It's on 3 of my lists. Each entry below is what I wrote about it there, with my verdict on that list, the fullest first.
- Cost$$$$
- Address181 Thompson St, New York, NY
- From my guide, updated September 2026.
Carbone, an upscale Italian eatery, has been captivating hearts with slippery rigatoni and punchy spaghetti pomodoro since opening in 2013. Sky-high prices and limited reservations make this one of the most exclusive restaurants in the West Village, but if you can manage to snag a table, you’ll win the food lottery.
Smartly-dressed servers mill about the crammed restaurant, expertly gliding from one table to the next while clutching glistening plates of tortetini al ragu and fettuccine con funghi. It’s the quintessential New York City Italian joint most visitors have in mind when they ask about the best places to eat in the West Village.
Word to the wise, splitting the flaming bananas foster is the only way to properly cap the night.
I visited Carbone the week after the Biebers were denied entrance because they didn’t have a reservation. It felt nice knowing I’m not the only one struggling with hard to get reservations in New York City.
While savoring every bite of the spicy vodka rigatoni I knew there were countless others who couldn’t get reservations to the elegant Italian restaurant. My advice: be patient, reservations are available 30 days in advance.
An upscale Italian restaurant in the Greenwich Village, Carbone is the go-to spot to celebrate anniversaries, engagements, and, in this case, New Year’s Eve in NYC. Famous for rejecting Justin Bieber after he showed up without a reservation, it’s safe to say Carbone is exclusive. Those hoping to snag a table at the nicest New Year’s Eve dinner party in NYC can expect to pay $395 (2024 price).