Review on happy hour (2:30-6p Mon-Fri bar only): we came on a Friday afternoon and there were two others at the bar. The bar has about 10 spots. We got the spicy rigatoni alla vodka sauce, chicken parmigiana alla vodka bites and zenzero. The rigatoni was very creamy, and had chicken in it (the menu should note that there's chicken in the dish) . Chicken was on the thinner side so the sauce saved the slight dryness but a decent chicken parmigiana. The zenzero was light and refreshing. Overall, good happy hour spot and would come back again. A little bit of a long wait for the food and drink though. The bartender checked on us often. Bar is located on the far right of the restaurant (can't be seen when you first enter). They also have some outdoor patio seating. read more

Carbonara - Happy hour: Spicy rigatoni alla vodka sauce (chicken) and chicken parmigiana alla vodka bites - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

There was a point where when this restaurant opened it only had a few hundred reviews on google and a relatively subpar rating. I find it suspicious that it rapidly jumped up to a number of reviews that far surpassed popular restaurants in the area that have been open for far longer and now has a weirdly high rating. So naturally I had to try their food. Ordered the antipasti misto for two, papperdelle amalfi, and the spicy rigatoni alla vodka (with gluten free penne). While asking about the gluten free options the waiter mentioned that several could not be made gluten free because they're pre-made, which was a huge red flag for me. The rigatoni's vodka sauce didn't really taste like anything, all I got from it was some mild spiciness. My girlfriend described the papperdelle "ok, I guess". The antipasti was a weird collection of things, including spring mix, and random assortment of soggy flavorless peppers, and what seemed to be canned black olives. Service was a little slow, and they didn't seem that busy. We found ourselves sitting and waiting for the waiter to come by multiple times. Someone came around asking if we wanted black pepper when we were done eating, and our server came by to find out if anyone brought parmesan cheese (they hadn't) shortly after that. Total was $84 dollars with tip. It was not worth it. The only explanation for the google rating is that they're paying for positive reviews. It is worth noting that the italian restaurant Fiola Mare listed in the Michelin guide has 2300 reviews, and it far exceeds the number of reviews and rating for any other Italian restaurant in Arlington and Falls Church. The cherry on top is that the food sent me running for the bathroom within an hour. Probably not safe for anyone that's gluten free. The one positive is that I now feel compelled to go try some other Italian restaurants in the area, as this one has left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

Made the drive from Baltimore to Arlington to check out this social media famous restaurant. It was packed on a Saturday, but we were able to grab a booth with our reservations (definitely needed). Our server was knowledgeable and the ambiance was super fun! Old Miami vibes and they even had a singer performing classic Sinatra. The chicken Parmesan disappointed me there was no cheese pull as seen on IG. it was also bland. However my friends ordered the lobster and shrimp pasta and it was delectable. In short, the chicken parm is overhyped but the other dishes on the menu are good! read more

I went to carbonara for the first time with my s/o today, and it did not disappoint. We ordered the fried calamari which also came with fried peppers and zucchini. The fry was perfect! I also ordered the espresso martini flight, and went with pistachio, tiramisu, and the Ferrero Rocher. They were all delicious, but beware of the heavy pour! I ended up ordering the Bucatini Carbonara tableside, and my s/o ordered the chicken parmigiana alla vodka. Both dishes exceeded our expectations, and it's satisfying to watch the flaming cheese wheel, and the pan of sauce and cheese fold onto the chicken parm. I also wanted to give a shout out to Cody, who was our server. He was approachable and knowledgeable of the menu and even went above and beyond knowing that we were here to celebrate our anniversary. Cody was also the one who made the espresso martinis and it was impressive watching him shake three different martinis at the same time. Cody was fantastic and I would highly recommend anyone to ask for him when visiting Carbonara. I'll definitely be coming back! Thank you, Cody! read more

