Cucina Carini is a wonderful Italian restaurant with a warm, inviting ambiance and food that is definitely above average. We ordered the calamari, Trio di Mare, and the grilled salmon, and every dish was fresh, flavorful, and well prepared. The complimentary house salad, fresh bread, and cheesecake dessert were all excellent and made the meal feel complete. The atmosphere is comfortable and perfect for a relaxing dinner with family or friends. The only reason I'm giving four stars instead of five is that the restaurant charges a credit card service fee without informing customers in advance. A simple notice on the menu or by the register would go a long way in avoiding an unpleasant surprise at the end of an otherwise enjoyable meal. Overall, the food and ambiance make Cucina Carini worth visiting, and I would gladly return. read more

Cucina Carini - Menu - Italian Near Me - Mount Laurel, New Jersey

See all

More of a 3 1/2, but, for the 1 BILLIONTH TIME, Yelp still hasn't listened to my petition to incorporate half stars, so here we are. I rounded down instead of up because of my personal experience that night, but I could see that half star going either way. ANYWHO, Cucina Carini.....a local pizza shop that has an attached dining room that, while pretty small, is also pretty nice. BYOB, which we didn't know heading in, and unless we are missing something, the only beverage options are either water, or whatever YOU bring. (We weren't asked what we would like to drink, nor saw any beverage options on the menu.) SO, water it was, which was fine with ME anyway. ALSO, another thing not listed on the *dine in menu,* is that they DO have a kids menu, which consists of what you would think it does; chicken fingers, fries and the like. We sit and get to work looking over the menu. We land on crab ravioli for me, (crab meat, asparagus & plum tomatoes in a sherry cream sauce), potato gnocchi for The Misses (With spinach & bacon simmered in a gorgonzola cream sauce,) and the chicken fingers meal for The Little One. Entrees comes with soup or salad (soup for her, salad for me). Where CC is losing some points is on service. Our server was fine, but the kitchen was very mixed up. When we sat, our Little One was being a kid, so while getting her situated, we ordered all of the mains. About 5 minutes later, when the server brought the bread over, we asked to order an appetizer of fried mozzarella (which I assumed would be the fresh mozzarella, breaded and fried, but instead was the packaged Sams club type breaded sticks variety..the menu says "Fried Mozzarella, Breaded mozzarella, fried golden crisp & served with marinara sauce. Nowhere does it mention "sticks." *shoulder shrug emoji*). In rapid succession after that, the kids meal came out, and then, and I mean probably 3-4 minutes after ordering the mozz *sticks,* THEY hit the table. Still no soup or salad. The mozzarella sticks were made suspiciously fast. Maybe 15-20 minutes later the ENTREES hit the table. The server does recognize that she never brought the soup or salad, and offers to put them in To-Go containers. *second shoulder shrug emoji* The entrees themselves were good, not great. Decent flavor, but both dishes underseasoned. A little salt would have gone a long way. I had to add parmesan cheese, red pepper flake, and some salt myself to coax a better flavor out of my ravioli. The Misses's gnocchi also needed some doctoring to bring out some true flavor. The kids meal was a generous portion size, but then again, it WAS $13, so..... We decided to actually do dessert, as The Little One wanted cake, and I had seen a picture of the Peanut Butter Bomb, and absolutely wanted to try it. One bomb, and one Lemoncello Cake slice was the order. The Lemoncello cake was good, but again, lacking in deep flavor. You got a hint of lemon, then the rest of the bite was chewing on air. It speaks to the lightness of the cake crumb, but the flavor needs to be punched up. The Peanut Butter Bomb however; no notes. Delicious. Chocolate mousse on top of a peanut butter mousse, on top of a chocolate cookie type base, the whole thing covered in chocolate and peanut drizzle (?) and sprinkled with peanuts. Definitely the best thing I ate here. SO, all things put together, it wasn't a bad night. Service was a little slow, which was only really a problem because we had a squirmy 7 year old. I probably would have appreciated the pace if it were The Misses and I just sipping a bottle of wine. But, the kitchen course timings and mix up, plus the muted flavor of pretty much every dish knocked it down a few pegs. I could see Cucina Carini easily being a 4 star spot and a go-to, "our spot" type place, it just didn't get there for me on my one visit. It's a little far from us, but if I'm in the area, I would definitely give it another shot. read more

