For the past few years we've gone to Tellos for a date night with another couple during our a vacation. This year the experience was good, but not as great as it had been in previous years. The evening started with a pear vodka martini with gorgonzola stuffed olives which sounded delicious on paper but was actually rather bland. The pear slices weren't very ripe and didn't have that wonderful pear flavor. We also started with the "2-minute" calamari that our waitress explained (twice) was not breaded. Being this close to Chicago where they fry everything I bet they've had a lot of this app sent back and so now they add a disclaimer when someone tries to order it. My wife and I however do like calamari this way so persevered only to get calamari that was chewier then it should have been. Maybe they should have cooked it longer and called it the 2:30 calamari. For dinner we both ordered the Penne con Porcini was good but very rich because of all of the gorgonzola in the dish. Now I like gorgonzola (a lot) but even a few bits of this dish had me wishing for less mushrooms. Overall the meal was ok, but not as exceptional as the menu prices would have you believe.
(3)
Stephanie W.
Second year in a row went for happy hour $6 pizza and beer and wine special....make sure you bring Id they card everyone! Even if you are forty and are with your husband and two kids. One kid liked the pizza the other didn't. Good meat balls. Margarita pizza had way too much garlic from a jar! Good thing I like extra thin pizza and let it slide. Bring a sweater, cold.
(3)
James A.
First for the good things, like the decor and ambiance, the music, and service was good. Had the Perrin IPA beer which was also good. My wife had the Chicken Marsala which was good. Now for the bad. I ordered the Gemelli alla Puttanesca which is described on the menu as having Jumbo Shrimp. The dish was tasty. But I know what Jumbo shrimp is and I expected 5 or 6 large shrimp. I was very disappointed, and when she brought the dish I said where are the shrimp. She pointed to a less then bite size piece of shrimp. The dish had maybe 5 or 6 small bites of shrimp. For spending almost $20, this was a disappointment and did not meet my expectations. I did say something to the server and she said something to the manager. The manager came over a apologized, but that was it! I expected more then an apology. I'm rating it as 2 star for the good reasons above.
(2)
Nic Z.
Tello is a romantic little spot in South Haven. It's steps from the water and has a lovely ambiance inside. The booths are cozy, and service was solid. For dinner, we both ordered Fennel and Apple Salad and the Lemon Chicken Picatta. Delicious. I really enjoyed the whole meal. Their house bread is also good and kept us happily munching until the entrees arrived.
(4)
Sean A.
WTH...have never had a bad meal here and tonight is no different.....the Pork chop with apple and Gorgonzola was amazing. My wife had veal and best ever. I highly recommend this place for all food and spirits.
(5)
Yanja B.
An amazing Italian place found in the heart of SoHa! A group of girls and I came here for a birthday and we enjoyed every bit of it! The food is amazing, the ambiance is so cute and intimate, and the service was amazing! We ordered the sausage and pepper pizza- amazing. Also, order spaghetti and meatball- delish; my friend and I were sharing so the kitchen kindly split up the entree into two portions! Our wait staff was absolutely amazing and so attentive. Def coming back to this place next time I visit SoHa.
Nice ambience. Service was a bit slow but server was very nice and did well otherwise. Food is over priced. Lamb shank was very good but bolognese was overwhelmed by the roasted pork in the sauce. Dinner for two was about $80 and at that price the food didn't measure up.
(3)
Geriann K.
Butternut squash was excellent. Chicken marsala was good but nothing to write home about. The staff was accommodating and sat us a half if hour early albeit in the bar. Erica, our waitress was attentive and pleasant. The decor was a bit dark for our taste and would have preferred to sit in the main room but would definitely recommend a meal here. It is a bit loud, but we had no problem conversing.
(4)
Lori G.
Be sure to make reservations because there was a two hour wait if you just walked in. The restaurant is small, tables kinda close together. Tonie, our server, was attentive and accommodating. We split a small Caesar salad, a pizza (which they made off the menu) and chicken Marsala. They split the chicken in the back for us, including the vegetables and potatoes. The food was wonderful. We would definitely go here again!
(4)
Louis R.
Very good. Will be back. Truffled egg has lovely gorgonzola sauce and the charred bread is super tasty. Had specialty scallops on rice croquets with hot sauce. Nicely seared and tasty.
(5)
Jofi S.
They were blasting 80's music when we came in and I had to request them to turn it down. Then a waitress came next to the table where we were seated and turned the lights on full blast and started folding cloth napkins in the front of the house! Very unprofessional. Food was mediocre and expensive. For my money, I'd rather go to Saugatuck where they have some class! This is the first and last time I'll come here!
(2)
David S.
First time here and I feel like I've finally found a restaurant that appeals to our finer tastes. The food is not only excellent, but also original. The dishes have an authentic feel while delivering fresh and exquisite twists on old classics. Despite the great food, our favorite aspect of this restaurant is the style and quality of service. The staff wears a warm small town smile yet delivering 5 star attention and etiquette. Cheers to Tello's, may we visit and enjoy you for years to come.
(5)
Ron M.
Sendom do i eat out and wish i had just stayed home, this was one occasion The risotto was crunchy and rather tasteless. It was sent back and the replacement was just as crunchy. Bread was only delivered to table after asking the rather not interested waitress. No i would not go back.
(2)
Ritu R.
O. M. G. What a surprise and oh so good! Everything we has was to die for. The following will leave u wanting more and more: 33 min eggs.-2 served w 2 pieces of bread. Scallops w cauliflower - 2 pieces; Arancini (risotto balls) - 3 crispy pieces. Mussels wow and fresh Zucchini soup & gorgonzola - taste just keeps lingering. Cup is pretty big. Rich & memorable. The entrees were not as amazing as the apps... 22 of us has the whitefish = 3.5/5 it was not as flavorful and too hot when served we both got burned One had the spaghetti Primavera which was bland = 2.5/5 One had the butternut squash ravioli and was in love....all the flavors were spot on and she thinks about it. I thought it was more of a winter entree but it was done right. = 5/5 Tasty, well flavored and balanced cocktails. One guest highly recommends the balsamic bloody mary as its was "bloody good!" Service was fantastic even w harborfest going on outside. Two servers on top of the service. WOW. Without a doubt...Best in the area!!
(4)
Alissa C.
Went here for 2 year anniversary. Loved the atmosphere! It was very romantic, yet I felt comfortable in a sundress. Food was great, the calamari appetizer was one of the best I've had (and I consider myself a harsh critic!) Of course, the wine was great as well.
(5)
Chris D.
Great place, the food was absolutely amazing! I had the sage and prosciutto stuffed veal and I loved every bite of it. The veal was cooked just right and the capers added the right amount of zing to it. The fresh vegetables were a nice break from all the fried food served in the area. I also liked how they added Parmesan cheese to the olive oil dip for the bread. The only knocks that I have on the place is that it was very loud inside from all of the patrons trying to talk over each other in the small dining area.
(4)
Dale B.
Tello's is another icon in SH. There down town location is quaint. It is nicely decorated and comfortable. The place will get busy and it's small so plan on a wait. The food is always good. I like the pizzas best. Tello's is a little more pricey than you might expect. They have good wine selections too! Tello's is a must try!
(4)
Coco M.
The pasta dishes are ok, but don't get the calamari. I got that as a main course and have never had it served with banana peppers--and couldn't get over the wierd taste combination. The ambience is great, although the service was SO slow..and the restaurant wasn't even that busy. There's not many great dinner options in the area, so am bummed we didn't try one of the other Italian options in town.
(3)
Ryan S.
Exceptionally friendly and knowledgable staff. Great wine selection and $6 happy hour pizzas for $6 are delicious.
(5)
Renee S.
This is a really good italian place. I really enjoyed the seafood linguine. Scallops were perfectly seared. Love the wine bar!
(4)
George B.
We celebrated a birthday at Tello last evening. The meal was excellent from start to finish. The calamari appetizer with two kinds of sweet peppers was outstanding, best I ever had. I followed it with the lemon chicken which also was divine. My husband had the stuffed veal - excellent, the others enjoyed the butternut squash ravioli and pork chop dinners-both excellent. Our server was great, we never felt rushed, but she was there when we wanted her. We capped the meal with a teramisu light and delicious. The manager came over and asked how we enjoyed the meal. It was a pleasure to tell him
(5)
Melanie I.
One of my favorites in the area. Butternut squash ravioli and the whitefish are the best items on the menu. Wines are a bit pricey but they have a large selection to choose from. Love the atmosphere. Staff are helpful but service can run on the slow side in the evening hours.
(5)
D C.
Sorry to say this is an not authentic Italian restaurant. Went there for our anniversary my wife's food was salmon it was seriously burnt. We sent it back I ate part if my food while they cooked a new piece for her. We also bought scallops as an appetizer. They gave us two for $14. They were cooked perfect but come on, this is South Haven not LA. I think they can do better than that with a little effort. My dish was supposed to have sausage in it. I could find only 4 small cut up little pieces. We ordered deserts it looked like it shrank in the fridge over the winter. Dry crumbling and hard line the salmon it should have never been served
(2)
Nancy K.
Has the lemon chicken it was delicious generous portions service at the bar was great we did not have a reservation so took the bar choice it was so worth it have eaten here on other occasions always pleased
(5)
Genevieve N.
My husband and I visited Tello for the first time a couple of weeks ago while vacationing in South Haven. I have mixed feelings about it. The service was not great; it took 15-20 minutes to put in our drink order, and our server was not knowledgeable about the wine-by-the-glass list. However, the food was excellent. We ordered a couple of appetizers, including the scallops (which were amazing!), and then we got desserts. The tiramisu was delicious.
(3)
Paula S.
I wanted Italian for my birthday dinner!! Walked in and was seated immediately! The staff was attentive and knowledgeable regarding the menu. I had the night's special which was Shrimp Scampi. My husband had the Spaghetti & Meatball. Although the food was good, it just wasn't up to par with our favorite restaurant here close to home. Lots of garlic...which I didn't mind since I love it!!
(4)
Ronda L.
We've been frequenting Tellos since it's previous location many years ago and it's always top notch! The butternut squash ravioli is my all time favorite and they always have a seasonal fresh salad or soup that is divine! They keep the bread and oil coming and the atmosphere & wine selection are great.
(5)
Katie V.
We went here to enjoy a romantic dinner to celebrate our Anniversary. Our B&B host had called in a reservation for us the day before but they lost our reservation, however luckily we had made the reservation for early in the evening and they had not yet filled up and sat us right away. The waitresses were very knowledgeable about the food and I really am glad I ordered the Seafood Linguine it was delicious. My husband got the stuffed pork chop which was also just as good. They make the olive oil, pepper, and parmesan cheese dipping sauce at the side of the table which is a nice touch. They were not that knowledgeable about the wine selection though. One odd thing was that they have a serving table in the middle of the restaurant for the wait staff to use and they brought out dishes and began to dry and stack them on the table out there. I found this not consistent with an upper scale italian restaurant for the me.
(4)
David R.
Very nice restaurant in the middle if South Haven. Had an early reservation (7pm) and they were very receptive to young children. Food was excellent and ambiance is very good. Only complaint is the size of the children's meals and the wine selection could be better.
(4)
Adam G.
My brother and I stopped by on whim because we were in the area. It looked like your typical Italian Bistro, a bit cookie cutter, but it was clean and nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. I ordered the Penne con Porchini and my brother got the Bolognese. Mine was very creamy and the mushrooms were plump and tasty. My brother wasn't a big fan of what he got, but I think it was something he wasn't expecitng. I would be sure to make a return visit if I was in South Haven again.
(4)
Brian B.
Service was great and timely throughout the meal. The staff did all of the little and big things right. The food was excellent with choices for whole family. We were seated immediately although seating is limited. A large free parking lot can be found just behind the restaurant. The wine selection was reasonable. Would recommend reservation due to size of restaurant.
(5)
lisa f.
Strange ingredients and preparation of food. Regional Michigan but not authentic Italian. Nice atmosphere, overpriced wine list with good choices. No foodie options in South Haven. Cook for yourself! And bring wine from home.
(3)
Lynn H.
We found this place ourselves when we took a trip to South Haven during the off season. It was one of the few places on the strip that was open. The food was good; I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, which was great! Hubby strip steak, which was OK. They were out of the wine we ordered and graciously substituted a more expensive label of the same variety for the lower price. Service was provided by a college-age waitress who was friendly but inexpert. I expected a higher level of service and wine knowledge for the price of the meal. However, her friendly demeanor and the intimate ambiance did make for an enjoyable experience.
(3)
Jon F.
Ordered the Lasagne alla Bolognese and it was overcooked. Told the waitress who sent the floor manager to my table. I showed him the burnt bottom layer and told him the Lasagne had an off taste. He DID NOT offer to comp the meal or offer a free desert. Will not return again.
(1)
Mark H.
Salads good but small. My lasagna was awful. It was all canned beef and lasagna noodles. wife's risotto was good. Service good.
(3)
Patty T.
We ate Sunday brunch at Tello! The service was good and the food was excellent! Nice atmosphere, great music. I was with two other people who ate a house salad and the spinach salad with a fried egg. I had a blt with egg! Yum!
(4)
Ab B.
Four of us ladies went here during our girls weekend. The ambiance is relaxed, quaint yet elegant. We sat at the bar and had nice wine and appetizers. The female bartender was awesome. When my sister-in-law thought her wine was too sweet she offered her a sample of something else. When she didn't like that either (she doesn't normally drink wine, but thought 'hey, it's a wine bar.') the bartender said no problem, i'll get you something else. She had no attitude whatsoever. We shared the goat cheese pizza, calamari, brushetta. The best was the mushroom mozzarella meatball. We had a very nice evening. I would give 5 stars if the menu (for both wine and food) was more extensive. I'll definitely be going back here with hubby.
(4)
Todd W.
We visited Tello's on a recent trip to South Haven over the Memorial Day weekend. We figured it would be crowded so we decided to call ahead and reserve a table for 8 p.m. Our table for 4 was waiting when we arrived at 8 p.m. which was fantastic. Everything when South after we sat down. Our server was "ok" but extremely slow. Water took to long after we sat down. The men ordered Manhattan's and the ladies ordered wine. The wine was brought out around 10 minutes after we placed the order. 30 minutes went by before our waitress came by and said they "we're out of the certain vermouth or something" for your drinks. Thirsty and getting bored, we decided to order draft beers. Beers came to the table in 10 minutes. It's now 8:40 p.m. and we finally have our drinks (and no bread like all of the other tables). Our waitress disappeared for 20 minutes which was a bit strange considering it was now 9 o'clock and most folks have been done eating at this point in the night (we figured she might want to start taking care of her table(s) at this point but that was not the case. We finally ordered. Three pasta dishes and their filet. 40 minutes went by before our dinner was ready. Everyone enjoyed their meal except myself. I ordered the Parpadelle Bolognese which sounded good on the menu. It was disgusting. It looked like they had opened up a store bought container of pulled pork and tried to dress it up with tobasco and some sort of bbq dressing or something. After waiting 40 minutes for a drink and then another hour for this plate, I wasn't happy. This was easily the worst experience at a restaurant in a while. I will never go back to Tello's in South Haven and don't recommend it.
(1)
Evan H.
While on a nice relaxing vacation in South Haven with my gf and her family we decided to wonder into town and try out this little Italian spot. With a young baby in our party I thought it may present a logistic problem with a stroller but in fact we had a large table and had room on each end for the stroller - very accommodating. There was a very nice wine list that also seemed to be very reasonable. They had peroni on tap along with some standard selections. For my starter I tried the two minute calamari which I think needed another 30 seconds or hotter oil. The flavor was there just a bit chewy. For my main course I had the lamb "lolipops" which ended up being a huge portion of 8 split up into twos with a pesto sauce. The lamb was cooked to perfection, however the risotto in the center was not. The dish was still huge and tasty. Of the other dishes I tried, the scallops with pancetta and greens was amazing. The pancetta was so crisp and flavorful, a perfect compliment. The meal was quite great and definitely a local winner.
(4)
Mary M.
Went there w/friends on a weekend getaway. We were rushed through dinner, they didn't have the first two bottles of wine we requested (they're a WINE BAR), the soup was tasteless and out of 8 of us, no one liked their meal. Do not go here.
(1)
Dianna D.
We didn't actually eat here after a very rude experience we had with the hostess. We had 8 pm dinner reservations, walked in at 8:10. Waited in line and checked in with hostess apologizing for being a few minutes late. She said they only hold tables for 15 mins...well it wasn't even 8:15 yet and they wouldn't seat us!!! For real??!!! VERY RUDE!! Will never return.
(2)
Monique M.
Tello's cute, quaint ambiance drew my boyfriend and I to this place during our bed n breakfast get away..... We were greeting by a friendly hostess and were amazed by the newly renovated decor as she escorted us to our cozy corner table by the bar. The waitstaff was awesome.. (attentive, friendly and somewhat knowledgeable) Manager was super nice and accommodating! THE FOOD- HOWEVER, was truly disappointing :( We Ordered: The truffled eggs- an appetizer which equated to unflavored runny boiled eggs that were slightly fried; over a bed of not so great white runny sauce. (great concept. not so greatly executed..) Whitefish- which was a mushy pot of veggies n slightly undercooked Talapia Spicy seafood linguine- which I had to send back because the scallops were BURNT TO A CRISP. The wine selections was minimal... out of almost everything they had on the list while we were there. (though they apologized and said shipment was due the following day) Eh.. not really worth the $95 we spent for only 2 people. I would go back to chat amongst friends... and enjoy a drink (if they have any)
(2)
Joe S.
Actual rating 2.5 stars. Decent Italian food overall. The menu sports the usual Italian dishes, a few of which are made in house. If you remember the old Tello's off bluestar, you'll likely be disappointed as the new menu is much smaller and much more expensive serving foods just doused in oil and butter. The restaurant itself couldn't be any more crammed and uncomfortable. We had a table that was literally 8 feet from the noisy kitchen and server station. We had to listen to the banging in the kitchen and yapping servers all meal. Another table was so close to the front door that people walking in kept hitting the customers who were trying to relax and enjoy their meal. Tello- here's a suggestion- buy the place immediately next door, double your dining space, expand and freshen up your menu, and offer a more relaxing atmosphere so customers can actually enjoy their food.
