Excellent food. Breakfast lovely. The best pancakes, rye toast and coffee I think I ever had. Pretty atmosphere and history.

Carmen's is located in the Raddison Hotel in downtown Scranton PA. It used to be the old Lackawanna Railway Station. We went here for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a buffet style dinner. This place is beautiful. The food was very good. The turkey was moist and flavorful. They had every side dish found on any family table. They also had a Ravioli and Dessert Bar. Service was excellent. Our server David was "spot on", always there to remove our plates and bring us drinks. Only two negatives. There was no music, so the place lacked ambiance. They definitely should have had music playing softly in the background. The other negative were the desserts. They were like "store bought". Very dry and lacked flavor. I'm giving them 3 stars, but I really wanted to give them 3.5. They were better than "ok" but just shy of great. read more

See all

We are in town for the Jazz Festival and decided to try them out for Sunday brunch. The food was good, but nothing outstanding. The band was lovely to listen to while dining. The atmosphere was nice and comfortable, with tables covered in white tablecloths. The staff were amiable and knowledgeable about the menu. read more

See all

The ambiance is nice and fitting for the hotel restaurant, which is a former train station. The set-up is nice with tables appropriately spaced and linen tablecloth and linen napkins. We were welcomed by the hostess and seated promptly. The servers were attentive and polite. We had our water and coffee filled throughout the dining experience. Additionally, our order was taken promptly and the food arrived in a reasonable amount of time and was hot. The price was reasonable given the higher end feel and quality of the food. The food was worthy of a '4' rating. Everything was rather good other than the hash browns which I found to be overly salted (and I love salt!) and mushy where I prefer some crispiness to breakfast potatoes. The flavor of the hash browns was good though. The biggest opportunity was the order was mixed up. Our table of six included three orders of omelets that were each subtly different. I believe we actually got what we ordered in the aggregate but each of the three dishes wasn't what we ordered. read more

See all

We had breakfast here for 4 days in a row while staying at the hotel - very nice venue in the main area of the former train station. We were here during the middle of the week, so we didn't have to worry about crowds. All of our servers were friendly & efficient. Speed of food arrival was good and we were happy with our choices - the real star is the location...the nicely appointed lobby of the former railroad station. Plenty of things to look at while your seated in the cavernous room, including tiled murals lining the walls. Currently 2.0 is only open for breakfast until 11am. I would suggest visiting just for the atmosphere! read more

See all

Started calling for Easter brunch reservations 4 weeks ago. Left 3 messages and so did my family and never received a call back! Went somewhere else! What poor service! read more

No. Don't do it. Have coffee and enjoy the beautiful room and excellent service. Then leave. Eating here was a string of disappointments from the cauliflower appetizer with a sickly sweet glaze on it, to the cranberry walnut salad that was more like a vinaigrette soup wrapped up with the wooden chicken paillard entree that in no way resembled paillard - blackened grilled halved chicken breast (not pounded) atop mediocre mashed potatoes and waterlogged "roasted" carrots. No lemon. No capers. No garlic. No shallot. No Parmesan. As well, the greens and cherry tomato "sauce" was too sweet to consume. Again, beautiful place, good friendly service, terrible food. read more

My husband and I stayed at the hotel for 2 nights. We had breakfast one morning and it was very good, I had the avocado toast. The service was polite and friendly, very attentive. We had dinner one night as well. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu choices. Once again, the service was attentive. The food was fresh and prepared to our liking. I had a delicious poke stack, the tuna was just right. Loved dining in the exquisitely restored terminal. It had the atmosphere of the Gilded Age. We will return. read more

Sunday breakfast should take less than an hour and taste good. Carmen's failed on both counts. We ordered two menu items as is while the restaurant was less than half full. Thirty eight minutes after ordering One meal comes out. The telltale warning from the server that the plate was very hot should have sent me running as a very hot plate means the food has been sitting under a heating element. At the fist bite the server was reaching for my plate saying that it was for another diner another warning I should have heeded. The other meal arrived ten minutes later and was wrong on all levels. The restaurant had decent ambience but the food was horrible and took way too long. read more

Went for my wedding anniversary with friends and I was not impressed with the food. My husband was been there a few times for lunch with friends and he recommended for dinner read more

