My wife and ii were in town for Commanders game. All the way from TX. HTTR!! This place popped up on top spots so we had to try it. When we got there the wait was about 1hr and half. We were thinking of just going somewhere else but im glad we didn't. It was about 30 min but definitely worth the wait. The vibe is pretty cool. Outside seating was great. Just a nice vibe. Definitely will eat here if we come back. read more

Carbonara - Chicken parmesan. - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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excellent in every way. service & food: top notch! Sharron G is the bomb! She recommended chicken parm: stellar! Creme brûlée cheesecake: awesome!! read more

The food and ambience were great! We had the chicken parm and eggplant parm - both were delicious and huge portion sizes. Sharron was our server and she was incredible! Super attentive and made sure we had a great time. read more

We had a reservation for 8:30, but we got there at 8 and was seated promptly. Inside the restaurant: Cute! Very loud inside and hard to hear others if you wanna come here to chat LOL. Not sure if it was where I sat, but cell signal is weak and spotty. Food: AMAZING! For starters we chose the beef carpaccio and bacon wrapped shrimp oreganata. Presentation was nice and flavors were there! And for our entrees we got the tableside carbonara, lasagna bolognese, and the fettucine posillipo. Pasta was cooked to perfection but the seafood in the fettucine was a little tough and chewy. We had to leave early, but good sized portions though, had to take the rest home because I was so stuffed. Will def come back again! read more

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I don't even know where to begin with this review. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. There were 7 of us and we knew due to the lovely weather outside, there was a high chance of us not getting a table here. To our surprise, the bar had JUST cleared out so we were all able to sit together there - best decision ever. We were able to watch Kat and David (loveliest people) work hand in hand perfecting every single cocktail ordered all the while watching to see what our next order would be. Each person in my group decided to order something different and we were able to try one another's dish. Every dish I tried - I basically want to go back and order it for myself because gosh dang, it was heaven in each bite. I'll attach a few pictures and videos for reference! read more

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Theo was great! The food was amazing and we loved the espresso martinis! We had a great celebration dinner here.

We went here last night for date night and omg it was sooooo good! They had a great singer singing Italian songs. Reminded us of Frank Sinatra type music. The calamari was great! Loved the peppers and zucchini's also fried. We would have preferred if the calamari rings were half the thickness. Table side carbonara was sooooooo good. My only complaint is I don't think it got hot enough or retained the heat well enough? I took down the whole plate soooo Husband got the porcini crusted rib eye and omg. So good!! We kept raving about it after each bite. We took it home and just reheated it (in a sauté pan) for breakfast this morning. Yum!!!! My 3yo and I kept asking him for bites of his steak We will be back! Fair warning. This restaurant is very loud with the customers and the singing. It's very hard to have a conversation with the person across from you. I'm hard of hearing so my hearing aids do a fab job of filtering out the background noise, but my husband is ADHD and had a hard time hearing me without leaning over the table (He wears apple AirPods for noise cancellation). As we get older I am realizing we prefer quieter restaurants ‍. My Apple Watch alerted me that the decibel level in the restaurant was 90+. And yes my husband was a server in his past life and I know having a loud restaurant helps turn the tables over faster. read more

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What can I say? I came here with my family from Orange County unsure what to expect, but Sharon left us beyond satisfied. Strong menu knowledge and even stronger customer service 10/10 recommend. read more

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Carbonara and pesto pasta were both very very good. Well seasoned and not too salty (which can be a problem at Italian restaurants). I also got the fried calamari which were good as well. It was a bit too thickly battered but it was cripsy! Service can be better. Server was kind but a bit unprofessional and sloppy. read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I don't usually give five stars because no one is perfect, but this place comes as close as any. We have been here twice and both times were superb. The servers ( Jose the first time, Kaitlin the second) were great; friendly, good menu suggestions, prompt but not rushing things. The bartenders do a great job and the wine by the glass selections are good, reasonably priced, with an "honest pour." In most Italian restaurants the chicken parm and the lasagna are cliches, but here they are unique and special; lasagna noodles cooked perfectly with beef short ribs, the chicken parm moist and tender inside, crispy outside, with the vodka sauce poured tableside to keep the meat from becoming soggy. The burrata special app was sweet, with the added contrast of a salty proscuitto de parma. The creme brule cheesecake was a great way to finish. And the prices were extremely reasonable considering what you get in terms of the "hat trick" of food, drinks, and service. I can see why this place is hard to get into. But we accept the challenge and will be back. read more