(3)
Carol T.
We were visiting friends near South Haven, and were on our own for dinner on a Saturday evening, so walked into Tello at about 5:00 p.m. to see if we could get a table without a reservation, particularly since it was early in the evening, and we could see at least ten empty tables. Rather than giving us a wait time, we were told that they "had no openings" until 9:30 p.m., which was just a ridiculous statement on its face, unless they were suggesting that they had scheduled all of their seatings to begin at exactly the same time for all of their tables, which no one does. Anyway, we went to Phoenix Street Cafe across the street and had a great meal with great service.
(1)
Julie T.
So so good! Wow! I wish we lived closer. Service was excellent! Food even better! Ice tea instant, but everything else homemade! Loved it!!!
(5)
Sean A.
Eat here with my wife and the food was incredible the drink were great and the service was top notch. We had the calamari and to martini's for Appetizers. Then I had the Seafood Bolognese and it was awesome and my wife the Whitefish and Scallops and that to was incredible. All in all this was the best food we have had in South Haven and what a great place to eat and enjoy the person you love,
(4)
Amanda C.
I enjoyed dinner at Tello for the atmosphere and food. We actually ended up coming here because the line was so long at the first place we went, and were glad we did. They have nightly specials, and the Thursday we were there was $20 for a bottle of wine and appetizer of bruschetta which was a great deal and delicious. They have 8-10 varieties of bruschetta which is new for me- we ordered mozzarella/tomato/basil, balsamic tuna, and goat cheese/red peppers. All were very good. My entree was Spaghetti di Tello and seems like an unusual combination but all ingredients went well together: spaghetti, dried cherries, gorgonzola, and walnuts tossed in olive oil. I thought the cherry aspect would be very Michigan-esque. Finally, we shared a HUGE serving of tiramisu which was amazing. Definitely go here for dinner!
(5)
A G.
Made a reservation and was seated right away. As other reviewers have noted we had two individuals provide table service for us. The servers were attentive and did not visit the table too much, nor did they neglect us. My wife and I both ordered salads before dinner and thought the proportion and taste was just fine. For dinner, my wife had the ristotto (which was a bit salty for my liking) and I ordered the whitefish. The fish entree was okay. It contained a mixture of vegetables, potatoes, the fish, some lemon, and an assortment of herbs. The fish was rather tasteless and could have used some more complex flavors. All in all, it was okay. I've had better, but have also had worse. The restaurant itself was quaint. At the front of the restaurant there is a table which contains a variety of wine glasses and water pitchers. I am assuming this is for waitstaff use. The table placement made it quite difficult to maneuver in and out of the restaurant when there were people seated at nearby tables. The walls and ceiling are rather dark, which adds to the ambience of the setting. Tables are rather close to one another, which can make you feel like your part of another party visiting this establishment. All in all, our experience at Tello was alright. If we were to visit the area again, we might make a stop at this restaurant. But I think we would try other establishments first.
(3)
Priscilla F.
Had the Grilled Porterhouse Pork Chops and it was delicious. Also, the waitress recommended the Three Minute Truffle Eggs, since they were out of mussels and it was surprisingly great! We had a great time. The atmosphere was nice and our waitress, Valeria was very helpful and friendly.
(5)
Ivan V.
Was int he area during a family road trip and we found this spot. It had just opened for the day so we were 1 of 2 parties there. Food: Great. Everyone, for the most part was pleased. My sister thought the oven pizza was "okay, but too thin," my father "loved" his fish, my step-mom thought her chicken was very good, and I really liked the spaghetti and meatballs (though it only had 2 meatballs). Drinks: Amazing wine selection. Not sure what wines the parents had but I had beer. Service: Even though they were training employees, the service was great. All were attractive females (On my way to the restroom I joked that it had to be employment requirement) and friendly.
(4)
alicia b.
So if this was the last place I had eaten when I visited South Haven I may have dished out a 4 star just for the edible fact but since it was the first, I still had my Chicago taste buds flared so I wasnt impressed. Its soooo cutely decorated,super cozy and romantic.Its a wine bar so they have tons of wine options along with a wine bar you can sit at. We opted out of the wine since both of us wanted a drink.Bf got a belividere martini that showed up in the tiniest glass ever and only about 3/4 of the way full,what a rip off and disappointment.They should be ashamed to serve a drink that small and charge $9! The waitresses carry around electronic order taker thingys,kinda weird,to techy for a nice restaurant and a bit distracting,the girls were always typing on them.The menu is a nice size offering a couple apps.,pasta dishes,meaty choices and gourmet pizza. We started with the bruschetta trio--white bean= dry tasteless, olive= salty!!!, tomato----freakin awesome! They should just serve three of the tomato the rest are a waste. We both ordered the cup of minestrone soup.It was vegetarian!! The soup was the best part of the meal,tasty,thick and not too salty.yumm Bf got the pizza with sausage. After much decision making I went with the tello di spaghetti,a spaghetti with gorgonzola,walnuts,dried cherries, olive oil and basil...I know sounds amazing right? Yea not so much it was tasteless except for the chunks of unmelted gorgonzola that was so bitter thats all you could taste. Bf liked his za but it was thin and raw in the middle, coulda used a couple more minutes in the oven, I think Oh yea they do a double waitress thing too.You get two waiters which = super confusing and doesnt make sense to me.
(3)
Edward W.
Polenta was delicious. Pizza was good. Everything else was ok. Would come back.
(3)
phillip h.
Overpriced, very small portions. food is much better at restaurants like olive garden and Carrabba's restaurants. ala carte so a $15.99 spaghetti dinner does not come with anything else. very small portion size on such an expensive spaghetti meal. Sauce is bland, so they save on spices too. I'm not cheap; I'd be happy to pay $15.99 if the food was good or even if they could have made the portion size bigger and provided a salad along with the spaghetti. It is well decorated, so I guess you pay for atmosphere, but if you want tasty food go somewhere else.a
(1)
Katy H.
My boyfriend and I came in for dinner while we were on vacation in December. The restaurant was recommended by our innkeepers. As December is the off season, the restaurant wasn't very busy. We made a reservation anyway and were seated right next to the podium and the front door. Overall the food was decent. Nothing too special and next time I'm in town I will definitely try a different restaurant. The decor and ambience was very nice. And it was a cozy romantic place for a date, even if the food was nothing to write home about.
(3)
david g.
A very nice restaurant It has pretty good wine list also. I ordered the Chicken Marsala, which had a side of polenta (hmmm not too sure about corn meal and chicken Marsala,) I don't think the combo worked at all. However that's the only complaint I have to make, everything else was fine. Next time I am in town, i will go back and try something else
(4)
Diana L.
Last Sunday dinner here was a lovely affair, and yet the service knocked it down a star. Mostly because it was oddly ill timed. We didn't feel ignored as much as left to our own devices until we stared off into the distance long enough to be noticed. I had the Crimini Mushroom Ravioli for my entree and have no complaints. The pillow-y bits of pasta were on the denser side, half of the ravioli left with me in a box and made a fine lunch the next day. The lemon cream sauce was on the lighter side and tasted of real fresh lemon and basil. Truffled Crispy egg appetizer was fine as well, a little heavy since it was a fried soft-ish boiled egg in a heavy gorgonzola sauce with toasted bread. The combination of flavors were sound though and we weren't surprised when the adorable blond buss-er mentioned it was her favorite. We passed on dessert, the food was just too filling to end with tiramisu or flour less chocolate cake. The service was, as stated, just off in some strange way we didn't quite understand and ended up discussing more afterward then the food. The presence of the electronic order pads was a fine idea but the interaction between the staff seemed lacking. When our server introduced herself she also mentioned a second server, which only showed up once to give us bread and oil with freshly shaved parmesan and milled pepper. So this was the kicker of the confusion over the service; we ordered our appetizer then received it from the aforementioned third woman and it wasn't until after we had finished and the dish had been taken away (and some time later) that our entree order was taken. The food came out pretty quick after that, it was just... odd.
(4)
Jim K.
The food is always good, and the prices rather modest for the "upscale" dining they seem to be striving to present. The wine list is pretty nice too, and the wines by the glass are a step above what's offered by most places. The service there can be spotty though; we've had both some of our best dining experiences there, with a server who seemed to be able to anticipate our every need without being intrusive, and we've had some poor experiences with servers that seemed overwhelmed and unable to take care of their sections. Overall, though, this is one of the best places to eat in South Haven, although I recommend making a reservation far in advance during the summer months since the place gets mobbed by Chicagoans (like us) with houses in Michigan ...
(4)
Shawn D.
Becky behind the bar is worth the price of admission, hands down. Bruschetta is great, pizzas look decent (but haven't tried yet), but I do think the entrees are missing that something extra. Maybe need a new exec chef with a deep Italian cuisine background. No "high end" competition in South Haven may translate to not having to try very hard since people will walk in the door without much effort.
(3)
David K.
The food was amazing. We stopped in for lunch and had an appetizer of poached eggs that were coated in bread crumbs, then broiled, and served with a gorgonzola cream sauce and toast points. There were black truffles in there somewhere too. It was amazing. We also had a salad that consisted of grilled romain lettuce that was drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and fried proscuito. Also fantastic. We'll definitely stop in again next time we go through South Haven.
(5)
Deb D.
We really enjoyed our meal here. Good food, good service, tasty adult beverages.
(4)
Justin S.
For the past few years we've gone to Tellos for a date night with another couple during our a vacation. This year the experience was good, but not as great as it had been in previous years. The evening started with a pear vodka martini with gorgonzola stuffed olives which sounded delicious on paper but was actually rather bland. The pear slices weren't very ripe and didn't have that wonderful pear flavor. We also started with the "2-minute" calamari that our waitress explained (twice) was not breaded. Being this close to Chicago where they fry everything I bet they've had a lot of this app sent back and so now they add a disclaimer when someone tries to order it. My wife and I however do like calamari this way so persevered only to get calamari that was chewier then it should have been. Maybe they should have cooked it longer and called it the 2:30 calamari. For dinner we both ordered the Penne con Porcini was good but very rich because of all of the gorgonzola in the dish. Now I like gorgonzola (a lot) but even a few bits of this dish had me wishing for less mushrooms. Overall the meal was ok, but not as exceptional as the menu prices would have you believe.
(3)
Kyung P.
We tried to have dinner at the Journeyman in Fennville, but the whole town was closed due to the Porkapallooza festival in town. So we found Tello in South Haven. While reading the menu outside, the descriptions of fresh local ingredients caught my eye. So this was the place for dinner. We got cold, dense bread with oil while we waited for your starters. The olive oil wasn't fruity and obviously not bread-dipping quality that I'm used to in Chicago. Not a good start. I started with the pear and gorgonzola salad, and the BF started with the squash-gorgonzola soup. I was completely underwhelmed by both; it was definitely the mildest gorgonzola I have ever tasted. Both seemed to be under-seasoned and flavorless. Some of the toasted walnuts on my salad were burnt, and I barely got any pears in my salad. I had the butternut squash ravioli and the BF got the black linguini. I very much liked the linguini, but the ravioli was also underwhelming. The sage butter sauce had no flavor, and I didn't taste any butter or sage in the thin, runny sauce. The grated parmesan they offered also had no flavor, and it definitely made me realize that this restaurant cuts corner with their ingredients (olive oil, gorgonzola, parmesan, etc). The service on the other hand was excellent, except for the fact that our server had someone shadowing him. We weren't told this, and it was a tad weird watching this woman follow our server's every move. Also, the manager came over to ask how we ladies were enjoying our meal (remember, I was here with my boyfriend). It was super weird, but she apologized. All in all, they try to target the Chicago people, but don't expect to get what you'd get in Chicago at these price points (entrees $18-25, starters $4-10).
(3)
Chuck N.
Great website with online reservations that were very easy to use. My wife and I love Italian food. The fare here is well prepared. The menu has some interesting items on it. The wine list is appropriate. The decor is nice, the servers are professional. I can't say anything bad about the place. I liked it; I like Olive Garden too, but I don't go there expecting to be wowed. I think that's what left a bit of disappointment in my mouth with Tello's, I really expected a bit more. Nothing really popped about our meal, but I will likely go back and give the place another try.
(2)
Mitchell P.
What a great little restaurant! Very nicely decorated inside and out (it was halloween, so they had a scarecrow outside). The service and food were tremendous. I can't say enough about this. We dined what the menu refers to as 'italian style' where our salad came in the middle of the meal. our first course was the Black truffle fettuccine. for a salad we had the gorganzola with pine nuts. and for the other course we had the veal. this was a perfect combination! some mention that the prices are too high, but i didn't think that an average price of 18-20 a plate was too bad. This is a must have if you find yourself in South Haven!
(5)
Aaron O.
I recently had dinner at Tello's with a group of 10 friends. Food was very good - on par and slightly better than many other nearby higher-end Bistros. Pasta dishes were outstanding - especially those with strong tasting cheeses. 4 out of 5 stars. I also enjoy the larger portions with the meals, and the 'date night Tuesday' prices are quite reasonable. However, I give the waitstaff a 1.5 out of 5. Both servers (we had 2, who seemed confused about who was waiting our table) seemed to have an attitude problem, and the whole staff in general seemed disorganized: 1. We were not greeted friendly at the door... rather, a somber glare and "do you have a reservation?". This somber/dull attitude was replicated by the waitstaff. 2. Server took FOREVER to take the order... using a little handheld device which seemed to slow the process to an uncomfortable crawl. 3. Server had to return to the table to confirm the order... it seemed she had missed some details of the order 4. The wrong wine was delivered to someone at our table 5. The time between courses seemed mis-coordinated. Appetizers were delivered quickly, but there was a very long wait for the meals to be delivered... too long in my opinion. 6. Waitress seemed very frustrated... you could make out the cuss words under her breath as she stood by the computer making the bill. 7. Bill was delivered to me, but immediatly taken away, declaring "Oops, I forgot to add your coffee to the bill" 8. After being asked if he wanted his food boxed up (he did) my friend's plate was taken from him and thrown away. Upon asking about this, the waitress replied that she 'must have grabbed the wrong plate'. 9. Upon leaving, the waitstaff did not say "goodnight" or "have a good evening". Once everyone walked away from the table, I said "goodnight" to the waitress who was standing in the corner. While walking out the door, another staff member continued working on her task-at-hand without acknowledging the departing group. Overall... great food. I left full and satisfied. However, I will probably not host another group event at Tello's for a while, due to our experience.
(2)
Natalie M.
I would not recommend. Risotto was under cooked and bland. Pasta was undercooked and sauce overly sweet. Management was friendly, servers average.
(1)
Steve M.
Went there for our 10 year anniversary, food was horrible, not even hot. And we were one of only 2 tables! Did not have our first choice of wine. Service was average at best.
(1)
Cardinal Girl A.
Good place!! Good service, relatively prompt and very receptive and courteous. Manager even took off the bruschetta appetizer bc we didn't eat all of it as it was underwhelming (which she did not need to do!). Arancini balls were delicious, as was the lasagna (although untraditional with shredded beef??), wine was excellent. For an upscale place they even had a kids menu. We would eat there again!
(4)
Mike P.
White fish pan roast with capers was amazing! The pork chop with Gorgonzola and apples was phenomenal and the grilled dinner salad and calamari in addition to the wine were just as exceptional!
(5)
Marta G.
We really enjoyed our dinner last night. We have two kids (8 and 5) and they had a good and reasonably priced children's menu. I had a great cocktail, wine, caprese, and bolognese. My husband was able to order a Chicken Alfredo off menu. And our waiter was wonderful. Would definitely come again next year!
(4)
Sita R.
This was my third time coming to this restaurant and all times were great! The filet was cooked perfectly and the wine selections by the bottle were pretty good. I would definitely come back!
(5)
Christina L.
My family and I dined here on a beautiful evening and had a great experience. The interior of this restaurant is very open and relaxing. How can you beat seats with pillows on them?! Although this restaurant offers so much space, I noticed the tables were super crammed. I'm sorry, I just don't want to hear people's word to word conversations. The food here is great though! Probably some of the best I've had while staying in South Haven. For an appetizer, we decided upon the calamari. We all agreed that was some of the best calamari that we've ever had! It's a must try! For my entree, I ordered the Michigan stuffed trout. I was not wild about it, but I just had different expectations. One of my guests ordered pizza and, man, was that delicious pizza! It definitely was cooked on a brick oven. My boyfriend loved his linguini and said the scallops were cooked to perfection. This place really does have great food, but needs a little work on the service. When we came, the place was pretty empty and the service was still slow. However, at the end of the night, we were so impressed by the food that we didn't even mind. Therefore, this place deserves 4 stars!
(4)
Kevin K.
Eat anywhere in south haven but Tellos. Used to be great but when moved downtown quality and service went downhill.
(1)
Gary H.
This was our first stop when we arrived in South Haven for a week of vacation. We wanted to go to Clementine's but were not willing to wait 45 minutes for a seat, so we went a couple doors down to Tello. The place was nearly empty. We encountered a little attitude with our server. Seemed like we were an inconvenience or not really welcome. Overall pretty cold service. Maybe it was that we had our kids with us and the place trends a little more upscale in ambience. Either way, we probably wouldn't go back - especially with Maria's not far away that is far superior in food and service! Overall...food was pretty good though...especially the Lasagna.
(3)
Katie H.
Beth was our bartender for the day and she was exceptional. She was very knowledgeable about her craft, friendly and sociable with all of her customers, I would return based solely on her service, and the drinks were great as well!
(5)
Jon F.
