Carmine's
200 W 44th St
(between 8th Ave & Shubert Aly)
New York, NY 10036 (212) 221-3800
- Nearest Transit:
Times Square-42nd St (1, 2, 3, S, 7, N, Q, R, W, A, C, E)
42nd St-5th Ave-6th Ave (7, B, D, F, V)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
118 Reviews for Carmine's
It was my first time at Carmine's and I sure was shocked by how big the dishes were, they feed at least 3 to 4 people. Food was really good and our server name Vanessa was so sweet and nice! My friend and I shared a salad and meatball pasta there and we each got to take home the leftovers! If you wanna try more dishes, have more friends go with you so you get to try more dishes ... BURP!
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This place is great if you are traveling with an army or two.
The portions are HUGE.
Considering the location (smack in the heart of T Square), the prices and portions are very, very fair. Each plate is enough to feed at least 4 people. Quality was ok but the service wasn't great. We had a 5 pm dinner ( I know, ridiculously early for NY-ers but we were stopping by for a "snack" after seeing Xanadu) and the maitre'd said we could be seated but had to be done by 6. The restaurant was about half full. There's nothing pleasant about being rushed through a hearty meal and I think that greatly contributed to my lack of interest in this place.
Honestly speaking, it's such a tourist trap and if you're a full-on NY-er, you'll probably agree with me that there are plenty of more-than-decent Italian ristorantes for you to wine and dine to your heart's content.
I think real Italians who know their food might even laugh at this place. It's definitely what Chinese people think of Panda Express, Mexican people think of Taco Bell, and Italians think of Buca Di Beppo.
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I am one of those tourists who hopes he can blend in and not let anyone know he is actually a tourist. I hide around corners, before pulling out maps. I read several tour guides before traveling so I am well prepared and can get by without appearing like too much a of a hopeless tourist. I always reach a point where I realize that despite all my efforts, I am fighting a futile battle. I am a dork and a tourist and it's not so bad...
I can't imagine anyone but a tourist eating in Carmine's, especially the midtown location. It is loud as hell, crowded as hell, and they try to get you in, seated and shovel the food down your throat so they can kick your ass out the door, and fill your vacated seat with another fat ass from Iowa. That being said, I keep coming back for more. I want to hate this place and file it away as a "tourist trap", but I just can't. I like the food, plain and simple.
I have eaten here five times, and had good meals each time. None of them were life altering, but still good. On three occasions I really enjoyed the cold antipasto platter- good selection of small bites, cheese, cured meat, etc. Like I said, it is always crowded, but that can be fun at times. I have also just gone in with a couple friends and had an appetizer at the bar. It was more than enough food and we didn't have to wait for a table.
I think I will try the uptown location next time I am in NY. Maybe it is less touristy.
PS- If anyone says the portions aren't large here, they are either drunk or stupid or both. The last time I was here a friend and I split the cold antipasto and some rigatoni with broccoli and sausage. We can both put it away and we were starving when we entered the restaurant. We polished off the antipasto, but you could barely tell the rigatoni had been touched when we were both stuffed. They serve HUGE family style portions, end of story. Don't listen to any of the other reviewers who say otherwise. At least some homeless guy on 44th street got to eat a huge portion of rigatoni that night. (We didn't think it would travel well on the plane)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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01/21/2007
I have eaten here four times, and had good meals each time. None of them were life altering, but… Read more »
PROS: Service, food
CONS: Calories
I went with my sisters this week after it being recommended so highly by a personal friend. We went on Tuesday at 10pm and there was a 30-45 minute wait, but seats at the bar opened up in 10 minutes.
One of the bartenders, Freddy, an Ed Harris-looking guy who worked there for 5 or 10 years was very friendly and informed us that dishes were plentiful and when we planned on getting ravioli and manicotti, he suggested we order a better variety and to get the eggplant parmesan (two of us were vegetarians).