Carbonara is really good - and is exactly what bAllston, Arlington VA needed! The vodka sauce is decadent - creamy deliciousness packing a great flavor. However, the chicken served with the vodka sauce pasta was very thin and dry. I'm not sure why they even put the chicken in there - they should just stick with the pasta, it can definitely stand on its own! I've been here a bunch and love it! My advice would just be to know what to order. Fried mozzarella, vodka sauce pasta - those are the things. read more

Carbonara - Fried mozzarella - delicious - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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The spicy rigatoni with chicken was delicious! The calamari was also breaded lightly and cooked perfectly so it was good! Only 4 stars though bc the bread was stale and the waiter spilled water while pouring it that got my feet wet but he didn't even attempt to apologize. He literally saw me wipe my pants and feet bc they were clearly wet but didn't say a word! But anyways the food was good! read more

Overall: exceptionally tasty and fairly priced. Really pleased! Ambiance: Came here during the brutal winter so seating was only indoors. Place was large, nicely decorated and felt welcoming and warm. The outdoor seating looked great so would be excited to enjoy that when the weather is better. Sat at the bar for dinner because I didn't have reservations. Service was attentive and friendly. Food: We ordered a mixed green salad which they offered to split into two plates. It was a good size and tasty. I got the spinach agnolotti (pasta stuffed with spinach and cheese; cherry tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, creamy truffle pesto sauce). It was incredible! Super tasty and a perfect size and not overwhelmingly truffle-y (I was super hungry so ate the whole thing with only minimal regrets) but probably would have had leftovers in other situations). My friend got the lobster ravioli and it was stuffed completely with lobster so definitely seemed fairly priced. That was also tasty although I was really happy with my spinach pasta choice. We also got a crème brûlée cheesecake - the berry sauce and cream was definitely the best part. We got bread to start that was fine but nothing spectacular although I love getting bread! Conclusion: I was really surprised at how great the food was and was really pleased with everything overall. Good, fairly priced Italian is really challenging to find. I'm so glad I came here and would absolutely go again. I wish there was one in New York! read more

I love the addition of having more sit down restaurants in the Ballston area and this one is certainly a great place to sit out on the patio and relax! Food wise the portions here are massive, you can easily split this into two or split with someone else. I ordered the carbonara which comes served in a flaming cheese wheel. The table side service is cool but the dish was oddly lukewarm which was so odd considering that they toss it in hot cheese right before serving. The spicy rigatoni was honestly so disappointing, it was tasty but so so mild. I had to ask for extra red pepper flakes, it was so bland to the point that I thought they got the order wrong (they didn't I checked the receipt). Seriously no need to worry about the heat level on this dish when you're ordering it. On a side note, in the beginning they ask you what type of water you would like to drink - make sure to order tap! The still water here is $10. read more

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Best Italian food in arlington! I always get the spicy rigatoni - the chicken on it isn't the best but the pasta is soo good! & the arancini are a must! Love the patio read more

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Cepheus the server and the food were fantastic! Great service, atmosphere, music, and hot, delicious food.

The service was terrible from the moment we walked in to be greeted with a girl and a pony tale. I guess there is a new policy your whole party has to be there to be seated, Which doesn't seem fair if some are running late. Then they told us we only had 2 hours. We get seated, the server comes ( his personality was off. The manger keep walking passed us, and instead of "asking how are were doing, or anything we can do for you. The sever gave him self a 20% tip, after not giving us re fills, or checking in on us at all. I wouldn't recommend, its not a welcoming environment The service was terrible from the moment we walked in to be greeted with a girl and a pony tale. I guess there is a nee policy your whole party has to be there to be seated, Which doesn't seem fair if some are running late. Then they told us we only had 2 hours. We get seated, the server comes ( his personality was off. The manger keep walking passed us, and instead of "asking how are were doing, or anything we can do for you. The sever gave him self a 20% tip, after not giving us re fills, or checking in on us at all. I wouldn't recommend, its not a welcoming environment read more

