Only say a four star because there's always room to grow ! Although I'm not sure how lol. It's fine dining in a casual atmosphere. One of the best chicken Francaise I've ever had and now are added to my travel plans!
(4)
C S.
We stopped in here tonight at 9pm. As out-of-towners we had heard this place was good. The bread was ok, warm which is always nice, but it was served with black pepper and oil. I love bread and oil but I have never seen anyone add black pepper to the oil. It was much too bitter and put us off to a so-so dinner. I ordered the zucchini parm dinner. The zucchini appeared to be fresh but was covered in a much too salty bread crumb coating. It was perfectly fried, however. The sauce that came on my pasta was mediocre, I have had far far superior red sauces. The portion was small over all and was a hefty $16. My friend ordered a bowl of soup for dinner, which she said was only Ok. I was left waiting for the waitress to offer fresh ground parm on our dinner, but I would have been waiting all night because she never did. Isnt this an Italian understanding that one shouldn't have to ask for? Over all the food is mediocre, especially for the price, and they really need to figure out the basics of when pepper and salt are properly used, and the appropriate quantity. They should start fixing with the basics. I would give our waitress 3 stars, she basically sucked but acted sweet. I wish we had gone somewhere else, ordered a good pizza, and saved the difference.
(2)
Cristy D.
Quite a surprise for Aiken and in a shopping type area. The waiter was a little off, not quite sure how to be friendly, but we observed many other outgoing servers. But that aside the food was amazing, we had the caprese salad and the soup, we had to stop them from bringing more bread. great place
(5)
Kirk M.
We have dined at Travinia Italian Kitchen in the past and have enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the food. Today, 2-13-12, the food was magnificent. In the past it was good, it is now fine dinning. We met the reason, Chef Jabari Wadington, who in the last month arrived from the area of fine dining restaurants in Washington DC. He is a personable young man and it is obvious he takes great pride in the food that he creates. We started with the Pan Fried Calamari. The calamari itself was perfectly cooked but they serve it with pickled cherry and banana peppers and a spicy marinara sauce which took it to a whole other level. The peppers were not particularly hot but the flavor worked perfectly with the batter and succulent calamari. My wife ordered the Crabcake Travinia which was made with jumbo lump crab as advertised and very little filler. Fantastic. It was served with spinach, roasted pine nuts in orzo pasta with a lemon blanc sauce. Again, fantastic. I ordered the veal ravioli which came with an asiago cream sauce with herbs, mushrooms and spinach. I'm stuck on the word fantastic, but that's what it was, fantastic. As for the restaurant itself, it's a stand alone structure with it's own parking lot of more than ample size. It has a very cozy bar area with a unique bar with the bar at table height and the bartender below. The kitchen area is behind glass windows so if you are into watching the workings of a real restaurant kitchen, it is there for you to see. The seating area is a combination of tables and booths and both are comfortable with pleasant lighting. The waitstaff was prompt, pleasant and knowledgeable. Needless to say, we were very pleased with our dining experience and will return often.
(5)
JD M.
Updating my review for Travinia's. My last review was tainted by some very bad customer service; but they appear to have addressed the problems with the wait staff. All in all, this is one of the best places for Italian food in Aiken. The menu includes several entrees that are favorites of mine, like the Sinatra Chicken, Pasta Mia Nona and Italian Nachos. Their martini menu is fun too, with several tasty high-end versions of classic drink mixes like the Dirty Martini and Remy Side Car. They used to have a Millionaire's Manhattan but its not on the menu anymore...I think you can still order one if the bartender knows how to make it right. Plus, the pizzas are great and they are participating with Yelp to give Yelp'ers a free order of Italian Nachos with each check-in! That's a real treat because they are delicious! As many have noted, this is definitely not a 'fast food' place, so never come if you are in a rush. During peak hours, service can be a bit slow but that's because they only staff for minimal flow. The waitresses and waiters do the best they can and the kitchen tries to keep up; but if a big rush comes in, you'll have to be patient with them. If you do go, ask to be seated in Matt's section. He's the best server I know of and can keep up with any rush!
(4)
Kathy K.
I like Travinia's for family parties. It's great to reserve the party room and actually get it. Unfortunately the last two times I called and reserved it in advance another party was in the room when we arrived. :( I had personally spoke with John the manager to make the reservation but inconveniently he was out when we arrived. Party was fun but not the private one we had planned.
