Before today, I hadn't gone to Carmen's in a good long while because the last time I went the quality of the pizza just wasn't what I thought it would be. Long story short, I was in the area and decided to give it a try and I was not disappointed to say the least! The food: I ordered a 12 inch chicken parm sub and a slice if pizza. Overall the food tasted amazing and you could tell that I was fresh. The service: I walked in around 12, so I was expecting to wait at least a little bit but I was served in a very reasonable amount of time. From the time I walked in to the time I was back in my car with my food was around 7 minutes. The place: The actual place has a very nice family style pizzaria feel to it. I've been to a lot of places that feel like they were opened with the sole purpose of making money (I'm not going to lie, we all want to make money, but some of us to a better job of hiding it), but the place and the guy taking orders gave me the impression that they genuinely cared about my experience. Bottom line/conclusion: Since the last time I was here this place has picked itself up off the ground and turned itself into a very nice pizzaria with really nice staff. I'm always in the mood for pizza and with it being my favorite food I am very picky with how my food tastes and this place hits the spot! I look forward to coming back soon! read more

Food was delivered cold and the pizza was fairly flavorless and rubbery. I used to order from this place many years ago and it was decent quality, but this last time was just not good at all, which is a shame. read more

What a great place. We were in the area for a soccer tournament and wanted a great local spot with high quality food. Other reviews on yelp were right....the food is fantastic. Sal, the owner, could not have been friendlier or more accommodating. He took care of our group of about 30 kids and adults with ease. Every dish was delicious. Big portions, great price and it's BYOB. The veal dishes were fantastic and the pork Osso Bucco was a great meal especially at $23! Sal (and Mike): thank you for taking such good care of us and making our team meal such a great experience. read more

Carmen's catered for our daughter's birthday party of 45 adults; they did a fantastic job. Sicilian pizza appetizer was a big hit. The veal Marsala was extremely tender and the sauce was fantastic. We also had chicken française and chicken Brianna; again, both were very tender. The chicken Brianna was something new for us and went over real well with the crowd. The roasted potatoes were a favorite; so many compliments - we'll need to order more next time. Everyone enjoyed the pasta and the grilled vegetables. Overall, we had good menu selections to choose from, good service and most important great food. We will definitely be catering from Carmen's again! read more

I have never been more disrespected by a franchise in my life before I ordered from Carmen. The chicken was damn near walking when It got to my door, I thought I heard it chirping at one point , The worst part was the delivery guy thought he was gonna get a tip after giving me 1 plate for three people. I swear he probably he doesn't know math , I didn't even get ranch My boy had to drive in snowy weather to go get some ranch . Overall not bad. read more

Just had my daughter's 8th bday party at carmens and they did a great job. Sal mentioned that this was his first bday party but you would never tell. He did a fantastic job. They all made their own pizzas and decorated cupcakes while the pizza was cooking. Sal was very good and provided the pizza and a drink, chef hats, aprons and pizza pans for each girl - he even drew mustaches on their faces and made them say a pledge to pizza. He also made sure everyone got their own pizza back by labeling it to their hats. All the parents were very happy and loved the idea. If u are you are looking for a different kind of bday party - this is def it. read more

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We ordered catering to be delivered to my home for a gathering. Time of delivery requested was 1pm and the driver was punctual. The delivery man helped me set up and went beyond our expectations. The food was delicious and enjoyed by all. The guests complimented the buffet and asked where it came from because the chicken francece and eggplant rollatini were so good. Excellent cater. (Have been using this establishment for years as a delivering caterer but first time reviewing. Always quality food and friendly delivery). read more

Service was good but entrees were a little over priced. The calamari was a little fishy but my husband got the steak and said it was good. Ravioli was delicious. Another plus is it's a BYO with a cute little dining room in the back. read more

Great place for a great local meal. They have casual dining (pizza and such) in the front and a BYOB dining room in the back with great daily specials. If they don't have something on the menu, ask and they will make it for you. Everything is always fresh, the service is great and garlic dip and fresh bread is unreal. Great for a night out with friends or family. read more

I used Carmen Trattoria for catering my son Eric's 25th Birthday party on 5/12/18. The food was incredible. My relatives from NY even raved about how good it was. The setup and presentation was unique as they created two subs with the 25 design that I had never seen before. Sal was very accommodating and friendly. There was way more than enough food! I would highly recommend that you try the restaurant and if you need catering I would be confident recommending Sal and his staff for your next Event. Frank B. read more

Solid Italian joint in the Edison area - I've only ever gotten take out from Carmen's but no matter what we've ordered (pizza, salads, garlic knots) the quality is always top notch. I'm only giving it 4/5 due to feeling like it's priced slightly higher than other Italian restaurants, like for 2 salads and 6 garlic knots we paid $30 - seems slightly high to me. But nonetheless I would definitely recommend giving Carmen's a try! read more