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I was 100% sure this would be a 5 star place, but my visit to Italy last year keeps torturing me. The beef tortellini was excellent. The atmosphere and the service is excellent. The other 3 dishes I had (meatballs, bacon wrapped shrimp, veal sorrentino) were aggressively okay. In fact, this is definitely my least favorite bacon wrapped shrimp I've ever had. 4 pieces for $20 to really twist the knife. No doubt you can get a great meal from here. You have all the other reviews to speak to that. But just too lackluster where it counts for me to justify extrapolating to a 4. read more

Carbonara the only place where calories don't matter My favorite place to eat, drink, and hangout in Arlington. This is my 2nd time here this week. I think the staff is probably thinking, "It's her AGAIN"! I am stalking- waiting for the lamb chops to come back . Thank you Ian and Dave for the great hospitality. We bring ALL of our out of town guests to Carbonara. It is a "must do" on the itinerary read more

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Came on a Friday night - it was packed, but Cody helped us get seats at the bar. His service was fast and friendly, including good suggestions for what to drink and eat. If you're craving good food, live music, and good service, check it out. read more

The ambiance is got alot energy, the decor very cousi, the food it's very is delicious, and the way they serve it is a show it self, my server was Caillin very Knowledgeable with the menu, she provided a wonderful experience, when we spending money, we need all the above. read more

Best Italian food I've ever had! - Nice outdoor seating (cold, so empty) - Inside: dim, beautiful lighting, prosciutto on toothpicks, kitchen view, Christmas decorations still up - Free bread with sauce - Chicken parm (fried cutlets) with pasta alla vodka - so flavorful, rich, melted in my mouth - Spaghetti was amazing too - Great service, didn't take long(for a fancy place) to get the food; 5 minutes for bread, another 10 for appetizers and then another 10 for food! - Expensive but totally worth it. read more

Wanted to see what all the hype was about. Placed a reservation on a Friday for 6PM. Showed up and it wasn't that busy, the outside dining was open with the heat lamps and you could definitely feel it radiating! Walked in and was greeted immediately, host staff were attentive and nice! Seated immediately. The inside can be a little cramped in certain areas. Also can be loud as the kitchen is front facing to the entrance. The bar area seems a bit cramped but people were packing in on that side, from what I witnessed. I'll start off with the service, it was alright at best, when placing appetizer and entree order, there wasn't a lot of time in between getting both... couldn't really enjoy the starters before shortly after receiving when the entrees came out and crowded the table. Also early on when asked about beverages I requested some sparkling water for the table which the server forgot about until I reminded them of it after the entrees showed up... but the service staff that would come around fill water, grab plates, they were on top of it! As for the food it was delicious. Tried the Italian long hot peppers and were the perfect opener... flavorful with just the right kick. The famous Chicken Parmigiana alla Vodka lived up to its name crispy, tender, and coated in a rich, creamy vodka sauce that was absolutely divine. The Alfredo was silky and comforting, classic done right also seeing it whipped around in that giant cheese wheel was entertaining, anyone who would order it you would just see eyes locked into the process table side. And for desert the Italian Crème Brûlée Cheesecake was pure perfection smooth, indulgent, and beautifully balanced with that caramelized top. And someone at the table ordered a Dubai white chocolate espresso martini and from what they said it was very strong for their taste, not enjoyable as imagined, left it almost untouched. Would like to go back and give it a second try and see what else speaks to me on the menu. Thanks for your business! read more

Carbonara - ITALIAN CRÈME BRÛLÉE CHEESECAKE - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I love the food at this restaurant. Everything is great. I recommend this restaurant for Michelin star the service is phenomenal. The ambience is great. It is very hard to reserve because it's in such high demand. I could eat here every day. read more

Visited September 2024. Would recommend visiting with a larger group in order to share appetizers and pastas. All the food was very good. They also have complimentary charcuterie as a sampler when you walk in. Gets knocked a star because we had to ask several times for water refills, utensils, and the check. They were nice when directly interacting with us but overall not very attentive. read more