See all

Carini has been here, I think forever. I can't remember it not being here. That says something for sure. The dining room is quant. A bit airy during the day. Service was super friendly and attentive. I went on a Friday around 6pm and it was very busy. Another great sign. Entrees came with rolls, soup or salad. I went with the salad to get some greens. It was fine. I should have went with the soup! I got seafood and pasta. Good amount of shrimp, scallops, and small pieces of crab that were mixed in with the pasta. The sauce was a butter/wine sauce. Very nice. Pasta was decent but not great. Prices were very reasonable. Overall, a nice meal that hit the spot. It won't blow your mind. This is more of a neighborhood spot that serves consistent Italian food and there's always a place for that. read more

This was Our First time dining here and Cucina Carini did Not Disappoint my husband and I ! We were immediately greeted by the staff and the inside of this restaurant appears like a courtyard of an Italian Home or a beautiful Open Space with a rustic feel. It even has a faux Upper Terrace Balcony and the whole place has Really Great charm! We had 7:30pm reservations on a Saturday night and the place was full of lots of Happy and chatty people enjoying their food and beverages. Almost everyone dining inside had a bottle of Vino! Our server had Great Recommendations, as this was our first visit here and a little guidance went a long way. We ordered the Bruschetta and meatballs for starters and both were Amazing and flavorful! I ordered the chicken Parmesan but everything looked and sounded amazing on the menu. It was difficult to select just one entree. My husband ordered the homemade Pappardelle with Bolognese sauce! Wow.. he now has a New FAVORITE Pasta! And I tried some of his dinner and it was Spectacular. . Next time, I plan to order his dish. We ordered the Escarole Cannelloni bean soup. It wasn't too bad, I haven't had Escarole in a long time and it was buttery and tasty. I probably would get a salad next time. Since I'm being honest. At the end, we split an order of Tiramisu and it was delicious but my recipe is better lol. Theirs is not homemade but it was tasty. Not bad for $7.99 but the portion was kinda small. If that's the only downside of our Meal, we didn't make out too bad. What a great evening out with my Absolutely Favorite Person on the planet read more

Grabbed some to-go from here today. Never had the pizza before so I gave that a try. Also had a pasta dish and salad. Salad was crisp.cold and fresh! The Escorle soup was very good. Pasta dish was tasty as well, a bit garlic heavy but good. Pizza was good as well. Nice sauce and decent crust. My only complaint is crumbled sausage...I'm a sliced or lump kinda guy! read more

See all

Personally beat pizza I've had around Mount Laurel. Calamari is also extremely good. My fiancee has a lactose intolerance problem so pizza is always Interesting sometimes (thank good for lactaid), but here it's pretty good with the help of this. I put this here because we've tried many OTHER pizza places with her supplements, and the grease and possible other ingredients just make it intolerable read more

More like C+ or B- Service is great but why fold napkins & prep tables where folks come in to be seated? Food is inconsistent. Sometimes the same is stupendous others it's mediocre read more

Good service. Large portions. Pizzas were very good - thin crispy crust. Enjoyed the margherita. Chicken parm was also good - both were big enough to share. read more

They hosted a bridal shower for us it was amazing!!! The food is out of this world!! So fresh and so tasty everyone was complimenting the food the whole time!!! They were so reasonable and so flexible with us... had the entire restaurant and a private parking lot !! 100% book any party here you won't regret it! read more

See all

Excellent food reasonably priced. Great service. Entrees include a salad, something that used to be standard in Italian restaurants but is no longer the norm. A little loud so try sitting outside or in the small side room. Parking lot is small but plenty of free parking across the street. BYOB. Recommend. read more

Food and service was great a few months ago. Taking my wife for our anniversary tonight.

