Carmine’s Tuscan Grill Restaurant

Over priced and Manager gives the run around. I tried twice to book a reception party and the manager would not commit on a date.
«I can’t to Monday, not enough staff. Wednesday better.»
«Okay Wednesday?»
«I can’t do. Next week…»
What bullcrap. I won’t even eat here. None of my Brides will ever set foot in here.

Big shout out to Antonio who was super accommodating to a personal situation. Thank you Antonio from a customer in New York.

We stopped in here on our way from NY to Boston, and we’re glad we did! We ordered appetizers: muscles in a tomato broth, a dish with calamari shrimp and beans, and a side of spinach. Everything was delicious, the portions were ample and the service was good. All of the seafood was perfectly cooked (though the calamari and shrimp appetizer only had 1 shrimp on top; it’s really a calamari dish). I almost took 1 point off for atmosphere, though there was something fun about the tacky faux Italian bistro décor, complete with big plastic grapes and grapevines hanging across the entire ceiling. We’ll be back.

I brought the family here for our annual Christmas/​New Year dining extravaganza and we loved our experience. From the exceptional service, kitchen timing, to the food itself, all wonderful. Everyone had a different dish and everyone was very happy. I endulged with the fillet mignon with shrimp, scallops and vodka sauce. A better fillet you will not find anywhere! Grilled to perfection at my requested medium rare. Tender, buttery, just perfect. The sauce picked up the fish flavors as they were sauteed in the sauce. The appetizers, ditto. Excellent. Fried calamari tender, sweet and fried perfectly. The fillet and my appetizer of smoked salmon wrapped around fresh mozzarella with capers, think sliced onions and a touch of fresh basel were specials for New Year weekend. I loved the salmon so much I ordered a second plate to share. All in all, if you like old school Italian eateries, which are few and far between these days, make your way to Carmine’s Tuscon Grill in New Haven! Post script: because the ceiling is mostly hanging grapes and vines (see photo) they absorb sound like nothing else can. You will be able to hear everyone at your table clearly without the background din normal almost anywhere. Nature’s acoustic treatment — though the vines and grapes are plastic (look brand new, not old and dusty) they do the exact same job!

I love this place. Wonderful traditional Italian food. Great specials along with a diverse menu. Staff is always warm, friendly, helpful and attentive. I love this place for lunch. Always a pleasure.

I came back and got the veal parm. Not the best I ever had (My Mom’s) but was good. Love this place.

Unpretentious fresh food! The bread is phenomenal. Soup is insanely good with fresh garlic and escarole. Waitstaff is very friendly. Tomato sauce is excellent with fresh basil and chunks of garlic. The owner had us in stitches and basically told us he didn’t care about our Unilocal review. Lol. We had a lovely time in a quiet atmosphere.

Visited on the recommendation of a friend… lunch
Wow, a great place and the staff was wonderful. The owner greeted us and provided an exquisite lunch that included salad and a salmon dish over lentils with mashed potato and squash… all this with fresh bread and salad. Could not beat the price… under $ 12…wine selection great and server wonderful… can’t wait for our next visit

Tonight, my parents and I had dinner at Carmine’s Tuscan Grill, located in New Haven, off CT 15. It’s a family owned Italian restaurant. The restaurant was all decorated for Valentine’s Day — red and white roses, stuffed teddy bears/​dogs, bottles of wine/​champagne. On the ceiling and walls, it’s decorated with red and green grape vines and clear christmas lights.
The menu changes seasonly but the house specials change weekly. This restaurant (food quality, taste, service) never seems to disappoint me! The portion size is grand. After placing our order, the server brought a basket of sliced white bread and butter. Every entrée came with a garden salad which consisted of iceberg lettuce, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, and cucumber tossed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Some of our favorites include:
[Appetizers]
–Bruschetta
–Crabmeat Stuffed Portobello in Creamy Vodka Sauce
–PEI Mussels in Marinara Sauce
–Caesar Salad
[Entrees]
–Chicken Marsala — chicken breasts dipped in flour, cooked with mushrooms and onions in marsala wine sauce
–Chicken Artichoke (Pollo Con Carciofi): chicken breasts dipped in flour, cooked with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, roasted garlic in white wine sauce
–Trout Amandine:
Egg battered trout, topped with sliced almonds, served with sautéed green beans and mashed potatoes, and garnished with a lemon wedge
–Grilled Salmon and Shrimp:
Grilled salmon and shrimp, served over a bed of sautéed spinach, with sautéed green beans and roasted potatoes in white wine sauce
–Tilapia e Vongole Livornese:
Pan seared tilapia, cooked Mediterranean style, served in a tomato based sauce, topped with 3 littleneck clams, onions, roasted plum tomatoes, olives, and capers

Carmines has been my favorite place to dine for several years now. Food is consistently good and the portions very adequate. The staff is very friendly and very efficient. I eat at carmines at least every other week and never disappointed.

