La Taverna

So many things to love: - REAL butter with the awesome breadsticks - Sliced Italian sausage as my husband prefers (or sausage meat if you please) - Perfect pizza; crispy but not dry crust, flavorful sauce, quality toppings - Stromboli filled with ingredients, not random remnants - they have the fun, small ice and they refill from a pitcher instead of bringing another glass to the table (thank you!!) - very kind and cheerful staff

We were out of our norm for dining- its a little fancier than we're used to. we spent over $80 for 3 adults. Plates are an average of $20 a person, so we expected somewhere at 70, this difference wasnt super major but The waitress did not understand or do what we asked for, nor point out that our already pricey food would be so much more the way it was ordered. it felt like we were judged for not knowing how things worked. I got chicken parm, my fiance got chicken alfredo. The chicken for him was extra. My mom got stuffed shells and after a discussion with the waitress about how it would price better, was convinced into $9 meatballs added instead of added meat sauce(which still would have been extra, but more somehow?) Mom asked for her entire plate in a to go box, because she was not going to be able to eat much and likes to try to save headache, as well as her salad. We found out Each plate came with a salad when she asked if we were all okay with house dressing. and no other option (we got a look when I asked, it seemed a faux pa to ask for something else) bc we were not going to eat the salads there(indont eat salad so that plan was just ok ma has an extramealof salad since they were included, we dont like to waste) also asked for those to go. She finally brought us exactly 3 breadsticks and a million butters, and 3 salads on plates. Then moms food on a plate, just the meatballs(3 big ones) separate in a box(we specifically said shes had surgery and cant eat much, we wanted to save the fuss of dishes for her plate and she'd asked if we wanted just the meatballs separately. we said no). Idk if maybe we were actually doing something wrong or she had a rough day but we were obviously not aware how to ask and she never explained. It is a nice environment and nice food, but we felt very judged by this server and like she didn't try very hard. We did still leave a tip after everything because we don't like to leave nothing, server wages suck already, just wont be back super soon.

Stopped in for a meal, while in town for a wedding. The two Italian restaurants we were planning to try were closed. We weren't sure what to expect as this restaurant is in a grocery strip mall and we had been looking for something a bit fancier. Service, atmosphere, food were all excellent. It was cozy and comfortable, and we were well taken care of by our server Michelle! If we lived closer, we would definitely be regulars here.

Came in on pi-day(3/14/2024). I was hoping for some kind of pizza special, but they didn't offer any. (No big deal) We were seated right no wait. They brought out bread sticks with the drinks. They were room temperature and hard. So not good .You could tell if they were fresh out of the oven, they would have been good. The for the price of the appetizer it wasn't worth it. I my opinion was skimpy on the portion. The pizza was very good. The crust was NY style thin and crisp. The pasta didn't have a protein, so we asked for chicken. They said it was a $6 up charge. Thinking we would have gotten at least a whole chicken brest for $6, there were maybe 5 to 6 cut-up pieces in the pasta dish. The service was good food came out in a timely manner, but this establishment is a one and done. I don't think we will be giving them another try. There are too many other restaurants in the upstate with better food and prices for me to want to come back.

I can't believe in all the years I've been coming here, that I haven't left a review. I love coming here, the atmosphere is always nice. I enjoy the relaxing music, the decor and the warm colors of the dining area. The bathrooms can get a little tricky when its busy because they don't have stalls, but you can't beat the privacy either. Food is never disappointing, it always tastes fresh and comes out hot. I have never ordered something I didn't enjoy. You can tell they take pride in their ingredients.

I have headed to La Taverna many times and never have they disappointed. The chicken Marsala is tender and a 10. Their eggplant in a sort of vodka sauce appetizer is one I have to get every time.

Pretty overpriced for what you get. $3.75 for a tea, $19 for a Stromboli that was quite small, chicken pasta dish was great - but again not a very big portion. Flavors were excellent, just wish we’d gotten more given the price. Service was meh. Waitress charged us for two teas instead of one and just wasn’t the best. $40+ tip for lunch.

Service was great, food is mediocre pasta totally overcooked. we were a party of 6 and when i saw the bill I was shocked to see a 20% large group service and a 5% charge for credit cards. they should tell you this before hand. Not surprise you. And then they give suggestions for tipping after a 20% service charge.

We stopped in for another visit and I actually got some photos this time. Again, the food was AMAZING. I had the Pasta Pomodoro again and added chicken. The hubby had a pizza and said it was one of the best he's had in a while. We will continue to stop in to La Taverna!