Carbonara - Fried Mozzarella - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Slightly upscale Italian restaurant that is known for their Carbonara dish, which is cooked inside of a giant parmesan cheese wheel The menu is pricey, but the portions are gigantic Both indoor and outdoor seating I came here on a Friday night for dinner with my GF and her sister. We opted to sit outside because inside it was extremely loud. We split an antipasti dish and we each got a different entree. Food was very good (minus too many pieces of pork inside of the carbonara), but service was terrible. It took an extremely long time for our food to get to us, I had to ask our waitress to turn on the headlamp above us 3X before she finally did, and they didn't put my leftovers inside of our to-go bag that they put the rest of our leftovers in (which I only found out when I got home :_( Complimentary bread Give you a skewer of prosciutto when you first get there read more

My expectations were high if they are charging $30 for pasta. The freshly made pasta noodles were good, but the sauce and everything else was disappointing. Terrible customer service. Of course I got the full experience with the carbonara table style, not as special as I thought it would be. I sat on a small patio that was less than a stairstep high. In videos, the chef makes your pasta right in front of you. However, he was about 5 feet away because he didn't want to bring the cart up the patio. Understandable, but disappointed. My main issue with this place was the server, Saba. She seemed nice at first, but then she was condescending. When she asked how was my carbonara pasta, I said it was salty. Rather than caring, she said it was because of the cheese, implying that it's my problem. As annoyed as I was, I still ate it because I felt bad if I made the chef remake it. 10 minutes later, she comes back and switches up as if she cared, asking if there was anything else she can do. I don't understand why she would ask that 10 minutes later, rather than the moment I said it was salty. Besides that, the sauce was full of depth and flavor. The water tasted like it was straight from the tap. So I asked if they had any fruit drinks, and she said they had lemonade. When I tasted it, it wasn't lemonade. It was the basic mixers from the bar. I was very irritated, but my priority was just getting out of the place. $5 is insane for a cheap mixer you can get at the grocery store The place looked nice, an upscale from olive garden. I like how they got free prosciutto samples, but I felt awkward getting one on my own. I feel like I just had a bad server, but I wouldn't come back here again. read more

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Food was delicious. I got the chicken picata and we got the shrimp as an appetizer. The bread that comes at the start was delicious. Good wine and great service. The bacon wrapped shrimp wasn't my favorite but it was still good. I'll definitely come back! read more

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Food is excellent but the atmosphere is extremely LOUD and hard to have a conversation during dinner time

I ended up giving this place another try nearly 2 years later, and the food was awfully bland. I placed an order of three cheese ziti for takeout tonight, and it literally tasted like frozen microwave pasta from the grocery store. It was completely flavorless and cold. I wouldn't return and don't recommend this place. I'm not sure why it's so highly rated. I believe they pay for good reviews. read more

Our daughter took us to dinner here during a recent visit. Food was excellent, staff was even better. Great atmosphere. You won't regret it!

Carbonara was generating a lot of hype before they opened. From day one, it became impossible to get a reservation for quite some time. This past Saturday, we managed to get a dinner reservation for 4:15 p.m. Yes, that's an early dinnertime, but we didn't mind. We arrived on time and were seated immediately at a two top that was at the end of a long banquette. Immediately, we noticed that the two top tables were really narrow, making it difficult to fit plates, etc. without worrying about knocking something off the table. A perfect example of that -- our server was prompt getting to us. He was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable when it came to the menu. First, he took our drink orders. I got a drink called "Mi Scusi". It consists of: "bacardi limon, cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup, house-made sorbet, mint". This was a nice drink---not too strong with some sweetness. My husband ordered a glass of Prosecco. When the server brought the drinks to our table, it was difficult for him to properly position himself while placing them on our table. My drink made it to the table intact, but my husband's drink ended up spilling all over the table next to us with a little getting on my arm. Fortunately, no one was seated next to us. Next, we ordered an appetizer -- "burrata" which had nice, ripe tomato slices, burrata and a drizzling of balsamic. This was tasty and just right for two. Each table gets a breadbasket with two crispy pieces of bread plus two soft pieces. It also comes with two dipping sauces---tomato sauce and tapenade. We liked the tapenade which had a nice black olive flavor. For our entrees, I got "Gnocchi Della Mama" which consists of: "potato based dumplings baked with Bolognese meat sauce, melted mozzarella cheese". My husband got "Spaghetti & Homemade Meatballs" which also has "Sunday Sauce". As to how the entrees were---My dish had generous amount of gnocchi which was still soft. As for the meat sauce...well...I decided to take a taste of it and the word "Beefaroni" popped into my head. That was odd as I hadn't had Beefaroni since I was a kid. The mozzarella portion was also generous. This was a very filling dish and I couldn't eat all of it. My husband was disappointed with his dish. He said he thought it sat under a heat lamp too long as it was congealed when he got it. We were too full to even consider dessert even though some of the items sounded quite good. This place is loud, even when it isn't full. Due to that and the cramped dining conditions, we doubt we'll return. That said, I will say that the manager did come around to see how things were and when we left, she thanked us for coming and wished us a good evening. So...in conclusion, we don't think it lived up to the hype. read more