This is definitely family fare. Although the dishes are expensive, portions are HUGE. The eggplant parmesan and manicotti filled all three of us and we didn't finish everything. Both were terrific and I'd get again. It was the first time I've tried eggplant parmesan, or eggplant for the matter, so I was pleasantly surprised.
Also, the other bartender, Ryan, was a very sarcastic yet entertaining guy with long blonde hair. He messed with us by intentionally overfilling my sister's glass with water and after Freddy cleaned it up, he squirted some more water on the counter. We were dying. Later I accidentally got some of the food on my top and in a blink, Ryan had set in front of me a glass of soda water and a cloth. Wow.
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When my friends and I went to New York, there were several places we stopped to eat at. Dim Sum in China Town, oven brick pizza in Little Italy and of course, the infamous Nathans hot dogs. It's been almost two years and the only place that stays fresh in my mind is Carmine's.
Family style Italian at it's very best. The food is flavorful, the ambiance is just and the bread is bomb diggity. Right off Times Square........it really doesn't get much better.
P.S. I laugh at all of the people who call it "Touristy"
Damn, a lot of these reviews are from visitors. Just because I live in L.A. does not mean I will bash City Walk or anywhere popular in my backyard....
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Whether it is your first visit to the Big Apple or you are a regular city dweller, Carmine's is a top notch restaurant with top notch service. Carmine's puts the family in Family Style. I have adventured into Carmine's many times, and every time I feel like I am at a large family gathering with everyone talking to each other everywhere. Not one time have I not had a quick convo with someone I never knew when I have gone to Carmine's. The wait staff is wonderful. They are friendly and like to have conversation with you. They are also open to giving suggestions which are usually right on.
Now to the food. It is family style, so the portions are large. Two people can definitely still eat there, as long as you can agree on a meal and don't mind taking alittle extra home. I am not even going to try to tell you about their whole menu, but I will clue you in on some of the dishes I have tried:
Appetizers:
Buffalo Milk Mozzarella Caprice Salad-- This appetizer dish is amazing. Their mozzarella is fresh imported from Italy and is the best I have ever had. Their tomatoes are wonderful and the dish is put together perfect. It is a great start to any Italian meal.
Entree:
Lamp Chop--This lamp chop is HUGE and stuffed with everything from mozzarella to tomatoes and mushrooms. The taste is amazing and the meat is grilled to perfection. You are definitely not finishing this meal alone so plan on sharing.
Chicken Parm-- The only chicken parm better than this, is the one I cook myself. The chicken is so tender and breaded just right. The sauce is amazing and they put enough cheese to keep you happy for the meal, well if you are a cheese person.
Desert:
Titanic-- The Titanic is beyond crazy. It literally is a titanic of a sundae. It is HUGE and looks like the boat it self. Be sure to eat it quick though, because like its name sake, it sinks (melts) pretty quick in front of you.
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GARLIC**BASIL**PASTA LOVERS DREAM**TOMATOE SAUCE**
Classic & beautifully done Italian food. The food is served family style and they do it very well. The food has lots of flavor and huge portions - enough to eat well and take enough home for the next 2 days.
My favorite on the menu is the spaghetti with the marinara. Very simple, but very good. The seating is nice for a romantic evening near the Theater district or large groups. If you are celebrating birthdays or any type of celebration, this place is pretty awesome.
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simple. savory. so good.
when the plates come out your eyes bulge and when you leave you have to adjust your belt. the plates are all over $20 each, but easily feed 3-4 people.
we always order the stuffed mushrooms (i know not everyone loves mushrooms kjf!) but this is hands down our favorite dish. that, and the penne vodka, which has yummy tomato sauce with bits of roasted mushy garlic pieces and macerated tomatoes and thin slices of onions, bits of italian parsley and a perfect amount of tiny basil leaves.
it's funny to watch out-of-towners too who get all dressed up and wearing cheesey wanna-be sexy outfits.
i love the volume of the place. and the vastness of the two-floor restaurant.
we arrived on a saturday night and had a 1 1/2 to 2 hour wait, but we took advantage of the wait time and brought our kids shopping in the surrounding craziness of times square. we didn't care.
it's less "fake classy" and stuffy as Maggianos, more fun than Buca de Beppo, and infinitely better tasting than both put together.