I'm making a bold statement giving them the highest rating. There are more then a few reasons why I feel this is appropriate rating. The owner Sal always makes everyone feel very welcome he does his best to visit each table when he can. It's very much a family atmosphere which always a very nice thing. His food is every bit as good if not better then you would get at home. Another huge factor in my rating is the fact they are very accommodating if you like a certain dish made a certain way I have found simply ask and they will custom design any dish to suit your taste. Try doing this at other places. Last thing are the employees I have found them to be over the top friendly outgoing making you feel very comfortable what more can anyone ask for. Good jobs folks read more

Good food, generous portions, fair prices. I went with a group and everyone seemed pleased with their food but the overall experience doesn't stand out. I would go back but there are better Italian places around, in my opinion. read more

I'm visiting family here in Plainfield and wanted to take everybody out for dinner. I saw this on Yelp and decided to give it a shot. My wife's uncle lives in town and had never been here and will now be coming back with his family. What a great no fuss and straight up good dinner for a family! Kid friendly, and the staff was super cool with kids. Tip- if you want a great family dinner and don't want to break the bank then this is a great choice. Carmen's is one of those hidden gems in a supermarket strip mall. read more

Great pizza and sandwiches. I absolutely love the meatball parm sub. I've also had their lasagna, and that was excellent with lots of their sauce, which is amazing. The portion sizes are huge (with the exception of their meat dishes, which can be a bit on the small side.) One of the best things about Carmen's is that they deliver. (As a note, they will always quote 45 minutes when you call around lunch time no matter how far away you live, or how busy they are. But it never took even close to that long.) I've never eaten in at Carmen's, but I know that they have a dining room. read more

Great pizza, good entrees and decent service. This place is a reliable performer and an asset to the neighborhood.

My husband and I order from Carmen's every week. The pizza is great, the prices are awesome and the food is so good. We love the cheese steaks and spaghetti and meatballs. They also make a kick *** Cecilian pizza. Delivery is always fast and the service is great. We love Carmens! read more

Great place! Good food, good pizza and they deliver! Dine in for lunch and dinner and a pizzeria type store front area. Can't go wrong with this place! read more

This is a fantastic place as their food is excellent to have catered out, have a function (about 45 people) in their room or a spot to just stop in and grab a slice. I have had Carmen's cater our food for our engagement party and it was a hit. Everyone loved the food. That was years ago...and just recently, we had our baby's baptismal party there and once again, total success. Sal, the owner, is focused on having everything completely fresh - never frozen. He has confidence in everything he does, and setting up functions with him is fast and flawless. My favorite dish is their eggplant...but everything all the way down to the kids macaroni and cheese ...there is as much effort put into that dish as an "adult" dish! And their sauce is very delicious, full of taste. I have to say, the pricing is the best you will get when it comes to fresh, delicious food with great service. read more

This place was just ok. After reading the reviews I thought it would be better. Service was kind of slow. Food was just average. I was expecting a lot more out of this place. The bathroom was dirty, which tells me that the kitchen is probably a mess as well. Tried it no wow factor. Do t think I will be coming back. T read more

The chicken parm is delicious...my bfs favorite since he's worked there many years ago.. the subs are devine as well! Got a delicious pasta dish bowtie festival yummm everythings just delish! read more

I've had take out from this place a few times.. their pizza is just OK, but their pasta is another story.. i had their baked ziti and their chicken penne... AMAZING. and the portion for one could prob feed 2-3 people. Can't beat this place with their taste and portions. The price was ok too. Just look out for their specials.. I believe on Monday you can find the best deals. They have a sit in restaurant section and a takeout spot too.. I haven't sat in to eat but will do so one of these days to check it out. read more

Food was fair in the restaurant part. Never ate in the pizza part. Had salmon with little taste and arugula salad that was fair. Calamari appitizer was good with a huge plate. read more

Although the food is pretty good and they deliver they had a recent price increase and it's too much. A small chicken pasta soup was 2.25, now 3.75. Ouch! Other prices went up accordingly. With so many pizza places, I will find a different one. read more

excellent chicken parm, and meatballs, BYOB pretty place to have small parties, and good prices. Nice wait staff as well. The pizza is out of this world too. read more

I just had a surprise birthday party for my sister and I used Carmen's Trattoria to cater. The food was unbelievably amazing and the owner Sal was incredibly accommodating. My guests raved about how good everything was the entire night. There wasn't a crumb left by the end of the party!When I first placed my order, Sal took the time out, sat down with me and carefully helped me plan the menu. He also gave me his cell phone number just in case I needed anything else or if I had any questions. That gesture alone meant so much to our family. They delivered to the venue in a timely manner and his driver was super kind and helpful. Carmen's will be the only place I use to cater from here on out. They truly outdid themselves and their customer service exceeded my expectations. Great Job guys and thank you on behalf of me and my family for making my sister's birthday one that she will never forget! read more