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We recently visited Carbonara since it opened and all I can say is we will be back. The outside sign was a little weird but the inside has an amazing ambiance, it's a bit small but very modern. The staff were unbelievably friendly and helpful, our waiter specifically was great as well. On to the food, we started with fried mozzarella and I realized after we scarfed down 3/4 I forgot to take a photo but it was delicious. My partner got their famous chicken Parmesan but it was with vodka sauce which is a fun twist. I got the bucatini carbonara served table side, I had my hopes low because I assumed it was just a tourist trap but my goodness it was so good. Fresh pasta and all, while the table side is fun it isn't needed, just something trendy but outside of the table side it was still delicious. We had an amazing time, cheaper and equal quality to Filomena's. We will 100% be back! read more

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I went to Carbonara with my book club yesterday, and we had a nice time. I tried the arancini, which was great. The bread/tapenade/sauce combo was totally fine, and the salads looked good. I ordered the bucatini as my entree. The bucatini was generally pretty good, but the guanciale was very fatty, so it was a little hard to eat. The pasta itself was really al dente, the sauce was great, and the presentation was so fun. I'd get it again, but I wouldn't expect much from the meat. Some cracked pepper would have been nice, but I also didn't ask for any, so they may have had some. Portions were generous, and all six of us had leftovers. Two of us got dessert - the gelato was a very generous portion, and the flavor was really good. The profiteroles were not good at all - the pastry was really tough. I would not recommend them. Cocktails looked cute - I had a glass of wine, so I didn't try them, but I think everyone was happy with their spritz who tried one. read more

Carbonara - The namesake bucatini carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Went to Carbonara for a weekend lunch and had a great experience! Every table is served bread at the beginning of the meal with marinara sauce which was delicious. I appreciated having the sauce to dip the bread in rather than the typical butter spread that normally comes with bread service. For our appetizer we got the calamari which was perfectly crispy and tender at the same time. The lemon helped add a brightness and acidity to the calamari and it wasn't too greasy even though it was friend. My friend and I shared the Chicken Parmigiana Alla Vodka and the Caesar Salad. Carbonara has become known for their vodka sauce and it did not disappoint! The vodka sauce was creamy and paired much better with the chicken than a regular marina. The Cesar salad was topped with pancetta which added a smoky flavor and helped to add a bit of texture to the salad. The restaurant was fairly busy when we went; however, I was luckily able to find street parking. There are also garages nearby. Overall, the restaurant has great food, service and the ambiance would be nice for a date night or a night out with friends. read more

Carbonara - CHICKEN PARMIGIANA ALLA VODKA - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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the food is incredible! I go there every year for my birthday. in addition the staff is so kind and fun to be around. thank you for an amazing experience, carbonara! read more

