We had high hopes, but expectations fell short. We booked our reservation about 2 months ago and were excited to try Carmelo's. Upon entering, the ambiance was great - cozy, upscale and feels like a nice addition to the Covington dining scene. Our table started with the old fashioned with a fig twist, overall the table thought they were good. For starters, we opted for the mozzarella, the meatballs and the potatoes. The mozzarella was underwhelming and likely wouldn't order again. The meatballs were fine, although somewhat ordinary. The potatoes were actually the highlight of the whole meal - highly recommend. They were crispy, pillowy and the aioli was great. We ordered (2) garlic soups and (2) Caesar salads. The soup, as the name suggests is incredibly garlic forward. Garlic was the only tasting note. The salads had high potential, but the addition of the large, flat leaf parsley seemed like a bizarre choice. It gave the salad an earthy taste that was off putting and kind of distracting. I recommend removing from the salad - otherwise the salad was great. For main dishes, we ordered the chicken, the mushroom pasta, the spicy shrimp and the lasagna. The chicken seemed to have the best reviews from the table, along with the mushroom pasta. The spicy shrimp pasta tasted like jarred sauce and the shrimp ragu felt... off? The spice level was non existent. It was supposed to be the same level of spice as the aioli, but it was not spicy at all. The lasagna, seems like more of a novelty dish. I would skip both. No one was interested in taking left overs home. We ended the night with the tiramisu, which we saw on Instagram. You can skip this all together. I've tried dozens of tiramisu and this was my least favorite. Before I took a bite, I didn't smell any coffee which was odd. The dessert had a cakey texture and was dry. There was no taste of alcohol, just a lingering orange flavor. The coffee flavor was missing all together. The service was fine. Our server literally suggested everything on the menu, which kind of made it seem like nothing was a highlight? She seemed like she was reading off a script instead of having a genuine excitement for the menu. I don't think we will be back, but I'm glad we were able to give it a try! read more

The food & service were both amazing! It's a beautiful restaurant. We will definitely be back. read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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I love that this area has so many good Italian restaurants and Carmelo's can be added to that list. My absolute favorite thing was the garlic soup. Drinks very good - old fashion and espresso martini. Mushroom Marsala was enjoyable. The service was excellent except don't take my drink before I'm finished with it. Server learned and asked husband if he was done before he picked it up. A very nice evening out with great food. read more

This is a gem. We were driving in circles looking for a restaurant because the wait was too long at another, and fate brought us to Carmelo's. We walked in and sat at the bar, which I never do, I hate high tops and sitting next to someone instead of facing them. The stools were surprisingly comfortable. The decor was cozy and romantic. Everything we both ordered was spectacular. Piles of soft, angel hair like shredded parm on everything. We both were very pleased with the food. And the bartender/our waitress was outstanding. Such a difference from the just awful service we've had lately. She just took care of us. Had a plan for us. She was very inviting, professional, attentive but not meddlesome. She was very memorable. Cant say enough about the service. Our new favorite date night restaurant for sure. read more

Everything was really really nice! Got there early though around 4:30 and they had tables open for us, even on a Saturday. I'm thinking that won't be the case very long. Service was excellent and very thoughtful. And, what else can I say but fresh, house-made pasta? Highly recommend read more

Food was amazing, service was impeccable. Can't wait to go back. The dim lights and music were perfect!! Forgot to get a pic of the mozzarella appetizer. You HAVE to get it. The garlic focaccia with the mozzarella was so good. Melted in your mouth. read more

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Amazing food and vibe this place has ! One of the very best dining experiences of my life ! read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - 101 layer lasagna - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Carmelo's is DELICIOUS! My wife and I went for a little date night. We had the Garlic Soup and Caesar Salad, Potatoes and Cauliflower, Alfredo and Oxtail Ragu. EVERYTHING was Delicious! This place is beautiful. The staff and service was great! Our waitress Ellis was great she had such great knowledge on the menu and gave us great advice on some of her favorites. If you have not been her yet please do yourself a favor and stop by now. read more

Truly blown away by our experience last night. I never leave reviews but I had to share how gorgeous this restaurant is. Service and cocktails were perfect, food was even better! So happy it's home to Covington. We will be back. Ps get the redfish! read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Everything from start to finish was outstanding! We had the mozzarella appetizer, ceaser salad, mushroom Marsala, and spicy shrimp entrees. Everything was amazing! Hazelnut Amari with pistachio gelato was the perfect combo to finish our evening. Prices were also very reasonable! Highly recommend! read more