(3)
Edie Z.
The one star if for the decor.....our party of four had dinner for the first time last Saturday and left disappointed as well as hungry. ( which is a "sin" especially in an Italian restaurant)!! From start to finish , the service was lackluster, the hostess was like a robot, as was most of the wait staff...with the exception of one young man. (He wasn't our waiter, so I didn't catch his name.). The food is pricey and bland... We all had different entrees and felt the same way. We won't be back, but from the looks of it, I don't think it will matter to the unfriendly staff! The Z & K families., N.Augusta.
(1)
Billmo G.
Horrible service. Over priced! I get better quality from the frozen isle of Grocery Store! Beautiful building disgusting food! Isabella and shell seafood all gross!! 20 mins for salad an hour for entrees! Dirty glasses!
(1)
Mari E.
The food tasted great when it finally arrived. We pre-ordered our food and the order still took forever to arrive and was wrong for some people. They didn't bother bringing bread to the table until the food had already arrived. They never apologized even when we spoke to the manager. To add insult to injury they overcharged a coworker an amount over what she signed for and she didn't discover it until checking her bank statement the next day. Bottom line, Olive Garden caliber food (on the good side of mediocre) but horrible service.
(1)
Melencia J.
Food was pretty good. The band was great, but the music was waaaaaaay too loud.
(3)
Kaye S.
Very very disappointed in the new menu. Unfortunately, the quality of the chicken is not as good. According to the manager 100% of the chicken arrives bone in. No where on the menu does it state this. The chicken is dry and over cooked. So sad Travinia used to be one of my favorite restaurants.
(1)
Colby W.
I ordered a dish and substituted gluten free pasta. It was undercooked, bland, and a terrible small portion for $12. My mother got the chicken and tortellini salad which was drowned in oil and dressing and also overpriced. The only thing we had worth ordering were the Italian nachos and we ended up getting those for free because of their promo on yelp. As if the food weren't bad enough, the service was terrible. Our waitress, Veronica, took forever to greet us and then waited until we had our appetizer to even take our order for our entrees AFTER we had to ask her to take our order. She also had a poor attitude the entire time. Our glasses of water were frequently empty and were usually filled by another wondering waitress who also lacked personality.
(2)
Carol B.
Has the feel of a chain but the food and service is good. Americanized Italian but everything is fresh. Nice wine and cocktails. Good place for business lunch meetings. Tables get fresh bread and oil. A nice touch they have gluten free if you ask. Nice size portions and modern presentations. The chicken scallopini was delish
(4)
Kara C.
So far so good. We ordered antipasto salad. Very good. The bread was warm and delish. My daughter ordered the scallops as an appetizer and she said it was very good. It came on a bed of risotto. Now for the main course. It has been a while since we ordered. Don't be in a rush here. Waitress is very nice and friendly. Ordered pizza. Thin crust. Pretty good.
(4)
Igor I.
Our party of 10 was very well served by our waitress. She was very knowledgeable on the wines and the entire menu. Her suggestions allowed us to enjoy a variety of dishes that we might have otherwise overlooked. Her timing was excellent - no long breaks between courses and never rushing us to finish. Our food was well prepared and very generous in portion size. Food that exceeded our capacities was quickly boxed to take away. Prices are quite reasonable. We have no problem in recommending this restaurant to others.
(5)
Sergio M.
I waited an hour for a pasta dish with shrimp that cost me $28.00. The portion was very small and the service very slow. I do not recommend anyone eat here. Pay 3 bucks for your own pasta ten buns or shrimp and feed an entire family at home. Worst experience in Aiken.
(1)
Ann Marie D.
