Getting a table under Carmine’s mismatched chandeliers is tough, even by Theater District standards—and it'll be that much harder once the Times Square Italian mainstay (and Broadway darling) officially reopens for business this September. Once you do snag a spot, you’ll be greeted by an amicable staff that dishes out gigantic portions of family-style specialties. Chicken comes slathered in savory marsala sauce, and eggplant parmigiana is thickly layered with tomato sauce and bubbling cheese. Enormous desserts (like the aptly named Titanic, a sundae atop a chocolate torte) verge on the obscene, and the odds are high that you will hear “Happy Birthday” sung more than once.
As the Theater District prepares to welcome back culture fiends starting September 14—following a 17-month-long shutdown—the iconic local eatery is rightfully doing the same. It's time we welcome back the quintessential New York date: dinner (at Carmine's) and a show.