First time here. The server sat us. Very quaint little place. I was disappointed that they don't serve wine yet. My house salad had a Kalamata olive and I almost thought I broke my tooth when I bit down on it and it still had the seed in it!! The bread was fine just would have been nice not to have to dig butter out of a tiny square container for what looked like large breadsticks. From what I saw on website I was surprised that it looked like fine dining but it looks totally different in person. more casual. Enter portions are large. Cracked pepper would have been nice to have instead of table pepper. All in all wasn't bad experience but not an elevated one to say the least.

Dined in tonight for the first time and everything was perfect! After moving to the area, it's been a struggle to find REAL and good Italian food. But this place is the best in the area and the food was delicious! Got an app sampler and margherita pizza, but I'll definitely be back to try an entree. My boyfriend loved the fried calamari and I thought the bruschetta was tasty and full of flavor! The pizza was amazing too and made well. Everything tasted fresh and authentic. Service was quick and efficient, but I think we came in after the rush. The waitress was very nice as well and it was a welcoming environment! The music was enjoyable to hear and the restaurant was decorated nicely. Everything looked clean and organized. We had a great experience here and I can't wait to go back!

The food is tru Italian the place is clean the staff works hard to keep you happy the food is tea Italian food 1 of the best in Spartanburg sc I will return to this restaurant soon thank you to the waiter who stayed on top of everything fabulous food and workers

The waitress was prompt and pleasant. The food was absolutely delicious! I had the fettuccine quattro formaggio and hubby had lasagna. Generous portions and taste great. Warning: they do not have their alcohol license yet so don't serve wine; however, you can bring your own or stop by Food Lion next door and pick up a bottle. Overall a very good experience.

Bad service with overpriced food!! Ever since they changed their location the food quality and service has gone downhill. It used to be a very decent place, but now, its just not same anymore. Not to mention, they have become unnecessarily expensive.

Our Son was in town and decided on a great restaurant. We had the supreme pizza, various pasta dishes, and bruschetta. A nice surprise was the fresh mozzarella sticks and marinara. Tonya provided five star service. We always say you will get great service and a great meal at La Taverna. I'm going out on a limb and say they the best pizza in Spartanburg. Prove me wrong.

Food was very good. Loved the menu had items that were different. Had the chicken piccata which I enjoyed. Service was very good. We all seemed to enjoy the food. The only thing I did not like was the extra charge for using a credit card. If there was a sign I did not see it. Add a dollar to the meals and not charge for using credit. Not many walk around with cash. Seemed petty but the food was good. First time I encountered it with a restaurant.

Service was excellent. The food was delicious. Portions are enormous highly recommend!!

Went to La Taverna today for the first time. The food was excellent and the service was great!! The restaurant is very clean and welcoming. There is Italian music playing softly in the background. Our serve was Michelle B and she was awesome. Very personable and accommodating. We definitely will be a regular customer!!

Great place. We went with a party of four, was seated quickly and had a great meal. Employees were friendly and very professional. Meals can with bread for the table and each of us had salads. There was plenty of food and we loved the experience.

It was unclear to me whether or not they just changed ownership or what, however, the wait was very slow while the dining room was about 20% open and 80% occupied. They had three bus person and a waitress. The kitchen looked a bit small and I have to wonder if that contributed to the slowness of food coming out. I kept things relatively straightforward at a side salad and bolognese pasta. Everything's an extra charge, change the pasta type or pay by credit card. Being a small business these days are tough. I enjoyed my meal, but an hour and a half is a bit long for a single person to eat at eat dinner. If they were under new ownership, I do hope they get the act together so that they can expedite faster. 30% who walked in and out seemed to know each other, that was awesome. The bolognese on penne pasta was the perfect size for me. Other dinner sizes were too big, about double the size. Many diners ended up taking home a third of their meal. I heard that they ran out of take out boxes. Good luck to the operators.

The food was very delicious. Knocked it out one star due to the wait time. While i understand it was dinner time (we got there before the rush) and could physically see the server running around with her head cuff off trying to attend to everyone, we waited quite a while for food. Seems like they could've used a little more help on the floor running things a little smoother. I didn't catch her name but the server was attentive where she could be, but to be running around serving the whole floor almost by herself was rough to watch...while being hungry

In town from Indiana to visit our daughter. We arrived into town and were on our own for the night and went to Yelp looking for something close. Saw the reviews for this and decided to try it. So glad we did. Our waitress was very friendly and said she has been working at La Taverna for 9 years. My daughter had the tortellini that she loved. My wife enjoyed the spaghetti and meatballs and my pizza was the best I have ever had. My wife tried it and said it before I did. The complimentary bread with olive oil pepper and Parmesan to dip was fresh and tasty. Definitely recommend and plan to go back when in town. Note that it is kind of tucked away at the back of a shopping area so if we had not looked this up we would have never just happened upon it.

