Cara MiaAlways Reliable Pre-Theatre ItalianHave eaten here several times. The food is well-prepared and flavorful basic Italian. The Puttanesca was good with al dente penne and the salads are fresh. It's a tiny restaurant and almost always packed, especially on weekends, so it's not the place for people who don't like tables crowded close together. But it's a very good, and reasonably-price neighborhood Italian and great for pre-theatre dining.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ExperienceWe ate at Cara Mia prior to going to a Broadway show. The atmosphere was great. Small, but very quaint. The doors to the restaurant were open, and it was nice to people watch while enjoying dinner. The food was great as was the service. We would definitely go again.6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food at a great priceI have been here numerous times and I have never been disappointed. I have brought many guests ranging from business contacts to little kids. Never a problem.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic experiance, great foodI really enjoyed dining at Cara Mia, the food was fantastic and the prices were reasonable. The servers were attentive, friendly, and very helpful with suggestions for wine and dishes.
The stuffed mushrooms appetizer was delicious, I wish I had the recipe to make them at home! They also let me revise the homemade pappardelle dish to be bolognese instead of with mushrooms, it was perfect.
I was there for a business dinner but would go again with friends or on a date.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were well treated and theWe were well treated and the food was very good.It rained torrentially the entire day so our party of 4 were among the few people in the restaurant for lunch. We would certainly try it again and ,based on our experience, recommend it to friends6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat findGreat food, moderately priced. Excellent and well-timed service.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAttentive staff, receptiveAttentive staff, receptive to requests. Enjoyed the variety of food selections and look forward to returning to try more items on the menu. Very reasonably priced for the quality and location and overall experience.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFood is great!Always crowded, always delicious! Tables are veryclose together, but that adds to its character. But don't go there if you want to have a private conversation :) Reasonable prices for entrees, but Caesar salad is a bit small for its price. Always have had a good experience there.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMThe pasta at Cara Mia is OUTSTANDINThe pasta at Cara Mia is OUTSTANDING! When you want great homemade Italian food, this is the place. My thirteen year old daughter insists on Cara Mia whenever we are in the city. I am more than happy to oblige.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMBuono!Cara Mia is one of our favorite restaurants in the 'Hells Kitchen' area of manhattan. Whenever we get the opportunity to dine there we absolutely take advantage of it - and we're never disappointed!!! Grazie!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMThought the order of 6 bakedThought the order of 6 baked clams were overpricec at $13.95. They were tasty but a little too salty.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMDependable Pre-Theatre Dining SpotCara Mia is our favorite pre-theatre dining experience with great food, good wine selection, reasonable prices and convenient location to all on Broadway shows. Not a location for groups of more than 4 people. Always offer some unique seafood, pasta and veal/lamb specials and the service is efficient and polite. Reservations for pre-Theatre recommended, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat hidden treasureI got the name of this restaurant from a friend at work. With the price fix menu, it was actually cheaper than going to Ruby Tuesdays (which we had for lunch). Take that for a moment. Food was excellent. The only reason I gave 4 out of 5 stars was for the limited selection of dessert choices included with the price fix. Two options was a little sparse in my book. This is a smaller restaurant, so be prepared to be a little squished, but soooo worth it!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMTight quarters and a highTight quarters and a high noise level did not prevent us from enjoying the food here. With stuffed mushrooms and buffala and tomatoes for an appetizer we realized that the portions at this pre/post theater hot spot were plentiful. For our entre's we dined on tender and flavorful eggplant parmegian and a delicious polo toscano which was filled with an ample amount of tender chicken, sausage, peppers, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives and a nicely seasoned brown gravy. Roasted potatoes and broccoli accompanied the chicken. The broccoli was a bit overcooked. We finished with delicious coffee and an interesting take on a profitarol.
We overlooked the cramped feel and noise level and enjoyed the flavors and preparation of a tasty meal.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific pre-theater find...reasonaTerrific pre-theater find...reasonable priced, very good food. Cozy atmosphere. Definately be-back!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGood Italian food for afterGood Italian food for after a show. Calamari was fresh.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWas really surprised and pleasedWas really surprised and pleased at how delicious the food was considering how moderately priced the place is. My pasta dish , which was one of the evenings specials was truly " special" . Staff was excellent, helpful and made excellent recommendations. If you are in the neighborhood it is a definite must.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMReally lovely experience everyReally lovely experience every time we go. Perfect after the theater, so friendly, accommodating and great food and people and atmosphere. When in the city it is a favorite for me and also for my family when they join me. Always feel welcome and well treated to good food.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMQuickie in NYCWe were recommended to eat here by a friend who lives in Manhattan (we live in Sausalito CA). Great place. Very accommodating, we arrived 40 mins early and were seated right away. The staff are very attentive, seem to anticipate when we needed more bread, oil etc. The endive salad was fresh and so were the walnuts. I had the veal scaloppini - wonderful, tender and a sauce that melted in my mouth. My partner had the
chicken with tiny tomatoes, exquisite. The wine list is wonderful and sensibly priced. We were never rushed and will revisit the next time were are in NY5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food!We got held up in traffic but they held our reservation ( we had play tickets) they were very nice, our food was wonderful, our only complaint was the very very limited beer menu, sometimes you just want a cold domestic beer.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThe staff were incrediblyThe staff were incredibly nice. We had a big group with a baby and they were really nice and accommodating the entire time. I would definitely come back. And the food was delicious!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMEVERYONE ENJOYED THEIR DINNERWe were a table of 7. Unfortunately, this restaurant has no round tables only has long tables. It was hard to converse and the noise level was quite loud. Had a hard time understanding the waiter who was reciting the evening's specials.
