Carmine's - Time Square
Carmine's Times Square serves Southern Italian food family-style, in portions built to be shared around a table rather than eaten solo. The restaurant sits two blocks from the 42nd Street subway station and runs a full catering and private party operation alongside its regular dining room, with a sister barbecue restaurant, Virgil's Real BBQ, just down the street. Reservations are strongly advised given how busy the Times Square location gets.
What people praise
- Portion sizes get called out constantly, often enough for leftovers
- Fast, friendly service even on loud, packed nights
- A large marinara sauce and full bar selection round out the classics
- Handles big groups and celebrations well, reviewers say
Worth knowing
- Seating is tight and the room gets loud, so it's not the pick for a quiet conversation
Our take: Carmine's ranks first on the strength of nearly 20,000 reviews, easily the biggest track record of any Italian restaurant on this list. Its 4.5 rating sits a notch below several smaller competitors here, so it's the volume leader more than the top-rated pick. If you want a proven, high-turnout spot for a group, this is it.