I’m torn as how to rate this. Do I use my memories or my last experience? Do I rate the food or the service? I split the difference.
I dined solo tonight because I had a powerful craving for veal saltimbocca and I remembered that they did a good job with that recipe.
The food was great. The maitre d’ was a gentleman as always. Just like I remember,
I’d say the service was bad, but it was actually non-​existent. My waiter dropped my entrée off and disappeared. I got up from my table twice and grabbed my own water.
The waitress (who was hiding from the maitre d’ by a back door on the other side of a stone wall, but in full view from my table) must have some VERY interesting friends. I say this because she was SO engrossed with her phone that she did not notice any of the times I tried to flag her for water, nor when I gave up and got my own. I mean I walked RIGHT up to the pitcher about 6 feet away from her. She didn’t even look up from her cellular device. Admittedly, I was not «her table».
I finished eating and waited at least 10 minutes before walking to the bar area (still unnoticed) and asking for my check.
It wasn’t busy. It was about 5:30pm on a Friday.
The maitre d’ apologized profusely. He’s a great guy. I remember him from when I used to eat at this restaurant weekly, about 7 years ago.
I have had some wonderful meals here, and the food quality has never been a complaint. The food is really good. There ois more to dining out than the food, though.
I payed cash and tipped, telling the maitre d’ that I wished him to keep it, as the waitstaff did nothing to earn it.
If I wanted a self-​service meal I would have gone to American Steakhouse or Hometown Buffet. The performance of the floor staff this time was hugely disappointing. They obviously just didn’t even care about their jobs or customers. The wait staff at «The Olive Garden» the one time I’ve eaten there did a much better job.
I feel bad for the owner.

Stopped for lunch on our way home from Boston. Food was delicious. The Clams and Mussels in a red garlic and oil sauce were fabulous as was my companion’s Penne Pasta with chicken, asparagus and tomatoes. Service was excellent and we received our food promptly even with a large party nearby. I highly recommend Carmine’s and will return if we are ever close again.

We have been going there for years. A bit pricy, but the veal with lobster cognac cream sauce keep us coming back. But this evening was a bummer. They have a sign on the door with happy hour drink and appetizer specials, so once seated at our table, I ordered the Happy Hour Bombay Martini. The waitress was puzzled, and brought the manager over, who informed us the happy hour specials were ONLY if you sit at the bar, but he acted like he was doing us a favor, and allowing it for us «this time». Neither did it say «bar only» on their sign, nor should it make a difference when two people show up for dinner in an otherwise empty restaurant.
We ordered our favorite, and expected the usual small appetizer with catalini beans with crackers, etc. before the salad, but it seems that, after so many years, that’s now gone away. Up until tonight, I would have given them four stars, and yes, the veal with lobster for $ 23 is still wonderful, but it appears that things are going downhill.

Very welcoming.
Food was fresh although a little pricey.
They offer kids portions of any dish.
Would return if it wasn’t 600 miles from home.

I’m lucky to have found this place, great Italian food.
Have been going here for 15 years and never disappointed.
Completely worth the higher $
GREAT lobster ravioli =-D

Carmine’s Tuscan Grill exceeded expectations for me. Perhaps it was like other reviewers said, «the dingy stretch of Whalley Ave», or the boarded up building for sale across RT 63 from the back end, that made me think that it would be mediocre.
Obviously from the exterior and interior design, the owners did their very best to liven it up and create a «tuscan-​esque» atmosphere with stucco walls, pleasant flora arrangements, and hidden wine bottles.
I went for dinner to meet up with a friend. I had the tilapia with clams, onions, olives, plum tomatoes and capers with mashed potatoes and zucchini as sides. This is the best tilapia I have had yet! It was one of those «melt in your mouth» experiences, as the plum tomatoes, onions, and capers swirled to create a culinary perfection in my mouth. The clams seemed like an afterthought though. There were 3 included in this dish and one of them was overcooked. My friend had chicken breast with garlic and hot cherry peppers in a white wine sauce. There were no leftovers to take home for either of us!
The staff was friendly, helpful, and laid back. This is the place to go if you are in charge of choosing a place for your family get together, need a separate room for a private event, or want to go on an intimate date. It’s not however, for a quick bite to eat, or for someone on a tight budget. You go to Carmine’s for a an experience inside that exceeds what’s going on outside!

I had the Pollo Parma. It was wonderful and the ingredients were so fresh. The atmosphere is very quit and romantic. I didn’t have high expectations from the outside but once I was inside I was very impressed with the staff and the menu. I will visit this place again.

I was surprised that the food was so good, given that it’s in a kind of dingy stretch of Whalley Ave. I love the décor – especially the big bunches of fake grapes hanging from the ceiling. Good wine, too, and the wait staff is super nice.

I went here for lunch with a couple of co-​workers. I ordered the Chicken Marsala. It is arguably the best I’ve ever had. I’m not a huge fan of mushrooms with the exception of Chicken Marsala, and I ate everything on the plate.
The portions were appropriate for lunch, I felt satisfied without feeling too stuffed to return to work.

Much better than I expected. Granted, it’s the same kind of old-​school Italian food that you know and love (Chicken Piccata, Veal Marsala, Chicken Parm, etc.) with incredibly tacky décor, but the food is actually quite good.
My family and I were genuinely happy with everything we were served, and I’d happily recommend this place to anyone looking for some unpretentious and solid traditional Italian food.
A pleasant surprise.