Had a fabulous meal at Cucina Carini. Started off with mussels in bed and fried calamari. I didn't eat the mussels but heard they were decent size in a good sauce. The calamari was crispy, seasoned well and perfectly cooked. I had the Veal and Shrimp Francese which was very good. Lightly breaded, good lemon flavor and a decent serving size. I had enough left over for lunch the next day. I tried the veal and crab Calabrese which was also had a delicious sauce. Everyone was very happy with their meal. The bread was fine nothing special. We did order dessert. I was told the cannoli was good. We also order the lemoncello cake which was light and flavorful. Our service was good with friendly staff but we did need to ask for our water to be filled. The building was nicely decorated but extreme loud when we first got there. They do offer a small room in the corner that can be used for a private affair holding about 12 people. We will definitely be back. read more

See all

The best experience I have had in a long time from start to finish. We planned a funeral luncheon with Anthony who was amazing. He was empathetic, kind, and helpful, which made it so much easier to plan. The tables and seating were exactly as he said they would be setup. There was a seat for everyone. The food was amazing, delicious and enough food for all guests to go back for seconds. The atmosphere was bright and comfortable just like we would want. Paula made sure that a late guest received food and drinks. This family really knows how to treat their guests like they are eating in their own house. read more

Returned for dinner and the food, quality and service was consistent and great like the first time. Did takeout this time and tried the pizza and chicken parm sandwich. Pizza was the perfect size and tasted great. Thin crust and delicious! Chicken parm sandwich did not have enough sauce to my liking, but flavor was there. Very filling and I was able to eat leftovers for lunch the next day. Gem in the neighborhood that I would still recommend! read more

See all

This has been a longtime favorite of ours but we hadn't been in some time so we decided to check it out anew. We went for lunch on a Saturday so it wasn't very busy at all and we were seated immediately. My wife ordered a Gorgonzola salad to share; for entrees, she chose the Spaghetti Paesano and I the Potato Gnocchi. All were excellent, however my 100% Italian wife was a bit put off by how much garlic was in her Spaghetti Paesano. (This is the first time she's ever said there was too much garlic in anything!). The potato gnocchi was superb in both texture and flavor. The portion size is quite large so I took half home. For dessert I had the Limoncello cake and my wife the almond cake. The Limoncello cake was absolute perfection: not overly sweet with just the right texture and flavor. My wife loved the almond cake but I thought it had an unnatural amount of almond flavor in it. In summary, both the food and service are still excellent. read more

See all

Nice staff ,food is average at best. Extremely noisy, ruins the atmosphere. I wouldn,t condem but I will not return. read more

Just a lunch visit but the chicken parm was juicy on the inside and a little crispy on the outside. Very good. Nice ambience inside. Will update after a return visit. read more

Went for lunch. Ordered the calamari appetizer for the table which was soft, pale and rubbery. The soup was supposed to be escarole bean, it was served barely lukewarm, was pretty flavorless and contained no beans. The Sicilian salad main course was barely the size of a side salad with hardly any toppings. I took relatives from out of town to this restaurant on the recommendation of several people and was embarrassed at how bad the whole experience was. read more

Absolutely awful experience with Cucina Carini. We spent days trying to book a Communion party, were told by Anthony that the date was ours and not to worry -- no deposit was requested, no contract, nothing. Then out of nowhere, we get a call saying someone else came in, put money down, and they gave our date away -- blaming us for their failure to follow up. Incredibly unprofessional and careless -- we were left scrambling for a new venue weeks before a major family event. Avoid if you value reliability. read more

Everything was very good. Pizza is always good but our pizza was even better than usual, crispier. Everything else was great as usual. Everyone that works is extremely nice. read more

It is a very nice place with good Italian food. I ordered the lasagna and to my surprise it was meatless, only cheese. My fault for not reading the menu properly. Service was good and we will give it another try. read more

