What an amazing experience! The wait staff and food were top notch. I cannot recommend enough.

This is one of our favorite little restaurants with charm and the feeling of being in a small restaurant in Italy. The staff are great and kind and thoughtful. They remember that we have a dairy allergy and always provide alternatives. It's cozy and warm inside. The food is wonderful. The wine list is great and glasses are big pours. We love love the eggplant parm/rolatini appetizer. You will want to lick the plate. The tomato sauce is one of our absolute favorites. Pasta is always reliable and nice sized. Proteins are good choices. The chicken parm is great and just the right size. Sauce again! Get the bread out. And I've had the shrimp scampi several times and love it. They always make us happy and well fed. We feel well cared for there and it's always a lovely meal. Good for groups too. We went with a party of 8 and all the meals were great. Don't pass on dessert! We have had some of the desserts but with a dairy allergy it's more complex and we are all usually satiated. A two thumbs up. You won't be disappointed and don't be surprised that they remember when you return. They did have FIFA on live while we were eating which provided a fun conversation but normally it's quiet and more of a date place or just low key. You will love it! read more

Really cool old New York I Italian restaurant. Great service and great food, they even do table side zabione - so delish read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Zabaglione by Julio at Il carinos upper east side - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Good spot, food was average, staff is sweet and attentive. However, two dishes, a salad and a dessert cost me more than going to a great spot a feeding 4. This was authentic at all, and I think I paid more in taxes, credit card fees and a tip than I did for the food, almost $50 alone just in that, which I think it's outrageous. I don't live here so I don't have to come back. Also, the bread was cold and old as it was very hard to chew on. It is what it is. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

80's, Second Avenue, Upper East Side.. Food Mecca for sure! You can find so many restaurants it's becoming " Las Vegas of restaurants ". I was meeting my friend Rochelle for dinner and we wanted to try a new place for Italian food. I Yelped ( but of course!) Italian food on UES and IL Carino popped up. The pictures posted on the site looked delicious. The restaurant is sandwiched between two very big restaurants. It is a small restaurant, with brick walls, linen covered tables and gold mirrors. The menu offers traditional Italian fare. I didn't know there was a Prix Fixe menu for $34.95. The options are choice of soup( Minestrone ) or salad( Garden, Mixed or Caprese) and a choice of three entrees: Chicken Parmigiana with spaghetti, Veal Scallopini Limone with asparagus, Filet of Sole francese and a glass of Pinot Grigio or Red Here's what we ordered: 1. Pinot Grigio: light, refreshing and fruity 2. Caprese Salad: fresh homemade mozzarella, roasted peppers, tomatoes, basil with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as dressing options. Delicious! 3. Veal Scallopini: nice portions of veal, white wine and capers served with asparagus. Very tasty! 4. Chicken Parmigiana with spaghetti: Chicken fried to perfection in a delicious marinara sauce and homemade mozzarella. Dynamite! Extra Dish: Gnocchi in marinara with truffles: creamy, dreamy and couldn't stop eating! Dessert: Pistachio tartufo: the chocolate shell tasted like Toblerone, the pistachio ice cream was creamy with cherries embedded into each slice and whipped cream. Outstanding! The service was warm, courteous and professional. Ambience is quiet and you can actually have and hear a conversation. The Prix Fixe menu is a great value! Served between 4pm-6:30pm. Highly recommend! IL Carino is located on 1710 Second Avenue on 89th Street Take Q to 86th and Second, walk up to 88th, 5 minute walk read more

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Very cute unassuming spot in the UES. we got the fried calamari and the salad on special for apps and dinner did a chicken parm and chicken French. The chicken was so thin we loved it so much! Also special mention for the red sauce, one of my new favorites at a restaurant (aka not my own)! The staff was so friendly and so accommodating! Will absolutely be back read more

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I haven't dined in in several years, but I just ordered takeout last night and felt compelled to leave a review. I got the chicken parm which somehow I don't think I've ever gotten here before. It was perfectly breaded and thin and flavor was great. The spaghetti on the side was the perfect amount although I might I order an extra side next time just bc I like more personally. The sauce was just how I like it smooth and perfectly balanced flavor. The host was very kind and attentive when I arrived for pickup. Will definitely be adding this back into my rotation and dining in when an occasion arises. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Chicken Parmigiana with Spaghetti Pasta Special - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Wow this place is amazing! Very small and intimate for a night out with the significant other. The food was outstanding and would very much recommend the gnocchi di patate con crema Rosa al tartufo. Additionally the waiter was very good and attentive but perhaps a little pushy. Expect to spend over $100 for dinner here. I would only recommend getting wine here as I ordered an old fashioned and it was very clear that it wasn't well made. read more

Prices on their website are deceiving. Everything was $10-15 more than how it was listed online. We mentioned to waiter and he offered us 10% off on the bill. I paid $32 for a shrimp Caesar salad that was tiny and soggy. My friends were similarly disappointed with their meals. read more

