We have been regulars for some time, and the atmosphere is great. I even proposed to my wife there. You do have to wait a while when its busy, but a lot of Italians do this, and I think that it adds to the atmosphere, especially if you drink whilst waiting..! If you don't want to wait, I suggest you go mid week or on a hot, sunny Saturday night when people are having Barbeques. That way you can walk straight to a table if you want. The food is really excellent. Spaghetti Amatriciana at 8 quid is a favourite, as is the Pate starter, and the prices are generally cheap considering its good quality. However, if you fancy a blow out, there's loads of fuller meals to tempt you. I agree that the tables / decor is a bit dated, but I think that this also adds to the old tratoria charm. We went to Sorrento last year, and I never say a plush "next style" leather backed chair / poncy chrome all the time I was there...? All in all, its probably the nearest that you are likely to get to a traditional Italian restaurant in the Blackburn / Preston area. You may think this is a bold statement, but we have tried a lot of Italians around the Blackburn area, i.e. Francos in ossy and Langho, The Scicilian place near the walton arms (just off the M65), Amico Mios in Clitheroe, That place in Bamber Bridge? These are all very good restaurants, but Checcos really does have an edge. The staff are also almost all Italian, and if you fancy it, they even help you with the Lingo....? So that I give a balanced view, the slightly less positive sides are that they no longer do cheap Caraffes of Wine, for those budget nights, so you have to go for the real stuff, but this is only standard price, i.e. 12 quid upwards. There specials are also very static if you go a lot (as we do), but if its your first trip, then I suppose they'll still be special to you. I have heard that they are soon to revamp the waiting area soon, so hopefully, this will sort the decor for those who like a sparkle when they go out. Hopefully, it won't lose its charm though... Enjoy..!
Checcos – Blackburn