3.5/5 overall, but I rounded up. We were a party of five, and getting a reservation was nearly impossible unless booked a month in advance. They were able to seat us outdoors, but it was a bit uncomfortable. The tables are designed for parties of four, so one of us ended up awkwardly squeezed at the edge of a square table. We ordered the meatballs, carbonara, and spicy vodka pasta: Meatballs (3/5): Nothing special, and a bit too salty for my taste. Spicy Vodka Pasta (3/5): We ordered two of these, but the dishes were inconsistent. One pasta was extremely al dente, almost too hard, while the other was soft. The sauces were also uneven. One was much spicier, and the other had too much cream and muted the spice and tomato flavors. Carbonara (5/5): This dish lived up to the hype. The pasta was fresh and had the perfect balance of creaminess. If this place wasn't so hyped and difficult to get into, I might have rated it higher. However, given the price point and the inconsistency, it felt more like a 3.5 star experience. Our server also seemed inexperienced and struggled with multitasking and often asking us to wait a moment when we requested something. read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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The food was prestigious, the pizza was breathtaking. The wait was long but so worth it in the end.

Idk if we came on a bad day but both I and my gal pal were really underwhelmed by this experience. I'm sad about it still. As a foodie, I've had so many amazing spots blow me away and this one just never quite got there. Idk if the quality has gone down or if it's all hype from the start. It misses Italian comfort food by a lot. I'd been seeing this spot all over the gram, from friends, and on Yelp and not so patiently awaited my moment with the cheese wheel!!!! Even in Italy this summer I wasn't able to secure a cheese wheel dish and couldn't WAIT. I walked in at 12 for their first seating on Sunday. Service was prompt and the restaurant quickly filled up. I opted for the bucatini carbonara (of course) and my friend got the meat pasta with the lasagna like noodles. The cheese wheel pasta was already prepared on its own dish and once the cheese was warmed up with some kind of flammable liquid (idk what exactly) it was tossed in and mixed around a bit. It was hardly prepared "tableside" , the flame left a Smokey flavor I didn't care much for. The dish was very one note, I understand carbonara is in and of itself quite basic but when done well the flavors are in sync and delightful. The noodles were overcooked and the flavor was lacking. I needed plenty crushed red pepper to compensate. If you are looking for a great carbonara go to Ciao osteria in Gainesville. Now that is authentic. I can say that because I hate to play the card but I had the legit carbonara in Roma this summer and this missed the mark entirely. My friend didn't finish hers either, I noticed her plate just had one giant lasagna noodle in it hardly even chopped up to bite sized pieces. She said it was "ok". The complimentary bread was yummy and the vodka sauce with it was too. No more bread was offered once we finished it. We ended the meal with the "pistachio affogato". In quotes for a reason because this was NOT affogato. I got a scoop of some very good pistachio gelato (points for the pistachio gelato because it wasn't green and had legit pieces of nuts in it and was good). I could make better affogato at home and I have, with legit espresso. I was served a floating ball of ice cream in drip coffee covered in liquor for $15. It was honestly inedible. For the price, quality, and everything this spot is not worth it nor deserving of the ratings. I'm disappointed as a consumer. The ambiance was a quick in and out type. We won't be returning. read more

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I attended this resteraunt with my family of 5 on January 2nd 2026. We drove an hour and 10 mins to go and it was definetly worth it! Seated us right away and they were very much ontop of it. Our server Alex was catered to our every need and make sure we are enjoying our visit. Even the other servers made sure we are taken care of. The food was delicious! Home made and fresh! Some of the best food we ever had. Customer service is some of the best I've ever seen. I cannot wait to plan my next visit! Stop, drop, and book a reservation at Carbonara! Your life will forever be changed. read more

Carbonara - STUFFED CANNOLI - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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3.5 stars. This is a solid place for Italian appetizers and pastas. Not my favorite, but it satisfies the craving. Definitely need to make reservations in advance. Our server was fun and very knowledgeable about the menu. She and others were also quite attentive. We got Arancini Balls, Nona's Classic Meatballs, and Fritto Misto (calamari) to start. They all tasted as expected and were yummy. Nothing too extraordinary. They mentioned that the plates are not family style. We got Bucatini Carbonara Table Side, Tortelloni Di Michael, Famous Chicken Parmigiana Alla Vodka, and Linguine & Clams. The carbonara dressed in the cheese wheel right at your table was fun, but it was not my favorite carbonara. The chicken parm cheese was also plated right in front of you, and that was my favorite! read more

