About - Lily's Bistro
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Amenities and More
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Happy hour drinks
- Happy hour food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Organic dishes
- Small plates
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Quiet
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Upscale
Top Reviews
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My wife and I were excited to hear that a new Italian restaurant was moving into the old Lily's Restaurant in the Lake Wylie area. And, to make things even better, we were told the new owner is from NY! Jackpot! Our quest for fine Italian dining is finally over, or so we thought. It was a busy Wednesday night when Maxine sat us at our table. Within minutes, we both had drinks and a bread basket with bread that was Outstanding. Next is when things began to go downhill a bit. The wait staff was very courteous but definitely over worked. It took a long time to get their attention. When I did, I asked if the chef could make an appetizer portion of fried calamari and was told no problem. Loving calamari like I do, I thought I had gone to heaven. What I got was soft, almost mushy calamari that was too salty to eat. I had to send it back, and upon arrival the 2nd time, it was less salty but still really soft for my liking. The marinara sauce was the savior, and that's why I was able to eat it. When the Caesar salad arrived, the lettuce was not crunchy/fresh as expected and was swimming in dressing. We both agreed it was inedible. Huge disappointment. Finally, the entrée came. My wife's linguine and clams were, as she said, tasteless. She couldn't taste any seasoning which it was lacking, and my seafood Fra Diavalo wasn't much better. Again, the sauce saved me from having to send that back. After all this, we decided to skip dessert. To summarize, in our humble opinion, our quest for fine Italian dining continues. These are minor issues that can be fixed and would mean the difference between every other "authentic Italian cooking" restaurant in South Carolina, and a fabulous place to dine. We're still looking for the latter and I'm here for 5 years already, and still looking. A nice addition to the menu might be a great cold Antipasto, baked clams, and baked Ziti (but you'll have to invest in an oven that can bake). A frozen lemon sorbet inside the lemon casing would be a nice touch, as would Molinari (or Lazzaroni) Sambuca. For about $2 more a bottle, it sure beats Romano. As far as prices go, I would say it's on a par with everyone else. Speaking for myself, I would have no trouble paying over $100/person for fabulous food. Mediocrity will continue to satisfy the neighborhood, but excellence has no boundaries. I sincerely hope you make this a destination restaurant! Good Luck. I suggested to my wife let's give this place another chance after some of the kinks have been worked out.
Lobster Nachos looked like they came from a dollar store then thrown in the microwave with frozen lobster. Took 45 minutes after receiving water to even take our order. Fish taco came with a pound of lettuce and a small sliver of grouper. No fans or umbrellas on the porch. Too expensive for something a 12 year old can make.
Planned to try Taverna this evening. We had a party of four (which included my 90 year old disabled mom). After waiting about 20 minutes, a group of 5 came in behind us with no reservation and loudly spoke about working their connection to get seated. Sure enough, the restaurant chose to seat their “friends” instead of our group. We left and won’t be going back. Poor start for what we hoped was going to be a good new restaurant.