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Family style, but portions were not large. It's a very noisy atmosphere with long waits. Chinese restaurants provide LARGER portions than Carmine's as it truly serve family style.
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I love eating here with a big group of people. Yummy family style Italian. Long waits....
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Please don't believe any of the reviewers who claim the portions here are small. Unless you have an enormous appetite, you really need to come here with a minimum of four people and preferably more, because the platters are HUGE and designed to share. We always come here when we're in town and we have never been disappointed. Everything, from the antipasti (the hot is our favorite) to the pasta options (try the Rigatoni Country Style with sausage, prosciutto, broccoli, onions, and cannellini beans in a sauce of olive oil and chicken stock loaded with garlic) to the meat and seafood selections, is outstanding. You probably won't have room for dessert but if you do try the tiramisu. Tables are close to each other to accommodate the mobs so you'll probably start up a conversation with the people next to you. We've actually shared with total strangers a couple of times! A few of the old-time waiters can be gruff but most of them will let you know when they think you're ordering too much food. They accept reservations only for parties of 6 and more, so to avoid a long wait smaller groups should try to get here late afternoon or right after 8:00pm when the theater crowd has left. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
we had lots of appetizers and pasta entrees. Everything was REALLY salty. I had to wash it all down with pitchers of water and coke...
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Four stars for fun.
Yeah its way crowded.And its touristy. So what.
Its right up the block from a slew of theaters and it delivers in taste so no surprise that people flock to it.
The portions are as gi-normous as everyone says; just means we had lunch for the next day,so serious bang for my buck.
It was 97 degrees outside and the vat of chilled vodka in the dirty martini that I had at the bar while I waited only 10 mins.for our table really hit the spot.
The penne ala vodka was creamy and fresh.
The caesar salad was yummy although I had to ask for some anchiovies because they forgot them after I had made a point of asking for extra. No biggie.The service was speedy enough that we arrived at seven, had a drink at the bar,ate, hung out and still made curtain at the St. James down the block at eight.
Molto bene.
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You can definitely tell this is a tourist place. From the location to the crowd when you walk in. My friend was from out of town and this was where her friends wanted to meet (I always like trying something if I haven't been there). Funny thing is I had never heard of this place even when I lived here before.
Luckily we had a reservation and didn't have to wait long for our table. While we were waiting I took a look around and saw these monster dishes, no way even two people could finish one.
We had five people, split one appetizer of calamari, split pasta with shrimp, and one tiramisu. We were stuffed and we couldn't finish the dessert. I felt totally gross afterwards.
I really wouldn't come here more than once. Unless you want to entertain a midwest tourist. It's worse than a buffet nightmare. The portions are ridiculous!
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I love Italian food, and to say that I love Carmine's... is not enough!
Grew up celebrating big occasions at Carmine's and since moving to the west... still... I am looking for a place to top Carmine's.
No place can be compared to it's Porter House steak and the pastas that you can get at Carmine's. If you have big occasions to celebrate, you can't go wrong by going to Carmine's.
The ambience at Carmine's is a festive one, and the appetizers, dishes, desserts are well worth paying for.
Services are good, and if you can... Try their Tiramisu, you won't regret it~~~~
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I was always reluctant to go to Carmines for two reasons-- one-- its a well known NY tourist place, which usually translates to awful, and two-- its family style (you get large portions that are enough to feed several people and meant to be shared ) and i dont like to share unless we have a huge table and can share lots of yummy things.