Arrived around 4pm on a Sunday for early dinner/later lunch. We were seated immediately even with showing up slightly early to the reservation. We started with some wine and one mocktail -- all delicious and priced fairly. For apps, we got the fried mozzarella, burrata, and some bread for the table that came with an outstanding olive tapenade. Main courses were quite large and tasty, I got the spicy vodka rigatoni while the others in my party opted for the lasagna and eggplant parm (which was technically an app but the eggplant parm potion was decently sized). Our waitress Sophie was extremely kind and I'd definitely stop by again if I was in the area! Ambiance was pleasant -- old school Italian diner in some ways with a beautiful patio out front. read more

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New Italian restaurant only a couple blocks away from where I live! When they were still constructing the restaurant, I was expecting it to be an Italian fast-casual (since that's all there is in Ballston) restaurant like Piada. But hey, I'm glad to be proven wrong. The interior is pretty big with a lot of seating and is quite elegant/grand. There's also some tables outside, too. Given that it's new and there's not a whole lot of impressive Italian restaurant in Arlington, it's quite poppin', so I'd highly recommend making a reservation in advance because walk-in may be difficult. My friend and I stopped by this past Wednesday evening for a fancy dinner. For how much you get, the pricing is quite good. The portions are huge and we both had more than enough to take home for lunch the next day. There's complementary baguettes here with marinara sauce and a olive oil based sauce that was pretty good. The baguettes were way too soft and didn't have much flavor or texture, but both dips were solid. ARANCINI BALLS - 13 Each order comes with three large fried balls sitting on top of marinara (?) sauce. These were so tasty. The exterior was perfect crispy but the inside was gooey and cheesy that completely melted in my mouth filled with the delicious blend of bolognese meat and peas. The marinara sauce on the side were really good and I wish I had a spoon to enjoy it. We'd highly recommend these! They're a great appetizer item to share with a couple others. BUCATINI CARBONARA TABLE SIDE - 29 We were excited to try this because we saw other tables ordering this and the whole demonstration of cooking the bucatini in a flaming cheese wheel. However, the server did not position the cheese wheel in a good spot where my friend and I could see and he didn't mix the bucatini in the cheese for that long. We were pretty disappointed with the demo, but still looked forward to the pasta. The pancetta bits were delicious but there wasn't a whole lot, and I felt like the pasta was pretty bland, despite it being super creamy and dense. Definitely not my favorite and I would be hesitant to get it again since it was just OK. PAPPARDELLE AMALFI - 25 OK OK, this is where I got excited. I'm a huge fan of the pappardelle here because it was chewy and almost like that stringy, cheesy like texture (only qualm I had is that each piece was so long and thick that it was hard to enjoy with out breaking the pasta and sauce would kind of splatter everywhere). The rose cream sauce was a good balance of "not too creamy, but still pretty creamy." The mushrooms is what takes this pasta home. The earthiness of the mushrooms was very well mixed into the rose cream sauce that made me wanting to take another bite even though I was extremely stuffed. The ground Italian sausage was nice, but felt like it was more of a garnish than an actual topping since there wasn't a whole lot. Regardless, this pasta definitely made our dining experience a lot better this evening and I was excited to enjoy it as a leftover the next day. Overall, 4.5/5 but will bump to a 5/5 on Yelp. Big portions and two out of the three things we ordered were delicious and I'm still thinking about it while I'm writing this review, so... yeah. Glad to have Carbonara nearby me! read more

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I thought the pasta was made and cooked very well. It was a little lacking in salt but not too bad. I added a little salt to my left overs and it was perfect. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and will try it again. read more

Carbonara - KING OF THE SEA LINGUINI CARDINALE - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The reason there is a wait for a table is because there are about 20 tables. To be fair, I lived in Italy 3 years, but this place did not come close to expectations. Crowded, noisy and the food was bland. We had the Carbonara, chicken parm and lobster ravioli. Why on earth didn't you serve actual Italian crusty bread? I'm sorry Carbonara but this birthday dinner was a total miss. 3 stars is generous. read more