Absolutely love the chicken from Carino Restaurant! It's always delivered tasting just as amazing as the last time, so consistent and full of flavor. The portions are generous. Definitely one of my go-to spots. Highly recommend! read more

Small restaurant, feels like you're in Europe. Waiters were very friendly, know the menu well, and came by often. Food was all tasty but definitely on the pricey side. For example, the mozzarella appetizer was essentially two pieces of breaded pan seared mozzarella in a red sauce and that set us back over $25. We also asked for a couple glasses of Sauvignon blanc and were shocked they charged over $21 per glass. Definitely wish they told us that as we would've probably just gotten a bottle at that point or passed on the wine all together. Overall, although they have good Italian food here, not sure I'd come back because of the higher than expected prices. read more

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This restaurant is GREAT. I've never eaten there in person but have gotten it delivered and was very impressed by how carefully packaged my meal was. My order is kind of a pain where I like sauces on the side and is often messed up at other restaurants but they have never made the mistake here and they package it nicely with cardboard to make sure nothing spills over. The food has been delicious and looking forward to eating here in person one day. read more

Il Carino is a terrible restaurant, with high prices and below mediocre food. Not worth your time or money.

Absolutely delicious Italian authentic food and spectacular service. A lovely ambiance and quaint decor.

absolutely love their two meals for one price....big portions, my very favorate is the filet of sole & chicken franchase with pasta in lemon-butter sauce ! lots of sauce , so i either drain some off & freeze to put on other dishes or , make notation in bottom " less sauce please. read more

Love the ambience. The waiter was very nice and attentive. The food was good. Price, not so much. Pasta pricing was ok. Drink prices were way overpriced. Glass of house wine $21. Gin and tonic $21. Then when the check arrives they add a $7 credit card surcharge. I don't believe that is even legal in NY anymore. I thought they had to either include it in the menu price or give a discount if you want to pay in cash. If it were less expensive I would consider returning. read more

I took my mom here for her birthday and all I can say is that I was in love with this restaurant. It was so beautiful, the aesthetic and atmosphere was outstanding. I felt like I was in Italy. The food was exquisite, fresh and light. We kept it simple, shared our plates and got full off of so little. The dessert oh my goodness. My mother got tiramisu, that was so fresh and I'm not a fan of tiramisu but this one I loved it. I ordered an apple tart with ice cream I believe; it was delicious the apple was so fresh and sweet. The service was beautiful and graceful. The servers definitely helped extend the ambience to its fullest potential. I definitely will be going back here again read more

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Do not come here. Food was horrible! The bread tasted so stale and the mixed green salad was way too salty. The tomato in the caprese had zero taste, was not fresh. The tiramisu also had a stale taste to it. Chicken parm and gnocchi was good. Note: early bird menu price increased from $25 to $30, but it's not stated on seatd. Waiter was very unaccommodating to this fact and made us cancel our seatd reservation to be able to order from early bird menu lol. The restaurant was a ghost town when we arrived and should've taken it as a sign not to enter. Will Not be returning! read more

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I've been coming to this charming restaurants for many years and the experience is always amazing. The owner and staff are most welcoming and cordial but most importantly, they he food is very high standard and the service is amazing. We love to bring clients here as well as having intimate dinners with a small group of friends and love the experience every time. The ambience is perfect and the place is not loud like most restaurants in the city. That intimate quiet ambience makes the food experience even greater. Not to mention the wine list. !!! Highly recommended. Make reservations ahead of time as it gets booked rapidly. read more

We came to this restaurant because it was on Seated and close to us. We're so glad we ended up coming! The wine here is EXCELLENT. I got the house wine and it's one of the best house wines I've had. I recently got back from Italy and after that, most wines have been disappointing but Il Carino definitely exceeded expectations. As an appetizer we got the zucchini fritti. Again, exceeded my expectations. The batter they used was well seasoned, the zucchini was cut thinly, and the entire thing was perfectly crisp. As entrees, I got the pappardelle alla boscailo. The entree was okay. The sauce was really good but the pasta was a little too sticky and felt eggy to me. My husband got the orecchiette caccese and he LOVED his food. He killed the entire dish. We also got their tiramasu as it was part of the Yelp check in. The tiramasu was delicious, not too sweet but a little dry. They also give complimentary bread. Ambiance - It's a really cute restaurant. They also have outdoor seating the front which was nice. Price - The restaurant is a bit on the pricey side. The appetizer was almost $20 and the entrees were closer to $30. My glasses of wine were over $20 but I will caveat and say the pours are generous. We did luck out as we had used Seated so we got 17% back on our bill so we didn't mind too much. If you're local to the city, you should definitely try Seated to get cashback on your dining. If you use this link, you'll get $15 extra on top of your cashback: https://seated.app.link/5p5snzGXb3 read more