I just love this place!!! The Alfredo sauce, in particular, is OUTSTANDING!!!! I usually get the alla pana and it's so enjoyable that I savor every single bite! I've tried other items too and everything is so delicious! I am so happy this place is back. They changed locations, so please be patient with them as they work out the kinks. This place deserves all the best and they try so hard. It really shows, so any thing they can do better - let them know directly. Let's build up our small businesses. I think this is one of the best Italian restaurants around!!! Keep up the good work!!! Plus, the hostess tonight was so adorable and hard working. She was so upbeat and stayed on top of things while doing a lot. You're a rockstar! She deserves much praise!

Best NY style pizza in town. They opened back up along Reidville Road next to Food Lion. I'll be getting their pizza soon.

Lunch with friends today. Salad with salmon - $27.00. Much too expensive. The prices on the menu on line are NOT accurate. Bring plenty of money, not worth it. Very over priced.

The tour of Italy was terrible and $36.00 . I would not mind the price however they use cheap ingredients.I would never go back .

Yummy pizza! We eat here all the time. I personally think it's the best pizza in the area

Solid Italian place I found to make a stop on my business trip. Nice service. The food was good!

Good, fast service. Good pizza. Not disappointed at all. The margherita pizza was very good. Would definitely recommend.

Have always enjoyed their food. Service is good. Last visit seemed like the prices had gone way up for lunch.

The food was great I use to work there owner was awesome his wife was horrible they charged the servers the cc fees for ever transaction and his wife would steal cash tips she was very abusive but the food was great I loved the house dressing to dip bread in

I went here with my family several years ago and had a really good experience so when I was passing through and I was in the mood for Italian food this place came to mind for me. I think it was good but not great. My server was just ok, but not very attentive. The salad is good. The dressing is homemade and the ingredients were fresh but it was pretty small and underwhelming. I had the stuffed shells which are much more expensive than they used to be and they give you less. Again I thought they were OK not great. I don't think they were handmade personally and they were lacking in flavor. I think for the price I could've probably bought premade ones at the grocery store and would've been just as happy. The atmosphere is nice and the menu looks pretty good. I think I might've given it a four or a five several years ago now it's a solid three. I'm not sure I'm gonna come back. If somebody said hey let's go to this place I wouldn't be opposed I just don't think that it's worth eating there again when I can try some of the other new restaurants in the area.

Looking for some great Italian food that's locally owned? Look no further and try this place. This is a great place to bring friends and have a great dining experience. One item that we always look forward to is the fresh bread that they bring to the table. It is absolutely amazing. The staff is always friendly and helpful. You can't go wrong with their amazing lasagna or their Stromboli. Please check this place out. It's one of our favorites. We hope your experience is as good as ours.

Do yourself a favor and stay in line at Olive Garden. This place is overpriced with subpar food. My kids got pizza and it was loaded with grease. The service is the only reason this place gets one star. Won't be back

The food was super mid. To change my chicken Parmesan sauce for the pasta to Alfredo was an additional $5. The salad was sad. Service was also mid.

Great food, great atmosphere I Was there with friends last weekend the place was very crowded but the food and the service was still Amazing

The food was delicious. I had penne ala vodka add side of sausage. My wife had veal Marsala. What I didn't care for were the pretentious waitresses. They all walked around like robots with fake smiles frozen on their faces.

Stopped here halfway through our roadtrip. The food was excellent, the waiters were friendly and fun and service was quick. I would definitely dine here again if I'm ever back in the area.

This place is overpriced and tastes aweful!!!!!I will never go back,I tasted three different dishes as I went with two other adults and there dishes were bad as well.The manager said"this is authentic Italian food,no I have tried that before.Don't waste your money here almost $100 for three dishes!

The chicken piccata dish that had lemon sauce was incredible! So yummy and such good service. Will definitely go again when I'm back in the area

Great atmosphere. Great service. Food was fairly authentic. Bread sticks came with only Parmesan cheese, no other seasoning for the oil. Bread sticks were perfectly warm and soft. Pasta was cooked perfectly. Fried calamari needed more flavor but was decent with the dipping marinara. The only thing I did not like was the minestrone soup which had peas in it that you could tell were frozen previously. Some more of their dishes have peas in them and I have never seen or heard of an Italian restaurant putting peas in their dishes. Capers yes but peas no. Overall I would go back because of the service and the meal items that I did enjoy and the ones I didn't have that I would like to try. Their sweet tea was the bomb though.