Ambiance is the only nice thing about this place. Service slow, but that's because 1 poor waitress working by herself, food was not so good. Hubby and I can in late from our travels, and just wanted something small. I ordered the tuna appetizer , mango was frozen, inedible, returned it to kitchen, chef argued I was wrong and then they wanted to charge me, husband just wanted pasta with butter chef said no changing anything from menu, would NOT accommodate. Breakfast next morning was ok. Pricey for ok food. read more

Very appealing decor in a redecorated train station. You will have foot traffic in the area since it's open to the lobby of the Radisson hotel. The pork chop ,which they say is one of their specialties, I found not bad but a little to salty. It also needed some sort of sauce along the side. The soup was exceptional and my wife loved her duck. The waitress was very nice. Expect a longer wait time to receive your food( about 60 minutes) since it's prepared fresh. read more

See all

The food was NOT good at all! The service was the most inept I have EVER experienced!! The hotel is beautiful, but the restaurant is a disaster of epic proportions!! Don't eat there! So sad. Bread with no water. Drunken scallops were tiny and canned tomatoes. Smelled and tasted fishy. Poke' was also fishy. I suspect the Marsala sauce was from a jar. We couldn't get water to save our life!! Entrees served with NO silverware AFTER we specifically said we didn't have silverware BEFORE they brought the food. Good GRIEF! Romaine salad served and they forgot the dressing. The manager even came to our table. She wasn't helpful or competent either. read more

Sunday breakfast omelet for $11 ! Pros: Great for hotel guests, good prices, good quality Cons: nothing (Can't give 5 stars for a regular omelet) Hint: don't sit next to the kitchen entrance--very high traffic area. The historic architecture creates an atmosphere that is spectacular. After eating, make sure to go see the historic photos on display, etc. Sunday morning brunch starts at 11 for $23. Service was great. read more

Carmen's 2.0 Restaurant - Three fresh eggs, spinach, feta, tomatoes. Toast, fruit*, and bottomless coffee. *again with the honeydew? - Italian Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Splendid just splendid!!!!!! Wonderful marvelous and wonderful. Kisses to the chef!!!!!

Being the die hard 'The Office' that I am, I had to stop in Scranton on the way home. I didn't find Dwight, Jim, Michael or Pam, but I found Carmen. I had to use the restroom so I went into the Radisson Hotel. From the exterior it looks like a train station, but the interior has a 'twist.' The hotel is in a former train station and has been modified to best serve the needs of hotel guests. In an old train station, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Carmen's. The decor of this place is absolutely beautiful. We went on a Friday and Carmen's only offered their buffet. I was not disappointed. The turkey was tender and moist; pastas, soups, and garnishes were a plenty. What I especially enjoyed was the salad. The orange cognac dressing is freaking awesome! Our server was very professional and was kind enough to entertain ALL our questions about Scranton. :] I'm not sure when I'll be in Scranton next, but I will come back if I find myself in this area again for whatever reason. read more

I went to Carmen's Restaurant for brunch on Valentine's day and it happened to be on a Sunday - we read somewhere that Carmen's Restaurant is famous for their Sunday brunch! We called in at around 10:30 am and asked to make a reservation and they said the earliest was at 11 am (they open at 11). We were staying at the Hilton nearby so we were just walking around Scranton and hanging out at one of the coffee shops to kill time so I can't comment on the parking situation. When we walked in we were greeted by the hostess and she sat us down at a table. I have to point out that the service was great - every single server was very attentive with refilling our coffee/oj/water. As for the food, this is a buffet style restaurant. They had a variety of dishes which I took pictures of for your reference! A few of the foods that stood out to me - meaning I could've eaten them for days haha - was the smoked salmon, mixed berry french toast (so good!), eggs benedict, the cannolis, and the cheesecake!! They also had chocolate fondue (not sure if this was just for Valentines Day) with fresh fruit (strawberries, cantaloupe, etc) and a bunch of different desserts. Overall, I enjoyed the decor (it sort of made me feel like I was in reception for something), the food was good, and the service was great. read more

See all

I've only dine here on one occassion. The pork chop was done perfectly, better than NYC's Keens Steak House, well known for theirs. The well seasoned chop was accompanied by asparagus, finely pureed fingerlings, and lightly brined apple shavings. It was a mouthful of swirling familiarity snd surprise, a perfect balance of tastes. Excellent! I'll be back soon! read more