This was my first visit ever!! I came at 11:30am for a work lunch and no reservation. They seated us. The website said they open at 11. However, it felt like we caught them off guard. Especially since three groups came in at once. Very friendly!!! I ordered the Gorgonzola salad with grilled shrimp. And they accommodated my nut allergy with no issue!! It was good. The veggies were fresh. The shrimp were seasoned nicely and cooked well. It's a large salad!!! The rest of the table enjoyed their chicken fettuccine and masala dishes. The service was ok. She was so sweet but didn't know the menu. And seemed overwhelmed. I'm not sure but I almost think she was also helping in the kitchen...... I would definitely come back. I don't know how they'd handle the dinner crowd unless they have more staff lined up. I totally get that's an issue across the board right now. read more

I absolutely do NOT get the hype! The ambiance is horrifying! Soo dated and just meh! Food was so bland! We definitely have much better Italian in our area for sure! read more

Haven't been there in a while staff wasn't friendly at all food was ok not going back

Was treated to a birthday meal here. Everything was excellent and not too far from home. Can't believe I never went there before! It is a cozy Italian restaurant. read more

Our appetizers, bruschetta and the calamari were good. There were 6 of us in our party. The meals were delicious. I personally had the Chicken Parmesan, portion size was more than enough. My friend had the grilled salmon which looked moist. The wait staff was very attentive and our plates where cleared timely. That is one of my pet peeves having plates sit and it was a pleasure having water refilled without asking. read more

It's BYOB and they have a cute outdoor dining space. I got the crab ravioli and it was pretty good and well presented. Our waitress was very attentive and the service was very accommodating. We stayed passed closing and didn't feel rushed. Will be back to try other dishes. read more

Cucina Carini - Italian Near Me - Mount Laurel, New Jersey

Been living in Mt Laurel for 35 yrs but just started going to this place regularly. We love the food and the waitstaff is always friendly and professional (and good looking!). It's a BYOB so we usually stop at Trainos for the wine - It helps if you know what your going to eat so you can match the wine color. But red is always a safe pick. This visit we had the the penne a la vodka - always a good choice. It has peas and prosciutto in the sauce. Wife liked it but I just can't do peas. It's a personal problem. I had the scampi antalise- It's shrimp scampi with mushrooms and broccoli. Really good, highly recommended. I usually get the salmon because of this stupid diet, but I think the scampi is still relatively calorie. I hope. Our waitress Gigi was good too. It was a Sunday and they were busier than expected but Gigi took her time with us and generally was as cool as a cucumber. Everybody was hustling, I even saw the hostess serving food. Overall a great experience. It's not a huge place but I always see graduation/birthday/bridal shower parties there. We'll be back! read more

This restaurant always looks busy now matter when they're open and there's a good reason for that. They provide excellent authentic Italian cuisine. Since their seating capacity is a bit limited, you should make reservations if dining in. This is a BYOB restaurant which doesn't charge corking fees. Their food is very reasonable and plentiful. For my main meal, I ordered the Trio Di Mare which came with large sea scallops and shrimp as well as fish. The sauce was excellent served over pasta. My wife ordered the Penne Alla Vodka. Perfect vodka sauce and large portion of pasta. Paula was our server and did a great job with the timing of the meals as well as checking on us. Their desserts looked great, but I had no room for more food. In fact, it's likely you'll need a doggy bag (box). They also have a takeout area for their meals as well as pizza. They make excellent standard and specialty pizza as well. read more

Cucina Carini - Trio De Mare - Italian Near Me - Mount Laurel, New Jersey

See all

This is a nice place. I wouldn't call it the BEST Italian food, but it's overall a nice experience and never a bad meal.

Ten of us celebrated my brother's 40th birthday dinner here tonight and everyone left with the highest praises. Everything from the calamari, meatballs, clams casino, eggplant rollatini, chicken supreme, chicken parm, bolognese, and penne vodka were delicious. My nephews also loved their personal pizzas. Our server was also very personable and knowledgeable. read more

Cucina Carini - a family sitting at a dinner table - Italian Near Me - Mount Laurel, New Jersey

See all

Great Italian BYOB! Service was quick & friendly & food was fresh & served nice & hot. Our server Monica was great & very attentive to our needs! read more

Cucina Carini - Veal & Crab Calabrese with asparagus in a sherry cream sauce - Italian Near Me - Mount Laurel, New Jersey

