Carmelo's Restaurant

After seeing so many wonderful reviews we had to try Carmelo's. They did not disappoint!! Arrived 15 mins early so we went to the bar and ordered drinks. Both bartenders were very friendly and answered all of our questions. As soon as we paid for the drinks, they told us our table was ready so we were seated. The waitress was very upset that we already had drinks and she let us know. Ordered the calamari, it had a very light breading, which is rare, and some of the best we've had (top 3 out of all of the places we have ordered calamari). Mozzerla with focaccia bread was absolutely divine. Spaghetti and meatballs were very good (note that their spaghetti sauce has no sweetness, but it is very good). A lot of people seem to like the sweet spaghetti sauces. Also had the Crisp Garlic Alfredo - wowza!!!! One of the best Alfredo dishes we've ever had that did not include a protein. It was very evident they used fresh garlic and the Alfredo was perfect. Dipped what was left of focaccia bread in the garlic sauce and wow!!! Delicious. We didn't have any dessert, by this time we were stuffed but it was all so delicious we had to eat every bite. We will definitely be back in the future.

Excellent all around. Service was friendly, prompt, and helpful. The mozzarella appetizer was excellent. Enjoyed all the food and especially the green beans. Vibe and atmosphere was relaxed but still upscale. We will be going again.

We had been looking forward to our reservation at Carmelo’s in Covington, Kentucky for the past month. We were celebrating my birthday with a party of four on a Saturday evening in July. Our 6:45 p.m. reservation was perfectly timed—the restaurant was bustling but not overly loud, and the ambiance was definitely a highlight of the night. We began with the mozzarella and focaccia and the cauliflower. The cauliflower was flavorful and well-executed, but a heads-up: if you’re not a fan of calamari, you might want to skip it. While there’s no seafood in the dish, the seasoning and profile are very reminiscent of a traditional Italian fried calamari plate. The mozzarella, while fresh, felt a bit one-note. I was hoping for something more complex or complementary to elevate it. Next up was the Caesar salad, which got mixed reviews at our table. Some felt the parmesan was overwhelming, while others found the citrus notes a bit too sharp. Personally, I enjoyed it, but it’s clearly not a one-size-fits-all dish. Entrées were well presented and ranged across the menu: • Redfish with a side of kale – this was the lightest dish in theory, but the redfish came with a generous amount of butter, which made it feel heavier than expected. The butter was noted on the menu. • Lasagna – layered and rich, though the sauce leaned more toward an arrabbiata-style with a noticeable hint of spice. This wasn’t something we typically expect in a traditional lasagna, and it caught a few of us off guard. • Oxtail ragù – hearty and satisfying. • Eggplant Parmesan with a side of meatballs – my choice. The eggplant itself was rather bland and relied heavily on the tomato sauce to deliver the flavor. Personally, I would’ve preferred it the other way around—with the eggplant being the star and the sauce offering support. A consistent theme was the generous use of cheese—which is great if you’re into it, but maybe not the best pick for those who aren’t. The redfish was the clear exception, though again, very buttery. Service was excellent, attentive without being overbearing. And the ambiance? Spot on. Stylish and perfect for a special night out. That said, nothing truly wowed us when it came to the food. It was good—solidly executed—but not especially memorable, especially considering the price point. Our bill came in just over $200 for four people, which felt fair for the experience, but it’s worth noting that we’ve had more flavorful Italian meals elsewhere for less. Would I recommend Carmeló’s? Yes, especially for the ambiance and service. But if you’re going strictly for standout Italian cuisine, you might want to keep exploring.

Garlic soup was pretty good, the linguini was tasteless, the polenta was good, Oxtail ragu was good, the chicken was good, the tomahawk pork chop was good, spaghetti and meat ball was good and the mushroom Marsala was good. Tiramisu was pretty good as well. Kind of pricy and and nothing to draw me back.

Tried the eggplant parmesan & green beans at Carmelo’s, absolutely delicious. The flavors were rich, comforting and beautifully balanced. The space is warm, the service is great and everything feels thoughtfully done. Definitely coming back.

What a nice restaurant! Super neat on the inside and the ambience is great (although we were sat at a small table between two other tables, which I do not think was necessary when there were plenty of other tables available). We started with the mozzarella, which was delicious. For dinner I had the 101-Lasagna, simply amazing. My wife had the Mushroom Marsala and we ordered the sesame seed bread with red gravy. For dessert, we had strawberry sorbet. Everything was tasty, for sure. The service was very good as well. We'll go back, but most likely sit at the bar. I would put everything at a 4.5 - 4.6, but unfortunately, I am unable to since the only options are 4 or 5. Definitely go to Carmelo's if you get the chance.

Our food was very tasty, and lots of cheese on top! There are quite a few gluten free options and our waitress was very helpful with pointing those out. Everything I ordered was gluten free, and many of the pasta dishes can be made gluten free.