I went with friends to the Easter brunch,my expectations were high. Unlike previous Easter buffets this was disappointing. Firstly a mimosa was not included in the $50.00+$25.50 service charge. I have to say that the wait staff was a little rushed but came to the table no less than 10 times. I was really shocked at the poor quality of so many entree and main dishes. The cooked shrimp, oysters and clams on the half shell were continuously sitting in the melting ice, rendering them tasteless. The roasted lamb was overcooked, under seasoned and dry. All the meats were really too cold to serve. Unpleasantly surprised...no mashed or baked potatoes or yams. Only bit of tiny wedges of potatoes deep fried which they called home fries. Apparently no one wanted any. There was butter but no rolls, only sweet buns, and mini bagels that fell to pieces. Obviously they were previously frozen. A shame because the smoked salmon was plentiful and very fresh. The food presentation was not very impressive. (In fact the pastries were sad). No flowers just a large Easter basket thrown together with a big ugly Dollar tree bow on it. This is not a negative affect due to the pandemic. There was a centerpiece in the middle of the buffet tables but for the life of me, I couldn't identify what it was. Nothing on the tables but a white table cloth. For very little money they could have a very elegant ambience. The Lackawanna Station was built in the early 1900's in a French Renaissance style.. Customers would feel it's a special day and encourage them to be in a celebratory mood. Instead it felt like I was in a train station cafeteria. Sorry guys but you need to do better than that. Having the name alone is not enough. I won't go back. read more

Within Carmen's (2.0) is one of those scenes you remember for a lifetime. Just look straight up. Look at the murals on the walls. Look at all the empty tables. Then look down at your plate. Listen to the piano. Countless brunches and dinners. I dare say it's magical. It's the crown jewel of a city that has seen much better days. The world tour menu is world class. Most recently it featured Peru and I'm of the opinion that it was one of the best meals I've ever had. Frank, who has been working as a server for many years, is a gentleman and has always provided a pleasant dining experience. read more

Very pleasant staff. Service is great the ribeye was terrific! Atmosphere is different in a good way. The aquatics tough because it's marble walls and floors. It's literally an old train station. read more

Carmen's 2.0 Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Went here for dinner on Valentine's Day with my boyfriend, and the short version of this review is that it was below-average food, very overpriced, along with poor service. Service was abysmal. It looked as though they were very understaffed, so I wouldn't blame this on our server, but on the management. Why would you have so few servers working on one of the busiest nights of the year? It took over 20 minutes to get our drinks- the one positive of this was that the server told us the drinks would be free because of the long wait. We didn't even get a chance to place our orders until over 30 minutes had gone by. I attempted to ask our server if anything on the menu could be made meat and dairy free (there were options advertised on their website that weren't on the menu in person, otherwise we would've chosen another restaurant to begin with). She seemed confused and didn't know which entrees contained what, and told me she would go ask the kitchen. Another 10-15 minutes went by before we saw her again. She informed me that everything on the set menu contained dairy and/or meat. Okay? She didn't come back with ANY suggestions about something they could substitute for me? I had to ask her myself if they could combine the vegetables from one entree with the pasta from another. Had to wait again for her to ask... finally we were able to place our order. They also had an antipasto bar with seafoods, cheeses, breads, etc. My boyfriend had a few bites of seafood and started feeling sick before our entrees even arrived. I finally got my entree that was supposed to be pasta with a cauliflower puree and other vegetables mixed in... instead it was a bowl of pasta with a weird broth at the bottom, and a few teeny-tiny pieces of cauliflower mixed in. No other vegetables. It tasted terrible. My boyfriend got a chicken dish, took two bites, and said he was feeling too sick from the antipasto bar to eat anymore. By this point, we had been there for almost 1.5 hours, and decided it wasn't worth complaining about the quality of the food. We just wanted out of there. Once again, it was nice of them to comp our drinks. Though I really can't believe we paid about $35 for each entree, and both ended up being practically inedible. What a rip off. And on Valentine's Day too! Luckily we were able to laugh it off afterword and it didn't completely ruin our night. read more

We attended Carmen's for a work lunch and our large party agreed JR and his staff are great! We had so much personal attention and our server Crystal was amazing! Looking forward to what JR does in the new year! read more

We stayed over the weekend at the Radisson my husband and I to celebrate our anniversary.. This has been one of the places we keep coming back just because we enjoy our time here at the hotel and in town! Of course, we stopped at Carmen's for a bit before heading out!! We sat at the bar and was promptly acknowledged and served! We had appetizers and mixed drinks which is included in their Happy Hour!! (something very rare to find on a Saturday!!!). As usual we were well satisfied with the quality, quantity, service and atmosphere of the place!!! read more