I give credit where credit is due. We fell in love with Carbonara after our first visit. While the chicken parm is the staple dish AND IS TOP TIER, the manager, Ian, recommended the Prime Rib Lasagna and boy oh boy. It's been my go to! I have that with my Hugo Spritz recommended by the most dynamic, energetic dual functioning bartender and waiter, STEFAN! He helps elevate our experience by remembering what we each love (extra grated Parmesan) and the Rich and Famous drink for hubby ... If you haven't been, go see why they stay booked. (It's semi a quaint location so I hope they don't scale too much and lose the efficacy of service) Go experience them and ask for Stefan. read more

My wife and I had an amazing dinner. Food was delicious and the service was fantastic. Our server, Sharron G, was great and attentive. In addition she was very knowledgeable about the menu and walked us through the items. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

10/10 will come again! Carbonara is where you'll receive an unparalleled dining experience culminated through authentic old school Italian cuisine, a captivating ambiance, and service that makes guests feel as if they're visiting their grandmother's home! Hosted my graduation meal here, all guests locally & from abroad shared that this was one of the best meals they've had! My uncle even said he'd consider moving here to visit Carbonara regularly. We tried the Brooklyn Ceasar Salad, Trio Baked Clams, and Nona's Classic Meatballs for appetizers. Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka Sauce, Lasagna alla Bolognese, and Grandma's Chicken Cutlet Parmigiani for entrees. Sautéed Broccolini and Roasted Rosemary Potatoes for sides. ALL of which were phenomenal - Bravo Zulu to Chef Mike Cordero & the entire team! I can assure you that any visit to Carbonara will be an exceptional experience to remember. Do yourself a favor, schedule time in for a phenomenal memory with your loved ones at Carbonara! read more

Carbonara - Trio Baked Clams - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Went here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised! Service was quick and my server was kind. Lunch portions were large and the food was yummy. There's a new drink menu and the bourbon, chocolate bitters, banana foam drink was top notch! The only downside is that the below freezing temps outside are kicking this place's butt. It was cold inside and no where seemed to be out of the reach of the wind or cold. read more

I loved eating the food here! But the parmesan cheese wheel is a scam. They are not cooking your food with parmesan cheese. I would not be surprised if it was made of rubber. Great food though. Italians from Italy would boo read more

I am late on sending in this review as my dinning experience happens on June 26th! I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Carbonara! I went in to celebrate my birthday with my siblings and from the time I got there to the time we left everything was amazing! I was a few mins late as I haven't been on that side of town and as I was parking the hostess called just to confirm I was still coming in and I was greeted by her as well as management and they were all very nice! But the star of my experience was Caitlin! She came to the table very friendly and full of energy any question we had she was more than happy to explain! She even had her tables interacting in regard to what we liked as recommendations! Even with the little mishap that happened, which was not her fault but just a small oversight, Her and management swiftly rectified the issue. The establishment, the staff and the food was all very great and I will definitely be coming back soon! read more

I grabbed an early reservation in order to see myself why this venue made the 2024 list. The venue is cozy. My server was delightful. He was very patient, answered all my questions and made some recommendations. The hibiscus spritz was delish. I enjoyed the olive spread for the bread as it was a nice change of pace from olive oil. I enjoyed the "show" with carbonara but it was too sauced and slightly salty. As others mentioned, I was disappointed that it is made in the back and then finished off table side. The restaurant was kind enough to redo my pasta so I appreciated that. The meatballs were ok. For dessert, I ordered the pistachio affogato. It was wonderful with the creamy pistachio gelato and expresso. I may come back to try something else on the menu but I'm not sure yet if the food lives up to the hype. read more

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Decent pasta that comes with a good show but is inconsistent, a tad overpriced, and could have better service. Went with a group of 5 for Saturday dinner. We arrived around 5:30pm but unfortunately, all of the tables inside were already full, but there was bar seating and patio seating available, both of which offered the table-side carbonara. We sent with the patio seating but soon regretted our choice, as the table we were seated at was distractingly wobbly. We moved tables, but they were all so close together that at one point, the server lightly dropped a plate full of sauce on the table next to us and it splattered onto my friend's clothes, and the server didn't notice. He (our server) was nice, but they seemed to be severely understaffed and backed-up. It was just some little things that detracted from our experience of what we believed to be a nicer establishment. The food itself also left a bit to be desired. My favorite parts were the meatballs, the fresh rigatoni, and the spicy vodka sauce. We ordered the carbonara and the vodka pasta, but the 2 vodka pastas were cooked differently, with 1 plate being more al dente and the other plate being much softer, which I thought was odd for a restaurant of this caliber. Also, I noticed that the guanciale was undercooked, and it was hard to eat due to all of the fat still on it. The vodka sauce was well-balanced with a little kick, and the carbonara, although not a true carbonara since they used a cream sauce instead of the traditional eggs and pepper, was flavorful albeit a little heavy. Overall, there was some good and some bad, but for this kind of restaurant, I just expected better. read more

