Carbone

The food at Carbone deserves 5 stars but the service is not the greatest. It might have been just our waiter who was having a bad day. The place is nice and cozy, and the food is delicious! My favorite was the Bronzino… It was out of this world amazing!!! Carbone is by far my favorite Italian place, and I would definitely go back again despite the fact that it is pretty pricey.

it was good def experience you should do once. Pricey

Outrageously expensive even for NYC
Veal parm 65.00
Meatballs, the house specialty, were raw
The hot place in town will cool down soon if my experience is commonplace

Yes, and more yes. The spicy rigatoni here could be a whole food group for me.
However, the space is intimate, a little dark, and great art. The service is great as well. The only thing I was a little worried about is how I feel that my allergy wasn’t taken as serious. When food is put in front of you and they come back a minute or two later to say that what I am allergic to could be in it… Thankfully I didn’t just take a bite of it and end up in the ER.
Besides that, the food is delicious. The seafood towers, octopus, baked clams, burrata and caviar to start were all delicious. However the showstopper for me is always the pasta. The spicy rigatoni is phenomenal. So good in fact, I almost didn’t try the spaghettini and pesto. I was already full by then so when all of the proteins came out I just had a couple of bites of steak and a bite of one of the largest prawns I may have ever seen in my life. Large bowls of what seemed like lightly macerated strawberries and plates of nectarines, with tiramisu, chestnuts, and many many other desserts. I didn’t try them all obviously or I might still be in a coma. But everyone enjoyed them.
Thanks for a lovely night Carbone.

Started with the meatballs which were fantastic. Moist and flavorful with a good consistency on the sauce. Also had the beef carpaccio which was very fresh but soaked in oil. Dinner ordered the Veal Parmesan which was as good as advertised. Big portion can probably split between two so don’t get scared by the price point. Lastly shared the spicy rigatoni with vodka sauce. Way too spicy for a pasta dish. Overpowers the entire dish. For dessert get the Nutella tiramisu. Overall great service and experience.

Oh, Carbone. I almost felt like, rather than going out for dinner, my friend and I walked into a dinner theater. Want to feel like you stepped right into the Godfather or Goodfellas? Eat at Carbone. The performance itself — and I’m including the food and drinks here — was top-​notch. The waiters had the Bronx/​Bensonhurst accent down pat, and the checked floors/​table cloth/​screened off backroom (and photographer walking around) all lent themselves to creating this movie-​set feel. My friend and I ordered Manhattans, then red wine, a charcuterie plate, baked clams, some special with clams and the famous spicy rigatoni. The rigatoni lived up to the hype FOR SURE but the clam pasta was a little eh — it could have used more sauce. Everything else was delicious and the portions were very generous (the complimentary bread/​cheese it comes with doesn’t hurt either). We split the carrot cake and, though it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, I’m a huge carrot cake fan and it was pretty darn good. The final bill at the end though was around $ 200, and my Italian grandparents are rolling over in their graves at the idea that I’d pay this much when I could get an equal dinner (minus the theatrical elements) at one of their go-​to spots in the Bronx, Manhattan or Westchester for at least half the price. So in sum, I would never go back unless someone else was footing the bill and if you’re going purely for the food, skip it because there’s much better Italian options, both in this old-​school red sauce vein and in the newer, rustico/​Tuscan variety. But if you want to take a night to step back in time and pretend you’re a mobster in Little Italy in the 50s, Carbone is worth every penny.

After coming home from an Italian getaway in October, I thought I’d never be able to taste of authentic Italian food…
Carbone proved me wrong. The garlic bread and mozzarella cheese to start was absolutely amazing. We ordered the mussels, veal, meatballs, and spicy rigatoni (as recommended by other helpers). The veal was my absolute favorite! But all dishes were just as tasty.
Definitely worth five stars.

This place is the total package for an NYC dinner experience. As soon as you walk in you feel like you’ve been transported back to the 1950’s based on the décor of the place and Elvis playing on the speakers.
Waiters and sommelier all introduced themselves and did not forget our names the rest of the night. The fresh made garlic bread was fantastic for table bread. And that was just the start.
Somellier was very helpful and helped us pick out a great Barolo in our price range.
Food was fantastic. 3 dishes I would recommend in order
1) Spicy Rigatoni (just look at the other reviews. its a no brainer)
2) Tortelli Al Ragu (this one came out of nowhere of how delicious it was)
3) Veal Parmesan (duh! and they leave you the bone)
The best part of this place is the vibe. It just seems like everyone is having a good time and the staff is in no rush to get you out the door like some other infamous NYC Italian spots that I won’t name here. Our reservation was at 10pm so we were there pretty late and around midnight the Elvis turned into Drake and Rihanna so that was a nice touch to keep the party going.
If you want a great Italian spot in NYC. This should be your first choice. But be warned. You need to make reservations at least a month out. It books up fast. But its oh so worth it.