If you are in Scranton or the Poconos and looking for a memorable family or couples' meal out, this is probably the best choice. The building itself is a historic train station; from the inside to the outside this adds a lot to the experience. There was a pianist tastefully tickling the ivories on the Friday night of our visit. The menu is classic and balanced with lots of steakhouse, seafood, pasta, and even a few vegan choices. I heartily enjoyed my beef tournedos with a few sprigs of asparagus and very rich risotto. The cheese/wild mushroom risotto that accompanies many entrées may strike some as too heavy, but I like it that way. The salmon and the sausage ragout ordered by others in our party also filled the bill nicely. A dessert of lava cake was scandalously rich as expected. Service is flawless; they even gifted us with an item in which we had expressed interest but hadn't ordered, which was a nice surprise. The only detraction was that the Friday special was already sold out long before closing time. Also, the interior is so ornate and stately that it's a trifle hard to relax: you feel you should be taking pictures of everything. read more

The ambiance while dining at Carmen's is unsurpassed. On weekends, Carmen's has live piano music that is truly a treat for the diner, especially considering the fantastic acoustics from the vaulted ceilings of the old train station. The service is typically very attentive but not overbearing, the food well prepared. They serve a very nice Sunday brunch and weekday lunch as well, although both are buffet style which is not my favorite. As an aside: I have been to several different events in the Radisson ballrooms and which did not knock my socks off. The decor is dated and the food can become gelatinous sitting in the chaffers. If you've ever attended an event at the Radisson and have been underwhelmed, don't judge; you won't regret going back and giving Carmen's a chance. read more

We came for mothers day brunch. It was excellent. The food was really good. If I had go be picky I would say they could have better salad dressings. The beef and shrimp was excellent and the wait staff was excellent. read more

8/7/2021 Arrived at 10 am for breakfast day after wedding, waited 25 minutes to be seated even though we were second in line . We were searched lukewarm coffee twice while we waited for the last two people to arrive to order. They arrived at 11:01 and after we ordered the waitress came back and told us that the kitchen closed at 11:00. This was not posted anywhere, she never mentioned it while serving our lukewarm coffee. A miserable experience. Would highly recommend not going there on Sunday read more

It's okay. The space is pretty neat, as it's in an old train station. I can only comment on the Christmas day buffet brunch, though. They had a really great selection of foods, including made-to-order omelettes, shrimp cocktail, a carving station, and lots of desserts. The service was mediocre and the "champagne" (read: sparking wine) was cheap (it was complimentary, but I'd rather just have good sparkling and pay for it). Coat check. Valet parking. They're also calling themselves a "wine bar" now, the only one in the area, but their selection of wines is minimal relative to other, real wine bars. read more

My husband and I went here for their famous Sunday brunch. It was more than I expected. They had so many delicious choices. Their beef barley soup was so hearty and tasty. I loved the eggs Benedict but the biscuit it was served on was a bit dense. (Usually it's English muffin). The smashed potatoes, pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage, sweet peppers and sausage deserved seconds. Forget about dessert!! The fresh baked chocolate chip cookies were so rich and fresh, I asked if I could buy some to go. We took advantage of the chocolate fountain. It was really an amazing experience. Oh and the venue was beyond gorgeous as well. If you're in town you must experience the brunch. read more

See all

Carmen's is my favorite place to go for an excellent meal. Though recently losing their 4-star status with AAA, they maintain consistent, professional service and great food. The dining area is partitioned from the lobby of the Radisson Hotel - a renovated, remodeled train station from the 1900's. It's really quite beautiful. There is plenty of seating and the area is not cramped (I recommend trying a booth if dining with your mate). The menu has many offerings and features a 'Weekly Specials' section, added just recently. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the cooks are top-notch - even the deserts are home-made. This could, very well, be the best place to dine in Scranton. read more

We have enjoyed the Sunday brunch at Carmen's for many years. Although we had not been there for about 9 months, we went there two Sundays ago. Unfortunately, the selection of entrees and quality of food was a real disappointment. I told our server that the pork loin was both dry and hard and asked her to tell the kitchen so they could bring out another. No apology and never saw another come out. We also noticed that only about 1 in five tables was occupied. In the past, they would be at least half if not three quarters full at the same time. The only part of our visit that was excellent as in years past was the pianist. read more

