Carbone

What groups say

Groups of 6 to 10 book tables for birthdays and work lunches, ordering pastas family style in a tight dining room.

• Reviewers report parties of 6 to 10; one group of 10 says the restaurant would not add an 11th guest last minute.
• Tables are seated in the main rooms rather than a separate private space; one reviewer planned a private dinner at Sadelle's catered by Carbone.
• Ordering is a la carte and shared, with pastas split and plated individually for larger tables; half portions are billed separately.
• Cost signals include a party of 6 at about $1,600 before tip and a party of 10 spending $8,000 to $10,000 over 3 hours.

Drawn from 70 Google reviews of Carbone that mention a group, a private room or a celebration, read September 2026. The reviews below describe a group visit, private rooms and larger events first, with the critical ones kept in.

• large group dinner, party of 10

  Great food all around as with any Carbone. Excellent som and wine selection, had a 1968 red that was truly to die for (not sure it was worth the $3k...but you only live once). My biggest issue was we had a party of 10 and last minute someone popped in which put us at 11 and they were beyond inflexible (known for this...). I appreciate they have rules but when you have a relatively small party spending $8-10k for 3 hours (they are pretty strict about turning the tables 2x per evening), it seems reasonable you make the rare exception.

• work lunch

  Visited Carbone NYC for a work lunch and had an excellent experience. The service was exceptional, and the Italian dishes were flavorful and beautifully presented. Highlights included the light and airy Carbone meatball (never thought I’d describe a meatball light & airy!), rigatoni, and lobster ravioli; all perfectly cooked and full of flavor. Since I was with a larger group, I really appreciated the thoughtful service of pre-splitting the rigatoni and serving it individually on our own plates. The cozy, intimate Greenwich Village restaurant has that classic New York charm and the menus are hilariously oversized for such a tiny space. You practically need your own table just to open one!

• group dinner, party of 6

  I dined with 5 guests on Saturday, April 11. Unfortunately our experience was less than spectacular and Carbone is far too popular/exclusive to treat guests the way we were. Our meal as a whole was very good, the food was excellent, the drinks and the vibe were great! It was the service that brought it all down. I have been a fine dining server in NYC for 7 years, so I understand the task at hand, the pressures/obstacles you face when providing guests with an elite dining experience, which is why I feel the need to share. The main issue began because one of our guests had an aversion to garlic. She is Italian and knows how difficult this can be/is very understanding of the limit this places on her meal. After communicating this with our server Sal, she asked if he could simply point out anything on the menu that does not contain garlic/can easily be made without it. Instead of doing this, Sal proceeded to speak over her, put words in her mouth, offering suggestions like “you can have grilled chicken on a plate." He made her feel embarrassed for having said anything at all. We were told the Caesar salad was fine, the Calamari with no sauce, the Prosciutto/Mozzarella, and that he could do Rigatoni without garlic for her. We also ordered the Yellowtail, the Veal Parm, Pork chop and side of Potatoes. We had to fight off Sal from talking over us while we were ordering, gauging us on items, writing things down before we confirmed them and being very unhelpful as a guide to the menu. When the Caesar arrived, another server came over and let my friend know that she could in fact not have the salad. He came back a few minutes later, unprompted, with a Pea salad for her which was very kind. My friend declined any additional entrees because at this point the entire focus of the meal was making sure she could enjoy her food and the attention was making her uncomfortable. Then came the check. The first issue was that we were charged for a $425 bottle of wine when we ordered a $280 bottle. The Sommelier had double checked with the man who ordered/we all confirmed out loud that we were ok with $280. When he called her over to ask about the mix up she said, “I don’t know what to tell you, that’s the one you ordered. Nothing I can do about it now, sorry.” At this point I was shocked that a manager still had not come over to address the discrepancy. We looked over the rest of the bill for correctness and saw we were also charged for a Chop salad that we didn’t order/receive, and for the Pea salad that was brought as a courtesy. Additionally we were charged for 5 1/2 portions of Rigatoni plus a full portion without garlic, however we were not aware of this standard upon ordering. Again we were met with a hard time/attitude that felt as if we wasted Sal's time even though our bill still came to $1600 and we tipped 20%. When he placed the check back on the table he didn’t give a farewell, just threw it down/walked away. We were finally stopped by the AGM Zach on the way out and detailed the situation/issues of the evening. I believe a $2000 check is significant enough to warrant more care/attention than we received. Zach simply apologized for the issues, offered understanding for our frustrations and let us know that next time we come he’ll personally make sure we are treated better. He was kind enough but at that point it was too little too late. It was hard enough to get this reservation, so your team know very well we will not likely be back soon so this offering felt like the go-to bandaid given to anyone with a bad experience. Perhaps a bit more gravitas/sincere appreciation for the patrons who keep your lights on no matter how much they spend would go further than proving that Carbone is as overrated, overpriced and inaccessible as people believe it to be. Your Chefs deserve to have their food appreciated and the quality of the products should not be so overshadowed by the lack of humility at this establishment. I was looking forward to seeing the magic of a meal at Carbone and instead we left with a terrible taste in our mouths.