Loved our experience at Carbonara! We made a game day decision to go there for anniversary and called to see if they had a table available and they said patio only. Lucky for us the weather that day was perfect for al fresco dining. Our server was attentive and provided excellent suggestions. The calamari was delicious! Perfectly fried and the batter was so light. The thin slices of zucchini were a nice addition. The wine selection was plentiful, with most from Italy. I enjoyed their famous chicken parmigiana. The house made pasta was delicious too. My husband enjoyed their daily special of osso bucco, it was fantastic!! We ended the meal with the crème brûlée cheesecake--get it! The manager, Ian, found out we were celebrating our anniversary and made our evening extra special. From start to finish we had a wonderful meal and plan to return to explore more of the menu. If you want to eat inside you need to make a reservation in advance. Otherwise, they keep the patio for walk-ins. read more

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This place was great. The way they lit the cheese on fire and cooked the pasta in it was an experience I've never had. Very awesome place, with great food, and top notch service. read more

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I went to this place for my birthday!!! The seating inside was full for the night due to the live music. We decided to sit at the bar until outside seating opened up. We got the rum punch and it was lovely. It came in a cute glass. When our table opened up outside the heated lamps make the atmosphere feel warm and welcoming. The server was wonderful. The wait time on the food was on point. We got the famous chicken Parmesan and ended with a nice birthday dessert. I will definitely be back read more

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Really wonderful experience at Carbonara - we had wanted to go for a while now, and it lived up to expectations! The pastas were FANTASTIC. Wine was wonderful as well. There was live music, which blew us away! Highly recommend this place for a date night. Service was also quite quick & attentive. Only suggestion is to rethink the decor / layout of the restaurant, as it looks very dated / 90s and for a high scale spot, it is too open, bright, and not private enough. read more

I honestly didn't think this place was expensive. I mean the portion is very big. This place is on Resy and 3dollar sign on google map, I thought it could be very expensive but I didn't feel like it Server was very nice and prompt to seat us. But we had to grab her attention to have the drink refilled Place is a crowded, lots of happy crowd celebrating the birthday or some occasion. I would love to come back probably on weekdays and see how it's like. And probably order less haha read more

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Wow...what a cute little restaurant this place was....it was jampacked on a Wednesday evening but my friend and I were able to find a couple seats at the bar in the far corner of the restaurant. I was worried we would be struggling to get the attention of our server all throughout the evening but this was not the case at all. The service was amazing. His recommendations were delicious and our dessert was even prepared bar side. The lobster and shrimp tagliatelle was devoured within minutes...we enjoyed the mussels with white sauce, the meatballs, clams, the gem salad and the tiramisu. The rose cocktail and grande expresso martinis with the banana foam was perfection. Thank you for an unexpected delightful evening...my friend and I left with full bellies and full hearts! read more

I was eager to try out this new restaurant in Ballston! You absolutely need a reservation if you want to eat here because they are fully booked inside and were taking walk-ins outside only. I reserved for 3 people 2 weeks prior by calling. You can also reserve online. The food was amazing. We ordered carbonara, chicken parm, and tortelloni di Michael. I would recommend the tortelloni, it was my favorite. Filled with slow roasted beef and topped with a heavy cream based mushroom sauce. The chicken in the chicken parm was good but the pasta lacked flavor. The carbonara was made table side and it was delicious. I ordered a mama Mia to drink and it was also a delicious hint of citrus. The downsides. The service needs work. We waited long periods to order, for the server to come back, and to pay at the end. The noise level was insanely loud, I had a hard time talking with anyone in my group. The desserts were sub par. The puff pastry was supposed to have marinated cherries and did not. The tiramisu was good but nothing to write home about. Overall, I would come back for the dinner and drinks but would skip dessert. I might also sit outside if it's cool enough just to reduce the noise level during my dinner. read more

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