Aloha! My parents eat at Carmen's regularly emailed them ( from Hawaii) for a gift certificate. They said "Tom & Terry? You're their daughter from Hawaii?" Wow! That's taking care of your customers! I had the opportunity to eat there once on a visit to NJ..The food was excellent! the atmosphere, like family. A good old time family restaurant with food that's over the top! In a world full of Apple Bees & Red Lobsters... Carmen's is as good as it gets in local dining!!! Mahalo!! read more

We love coming here. The food is great. The pizza is fantastic. We eat pizza only from Carmen's after trying other places around town. The owner, Sal, is super nice. He's done a great job with the decor which makes it a great place for small parties. It is BYOB which I like because I can bring my favorite drink and save a little money. read more

We've only used them for take out. Great food... our favorite is the family dinner. It has pasta, entree, salad and mozzarella sticks. Highly recommended! read more

Carmen's has the best Italian food in South Plainfield period. When you order you know it's going to be quality not some fast food Italian that other places give you. Don't get me wrong in a pinch a quick dinner from a "cheaper" place is good but Carmen's seems more homemade then a lot of others in town. The only thing is the prices are a bit higher then the average pizza joint, but in this case you really do get what you pay for. Would eat it every night if I could. Try the (I think it's called) Pasta Romanelli...little baskets of cheese filled pasta as described on the menu...freakin' fantastic! read more

Carmen's is my standby takeout Italian restaurant. The food is quality consistent, the menu is varied and expansive, and daily specials are creative and very good. Staff is friendly, helpful, and orders are served up timely. 4 stars applies to takeout only, have not eaten in dining room lately. read more

Food is great! Family friendly! Substitutions are not a problem. They have a gluten free menu and plenty of alternatives for those with allergies. Portions are big so bring an appetite. The dining room has sliding doors to keep the cold out which was a plus on this 35 degree day. Some things I've noticed and these aren't exactly cons as they are observations. Fans and HVAC vents can use a cleaning, bus boy/waitress helper has no uniform-I wondered who he was. All in all, a great experience. I highly recommend for anyone looking for Italian and a nice atmosphere. read more

Great food both in and out. I love the linquine with white clam sauce with fresh clams, shells and all. Delicious! Also had eggplant rollatini. I had plain pizza for the first time last weekend and it was Very Good. You can tell they use good quality ingredients, not to salty like some places can be. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed. Delivery quick as well. read more

We love Carmens! Whether BYOB'ing for date night or family night, girls night dinner or just grabbing a slice to go. We eat in and take out regularly, always hot and fresh and great service in the dining room or the quick delivery! read more

Perhaps we expected a lot based on previous reviews. Food was good, ambiance was not good, not even close. Plastic table cloths appeared never to have been cleaned. Ditto for utensils. Not going back! read more

Went in on a Friday night with a few friends, always enjoyed going here as the food and service were always good. I was a bit disappointed this time. The waiter was running around and busy while the waitress was walking around complaining about how hot and uncomfortable she was, and not even acknowledging people. We will definitely go back for the food, maybe a different night would be better. read more

We had our weeding reception here.. Sal and the entire staff was top notch.. He made our special day trouble and worry free.. The food was incredible.. Highly recommended!! read more

Stopped by for the first time in quite a while the other night. The food was good as usual however the waitress was very rude and nasty. We used to go in on Saturday nights quite often and the server was always pleasant and would engage us in conversation which is why we kept coming back. We won't be going back any time soon. read more

Best Chicken Francaise !!!! YUM YUM !!!! Use them many times for Catering & they delivered in more ways than one & NEVER disappointed ! :) read more

Love the chicken pasta soup! Order it almost every time, nice chunks of breast meat, veggies and pasta (varies) in a tasty, slightly creamy broth. A nice little extra here is the pasta salad that comes on the side with a sandwich (good cheesesteaks and meatball parm), it's nothing fancy, but tasty....It is hard to find good eggplant parm/rollatini, but you can here!!!Sadly, it's way overpriced for a vegetable dish, cost the same as the veal, why? So it's a sometime treat or on Mondays they have a $9.99 special on like 10 dishes, one of which is the parmigiana. Great lasagna, baked ziti, not a fan. Pizza wise regular pies are good, but I don't care for the Sicilian. Yummy bread and rolls with garlic oil for dipping or butter if you choose, when you dine in. Very nice servers as well in the dining room, sometimes not so much at the counter, although the gentleman that usually takes delivery orders at dinner time is always pleasant on the phone. We get delivery quite often and usually arrives sooner then they say and hot as well. read more