Unfortunately found this really disappointing, especially for the price. My boyfriend had the bolognese and I had the agnolotti stuffed with spinach and cheese in a pesto cream sauce. Both of us found our pastas inconsistently cooked; some noodles were appropriately al dente, but some were underdone to the point of being crunchy. The table bread was sort of an inexpensive soft sliced sandwich bread rather than a high quality crusty loaf. The flavor of both pastas was generally fine and they were hot when they arrived, but the agnolotti was swimming in a pool of the sauce and was overall far too rich; the dish really could've used more acid for balance. Service was subpar; our waiter was friendly, but seemed to forget about us after we ordered drinks and it took us a half hour to put an order for food. The ambiance was also a huge turnoff. It was so loud that we had to shout to hear each other talk the entire dinner, which was stressful rather than fun. The chef was also walking around the dining room the entire time (not once or twice, truly constantly), which was strange as one would think he should've been in the kitchen guiding the staff and monitoring quality of the food. They had a guy wheeling around a cart with a gigantic wheel of parmigiano reggiano, which he was using to perform the tableside carbonara dish; it was a bit distracting because it felt like he never left our row of tables, and the aisles were narrow enough that when he did it at the table across from ours we felt uncomfortably crowded. The pasta was clearly finished before being poured onto the cheese wheel, so it's more of a gimmick than anything else. All in all, there's much better Italian food and experience in the DMV for less money. One pasta dish and one glass of wine cost $65 per person. read more

Sharron G... was an amazing server. Her knowledge of the menu, the types of dishes that go well together. I'm so glad we were able to have this amazing experience! Thank you for your kindness and great skills! read more

Wish I could give zero stars. My girlfriend and I waited at our table for 20 minutes without anyone even acknowledging us. Meanwhile, multiple other couples who sat down after us were greeted and served promptly. We were dressed casually, just like everyone else, so there's no clear reason for the lack of attention. We had heard great things about the food, which makes this even more disappointing. When we mentioned the issue to the woman at the front on our way out, she just gave us a confused, almost annoyed look, no apology, no explanation. This place seriously needs to work on its customer service read more

Had such a lovely dinner with one of my best girl friends! Beautiful space, especially loved the fabulous light fixtures. Our server Taylor recommended the bacon wrapped shrimp appetize4 which did not disappoint! We had 2 bottles of prosecco rose, which was perfect for summer. I had the famous chicken parm (delish) & my friend enjoyed the namesake Carbonara & loved it. Enough to take home for seconds. Taylor was knowledgeable, patient, funny, & the perfect amount of attentive. Such a great night! If you haven't been, make plans. It's wildly popular for good reason! read more

I am so glad that I finally got try this restaurant after months of seeing all of the hype about it! I will say that the service was super fast so you were in and out pretty quickly. I tried the beef carpaccio and the crab stuffed mushrooms as appetizers. I was having higher hopes for the mushrooms, but they were still good. I think they were just missing some salt. However, the carpaccio was a huge serving and so delicious! Finally, I did try the rigatoni with vodka sauce, which was so delicious! I would say that their vodka sauce is second to Carbone. The serving size of this dish was also large as well. I also tried a bite of the lobster ravioli, which was so full of lobster and super fresh. I did like the sauce that this dish was paired with as well and it was a little bit sweet. Def the best lobster ravioli in nova, better than Villagio! read more

This was great Italian food. We got the espresso martini flight (coconut, pistachio (my favorite), and Ferrero rocher) and the Carina in Rosa cocktail. The carbonara and chicken parmigiana dishes had a tableside experience to go with them, and the taste of these dishes were just as good as they looked. I'm a bit picky when it comes to chicken, but the chicken parmigiana ended up being my favorite dish of the night, so if you're conflicted between the two dishes, get the chicken parmigiana! As for the lava cake, I wish there was a bit more "lava", but it was otherwise still great in taste, especially the ice cream on top. Would 100% come back here in the future! read more

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Very good service, we really liked our sausage pepper appetizer. It's busy in there but they hustle, and they have a good menu. Shockingly, the carbonara was the least favorite thing we ate. It tasted way more like an Alfredo sauce they carbonara. If you're a carbonara person, I'd skip this one, despite how fun the cheese wheel is. read more

Margarita was an awesome server and the food was wonderful. This place is always top tier!