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Overpriced and just regular old Italian food. I don't know who is eating there anymore because there weren't many customers on a beautiful Thursday evening compared to nearby restaurants. If it's possible for the wait staff to be overly attentive in an odd way, it happens here. read more

Amazing!! Skip Little Italy and viral Italian spots; Il Carino is the best Italian spot in the city in my opinion! From the service to the specials, everything is incredible. An intimate spot on the UES, we ordered wine, appetizers, entrees, and dessert and it was all fabulous. I personally recommend the red roasted-tomato pesto special. This chef-owned restaurant is a can't miss. It felt like the chef really cared about each dish, the staff knew the wine really well, and the ambiance was cozy and inviting. This was my first time here and I really felt compelled to say how amazing it is since it wasn't very busy! Please try it!! And ask for Julio as your waiter! read more

This restaurant is absolutely incredible. I've lived in this neighborhood for about 4 years now, and wish I had come here much sooner. Tonight was only the second night that I have dined here, and it definitely won't be the last. The food is delicious, the staff are beyond attentive and kind, and the restaurant itself is so cozy and beautiful. No matter the occasion, the staff make you feel "at home" and go above and beyond. I will continue to take friends and family here as this is now officially one of my favorite Italian places in the Upper East Side! read more

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Our wine was soo good! The meals were superb, the salad on special was split 3 ways (we ordered 2) I had the sausage and pasta ears, wife had the white clam sauce and daughter had gnoge also excellent, we are getting desert as well. Atmosphere is really nice, can hear each other and the service is very attentive Great date spot, but also a nice family meal read more

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Got take out, but the ambience looked really good to dine in and the food makes me want to experience the dine in experience. Good chicken parm and well executed calamari. Good job on the staples and that's great for an Italian restaurant. Recommend. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Giolio always takes such great care of us! We stumbled into this amazing neighborhood Italian restaurant in April. We have been back several times. We were always met as old friends, and treated to a dining experience. The food is outstanding. the specials are relevant and seasonal. I love the amblance! You won't be rushed! Please try out this fantastic restaurant! read more

I don't recommend this place. Poor greeting, poor service and absurd prices ($21 house wine with no menu). Came in as a single female for dinner tonight. I made a reservation in the Seated App an hour earlier. The restaurant had 1 couple in it so it really didn't matter if I was a walk in or on Seated (an app where I upload my receipt and get cash back from the company, not the restaurant). The man who greeted me was rude and barked at me that he didn't get a call from Seated. He sat me, rudely barked the specials with zero prices and also wine list (no prices). I asked for a house red (which he rudely said they all were) and he poured me a $21 (TWENTY ONE) dollar glass of wine. I got a salad with really disgusting, not fresh bacon bits, pasta that was super salty and some tiramisu- that was fine. My bill was $80 because of the wine- absolutely insane. No wine menu or pricing was offered. I asked for a receipt and again was barked at for not taking a picture of a hand written bill (against the rules of the app because it lacked a name, date or time). I will NEVER dine here again and have already told multiple people of my awful experience and warned them not to dine here ever since I left the resturant. Unsure if the server/owner(?) was sexist, racist or just hated that I was a single female dining alone but it was not a good time and I should have left earlier. I kept thinking it would improve but it absolutely did not. DIRTY DELETE- Edit to say to the owner who called me names on Google Review and put me down for dining alone (then DELETED his comment): What an ugly thing to say. I don't dine alone, I just did this time. Interesting how you can't argue with anything I stated because it was the truth. What an awful establishment. I'll be sharing your comment all over social media to ensure no one else experiences this. To be clear- they wrote me an awful response AND THEN REWROTE IT. Also they're wrong. Other people in their reviews have complained about their bait and switch about pricing. I'm not the only one. Go ahead and look at other reviews. Proof is there. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - HATEFUL OWNER. He dirty deletes his awful messages. - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Delicious food and drinks, beautiful romantic setting, great service, clean bathroom. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Food and drinks. - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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The service was friendly and very knowledgeable of their food and wines. The specials were amazing and deserts tasted fresh and delicious. The restaurant itself is nice and cozy with a warm atmosphere. Definitely a good place to visit and eat. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Tiramisu and Cannoli - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Went to this Italian restaurant in NYC for dinner with my extended family due to convenience to our rented apartment and the good Yelp reviews and was disappointed. We all found it solidly okay, nothing more. The interior is quaint. Service was a bit grumpy - zero flexibility on subbing out the mashed potatoes that came with the shrimp with pasta instead, which seems odd when there was no lack of pasta on the menu. Also found it strange that the waiter described a red snapper special and when I ordered it 2 minutes later - with only 3 other tables full in the restaurant - he told me it was sold out. My filet of sol was fine but not great. The broccoli side dish with garlic was excellent. It was a very meat heavy menu - both chicken dishes had meat added to them, which I also find strange in 2023. You can do better in NYC! read more