Ordered the Lasagne alla Bolognese and it was overcooked. Told the waitress who sent the floor manager to my table. I showed him the burnt bottom layer and told him the Lasagne had an off taste. He DID NOT offer to comp the meal or offer a free desert. Will not return again.
(1)
Mark H.
Salads good but small. My lasagna was awful. It was all canned beef and lasagna noodles. wife's risotto was good. Service good.
(3)
Todd W.
We visited Tello's on a recent trip to South Haven over the Memorial Day weekend. We figured it would be crowded so we decided to call ahead and reserve a table for 8 p.m. Our table for 4 was waiting when we arrived at 8 p.m. which was fantastic. Everything when South after we sat down. Our server was "ok" but extremely slow. Water took to long after we sat down. The men ordered Manhattan's and the ladies ordered wine. The wine was brought out around 10 minutes after we placed the order. 30 minutes went by before our waitress came by and said they "we're out of the certain vermouth or something" for your drinks. Thirsty and getting bored, we decided to order draft beers. Beers came to the table in 10 minutes. It's now 8:40 p.m. and we finally have our drinks (and no bread like all of the other tables). Our waitress disappeared for 20 minutes which was a bit strange considering it was now 9 o'clock and most folks have been done eating at this point in the night (we figured she might want to start taking care of her table(s) at this point but that was not the case. We finally ordered. Three pasta dishes and their filet. 40 minutes went by before our dinner was ready. Everyone enjoyed their meal except myself. I ordered the Parpadelle Bolognese which sounded good on the menu. It was disgusting. It looked like they had opened up a store bought container of pulled pork and tried to dress it up with tobasco and some sort of bbq dressing or something. After waiting 40 minutes for a drink and then another hour for this plate, I wasn't happy. This was easily the worst experience at a restaurant in a while. I will never go back to Tello's in South Haven and don't recommend it.
(1)
Lynn H.
We found this place ourselves when we took a trip to South Haven during the off season. It was one of the few places on the strip that was open. The food was good; I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, which was great! Hubby strip steak, which was OK. They were out of the wine we ordered and graciously substituted a more expensive label of the same variety for the lower price. Service was provided by a college-age waitress who was friendly but inexpert. I expected a higher level of service and wine knowledge for the price of the meal. However, her friendly demeanor and the intimate ambiance did make for an enjoyable experience.
(3)
Cardinal Girl A.
Good place!! Good service, relatively prompt and very receptive and courteous. Manager even took off the bruschetta appetizer bc we didn't eat all of it as it was underwhelming (which she did not need to do!). Arancini balls were delicious, as was the lasagna (although untraditional with shredded beef??), wine was excellent. For an upscale place they even had a kids menu. We would eat there again!
(4)
Mike P.
White fish pan roast with capers was amazing! The pork chop with Gorgonzola and apples was phenomenal and the grilled dinner salad and calamari in addition to the wine were just as exceptional!
(5)
Marta G.
We really enjoyed our dinner last night. We have two kids (8 and 5) and they had a good and reasonably priced children's menu. I had a great cocktail, wine, caprese, and bolognese. My husband was able to order a Chicken Alfredo off menu. And our waiter was wonderful. Would definitely come again next year!
(4)
Sita R.
This was my third time coming to this restaurant and all times were great! The filet was cooked perfectly and the wine selections by the bottle were pretty good. I would definitely come back!
(5)
Christina L.
My family and I dined here on a beautiful evening and had a great experience. The interior of this restaurant is very open and relaxing. How can you beat seats with pillows on them?! Although this restaurant offers so much space, I noticed the tables were super crammed. I'm sorry, I just don't want to hear people's word to word conversations. The food here is great though! Probably some of the best I've had while staying in South Haven. For an appetizer, we decided upon the calamari. We all agreed that was some of the best calamari that we've ever had! It's a must try! For my entree, I ordered the Michigan stuffed trout. I was not wild about it, but I just had different expectations. One of my guests ordered pizza and, man, was that delicious pizza! It definitely was cooked on a brick oven. My boyfriend loved his linguini and said the scallops were cooked to perfection. This place really does have great food, but needs a little work on the service. When we came, the place was pretty empty and the service was still slow. However, at the end of the night, we were so impressed by the food that we didn't even mind. Therefore, this place deserves 4 stars!
(4)
Kevin K.
Eat anywhere in south haven but Tellos. Used to be great but when moved downtown quality and service went downhill.
(1)
David R.
Very nice restaurant in the middle if South Haven. Had an early reservation (7pm) and they were very receptive to young children. Food was excellent and ambiance is very good. Only complaint is the size of the children's meals and the wine selection could be better.
(4)
Adam G.
My brother and I stopped by on whim because we were in the area. It looked like your typical Italian Bistro, a bit cookie cutter, but it was clean and nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. I ordered the Penne con Porchini and my brother got the Bolognese. Mine was very creamy and the mushrooms were plump and tasty. My brother wasn't a big fan of what he got, but I think it was something he wasn't expecitng. I would be sure to make a return visit if I was in South Haven again.
(4)
Brian B.
Service was great and timely throughout the meal. The staff did all of the little and big things right. The food was excellent with choices for whole family. We were seated immediately although seating is limited. A large free parking lot can be found just behind the restaurant. The wine selection was reasonable. Would recommend reservation due to size of restaurant.
(5)
lisa f.
Strange ingredients and preparation of food. Regional Michigan but not authentic Italian. Nice atmosphere, overpriced wine list with good choices. No foodie options in South Haven. Cook for yourself! And bring wine from home.
(3)
Gary H.
This was our first stop when we arrived in South Haven for a week of vacation. We wanted to go to Clementine's but were not willing to wait 45 minutes for a seat, so we went a couple doors down to Tello. The place was nearly empty. We encountered a little attitude with our server. Seemed like we were an inconvenience or not really welcome. Overall pretty cold service. Maybe it was that we had our kids with us and the place trends a little more upscale in ambience. Either way, we probably wouldn't go back - especially with Maria's not far away that is far superior in food and service! Overall...food was pretty good though...especially the Lasagna.
(3)
Katie H.
Beth was our bartender for the day and she was exceptional. She was very knowledgeable about her craft, friendly and sociable with all of her customers, I would return based solely on her service, and the drinks were great as well!
(5)
Nic Z.
Tello is a romantic little spot in South Haven. It's steps from the water and has a lovely ambiance inside. The booths are cozy, and service was solid. For dinner, we both ordered Fennel and Apple Salad and the Lemon Chicken Picatta. Delicious. I really enjoyed the whole meal. Their house bread is also good and kept us happily munching until the entrees arrived.
(4)
Sean A.
WTH...have never had a bad meal here and tonight is no different.....the Pork chop with apple and Gorgonzola was amazing. My wife had veal and best ever. I highly recommend this place for all food and spirits.
(5)
Yanja B.
An amazing Italian place found in the heart of SoHa! A group of girls and I came here for a birthday and we enjoyed every bit of it! The food is amazing, the ambiance is so cute and intimate, and the service was amazing! We ordered the sausage and pepper pizza- amazing. Also, order spaghetti and meatball- delish; my friend and I were sharing so the kitchen kindly split up the entree into two portions! Our wait staff was absolutely amazing and so attentive. Def coming back to this place next time I visit SoHa.
(4)
Stephanie W.
Second year in a row went for happy hour $6 pizza and beer and wine special....make sure you bring Id they card everyone! Even if you are forty and are with your husband and two kids. One kid liked the pizza the other didn't. Good meat balls. Margarita pizza had way too much garlic from a jar! Good thing I like extra thin pizza and let it slide. Bring a sweater, cold.
Nice ambience. Service was a bit slow but server was very nice and did well otherwise. Food is over priced. Lamb shank was very good but bolognese was overwhelmed by the roasted pork in the sauce. Dinner for two was about $80 and at that price the food didn't measure up.
(3)
Geriann K.
Butternut squash was excellent. Chicken marsala was good but nothing to write home about. The staff was accommodating and sat us a half if hour early albeit in the bar. Erica, our waitress was attentive and pleasant. The decor was a bit dark for our taste and would have preferred to sit in the main room but would definitely recommend a meal here. It is a bit loud, but we had no problem conversing.
(4)
James A.
First for the good things, like the decor and ambiance, the music, and service was good. Had the Perrin IPA beer which was also good. My wife had the Chicken Marsala which was good. Now for the bad. I ordered the Gemelli alla Puttanesca which is described on the menu as having Jumbo Shrimp. The dish was tasty. But I know what Jumbo shrimp is and I expected 5 or 6 large shrimp. I was very disappointed, and when she brought the dish I said where are the shrimp. She pointed to a less then bite size piece of shrimp. The dish had maybe 5 or 6 small bites of shrimp. For spending almost $20, this was a disappointment and did not meet my expectations. I did say something to the server and she said something to the manager. The manager came over a apologized, but that was it! I expected more then an apology. I'm rating it as 2 star for the good reasons above.
(2)
Lori G.
Be sure to make reservations because there was a two hour wait if you just walked in. The restaurant is small, tables kinda close together. Tonie, our server, was attentive and accommodating. We split a small Caesar salad, a pizza (which they made off the menu) and chicken Marsala. They split the chicken in the back for us, including the vegetables and potatoes. The food was wonderful. We would definitely go here again!
(4)
Louis R.
Very good. Will be back. Truffled egg has lovely gorgonzola sauce and the charred bread is super tasty. Had specialty scallops on rice croquets with hot sauce. Nicely seared and tasty.
(5)
Jofi S.
They were blasting 80's music when we came in and I had to request them to turn it down. Then a waitress came next to the table where we were seated and turned the lights on full blast and started folding cloth napkins in the front of the house! Very unprofessional. Food was mediocre and expensive. For my money, I'd rather go to Saugatuck where they have some class! This is the first and last time I'll come here!
(2)
David S.
First time here and I feel like I've finally found a restaurant that appeals to our finer tastes. The food is not only excellent, but also original. The dishes have an authentic feel while delivering fresh and exquisite twists on old classics. Despite the great food, our favorite aspect of this restaurant is the style and quality of service. The staff wears a warm small town smile yet delivering 5 star attention and etiquette. Cheers to Tello's, may we visit and enjoy you for years to come.
(5)
Ron M.
Sendom do i eat out and wish i had just stayed home, this was one occasion The risotto was crunchy and rather tasteless. It was sent back and the replacement was just as crunchy. Bread was only delivered to table after asking the rather not interested waitress. No i would not go back.
(2)
Ritu R.
O. M. G. What a surprise and oh so good! Everything we has was to die for. The following will leave u wanting more and more: 33 min eggs.-2 served w 2 pieces of bread. Scallops w cauliflower - 2 pieces; Arancini (risotto balls) - 3 crispy pieces. Mussels wow and fresh Zucchini soup & gorgonzola - taste just keeps lingering. Cup is pretty big. Rich & memorable. The entrees were not as amazing as the apps... 22 of us has the whitefish = 3.5/5 it was not as flavorful and too hot when served we both got burned One had the spaghetti Primavera which was bland = 2.5/5 One had the butternut squash ravioli and was in love....all the flavors were spot on and she thinks about it. I thought it was more of a winter entree but it was done right. = 5/5 Tasty, well flavored and balanced cocktails. One guest highly recommends the balsamic bloody mary as its was "bloody good!" Service was fantastic even w harborfest going on outside. Two servers on top of the service. WOW. Without a doubt...Best in the area!!
(4)
Alissa C.
Went here for 2 year anniversary. Loved the atmosphere! It was very romantic, yet I felt comfortable in a sundress. Food was great, the calamari appetizer was one of the best I've had (and I consider myself a harsh critic!) Of course, the wine was great as well.
(5)
Chris D.
Great place, the food was absolutely amazing! I had the sage and prosciutto stuffed veal and I loved every bite of it. The veal was cooked just right and the capers added the right amount of zing to it. The fresh vegetables were a nice break from all the fried food served in the area. I also liked how they added Parmesan cheese to the olive oil dip for the bread. The only knocks that I have on the place is that it was very loud inside from all of the patrons trying to talk over each other in the small dining area.
(4)
Dale B.
Tello's is another icon in SH. There down town location is quaint. It is nicely decorated and comfortable. The place will get busy and it's small so plan on a wait. The food is always good. I like the pizzas best. Tello's is a little more pricey than you might expect. They have good wine selections too! Tello's is a must try!
(4)
Coco M.
The pasta dishes are ok, but don't get the calamari. I got that as a main course and have never had it served with banana peppers--and couldn't get over the wierd taste combination. The ambience is great, although the service was SO slow..and the restaurant wasn't even that busy. There's not many great dinner options in the area, so am bummed we didn't try one of the other Italian options in town.
(3)
Ryan S.
Exceptionally friendly and knowledgable staff. Great wine selection and $6 happy hour pizzas for $6 are delicious.
(5)
Renee S.
This is a really good italian place. I really enjoyed the seafood linguine. Scallops were perfectly seared. Love the wine bar!
(4)
George B.
We celebrated a birthday at Tello last evening. The meal was excellent from start to finish. The calamari appetizer with two kinds of sweet peppers was outstanding, best I ever had. I followed it with the lemon chicken which also was divine. My husband had the stuffed veal - excellent, the others enjoyed the butternut squash ravioli and pork chop dinners-both excellent. Our server was great, we never felt rushed, but she was there when we wanted her. We capped the meal with a teramisu light and delicious. The manager came over and asked how we enjoyed the meal. It was a pleasure to tell him
(5)
Melanie I.
One of my favorites in the area. Butternut squash ravioli and the whitefish are the best items on the menu. Wines are a bit pricey but they have a large selection to choose from. Love the atmosphere. Staff are helpful but service can run on the slow side in the evening hours.
(5)
D C.
Sorry to say this is an not authentic Italian restaurant. Went there for our anniversary my wife's food was salmon it was seriously burnt. We sent it back I ate part if my food while they cooked a new piece for her. We also bought scallops as an appetizer. They gave us two for $14. They were cooked perfect but come on, this is South Haven not LA. I think they can do better than that with a little effort. My dish was supposed to have sausage in it. I could find only 4 small cut up little pieces. We ordered deserts it looked like it shrank in the fridge over the winter. Dry crumbling and hard line the salmon it should have never been served
(2)
Nancy K.
Has the lemon chicken it was delicious generous portions service at the bar was great we did not have a reservation so took the bar choice it was so worth it have eaten here on other occasions always pleased
(5)
Genevieve N.
My husband and I visited Tello for the first time a couple of weeks ago while vacationing in South Haven. I have mixed feelings about it. The service was not great; it took 15-20 minutes to put in our drink order, and our server was not knowledgeable about the wine-by-the-glass list. However, the food was excellent. We ordered a couple of appetizers, including the scallops (which were amazing!), and then we got desserts. The tiramisu was delicious.
(3)
Paula S.
I wanted Italian for my birthday dinner!! Walked in and was seated immediately! The staff was attentive and knowledgeable regarding the menu. I had the night's special which was Shrimp Scampi. My husband had the Spaghetti & Meatball. Although the food was good, it just wasn't up to par with our favorite restaurant here close to home. Lots of garlic...which I didn't mind since I love it!!
(4)
Ronda L.
We've been frequenting Tellos since it's previous location many years ago and it's always top notch! The butternut squash ravioli is my all time favorite and they always have a seasonal fresh salad or soup that is divine! They keep the bread and oil coming and the atmosphere & wine selection are great.
(5)
Katie V.
We went here to enjoy a romantic dinner to celebrate our Anniversary. Our B&B host had called in a reservation for us the day before but they lost our reservation, however luckily we had made the reservation for early in the evening and they had not yet filled up and sat us right away. The waitresses were very knowledgeable about the food and I really am glad I ordered the Seafood Linguine it was delicious. My husband got the stuffed pork chop which was also just as good. They make the olive oil, pepper, and parmesan cheese dipping sauce at the side of the table which is a nice touch. They were not that knowledgeable about the wine selection though. One odd thing was that they have a serving table in the middle of the restaurant for the wait staff to use and they brought out dishes and began to dry and stack them on the table out there. I found this not consistent with an upper scale italian restaurant for the me.
(4)
Evan H.
While on a nice relaxing vacation in South Haven with my gf and her family we decided to wonder into town and try out this little Italian spot. With a young baby in our party I thought it may present a logistic problem with a stroller but in fact we had a large table and had room on each end for the stroller - very accommodating. There was a very nice wine list that also seemed to be very reasonable. They had peroni on tap along with some standard selections. For my starter I tried the two minute calamari which I think needed another 30 seconds or hotter oil. The flavor was there just a bit chewy. For my main course I had the lamb "lolipops" which ended up being a huge portion of 8 split up into twos with a pesto sauce. The lamb was cooked to perfection, however the risotto in the center was not. The dish was still huge and tasty. Of the other dishes I tried, the scallops with pancetta and greens was amazing. The pancetta was so crisp and flavorful, a perfect compliment. The meal was quite great and definitely a local winner.
(4)
Monique M.
Tello's cute, quaint ambiance drew my boyfriend and I to this place during our bed n breakfast get away..... We were greeting by a friendly hostess and were amazed by the newly renovated decor as she escorted us to our cozy corner table by the bar. The waitstaff was awesome.. (attentive, friendly and somewhat knowledgeable) Manager was super nice and accommodating! THE FOOD- HOWEVER, was truly disappointing :( We Ordered: The truffled eggs- an appetizer which equated to unflavored runny boiled eggs that were slightly fried; over a bed of not so great white runny sauce. (great concept. not so greatly executed..) Whitefish- which was a mushy pot of veggies n slightly undercooked Talapia Spicy seafood linguine- which I had to send back because the scallops were BURNT TO A CRISP. The wine selections was minimal... out of almost everything they had on the list while we were there. (though they apologized and said shipment was due the following day) Eh.. not really worth the $95 we spent for only 2 people. I would go back to chat amongst friends... and enjoy a drink (if they have any)
(2)
Joe S.