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We came here for our anniversary dinner and I will say the service was exceptional. The environment is small town/ strip mall chique which I do enjoy. the famous chicken parm! The chicken cutlet was cooked absolutely perfectly however, my boyfriend and I both felt the vodka sauce was lacking. I didn't taste much tomato or flavor, it tasted mostly like cream. The portions are huge so for the price, you get enough to take home leftovers or even split an entree. My boyfriend ordered Veal Francese which is one of our favorite dishes and was extremely good. They didn't let us sub out pasta for potatoes which was a little weird for an Italian place. However the flavor was on point. Our favorite dish was probably the arancini which isn't pictured but was very very tasty and unique. read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Incredible atmosphere, food, cocktails, and service! A huge thank you to Cody and Amanda for making the evening so seamless. Their attentiveness and hospitality really elevated our meal. The service here feels personal despite how busy the dining room gets. We enjoyed the meatballs, caesar salad, Bolognese & Chicken Parm with vodka sauce as well as martinis and wine. It was absolutely delicious, authentic, and filled with flavor. Whether you're there for the famous cheese wheel or the delicious Nona's meatballs, the staff ensures you're well taken care of. We can't wait to come back! read more

DELICIOUS!! The staff and manager was so kind and made accommodations to my boyfriends meal due to his allergies and checked up frequently to see if we were okay. The food is spectacular. My one critique is that the bread is kind of hard and not warm, but it's complimentary so can't complain too much. Would 1000% recommend read more

We had a wonderful lunch party of twelve for Joey's 21st birthday. We selected appetizers prior to our arrival which were brought once we sat and we ordered a few more before our meal order. Appetizers were meatballs (perfect), Antipasto Misto, Mozzarella in Carrozza sauce, and Calamari. Entrees that are fun and showy is the Bucatini Carbonara where a large cheese barrel/wheel is brought table side and they cook the sauce which flames and fires up; we all applauded!! The other is the chicken parm and the sauce is brought separately and creatively poured over the chicken; fun as well. Everyone enjoyed the food and our server C. Teofilo was very skilled and fast and that was very much appreciated. Manager Stephano came by to wish Joey a happy birthday and talked to us; very personable. We had a great time overall. Very nice ambiance and dinnerware compared to other restaurants, and they have a number of things that you won't find elsewhere. It is definitely worth going and if they continue to offer experiences and foods that others do not, they'll do very well for a long time. Also a thank you to the Event Rep Maggie, who sent me pictures of the appetizers so I could see what they looked like before ordering. Thank you Carbonara for adding to Joey's fun 21st birthday celebration!! We will be back. read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

we went to Carbonara last night for a family dinner and it didn't disappoint. Our server, Skyler, was fantastic and I think we tried nearly all of her recommendations. The service was great, the food was delicious and we will definitely be back. read more

Please take my opinion with a grain of salt. As I overheard another server mentioning the "dinner" menu is better than the "lunch"-- which is still not a good look (IMO). The decor was fresh and beautiful, with friendly and attentive staff. They have outdoor seating options too. I thought it was interesting as I was walking up the street, you smelled cigars which was coming from the gentleman's puffing outside. So, yes, theres a cigar "lounge" and if that is your thing, here you go. Luckily, I was able to grab an RSVP for a Saturday/Early Mother's Day lunch celebration. The moment I walked in, I was greeted as my kids were in tune watching the kitchen staff making ravioli- as it's faced right in front of the host area. After being seated, and looking through the menu, I was happy that the menu wasn't too overwhelming with options, its straight to the point and simple. What I had ordered: carbonara (duh), spaghetti with meatballs, arancini balls, and their famous chicken parm with spaghetti in vodka sauce. Here's my opinion: 1. Everything we had was really bland. I know we're not in Italy, but our dishes had little to no taste- no flavor yet very buttery and very creamy. Sadly, I asked for salt and pepper, and crushed peppers in hopes to enhance my dishes but it still didnt do any justice for me. 2. My kids ate well which was a plus. The noodles were cooked just perfect. 3. Fave part at least, was the bathroom wall paper. I typically dont look at the bathroom decor as my heart is racing to see if the stalls are clean or not. But the moment you walk in, the feels of Venice comes in mind which was nice since Italy was my honeymoon (Venice, we did visit). Given the fact that they just opened, MAYBE I'll make another trip since it's so close, but we shall see. As for may fave Italian spots, thats for another post. :) read more