The best Italian food in the city, hands down. Way better than their sister restaurant, Parm.
The ambiance is great and the service is exceptional. Servers are so attentive and genuine. Our server brought out dessert on the house bc I was full and he insisted I try just one bite of the tiramisu, can’t beat that!
The complimentary assortment of breads in itself is worth the visit! I recommend the assortment of clams to start, they’re each so different and packed with flavor. Believe the hype about the spicy vodka rigatoni, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t order it. We ordered the lobster ravioli which was also good but nowhere near the rigatoni. Everything about the rigatoni is truly perfect!
Carbone is a must and also a good place for celeb spotting, a true gem!

One of the best if not THE best Italian food in NYC. The complimentary bread and pickled vegetables to start kicks off a great meal.
Got the Baked Clams 3 ways, tableside Caesar, Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, Meatballs and Veal Parm. Can’t complain at all about any of them but the rigatoni and meatballs in particular stood out.
It’s definitely going to set you back a few $ but I’m a city that’s loaded with average Italian, I’d recommend splurging here at least once.

This place is good if you’re looking for authentic Italian American cuisine. Warning, it is very pricy but overall worth it. When you’re seated, you get an assortment of bread (grandma bread, garlic bread, etc.) & pickled cauliflower & a meat plate. The pickled cauliflower were surprisingly very good & well seasoned.
For dinner I got the infamous spicy vodka rigatoni & it definitely lead up to its expectations. Amazing!!! No wonder why everyone gets it.
I’ll definitely be back.

Yes to the spicy rigatoni. Yes to the bread and mozzarella that comes to the table first. Yes to the croutons in the Cesar salad. The veal parm was good. It’s a family friendly restaurant but it is still classy. The portions are good. I was able to take a small portion home. Excellent service! I would definitely return and since I saw children, I’m bringing my son next time!!!

This was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The ambiance was incredible. Great music (rat pack style) and the staff is so charismatic and attentive. Went there for lunch so I can’t speak to the dinner vibe but it was amazing. My husband and I split the baked clams, beef carpaccio, and spicy vodka rigatoni. I recommend all three. Splurge!
Also the salami, mozzarella and garlic bread they bring out first is just a taste of what’s to come. If you can make it here on a trip to NYC, please please visit.
This is so worth it.

Oh man.
Carbone is quite a little gem. I was blown away by all the flavors that I encountered while dining here with my friend late one evening. I already had an inclination that the food would be great but my expectations were beyond exceeded. I was probably served the best pasta dish ever. No lie. WARNING: This place is pretty pricey. Take note of the four $$$$. However, every bite is worth it. Also, all the hosts/​servers were beyond pleasant and accommodating. I’d highly recommend snagging a reservation because the space is very intimate and gets booked up weeks in advance.
Back to the food.
We started off with a loaded bread basket and sliced salami. Their focaccia bread was out of this world. I had to tell our server to bring back double the amount the second round. It was THAT good. Once it was time to order, I kept it simple with the Spicy Rigatoni Pasta and my friend got the Lobster Ravioli. I can’t even put in to words how good my food was. I savored every single bite. By the time it was over, I almost told them to bring me out another plate. Seriously! Sauce was packed with flavors, pasta was cooked perfectly, and the portion was larger than expected. Lobster ravioli was just as spectacular. For dessert, we opted for the lemon sorbet. SO CUTE. and very tasty. Ugh. I can’t wait to go back.
Definitely worth the $$$$ and the wait. Book your table now!

There’s not much more to say about this place other than it’s amazing! The service was fast and attentive, and our waiter was awesome! He was funny and witty, yet was able to recommend everything to our liking.
The baked clams were good, not great. The spicy rigatoni without a doubt lives up to all of its hype. It was so good it made me think about ordering one to go! The ribs came out way bigger than expected so be aware of that. The veal parm was delicious and a perfect size to split for two. For dessert I tried some type of chocolate cake with a scoop of Nutella ice cream on top, it was ok! The desserts need to be changed up a little in my opinion.
Overall, we had an awesome experience here and are definitely look forward to coming back!