Great date night spot!! Everything I've had was amazing: drinks & food. Everyone is always super friendly and has a great vibe. read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Lasagna and spaghetti & meatballs!! - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Our party of 6 waited a couple months for this Wednesday evening reservation and looked forward to trying Carmelos for the 1st time. As a group we were disappointed. The service was not good. It was 10 min before the server touched our table, another 10 min before cocktails arrived, we had to ask the server several times for additional drinks, the soups and appetizers were delivered to the table at the same time instead of in courses and we had to ask them to clear the drink, soup and appetizer dishes as they were placing entrees on the table so we had sufficient room to eat. As for the food, the garlic soup was delicious but it could have been hotter. The pulled mozzarella appetizer also was good but they only gave you 3 small pieces of bread and, of course, the server was no where to be seen to ask for more. The $25 lasagna was bland and not all that is was hyped to be. It may have had 100 layers but they were not visible to me. For the price, a salad and a little bread would have been appropriate. We enjoyed the pasta dishes, chicken and pork, but a serrated knife would have been nice to cut the pork. We opted to do elsewhere for dessert and after dinner drinks because the acoustics were soooo badddd we could not hold a conversation among us. I would not rush back here, the hype of a novel Italian restaurant in Covington did not live up to the reality of our experience. read more

The most delicious Italian food served with warm hospitality. The mozzarella, garlic soup, oxtail ragu, striped bass were all amazing. Tiramisu and espresso martinis for dessert. Yum! We can't wait to go back! 100/10. read more

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The food was amazing & very vegetarian-friendly. Our server, Ana, was extremely knowledgeable and made our experience very enjoyable. read more

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I live near St. Louis where there is The Hill. It is an Italian community with the best Italian restaurants. Carmelo's equals The Hill quality of food. One of the partner's came to our table and brought us a sample of an authentic Italian dish called Bagna Cauda. He was so kind and welcoming. Do not miss this wonderful restaurant when you visit the NK area. read more

The food is excellent and the ambiance is lovely. Very cozy Italian feel. The service is top notch too. read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Tiramisu and Mint Chocolate Gelato - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Everything was amazing! Especially the ox tail and service ! Met the gracious owners, best luck, we needed this! read more

Carmelo's has really good atmosphere, I don't feel like it's exactly what I'd want from an Italian place, but I won't knock it because it is still nice. But, the truth is, you go for the food, and you can tell they really put a lot of work into their dishes. The mozzarella appetizer is the big stand out, it's so simple, but so flavorful, I'd be happy to have it any time. However, after that things dip a little bit, the meatballs are a little mushy and a little bit relying too much on their sauce as opposed to seasoning in the meat itself, they're still good, just could be better. I had the hundred layer lasagna and, while it was tasty, it was very one note and instead of having layered flavor in the lasagna itself it relied on their red sauce, which, again, is good, but nothing to write home about. The oxtail ragu is good but just keeps piling rich on rich on rich with no respite, fine flavor but just too much of the same. I think overall that's the main problem, it's all very... fine. But for the price you want it to be better than fine, something that really lights you up, not dishes that you have a sneaking suspicion you could make at home for 1/10 the price. I will say, however, their bar program is excellent and their cocktail menu is truly on point and full of lots of fun and complex flavors, so big kudos for that. Another standout is the service, they rotate people bringing dishes and taking orders on top of having a dedicated server and everyone is extremely nice, professional, and genuinely excited to give you a good experience. I loved the service and I think you will too. Overall, the cocktails and service push it above an average place, but don't go out of your way, there are better and cheaper alternatives. read more

our group of four, all being at Carmelos for the first time, couldn't have had a better experience. Beginning with the service, which was exceptional.. the timing of apps to entree to dessert was spot on.. we didn't feel rushed one bit, and other employees I ran into as I was checking out the layout of the place, seemed really happy to be there, and even gave me a ton of history of the establishment.. so not only was it a 10 experience, we gained some knowledge as well! Will be back for sure, and the lasagna (coming from a Sicilian) was quite possibly the best I've ever had. read more