I was reluctantly semi-dragged there by some visiting friends, and I was really pleasantly suprised. I still dont like sharing but the food was not only good, it was REALLY good. The Seafood pasta (fruitte di mare i think) was so good i was soaking up every last bit of the sauce with my bread, and the Chicken Scarpariello is amazing. Both were so good that i've never ordered anything else in all the times i've been back. I need to go with a larger group so we can order a lot more things next time.
Worth the wait.
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LINGUINE WITH RED CLAM SAUCE
-Hearty
-Flavorful
-Big hunks of clams, garlic, basil and tomatoes
-Perfect next-day lunch
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Lots o' people. Lots o' tourists. But you already knew that.
What can I say? The food is great and there's plenty to go around. Come hungry.
Be sure to at least try to make a reservation, no matter what your party size is - the place is always packed.
The best option in New York for large group dinners. In fact, you really need a large group to enjoy this restaurant due to its family style format and Flintstone sized portions. The food here is rustic Italian and extremely tasty. I don't know anyone who doesn't love this place. My can't miss items on the menu are garlic bread, cesar salad, spaghetti and meatball, chicken parmigiana, penne al la vodka and molten chocolate cake.
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Go hungry and leave early. This theater district Italian eatery gets busy. The portions are very big so do not order everything you want or you will leave with more then you eat. This place made the menu for Maggiano's so thats why it may seem familiar. Good value for money and never lets you down. The only reason it does not get 5 stars is because il mulino is in NYC too.
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I love coming here, but you need to bring a few people with you as the portions are so huge, so you are able to taste a few different entrees. The ambiance of the restaurant is great and is bustling. The salads are amazing, as are the meatballs, penne with vodka sauce and the best: anything francaise. The service was pretty good too. The only thing we had which wasan't that great was the lobster (oreganato) over linguine, it was just mashed together and it was overpowered by garlic. For dessert we had a huge mound of ice cream with whipped cream and fudge, it was great and just right for 8 people. Reservations are hard to come by, but it's worth the wait for them. And like everyone says, you do need the mouthwash.
I had heard about this particular restaurant from some friends of mine who had travelled to the States late last year, and I have to say it was one of the best dining experiences we have had in the U.S so far!
The food comes out "family style", ie: in gigantic proportions that you share amongst the table, something they do not serve back home in Australia, and it was amazing!
Everything form the service to the decor was fantasic! Would very highly recommend to all!
Anika
Carmine's is stellar. While it is family-style Italian, the food quality doesn't suffer. The wait can be arduous. Eat at the bar with Gabe, the bartender, who will be far more attentive than the best server. This really isn't the tourist-trap that other reviews suggest. The food is solid, the drinks are stiff and the clientle on any given Saturday night are predominantly UWS locals.
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The prized possession of traditional family Italian dining can be found @ Carmine's located in Times Square... Wait, check that! I made it seem as though I actually enjoyed the dining experience!
The Ambiance: Wooden panels stained with dark mahogany consumes every aspect of this family oriented restaurant. Framed pictures of images ranging from celebrities to historical sites of NY can also be found plastered over the walls. The lighting itself produces an omniscience feeling of familiarity and comfort, thus enhancing a quaint dining experience for it's patrons. The restaurant has a seating capacity withing the 250 - 300 range, which dictates that the vocal decibels of this establishment to be above that of normal establishments, aiding to it's "traditional family dining" genre. Upon entering Carmine's, diners will be burdened by the enduring fan base awaiting their reservation slots. Nevertheless, upon seating, patrons will be consumed by the welcoming feeling that's generated by the subtle and family oriented decor.
The Food: Seemingly the most sought after aspect of this dining experience, the execution of taste and quality generated by the samplings of Carmine's did not boast any presentable means of appraisal for which its labeled. With the exception of the Fried Calamari, the proceeding entrees yielded such presumptuous results...