Amazing! Atmosphere was beautiful. Our server was very sweet and knowledgeable. Food was amazing! The mozzarella was so fresh. The Caesar salad was perfectly dressed. The garlic soup was the smoothest and most flavorful soup ever. The eggplant Parmesan was a favorite on our table. Lasagna and mushroom Marsala were also amazing :)

I am in town for family function and found myself alone for dinner. As per my hotel bartenders recommendation I walked up the street and found a great seat at the corner bar, which was pure luck because the restaurant was packed with a few groups of patrons waiting for tables. I ordered the Sea bass and side of kale it was so delicious. I was jealous of my bar mates sitting next to me had the ox tail ragu looked amazing. I'd love to go back and sample the menu another time.

We have another amazing Italian restaurant, and it lives up to the hype! Everything we had was so great, and I think Carmelo's is up there with Pepp and Delores. The ceasar salad was so punchy and cheesy, highly recommend that and the mozzarella to start. The pasta portions are plentiful, and the layered lasagna was a hit. The ambiance was great as long and the service , we would love to return.

Stopped in for a quick bite. The veggie lasagna is as good as advertised! I am a meat eater, but the flavors on this dish popped! I need to go again.

I've been dying to dine here. I love the little nooks and rustic modern decor. The service was excellent and very warm. We both had cocktails and enjoyed them. Started with soup, mozzarella with grilled focaccia. The soup was good. Cheese and bread delicious. I do prefer grilled vs the standard that seems to be, charred. I really do not like the burned taste with the bread. Many places are doing this and I realize this is the way, I'd just like it grilled as in grilled cheese preparation. We split the ceasar, loved it. One had spaghetti and one the oxtail pasta. I loved the sauce on the spaghetti, had a little kick. Although my friend felt her pasta was a little over. My oxtail pasta was good but I wish it had the same kick as the spaghetti. We both enjoyed but we were not blown away. I'd most definitely come again.

Finally made it in to try Carmelo's and it did not disappoint. Our service was fantastic and the food was on point. Love the rustic interior with various art work. Can't wait to come back and try new dishes.

Great service and a nice atmosphere. The spaghetti and meatballs was just OK, but my daughter enjoyed her crispy garlic Alfredo. I felt as if the pasta could be a little more al dente.

Ooooof this place I thought was going to be so good but it didn't live up to the expectations at all. It's not like the food was bad, but it definitely was not great. First off it was 5:30 pm when we had a reservation and we got seated at that time, and we were seated in a room with one other table there and we were placed right next to them. It's not like we were just placed next to another table, but it was like I was sitting right next to them and they were in our party because I was sitting in a booth next to another person. I could hear everything they were saying, and when their waiter was serving them water and food, it's like they were all up in our food. Very crammed and I did not enjoy that. Besides that our server just did not give us good vibes at all, they were friendly, but we're very standoffish. They also offered us a free birthday dessert after they let us look at the dessert menu and told them know. I feel like common courtesy at a restaurant would've been to let us know and bring us out the dessert without even asking!!! Either or we rejected the free dessert because we just wanted to get out of there. I will say that the mozzarella and focaccia bread was outstanding. The Alfredo was fine but it almost just tasted like butter noodles, like I can make that at home myself. I was very disappointed in the lasagna because I thought it supposed to be really good based off of that's what they recommend on the menu. However, when I received it instead of it being a thick piece of lasagna, it was a very thin and sad spread out piece of lasagna. It says it's a 101 layered lasagna and obviously I knew it wasn't supposed to be 101 layers but come on they should've added some more to it. All they did was beat it up with a bunch of Parmesan to make it look like it was more than it was, but I promised you it was not. I was not impressed with the way that the noodles were cooked either. I thought this was supposed to be housemaid pasta however it was all very chewy not cooked to al dente at all. And the lasagna reminded me of chef Boyardee can pasta. Safe to say I won't be returning here.

Overall, our experience was great with room for improvement. The space itself is beautiful with soft lighting and upscale decor. Perfect atmosphere for a special occasion or date night. The entire restaurant was busy and packed full, and we arrived without a reservation, but we were able to find seats at the bar quickly. Our bartender was fantastic throughout the night -- offered great suggestions from the menu, knowledgeable, and checked in on us at appropriate intervals. We started with the cauliflower for apps, and it was delicious. Perfectly crisp, nutty and savory, and came out blazing hot. We had the lasagna and mushroom pasta for mains. The portion sizes were generous. The lasagna, unfortunately, fell short of expectations. The sauce was good, but the noodles themselves were thick and overcooked (mushy texture), and was lacking any distinctive flavor within the layers. On the other hand, mushroom pasta was delicious -- on the verge of being cooked past al dente, but the mushrooms and cream sauce worked so well together. Finished the night with Tiramisu. Again, portion size was generous (good to share between two people). It wasn't too sweet and the texture was good, but there is a bitterness that overtook most of the dish. I can see how some people would enjoy the bitterness, but it was a bit strong for our tastes. All in all, positive experience. Worth trying if you're in the area! Recommend the cauliflower and mushroom pasta.