What a gem for Covington! The atmosphere is a warm Italian feel. Our server was so enthusiastic about the place. She spoke about them using local Covington restaurants such as North South Bakery and Golden Gelato on their menu. If you love garlic be sure to order the Garlic Soup and their Crispy Garlic Alfredo!! Amazing!!! Tip: ask for them to split your meal to share so you can try multiple items. read more

Early January a friend and I dined at Carmello and the meatball had the perfect grind, seasoning and fat content to create something special for me. Excitedly I booked again to introduce another friend to the restaurant and we ordered 3 pastas to share with an extra meatball on the spaghetti bc I wanted one all to myself. Sadly the meatball was subpar this time. Inconsistent grind on the meat with not enough fat so it was dry and grainy plus under seasoned. The mushroom and the Alfredo pasta were good but not like that first meatball. I'll go back once more to see if it was a fluke. Server Andrew was perfect and delightful. Love the gelato: pistachio is excellent and blood orange is also very nice. Tiramisu is solid. Overall it's a must try. read more

WOW! You gotta go. Fantastic food, service & ambiance. What an addition to the already great Covington restaurant offerings. read more

Great meal and excellent service from Morgan. Enjoyed the Mozzarella, meatballs, Green Salad and the lasagna. All was very good. Exceeded our expectations! read more

Wonderful experience! Went for a date night. Lively atmosphere with welcoming staff and friendly servers. The hand-pulled mozzarella was delicious but the unexpected appetizer winner was the cauliflower. The sausage entree was one of the most flavorful things I've ever eaten and the tiramisu is a family recipe. Couldn't recommend more highly! read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Meatballs, potatoes, sausage - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Carmelo's was amazing! From service to ambiance to the food, I could not have asked for a better experience. We ordered the polenta and the mozzarella for starters. The polenta was so delicious and the mozzarella tasted fresh and homemade. For our mains we got the oxtail ragu and the spaghetti and meatball. Both were so delicious. The pasta tasted fresh and the sauce with the spaghetti was amazing. Andrew our server was one of the best parts. He was so kind and willing to take the time to explain and make recommendations read more

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Outstanding food, atmosphere, and service. The garlic soup was the best soup I've ever had. Exceptional pasta dishes. Book your reservation now! read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Spaghetti and meatball dish was delicious. - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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We were impressed at how well the new restaurant ran for only being open 2 nights. Staff well trained, friendly and no chaos! Like any old building with tall ceilings and exposed brick the room was too loud to talk across the table. Hopefully they cure that with tapestry. We had meatballs and lasagna. Let me say the entire menu is way over priced in my opinion. I eat out 6-7 nights a week. 2 medium sized meatballs $16. Sauce/gravy was tasty. Asked for bread to mop up sauce. Three charred pieces of focaccia $6. The meatballs fell apart, nice flavor I prefer more firm. The 100 layer lasagna was $29. Very large piece. Not well executed. All noodles not much sauce, cheese or meat.We felt like we were eating moist noodles. The least expensive glass of red wine was a 6 ounce poor for $15. With tax tip $105.00. We feel there are better options. read more

Carmelo's ‍ Carmelo's in Covington is just incredible. I had heard great things, but confess I looked at the menu and had NO idea what I was in for when I entered the door. The service was impeccable. The cocktails were perfect and really creative. The food... was... SO much more than I imagined. So often Italian restaurants are merely comfort food with little to challenge the palate and deemed good. Go order anything. I believe Chef Mitch will never disappoint you. He is creative with solid respect to the Italian heritage he represents so well. While I have heard all about the lasagna and fettuccine Alfredo here on Chowdown, we opted for maybe more adventuresome choices: cauliflower app. Perfectly delicate breading on still firm cauliflower with beautiful spices and a luxurious lemon aioli. Eggplant parm. Remember F & N Steakhouse? Reliable source says the eggplant prep is a nod to their iconic dish and the rest of Carmelo's dish is a tastefully gooey beautiful mess of hand-pulled mozzarella and "red gravy" that is totally decadent. Decadent, you say? Enter the Oxtail/Osso Bucco dish that is pure comfort--- I couldn't stop hugging it. (True.). The star of our table was the shrimp ragu. What?! We're gonna combine delicate shrimp with robust tomato sauce gravy? Yep. Believe it. Enter fireworks show. Oh, and BTW, Chef Mitch makes an absolutely evil tiramisu. Thank you, Tempest, for being a charming and knowledgeable guide. We miss you already, and will see you again soon-- hey, save us a spot, won'tcha?! -- Tracy read more