Recently dined at the Carbonara at lunch with out-of-town guests. Dinner reservations are difficult to get. I had expected a huge menu with equally huge prices, but the menu (at least for lunch) was adequate and prices were not that bad. Wine similarly was not any more expensive than anywhere else. The food was good, but not crazy great like I had expected. Maybe that's the downside to hearing others say how great the place is and, well, it's simply above average. Very small seating space and the noise level borders on painful. Won't be going back, but it was a worthwhile, one-time experience. read more

Its obvious our server lovers where she works. Sharron took care of every Wei's ask we had. She's friendly and despite having a ton of tables we never lacked anything. And the support team rocks too !! read more

Absolutely delicious meal omg! And I got a fun cocktail that was gorgeous and all decorated, both enjoyed our meals a lot can't recommend enough! read more

Such a great spot! All of Sharron G's recommendations were spot on. Every single special sounded delicious. We'll definitely be back!

Food was amazing and service was good. We tried it for the first time a while back but went back because it was so delicious read more

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Great restaurant... came with friends. Hard to choose what to eat after walking through the dinning area seeing everybody's meal. Great, authentic atmosphere. Frank Sinatra cover singer made me believe the stereo was on at first. Great service. Very personable staff and very accommodating. Food was outstanding. 10/10... I will definitely be returning. read more

Carbonara - Chicken parmesan - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Overrated. Waited months to finally get a reservation and ended up disappointed. The staff were friendly and the restaurant itself is nice. The food was completely overpriced and bland. I wouldn't go back or recommend it to others read more

Everything was incredible!! Loved the chicken parm with vodka sauce. Was surprised with a beautiful and thoughtful dessert as well! read more

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The most amazing mussels I have ever had! Service was also outstanding. Looking forward to coming back. read more

Carbonara - Mussels - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

First of all, I am a lover of Italian food so I have been wanting to try Carbonara for sometime. While I wasn't disappointed, I was blown away either; thus the 3 star review. A very big down side was the loudness of the place. It was nearly impossible to carry on a conversation with folks at my table. We had trouble hearing the servers when they spoke which really impacted the ambiance. When you first down don't expect to have napkins at your table. We didn't and it appeared that other tables didn't either. We actually had to ask for them! I would consider this a major strike in set up. Bread arrived promptly and with no napkins, well it just wasn't what I was expecting. I have never had that happen before and neither have our other party, who have been in the hospitality industry for decades. We were seated promptly - reservations are highly encouraged. Honoring the reservation is a big thing for me. If you ask me to pick a time to arrive, I expect to be seated in a reasonable amount of time, otherwise, what was the point of making a reservation I have to ask. Carbonara did a great a job here. The food was good but nothing I couldn't make at home. I had one of the specials (Chicken Parm with Gnocchi in a vodka sauce) The chicken was bread and crispy, there appeared to be a slice of cheese melted on top, the kind you might find in a Harris Teeter or Giant and the Gnocchi/vodka sauce poured on top. It was very tasty and cooked well but nothing that a reasonable home cook wouldn't be able to make themselves. And considering it cost $35, it was way overpriced. Speaking of overpriced, the wine list is very overpriced. Their imported Italian wines were limited, which surprised me and the least expensive of Montepulciano d' Abruzzo was listed at $69/bottle, $15/glass. I can import directly form Italy, bottles of DOCG rated Montepulciano d' Nobile (a much better wine) for half that. All in all, I'm not disappointed I tried it but considering the hype around this place, I doubt I will be returning anytime soon. If you are planning on eating there, expect to pay around $100/couple without wine and have the food be tasty but just average Italian cuisine. read more

The cigar event was amazing. I look forward to enjoying a cigar and scotch there more often.

Fantastic dinner at Carbonara. Veal parmesan was outstanding as was the shrimp scampi and eggplant parm . Our server, Tyler, was great: made great suggestions about the menu and was attentive and efficient. A wonderful start to our family holiday celebrations.​ read more

