Milano’s Italian Restaurant

We were a little hesitant to try based on the reviews, but we went anyway for date night. The food was well priced and quite delicious! They really give you a lot of food for your money and the soups were delightful! The house salad dressing was wonderful and the bread they bring to the table was piping hot. The service was quick and very friendly. We are definitely going back soon!

I almost didn’t come here because most of the reviews didn’t have great things to say… but I’m glad I decided to take the chance anyway! I’ve now been here more times than I can count and I can’t remember a time where I was dissatisfied with any aspect of this place. The food is incredible (there calzones are amazing, and their complimentary bread is fantastic as well). I’ve only been here for dinner, but i hear they also have a lunch buffet that’s pretty good too. I’d go so far as to say that this i smy favorite Italian place in Lynchburg. (much better than La Villa in the food department if you happen to be comparing, maybe not better in the service department).

Been here twice so far in 2015, and have enjoyed the food both times. Nothing groundbreaking, but good quality. It’s better than the big chain Italian place near the college.
The first time we used a BOGO coupon for pizza. Our waitress was really nice, personable, quick and tolerant of our boisterous kids. I say, if she was justly annoyed with us, that she didn’t let on at all. We tipped well because she was good. We were really pleased with our pizzas. The meat lovers was loaded. The White Spinach Pizza was very delicious. We were fans from first bite. We’ve been craving it since.
The second time, was a kid-​less date night. I got the lasagne and my wife got the chicken parmesan. Both dishes were good, delivered timely enough and quite enjoyable.
The reason for the 4 star over a 5 would be the second waiter. He would disappear for long periods of time. We would have to ask for refills of drinks. He forgot my order for a standard menu item with no changes, because he didn’t write it down. He came back to the table after 5 minutes and asked what I wanted again. When he brought out the food, and again when he brought the check, he REEKED of cigarette smoke. Like he rushed in straight from the last puff to grab our food and deliver it. To me, that is unprofessional.
Will I go back? Yes. The food is good. We enjoy it. That first server’s amazingness makes up for the second’s lacklusterness.

They put way too much cheese on everything. I ordered a chicken pizza and asked for light cheese. It was like they added MORE than they usually do. Save your money for a restaurant that actually deserves it.

It’s quite alright. I get the same thing every time — penne alla primavera (forgive my spelling mistakes) and the bread is to die for. The service has been good and bad (varies on the waiter). I love the soft, quiet atmosphere.

Based upon the less than glowing reviews by fellow Unilocalers, we were a bit deterred from trying Milano’s earlier but we finally made the plunge and went for dinner on a Friday evening. (I’ve since noted that many of the poor reviews were pretty old, and that many of the «filtered» reviews were more favorable.) We arrived about 6:30 and the place was sparsely populated but it filled up soon thereafter. Based upon our experience the place may have taken to heart some of the Unilocalers’ reviews and made a few changes.
The dining rooms are open and roomy, yet with a sense of intimacy. The décor was elegant and Tuscan/​Imperial Roman style. Very warm and inviting. Lighting was subdued but not so dark to require a flashlight to see your menu.

