Carino's closed (Knoxville, Sevierville, Kingston: home, live, restaurants)

[hiknapster]

I talked to a Johnny Carino's employee the other day. She said that Carino's at Turkey Creek is closed and the company was sending her to Little Rock. I was shocked. I had been to the Sevierville location and the food was wonderful!

I looked at the knoxnews.com website and there was no mention of this.

Does anyone know if this is really true? The employee was very sure of this.

[LilCabinGirl]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I talked to a Johnny Carino's employee the other day. She said that Carino's at Turkey Creek is closed and the company was sending her to Little Rock. I was shocked. I had been to the Sevierville location and the food was wonderful!

I looked at the knoxnews.com website and there was no mention of this.

Does anyone know if this is really true? The employee was very sure of this.

My husband and I tried to go there on Feb. 18th and it was closed then. I remember being shocked because all the restaurants in the area were packed with people.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I talked to a Johnny Carino's employee the other day. She said that Carino's at Turkey Creek is closed and the company was sending her to Little Rock. I was shocked. I had been to the Sevierville location and the food was wonderful!

I looked at the knoxnews.com website and there was no mention of this.

Does anyone know if this is really true? The employee was very sure of this.

Yep. it's closed. That happened right on the heels of Italian Market and Grill.

[JMT]

I can't say I'm surprised. I never thought the food was that good. I mean, it was ok, but nothing to write home about. And the service was LOUSY. I went with friends once, and the hostess had us move THREE TIMES during the course of the evening saying each table she put us at had already been reserved by another party (even though there were plenty of empty tables in the restaurant).

When the waitress spilled a Coke all over one of the people in our party, the manager comped him on the Coke, not the entire meal. Two people in our party received the wrong side items.

I gave Carino's one more try another time. The service was better, but the food was still mediocre (it wasn't even hot), and they still got our order wrong.

I"d rather go to Louie's in Fountain City for some good Italian food.

[mbmouse]

I think JMT hit the nail. We have a Johnny Carino's here in JC but last year they changed the name to just Carino's and I wondered what that was all about, but haven't gotten around to asking as of yet. It is one of my favorites actually. A lot of that has to do with the food but also the service! Right across the street is an olive garden. Now I like the food at both but the service at OG in JC is awful! The orders are never right and the food has been cold, we don't go back to that one. However if we are in another city, we eat at OG and love it! It isn't always a name or location that makes a restaurant successful, it is the management and staff almost always.

[inave]

On the subject of closed restaurants...does anyone know what happened to CozyMel's on Kingston TP?

[jabogitlu]

How odd, mouse, I always think the food and service at OG in JC is great!

But I hate both Carino's and Carrabba's. The food just tastes... plastic. I'd much rather eat at Fazoli's, even!

[knoxgarden]

Cozymel's has closed. That's a shame. They were expensive, but I loved their made at the table guacamole and their fajitas.
Several other locally owned Mexican places have opened near there, may have hurt their business. Haven't been to Abuelo's yet but was at Borders across from it in Turkey Creek the other night and it was doing a lot of business.
Knoxville is a tough restaurant town. Lots of competition and good food at locally owned places and small local chains.
For Italian, I don't care for Louie's -- don't like their marinara -- but love Naples.
I was driving down KP this afternoon and saw the Philly Steak place near what used to be Disc Exchange has closed and there's a "coming soon" sign for Taj Indian food. I wonder if it will be drive thru? That would be cool.

[hiknapster]

I grew up on ALL local restaurants. Even Florida had more, so I find the local restaurant scene to be lacking for a city of this size.

Speaking of local food, does anyone know where Harby's Pizza is on Broadway?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I grew up on ALL local restaurants. Even Florida had more, so I find the local restaurant scene to be lacking for a city of this size.

Speaking of local food, does anyone know where Harby's Pizza is on Broadway?

Harby's isn't quite on Broadway, but close. It's on Walker Blvd about a half block east of Broadway. And it is goooooood.