurant! I went there once with friends and once again with my husband to give it another try, and neither was a positive experience. PROS: -Nice enough atmosphere and location -Bread in the beginning of the meal is decent -Coffee is acceptable -Large portions CONS: -Service is sloooow, which was very surprising because both times I was there, there were only a handful of customers at other tables. It took a waiter at least 15 minutes to come to our table for our drink order. Once we actually ordered, it again took a very very long time for the food to arrive. Completely unacceptable -Food is just not good and gave both me and my husband a stomach ache (chicken was very dry; when I went back for Sunday brunch and ordered the eggs with sour cream and salsa, I couldn't finish it. It was just tasteless and wasn't sitting well) -We were incorrectly charged more for one of our dishes, which I suppose could happen anywhere, but it added to the general feeling that the staff is not very competent -Silverware on the table was dirty and my husband had to snag another fork from a nearby table -Did I mention that service is slow?!?
(2)Mario M.
Table for 4 on Valentine's day everything was ok except the food. Penne vodka was more of a tomato sauce instead of a creamy vodka sauce. Couldn't finish it. Chicken was burnt not grilled. Linguine white clam sauce was also terrible. Nice place. Decent service. Food was bad. And way to expensive.
(2)Wendi L.
Sorry centro. I have been there several times... Need to get more waiters on the floor with faster service and better quality food. Food is just ok. Bar scene is good ... can be expensive without happy hour. This restaurant could be a gold mine if they switched up the menu and made it more unique options with fresher ingredients.
(2)DREW P.
Went for half price wine night and apps. Bad start because they were out of the bottle of wine we wanted. Service was very good but mixed results on food. Mushroom steak quesadilla was very good and would definitely be ordered again. Calamari was horrible. Undercooked and had no taste. Comparable to something you would find in the frozen food section of your supermarket.
(3)Dorthy K.
I recently celebrated my birthday at Centro and had a really wonderful experience. The service was impeccable and they seated us immediately even though we had additional people join our reservation last minute. The food was delicious! We started with an order of antipasto and oysters and both were awesome. I ordered the scallops and they tasted excellent and I was really surprised by the large portions. Other people at our table ordered the salmon, steak, and crab cakes and everyone was pleased with their selection. I highly recommend Centro Grille and look forward to returning again soon!
(5)Julie C.
Went to lunch here with a girlfriend today and the experience was perfect. The service was exceptional. Our server was a tall gentleman who was very kind and helpful. We got their signature calamari appetizer, which was recommended by our server, and it was DELICIOUS!!! My friend got the penne vodka which she requested without prosciutto (she's pregnant) and added grilled chicken. Out waiter obliged kindly. I got the three cheese stuffed eggplant lunch and it was yummy!! Great experience. I will definitely be going there again!!
(4)Louis R.
This location has been a lot of different restaurants over the years. Seems some people are holding past iterations against the current one to me. It's not the best Italian in the Robbinsville area, but it's not bad. I got a steak special, and it was huge and very good. The goat-cheese side dish left a lot to be desired though, & I couldn't eat it. Service was a little slow. Overall, not a bad experience. For the price though, there's not enough reason to keep coming back over all the great (cheaper) BYOs in the Hamilton-area.
(3)Laura D.
I have to admit I was a little skeptical about coming in after reading some of the reviews, but I am glad I decided to try it anyway!! First the atmosphere was great, we were greeted as soon as we walked in. The bar and dining room seemed pretty busy so we opted to sit outside on the patio. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. She recommended the halibut special (which I ordered) and my friend ordered the filet mignon. Everything was cooked perfectly and delicious!! Our drinks were great as well we both ordered the classic Cuban mojito! Yum All in all I thought this place had it all great food and drinks, great service, and great prices!! I will definitely be back soon!!!
(5)Michael L.
Went her last month. Wednesday's HH offers a variety of $1 oysters which is a good deal. Drinks were just ok, they dont make a good blood orange martini. Ordered the baked cod that came out over cooked, but the bartender insisted that it be replaced - took 20 minutes, but the second one cmae out prepared proberly. A bit reluctant to return, but going to give it another try this eveing for HH - will report back. almost forget to mention that the appt fish taco's were fishy, nothing like the clean neutral flavor you would expect ... someone like my gf would not have even touched them
(2)Andrew D.
Went there on 9/21/13. Food was fantastic. I was surprised by how great the steak was. Pleasant atmosphere and very nice bar.
(4)Greg H.
The food is hit or miss. When it's good, it's very good. But when it's bad, it's actually inedible. Given our proximity to this restaurant, we've given them a few chances. However, after our last visit, we're done. The service is the worst of any restaurant I've ever been to. But even worse, is the fact that it's a rudderless ship. The two kids who were in charge on a Friday night (they both looked 19) had no clue. They made zero attempt to make up for the bad service and instead just seemed dumbfounded. On top of it, while we were waiting to pay our bar bill (it took 35 minutes to get our drinks), we overheard one of the waiters telling the hostess he wouldn't wait on any more tables. She just took it, as if he was in charge. For dinners that regularly run $30+ dollars per entree, you can do better. Grab a bottle of wine, drive a mile down the road and just go to Villa Barone.