Actual rating 2.5 stars. Decent Italian food overall. The menu sports the usual Italian dishes, a few of which are made in house. If you remember the old Tello's off bluestar, you'll likely be disappointed as the new menu is much smaller and much more expensive serving foods just doused in oil and butter. The restaurant itself couldn't be any more crammed and uncomfortable. We had a table that was literally 8 feet from the noisy kitchen and server station. We had to listen to the banging in the kitchen and yapping servers all meal. Another table was so close to the front door that people walking in kept hitting the customers who were trying to relax and enjoy their meal. Tello- here's a suggestion- buy the place immediately next door, double your dining space, expand and freshen up your menu, and offer a more relaxing atmosphere so customers can actually enjoy their food.
(3)
Carol T.
We were visiting friends near South Haven, and were on our own for dinner on a Saturday evening, so walked into Tello at about 5:00 p.m. to see if we could get a table without a reservation, particularly since it was early in the evening, and we could see at least ten empty tables. Rather than giving us a wait time, we were told that they "had no openings" until 9:30 p.m., which was just a ridiculous statement on its face, unless they were suggesting that they had scheduled all of their seatings to begin at exactly the same time for all of their tables, which no one does. Anyway, we went to Phoenix Street Cafe across the street and had a great meal with great service.
(1)
Julie T.
So so good! Wow! I wish we lived closer. Service was excellent! Food even better! Ice tea instant, but everything else homemade! Loved it!!!
(5)
Sean A.
Eat here with my wife and the food was incredible the drink were great and the service was top notch. We had the calamari and to martini's for Appetizers. Then I had the Seafood Bolognese and it was awesome and my wife the Whitefish and Scallops and that to was incredible. All in all this was the best food we have had in South Haven and what a great place to eat and enjoy the person you love,
(4)
Amanda C.
I enjoyed dinner at Tello for the atmosphere and food. We actually ended up coming here because the line was so long at the first place we went, and were glad we did. They have nightly specials, and the Thursday we were there was $20 for a bottle of wine and appetizer of bruschetta which was a great deal and delicious. They have 8-10 varieties of bruschetta which is new for me- we ordered mozzarella/tomato/basil, balsamic tuna, and goat cheese/red peppers. All were very good. My entree was Spaghetti di Tello and seems like an unusual combination but all ingredients went well together: spaghetti, dried cherries, gorgonzola, and walnuts tossed in olive oil. I thought the cherry aspect would be very Michigan-esque. Finally, we shared a HUGE serving of tiramisu which was amazing. Definitely go here for dinner!
(5)
alicia b.
So if this was the last place I had eaten when I visited South Haven I may have dished out a 4 star just for the edible fact but since it was the first, I still had my Chicago taste buds flared so I wasnt impressed. Its soooo cutely decorated,super cozy and romantic.Its a wine bar so they have tons of wine options along with a wine bar you can sit at. We opted out of the wine since both of us wanted a drink.Bf got a belividere martini that showed up in the tiniest glass ever and only about 3/4 of the way full,what a rip off and disappointment.They should be ashamed to serve a drink that small and charge $9! The waitresses carry around electronic order taker thingys,kinda weird,to techy for a nice restaurant and a bit distracting,the girls were always typing on them.The menu is a nice size offering a couple apps.,pasta dishes,meaty choices and gourmet pizza. We started with the bruschetta trio--white bean= dry tasteless, olive= salty!!!, tomato----freakin awesome! They should just serve three of the tomato the rest are a waste. We both ordered the cup of minestrone soup.It was vegetarian!! The soup was the best part of the meal,tasty,thick and not too salty.yumm Bf got the pizza with sausage. After much decision making I went with the tello di spaghetti,a spaghetti with gorgonzola,walnuts,dried cherries, olive oil and basil...I know sounds amazing right? Yea not so much it was tasteless except for the chunks of unmelted gorgonzola that was so bitter thats all you could taste. Bf liked his za but it was thin and raw in the middle, coulda used a couple more minutes in the oven, I think Oh yea they do a double waitress thing too.You get two waiters which = super confusing and doesnt make sense to me.
(3)
Edward W.
Polenta was delicious. Pizza was good. Everything else was ok. Would come back.
(3)
phillip h.
Overpriced, very small portions. food is much better at restaurants like olive garden and Carrabba's restaurants. ala carte so a $15.99 spaghetti dinner does not come with anything else. very small portion size on such an expensive spaghetti meal. Sauce is bland, so they save on spices too. I'm not cheap; I'd be happy to pay $15.99 if the food was good or even if they could have made the portion size bigger and provided a salad along with the spaghetti. It is well decorated, so I guess you pay for atmosphere, but if you want tasty food go somewhere else.a
(1)
Katy H.
My boyfriend and I came in for dinner while we were on vacation in December. The restaurant was recommended by our innkeepers. As December is the off season, the restaurant wasn't very busy. We made a reservation anyway and were seated right next to the podium and the front door. Overall the food was decent. Nothing too special and next time I'm in town I will definitely try a different restaurant. The decor and ambience was very nice. And it was a cozy romantic place for a date, even if the food was nothing to write home about.
(3)
david g.
A very nice restaurant It has pretty good wine list also. I ordered the Chicken Marsala, which had a side of polenta (hmmm not too sure about corn meal and chicken Marsala,) I don't think the combo worked at all. However that's the only complaint I have to make, everything else was fine. Next time I am in town, i will go back and try something else
(4)
A G.
Made a reservation and was seated right away. As other reviewers have noted we had two individuals provide table service for us. The servers were attentive and did not visit the table too much, nor did they neglect us. My wife and I both ordered salads before dinner and thought the proportion and taste was just fine. For dinner, my wife had the ristotto (which was a bit salty for my liking) and I ordered the whitefish. The fish entree was okay. It contained a mixture of vegetables, potatoes, the fish, some lemon, and an assortment of herbs. The fish was rather tasteless and could have used some more complex flavors. All in all, it was okay. I've had better, but have also had worse. The restaurant itself was quaint. At the front of the restaurant there is a table which contains a variety of wine glasses and water pitchers. I am assuming this is for waitstaff use. The table placement made it quite difficult to maneuver in and out of the restaurant when there were people seated at nearby tables. The walls and ceiling are rather dark, which adds to the ambience of the setting. Tables are rather close to one another, which can make you feel like your part of another party visiting this establishment. All in all, our experience at Tello was alright. If we were to visit the area again, we might make a stop at this restaurant. But I think we would try other establishments first.
(3)
Priscilla F.
Had the Grilled Porterhouse Pork Chops and it was delicious. Also, the waitress recommended the Three Minute Truffle Eggs, since they were out of mussels and it was surprisingly great! We had a great time. The atmosphere was nice and our waitress, Valeria was very helpful and friendly.
(5)
Ivan V.
Was int he area during a family road trip and we found this spot. It had just opened for the day so we were 1 of 2 parties there. Food: Great. Everyone, for the most part was pleased. My sister thought the oven pizza was "okay, but too thin," my father "loved" his fish, my step-mom thought her chicken was very good, and I really liked the spaghetti and meatballs (though it only had 2 meatballs). Drinks: Amazing wine selection. Not sure what wines the parents had but I had beer. Service: Even though they were training employees, the service was great. All were attractive females (On my way to the restroom I joked that it had to be employment requirement) and friendly.
(4)
Kyung P.
We tried to have dinner at the Journeyman in Fennville, but the whole town was closed due to the Porkapallooza festival in town. So we found Tello in South Haven. While reading the menu outside, the descriptions of fresh local ingredients caught my eye. So this was the place for dinner. We got cold, dense bread with oil while we waited for your starters. The olive oil wasn't fruity and obviously not bread-dipping quality that I'm used to in Chicago. Not a good start. I started with the pear and gorgonzola salad, and the BF started with the squash-gorgonzola soup. I was completely underwhelmed by both; it was definitely the mildest gorgonzola I have ever tasted. Both seemed to be under-seasoned and flavorless. Some of the toasted walnuts on my salad were burnt, and I barely got any pears in my salad. I had the butternut squash ravioli and the BF got the black linguini. I very much liked the linguini, but the ravioli was also underwhelming. The sage butter sauce had no flavor, and I didn't taste any butter or sage in the thin, runny sauce. The grated parmesan they offered also had no flavor, and it definitely made me realize that this restaurant cuts corner with their ingredients (olive oil, gorgonzola, parmesan, etc). The service on the other hand was excellent, except for the fact that our server had someone shadowing him. We weren't told this, and it was a tad weird watching this woman follow our server's every move. Also, the manager came over to ask how we ladies were enjoying our meal (remember, I was here with my boyfriend). It was super weird, but she apologized. All in all, they try to target the Chicago people, but don't expect to get what you'd get in Chicago at these price points (entrees $18-25, starters $4-10).
(3)
Chuck N.
Great website with online reservations that were very easy to use. My wife and I love Italian food. The fare here is well prepared. The menu has some interesting items on it. The wine list is appropriate. The decor is nice, the servers are professional. I can't say anything bad about the place. I liked it; I like Olive Garden too, but I don't go there expecting to be wowed. I think that's what left a bit of disappointment in my mouth with Tello's, I really expected a bit more. Nothing really popped about our meal, but I will likely go back and give the place another try.
(2)
Mary M.
Went there w/friends on a weekend getaway. We were rushed through dinner, they didn't have the first two bottles of wine we requested (they're a WINE BAR), the soup was tasteless and out of 8 of us, no one liked their meal. Do not go here.
(1)
Dianna D.
We didn't actually eat here after a very rude experience we had with the hostess. We had 8 pm dinner reservations, walked in at 8:10. Waited in line and checked in with hostess apologizing for being a few minutes late. She said they only hold tables for 15 mins...well it wasn't even 8:15 yet and they wouldn't seat us!!! For real??!!! VERY RUDE!! Will never return.
(2)
Diana L.
Last Sunday dinner here was a lovely affair, and yet the service knocked it down a star. Mostly because it was oddly ill timed. We didn't feel ignored as much as left to our own devices until we stared off into the distance long enough to be noticed. I had the Crimini Mushroom Ravioli for my entree and have no complaints. The pillow-y bits of pasta were on the denser side, half of the ravioli left with me in a box and made a fine lunch the next day. The lemon cream sauce was on the lighter side and tasted of real fresh lemon and basil. Truffled Crispy egg appetizer was fine as well, a little heavy since it was a fried soft-ish boiled egg in a heavy gorgonzola sauce with toasted bread. The combination of flavors were sound though and we weren't surprised when the adorable blond buss-er mentioned it was her favorite. We passed on dessert, the food was just too filling to end with tiramisu or flour less chocolate cake. The service was, as stated, just off in some strange way we didn't quite understand and ended up discussing more afterward then the food. The presence of the electronic order pads was a fine idea but the interaction between the staff seemed lacking. When our server introduced herself she also mentioned a second server, which only showed up once to give us bread and oil with freshly shaved parmesan and milled pepper. So this was the kicker of the confusion over the service; we ordered our appetizer then received it from the aforementioned third woman and it wasn't until after we had finished and the dish had been taken away (and some time later) that our entree order was taken. The food came out pretty quick after that, it was just... odd.
(4)
Jim K.
The food is always good, and the prices rather modest for the "upscale" dining they seem to be striving to present. The wine list is pretty nice too, and the wines by the glass are a step above what's offered by most places. The service there can be spotty though; we've had both some of our best dining experiences there, with a server who seemed to be able to anticipate our every need without being intrusive, and we've had some poor experiences with servers that seemed overwhelmed and unable to take care of their sections. Overall, though, this is one of the best places to eat in South Haven, although I recommend making a reservation far in advance during the summer months since the place gets mobbed by Chicagoans (like us) with houses in Michigan ...
(4)
Shawn D.
Becky behind the bar is worth the price of admission, hands down. Bruschetta is great, pizzas look decent (but haven't tried yet), but I do think the entrees are missing that something extra. Maybe need a new exec chef with a deep Italian cuisine background. No "high end" competition in South Haven may translate to not having to try very hard since people will walk in the door without much effort.
(3)
David K.
The food was amazing. We stopped in for lunch and had an appetizer of poached eggs that were coated in bread crumbs, then broiled, and served with a gorgonzola cream sauce and toast points. There were black truffles in there somewhere too. It was amazing. We also had a salad that consisted of grilled romain lettuce that was drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and fried proscuito. Also fantastic. We'll definitely stop in again next time we go through South Haven.
(5)
Deb D.
We really enjoyed our meal here. Good food, good service, tasty adult beverages.
(4)
Patty T.
We ate Sunday brunch at Tello! The service was good and the food was excellent! Nice atmosphere, great music. I was with two other people who ate a house salad and the spinach salad with a fried egg. I had a blt with egg! Yum!
(4)
Ab B.
Four of us ladies went here during our girls weekend. The ambiance is relaxed, quaint yet elegant. We sat at the bar and had nice wine and appetizers. The female bartender was awesome. When my sister-in-law thought her wine was too sweet she offered her a sample of something else. When she didn't like that either (she doesn't normally drink wine, but thought 'hey, it's a wine bar.') the bartender said no problem, i'll get you something else. She had no attitude whatsoever. We shared the goat cheese pizza, calamari, brushetta. The best was the mushroom mozzarella meatball. We had a very nice evening. I would give 5 stars if the menu (for both wine and food) was more extensive. I'll definitely be going back here with hubby.
(4)
Mitchell P.
What a great little restaurant! Very nicely decorated inside and out (it was halloween, so they had a scarecrow outside). The service and food were tremendous. I can't say enough about this. We dined what the menu refers to as 'italian style' where our salad came in the middle of the meal. our first course was the Black truffle fettuccine. for a salad we had the gorganzola with pine nuts. and for the other course we had the veal. this was a perfect combination! some mention that the prices are too high, but i didn't think that an average price of 18-20 a plate was too bad. This is a must have if you find yourself in South Haven!
(5)
Aaron O.
I recently had dinner at Tello's with a group of 10 friends. Food was very good - on par and slightly better than many other nearby higher-end Bistros. Pasta dishes were outstanding - especially those with strong tasting cheeses. 4 out of 5 stars. I also enjoy the larger portions with the meals, and the 'date night Tuesday' prices are quite reasonable. However, I give the waitstaff a 1.5 out of 5. Both servers (we had 2, who seemed confused about who was waiting our table) seemed to have an attitude problem, and the whole staff in general seemed disorganized: 1. We were not greeted friendly at the door... rather, a somber glare and "do you have a reservation?". This somber/dull attitude was replicated by the waitstaff. 2. Server took FOREVER to take the order... using a little handheld device which seemed to slow the process to an uncomfortable crawl. 3. Server had to return to the table to confirm the order... it seemed she had missed some details of the order 4. The wrong wine was delivered to someone at our table 5. The time between courses seemed mis-coordinated. Appetizers were delivered quickly, but there was a very long wait for the meals to be delivered... too long in my opinion. 6. Waitress seemed very frustrated... you could make out the cuss words under her breath as she stood by the computer making the bill. 7. Bill was delivered to me, but immediatly taken away, declaring "Oops, I forgot to add your coffee to the bill" 8. After being asked if he wanted his food boxed up (he did) my friend's plate was taken from him and thrown away. Upon asking about this, the waitress replied that she 'must have grabbed the wrong plate'. 9. Upon leaving, the waitstaff did not say "goodnight" or "have a good evening". Once everyone walked away from the table, I said "goodnight" to the waitress who was standing in the corner. While walking out the door, another staff member continued working on her task-at-hand without acknowledging the departing group. Overall... great food. I left full and satisfied. However, I will probably not host another group event at Tello's for a while, due to our experience.
(2)
Natalie M.
I would not recommend. Risotto was under cooked and bland. Pasta was undercooked and sauce overly sweet. Management was friendly, servers average.
(1)
Steve M.
Went there for our 10 year anniversary, food was horrible, not even hot. And we were one of only 2 tables! Did not have our first choice of wine. Service was average at best.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Justin S.
For the past few years we've gone to Tellos for a date night with another couple during our a vacation. This year the experience was good, but not as great as it had been in previous years. The evening started with a pear vodka martini with gorgonzola stuffed olives which sounded delicious on paper but was actually rather bland. The pear slices weren't very ripe and didn't have that wonderful pear flavor. We also started with the "2-minute" calamari that our waitress explained (twice) was not breaded. Being this close to Chicago where they fry everything I bet they've had a lot of this app sent back and so now they add a disclaimer when someone tries to order it. My wife and I however do like calamari this way so persevered only to get calamari that was chewier then it should have been. Maybe they should have cooked it longer and called it the 2:30 calamari. For dinner we both ordered the Penne con Porcini was good but very rich because of all of the gorgonzola in the dish. Now I like gorgonzola (a lot) but even a few bits of this dish had me wishing for less mushrooms. Overall the meal was ok, but not as exceptional as the menu prices would have you believe.
(3)Stephanie W.
Second year in a row went for happy hour $6 pizza and beer and wine special....make sure you bring Id they card everyone! Even if you are forty and are with your husband and two kids. One kid liked the pizza the other didn't. Good meat balls. Margarita pizza had way too much garlic from a jar! Good thing I like extra thin pizza and let it slide. Bring a sweater, cold.
(3)James A.
First for the good things, like the decor and ambiance, the music, and service was good. Had the Perrin IPA beer which was also good. My wife had the Chicken Marsala which was good. Now for the bad. I ordered the Gemelli alla Puttanesca which is described on the menu as having Jumbo Shrimp. The dish was tasty. But I know what Jumbo shrimp is and I expected 5 or 6 large shrimp. I was very disappointed, and when she brought the dish I said where are the shrimp. She pointed to a less then bite size piece of shrimp. The dish had maybe 5 or 6 small bites of shrimp. For spending almost $20, this was a disappointment and did not meet my expectations. I did say something to the server and she said something to the manager. The manager came over a apologized, but that was it! I expected more then an apology. I'm rating it as 2 star for the good reasons above.
(2)Nic Z.