Love Carbone. We’ve been twice now and can’t get enough. It’s a challenge to get a reservation at prime time, but that should tell you something about the place. My only qualms with Carbone are that it would be nice if the wine list was a bit more accessible, and I would also prefer if the sides were a little smaller/​cheaper such that it makes more sense to order a few if not dining in a large group, but that’s honestly it.
One of the best aspects of Carbone is the ambiance. It’s fancy but casual, the servers («captains») are animated and lively, and the music is loud and driven by oldies classics that, in other establishments might seem cheesy, but, for whatever reason, seem perfectly at home at Carbone.
While I’ll happily spend money on good food and wine, I’ve been to plenty of more formal Michelin restaurants with more approachable wine lists. Wines cheaper than $ 100 are few and far between at Carbone, which seems a bit contradictory to the casual atmosphere set by the staff and the restaurant’s design. Anyway, on to the food…
We quite like the Carpaccio Piemontese, and it’s a very easy dish to share among a few people. It’s fresh with a healthy dose of olive oil and varying textures that make it exciting. I also enjoyed the Octopus Pizzaiolo, although at times it felt like the spice might have been too much for delicate octopus.
That being said, if you like spice, Carbone should be at the top of your list. The Spicy Rigatoni Vodka is my favorite dish in New York at the moment, and has a consistent level of heat that elevates the dish to another level without overwhelming. I also quite liked the Pork Chop and Peppers, which paired well with the rich Potatoes Louie. At $ 16, though, it’s hard to justify ordering a lot of sides when you can get another delicious plate of pasta for $ 25 – 30. I’d rather they reduce the size of the sides and cut the price to $ 10 – 12, as we would have probably ordered another to go with the pork chop if that were the case. The last time we went, there was a ricotta-​filled tortellini with butter sauce and shaved black truffles which was just as decadent as you might imagine, and well worth the $ 40 price tag. The previous visit we had the Tortellini al Ragu (excellent) and the Fettucini con Funghi (good, and a lighter dish to work in given that many of the others can be a tad on the heavier side).
The only dessert I’ve tried is the chocolate cake, which I enjoyed and would order again. It comes with tasty chocolate ice cream, nuts for crunch and berries for fruitiness. To be honest, I’d rather eat more pasta than save room for dessert.
You may have to book weeks in advance, but make an effort to dine at Carbone because the food is unbelievable, the service is great, and the atmosphere is wonderfully charming.

So a few people have recently posted with the same thoughts — we’re not sure what the heck happened…
Food is still good, but the vibe has changed. This time around it felt cramped vs intimate, music was louder and the crowd a little more rambunctious, the staff seemed slightly less professional and immature. I’m thinking there might be a pretty substantial difference in experience between a weeknight and weekend night — a older crowd on a weeknight gives the place the softer and traditional feel perhaps.
I hope this isn’t a turning point for a restaurant that many people usually would seek out for an intimate and old-​world traditional Italian meal/​dining experience.

Finally scored a ressie here and came last night with a party of 4. Can def see why it’s tough to get a table here!
Loved everything about the place. Old school Nyc dining vibe, first class service and great food. Loved our waiter. He was funny, attentive and def made you feel at home. Prices steep but worth it.
We ordered a lot and everything was very good but the stand outs to me were the baked clams with 3 variety; the spicy rigatoni vodka, steak Diane and meatballs. Dessert tray they brought over was a nice touch. Mostly cakes and ordered one of each. Carrot cake with ginger ice cream was my personal favorite!
Great place! If you love seafood, their sister restaurant is down the block; zz clam bar. Same amazing attentive service and great food.

Omg. Amazing amazing amazing! Ricki was our server, he was incredible. The food, omg the food!
The Beef carpaccio literally takes your breath away and the spicy vodka macaroni is so yum! Don’t think we didn’t get the veal parm! Overall, the Ambiance literally takes you back to the 50’s and you feel like Sinatra is eating at the next table. Have to come back here! Resi’s are hard to get so book in advance

I would give this place six stars if I could. I have heard about this place for years and I finally made it. The staff is awesome and I love the servers in their burgundy tuxedos. There is a small bar in in the back as you walk in and the décor is awesome.
We were a party of eight and the server suggested we do family style and we ordered a lot. The cheese to start, the rigatoni, lobster ravioli and the meatballs had me right away. the food was so good. I plan on adding photos soon.
I highly suggest coming here and having the awesome meal that I enjoyed. I will 100% be back.