The positives-- service was great! The atmosphere was great! Ordered the mozzarella shareable which was great! The negatives-- Caesar salad was swimming in a heavy dressing with way too much Parmesan cheese. It was so smothered that after several bites you were asking yourself-- how am I going to finish this? Ordered 2 pasta dishes-- the spaghetti with a meatball and linguini with Alfredo. The pasta was so overcooked that it was mush. Everyone knows that pasta should be al dente. It was fresh pasta, but overcooked to the point that I didn't need any teeth to eat it. No bite to this pasta! A big No-No for any Italian pasta. I was very disappointed after hearing good reviews. No chance I would go back. read more

We try to frequent the higher end Italian restaurants in the Cincinnati area, and this place is our favorite. The food, service, and atmosphere are all top notch. Although we really like Sotto, Nada, and Pepp & Dolores, Carmelo's is better than all of them in our opinion. Highly recommend checking this place out sooner rather than later! read more

Highly recommend Carmelo's! We got the cauliflower per recommendation and the meatballs as well as the oxtail ragu and mushroom Marsala and each dish was phenomenal. Our server, Kristin, was extremely knowledgeable and gave exceptional recommendations. Will 100% be back! read more

Service was slow, limited menu, food mediocre, wine list overpriced. First and last visit to this restaurant!

Everyone should try this new Italian spot in Covington. The whole experience was fantastic. The meatballs and potatoes were perfect and the polenta was incredible, like nothing I've ever tasted. Then came the main courses - a big portion of lasagna I didn't think I could finish but couldn't stop once I started, and oxtail ragu which was unique and delicious. For dessert, the gelato was light and very tasty. The cocktails were great and the service was top notch even though they were packed on a Saturday night. We will definitely be back. read more

We went with a group of 6. We got the mozzarella and potatoes for appetizers and oh my goodness were they amazing. I could've gotten 5 more orders and just ate that for my dinner. :) At the table we got Caesar salad, garlic soup, lasagna, Marsala, and oxtail. It was all outstanding. The owner and chef stopped by and checked on us as well which was a nice added touch. We are already looking forward to coming back. read more

The mozzarella with focaccia and the potatoes as appetizers to start were both so good. We got the Alfredo, which is not traditional Alfredo but still delicious. The spaghetti and meatball with their red sauce was so good. The Oxtail Ragu was good just needed some spice, likely just personal preference though. Portions are huge. Ambiance and service were great and so were the espresso martinis! read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Espresso Martini and Spritz - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Dodd was amazing! One of the best Italian meals I've ever had. Great portion sizes and such a cute atmosphere. Service was top notch. read more

Carmelo's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Yum! Highly recommend and will come back for more helpings of deliciousness! Thank you!

We don't have a reservation, but were able to get a small table in the bar quickly on a Tuesday. No complaints about the noise or temperature - very comfortable. The server was helpful. We both had the garlic soup (which is a potato leek base) and Caesar salad. Both yummy and would recommend. People on dates might prefer another soup choice. The menu looked good, and it was difficult to decide. Guess a return trip is warranted. read more

I've been dying to try this place since it opened. My wife and I came here on a Saturday night and we were seated right away. The service was excellent, very nice bartender. The place has a great atmosphere, really cool Godfather vibe to me. We tried the meatballs and mozzarella appetizers. Both were fantastic! We ordered lasagna and oxtail ragu for entrees. Beware, the lasagna is delicious and a HUGE serving! We enjoyed it so much, we went with our in-laws the next day and everyone loved it. Chef Mitchell has knocked it out of the park with this place. The next day we tried the calimari as well, it's the best I have ever had. Absolutely as tender as you will find for calimari! We will be back many times more! read more

Happened upon this place on opening day (Reds) and were able to grab a table for four because the host was aware enough to combine a couple two tops. That was the theme through the night - wonderful accommodation. Service was impeccable, food was amazing, drinks were unique and tasty - and the atmosphere, top notch. Unlike many new places, the lighting was perfect, noise level was bearable, actually quite good. We hadn't seen Mitch since moving out of the Wooden Cask with his most excellent bbq. To welcome us, he brought complimentary and delicious garlic soup to us.....each dish we had was more tasty than the last. HIGHLY recommend this place! read more