(1)Pete W.
Service, service, service... Unfortunately that may be the downfall of Centro Grille. I've been there 3 times for dinner. I was happy with the food every time, as were those I dined with. But the service is mediocre at best. At times it's down rite poor. STEP UP THE SERVICE CENTRO AND YOU JUST MIGHT MAKE IT WHERE OTHERS HAVE FAILED.
(3)Georgianne V.
The hubby ventured over for dinner on Saturday night (we never go out on Saturday night) because we had worked a bit late and had a gift card - "thanks mom and dad". We had a very nice waiter who was very eager to please. We started off by each a martini - Yum! Mine was so tasty and now I can't remember the name but it had amaretto and cream, need I say more? The hubby had a dirty martini, also very well made. I loved the fact that they were not huge glasses. I'd rather have 2 small ones that one huge one that is warm by the time I finish. The hubby had the prime rib and oh goodness, it was so tender and flavorful. Honestly more tasty than my steak at my last review, which was had at a fairly expensive steakhouse! I had a veal dish that was huge and had wonderful flavors. We each finished with a desert. I had the chocolate mouse and the hubby had an apple crisp. The restaurant was about 3/4 full when we arrived but the food came at a nice pace for us. The place is a bit noisy and could use a few more "warm touches", they should probably do something about that but other than that, we had a very pleasant meal at a good value. It's not that convenient for us given where we work and live but I'm sure we will go back in the future!
(3)Joanna K.
Oh Centro... I so wanted to like you. This review is the combination of two experiences with Centro, one dining in and one take-out. First, my bf and I dined here a few nights ago. There was a 30 minute wait for a table despite it being 8pm on a weeknight and the restaurant fairly empty. I knew our evening would be rocky at best when the server had no idea what beers were on draft. For some reason it took 10 minutes longer for my beer to be delivered than my bf's. We were then brought bread, and unfortunately every roll except for one was so hard they were inedible. The service was not attentive, and I had to ask for my water to be refilled by someone passing by with a water pitcher after waiting for at least 10 minutes with an empty glass. The only positive of the meal was that the food actually tasted good (this time). I had the eggplant club, and it was quite good. My bf had the chicken wrap and he also liked it. However, we both felt the food was overpriced for what it is. On to our second experience, this time with take-out. We placed our order and were immediately concerned when the person who answered the phone seemed unsure and did not recognize the items we mentioned. When my bf went to pick up the food after the 30 minutes quoted, it was not ready. When he did come back, we discovered the food we were given was incorrect. We ordered the meatloaf, and we received a strange version of the eggplant club. We also ordered the steak sandwich with no mushrooms. We received it with mushrooms and with no side item. The steak on this sandwich was so full of gristle/fat on one half of the sandwich it was inedible. The quality of the steak was incredibly poor for a $12 sandwich. My bf went back to the restaurant to hopefully get the meatloaf he ordered. He was given the meatloaf and an entirely new steak sandwich after another 20 min wait. This sandwich was no better! It tasted strongly of 'char' and it was missing the horseradish sauce. To spend $35 on this meal is a shame. The manager did give my bf a 25% off discount for our next order, but it is too little too late. After both these experiences, I know we will not likely return. It is too expensive not to have a great experience.
(2)Richard F.
Food was good. Service was horrible. The waitstaff kept forgetting items throughout the meal to include a meal. They told use that the dish ordered just wasn't coming. Manager didn't want to be bothered and we never were told sorry for the problems with service. We were essentially held hostage for three hours awaiting our meals and then checks!!! I have never seen a restaurant that refuses to acknowledge mistakes and make right by the customer!!!!
(1)Mary Ann B.
Food was good, atmosphere is nice, casual and elegant! Service was superb! Be sure to ask for Brian to be your server; you will have a fabulous dining experience. The new owners are doing a nice job! Highly recommend!! Mary Ann
(4)Lawrence N.
We live in walking distance of Centro and have been here multiple times. Each time we have had horrible service. To the point of getting up and walking to a group of wait staff and asking if we can have service. Each time we have come there have been mistakes with the order. And the food, while it tries to be upscale family oriented, is very hit or miss. The Lobster was a plate of under seasoned dryness. I will say my son enjoyed his grill cheese.
(2)Matt P.
It was our first time to Centro and from the outside it looks great. Once you step inside, it is extremely noisy and cold. Besides the attitude from the hostess for only making a reservation an hour ahead of time we were seated to our table. Once there we waited a decent amount of time before the server came by. The server was friendly and attentive. We ordered the calamari for an appetizer and it was very good. The main courses were the lobster Mac and cheese (which was velveeta sauce with some lobster on top) and ribs. The barbecue sauce on the ribs were horrible and tasted like ketchup and old bay seasoning. The pasta and sausage was ok. Overall the waitress and the calamari was good, won't come back again tho.