Tello is a romantic little spot in South Haven. It's steps from the water and has a lovely ambiance inside. The booths are cozy, and service was solid. For dinner, we both ordered Fennel and Apple Salad and the Lemon Chicken Picatta. Delicious. I really enjoyed the whole meal. Their house bread is also good and kept us happily munching until the entrees arrived.
(4)Sean A.
WTH...have never had a bad meal here and tonight is no different.....the Pork chop with apple and Gorgonzola was amazing. My wife had veal and best ever. I highly recommend this place for all food and spirits.
(5)Yanja B.
An amazing Italian place found in the heart of SoHa! A group of girls and I came here for a birthday and we enjoyed every bit of it! The food is amazing, the ambiance is so cute and intimate, and the service was amazing! We ordered the sausage and pepper pizza- amazing. Also, order spaghetti and meatball- delish; my friend and I were sharing so the kitchen kindly split up the entree into two portions! Our wait staff was absolutely amazing and so attentive. Def coming back to this place next time I visit SoHa.
(4)Elaine M.
The service here is so incredibly poor it practically spoiled the entire evening. It started out so well. Although we walked in and not a single person was in sight to greet us. After waiting a bit we were greeted warmly and seated promptly. Then we sat and sat and sat. Other's around us were being waited upon. No one said anything to us. Finally after twenty to thirty minutes, we asked the hostess if anyone was waiting on our table. Her response was yes, no apology or anything. Also, you have to know the place wasn't very crowded. I think there might have been five other tables, that's it! Finally a waitress comes over. She doesn't apologize for our wait either! Takes our order. We order one appetizer, one salad and two entrees. The appetizer came (more about that later) and then the entrees - she forgot the salad entirely. When we pointed it out, still no apology! When it came time for our check again we waited about a half hour for our waitress, finally we snagged another waitress to fetch it for us. (By the way, at least one party had come in ordered a multiple course meal and left long before us - waited on by another server.) She brought the check and it was wrong. In our favor actually, so we were going to point it out and have it corrected but again we wait, I think twenty minutes this time. By this time we were really ticked. By the time our waitress finally came to collect the bill we weren't in the mood to wait any longer, we didn't bother pointing out her mistake. Just got the heck out of Dodge. On to the food. It actually has potential but certainly isn't up to gourmet standards. The appetizer was, by far, the best item that we ordered. Seared Scallops, Truffle & Cauliflower Seared golden brown finished with basil pesto. This was really remarkable and if any wants to chance the poor service I would highly recommend ordering this item! All the flavors blended well and the dish was perfectly balanced, every flavor note on point. Unfortunately that was the highlight of the evening. I ordered the Whitefish Napoleon Pan Roast Roasted on a bed of zucchini, red onions, cherry tomatoes, capers and olives & potatoes. Finished with a light lemon, garlic broth. The funny thing here is that the dish has potential. It was severely under seasoned and somehow just didn't quite work. The same was true for the Seafood Linguine, Shrimp, calamari and jumbo sea scallops sautéed with leeks, crispy pancetta and oven-roasted tomatoes tossed with squid ink linguine in a light, spicy broth. The broth certainly wasn't spicy and the dish on whole was not flavorful and altogether lackluster. Also, if you aren't a big blue cheese fan, which we aren't, the menu is fairly limited. They put blue cheese in almost everything. YUCK!
(2)Brian S.
Nice ambience. Service was a bit slow but server was very nice and did well otherwise. Food is over priced. Lamb shank was very good but bolognese was overwhelmed by the roasted pork in the sauce. Dinner for two was about $80 and at that price the food didn't measure up.
(3)Geriann K.
Butternut squash was excellent. Chicken marsala was good but nothing to write home about. The staff was accommodating and sat us a half if hour early albeit in the bar. Erica, our waitress was attentive and pleasant. The decor was a bit dark for our taste and would have preferred to sit in the main room but would definitely recommend a meal here. It is a bit loud, but we had no problem conversing.
(4)Lori G.
Be sure to make reservations because there was a two hour wait if you just walked in. The restaurant is small, tables kinda close together. Tonie, our server, was attentive and accommodating. We split a small Caesar salad, a pizza (which they made off the menu) and chicken Marsala. They split the chicken in the back for us, including the vegetables and potatoes. The food was wonderful. We would definitely go here again!
(4)Louis R.
Very good. Will be back. Truffled egg has lovely gorgonzola sauce and the charred bread is super tasty. Had specialty scallops on rice croquets with hot sauce. Nicely seared and tasty.
(5)Jofi S.
They were blasting 80's music when we came in and I had to request them to turn it down. Then a waitress came next to the table where we were seated and turned the lights on full blast and started folding cloth napkins in the front of the house! Very unprofessional. Food was mediocre and expensive. For my money, I'd rather go to Saugatuck where they have some class! This is the first and last time I'll come here!
(2)David S.
First time here and I feel like I've finally found a restaurant that appeals to our finer tastes. The food is not only excellent, but also original. The dishes have an authentic feel while delivering fresh and exquisite twists on old classics. Despite the great food, our favorite aspect of this restaurant is the style and quality of service. The staff wears a warm small town smile yet delivering 5 star attention and etiquette. Cheers to Tello's, may we visit and enjoy you for years to come.
(5)Ron M.
Sendom do i eat out and wish i had just stayed home, this was one occasion The risotto was crunchy and rather tasteless. It was sent back and the replacement was just as crunchy. Bread was only delivered to table after asking the rather not interested waitress. No i would not go back.
(2)Ritu R.
O. M. G. What a surprise and oh so good! Everything we has was to die for. The following will leave u wanting more and more: 33 min eggs.-2 served w 2 pieces of bread. Scallops w cauliflower - 2 pieces; Arancini (risotto balls) - 3 crispy pieces. Mussels wow and fresh Zucchini soup & gorgonzola - taste just keeps lingering. Cup is pretty big. Rich & memorable. The entrees were not as amazing as the apps... 22 of us has the whitefish = 3.5/5 it was not as flavorful and too hot when served we both got burned One had the spaghetti Primavera which was bland = 2.5/5 One had the butternut squash ravioli and was in love....all the flavors were spot on and she thinks about it. I thought it was more of a winter entree but it was done right. = 5/5 Tasty, well flavored and balanced cocktails. One guest highly recommends the balsamic bloody mary as its was "bloody good!" Service was fantastic even w harborfest going on outside. Two servers on top of the service. WOW. Without a doubt...Best in the area!!
(4)Alissa C.
Went here for 2 year anniversary. Loved the atmosphere! It was very romantic, yet I felt comfortable in a sundress. Food was great, the calamari appetizer was one of the best I've had (and I consider myself a harsh critic!) Of course, the wine was great as well.
(5)Chris D.
Great place, the food was absolutely amazing! I had the sage and prosciutto stuffed veal and I loved every bite of it. The veal was cooked just right and the capers added the right amount of zing to it. The fresh vegetables were a nice break from all the fried food served in the area. I also liked how they added Parmesan cheese to the olive oil dip for the bread. The only knocks that I have on the place is that it was very loud inside from all of the patrons trying to talk over each other in the small dining area.
(4)Dale B.
Tello's is another icon in SH. There down town location is quaint. It is nicely decorated and comfortable. The place will get busy and it's small so plan on a wait. The food is always good. I like the pizzas best. Tello's is a little more pricey than you might expect. They have good wine selections too! Tello's is a must try!
(4)Coco M.
The pasta dishes are ok, but don't get the calamari. I got that as a main course and have never had it served with banana peppers--and couldn't get over the wierd taste combination. The ambience is great, although the service was SO slow..and the restaurant wasn't even that busy. There's not many great dinner options in the area, so am bummed we didn't try one of the other Italian options in town.
(3)Ryan S.
Exceptionally friendly and knowledgable staff. Great wine selection and $6 happy hour pizzas for $6 are delicious.
(5)Renee S.
This is a really good italian place. I really enjoyed the seafood linguine. Scallops were perfectly seared. Love the wine bar!
(4)George B.
We celebrated a birthday at Tello last evening. The meal was excellent from start to finish. The calamari appetizer with two kinds of sweet peppers was outstanding, best I ever had. I followed it with the lemon chicken which also was divine. My husband had the stuffed veal - excellent, the others enjoyed the butternut squash ravioli and pork chop dinners-both excellent. Our server was great, we never felt rushed, but she was there when we wanted her. We capped the meal with a teramisu light and delicious. The manager came over and asked how we enjoyed the meal. It was a pleasure to tell him
(5)Melanie I.
One of my favorites in the area. Butternut squash ravioli and the whitefish are the best items on the menu. Wines are a bit pricey but they have a large selection to choose from. Love the atmosphere. Staff are helpful but service can run on the slow side in the evening hours.
(5)D C.
Sorry to say this is an not authentic Italian restaurant. Went there for our anniversary my wife's food was salmon it was seriously burnt. We sent it back I ate part if my food while they cooked a new piece for her. We also bought scallops as an appetizer. They gave us two for $14. They were cooked perfect but come on, this is South Haven not LA. I think they can do better than that with a little effort. My dish was supposed to have sausage in it. I could find only 4 small cut up little pieces. We ordered deserts it looked like it shrank in the fridge over the winter. Dry crumbling and hard line the salmon it should have never been served
(2)Nancy K.
Has the lemon chicken it was delicious generous portions service at the bar was great we did not have a reservation so took the bar choice it was so worth it have eaten here on other occasions always pleased
(5)Genevieve N.
My husband and I visited Tello for the first time a couple of weeks ago while vacationing in South Haven. I have mixed feelings about it. The service was not great; it took 15-20 minutes to put in our drink order, and our server was not knowledgeable about the wine-by-the-glass list. However, the food was excellent. We ordered a couple of appetizers, including the scallops (which were amazing!), and then we got desserts. The tiramisu was delicious.
(3)Paula S.
I wanted Italian for my birthday dinner!! Walked in and was seated immediately! The staff was attentive and knowledgeable regarding the menu. I had the night's special which was Shrimp Scampi. My husband had the Spaghetti & Meatball. Although the food was good, it just wasn't up to par with our favorite restaurant here close to home. Lots of garlic...which I didn't mind since I love it!!
(4)Ronda L.
We've been frequenting Tellos since it's previous location many years ago and it's always top notch! The butternut squash ravioli is my all time favorite and they always have a seasonal fresh salad or soup that is divine! They keep the bread and oil coming and the atmosphere & wine selection are great.
(5)Katie V.
We went here to enjoy a romantic dinner to celebrate our Anniversary. Our B&B host had called in a reservation for us the day before but they lost our reservation, however luckily we had made the reservation for early in the evening and they had not yet filled up and sat us right away. The waitresses were very knowledgeable about the food and I really am glad I ordered the Seafood Linguine it was delicious. My husband got the stuffed pork chop which was also just as good. They make the olive oil, pepper, and parmesan cheese dipping sauce at the side of the table which is a nice touch. They were not that knowledgeable about the wine selection though. One odd thing was that they have a serving table in the middle of the restaurant for the wait staff to use and they brought out dishes and began to dry and stack them on the table out there. I found this not consistent with an upper scale italian restaurant for the me.
(4)David R.
Very nice restaurant in the middle if South Haven. Had an early reservation (7pm) and they were very receptive to young children. Food was excellent and ambiance is very good. Only complaint is the size of the children's meals and the wine selection could be better.
(4)Adam G.
My brother and I stopped by on whim because we were in the area. It looked like your typical Italian Bistro, a bit cookie cutter, but it was clean and nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. I ordered the Penne con Porchini and my brother got the Bolognese. Mine was very creamy and the mushrooms were plump and tasty. My brother wasn't a big fan of what he got, but I think it was something he wasn't expecitng. I would be sure to make a return visit if I was in South Haven again.
(4)Brian B.
Service was great and timely throughout the meal. The staff did all of the little and big things right. The food was excellent with choices for whole family. We were seated immediately although seating is limited. A large free parking lot can be found just behind the restaurant. The wine selection was reasonable. Would recommend reservation due to size of restaurant.
(5)lisa f.
Strange ingredients and preparation of food. Regional Michigan but not authentic Italian. Nice atmosphere, overpriced wine list with good choices. No foodie options in South Haven. Cook for yourself! And bring wine from home.
(3)Lynn H.
We found this place ourselves when we took a trip to South Haven during the off season. It was one of the few places on the strip that was open. The food was good; I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, which was great! Hubby strip steak, which was OK. They were out of the wine we ordered and graciously substituted a more expensive label of the same variety for the lower price. Service was provided by a college-age waitress who was friendly but inexpert. I expected a higher level of service and wine knowledge for the price of the meal. However, her friendly demeanor and the intimate ambiance did make for an enjoyable experience.
(3)Jon F.
Ordered the Lasagne alla Bolognese and it was overcooked. Told the waitress who sent the floor manager to my table. I showed him the burnt bottom layer and told him the Lasagne had an off taste. He DID NOT offer to comp the meal or offer a free desert. Will not return again.
(1)Mark H.
Salads good but small. My lasagna was awful. It was all canned beef and lasagna noodles. wife's risotto was good. Service good.
(3)Patty T.
We ate Sunday brunch at Tello! The service was good and the food was excellent! Nice atmosphere, great music. I was with two other people who ate a house salad and the spinach salad with a fried egg. I had a blt with egg! Yum!
(4)Ab B.
Four of us ladies went here during our girls weekend. The ambiance is relaxed, quaint yet elegant. We sat at the bar and had nice wine and appetizers. The female bartender was awesome. When my sister-in-law thought her wine was too sweet she offered her a sample of something else. When she didn't like that either (she doesn't normally drink wine, but thought 'hey, it's a wine bar.') the bartender said no problem, i'll get you something else. She had no attitude whatsoever. We shared the goat cheese pizza, calamari, brushetta. The best was the mushroom mozzarella meatball. We had a very nice evening. I would give 5 stars if the menu (for both wine and food) was more extensive. I'll definitely be going back here with hubby.
(4)Todd W.
We visited Tello's on a recent trip to South Haven over the Memorial Day weekend. We figured it would be crowded so we decided to call ahead and reserve a table for 8 p.m. Our table for 4 was waiting when we arrived at 8 p.m. which was fantastic. Everything when South after we sat down. Our server was "ok" but extremely slow. Water took to long after we sat down. The men ordered Manhattan's and the ladies ordered wine. The wine was brought out around 10 minutes after we placed the order. 30 minutes went by before our waitress came by and said they "we're out of the certain vermouth or something" for your drinks. Thirsty and getting bored, we decided to order draft beers. Beers came to the table in 10 minutes. It's now 8:40 p.m. and we finally have our drinks (and no bread like all of the other tables). Our waitress disappeared for 20 minutes which was a bit strange considering it was now 9 o'clock and most folks have been done eating at this point in the night (we figured she might want to start taking care of her table(s) at this point but that was not the case. We finally ordered. Three pasta dishes and their filet. 40 minutes went by before our dinner was ready. Everyone enjoyed their meal except myself. I ordered the Parpadelle Bolognese which sounded good on the menu. It was disgusting. It looked like they had opened up a store bought container of pulled pork and tried to dress it up with tobasco and some sort of bbq dressing or something. After waiting 40 minutes for a drink and then another hour for this plate, I wasn't happy. This was easily the worst experience at a restaurant in a while. I will never go back to Tello's in South Haven and don't recommend it.
(1)Evan H.
While on a nice relaxing vacation in South Haven with my gf and her family we decided to wonder into town and try out this little Italian spot. With a young baby in our party I thought it may present a logistic problem with a stroller but in fact we had a large table and had room on each end for the stroller - very accommodating. There was a very nice wine list that also seemed to be very reasonable. They had peroni on tap along with some standard selections. For my starter I tried the two minute calamari which I think needed another 30 seconds or hotter oil. The flavor was there just a bit chewy. For my main course I had the lamb "lolipops" which ended up being a huge portion of 8 split up into twos with a pesto sauce. The lamb was cooked to perfection, however the risotto in the center was not. The dish was still huge and tasty. Of the other dishes I tried, the scallops with pancetta and greens was amazing. The pancetta was so crisp and flavorful, a perfect compliment. The meal was quite great and definitely a local winner.
(4)Mary M.
Went there w/friends on a weekend getaway. We were rushed through dinner, they didn't have the first two bottles of wine we requested (they're a WINE BAR), the soup was tasteless and out of 8 of us, no one liked their meal. Do not go here.
(1)Dianna D.
We didn't actually eat here after a very rude experience we had with the hostess. We had 8 pm dinner reservations, walked in at 8:10. Waited in line and checked in with hostess apologizing for being a few minutes late. She said they only hold tables for 15 mins...well it wasn't even 8:15 yet and they wouldn't seat us!!! For real??!!! VERY RUDE!! Will never return.
(2)Monique M.
Tello's cute, quaint ambiance drew my boyfriend and I to this place during our bed n breakfast get away..... We were greeting by a friendly hostess and were amazed by the newly renovated decor as she escorted us to our cozy corner table by the bar. The waitstaff was awesome.. (attentive, friendly and somewhat knowledgeable) Manager was super nice and accommodating! THE FOOD- HOWEVER, was truly disappointing :( We Ordered: The truffled eggs- an appetizer which equated to unflavored runny boiled eggs that were slightly fried; over a bed of not so great white runny sauce. (great concept. not so greatly executed..) Whitefish- which was a mushy pot of veggies n slightly undercooked Talapia Spicy seafood linguine- which I had to send back because the scallops were BURNT TO A CRISP. The wine selections was minimal... out of almost everything they had on the list while we were there. (though they apologized and said shipment was due the following day) Eh.. not really worth the $95 we spent for only 2 people. I would go back to chat amongst friends... and enjoy a drink (if they have any)
(2)Joe S.