• private dinner planning

  So so good! The service is great and old school Italian. The portions are huge! Can’t stop raving about the baked clams, vodka rigatoni and veal parm. We are having a private dinner at Sadelle’s, which is catered by Carbone. They helped us make a reservation so we had better idea of what to pick for the private dinner. We tried a lot of things and was comped a few sides as well. So much better than I ever imagined. If you can get a reservation this place is a must!

• 75th birthday dinner, party of 6

  We dined at Carbone this past weekend as a party of 6 women celebrating my mother's birthday. The experience was perfection at every turn. The food was exquisite, the service was top notch, the pacing of course and drink delivery left NOTHING to be desired, and the atmosphere was exactly what a true Italian dining experience is meant to be. I would describe it as feeling like a beloved guest in your own home. Thank you to everyone at Carbone for making my mother's 75th birthday celebration perfect. I am immensely grateful for everything the restaurant and the team made possible for us! Five stars and two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

Good to know

High-end takes on red-sauce fare await at this A-lister Italian restaurant in a retro-glam space.

Hours, spend and amenities from Google. Private event hours and minimums are set by the restaurant.

Frequently asked questions

Does Carbone have a private dining room?

Yes. Carbone offers a private dining room for groups in SoHo. Buyout options available; retro Greenwich Village setting.

How much does it cost to book a private event at Carbone?

Guests at Carbone typically spend $100+ per person on a regular visit, according to Google, before drinks and tip. A private room or group booking is usually priced on a food and beverage minimum that scales from that per-head figure rather than a flat room fee. Minimums run higher on Friday and Saturday nights and through December. Contact Carbone for the current minimum and deposit terms.

When is Carbone open?

Carbone is open Monday 5:00 to 11:30 PM, and Tuesday to Sunday 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, 5:00 to 11:30 PM, serving lunch and dinner. The restaurant takes reservations for regular tables. Private rooms can often be booked outside these hours, including daytime events, so ask when you inquire.

What kind of restaurant is Carbone?

Carbone is a $$$$ Italian-American restaurant in SoHo, New York City, rated 4.3 stars across 2,736 Google reviews. Google describes it as: High-end takes on red-sauce fare await at this A-lister Italian restaurant in a retro-glam space. It has outdoor seating and a wheelchair accessible entrance.

What do guests say about group dining at Carbone?

Groups of 6 to 10 book tables for birthdays and work lunches, ordering pastas family style in a tight dining room. Reviewers report parties of 6 to 10; one group of 10 says the restaurant would not add an 11th guest last minute. Tables are seated in the main rooms rather than a separate private space; one reviewer planned a private dinner at Sadelle's catered by Carbone. Ordering is a la carte and shared, with pastas split and plated individually for larger tables; half portions are billed separately. Cost signals include a party of 6 at about $1,600 before tip and a party of 10 spending $8,000 to $10,000 over 3 hours. Reviewers praise: captains split and plate pastas for larger tables; family style ordering works well for shared pastas; staff make birthday celebrations feel special; complimentary bread, cheese and salami start every table. Watch for: tables packed tight and the room is loud; strict on party size changes and 2 hour turn times; reports of slow pacing and billing errors with groups of 6. Based on 70 Google reviews of Carbone that mention a group, a private room or a celebration.

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