Nice little place. Cozy. Wonderful staff. Very friendly and fast. Received my salad and dinner in no time. The house dressing is flavorful and light. Fresh bread and butter is also served. Marsala sauce was a little heavy on the tomato, but very tasty

This place is amazing! Way better than Olive Garden. The food is fresh and the service is good. There's free bread and oil. The bread was still warm! I ordered the 4 cheese pasta - it was unbelievable. The side salad was also very good. It such a great restaurant. We will be returning.

We have been here before and it was acceptable, this trip my wife ordered Chicken Marsala and when it was served it wasn't anything like a Marsala that we had at any other restaurant. Other than the couple of bites to taste it nothing else was eaten off of the plate!! The manager came to our table and said that there was nothing she would do to make it right period!! And I mean period. So if it doesn't look right don't taste it just send it back or you have bought it and will leave paying for a $25.00 meal and go home hungry.!! Recommend to just eat at a different Italian restaurant or eat at a restaurant that is concerned about the customer!!

Pizza is the best in Spartanburg, I also have had the Penne and sausage, sauce has good flavor, pasta cooked perfectly. Sausage is more of a mild, would love to have the option for hot. But overall good food.

The food, spaghetti and meatballs, for my wife and I were about the best we ever had. Service was friendly and efficient, pricing was moderate but worth every cent, and we'll be returning. Just moved here from Florida and will bring visitors here for a nice evening. Try it, you'll like it.

Got a bad single serve bottle of Prosecco... owner would not take it off my bill or swap it out for another bottle... Pathetic customer service... the wait staff were wonderful and apologetic. Well the owner may have saved herself $5.00 on the bottle but she lost customers...a group from our neighborhood that go every 6 weeks or so.. bye bye!

Delicious flavor, amazing fresh homemade bread and high quality salad and vegetable ingredients. We sat in a comfortable booth but there are Tables too. Pretty music that wasn't too loud so we were able to have a peaceful conversation. Server and owner were so hospitable and kind. Definitely recommend.

This is a tough review. There were many reasons I liked this place. And, there were very valid reasons that made me not happy by the time we left. We ordered Fried Mozzarella, and the waitress had no idea what I was talking about... okay Mozzarella sticks... she said an okay.. when we got them, they were premade frozen and not good. The table bread was very good. The salad that came with our meals was very very small, if you wanted an extra dressing it's an up charge? Then the meals came out. Our daughter enjoyed her kids stuffed shells and ate every bite. My eggplant impressed me as it was sliced very thin and delicate. However, they piled up four pieces, put a ladle of sauce ontop, and a piece of cheese. The side angle hair pasta same thing only one ladle. So as soon as I saw it I asked for extra sauce. Waitress said okay but it's an upcharge. I said that's fine, then I told her My boyfriend Veal Marsala wasn't good. The piece of meat was the toughest I've ever tasted. The waitress didn't come back right away to see how every thing was so by the time we told her, he had cut it all up to bite size pieces and mixed it into his meal. The manager came over and offered to cook another piece and she did. However the piece was half the size of the original and he only had three bites of the original and she told him to keep it. When she brought it she says next time to tell them right away and send the whole thing back.... Well we would have but waitress didn't check on us in a timely manner after bringing dishes. I also was not happy bc they brought me a tiny metal cup about 3 tablespoons of extra sauce and it barely did the job and charged 1.00??? For an extra 1.00 it should of been a cup of sauce. So needless to say I've got mixed feeling hence the three star review. Also we waited a good few minutes the staff acknowledged us standing there. Lastly the place was very clean and so were the bathrooms. Our waitress was attentive. Not sure I'll go back.

Amazing customer service from our waitress, for the love of me I can't remember her name but she was a delight she recommended us to try the white pizza with bacon as well as the Quattro Formaggi. The food was delicious and the general ambiance of the restaurant was good as well.

Food was amazing! Staff was very friendly. It was my birthday and they made a dessert plate. All good was amazing. My husband said the veal parmigiana was the best he had ever had.