Actual rating 2.5 stars. Decent Italian food overall. The menu sports the usual Italian dishes, a few of which are made in house. If you remember the old Tello's off bluestar, you'll likely be disappointed as the new menu is much smaller and much more expensive serving foods just doused in oil and butter. The restaurant itself couldn't be any more crammed and uncomfortable. We had a table that was literally 8 feet from the noisy kitchen and server station. We had to listen to the banging in the kitchen and yapping servers all meal. Another table was so close to the front door that people walking in kept hitting the customers who were trying to relax and enjoy their meal. Tello- here's a suggestion- buy the place immediately next door, double your dining space, expand and freshen up your menu, and offer a more relaxing atmosphere so customers can actually enjoy their food.
(3)Carol T.
We were visiting friends near South Haven, and were on our own for dinner on a Saturday evening, so walked into Tello at about 5:00 p.m. to see if we could get a table without a reservation, particularly since it was early in the evening, and we could see at least ten empty tables. Rather than giving us a wait time, we were told that they "had no openings" until 9:30 p.m., which was just a ridiculous statement on its face, unless they were suggesting that they had scheduled all of their seatings to begin at exactly the same time for all of their tables, which no one does. Anyway, we went to Phoenix Street Cafe across the street and had a great meal with great service.
(1)Julie T.
So so good! Wow! I wish we lived closer. Service was excellent! Food even better! Ice tea instant, but everything else homemade! Loved it!!!
(5)Sean A.
Eat here with my wife and the food was incredible the drink were great and the service was top notch. We had the calamari and to martini's for Appetizers. Then I had the Seafood Bolognese and it was awesome and my wife the Whitefish and Scallops and that to was incredible. All in all this was the best food we have had in South Haven and what a great place to eat and enjoy the person you love,
(4)Amanda C.
I enjoyed dinner at Tello for the atmosphere and food. We actually ended up coming here because the line was so long at the first place we went, and were glad we did. They have nightly specials, and the Thursday we were there was $20 for a bottle of wine and appetizer of bruschetta which was a great deal and delicious. They have 8-10 varieties of bruschetta which is new for me- we ordered mozzarella/tomato/basil, balsamic tuna, and goat cheese/red peppers. All were very good. My entree was Spaghetti di Tello and seems like an unusual combination but all ingredients went well together: spaghetti, dried cherries, gorgonzola, and walnuts tossed in olive oil. I thought the cherry aspect would be very Michigan-esque. Finally, we shared a HUGE serving of tiramisu which was amazing. Definitely go here for dinner!
(5)A G.
Made a reservation and was seated right away. As other reviewers have noted we had two individuals provide table service for us. The servers were attentive and did not visit the table too much, nor did they neglect us. My wife and I both ordered salads before dinner and thought the proportion and taste was just fine. For dinner, my wife had the ristotto (which was a bit salty for my liking) and I ordered the whitefish. The fish entree was okay. It contained a mixture of vegetables, potatoes, the fish, some lemon, and an assortment of herbs. The fish was rather tasteless and could have used some more complex flavors. All in all, it was okay. I've had better, but have also had worse. The restaurant itself was quaint. At the front of the restaurant there is a table which contains a variety of wine glasses and water pitchers. I am assuming this is for waitstaff use. The table placement made it quite difficult to maneuver in and out of the restaurant when there were people seated at nearby tables. The walls and ceiling are rather dark, which adds to the ambience of the setting. Tables are rather close to one another, which can make you feel like your part of another party visiting this establishment. All in all, our experience at Tello was alright. If we were to visit the area again, we might make a stop at this restaurant. But I think we would try other establishments first.
(3)Priscilla F.
Had the Grilled Porterhouse Pork Chops and it was delicious. Also, the waitress recommended the Three Minute Truffle Eggs, since they were out of mussels and it was surprisingly great! We had a great time. The atmosphere was nice and our waitress, Valeria was very helpful and friendly.
(5)Ivan V.
Was int he area during a family road trip and we found this spot. It had just opened for the day so we were 1 of 2 parties there. Food: Great. Everyone, for the most part was pleased. My sister thought the oven pizza was "okay, but too thin," my father "loved" his fish, my step-mom thought her chicken was very good, and I really liked the spaghetti and meatballs (though it only had 2 meatballs). Drinks: Amazing wine selection. Not sure what wines the parents had but I had beer. Service: Even though they were training employees, the service was great. All were attractive females (On my way to the restroom I joked that it had to be employment requirement) and friendly.
(4)alicia b.
So if this was the last place I had eaten when I visited South Haven I may have dished out a 4 star just for the edible fact but since it was the first, I still had my Chicago taste buds flared so I wasnt impressed. Its soooo cutely decorated,super cozy and romantic.Its a wine bar so they have tons of wine options along with a wine bar you can sit at. We opted out of the wine since both of us wanted a drink.Bf got a belividere martini that showed up in the tiniest glass ever and only about 3/4 of the way full,what a rip off and disappointment.They should be ashamed to serve a drink that small and charge $9! The waitresses carry around electronic order taker thingys,kinda weird,to techy for a nice restaurant and a bit distracting,the girls were always typing on them.The menu is a nice size offering a couple apps.,pasta dishes,meaty choices and gourmet pizza. We started with the bruschetta trio--white bean= dry tasteless, olive= salty!!!, tomato----freakin awesome! They should just serve three of the tomato the rest are a waste. We both ordered the cup of minestrone soup.It was vegetarian!! The soup was the best part of the meal,tasty,thick and not too salty.yumm Bf got the pizza with sausage. After much decision making I went with the tello di spaghetti,a spaghetti with gorgonzola,walnuts,dried cherries, olive oil and basil...I know sounds amazing right? Yea not so much it was tasteless except for the chunks of unmelted gorgonzola that was so bitter thats all you could taste. Bf liked his za but it was thin and raw in the middle, coulda used a couple more minutes in the oven, I think Oh yea they do a double waitress thing too.You get two waiters which = super confusing and doesnt make sense to me.
(3)Edward W.
Polenta was delicious. Pizza was good. Everything else was ok. Would come back.
(3)phillip h.
Overpriced, very small portions. food is much better at restaurants like olive garden and Carrabba's restaurants. ala carte so a $15.99 spaghetti dinner does not come with anything else. very small portion size on such an expensive spaghetti meal. Sauce is bland, so they save on spices too. I'm not cheap; I'd be happy to pay $15.99 if the food was good or even if they could have made the portion size bigger and provided a salad along with the spaghetti. It is well decorated, so I guess you pay for atmosphere, but if you want tasty food go somewhere else.a
(1)Katy H.
My boyfriend and I came in for dinner while we were on vacation in December. The restaurant was recommended by our innkeepers. As December is the off season, the restaurant wasn't very busy. We made a reservation anyway and were seated right next to the podium and the front door. Overall the food was decent. Nothing too special and next time I'm in town I will definitely try a different restaurant. The decor and ambience was very nice. And it was a cozy romantic place for a date, even if the food was nothing to write home about.
(3)david g.
A very nice restaurant It has pretty good wine list also. I ordered the Chicken Marsala, which had a side of polenta (hmmm not too sure about corn meal and chicken Marsala,) I don't think the combo worked at all. However that's the only complaint I have to make, everything else was fine. Next time I am in town, i will go back and try something else
(4)Diana L.
Last Sunday dinner here was a lovely affair, and yet the service knocked it down a star. Mostly because it was oddly ill timed. We didn't feel ignored as much as left to our own devices until we stared off into the distance long enough to be noticed. I had the Crimini Mushroom Ravioli for my entree and have no complaints. The pillow-y bits of pasta were on the denser side, half of the ravioli left with me in a box and made a fine lunch the next day. The lemon cream sauce was on the lighter side and tasted of real fresh lemon and basil. Truffled Crispy egg appetizer was fine as well, a little heavy since it was a fried soft-ish boiled egg in a heavy gorgonzola sauce with toasted bread. The combination of flavors were sound though and we weren't surprised when the adorable blond buss-er mentioned it was her favorite. We passed on dessert, the food was just too filling to end with tiramisu or flour less chocolate cake. The service was, as stated, just off in some strange way we didn't quite understand and ended up discussing more afterward then the food. The presence of the electronic order pads was a fine idea but the interaction between the staff seemed lacking. When our server introduced herself she also mentioned a second server, which only showed up once to give us bread and oil with freshly shaved parmesan and milled pepper. So this was the kicker of the confusion over the service; we ordered our appetizer then received it from the aforementioned third woman and it wasn't until after we had finished and the dish had been taken away (and some time later) that our entree order was taken. The food came out pretty quick after that, it was just... odd.
(4)Jim K.
The food is always good, and the prices rather modest for the "upscale" dining they seem to be striving to present. The wine list is pretty nice too, and the wines by the glass are a step above what's offered by most places. The service there can be spotty though; we've had both some of our best dining experiences there, with a server who seemed to be able to anticipate our every need without being intrusive, and we've had some poor experiences with servers that seemed overwhelmed and unable to take care of their sections. Overall, though, this is one of the best places to eat in South Haven, although I recommend making a reservation far in advance during the summer months since the place gets mobbed by Chicagoans (like us) with houses in Michigan ...
(4)Shawn D.
Becky behind the bar is worth the price of admission, hands down. Bruschetta is great, pizzas look decent (but haven't tried yet), but I do think the entrees are missing that something extra. Maybe need a new exec chef with a deep Italian cuisine background. No "high end" competition in South Haven may translate to not having to try very hard since people will walk in the door without much effort.
(3)David K.
The food was amazing. We stopped in for lunch and had an appetizer of poached eggs that were coated in bread crumbs, then broiled, and served with a gorgonzola cream sauce and toast points. There were black truffles in there somewhere too. It was amazing. We also had a salad that consisted of grilled romain lettuce that was drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and fried proscuito. Also fantastic. We'll definitely stop in again next time we go through South Haven.
(5)Deb D.
We really enjoyed our meal here. Good food, good service, tasty adult beverages.
(4)Justin S.
For the past few years we've gone to Tellos for a date night with another couple during our a vacation. This year the experience was good, but not as great as it had been in previous years. The evening started with a pear vodka martini with gorgonzola stuffed olives which sounded delicious on paper but was actually rather bland. The pear slices weren't very ripe and didn't have that wonderful pear flavor. We also started with the "2-minute" calamari that our waitress explained (twice) was not breaded. Being this close to Chicago where they fry everything I bet they've had a lot of this app sent back and so now they add a disclaimer when someone tries to order it. My wife and I however do like calamari this way so persevered only to get calamari that was chewier then it should have been. Maybe they should have cooked it longer and called it the 2:30 calamari. For dinner we both ordered the Penne con Porcini was good but very rich because of all of the gorgonzola in the dish. Now I like gorgonzola (a lot) but even a few bits of this dish had me wishing for less mushrooms. Overall the meal was ok, but not as exceptional as the menu prices would have you believe.
(3)Kyung P.
We tried to have dinner at the Journeyman in Fennville, but the whole town was closed due to the Porkapallooza festival in town. So we found Tello in South Haven. While reading the menu outside, the descriptions of fresh local ingredients caught my eye. So this was the place for dinner. We got cold, dense bread with oil while we waited for your starters. The olive oil wasn't fruity and obviously not bread-dipping quality that I'm used to in Chicago. Not a good start. I started with the pear and gorgonzola salad, and the BF started with the squash-gorgonzola soup. I was completely underwhelmed by both; it was definitely the mildest gorgonzola I have ever tasted. Both seemed to be under-seasoned and flavorless. Some of the toasted walnuts on my salad were burnt, and I barely got any pears in my salad. I had the butternut squash ravioli and the BF got the black linguini. I very much liked the linguini, but the ravioli was also underwhelming. The sage butter sauce had no flavor, and I didn't taste any butter or sage in the thin, runny sauce. The grated parmesan they offered also had no flavor, and it definitely made me realize that this restaurant cuts corner with their ingredients (olive oil, gorgonzola, parmesan, etc). The service on the other hand was excellent, except for the fact that our server had someone shadowing him. We weren't told this, and it was a tad weird watching this woman follow our server's every move. Also, the manager came over to ask how we ladies were enjoying our meal (remember, I was here with my boyfriend). It was super weird, but she apologized. All in all, they try to target the Chicago people, but don't expect to get what you'd get in Chicago at these price points (entrees $18-25, starters $4-10).
(3)Chuck N.
Great website with online reservations that were very easy to use. My wife and I love Italian food. The fare here is well prepared. The menu has some interesting items on it. The wine list is appropriate. The decor is nice, the servers are professional. I can't say anything bad about the place. I liked it; I like Olive Garden too, but I don't go there expecting to be wowed. I think that's what left a bit of disappointment in my mouth with Tello's, I really expected a bit more. Nothing really popped about our meal, but I will likely go back and give the place another try.
(2)Mitchell P.
What a great little restaurant! Very nicely decorated inside and out (it was halloween, so they had a scarecrow outside). The service and food were tremendous. I can't say enough about this. We dined what the menu refers to as 'italian style' where our salad came in the middle of the meal. our first course was the Black truffle fettuccine. for a salad we had the gorganzola with pine nuts. and for the other course we had the veal. this was a perfect combination! some mention that the prices are too high, but i didn't think that an average price of 18-20 a plate was too bad. This is a must have if you find yourself in South Haven!
(5)Aaron O.
I recently had dinner at Tello's with a group of 10 friends. Food was very good - on par and slightly better than many other nearby higher-end Bistros. Pasta dishes were outstanding - especially those with strong tasting cheeses. 4 out of 5 stars. I also enjoy the larger portions with the meals, and the 'date night Tuesday' prices are quite reasonable. However, I give the waitstaff a 1.5 out of 5. Both servers (we had 2, who seemed confused about who was waiting our table) seemed to have an attitude problem, and the whole staff in general seemed disorganized: 1. We were not greeted friendly at the door... rather, a somber glare and "do you have a reservation?". This somber/dull attitude was replicated by the waitstaff. 2. Server took FOREVER to take the order... using a little handheld device which seemed to slow the process to an uncomfortable crawl. 3. Server had to return to the table to confirm the order... it seemed she had missed some details of the order 4. The wrong wine was delivered to someone at our table 5. The time between courses seemed mis-coordinated. Appetizers were delivered quickly, but there was a very long wait for the meals to be delivered... too long in my opinion. 6. Waitress seemed very frustrated... you could make out the cuss words under her breath as she stood by the computer making the bill. 7. Bill was delivered to me, but immediatly taken away, declaring "Oops, I forgot to add your coffee to the bill" 8. After being asked if he wanted his food boxed up (he did) my friend's plate was taken from him and thrown away. Upon asking about this, the waitress replied that she 'must have grabbed the wrong plate'. 9. Upon leaving, the waitstaff did not say "goodnight" or "have a good evening". Once everyone walked away from the table, I said "goodnight" to the waitress who was standing in the corner. While walking out the door, another staff member continued working on her task-at-hand without acknowledging the departing group. Overall... great food. I left full and satisfied. However, I will probably not host another group event at Tello's for a while, due to our experience.
(2)Natalie M.
I would not recommend. Risotto was under cooked and bland. Pasta was undercooked and sauce overly sweet. Management was friendly, servers average.
(1)Steve M.
Went there for our 10 year anniversary, food was horrible, not even hot. And we were one of only 2 tables! Did not have our first choice of wine. Service was average at best.
(1)Cardinal Girl A.
Good place!! Good service, relatively prompt and very receptive and courteous. Manager even took off the bruschetta appetizer bc we didn't eat all of it as it was underwhelming (which she did not need to do!). Arancini balls were delicious, as was the lasagna (although untraditional with shredded beef??), wine was excellent. For an upscale place they even had a kids menu. We would eat there again!
(4)Mike P.
White fish pan roast with capers was amazing! The pork chop with Gorgonzola and apples was phenomenal and the grilled dinner salad and calamari in addition to the wine were just as exceptional!
(5)Marta G.
We really enjoyed our dinner last night. We have two kids (8 and 5) and they had a good and reasonably priced children's menu. I had a great cocktail, wine, caprese, and bolognese. My husband was able to order a Chicken Alfredo off menu. And our waiter was wonderful. Would definitely come again next year!
(4)Sita R.
This was my third time coming to this restaurant and all times were great! The filet was cooked perfectly and the wine selections by the bottle were pretty good. I would definitely come back!
(5)Christina L.
My family and I dined here on a beautiful evening and had a great experience. The interior of this restaurant is very open and relaxing. How can you beat seats with pillows on them?! Although this restaurant offers so much space, I noticed the tables were super crammed. I'm sorry, I just don't want to hear people's word to word conversations. The food here is great though! Probably some of the best I've had while staying in South Haven. For an appetizer, we decided upon the calamari. We all agreed that was some of the best calamari that we've ever had! It's a must try! For my entree, I ordered the Michigan stuffed trout. I was not wild about it, but I just had different expectations. One of my guests ordered pizza and, man, was that delicious pizza! It definitely was cooked on a brick oven. My boyfriend loved his linguini and said the scallops were cooked to perfection. This place really does have great food, but needs a little work on the service. When we came, the place was pretty empty and the service was still slow. However, at the end of the night, we were so impressed by the food that we didn't even mind. Therefore, this place deserves 4 stars!
(4)Kevin K.
Eat anywhere in south haven but Tellos. Used to be great but when moved downtown quality and service went downhill.
(1)Gary H.
This was our first stop when we arrived in South Haven for a week of vacation. We wanted to go to Clementine's but were not willing to wait 45 minutes for a seat, so we went a couple doors down to Tello. The place was nearly empty. We encountered a little attitude with our server. Seemed like we were an inconvenience or not really welcome. Overall pretty cold service. Maybe it was that we had our kids with us and the place trends a little more upscale in ambience. Either way, we probably wouldn't go back - especially with Maria's not far away that is far superior in food and service! Overall...food was pretty good though...especially the Lasagna.
(3)Katie H.
Beth was our bartender for the day and she was exceptional. She was very knowledgeable about her craft, friendly and sociable with all of her customers, I would return based solely on her service, and the drinks were great as well!
(5)Jon F.