I have been wanting to try Travinia since they opened in Aiken last year. When they opened I heard a lot of mixed reviews, but now, especially after my own dining experience I can say that without a doubt the food was excellent. If you live in Aiken you really need to go have a meal here. Travinia has a great menu, with a variety that is sure to please everyone. If you have 8 or more people in your party you can reserve the "wine room" , a private dining room in the restaurant. Travinia must have just hired a bunch of new staff members, as all of the servers were being "shadowed". With all of those people in the restaurant you would think it would have been easy to catch the servers attention, but not so much. Lose a star. For a starter they bring out a bread that smells and tastes like pizza crust and is seasoned with Italian herbs. They pour olive oil onto plates and grind fresh pepper into it for dipping. I don't care for this method of bread service, but the other people in my party said that it was quite good. We all had a glass of wine and they were all very good with the exception of mine. I ordered a glass of prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. It was flat. I sent it back and told them why, and they brought me another equally flat glass. I do not mind drinking sparkling wine that was opened the day before, but it needs to have been stored properly so that it still is effervescent. Travinia looses a star for this. When the food came, it made up for all the other flaws. Everything was amazing. The portion sizes are generous and two of the members in our party split one Cannelloni entree. I had the Granny Smith Apple Salad with grilled Chicken. It was very large and VERY good. The Port wine dressing was excellent. My husband had the Sinatra Chicken and it was out of this world. It was served with a portion of Angel Hair Pasta. All things considered, you must go here the food is AMAZING. It is for the service alone that Travinia lost the 2 stars.
(3)
Lisa S.
Ok, for starters, we have, for a while, avoided trying this place. Reason, we only go to Olive Garden for soup, salad, and breadsticks, all the other dishes do not taste any better than freezer or jar pasta dishes, therefore, no Italian restaurants. Not worth the money to be disappointed. THIS PLACE IS DIFFERENT! We started off with a free check in nacho starter. Nachos at an Italian place? Really? Oh my! They are the bomb! We also ordered salads and entrees. Too much food, how often can you say that. The pasta dishes were ok, but nachos and salads were awesome. Very attentive, without hovering constantly, server. I like to be checked on, but some stand over you too much. We will be back!
(4)
Robert L.
Very good food! Seafood a little off but the flavors and spices were very good. Pasta was light and well cooked. The wine was a perfect match for the dish. I would definitely do it again but I think I would try one of the meat dishes next time around.
(4)
Drew M.
Travinia's is my family's favorite restaurant in Aiken! The food is always top quality and excellent as well as the atmosphere. Our most popular choice is the Italian nachos appetizer and the chicken scallopine for dinner. If you are in Aiken and like a little more non-traditional Italian food, Travinia's is highly recommended!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner, Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free 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.
Dawn F.
Only say a four star because there's always room to grow ! Although I'm not sure how lol. It's fine dining in a casual atmosphere. One of the best chicken Francaise I've ever had and now are added to my travel plans!
(4)C S.
We stopped in here tonight at 9pm. As out-of-towners we had heard this place was good. The bread was ok, warm which is always nice, but it was served with black pepper and oil. I love bread and oil but I have never seen anyone add black pepper to the oil. It was much too bitter and put us off to a so-so dinner. I ordered the zucchini parm dinner. The zucchini appeared to be fresh but was covered in a much too salty bread crumb coating. It was perfectly fried, however. The sauce that came on my pasta was mediocre, I have had far far superior red sauces. The portion was small over all and was a hefty $16. My friend ordered a bowl of soup for dinner, which she said was only Ok. I was left waiting for the waitress to offer fresh ground parm on our dinner, but I would have been waiting all night because she never did. Isnt this an Italian understanding that one shouldn't have to ask for? Over all the food is mediocre, especially for the price, and they really need to figure out the basics of when pepper and salt are properly used, and the appropriate quantity. They should start fixing with the basics. I would give our waitress 3 stars, she basically sucked but acted sweet. I wish we had gone somewhere else, ordered a good pizza, and saved the difference.
(2)Cristy D.
Quite a surprise for Aiken and in a shopping type area. The waiter was a little off, not quite sure how to be friendly, but we observed many other outgoing servers. But that aside the food was amazing, we had the caprese salad and the soup, we had to stop them from bringing more bread. great place
(5)Kirk M.