Simply incredible! A can't miss spot right in the heart of Ballston for traditional Italian food and drinks that don't miss. By far my new favorite Italian restaurant in the DMV! Chef Mike Cordero has truly created an innovative and one of a kind dining experience unrivaled within the area. The atmosphere inside gives a vibe of refined elegance while also remaining warm, inviting, and informal. The decor is modern, but also has rustic touches that make you think of old world Italian roots. I also loved the open kitchen concept as the myriad of entrancing aromas hit you as soon as you walk in the door into the main dining area. Speaking of - another thing I liked was the size of the place. Not too big - probably 30 or so tables plus a bar area - which to me means 2 things: 1) they aren't trying to overdo it and compromise quality by trying to serve too many people and 2) this creates a more intimate setting that makes guests feel more catered to. The cocktails were very unique and featured bold flavors that you wouldn't ordinarily think go together, but somehow they work. My wife got the Ferrero Rocher Martini; and I got the Stella di Limone. Both were fantastic in their own rite. For starters, we got the Nona's famous meatballs and the mozzarella in carrozza. Let me tell you how serious I am when I say that NEVER in my life have I tasted a meatball that packed that much flavor. The texture was perfect too - not too dry, yet not soggy and greasy either. Also pro tip - you've GOT to dip the meatballs in the red sauce they're served with. The mozzarella in carrozza was amazing as well - crispy on the outside, with gooey decadent cheese on the inside. Also, that vodka sauce that comes with them was TO DIE FOR! We both ordered the Chicken Parmigiana Alla Vodka. The portions were HUGE - but still maintained that visual appeal and was not sloppily plated at all. Also, there was a little bit of a show as they slid the cheese/sauce to top the chicken right off the skillet (this also helped avoid the chicken cutlet from getting soggy with a bunch of cheese sitting on top of it for 25ish minutes). This was served with the same vodka sauce as the mozzarella in carrozza from earlier. I don't know what magic recipe they're using to make that sauce - but it hits on so many different levels. It's creamy without being too rich or thick, it's the perfect balance of sweet and savory. And the spaghettini - you can really tell they make their pasta fresh in-house every day. For dessert my wife had the Italian creme brûlée cheesecake and I had the tiramisu. What I tried of the cheesecake was good, but my tiramisu particularly grabbed my attention and had me going in for more. Now mind you - typically I'm not a tiramisu guy - I generally find it dry, tough to get all the flavors together in a way that makes sense because of the consistency and texture. But this tiramisu? COMPLETELY different. Moist and decadent that bore many similarities to the texture of a tres leches cake - with the bitterness of the espresso contrasting perfectly and breaking up the sweetness and richness of the lady fingers and marscapone. We're already looking for more excuses to come here again and take friends and family to this amazing spot. Cheers to you Carbonara and Chef Cordero; and here's to many more! read more

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I highly anticipated my visit to Carbonara last night after hearing a lot of positive buzz about the place. I was impressed with some things and really disappointed with others. The ambience is lovely... We sat outside, as it was a gorgeous night. But the inside vibe is really cool and I would go back and sit at the bar for cocktails and snacks someday . I was with a party of three. We all had different salads to start and they were all phenomenal. Probably the best Caesar salad I've ever had. The house salad... whatever they call it.... with grilled peppers and olives, was also phenomenal. For dinner two of us had the grilled octopus appetizer as an entrée. The octopus itself was quite terrible. It was chewy, tough and really awful. We each too one bite and left the rest on the plate. The items on the side were lovely and delicious- grilled potatoes, cannelloni beans, frisée and a tomato type sauce. Our other friend had the Pollo Picatta. Same story... The star of the dish, the chicken, was overcooked, dry, and sort of tough. But the sauce, the potatoes, the capers, the vegetables were all lovely. The desserts were very, very good. The pistachio gelato, and the lemon cream cake were my favorite. The last thing I'll say is our server was wonderful... He was very knowledgeable, very attentive to our questions, and made great recommendations. In summary, I love the vibe, the Service, and some of the items. I might give the place one more try to see if they can redeem themselves on the main dishes. If not, there are plenty of other locations to visit for more consistent food throughout the entire experience. read more

I genuinely have never had such a great dining experience in Arlington. We were seated outside and it ended up storming so bad that we couldn't finish our meal outdoors. The service and care for customers I saw from the manager Stefano was unmatched. He went out into the rain with an umbrella to get customers inside as comfortably as possible. It's things like this that set restaurants and managers apart. If that wasn't enough, Sharron, our waitress went ABOVE AND BEYOND for us. She got us sat inside while dealing with such a stressful situation with all her tables being outside in the rain. She was attentive and kind and one of the best servers I've ever had. If you come here ASK FOR HER!!! We will absolutely be back read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Skylar our waitress was amazing. She was so informative about the menu and had great recommendations. The holiday decorations were also so amazing. 10/10 I will be coming back. read more

I've been seeing this place all over my Social Media accounts and said lets go see whats the hype's about. The Chicken Parm is extraordinary!! Definitely worth the hype! The presentations from the starters to entrees and finally desert was beautiful. Im coming again this weekend and im asking for Margarita the server, she was attentive at all times and gave well recommendations. She's awesome read more