Really cute atmosphere. Staff were friendly and checked on us frequently. We were lucky to get a last minute Valentine's Day reservation. Food was pretty good. Favorite part was the complimentary bread! Yum! read more

Cucina Carini - Chicken Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Mount Laurel, New Jersey

See all

I recently hosted a 60th Surprise Birthday Party for my husband at Cucina Carini. From the first time I spoke with Anthony, I knew I chose the right place for this important milestone celebration. I planned the party in under a month so it wasn't easy finding a place that could accommodate my group of 40 people. I was lucky to have found it. Working with Anthony and his team really made this an event to remember! The food was delicious, the service was outstanding, and the price was extremely reasonable. Being a BYOB really helped keep the costs down. I am so happy I found this restaurant. Thank you again, Anthony! read more

See all

Top notch Italian in an area with lots of good Italian options! This place is somewhat off the beaten path but well worth seeking out. The calamari appetizer was delicious, exuding lots of peppery spicing. So good that we ordered a second plate! For entree, I enjoyed a grilled salmon with lemon garlic herb butter. The salmon was perfectly prepared and the light sauce complemented it exquisitely. Very pleasing. And, let us not forget the decadent desserts - pick either the "dark side of the moon" or the chocolate-peanut butter pie. You will have to waddle out of there, but you will be very happy! read more

Had the unfortunate pleasure of dining at this establishment. Waiter service was average, food average,and person removing finished items and water was an absolute nightmare. Like a bull in a china shop she slammed and dropped silverware and items with total disregard. She did this to every table she attended to, In a feeble attempt to avoid her wrath I gathered used items at corner of table. She still managed to drop items. A simple oh I'm sorry would have been nice. Best part was when we were leaving in her rush to clear table she stepped on my wife's foot! read more

Cucina Carini has always been a family favorite, and I haven't been in years so I had to come back! My fiancé and I didn't have a reservation, and they were pretty packed on this late Saturday evening but fortunately we did not have to wait. We were seated right away and quickly brought our waters, and the rolls with butter. Also they're BYOB, and our bottle that we brought was opened promptly. We started with the fried tomatoes with cheese and tomato sauce. The four slices of tomatoes came out hot and tasty. I ordered the penne vodka, which came with a house salad (that I upgraded to a Caesar for $2) and they both tasted great! After all the bread and fried tomatoes, I did end up having to take some of the penne vodka home for later. My fiancé ordered the bolognese pizza, which he surprisingly didn't finish as well (but enjoyed very much). Overall, service was pretty good and we had a wonderful night in the slightly dimly lit restaurant. We'll be back again, I'm sure! read more

See all

Excellent food, excellent service. Authentic home cooked Italian food with flare. You can tell they really cherish their customers. read more

We hosted my daughter-in-law's baby shower at this wonderful restaurant this past Saturday. First, Cucina Carini is beautiful and has lots of natural light. Anthony let us use the entire large dining area so all 36 of us had plenty of room for a game table, beverage table and for the mom-to-be to open gifts. They have a bar area (no liquor though) which was the perfect area for our cake/dessert trays and for the shower favors. There was no cake cutting fee. The food was great. We've eaten both lunch and dinner here before but I was surprised at how quickly we all were served. Our servers were very kind and efficient, asking several times if anyone needed anything. There was nothing they wouldn't do for us. The evening before, they let us bring our boxes of decorations and even a large wicker peacock chair and the cake. They opened the doors to us that day at 9:30 AM for a noon shower so we had plenty of time to decorate. I wanted to hang a large 7'x5' banner right where they had hung a large and beautifully framed art piece so I asked if it could be removed during the shower. The reply? "Sure! We'll put it in the closet." My deepest appreciation to Paula, Anthony, the cooks and the kind server who worked the shower that day who all were on their game and truly made our shower fantastic. read more

See all

I have no idea how this place gets a good review . The food was cheap and terrible. Iceberg lettuce for a salad , ordered a pasta and wasn't told there was pancetta in it , I sent it back got no peas and a black hair in it. Just a cheap over all experience . read more