Carmine's Salad: Another coined term for Greek Salad, the Carmine's Salad contains a base of Fresh Romaine Lettuce, topped with notable ingredients as Roasted Peppers, Olives, and Feta Cheese that's accompanied with an Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar dressing. The combination of the various elements in this application did not stimulate any enchanting tastes, rather mirroring that of a salad combination that can be obtained at either Hale & Hearty or Just Salad through the use of the same ingredients.
Fried Calamari: Seemingly the most simplistic application is deemed with the title of best course during the meal. The Fried Calamari had with it a simple buttery taste that's accompanied by the exterior crunch of the battered Calamari. Pair this combination with a Calamari that's both meaty and tender in texture and you have yourself one excellent application. What was seemingly most impressive about the dish is that the mild saltiness from the flour batter accompanied with the subtle tanginess of the marinara paved way to the tenderness of the Calamari.
Meatballs (Side Order): 6 baseball sized Ground Chuck derivates await the patrons ordering this appetizer. The texture of the Meatball mirrored that of a traditionally well executed concoction. Although a significant amount of salt was used in the application which tainted the end result, the Meatball itself produced both a texture and taste that's preferred by most. Diners will find that Carmine's special recipe, through the use of Pork, Beef, and Veal in their meatballs, creates a balance of both juiciness and bulk that's commonly found in a well prepared Meatball.
Linguine w. Shrimp in Tomato Sauce: Although the dining experience to this point was seemingly @ par, the main course disrupted any momentum that was generated. It was seemingly difficult to decipher this particular entree as the tomato sauce dominated every aspect of the dish. There's only one thing I remembered of this application... SALT! The tomato sauce itself has a sodium content that was in upwards of 400% of the RDA. Even removing the sauce to the side produced a malcontent flavoring that tarnished any subtle appeal, which may have been presented in the dish. Another aspect of this application that was denoted was the pasta, it was definitely overcooked and once again, the water used in the application was oversalted.
Chocolate Torte: Imagine the best 7 layer Chocolate Cake ever having consumed... Now think directly the opposite! The cake itself was 7 layers of chocolate gluttony that would be preferred by most addicts. Upon first tasting, the bland and over frozen texture of the cake base was consumed by the exasperating sweetness of the chocolate frosting. Between the two main ingredients, the balance required in the execution of any dessert was lacking as the only quality of this application worth boasting was the size of the cake.
The overall expectations, through the hype generated by fellow patrons, failed to live up to the reputation for which this restaurant was deemed. The end remarks generated upon dining at this establishment produced a discontent at the end result. The meal that was consumed should be labeled with the title of "mass produced" as the restaurant's courses are generated to serve a client base that's far exceeds their capabilities. It is with this high turnover mentality, that the restaurants application and execution of its courses were lacking in taste, application, and quality.
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Yep, this is a place for tourists, no doubt. But you know what? I was in NYC for business, and if the company's going to pop for dinner (again! twice!), I'm not going to argue. I still got my bagel, hot dog, and deli fix, so why not see a garish part of the city while I'm there?
My group of about ten people were seated after the majority of us arrived, towards the front of the restaurant. I was treated to an excellent view of the extremely bright video billboard on the theater across the street, which looped it's advertisements about every 30 seconds. It's a wonder I didn't end up with it etched into my eyes and brain. Perhaps the Stella on tap helped prevent that potentially tragic occurrence.
The wait staff was prompt and friendly, and as promised, the portions were huge! Yes, this is definitely family style-- don't take your date here unless you've got three at once and only want to order one appetizer and entree. I would estimate that each plate served about 2-and-a-half of us-- the server was adamant about the restaurant being "all about sharing".
As for the food-- surprisingly good! I skipped on the garlic bread, to save room for the main courses. The calamari was just a touch on the rubbery side, but frankly, I find it uncommon to get properly prepared calamari. The Chilean Sea Bass was damned good. The Spaghetti & Meatballs were excellent comfort food, although the Spicy Seafood Pasta was not spicy at all (while still pretty flavorful). The Chicken Parmesan was, I think, a little overcooked.