Ordered the Lasagne alla Bolognese and it was overcooked. Told the waitress who sent the floor manager to my table. I showed him the burnt bottom layer and told him the Lasagne had an off taste. He DID NOT offer to comp the meal or offer a free desert. Will not return again.
(1)Mark H.
Salads good but small. My lasagna was awful. It was all canned beef and lasagna noodles. wife's risotto was good. Service good.
(3)Todd W.
We visited Tello's on a recent trip to South Haven over the Memorial Day weekend. We figured it would be crowded so we decided to call ahead and reserve a table for 8 p.m. Our table for 4 was waiting when we arrived at 8 p.m. which was fantastic. Everything when South after we sat down. Our server was "ok" but extremely slow. Water took to long after we sat down. The men ordered Manhattan's and the ladies ordered wine. The wine was brought out around 10 minutes after we placed the order. 30 minutes went by before our waitress came by and said they "we're out of the certain vermouth or something" for your drinks. Thirsty and getting bored, we decided to order draft beers. Beers came to the table in 10 minutes. It's now 8:40 p.m. and we finally have our drinks (and no bread like all of the other tables). Our waitress disappeared for 20 minutes which was a bit strange considering it was now 9 o'clock and most folks have been done eating at this point in the night (we figured she might want to start taking care of her table(s) at this point but that was not the case. We finally ordered. Three pasta dishes and their filet. 40 minutes went by before our dinner was ready. Everyone enjoyed their meal except myself. I ordered the Parpadelle Bolognese which sounded good on the menu. It was disgusting. It looked like they had opened up a store bought container of pulled pork and tried to dress it up with tobasco and some sort of bbq dressing or something. After waiting 40 minutes for a drink and then another hour for this plate, I wasn't happy. This was easily the worst experience at a restaurant in a while. I will never go back to Tello's in South Haven and don't recommend it.
(1)Lynn H.
We found this place ourselves when we took a trip to South Haven during the off season. It was one of the few places on the strip that was open. The food was good; I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, which was great! Hubby strip steak, which was OK. They were out of the wine we ordered and graciously substituted a more expensive label of the same variety for the lower price. Service was provided by a college-age waitress who was friendly but inexpert. I expected a higher level of service and wine knowledge for the price of the meal. However, her friendly demeanor and the intimate ambiance did make for an enjoyable experience.
(3)Cardinal Girl A.
Good place!! Good service, relatively prompt and very receptive and courteous. Manager even took off the bruschetta appetizer bc we didn't eat all of it as it was underwhelming (which she did not need to do!). Arancini balls were delicious, as was the lasagna (although untraditional with shredded beef??), wine was excellent. For an upscale place they even had a kids menu. We would eat there again!
(4)Mike P.
White fish pan roast with capers was amazing! The pork chop with Gorgonzola and apples was phenomenal and the grilled dinner salad and calamari in addition to the wine were just as exceptional!
(5)Marta G.
We really enjoyed our dinner last night. We have two kids (8 and 5) and they had a good and reasonably priced children's menu. I had a great cocktail, wine, caprese, and bolognese. My husband was able to order a Chicken Alfredo off menu. And our waiter was wonderful. Would definitely come again next year!
(4)Sita R.
This was my third time coming to this restaurant and all times were great! The filet was cooked perfectly and the wine selections by the bottle were pretty good. I would definitely come back!
(5)Christina L.
My family and I dined here on a beautiful evening and had a great experience. The interior of this restaurant is very open and relaxing. How can you beat seats with pillows on them?! Although this restaurant offers so much space, I noticed the tables were super crammed. I'm sorry, I just don't want to hear people's word to word conversations. The food here is great though! Probably some of the best I've had while staying in South Haven. For an appetizer, we decided upon the calamari. We all agreed that was some of the best calamari that we've ever had! It's a must try! For my entree, I ordered the Michigan stuffed trout. I was not wild about it, but I just had different expectations. One of my guests ordered pizza and, man, was that delicious pizza! It definitely was cooked on a brick oven. My boyfriend loved his linguini and said the scallops were cooked to perfection. This place really does have great food, but needs a little work on the service. When we came, the place was pretty empty and the service was still slow. However, at the end of the night, we were so impressed by the food that we didn't even mind. Therefore, this place deserves 4 stars!
(4)Kevin K.
Eat anywhere in south haven but Tellos. Used to be great but when moved downtown quality and service went downhill.
(1)David R.
Very nice restaurant in the middle if South Haven. Had an early reservation (7pm) and they were very receptive to young children. Food was excellent and ambiance is very good. Only complaint is the size of the children's meals and the wine selection could be better.
(4)Adam G.
My brother and I stopped by on whim because we were in the area. It looked like your typical Italian Bistro, a bit cookie cutter, but it was clean and nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. I ordered the Penne con Porchini and my brother got the Bolognese. Mine was very creamy and the mushrooms were plump and tasty. My brother wasn't a big fan of what he got, but I think it was something he wasn't expecitng. I would be sure to make a return visit if I was in South Haven again.
(4)Brian B.
Service was great and timely throughout the meal. The staff did all of the little and big things right. The food was excellent with choices for whole family. We were seated immediately although seating is limited. A large free parking lot can be found just behind the restaurant. The wine selection was reasonable. Would recommend reservation due to size of restaurant.
(5)lisa f.
Strange ingredients and preparation of food. Regional Michigan but not authentic Italian. Nice atmosphere, overpriced wine list with good choices. No foodie options in South Haven. Cook for yourself! And bring wine from home.
(3)Gary H.
This was our first stop when we arrived in South Haven for a week of vacation. We wanted to go to Clementine's but were not willing to wait 45 minutes for a seat, so we went a couple doors down to Tello. The place was nearly empty. We encountered a little attitude with our server. Seemed like we were an inconvenience or not really welcome. Overall pretty cold service. Maybe it was that we had our kids with us and the place trends a little more upscale in ambience. Either way, we probably wouldn't go back - especially with Maria's not far away that is far superior in food and service! Overall...food was pretty good though...especially the Lasagna.
(3)Katie H.
Beth was our bartender for the day and she was exceptional. She was very knowledgeable about her craft, friendly and sociable with all of her customers, I would return based solely on her service, and the drinks were great as well!
(5)Nic Z.
Tello is a romantic little spot in South Haven. It's steps from the water and has a lovely ambiance inside. The booths are cozy, and service was solid. For dinner, we both ordered Fennel and Apple Salad and the Lemon Chicken Picatta. Delicious. I really enjoyed the whole meal. Their house bread is also good and kept us happily munching until the entrees arrived.
(4)Sean A.
WTH...have never had a bad meal here and tonight is no different.....the Pork chop with apple and Gorgonzola was amazing. My wife had veal and best ever. I highly recommend this place for all food and spirits.
(5)Yanja B.
An amazing Italian place found in the heart of SoHa! A group of girls and I came here for a birthday and we enjoyed every bit of it! The food is amazing, the ambiance is so cute and intimate, and the service was amazing! We ordered the sausage and pepper pizza- amazing. Also, order spaghetti and meatball- delish; my friend and I were sharing so the kitchen kindly split up the entree into two portions! Our wait staff was absolutely amazing and so attentive. Def coming back to this place next time I visit SoHa.
(4)Stephanie W.
Second year in a row went for happy hour $6 pizza and beer and wine special....make sure you bring Id they card everyone! Even if you are forty and are with your husband and two kids. One kid liked the pizza the other didn't. Good meat balls. Margarita pizza had way too much garlic from a jar! Good thing I like extra thin pizza and let it slide. Bring a sweater, cold.
(3)Elaine M.
The service here is so incredibly poor it practically spoiled the entire evening. It started out so well. Although we walked in and not a single person was in sight to greet us. After waiting a bit we were greeted warmly and seated promptly. Then we sat and sat and sat. Other's around us were being waited upon. No one said anything to us. Finally after twenty to thirty minutes, we asked the hostess if anyone was waiting on our table. Her response was yes, no apology or anything. Also, you have to know the place wasn't very crowded. I think there might have been five other tables, that's it! Finally a waitress comes over. She doesn't apologize for our wait either! Takes our order. We order one appetizer, one salad and two entrees. The appetizer came (more about that later) and then the entrees - she forgot the salad entirely. When we pointed it out, still no apology! When it came time for our check again we waited about a half hour for our waitress, finally we snagged another waitress to fetch it for us. (By the way, at least one party had come in ordered a multiple course meal and left long before us - waited on by another server.) She brought the check and it was wrong. In our favor actually, so we were going to point it out and have it corrected but again we wait, I think twenty minutes this time. By this time we were really ticked. By the time our waitress finally came to collect the bill we weren't in the mood to wait any longer, we didn't bother pointing out her mistake. Just got the heck out of Dodge. On to the food. It actually has potential but certainly isn't up to gourmet standards. The appetizer was, by far, the best item that we ordered. Seared Scallops, Truffle & Cauliflower Seared golden brown finished with basil pesto. This was really remarkable and if any wants to chance the poor service I would highly recommend ordering this item! All the flavors blended well and the dish was perfectly balanced, every flavor note on point. Unfortunately that was the highlight of the evening. I ordered the Whitefish Napoleon Pan Roast Roasted on a bed of zucchini, red onions, cherry tomatoes, capers and olives & potatoes. Finished with a light lemon, garlic broth. The funny thing here is that the dish has potential. It was severely under seasoned and somehow just didn't quite work. The same was true for the Seafood Linguine, Shrimp, calamari and jumbo sea scallops sautéed with leeks, crispy pancetta and oven-roasted tomatoes tossed with squid ink linguine in a light, spicy broth. The broth certainly wasn't spicy and the dish on whole was not flavorful and altogether lackluster. Also, if you aren't a big blue cheese fan, which we aren't, the menu is fairly limited. They put blue cheese in almost everything. YUCK!
(2)Brian S.
Nice ambience. Service was a bit slow but server was very nice and did well otherwise. Food is over priced. Lamb shank was very good but bolognese was overwhelmed by the roasted pork in the sauce. Dinner for two was about $80 and at that price the food didn't measure up.
(3)Geriann K.
Butternut squash was excellent. Chicken marsala was good but nothing to write home about. The staff was accommodating and sat us a half if hour early albeit in the bar. Erica, our waitress was attentive and pleasant. The decor was a bit dark for our taste and would have preferred to sit in the main room but would definitely recommend a meal here. It is a bit loud, but we had no problem conversing.
(4)James A.
First for the good things, like the decor and ambiance, the music, and service was good. Had the Perrin IPA beer which was also good. My wife had the Chicken Marsala which was good. Now for the bad. I ordered the Gemelli alla Puttanesca which is described on the menu as having Jumbo Shrimp. The dish was tasty. But I know what Jumbo shrimp is and I expected 5 or 6 large shrimp. I was very disappointed, and when she brought the dish I said where are the shrimp. She pointed to a less then bite size piece of shrimp. The dish had maybe 5 or 6 small bites of shrimp. For spending almost $20, this was a disappointment and did not meet my expectations. I did say something to the server and she said something to the manager. The manager came over a apologized, but that was it! I expected more then an apology. I'm rating it as 2 star for the good reasons above.
(2)Lori G.
Be sure to make reservations because there was a two hour wait if you just walked in. The restaurant is small, tables kinda close together. Tonie, our server, was attentive and accommodating. We split a small Caesar salad, a pizza (which they made off the menu) and chicken Marsala. They split the chicken in the back for us, including the vegetables and potatoes. The food was wonderful. We would definitely go here again!
(4)Louis R.
Very good. Will be back. Truffled egg has lovely gorgonzola sauce and the charred bread is super tasty. Had specialty scallops on rice croquets with hot sauce. Nicely seared and tasty.
(5)Jofi S.
They were blasting 80's music when we came in and I had to request them to turn it down. Then a waitress came next to the table where we were seated and turned the lights on full blast and started folding cloth napkins in the front of the house! Very unprofessional. Food was mediocre and expensive. For my money, I'd rather go to Saugatuck where they have some class! This is the first and last time I'll come here!
(2)David S.
First time here and I feel like I've finally found a restaurant that appeals to our finer tastes. The food is not only excellent, but also original. The dishes have an authentic feel while delivering fresh and exquisite twists on old classics. Despite the great food, our favorite aspect of this restaurant is the style and quality of service. The staff wears a warm small town smile yet delivering 5 star attention and etiquette. Cheers to Tello's, may we visit and enjoy you for years to come.
(5)Ron M.
Sendom do i eat out and wish i had just stayed home, this was one occasion The risotto was crunchy and rather tasteless. It was sent back and the replacement was just as crunchy. Bread was only delivered to table after asking the rather not interested waitress. No i would not go back.
(2)Ritu R.
O. M. G. What a surprise and oh so good! Everything we has was to die for. The following will leave u wanting more and more: 33 min eggs.-2 served w 2 pieces of bread. Scallops w cauliflower - 2 pieces; Arancini (risotto balls) - 3 crispy pieces. Mussels wow and fresh Zucchini soup & gorgonzola - taste just keeps lingering. Cup is pretty big. Rich & memorable. The entrees were not as amazing as the apps... 22 of us has the whitefish = 3.5/5 it was not as flavorful and too hot when served we both got burned One had the spaghetti Primavera which was bland = 2.5/5 One had the butternut squash ravioli and was in love....all the flavors were spot on and she thinks about it. I thought it was more of a winter entree but it was done right. = 5/5 Tasty, well flavored and balanced cocktails. One guest highly recommends the balsamic bloody mary as its was "bloody good!" Service was fantastic even w harborfest going on outside. Two servers on top of the service. WOW. Without a doubt...Best in the area!!
(4)Alissa C.
Went here for 2 year anniversary. Loved the atmosphere! It was very romantic, yet I felt comfortable in a sundress. Food was great, the calamari appetizer was one of the best I've had (and I consider myself a harsh critic!) Of course, the wine was great as well.
(5)Chris D.
Great place, the food was absolutely amazing! I had the sage and prosciutto stuffed veal and I loved every bite of it. The veal was cooked just right and the capers added the right amount of zing to it. The fresh vegetables were a nice break from all the fried food served in the area. I also liked how they added Parmesan cheese to the olive oil dip for the bread. The only knocks that I have on the place is that it was very loud inside from all of the patrons trying to talk over each other in the small dining area.
(4)Dale B.
Tello's is another icon in SH. There down town location is quaint. It is nicely decorated and comfortable. The place will get busy and it's small so plan on a wait. The food is always good. I like the pizzas best. Tello's is a little more pricey than you might expect. They have good wine selections too! Tello's is a must try!
(4)Coco M.
The pasta dishes are ok, but don't get the calamari. I got that as a main course and have never had it served with banana peppers--and couldn't get over the wierd taste combination. The ambience is great, although the service was SO slow..and the restaurant wasn't even that busy. There's not many great dinner options in the area, so am bummed we didn't try one of the other Italian options in town.
(3)Ryan S.
Exceptionally friendly and knowledgable staff. Great wine selection and $6 happy hour pizzas for $6 are delicious.
(5)Renee S.
This is a really good italian place. I really enjoyed the seafood linguine. Scallops were perfectly seared. Love the wine bar!
(4)George B.
We celebrated a birthday at Tello last evening. The meal was excellent from start to finish. The calamari appetizer with two kinds of sweet peppers was outstanding, best I ever had. I followed it with the lemon chicken which also was divine. My husband had the stuffed veal - excellent, the others enjoyed the butternut squash ravioli and pork chop dinners-both excellent. Our server was great, we never felt rushed, but she was there when we wanted her. We capped the meal with a teramisu light and delicious. The manager came over and asked how we enjoyed the meal. It was a pleasure to tell him
(5)Melanie I.
One of my favorites in the area. Butternut squash ravioli and the whitefish are the best items on the menu. Wines are a bit pricey but they have a large selection to choose from. Love the atmosphere. Staff are helpful but service can run on the slow side in the evening hours.
(5)D C.
Sorry to say this is an not authentic Italian restaurant. Went there for our anniversary my wife's food was salmon it was seriously burnt. We sent it back I ate part if my food while they cooked a new piece for her. We also bought scallops as an appetizer. They gave us two for $14. They were cooked perfect but come on, this is South Haven not LA. I think they can do better than that with a little effort. My dish was supposed to have sausage in it. I could find only 4 small cut up little pieces. We ordered deserts it looked like it shrank in the fridge over the winter. Dry crumbling and hard line the salmon it should have never been served
(2)Nancy K.
Has the lemon chicken it was delicious generous portions service at the bar was great we did not have a reservation so took the bar choice it was so worth it have eaten here on other occasions always pleased
(5)Genevieve N.
My husband and I visited Tello for the first time a couple of weeks ago while vacationing in South Haven. I have mixed feelings about it. The service was not great; it took 15-20 minutes to put in our drink order, and our server was not knowledgeable about the wine-by-the-glass list. However, the food was excellent. We ordered a couple of appetizers, including the scallops (which were amazing!), and then we got desserts. The tiramisu was delicious.
(3)Paula S.
I wanted Italian for my birthday dinner!! Walked in and was seated immediately! The staff was attentive and knowledgeable regarding the menu. I had the night's special which was Shrimp Scampi. My husband had the Spaghetti & Meatball. Although the food was good, it just wasn't up to par with our favorite restaurant here close to home. Lots of garlic...which I didn't mind since I love it!!
(4)Ronda L.
We've been frequenting Tellos since it's previous location many years ago and it's always top notch! The butternut squash ravioli is my all time favorite and they always have a seasonal fresh salad or soup that is divine! They keep the bread and oil coming and the atmosphere & wine selection are great.
(5)Katie V.
We went here to enjoy a romantic dinner to celebrate our Anniversary. Our B&B host had called in a reservation for us the day before but they lost our reservation, however luckily we had made the reservation for early in the evening and they had not yet filled up and sat us right away. The waitresses were very knowledgeable about the food and I really am glad I ordered the Seafood Linguine it was delicious. My husband got the stuffed pork chop which was also just as good. They make the olive oil, pepper, and parmesan cheese dipping sauce at the side of the table which is a nice touch. They were not that knowledgeable about the wine selection though. One odd thing was that they have a serving table in the middle of the restaurant for the wait staff to use and they brought out dishes and began to dry and stack them on the table out there. I found this not consistent with an upper scale italian restaurant for the me.