(1)Aimee K.
I really wanted to like it...it's close to home, locally owned. They try hard, but can't deliver on the simplest things. Food quality is inconsistent, I've been there twice and my fries were cold both times (pity, because they were potentially tasty). How hard is it to take them out of the fryer right before serving? Food is hit or miss (and the hit is B+ at best), it's really noisy and not a great experience. After our first visit my husband and I gave the manager some feedback, hoping they would work on some basic issues, it doesn't seem like they have gotten any better in a month.
(2)Michael K.
Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. First time I waited 90 minutes for food that never came. The manager couldnt be bothered to come out and talk about it. Six months later I was convinced the place is good and to give it another try. Sitting outside enjoying dinner with my wife and a 7 year old and they decide to let a group start smoking cigars where people are EATING!!!!! Hello!!! Whether you like cigars or not ( which i do ) noone wants have cigar smoke blowing by while they are eating. Especially around children!! I only gave 1 star because zero is not an option.
(1)Melinda K.
Went for dinner on Saturday night sat at the bar. Very nice atmosphere. Steve was the awesome bartender who took care of me and my husband. The sangria was to die for. Yum! He also made a drink on the spot for me was very good for only getting a small amount of direction. I ate the cesar salad very good. The cheese on top tasted so fresh. My husband got the wings the sauce was great. Overall will very much be going back.
(4)Adrienne W.
amazing food, service and atmosphere! luigi was an amazing server, definitely try the brazilian tiger fish!
(5)Patti E.
I do NOT like to give bad reviews. That said, I do like to warn people about what they may be in for. If you want good food, this isn't the place, if you hope to get served in a timely manner, this is not the place, if you want to see a manager walking around making sure that everyone is happy, this is not the place. What the heck happened here? I just read a review that said it's owned by the people who own Acacia? If I find out that's true, I won't be returning to Acacia either. Specifically? I went with a friend at 3pm on Saturday May 11, 2013. We were seated at the tiniest table near a window with the sun beating down on one side our faces. There were only two other tables being occupied. I didn't say anything. We waited so long for a waiter that I had to stand up and wave my hands towards the kitchen for someone to come over. Obnoxious- I know, but we were hungry. We ordered a club sandwich each. After 25 minutes had gone by I had to WALK over to the kitchen, OUTRAGEOUS!!! and ask, "is there a problem with our food?" Someone -not our waiter- said they burned the chicken the first time so they had to make it over again. In the meantime, the noise was awful, the acoustics in this place makes every sound bounce off the walls. When the food came it was kind a dry but I already knew it wasn't going to be anything special. My friend paid the bill and I'm not sure how she tipped but I hope it wasn't 20 percent. Normally I'm sad when I see a business close it's doors. In this case, I will be happy to see the next business come on in. We should have traveled on down 33 and had lunch at Applebee's. And I don't like chain restaurants, but I"ll bet the manager there was on top of it. Seriously! What is wrong with this place?
(1)Margaret S.
This was my 4th time at Centro and, sadly, while the food was quite good the time it took to get it was beyond insane. My husband and I chose to dine at the bar, on Saturday 5/4 around noon. Our bartender, Nicole could not have been nicer. We ordered the Soho Burger, brisket sliders and the wedge salad. Other than us the bar area was empty and it seemed like maybe 4 or 5 tables in the restaurant were occupied. Staff seemed plenty as we saw multiple people walking about. We had to ask Nicole 3 times to check on our meal..which finally arrived after 35 minutes. We were given an excuse that the kitche was preparing for two large parties that were coming in later that day, but that really did not make up for the fact that we were there and starving and not being served something that needed a quick grill (the burger) a slight re-heat (the brisket) and a chop (the wedge salad). We are moving in across from this restaurant and really hope to make it "our place" but if the service or lack there of, continues it will be "our place to avoid"
(3)Dean N.
The fish and chips for lunch was decent-good sized and timely served.
(3)Joe R.
Went with friends for a weeknight dinner. Restaurant less than half full. Seated at a window table (no curtains or blinds) so that the traffic outside shone their headlights in my eyes throughout th emeal. Dining room acoustics not good - - hogh celings and hard tile foors made for very noisy dining. Food was pretty good (3 extremely good, 3 good, 1 poor of 7 meals). Mixed drinks were bad, and Service was terrible. Waiter tried to force bottled water on us, and got huffy when we asked for tap water. He then walked away in the middle of taking our order in order to pour (bottled) water at a nearby table, then returned and resumed as if he had never been gone. Told us that it was half price on a bottle of wine only after we had ordered several glasses of wine for cocktails, then brough us a merlot instead of the pinot noir ordered - - then tried to charge full price on the bill! Yes we had sympathy, 3 of our party work in the restuarant business, but there was no excuse for this guy. Then, after we left, he changed the tip on the credit card bill, adding $13 to his tip. We liveless than 2 miles away, and will never go back!
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