We have dined at Travinia Italian Kitchen in the past and have enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the food. Today, 2-13-12, the food was magnificent. In the past it was good, it is now fine dinning. We met the reason, Chef Jabari Wadington, who in the last month arrived from the area of fine dining restaurants in Washington DC. He is a personable young man and it is obvious he takes great pride in the food that he creates. We started with the Pan Fried Calamari. The calamari itself was perfectly cooked but they serve it with pickled cherry and banana peppers and a spicy marinara sauce which took it to a whole other level. The peppers were not particularly hot but the flavor worked perfectly with the batter and succulent calamari. My wife ordered the Crabcake Travinia which was made with jumbo lump crab as advertised and very little filler. Fantastic. It was served with spinach, roasted pine nuts in orzo pasta with a lemon blanc sauce. Again, fantastic. I ordered the veal ravioli which came with an asiago cream sauce with herbs, mushrooms and spinach. I'm stuck on the word fantastic, but that's what it was, fantastic. As for the restaurant itself, it's a stand alone structure with it's own parking lot of more than ample size. It has a very cozy bar area with a unique bar with the bar at table height and the bartender below. The kitchen area is behind glass windows so if you are into watching the workings of a real restaurant kitchen, it is there for you to see. The seating area is a combination of tables and booths and both are comfortable with pleasant lighting. The waitstaff was prompt, pleasant and knowledgeable. Needless to say, we were very pleased with our dining experience and will return often.
(5)JD M.
Updating my review for Travinia's. My last review was tainted by some very bad customer service; but they appear to have addressed the problems with the wait staff. All in all, this is one of the best places for Italian food in Aiken. The menu includes several entrees that are favorites of mine, like the Sinatra Chicken, Pasta Mia Nona and Italian Nachos. Their martini menu is fun too, with several tasty high-end versions of classic drink mixes like the Dirty Martini and Remy Side Car. They used to have a Millionaire's Manhattan but its not on the menu anymore...I think you can still order one if the bartender knows how to make it right. Plus, the pizzas are great and they are participating with Yelp to give Yelp'ers a free order of Italian Nachos with each check-in! That's a real treat because they are delicious! As many have noted, this is definitely not a 'fast food' place, so never come if you are in a rush. During peak hours, service can be a bit slow but that's because they only staff for minimal flow. The waitresses and waiters do the best they can and the kitchen tries to keep up; but if a big rush comes in, you'll have to be patient with them. If you do go, ask to be seated in Matt's section. He's the best server I know of and can keep up with any rush!
(4)Kathy K.
I like Travinia's for family parties. It's great to reserve the party room and actually get it. Unfortunately the last two times I called and reserved it in advance another party was in the room when we arrived. :( I had personally spoke with John the manager to make the reservation but inconveniently he was out when we arrived. Party was fun but not the private one we had planned.
(3)Edie Z.
The one star if for the decor.....our party of four had dinner for the first time last Saturday and left disappointed as well as hungry. ( which is a "sin" especially in an Italian restaurant)!! From start to finish , the service was lackluster, the hostess was like a robot, as was most of the wait staff...with the exception of one young man. (He wasn't our waiter, so I didn't catch his name.). The food is pricey and bland... We all had different entrees and felt the same way. We won't be back, but from the looks of it, I don't think it will matter to the unfriendly staff! The Z & K families., N.Augusta.
(1)Billmo G.
Horrible service. Over priced! I get better quality from the frozen isle of Grocery Store! Beautiful building disgusting food! Isabella and shell seafood all gross!! 20 mins for salad an hour for entrees! Dirty glasses!
(1)Mari E.
The food tasted great when it finally arrived. We pre-ordered our food and the order still took forever to arrive and was wrong for some people. They didn't bother bringing bread to the table until the food had already arrived. They never apologized even when we spoke to the manager. To add insult to injury they overcharged a coworker an amount over what she signed for and she didn't discover it until checking her bank statement the next day. Bottom line, Olive Garden caliber food (on the good side of mediocre) but horrible service.
(1)Melencia J.
Food was pretty good. The band was great, but the music was waaaaaaay too loud.
(3)Kaye S.
Very very disappointed in the new menu. Unfortunately, the quality of the chicken is not as good. According to the manager 100% of the chicken arrives bone in. No where on the menu does it state this. The chicken is dry and over cooked. So sad Travinia used to be one of my favorite restaurants.
(1)Colby W.
I ordered a dish and substituted gluten free pasta. It was undercooked, bland, and a terrible small portion for $12. My mother got the chicken and tortellini salad which was drowned in oil and dressing and also overpriced. The only thing we had worth ordering were the Italian nachos and we ended up getting those for free because of their promo on yelp. As if the food weren't bad enough, the service was terrible. Our waitress, Veronica, took forever to greet us and then waited until we had our appetizer to even take our order for our entrees AFTER we had to ask her to take our order. She also had a poor attitude the entire time. Our glasses of water were frequently empty and were usually filled by another wondering waitress who also lacked personality.
