The food at Carmine's in Times Square is...good....?
I had some family in town that insisted on going to Carmines in Times Sqaure. I was expecting this place to be a cheesy tourist rip-off spot with overpriced totally mediocre food. The place was cheesy and overpriced, but both my girlfriend and I (both of us red-sauce snobs) had to admit that the food was…pretty good? Flavorful, meaty meatballs, strong marinara sauce, a steak that was well seasoned and cooked properly all the way through, very good pastries and espresso. I'm curious to hear if anyone else has been to Carmines, and what they're take on the food is. What’s going on?!
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4 Comments:
I've been a couple of times to the uptown location and it became a standard recommendation for large groups that don't have wads of money to burn through. It's festive but affordable, depending on how you order, and everyone's always been very pleased with the food. The uptown location, huge and loud as it is, still manages to feel intimate.
renzata at 10:14AM on 07/18/08
Carmines definitely has its place...I mean, what are the alternatives in Times Square -- Red Lobster and Olive Garden? The food is really good, the couple of times I was there the service was also really friendly and accommodating to groups, which can be a very special challenge in the city.
I certainly wouldn't go for a nice, quiet Saturday night out, but if I had a bunch of people coming into town and/or a picky group, it's a great place to go.
Serving a similar function, I have to plug Havana Central I believe on 46th. I recently had a party of 12 there with no problem -- service was great, drinks were strong, and I thought the food was really excellent relative to the price and location. Lively atmosphere, too. Including drinks, tax, and tip, the bill for 12 people came in under $400. Also picky-eater friendly.
savecara at 10:28AM on 07/18/08
Carmines is really the best of the worst in Times Square... As stated above, what are the other options? Bubba Gump... bleh.
This is a place to take out-of-towners before a show. You'll never go there for any other reason. There are many more quality restaurants in the 9th Ave area that are much better for a pre-theater meal.
BirdDoggie at 11:45AM on 07/18/08
We go to Carmine's every time we go to see a show. It is the best option in the area. If you order an espresso, they will bring a bottle of Buca to the table. (Which we manage to consume the entire thing!) Makes the shows better. ;-D
izatryt at 5:14PM on 07/18/08