I live in NJ. While on vacation in Florida my nephew suggested Angelina's Gourmet Italian restaurant. He had eaten here and liked it. We went there for lunch on July 31st. It took 3 tries before the salad that came with the meal had no wilted lettuce in it. My brother-in-law ordered the fish which was stuffed with crab and shrimp. The lunch menu only said that it was stuffed with crab so he told the waitress he was allergic to shell fish. I guess they don't consider shrimp a shell fish anymore and it came with the shrimp. They had to prepare the fish a second time without the shrimp and crab. We were stuck in the restaurant longer than anticipated because he had to wait for them to prepare it again. Time is of the essence when you're on vacation. The menu also said that parties of 5 or more had a 20% gratuity charge added to the bill. When I got the bill for the 5 of us I reviewed it and found that they charged the gratuity on the food and also on the sales tax. When I pointed it out to the waitress the manager very nastily opened his mouth and said that he wasn't changing his cash register. I guess when I saw the 20% gratuity charge on the menu I should have walked out. Any place that tells you in advance that they automatically add 20% to the meal tells you that the service is of poor quality. I paid the bill with my credit card; I wrote a comment on the merchant's copy and now I will dispute the bill when I get my credit card statement. Feel free to eat here if service and quality of food are not important.

What was once the best Italian food in Brandon, perhaps in all of greater Tampa, has become mediocre at best. Once upon a time, this hole-in-the-wall was well known and highly regarded for authentic Italian cuisine and superior service.

Alas, after my last experience I won't be going back. A shame, as the calamari is still the best by far anywhere in town and the potential is there if only the owners would knuckle down and do what needs to be done to make this place what it once was. It's almost as if they don't care anymore.

Note to management. Fire the wait staff that don't know the differnece between casual dining and fine dining. Your menu prices dictate the latter. The current crop of waitstaff, if my waitress from my visit on 2/16 is a general indicator, belong at Pizza Hut. Not only did this one not understand basic "menu Italian" (three times my Agnello Scotta Dita was met with a "wha?" until I finally gave up and said "the lamb, please." What happened to the authentic Italian waiters/waitresses???

My wife asks for a takeout container for the salad she can't finish and she geta another side salad in a takeout contaciner. Doh! She forget's to order my son's rack of lamb, so he and I wind up sharing mine. His food finally arrives when we are ready to leave. The lamb was not as good as my last visit a few months back, unfortunately. Nor were any of the other meals at ourt table.

We were a part of five, so when the check came I was surprised to see that a gratuity of 20% (after tax!) was already added to the bill. For parties of under eight, even six, this is obnoxious, especially considering the level of service we experienced. I tried to get the owner to speak to him, but wound up waiting and waiting until I finally gave up and left.

A shame that this place has gone so far downhill. We won't be going back.

We come down to visit my daughter and grandkids its been about two years since we were here last time. Before there were italian waiters with heavy accents and true authentic flavor to the food. This time was the most dissappointing time ever. The food just below average and the service was worse. Time to find another favorite in florida!