There is nothing better than an amazing Italian restaurant. That being said, you have to pick your battles. If you want a candlelight Italian dinner this is the place but the lighting was too bright for my taste. If they dimmed the restaurant lights slightly and lit the candles at every table this place would feel amazingly warm and inviting and help the stand out (are you listening, La Taverna?). I was not impressed at all by the appetizers. But as I said, you have to pick your battles. I'm looking forwards to coming back to try the pizza. But the pasta? Very good. Not quite hitting that fifth star but very good. That is what you come here for and there's something for everyone as you get to choose your style of pasta and the way it's made. Next time I will request al dente as it was cooked a bit too through for my taste. I was greeted by what seemed to more so be the owner or manager rather than a hostess. In fact I'm sure they don't have a dedicated hostess as this lady had the voice to sound nice but a frown of stone. However we were seated right away and our server came up to greet us quickly so I can't complain. What I can complain about however is when I called the restaurant earlier in the week to confirm closing time (Apple Maps said 10pm on a weekday, so did Yelp). I called the first time and it rang out. Tried back again and someone picked up and HUNG UP ON ME. So I called a third time, HUNG UP ME AGAIN. Apparently the forth time they realized I don't like being hung up on and the answered and after confirming the hours they were closed already but it was just minutes past the hour so I thanked them and told them online it said otherwise and that I'll suggest an update (which after this review, I will). But the food you ask? As for the run down we have... Bread - 3/5 stars - nothing to write home about and served with rock hard butter from the fridge, the kind you get at hotels in small packets. It would be so easy to just serve spreadable butter or at least be given some olive oil and herbs concoction. So I just opted for the plain olive oil in a bottle on my table. Salad 1/5 stars - Very small portion with a tiny side of dressing. I ordered the house made dressing. This is where the single star kicks in. Tomato and basil dressing. Garlic level 7/10. Which means I couldn't taste tomato or basil. Epic fail. Appetizers: Broccoli 1/5 stars - a very meager portion of what appears and tastes of very small frozen broccoli cuts tossed in a pan with a load of garlic (and I mean a TON of garlic). It has so much garlic in it that I could not even eat it. I can't believe they charge $6 for this mess. It should not be on the menu. Had I been offered even a single piece of celery with peanut butter to replace it with I would have paid more. A disgrace. Mozzarella Sticks 1/5 stars - oh come on, you're an Italian restaurant. It isn't difficult to pan fry slices of cheese in breading and Italian seasonings so why frozen? You can get that at the grocery store, and you probably should instead of ordering this. Fried Calamari 3/5 stars - now this actually does seem to be made fresh and hand battered. That being said, don't expect only rings. This comes with whole mini squids as well which may turn people off to it if they aren't used to it but some may love it. That being said they were the only ones that seemed bigger than the size of a fingerprint as all the rings were fairly small which made dipping more difficult. Served with lemon wedges and rightfully so. No ranch here like some other restaurants, it comes with marinara only (though you may be able to substitute it but why would you?). All in all, I give them an "A" for effort on this one. Not bad, but not good, certainly not worth the price they charge for it. A meager portion. Entrees: (this is where they shine) Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti - 4/5 stars - well cooked and breaded, good sauce, can't go wrong. Excellent portion size. More flavor in the sauce and I'd give this a 5/5, no question about it. Portobello with linguine - 4/5 stars - the menu describes the sauce as a creamy Marsala wine sauce. Don't expect to taste Marsala wine. If I had to guess, it was made with some type of bechamel (a versatile cream sauce used in many recipes made with flour, butter and milk) and at some point light garlic notes and nice slices of portobello mushrooms and parley with chicken breast cutlets. I cried a small tear in my heart for my linguine being broken in half before cooking, it was served with a spoon but there was no need as it was like eating kids cut up spaghetti with a fork. General rule, never ever break your pasta before cooking. That should be on request only. I'd recommend if you enjoy twirling your pasta onto your spoon for nice large bites then tell them you don't want your linguine broken. With a little more flavor and uncut pasta I'd easily give this dish a 5/5 stars.

We like La Traverna. We go often with friends. The sauce is good and most dishes as well. Try their pizza. Having been to Italy, we find it pretty close to the real deal.

We made reservations in advance for 20 people they not only provided great service , it was cheerful. Everyone ordered different dinners and plenty of drinks

Pizza was pretty good. Nothing fancy but hit the spot. The spinach and cheese was well distributed. Wished the crust had a little more flavor to it, personally. I'd like to try some of their other things next time.

Service is good. Lasagna and chicken parm are fantastic. The bread is made fresh and just the thought can cause your mouth to water.

WARNING. They do NOT HONOR websites menu prices or menu at restauran. poor business principal food fair... calamari like rubber.