Overall, it was more positive than negative. Carmine's is a great way to hang out with a slew people-- friends, co-workers, whomever, and have animated conversation over pretty good food.
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I went to a birthday party here and I thought the family style platters would never end. Here is what we had
1. Garlic Bread - Super Crazy Awesome
2. Cold Antipasti - Delicious
3. Veal Scallopine Marsala - Awesome
4. Chicken Parmigiana - Delicious
5. Shrimp Scampi - Mutha-fuckin' Super Crazy Awesome Delicious
6. Marinara- Delicious
7. Ragu (Assorted Meats) - Seriously Grubbin'
8. Titanic - Magically Delicious (or Tragically Delicious if you happen to have a victims family member within earshot).
9. Huge Platter of fruit & Assorted Desserts - Totally worth the insulin dependency that may result due to consumption.
10. House wine - House Wine Delicious
I think we may have had a few more things but I began to lose consciousness. I also hear they deliver.
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On the west coast there is a similar place or places called Buca de Peppo's. Carmine's is great for big groups, but be warned...this place is very popular so get their early. I think they do take reservations for parties of 8 or more. The food is always good. Great chicken, pasta, and teramisu. Bring your appetite because the portions are huge.
I'll just say it: I'm obsessed. It may be a "tourist trap", but I don't care. Most of the time when I'm in NYC, which is a lot, I go here. Don't get me wrong, I love hanging out at the little places in the Village, but I'm always down for Carmine's. I'm in-love with the Mixed Greens Salad and Penne Vodka. SO. GOOD. The dessert is pretty amazing, too. My favorite is the Strawberry Shortcake. Read: Orgasm on a Fork.
Everyone is pretty laid back, and if it's too long of a wait for a table, hop over to the bar and grab a seat as soon as someone gets up. The bartenders are friendly and helpful - will even hold your leftovers if you're running across the street to Nokia for a concert (personal experience). I've run into several celebs here, a few times not even realizing it, including Joey Lawrence and his entire family.
Best Italian restaurant that even comes close to actually being in Italy.
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Carmine's: Evil tourist trap that would rival Darth Vadar in malevolence or sandwich joint sweeter than a pair illicit boobies?
I'll go with the latter.
I've had many a sausage and peppers hero in my life and while I'm by no means a connisseur I like to think I am knowledgeable about them. Carmine's has long been a sack of cheesiness bursting all over Times Square. Drawing fat midwestern fucks in with pictures of Pacino stuffing his face between those walls is normally a capital crime in my fifedom but Carmine's will get a pass based on this sammich alone.
It was flavorful to say the least. The sauteed peppers were actually sauteed. The bread fresh soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. The sausage (and this is key to a good s&p) was cooked and slightly dried leaving room for the sauce to fill the flavor void. And fill it it did.
Not to mention that a typical Carmine's hero is most certainly bigger than your big ass head.
Sadly, I can never walk into Carmine's, sit down and enjoy this mastadon of sandwiches. I might get eaten in the frenzy by aforementioned fat midwesterners.
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Great service and delicious family-style Italian. You must come here with a big party and try their Chicken Marsala, Signature Salad, and the Titanic for dessert. Such belly-filling goodness at this NYC fave!
I really do like Carmine's. Although it is and will continue to be extremely commercial, the food is pretty good. Each order is gigantic so you will get your money's worth no matter what you get. I like the ravioli (which me and my date got for free when theater goers couldn't finish their food).
This is my "go-to" place when I am going to see a show with "out of towners." Carmine's can get crowded but its food doesn't disappoint.
The best Italian food I've ever had! Everything is served family style so the portions are HUGE! We had the manicotti and aso bucco and it was all so good. We amazingly had room for dessert so we had the tiramisu and the strawberry shortcake. The tiramisu was the best that I ever had. It was not too sweet and the rum was not so strong that it overpowered the whole dessert. A definite must when you are in NYC, but don't go before you are going to see a show. We were all in a food coma while we took in a performance of Chicago.