We were promptly directed (not escorted) to a table for four near the center of the dining room and menus were provided promptly. Within minutes our server provided us with coffee, but it took a while before our order was taken. We were served a salad «family style» and it was quite good, but could have used a bit more dressing. Be sure to toss it well. The bread served along with the salad was exceptional, I thought, and at least on a par with LA or maybe even San Francisco Italian bread.
I. along with another in our group, chose linguine alla vongole– with white clam sauce and it was superb. The «sauce» was perfect, and not at all like the occasionally-​encountered Alfredo-​like cream sauce. The clams were very fresh, tender and tasty. I would have preferred a bit more garlic but thats just my personal peccadillo. Our guest had a sausage and green pepper dish called Tricolore, served with angel hair pasta, which was a massive serving and very good. I hope to try the pizza and eggplant parmesan next time– the pizzas we saw served looked tasty.
We had little room for dessert but the tray was presented at our request and we sampled the cannoli and we shared a piece of very decadent (according to my wife) chocolate cake with hot chocolate sauce. The cannoli were very good as well, combining chocolate chips and cherries in just the right proportion. The shells were too crisp to be other than homemade.
There are several «kids’ menu» choices and our granddaughter was very satisfied with her chicken tenders and fries.
Overall, a very nice evening with good service and reasonable prices.
There was a somewhat pricey wine list but I didn’t have any wine this time.
We’ll be back. This place can serve as a regular dining experience or as a «special evening» site.
Parking is convenient and free. There is a big bar area with dining tables and they have occasional live entertainment. The dress of our fellow diners seemed to be dressy casual.
Some Humble Suggestions:
1. Serve oil and balsamic vinegar along with the bread instead of little foil packages of butter.
2. Toss the salad before it comes to the table.
3. More garlic in the linguine ala vongole.
4. Fresh grated Parmesan rather than a little jar of it. We had to request Parmesan. It could have been suggested and/​or offered by the server.
5. Suggest dessert rather than waiting to be asked.
6. Offer a wine less than $ 7.50 a glass.
Bön appetit.
On our second visit a week later we encountered some service issues that had been noted by other Unilocalers. There did not seem to be good communication among the staff and they were understaffed on a night when there were two large party groups, one of which utilized the entire bar, precluding diners from waiting there for a table. I heard some rather unhospitable comments from some of the staff when diners were impatient.

If you’re wanting to eat the safe «classics» like pizza, spaghetti or lasagna, they’re fine, but not a lot to get excited about. But the Chicken Marsala and the Chicken Picata are two of my wife’s favorites and for a good, spicy marinara shrimp pasta, you have to try the Gamberi FraDiovlo! Absolutely delicious! The salad and homemade bread are a great way to start the meal too. We’ve tried a lot of things on the menu over the years but these are our favorite.

The service was good but the food omg! I have to say it was the absolute worst «Italian food» I’ve ever had. I don’t remember what it was called but it was 14 bucks and it consisted of mayo mixed with pesto and canned chicken breast, and yes I’m very sure it was canned chicken.

Great Food and Service, will visit there again, and often

The décor is very tasteful and nice. The food is simply wonderful. The serving staff is very good. The menu items during the week are great but I am a big fan of the Sunday buffet. It features delicious food with a varied assortment of entries. We like it so much that out of all the restaurants in the city we are having Milano’s cater our son’s wedding rehearsal dinner. Forget the outdated reviews on this site. Milano’s is simply one of the best dining spots in town.

A nice place to enjoy a family dinner in the Rivermont area. The Pasta is descent, however, it’s relatively bland. the bread rolls they give you are pretty amazing though.

I quote Matt B. in a previous review about this place, «OK Italian. There are better options nearby.» I’m in absolute agreement.
I have given this restaurant my share of second chances and double ‘college tries’ (I used to try to stop by when I would visit my sister who lives in the ‘Burg). Why? My first two experiences were delightful. Fresh garlic bread knots, good service and the ability to have what I wanted (ie a side of Alfredo sauce with my Gamberi Fra Diavolo-​a combination that’s delish-it’s my little idiosyncrasy). No problem! Seems pretty simple right? I felt, I had found a great little Italian place I could depend on when visiting in town. Well, the third time I went [November 2010], I ordered a side of Alfredo sauce with my pasta. Apparently, this was NOT kosher with the chef that night and I was refused my request. Refused a side of Alfredo? To a gladly paying customer? It’s really not such an extraordinary request. I could see the chef’s distaste in my inquiry if this were a Michelin rated restaurant, but it’s supposed to be a nice, family restaurant. People like what they like, they should get it, especially if they are courteous and are more than willing to pay for special additions. This on top of the rude waiter at the time was a no-​brainer, we promptly left and I planned to never return. As the kids say these days, that’s ‘how I roll’.
Fast-​forward four months later, all my family were visiting my sister for a long weekend. My dad had a hankering for Italian and really wanted to try Milano’s. I begrudgingly went, after he promised to make sure I would have a positive experience. We had to find creative ways to get what we wanted (though, you shouldn’t have to do that). Our waitress was very nice at the time (I wish I remembered her name and could give her credit). I discovered since the first couple of times I went, the food was, in contrast from my initial encounters, underwhelming. I have tried the place twice more since then (I was desperate to get back to those first two experiences), and after last Wednesday night, my sister and I have decided to give up forever. Their host/​hostess always seems to be on par, but the waitstaff is hit or miss, their food has been so-​so since those first two meals, with a noticeable difference in quality in the preparation of the meals (ie chewy, hard bread knots and bland salads). And with the other choices in the Lynchburg area, I’d rather recommend other establishments, ones who are excited for your patronage and want to put a quality product out there. I do know it has the potential to be what I once remember.