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The food here is usually very good. No doubt about that. The service however leaves a lot to be desired. We have been to Carbonara at least 5 times and always enjoy their fantastic food. However with each visit the service seems to be declining. We ordered an appetizer which never came. Ordered some mocktails and spritzes and they were out of several ingredients. Ran out of water right when my entree arrived and couldn't get a refill till after the server boxed our food because no one ever came by. Had to flag a manager to ask for Parmesan on our pasta. Would have happily ordered wine to accompany my pasta but server was nowhere to be found. My son ordered carbonara which is usually made table side but today came already made in a skillet and seemed to be missing some steps and ingredients. We ate out on the patio and they seem understaffed for the number of tables they are trying to seat out here. They have two middle aged men just standing in patio staring at everyone- I'm guessing they are managers but they seem wholly unconcerned about whether the guests are having a good time and only tracking the open tables. Most other high end restaurants seem to have managers that actually care about the guests and actually engage to ensure service received by customers is on point. We asked the manager for cheese and he gruffly pointed the bus boy in our direction. Will be a while before we return. Don't think that being able to order wine and have a glass of water is too much to ask to accompany a $250 meal. read more

The food was amazing!! We had the meatballs and Caesar salad to start our server Hadi was thoughtful enough to split the salad between my husband and I. We both had the carbonara- the presentation was pretty cool!! Drinks were good too- distinguished gentleman and the Pinot Noir! Hadi thanks for great service and the dessert recommendation- lemon cake was 10/10! You can tell the team work really makes a difference . We will definitely come back read more

Carbonara - Lemon Cake - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

We went to an Italian restaurant called Carbonara for the first time. They were full, so we sat at the bar. That was the best food ever! They had a singer there, and he sang all evening, Frank Sinatra style. It's an absolutely 5 star restaurant. read more

What an amazing place! Great food and staff! Ian and the staff there were very welcoming and helpful. I can't say enough about the food. We've eaten at some very good Italian restaurants, but none like this. We found it by chance, but we'll definitely have to stop in again. read more

For a new restaurant, this place is already working like a well-oiled machine! The service was amazing and the food was fantastic. We went on a Friday evening and there was an entertainer singing Frank Sinatra and it was such a vibe. The tried the Clams and Mussels (in white sauce) as an appetizer and loved them both. My husband has the table side carbonara, which was not only perfectly Instagram-able, but he said was delicious, cooked al dente and very filling. I tried the Chicken Piccata and it was juicy and very flavorful. We can't wait to go back and try more from the menu! read more

Carbonara - Clams - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Nice place, the food was excellent and the service on point. Is my first time in one of these in NY these are really fancy restaurant but this one feels more like a chain. The ambiance was elegant. read more

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Food was fresh and tasty. Service was as quick as they can as we requested the carbonara made table side and had a nice conversation with the server. Overall the famous chicken parm was delicious, the carbonara was not a disappointment. We enjoyed the big cheese wheel. The price is reasonable. Will come back. read more

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First let me say that I don't believe this location is worth the hype. The chicken Alfredo wasn't good, definitely lacked flavor. The chicken parmigiana alla vodka was a good portion size, it tasted good but I wouldn't order it again. The price point was really good. The location was small and seating was tight! The service was good and the entertainment was nice. The meatballs tasted good, nothing special. Trying to get a reservation on the weekend was definitely difficult. I recommend planning ahead or try calling the restaurant. read more

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One of the best restaurants in the DMV - hands down! We have been coming here since it opened and the food, service, and drinks have only gotten better. The service is efficient and the wait staff are amazing! Never had a bad meal here - and they always go out of their way if you are there celebrating something. If you're there on the weekends, the live performer is wonderful as well. Can't go wrong with the martini flight and the tortelloni, also love the chicken parm! read more