Ресторан · New York · ⭐ 9.1/10 · 19147 reviews · $$ · updated: 2026-06-30 19:08:16
Address: 200 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036, United States
Carmine’s Times Square: The Pre-Show Feast, Turned Up Loud
Half the dining room has a curtain in ninety minutes, and the platters keep landing anyway. Carmine’s runs the Theater District’s biggest, loudest dinner party — southern Italian food scaled up until sharing becomes the only option, with a long bar shaking out generous cocktails to keep the wait cheerful.
History
Restaurateur Artie Cutler opened the first Carmine’s on the Upper West Side in 1990 with one idea: every meal should feel like an Italian-American wedding feast. It worked so well that two years later this Theater District sibling landed — back when Times Square was no one’s idea of a dining destination — and helped change exactly that.
What to Order
Everything arrives family-style, and one platter genuinely feeds two to four people. The greatest hits: chicken parmigiana under a molten blanket of cheese, penne alla vodka, rigatoni with sausage and broccoli, linguine with white clam sauce and meatballs the size of your fist. Start with the Caesar salad and fried calamari; if anyone still has ambitions, the desserts are just as oversized.
The Space
A vast, old-school hall with dark wood, vintage photographs and the happy roar of a few hundred people being fed extremely well. The bar up front pours stiff, old-fashioned drinks and doubles as the waiting room; the dining floor moves with big-city choreography that is a show in itself.
Who It’s For
Groups, theatergoers, visiting families and anyone who measures a good night by the number of forks in one dish. Solo diners on a quiet date should look elsewhere — this is dining as a team sport.
Good to Know
How big are the portions really? Genuinely huge — plan one appetizer and one pasta per two to three people, then add from there.
Will I make an evening curtain? Yes, if you arrive with reasonable margin and tell your server the showtime — the staff handle pre-theater pacing all night long.
Do I need a reservation? For dinner, absolutely — especially before showtimes. Lunch and late evening are the flexible windows.
Can leftovers be packed? Standard practice — half the room leaves with tomorrow’s lunch in hand.
Does it work for a smaller table? Two people can manage with one pasta and a salad, but the format truly shines from four up.
Opening hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 11:30–23:00 |
| Tuesday | 11:30–23:00 |
| Wednesday | 11:30–23:00 |
| Thursday | 11:30–23:00 |
| Friday | 11:30–00:00 |
| Saturday | 11:00–00:00 |
| Sunday | 11:00–23:00 |
Photos
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Visitor reviews
Reviews last updated: 2026-06-30 19:08:16
Data is refreshed monthly. Sources: manhattan-trend.com and editorial picks based on reviews.
A must-visit restaurant when you're in Midtown. Huge family-style portions, quick and friendly service and a skilled bartender! The servers spare no effort, always making sure you have a full supply of water and that all…
We went there after a Broadway show, and I was warned about the family-style service, but let me emphasise again, the portions are huge! Together we ordered calamari as an appetiser (it could easily have been a whole mea…
A few years ago I ate at this restaurant on Times Square, and we had a wonderful experience. The review below reflects what we usually order whenever we go to Carmine's.
I've been to Carmine's in New York, Washington D.…
This Italian restaurant is very popular, so a reservation is definitely recommended. The seating is fairly cramped, but the staff are friendly and attentive. The portions are surprisingly large, so be careful not to over…
An elegant, old-fashioned Italian restaurant. Designed for groups. You can't order individual pasta dishes; they make one big one to share. I don't really like that, since it can be a problem if your tastes differ from y…