WELCOME TO
CARRO CAFÉ NEW JERSEY

Disappointing Experience for the Price I was really looking forward to a special Valentine’s Day dinner with my boyfriend, but unfortunately, our experience was disappointing—especially for the $350 price tag. If you’re going to charge $350 for three cocktails and a pre-fixe menu for 2, You had better execute on all accounts to be able to charge people that. I don’t mind paying if everything is on point. The first issue was the appetizer. It was supposed to be ceviche, but what we got was just boiled shrimp cut in half on top of a bite of lettuce with some lemon juice and onions. When I politely requested to switch it out, the manager—a woman with curly blonde hair and glasses—gave me a dirty look and questioned why I didn’t like it. I explained that I’ve been eating ceviche my whole life because I’m Peruvian, and this was the blandest version I’ve ever had. Instead of offering an alternative, she just walked away with the plate. Fifteen minutes later, our server came by and asked if the manager had brought a replacement. When I told her no, she seemed surprised and immediately offered me an alternative, which I appreciated. The new appetizer—bacon with pineapple—was actually outstanding. However, just as I took my first bite, our entrées were served literally two seconds later. I didn’t get to enjoy my appetizer before my main course because they were brought out basically together, making the meal feel rushed and poorly timed. The entrée—steak with mashed potatoes—was just okay. For the price, I expected something more flavorful and well-executed. To make things worse, the chimichurri sauce served with the steak was nothing like an actual chimichurri. It was just chopped-up parsley mixed with oil or butter—very weird and completely missing the flavors that make chimichurri what it is. Then, the final disappointment: the lava cake was fully cooked through, with no molten center at all. That said, I do want to highlight that our waitress provided excellent service throughout the night. She was attentive, polite, and did her best to make our experience enjoyable despite the issues we encountered. We were seated at table 35, and while the atmosphere was beautiful with live music and great cocktails, good ambiance doesn’t make up for poor service from management. As someone who has worked in the food industry for 10 years, I know that when a customer has an issue with their food, the proper response is to apologize, offer a replacement, and possibly comp an item as an act of good business. Instead, we were met with rudeness and indifference from management. For $350, I expected an outstanding experience, but instead, I left feeling frustrated and disappointed. I wouldn’t return based on this experience.