(4)Evan H.
While on a nice relaxing vacation in South Haven with my gf and her family we decided to wonder into town and try out this little Italian spot. With a young baby in our party I thought it may present a logistic problem with a stroller but in fact we had a large table and had room on each end for the stroller - very accommodating. There was a very nice wine list that also seemed to be very reasonable. They had peroni on tap along with some standard selections. For my starter I tried the two minute calamari which I think needed another 30 seconds or hotter oil. The flavor was there just a bit chewy. For my main course I had the lamb "lolipops" which ended up being a huge portion of 8 split up into twos with a pesto sauce. The lamb was cooked to perfection, however the risotto in the center was not. The dish was still huge and tasty. Of the other dishes I tried, the scallops with pancetta and greens was amazing. The pancetta was so crisp and flavorful, a perfect compliment. The meal was quite great and definitely a local winner.
(4)Monique M.
Tello's cute, quaint ambiance drew my boyfriend and I to this place during our bed n breakfast get away..... We were greeting by a friendly hostess and were amazed by the newly renovated decor as she escorted us to our cozy corner table by the bar. The waitstaff was awesome.. (attentive, friendly and somewhat knowledgeable) Manager was super nice and accommodating! THE FOOD- HOWEVER, was truly disappointing :( We Ordered: The truffled eggs- an appetizer which equated to unflavored runny boiled eggs that were slightly fried; over a bed of not so great white runny sauce. (great concept. not so greatly executed..) Whitefish- which was a mushy pot of veggies n slightly undercooked Talapia Spicy seafood linguine- which I had to send back because the scallops were BURNT TO A CRISP. The wine selections was minimal... out of almost everything they had on the list while we were there. (though they apologized and said shipment was due the following day) Eh.. not really worth the $95 we spent for only 2 people. I would go back to chat amongst friends... and enjoy a drink (if they have any)
(2)Joe S.
Actual rating 2.5 stars. Decent Italian food overall. The menu sports the usual Italian dishes, a few of which are made in house. If you remember the old Tello's off bluestar, you'll likely be disappointed as the new menu is much smaller and much more expensive serving foods just doused in oil and butter. The restaurant itself couldn't be any more crammed and uncomfortable. We had a table that was literally 8 feet from the noisy kitchen and server station. We had to listen to the banging in the kitchen and yapping servers all meal. Another table was so close to the front door that people walking in kept hitting the customers who were trying to relax and enjoy their meal. Tello- here's a suggestion- buy the place immediately next door, double your dining space, expand and freshen up your menu, and offer a more relaxing atmosphere so customers can actually enjoy their food.
(3)Carol T.
We were visiting friends near South Haven, and were on our own for dinner on a Saturday evening, so walked into Tello at about 5:00 p.m. to see if we could get a table without a reservation, particularly since it was early in the evening, and we could see at least ten empty tables. Rather than giving us a wait time, we were told that they "had no openings" until 9:30 p.m., which was just a ridiculous statement on its face, unless they were suggesting that they had scheduled all of their seatings to begin at exactly the same time for all of their tables, which no one does. Anyway, we went to Phoenix Street Cafe across the street and had a great meal with great service.
(1)Julie T.
So so good! Wow! I wish we lived closer. Service was excellent! Food even better! Ice tea instant, but everything else homemade! Loved it!!!
(5)Sean A.
Eat here with my wife and the food was incredible the drink were great and the service was top notch. We had the calamari and to martini's for Appetizers. Then I had the Seafood Bolognese and it was awesome and my wife the Whitefish and Scallops and that to was incredible. All in all this was the best food we have had in South Haven and what a great place to eat and enjoy the person you love,
(4)Amanda C.
I enjoyed dinner at Tello for the atmosphere and food. We actually ended up coming here because the line was so long at the first place we went, and were glad we did. They have nightly specials, and the Thursday we were there was $20 for a bottle of wine and appetizer of bruschetta which was a great deal and delicious. They have 8-10 varieties of bruschetta which is new for me- we ordered mozzarella/tomato/basil, balsamic tuna, and goat cheese/red peppers. All were very good. My entree was Spaghetti di Tello and seems like an unusual combination but all ingredients went well together: spaghetti, dried cherries, gorgonzola, and walnuts tossed in olive oil. I thought the cherry aspect would be very Michigan-esque. Finally, we shared a HUGE serving of tiramisu which was amazing. Definitely go here for dinner!
(5)alicia b.
So if this was the last place I had eaten when I visited South Haven I may have dished out a 4 star just for the edible fact but since it was the first, I still had my Chicago taste buds flared so I wasnt impressed. Its soooo cutely decorated,super cozy and romantic.Its a wine bar so they have tons of wine options along with a wine bar you can sit at. We opted out of the wine since both of us wanted a drink.Bf got a belividere martini that showed up in the tiniest glass ever and only about 3/4 of the way full,what a rip off and disappointment.They should be ashamed to serve a drink that small and charge $9! The waitresses carry around electronic order taker thingys,kinda weird,to techy for a nice restaurant and a bit distracting,the girls were always typing on them.The menu is a nice size offering a couple apps.,pasta dishes,meaty choices and gourmet pizza. We started with the bruschetta trio--white bean= dry tasteless, olive= salty!!!, tomato----freakin awesome! They should just serve three of the tomato the rest are a waste. We both ordered the cup of minestrone soup.It was vegetarian!! The soup was the best part of the meal,tasty,thick and not too salty.yumm Bf got the pizza with sausage. After much decision making I went with the tello di spaghetti,a spaghetti with gorgonzola,walnuts,dried cherries, olive oil and basil...I know sounds amazing right? Yea not so much it was tasteless except for the chunks of unmelted gorgonzola that was so bitter thats all you could taste. Bf liked his za but it was thin and raw in the middle, coulda used a couple more minutes in the oven, I think Oh yea they do a double waitress thing too.You get two waiters which = super confusing and doesnt make sense to me.
(3)Edward W.
Polenta was delicious. Pizza was good. Everything else was ok. Would come back.
(3)phillip h.
Overpriced, very small portions. food is much better at restaurants like olive garden and Carrabba's restaurants. ala carte so a $15.99 spaghetti dinner does not come with anything else. very small portion size on such an expensive spaghetti meal. Sauce is bland, so they save on spices too. I'm not cheap; I'd be happy to pay $15.99 if the food was good or even if they could have made the portion size bigger and provided a salad along with the spaghetti. It is well decorated, so I guess you pay for atmosphere, but if you want tasty food go somewhere else.a
(1)Katy H.
My boyfriend and I came in for dinner while we were on vacation in December. The restaurant was recommended by our innkeepers. As December is the off season, the restaurant wasn't very busy. We made a reservation anyway and were seated right next to the podium and the front door. Overall the food was decent. Nothing too special and next time I'm in town I will definitely try a different restaurant. The decor and ambience was very nice. And it was a cozy romantic place for a date, even if the food was nothing to write home about.
(3)david g.
A very nice restaurant It has pretty good wine list also. I ordered the Chicken Marsala, which had a side of polenta (hmmm not too sure about corn meal and chicken Marsala,) I don't think the combo worked at all. However that's the only complaint I have to make, everything else was fine. Next time I am in town, i will go back and try something else
(4)A G.
Made a reservation and was seated right away. As other reviewers have noted we had two individuals provide table service for us. The servers were attentive and did not visit the table too much, nor did they neglect us. My wife and I both ordered salads before dinner and thought the proportion and taste was just fine. For dinner, my wife had the ristotto (which was a bit salty for my liking) and I ordered the whitefish. The fish entree was okay. It contained a mixture of vegetables, potatoes, the fish, some lemon, and an assortment of herbs. The fish was rather tasteless and could have used some more complex flavors. All in all, it was okay. I've had better, but have also had worse. The restaurant itself was quaint. At the front of the restaurant there is a table which contains a variety of wine glasses and water pitchers. I am assuming this is for waitstaff use. The table placement made it quite difficult to maneuver in and out of the restaurant when there were people seated at nearby tables. The walls and ceiling are rather dark, which adds to the ambience of the setting. Tables are rather close to one another, which can make you feel like your part of another party visiting this establishment. All in all, our experience at Tello was alright. If we were to visit the area again, we might make a stop at this restaurant. But I think we would try other establishments first.
(3)Priscilla F.
Had the Grilled Porterhouse Pork Chops and it was delicious. Also, the waitress recommended the Three Minute Truffle Eggs, since they were out of mussels and it was surprisingly great! We had a great time. The atmosphere was nice and our waitress, Valeria was very helpful and friendly.
(5)Ivan V.
Was int he area during a family road trip and we found this spot. It had just opened for the day so we were 1 of 2 parties there. Food: Great. Everyone, for the most part was pleased. My sister thought the oven pizza was "okay, but too thin," my father "loved" his fish, my step-mom thought her chicken was very good, and I really liked the spaghetti and meatballs (though it only had 2 meatballs). Drinks: Amazing wine selection. Not sure what wines the parents had but I had beer. Service: Even though they were training employees, the service was great. All were attractive females (On my way to the restroom I joked that it had to be employment requirement) and friendly.
(4)Kyung P.
We tried to have dinner at the Journeyman in Fennville, but the whole town was closed due to the Porkapallooza festival in town. So we found Tello in South Haven. While reading the menu outside, the descriptions of fresh local ingredients caught my eye. So this was the place for dinner. We got cold, dense bread with oil while we waited for your starters. The olive oil wasn't fruity and obviously not bread-dipping quality that I'm used to in Chicago. Not a good start. I started with the pear and gorgonzola salad, and the BF started with the squash-gorgonzola soup. I was completely underwhelmed by both; it was definitely the mildest gorgonzola I have ever tasted. Both seemed to be under-seasoned and flavorless. Some of the toasted walnuts on my salad were burnt, and I barely got any pears in my salad. I had the butternut squash ravioli and the BF got the black linguini. I very much liked the linguini, but the ravioli was also underwhelming. The sage butter sauce had no flavor, and I didn't taste any butter or sage in the thin, runny sauce. The grated parmesan they offered also had no flavor, and it definitely made me realize that this restaurant cuts corner with their ingredients (olive oil, gorgonzola, parmesan, etc). The service on the other hand was excellent, except for the fact that our server had someone shadowing him. We weren't told this, and it was a tad weird watching this woman follow our server's every move. Also, the manager came over to ask how we ladies were enjoying our meal (remember, I was here with my boyfriend). It was super weird, but she apologized. All in all, they try to target the Chicago people, but don't expect to get what you'd get in Chicago at these price points (entrees $18-25, starters $4-10).
(3)Chuck N.
Great website with online reservations that were very easy to use. My wife and I love Italian food. The fare here is well prepared. The menu has some interesting items on it. The wine list is appropriate. The decor is nice, the servers are professional. I can't say anything bad about the place. I liked it; I like Olive Garden too, but I don't go there expecting to be wowed. I think that's what left a bit of disappointment in my mouth with Tello's, I really expected a bit more. Nothing really popped about our meal, but I will likely go back and give the place another try.
(2)Mary M.
Went there w/friends on a weekend getaway. We were rushed through dinner, they didn't have the first two bottles of wine we requested (they're a WINE BAR), the soup was tasteless and out of 8 of us, no one liked their meal. Do not go here.
(1)Dianna D.
We didn't actually eat here after a very rude experience we had with the hostess. We had 8 pm dinner reservations, walked in at 8:10. Waited in line and checked in with hostess apologizing for being a few minutes late. She said they only hold tables for 15 mins...well it wasn't even 8:15 yet and they wouldn't seat us!!! For real??!!! VERY RUDE!! Will never return.
(2)Diana L.
Last Sunday dinner here was a lovely affair, and yet the service knocked it down a star. Mostly because it was oddly ill timed. We didn't feel ignored as much as left to our own devices until we stared off into the distance long enough to be noticed. I had the Crimini Mushroom Ravioli for my entree and have no complaints. The pillow-y bits of pasta were on the denser side, half of the ravioli left with me in a box and made a fine lunch the next day. The lemon cream sauce was on the lighter side and tasted of real fresh lemon and basil. Truffled Crispy egg appetizer was fine as well, a little heavy since it was a fried soft-ish boiled egg in a heavy gorgonzola sauce with toasted bread. The combination of flavors were sound though and we weren't surprised when the adorable blond buss-er mentioned it was her favorite. We passed on dessert, the food was just too filling to end with tiramisu or flour less chocolate cake. The service was, as stated, just off in some strange way we didn't quite understand and ended up discussing more afterward then the food. The presence of the electronic order pads was a fine idea but the interaction between the staff seemed lacking. When our server introduced herself she also mentioned a second server, which only showed up once to give us bread and oil with freshly shaved parmesan and milled pepper. So this was the kicker of the confusion over the service; we ordered our appetizer then received it from the aforementioned third woman and it wasn't until after we had finished and the dish had been taken away (and some time later) that our entree order was taken. The food came out pretty quick after that, it was just... odd.
(4)Jim K.
The food is always good, and the prices rather modest for the "upscale" dining they seem to be striving to present. The wine list is pretty nice too, and the wines by the glass are a step above what's offered by most places. The service there can be spotty though; we've had both some of our best dining experiences there, with a server who seemed to be able to anticipate our every need without being intrusive, and we've had some poor experiences with servers that seemed overwhelmed and unable to take care of their sections. Overall, though, this is one of the best places to eat in South Haven, although I recommend making a reservation far in advance during the summer months since the place gets mobbed by Chicagoans (like us) with houses in Michigan ...
(4)Shawn D.
Becky behind the bar is worth the price of admission, hands down. Bruschetta is great, pizzas look decent (but haven't tried yet), but I do think the entrees are missing that something extra. Maybe need a new exec chef with a deep Italian cuisine background. No "high end" competition in South Haven may translate to not having to try very hard since people will walk in the door without much effort.
(3)David K.
The food was amazing. We stopped in for lunch and had an appetizer of poached eggs that were coated in bread crumbs, then broiled, and served with a gorgonzola cream sauce and toast points. There were black truffles in there somewhere too. It was amazing. We also had a salad that consisted of grilled romain lettuce that was drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and fried proscuito. Also fantastic. We'll definitely stop in again next time we go through South Haven.
(5)Deb D.
We really enjoyed our meal here. Good food, good service, tasty adult beverages.
(4)Patty T.
We ate Sunday brunch at Tello! The service was good and the food was excellent! Nice atmosphere, great music. I was with two other people who ate a house salad and the spinach salad with a fried egg. I had a blt with egg! Yum!
(4)Ab B.
Four of us ladies went here during our girls weekend. The ambiance is relaxed, quaint yet elegant. We sat at the bar and had nice wine and appetizers. The female bartender was awesome. When my sister-in-law thought her wine was too sweet she offered her a sample of something else. When she didn't like that either (she doesn't normally drink wine, but thought 'hey, it's a wine bar.') the bartender said no problem, i'll get you something else. She had no attitude whatsoever. We shared the goat cheese pizza, calamari, brushetta. The best was the mushroom mozzarella meatball. We had a very nice evening. I would give 5 stars if the menu (for both wine and food) was more extensive. I'll definitely be going back here with hubby.
(4)Mitchell P.
What a great little restaurant! Very nicely decorated inside and out (it was halloween, so they had a scarecrow outside). The service and food were tremendous. I can't say enough about this. We dined what the menu refers to as 'italian style' where our salad came in the middle of the meal. our first course was the Black truffle fettuccine. for a salad we had the gorganzola with pine nuts. and for the other course we had the veal. this was a perfect combination! some mention that the prices are too high, but i didn't think that an average price of 18-20 a plate was too bad. This is a must have if you find yourself in South Haven!
(5)Aaron O.
I recently had dinner at Tello's with a group of 10 friends. Food was very good - on par and slightly better than many other nearby higher-end Bistros. Pasta dishes were outstanding - especially those with strong tasting cheeses. 4 out of 5 stars. I also enjoy the larger portions with the meals, and the 'date night Tuesday' prices are quite reasonable. However, I give the waitstaff a 1.5 out of 5. Both servers (we had 2, who seemed confused about who was waiting our table) seemed to have an attitude problem, and the whole staff in general seemed disorganized: 1. We were not greeted friendly at the door... rather, a somber glare and "do you have a reservation?". This somber/dull attitude was replicated by the waitstaff. 2. Server took FOREVER to take the order... using a little handheld device which seemed to slow the process to an uncomfortable crawl. 3. Server had to return to the table to confirm the order... it seemed she had missed some details of the order 4. The wrong wine was delivered to someone at our table 5. The time between courses seemed mis-coordinated. Appetizers were delivered quickly, but there was a very long wait for the meals to be delivered... too long in my opinion. 6. Waitress seemed very frustrated... you could make out the cuss words under her breath as she stood by the computer making the bill. 7. Bill was delivered to me, but immediatly taken away, declaring "Oops, I forgot to add your coffee to the bill" 8. After being asked if he wanted his food boxed up (he did) my friend's plate was taken from him and thrown away. Upon asking about this, the waitress replied that she 'must have grabbed the wrong plate'. 9. Upon leaving, the waitstaff did not say "goodnight" or "have a good evening". Once everyone walked away from the table, I said "goodnight" to the waitress who was standing in the corner. While walking out the door, another staff member continued working on her task-at-hand without acknowledging the departing group. Overall... great food. I left full and satisfied. However, I will probably not host another group event at Tello's for a while, due to our experience.
(2)Natalie M.
I would not recommend. Risotto was under cooked and bland. Pasta was undercooked and sauce overly sweet. Management was friendly, servers average.
(1)Steve M.
Went there for our 10 year anniversary, food was horrible, not even hot. And we were one of only 2 tables! Did not have our first choice of wine. Service was average at best.
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