Wow! We are so glad we celebrated our 41st anniversary with Carbonara. We had a Sunday afternoon reservation, which put us on the lunch menu, and it was perfect. Prices were great and food was amazing! They do some things for show here - table side Buccatini, Chicken Parm, and Tiramisu, all of which is super cool (it's actually the reason we drove almost 2 hours - their IG sold us!). The food was just outstanding. We did the chicken parm and tortellini stuffed with beef brisket - both were outstanding. Started with bacon wrapped shrimp and burrata caprese, both were delicious and fresh. After dinner, we enjoyed lemon creme cake (to die for) and Angels Envy Affogato, so good! They offer an Espresso Martini flight, but I just tried the Ferrero Rocher and it was so good. Highly recommend Carbonara for fantastic service, quality food, and a great experience! read more

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Got the viral tableside carbonara and it was delicious. All the other pastas my friends got tasted great as well. Lastly they had complimentary prosciutto which was a nice touch as well. read more

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The food is absolutely spectacular. Get the BUCATINI CARBONARA TABLE SIDE. Absolutely the best pasta dish outside of Italy!

Delicious and good service- even tho we were on the later side to arrive (9:15PM). It wasn't rushed and everything came out nicely. read more

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Loved this spot. Such a good local go-to Italian spot. Not only was the food delicious and so fresh but the service was great too! The staff is all so nice, very accommodating, and pleasant. I went on a Monday night impromptu so I had no reservations. Just my husband and I, but the place was packed. They were able to make it work and get us seated. I got the spicy rigatoni and my husband got the chicken parm. We also got the strawberry lemonades which were so refreshing and not watered down + they're house made! Their pasta is all also made in house. I've already recommended this place to my friends and family and they had a good experience as well! read more

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Food and location were great. My drink was beautiful but could have been stronger. Our waitress was very attentive and accommodating to our needs. read more

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I had a great experience at Carbonara for dinner. I ordered the chicken parm and it was delicious. The service was amazing and wanted to give a special shout out to Margarita who was our server. She was extremely accommodating and took good care of us!! read more

Carry out service is on time. No long wait, love the food- incredible, chefs kiss penne Alla vodka is my FAVE read more

Julia our server was fantastic! The food was fresh and delicious and I can't wait to come back!!

We heard that when the chef was not there the food is iff. This proved true. Ordered chicken parm, it was smothered in a beer cheese flavored sauce despite me telling them when they arrived to not pour it over and keep on side. Ive had better chicken parm at home or at Pi-tanza for half the price. I really want it to be amazing. Calamari was ok. Again, pricy for not wow this is amazing. Wife's dish was not really edible. The spaghetti with braised beef tortellini felt like not italian and weird. Noodles were way overcooked like mush. How hard is it to get noodles to be al dente? (After response) we definitely will try again! It's brand new and kinks to work out. Will update review accordingly. read more

Had my birthday celebration here and it was great! Margarita was very attentive to our large party and overall the service was exceptional. My party and I ordered several dishes off the menu and everyone enjoyed it! Will definitely be coming back read more

First, they serve you at your table so remember that when you add in the tip! Second, it was great. Definitely will go back. Had tamales, quesadilla, pupusas and plantains at our table and every one could easily be on repeat. Third, I regret not getting a desert. I will next time! read more

First-time visitor -- Saturday evening, early...about 5pm Tried the minestrone. It's a brothy minestrone -- not thick or like a stew. Wasn't a fan. Second course was the Caesar salad. Sooo good! It includes bacon bits, which make a good salad great. I would go back and eat a double portion of this salad! Third and final course was spaghetti and meatballs. Pretty run-of-the-mill. Service was good. Drinks are on the higher end -- a one shot vodka cocktail is $15. I parked on the street, but there may be underground parking (according to Waze). read more

A perfect 5-star dinner at Carbonara! Potter was a fantastic waiter--our kids even loved the food and finished everything on their plates. Everything was wonderful, and we can't wait to come back! read more

Been wanting to try Carbonara for a while after hearing good things and it lived up to the hype and more! The ambiance was great, inside you could see them making pasta and they had a singer preforming live music. If you want a quieter option, you can sit out on the patio. Out of the many great Italian restaurants I've been too in the area, this one made me feel like I was actually in Italy the most. The service was also great, our waiter was very nice and helpful and they were attentive to all our needs. For food and drinks they have great options. Started with a delicious free bread basket with great focaccia. For our mains we tried their famous chicken parmigiana alla vodka and the orecchiette. The pastas were cooked perfectly, the sauces were super fresh tasting, the chicken parm had a great flavor. We're still thinking about that food today. To finish we had the tiramisu for dessert and once again did not disappoint. Also I would highly recommend the espresso martinis! They have a bunch of fun flavors. We loved our experience here and can't wait to go back! read more

Carbonara - CHICKEN PARMIGIANA ALLA VODKA and ORECCHIETTE - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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