I noted the gnocchi and Fettuccine Bolognese recommendations from a previous Yelp review when I and my party of two walked past the quaint storefront. The gnocchi did not disappoint -- it was soft and deliciously creamy. The Chicken Francese had a very strong "Lipton Noodle Soup" taste -- quoting my dinner guest. The desserts were wonderful, specifically the Tiramisu. Like other reviewers, we also experienced the grumpy host who would walk away whenever we asked for his recommendation: "Not now, I am busy." Well, thank goodness for Yelp! We ordered what was recommended on the app. We were glad to get out of the cold and we were obliged a table within 15 minutes without a reservation on a Saturday night, so there's that. I also appreciate that they were ridiculously understaffed. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - GNOCCHI DI PATATE CON CREMA ROSA AL TARTUFO - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Standard American Italian food. They serve the kind of stuff you can definitely make better at home when you aren't trying to serve a large amount of people under restaurant pressure. They fall into the category of : you are feeling lazy and want something familiar and comforting for a fair price. Under those conditions this place will do the trick. Similar to your neighborhood pizza spot that isn't great but is reliable when you just need a standard slice and have had a long day and don't want to cook nor clean. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Chicken Francese to go .. needed to add more flavor to it because it was bland , needed more herbs and some pop - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Gnocchi is omg so delicious. It honestly just makes other pastas live in the dark. Gotta try that Gnocchi! Yum! We redeem this free tiramisu from Yelp check-in as you can just show it to the waiters. It's so good! And see how nicely they setup the plate for this free tiramisu! :9 Also, Il Carino has great interior aesthetics with vibe - it's great for dates and family/friends gathering. I love how each waiters are passionate about food and proud of their dishes - definitely appreciate that enthusiasm & you'd want that at a restaurant! However, one thing I wanna point out is that the price is set higher than most places while the pasta I tried isn't as worth the price. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Went for a weekend dinner, no wait. Take our review with a grain of salt as we're not very familiar with Italian / American-Italian, but we didn't like it very much. Had the ORECCHIETTE CACCESE & GNOCCHI DI PATATE CON CREMA ROSA AL TARTUFO. The caccese was more like a stew, we were expecting it to be more oil based. The gnocci was also just ok. Also had an app that was eggplant in red sauce which I can't see on the menu on that was good. The tiramisu at the end was the best part, as we like ours moist. Some people may not like that. May just have ordered incorrectly and maybe other stuff on the menu is better, but we probably won't be returning. read more

IL Carino Restaurant - Bread starter - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Everything is delicious. The ambiance is so romantic. They now have a dinner special that runs from 4:00-6:30 that gives you an appetizer and an entree for about $35. A real gem in the neighborhood. read more

A favorite of ours in the upper east side! We love coming and ordering takeout at IL Carino, both ways food is great! We ordered from pre fixe menu and also got an off the menu dish, the Veal Parm. And did I mention homemade pasta! Was surprised that this is not a regular menu dish, I suggest this to be a regular, it is that good!! Can't wait to start coming here during the summer with the live music! read more

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With the overabundance of restaurants in this area it's a bit of a mystery how such an underwhelming joint stay in business. Positives: * Ambience: we sat outside which is nice for people-watching and to enjoy the breeze when not too hot or not too cold * Service: overall attentive although they yanked the bread from the table a few minutes before the entrée was served without even asking. * The menu says splits are $2.50 extra, but they split both dishes for free Negatives * Prices: this place is way too expensive for the quality of the food they offer. * Food quality: o Risotto: was bland and not as creamy as you would expect. The rice quality itself seemed low or maybe they did not use the right rice. Also, it is supposed to come with chopped asparagus, but there were just a couple of small pieces. o Sole: I thought the flavor was very good (although my wife was not as impressed), but the texture was pretty bad, very mushy and undercooked. o Bread: the first round of bread tasted stale; we asked for more with our secondo and they brought out a completely different much better one (why not just offer the good one?) * Variety: the menu does not have all the options you expect from an Italian restaurant If they cut their prices in half I will consider going back. read more

The pasta was hit or miss and the cannoli filling was subpar. The service was fair the environment cozy. It also felt too expensive for the quality. read more

IL Carino was an unforgettable experience!!! You get generous portions and the service was INCREDIBLE! Special shout out to Julio who went above and beyond :') The bathrooms were clean, and the ambiance was perfect too!!! Make sure you try the tiramisu!!!!!!! There's nothing like the one at IL Carino!!!!! Thank you Julio and staff!!!! read more

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Food was good, not great. Some things very expensive. An absolute vodka martini cost $21 plus. Shocking since Absolute is a very inexpensive vodka. Must have cost them all of $2 to make. read more