This is a popular family restaurant in the Rivermont area. I’ve been only twice, but that was enough to form an opinion. The pasta tasted generic and the entire place feels bland and cheap.

The food at Milano’s is ok; but nothing that I seek out intentionally. The lunch buffet is not bad, but the food options haven’t changed in the ten years that I’ve lived here in Lynchburg. It would be nice if they mixed it up a bit. Dinner is menu-​only, and they have many options to choose from; however, I’ve never had a meal that I thought was good enough to order again.
Service at Milano’s is very poor. The hostesses generally ignore you when you first arrive; and it took over 30 minutes for my waiter to bring my check the last time I ate there, even though I repeatedly asked for it every time he passed the table. Finally, I asked the hostess to hunt him down and get my check, because he clearly wasn’t going to give it to me without intervention.
It would also be nice if they posted their hours on the door. Twice in two weeks my husband has talked me into trying to eat there for lunch, during what most consider to be «regular» lunch hours. Darned if I know when they are open.

OK Italian. There are better options nearby.

Good basic Italian-​American with many regulars from the neighborhood. I don’t care for the new space as the central portion feels big and warehouse-​like. Otherwise it offers tasty fairly priced food. Not for those looking for high-​end Italian.

I have eaten here twice. The food was far less than par and when I complained about it, I was told that they would not fix the problem. I understand that every business/​chef can have an off-​day or make a mistake, but the extremely poor service was inexcusable. I will not be going back.

The best Italian restaurant in Lynchburg BY FAR!!! Although the menu is very Americanized (despite the Italian names on the menu), it is still more authentic than other Italian restaurants in the area. Portions are very substantial and very tasty (except for the salad and bread. DEFINITE staples in Italian restaurants and the MOST unimpressive items at Milanos). Strongly recommend the Eggplant Parmesan… the best of the entrees I have had there.

Although the food is good — simple, red sauce Italian fare — the service has been poor.
Restaurant owners and chefs need to pay attention that the quality of the front of the house personnel matches that of the kitchen… That means that patrons are promptly acknowledged and greeted by the hostess upon arrival. Instead, we were ignored while the hostess had a conversation with a waiter, took a carry-​out order call (instead of putting the call on hold to seat the waiting patrons) and then simply walked away without making eye contact with the gathering crowd.
It also means that patrons don’t wind up sitting at their table for over ten minutes as we did with no water and no silverware, visibly perplexed as to why none of the many servers who have walked by multiple times have failed acknowledged us. Turns out our waitress didn’t even know she had a new table!
It’s about communication, people. You don’t have to seat your patrons immediately; just let them know that you’re glad they chose to eat at your restaurant and that you’ll seat them as soon as possible. When you seat a table, the server should greet her party within the first minute. Again, you don’t have to take drink orders or recite the specials; just let patrons know that you’ll take care of them. If the kitchen is slammed and you’re in the weeds, let your table know that things are backed up; offer refills or more bread.
The pastas are good. The wine list is bare bones — go with the DaVinci chianti. Milano’s has a nice dining room and bar area.
Given the service, perhaps it’s better to call ahead for take-​out. If only the site developer had joined the parking lot with that of Kroger’s…