Food was nicely presented and very tasty. Everyone enjoyed their meal from Salmon to pasta. Good salads.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMDeliciousMy gnocchi was cooked perfectly and the my fiance loved the Papardelle.
We will be back!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMVery SatisfyingI've been to Cara Mia several times and have always been pleased with my dining experience. This time I brought my two daughters, one who's visiting from Oregon. They ordered pasta and I had the grilled branzino. We also drank some excellent rose. The servers were all attentive at the appropriate times and I like the casual and quaint atmosphere. I recommend Cara Mia for some satisfying Italian cuisine.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dinner in "H*ll's Kitchen"We found Cara Mia through OpenTable during our recent trip to Mid-town and had a wonderful meal there. 3 different entrees were all good and great service. Nice small location for a meal with convenience of H*ll's Kitchen. I would go back again.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAte at Cara Mia before a 7:30Ate at Cara Mia before a 7:30 show. Arrived late and thanks to prompt service was still able to make curtain time. Nice ambiance and good pricing for NYC. Have been there before and would certainly go back.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Start to Theater NiteCara Mia is conveniently situated for a delicious dinner followed by that dash to your theater (at least that's the way we do it) Great service, excellent caesar salad and homemade pasta that is exceptional.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGirls night outDining ata cara Mia was a great start to our girls theatre night out. The food was wonderfully delicious. Our second time there and will dine there again.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific food, excellent service.Terrific food, excellent service. Noise in the restaurant was off the charts, could barely hear yourself speak. Not the place for a first date or a romantic evening, but great food!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMA good find.I booked this restaurant on a whim, based on some good reviews. To be honest, we just needed a good, reliable place to eat before seeing a show. I guess I went in with low expectations, which were quickly exceeded. Great service, great food, and a decent, intimate atmosphere.
Noise levels were extremely high, but this is NYC on a Saturday evening. Delicious food - would highly recommend, and wouldn't hesitate coming back next time I'm in town.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food/Service, Cramped SpaceSmall restaurant, but the problem is they pack too many tables in the small space. Very tight with the diner sitting behind me and the diners to our side we had three inch separation between the tables. Not good for private conversations.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, great pasta selection,Great food, great pasta selection, great service, although somewhat small and crowded.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI went at 3 PM with a friend,I went at 3 PM with a friend, it was a late lunch and we had the place all to ourselves. The staff is friendly. The decor is tasteful, but I wouldn't call it romantic.
The style of the food isn't necessarily for everyone. My friend didn't enjoy his all that much, I loved mine, but I can understand why he didn't like his. It's very old-world Italian - it isn't a spaghetti and meatballs kind of place.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat spot for dinner eitherGreat spot for dinner either before or after the theatre. Seafood and pasta was delicious.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMCara Mia continues to be moderatelyCara Mia continues to be moderately priced and well placed for theater goers. The service is "in your face" a bit before theater, but that is probably necessary because it is always full. The food is good, not great. But overall it is good value and consistently so.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMStrategy: reserve early timeThe food was worth the wait to get in. We had open table reservations, but large groups were lingering over their desserts and coffee and delayed seating us by 45 minutes. Likely the bottleneck was from people going to Broadway shows. Not the staff's fault! After 8pm, there was no waiting in line. It's a small venue so table/chairs were very tight.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding choices on theOutstanding choices on the menu, food was delicious and very reasonable. Wine list was extensive. Great place, great value, staff was lovely. Will go back often.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food... great waiters...seemsGreat food... great waiters...seems to be very popular dining spot in the theatre district. Easy to get to from Port Authority bus termial.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMCharming environment withCharming environment with very attentive and pleasant staff. Food choices, though not extensive, meet a full range of preferences, including vegetarian. The homemade pasta with 3 mushrooms was fabulous. We had a group of 4 & we were all very happy with the experience. Really empties out when theater crowd leaves, but within 1/2 hour, it's buzzing once again with a full-scale dinner crowd. Eclectic gathering of Manhattanites - good energy.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI love this restaurant! Hadn'tI love this restaurant! Hadn't been there in years and was delighted to see that the wonderful food and service were still available! I will go back again soon - they really treat the customer well and are attentive to your needs. They aim to please. And the Tartuffo is the best in town!3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMA Neighborhood GemVery small and a little crowded but well worth it. The food is amazing if you stick to the homemade pasta dishes and Secondi. Nice wine selection but the wines by the glass is good. Even under extremely busy conditions the servers are attentive.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have dined at Cara MiaWe have dined at Cara Mia several times, and find it to be the perfect representation of a NYC restaurant. It's a favorite of ours.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMCara Mia!Outstanding sauce. No problem making a shrimp Parm which was not on the menu. Friendly waiter, fast service, nice wine list,great food at moderate prices. We loved it!3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMTheater district gemA true find in the theater district. The food is always good, a terrific value considering the moderate prices. It's lovey and quiet unless you encounter a tableful of screeching young people--something it's hard to avoid anywhere.2/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWent 2 times in 2 days!My husband took me here for my 30th birthday and it was so yummy that I took my best friend for his birthday 2 days later! On Saturday night is was crazy crowded and slightly uncomfortable. On Monday night, it was quiet and lovely. The boar was AMAZING! Will be back!1/30/2013 12:00:00 AM