Was in town for a wedding and didn't have a car so we decided to try out the Radisson's lobby restaurant to avoid wandering around downtown Scranton for somewhere to eat. Had the calimari as an appetizer, which was cooked very well and fairly tasty, nothing out of this world, though. I had the spiced scallops which were excellent, although maybe a tad too much spice. Scallops were great, though. My wife had the crabcakes and a baked potato, which she must have enjoyed because she ate all of both. Had the fresh berries & custard for dessert which was really great. Overall a very good meal and very good service. We ate there on a Friday night so they had a jazz ensemble playing in the lobby which was pretty good. read more

We just had Christmas Day brunch. The selection of food was amazing and it was all delicious. Service and staff were friendly and gracious. JR the manager went to all the tables checking in. The atmosphere is lovely with the original interior of the 1908 train station. We will definitely be returning!!! read more

When we reserved our hotel room we could add the breakfast buffet for $5/person. I would have been very disappointed if I had paid the regular price (on the menu) of $15. The chef at the omelet station did a nice job but everything else was standard hotel "free breakfast bar" fare. Also, every staff member seemed low key depressed. The service was all right, but I question how the restaurant treats its employees based on their "dead man walking" vibe. read more

Really great chicken sausage hash. Good service too. And what a setting, in the old Lackawanna train station. read more

Carmen's 2.0 Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

tl;dr - This place sucks. Overpriced terrible food from the 80's. Go somewhere else. I don't know what I was thinking going here. I wanted to take my mom our for mothers day but not brunch like everyone else so we went out the Saturday night before. We ate earlier than I would have normally at 6:30. By 7:30 there was a benefit happening in the lobby of the hotel which would have been fine but the music was loud to the point of being uncomfortable. We were shouting across the table to talk. Having an event like this at prime time Saturday night was a terrible idea for the restaurant. They should have mentioned this when we made the reservation. Service was not great. No bev menu when we were sat and server came by 15 minutes after to ask us what we wanted for drinks. I didn't take this place for an "I'll have a red wine" like you know anything red is fine type of place. You have a semi respectable wine list, you should present it. Then dude came back after a break apparently and took our bev order, when he came back he got half of them wrong. 10 more minutes to get the drinks we ordered. And service was casually terrible the remainder of the night. Now about the food. It sucked. Seriously. Fresh out of the freezer Shrimp for cocktail with the added bonus of freezer burn. No preparation, just thaw and plate. Not like the delicious Shrimp cocktail I had at the Oyster House In Philadelphia a few night earlier, Appropriately sized and poached. Gnocchi that was probably frozen and not fresh had the heft of a falafel and was drenched in a thick gelatinous cream sauce. Lamb chop app that was basically raw when medium was requested. I mean Popsicle lamb chops take 1 minute to cook and they didn't even get that right. Entrees were equally disappointing. Veal chop, which cooked to medium, was the toughest piece of meat I've ever eaten. The spinach that came with it was spiked with jalapenos, the pickled kind not even fresh. Honestly WTF? My Mom's ribeye was about half a centimeter thick and charred to a crisp. Do you pound out steaks to get them that thin? Why? My wife had the Special Chicken ravioli which was good but covered in oil and garlic. Like a ton of garlic, probably about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup chopped garlic floating in a oily "sauce". Oh yeah, this little nugget- I can't remember the last time I saw Salt & Pepper on a table in a restaurant but thank god because everything needed salt. Desserts- Fresh outta the freezer. Zero effort Cheesecake, Choc lava cake, apple tart. Solid $300 for garbage. read more

The atmosphere and decor is absolutely beautiful in a train station HOWEVER the hostess/manager make the place UGLY. Quite rude, unaccommodating. NEVER TO RETURN read more

The Sunday Grand Brunch was incredible! The food was perfect and so were the Christmas decorations and the service. I was pleasantly surprised when the bill came, for the quality you get and the experience, it is very low priced! My Mom and are planning on coming back for Easter! read more

We went in for valentines brunch. The food was ok, even though the service was really good, this restaurant is really pricy. The food they offered us is not worth $35 each, excluding the tax and tips. We can get better brunch with better deal somewhere else, unless you are rich or dont care about your money value, dont go there. read more

See all