(2)Carol B.
Has the feel of a chain but the food and service is good. Americanized Italian but everything is fresh. Nice wine and cocktails. Good place for business lunch meetings. Tables get fresh bread and oil. A nice touch they have gluten free if you ask. Nice size portions and modern presentations. The chicken scallopini was delish
(4)Kara C.
So far so good. We ordered antipasto salad. Very good. The bread was warm and delish. My daughter ordered the scallops as an appetizer and she said it was very good. It came on a bed of risotto. Now for the main course. It has been a while since we ordered. Don't be in a rush here. Waitress is very nice and friendly. Ordered pizza. Thin crust. Pretty good.
(4)Igor I.
Our party of 10 was very well served by our waitress. She was very knowledgeable on the wines and the entire menu. Her suggestions allowed us to enjoy a variety of dishes that we might have otherwise overlooked. Her timing was excellent - no long breaks between courses and never rushing us to finish. Our food was well prepared and very generous in portion size. Food that exceeded our capacities was quickly boxed to take away. Prices are quite reasonable. We have no problem in recommending this restaurant to others.
(5)Sergio M.
I waited an hour for a pasta dish with shrimp that cost me $28.00. The portion was very small and the service very slow. I do not recommend anyone eat here. Pay 3 bucks for your own pasta ten buns or shrimp and feed an entire family at home. Worst experience in Aiken.
(1)Ann Marie D.
I have been wanting to try Travinia since they opened in Aiken last year. When they opened I heard a lot of mixed reviews, but now, especially after my own dining experience I can say that without a doubt the food was excellent. If you live in Aiken you really need to go have a meal here. Travinia has a great menu, with a variety that is sure to please everyone. If you have 8 or more people in your party you can reserve the "wine room" , a private dining room in the restaurant. Travinia must have just hired a bunch of new staff members, as all of the servers were being "shadowed". With all of those people in the restaurant you would think it would have been easy to catch the servers attention, but not so much. Lose a star. For a starter they bring out a bread that smells and tastes like pizza crust and is seasoned with Italian herbs. They pour olive oil onto plates and grind fresh pepper into it for dipping. I don't care for this method of bread service, but the other people in my party said that it was quite good. We all had a glass of wine and they were all very good with the exception of mine. I ordered a glass of prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. It was flat. I sent it back and told them why, and they brought me another equally flat glass. I do not mind drinking sparkling wine that was opened the day before, but it needs to have been stored properly so that it still is effervescent. Travinia looses a star for this. When the food came, it made up for all the other flaws. Everything was amazing. The portion sizes are generous and two of the members in our party split one Cannelloni entree. I had the Granny Smith Apple Salad with grilled Chicken. It was very large and VERY good. The Port wine dressing was excellent. My husband had the Sinatra Chicken and it was out of this world. It was served with a portion of Angel Hair Pasta. All things considered, you must go here the food is AMAZING. It is for the service alone that Travinia lost the 2 stars.
(3)Lisa S.
Ok, for starters, we have, for a while, avoided trying this place. Reason, we only go to Olive Garden for soup, salad, and breadsticks, all the other dishes do not taste any better than freezer or jar pasta dishes, therefore, no Italian restaurants. Not worth the money to be disappointed. THIS PLACE IS DIFFERENT! We started off with a free check in nacho starter. Nachos at an Italian place? Really? Oh my! They are the bomb! We also ordered salads and entrees. Too much food, how often can you say that. The pasta dishes were ok, but nachos and salads were awesome. Very attentive, without hovering constantly, server. I like to be checked on, but some stand over you too much. We will be back!
(4)Robert L.
Very good food! Seafood a little off but the flavors and spices were very good. Pasta was light and well cooked. The wine was a perfect match for the dish. I would definitely do it again but I think I would try one of the meat dishes next time around.
(4)Drew M.
Travinia's is my family's favorite restaurant in Aiken! The food is always top quality and excellent as well as the atmosphere. Our most popular choice is the Italian nachos appetizer and the chicken scallopine for dinner. If you are in Aiken and like a little more non-traditional Italian food, Travinia's is highly recommended!
(5)