The sad thing about giving this restaurant one star is that the food isn't half bad. For a pre-theater dinner, based on taste, I prefer Carmine's over Sardi's.
But a cockroach ran across the table during my meal.
'Nuff said.
Bring a crowd when you go to Carmines because the portions are huge! Be prepared to share family style but, not to fork out a lot of money for a hefty bill. The waiters are really nice and they generally welcome a big group of friends. Great for cheap pre-theatre eats or if you're just in the neighborhood.
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They don't take reservations but it's become my place to take friends from out of town after a show because it's un-intimidating but not completely lame like the Olive Garden. Good, solid family-style Italian at a moderate price. The Carmine's salad, stuffed mushrooms and shrimp scampi are usually safe bets.
Leslie R beat me to it:
"The plates here are bigger than Tyra Banks' ego."
Outta the park!
All I have to say it...Fried Calamari. Oh. My. Dog.
I mean God. You see? That's how good it is.
Minus one star because you have to make reservations sometimes MONTHS in advance. So travelers like me who only get the occasional bite out of the big apple may find themselves SOL.
Oh my good gracious ... the portions are ginormous! Went with a group of 8 expecting so-so italian food. Let me tell ya, I came out of there happy and satisfied. Like everyone's mentioned, it's family-style so portions are huge! An order of fried calamari fed all 8 of us with a tad bit of leftovers. Calamari was perfectly seasoned, not too greasy, just uberly tasty. The Caesar salad was just like any other caesar salad - nothing too spectacular.
For our entrees we ordered this seafood lobster pasta dish (don't know what it's called exactly) that had plenty of seafood throughout the dish. Living in Seattle, I know whether seafood is fresh or not and this was definitely fresh seafood. Tried the Veal dish which was tender and flavorful! Penne Alla Vodka ... yuummmy ... such a simple dish but great in size and flavor. Thought we were too full to dig in but no one could have 'just one bite', let alone just one scoop.
For desserts we ordered the Tiramisu and cheesecake (it may have been the shortcake). Tiramisu would have been more than enough as it's presented in a pie-dish, or so it seemed. By then food coma had hit me and I just wanted to go home and sleep - but indeed, I tried both desserts which completed the meal in utter satisfaction.
The only place I could compare this to is Bucca di Beppo's. And this by far, is tastier, has better ambiance and larger portions.
My only gripe is the fact that there were only 2 stalls in the women's bathroom. Such a small bathroom for a large establishment. Ladies, prepare to stand in line.
Other than that, it was worth the 30 minute wait in the bar. :)
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If you like to eat this is your place! The food is very good and the portions are huge. I like the Family style vibe and its a good place to go before you go out and hit a play, sporting event or club. You should go with more than one person and it is always crowded so you might want to call and make reservations. mmm..mmm... Good
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Hooray for the best family style Italian food in Manhattan! Anyone who really *loves* Italian food will love it - the pasta, the meat, the bread, dessert, no one will be dissapointed. Do yourself a favor and take out-of-towners here - they will think you're the best.
There is mouth wash in the bathroom. 'Nuff said. True Italian food has no fear of garlic.
Only downside...there is sometimes a long wait, as in 2 hrs long, so this is an "event" restaurant for birthdays, special occassions...but hey, my family taught me that a sign of a good restaurant is when it's packed with happy eaters :)
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i've been here twice (both time with parents so i wasnt paying) but i have yet to be even closely disappointed. the stuffed mushrooms are amazing and the chicken marsala is another favorite. i've had the pasta sampler and the manicotti too, both of which i have no complaints. i'd have to agree with the other reviews that for a large group or double date, this is by far the best place food wise and budget wise because of the huge portions.
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