This is a difficult one as I don't want to give it 4 but also a 3.... First off, the location is beautiful. Had reservations and were promptly sat. Would love to come back and sit at the bar as it was lovely. Server was Mitchell I believe and he was great. Checked in and gave some good suggestions. I've known a bunch id people who have come and knew what I wanted to try. Also, not overly loud which I enjoyed. We got the meatballs and cauliflower as apps. Totally forgot to order the garlic soup which means I will go back and give it another shot. Meatballs/sauce were good but tbh, like Mamas better. Cauliflower was my favorite thing. So amazing and would order it every single time!! My friend had fettuccini and in the oxtail ragu. We both tried each others and Alfredo was not good. Not terrible but weird flavor. Ragu was pretty good but needs some more seasoning. Pasta all cooked well. Overall, like I said, I'll try it again at the bar. I think prices are fair as others said they weren't. Nicely sized portions. Drinks good as well. Just hoping a little bit more on the flavor side IMO.

Italian is my favorite food, and so when a new restaurant opened in Covington, we knew we had to try it out. The vibe is very classy and quite nice (but maybe a tad too dim). We ordered the potatoes for an appetizer and the Oxtail Ragu and Mushroom Marsala with a side of focaccia to--as our server said--soak up the remnant sauce from our pasta. The garlic confit crispy potatoes came out a bit later, accompanied by a Calabrian Chili Mayo (I LOVE Calabrian chilis). It was so good. Spicy and creamy, but calabrian chilis add a touch of sweetness and richness that made every bite exquisite. Then the pasta arrived. My wife and I are prone to splitting/sharing our dishes, but we know what we prefer, so I dove into the oxtail ragu and she took the mushroom marsala. And we both really enjoyed them. We swapped to try the other's dish, and... Found that we both liked the other person's dish better. The oxtail ragu was meaty, salty, and hearty, really good stuff. But the mushroom marsala was--and I don't say this lightly--perfectly seasoned. Tons of herbs, a flavorful creamy sauce, and tons of mushrooms. the focaccia strips were also very good. This will likely be our go-to Italian spot in the future. Not the cheapest option out there, but not breaking the bank either. A nice spot for a date night.

Finally made it here and it's so good My pictures didn't turn out very well This place is phenomenal Our service was exceptional Keshaun was our server and we were friends by the end of the evening he was a friend Now the food Oxtail Ragu oh my goodness So good so tender My hubby got spaghetti and meatballs Our friends got the starter of mozzarella and the lasagna One pound of lasagna crazy This place is wonderful

We went to celebrate my mom's 76th birthday. No surprise, It was fantastic. Morgan, our server was so attentive and competent. We of course, had the mozzarella...it was fantastic, but the focaccia helped make it! Also at the table, which we all took bites out of, was the garlic soup, which was more complex tasting, than I could imagine. The meatballs, were delectable. Apparently the oxtail ragu is a favorite. The meat melted in your mouth with a sauce that complimented it, but didn't take away from the star. The 1 lb lasagna... obviously enough for many days of leftovers. Finished up with the most amazing tiramisu and espresso martini. I was surprised by how large the restaurant is and Beautiful. The architecture of the brick and arches are breathtaking. Definitely make a reservation. You will not be disappointed.

Carmelo's is a winner! Great Italian food and drinks! We had a party of 6 on July 5. Our server, Harris, was fantastic! She was knowledgeable about the menu and very personable and professional. We never had an empty glass and our food was fantastic! Get the calamari. It's the best! The mozzarella is to die for! The spicy shrimp pasta is delicious. Same with the garlic Alfredo. Don't skip the tiramisu or gelato! We will be back, for sure!

Everything was a 10/10. Absolutely everything. We were sat immediately when early for our reservation. We were given water, and a fantastic selection of wines for the first round. We got the sourdough for an appetizer and the sauce was amazing. We got our food quickly and it was amazing we cleaned our plates completely. We ordered another round of drinks and they were all delicious. 10/10. We got the gelato and that was amazing. Could. Not. Recommend. More.

5/5 recommend this cute gem in Covington! I recently visited Carmelo's for a girls night out and I'm glad I did. Everyone loved their meals and drinks. I tried the Oxtail Ragu with gluten free noodles, cauliflower and calamari. All of it was sooo good. This was some of the best cauliflower I've had and the sauce on it was a hit! My friend tried the Caesar salad which she loved as well but was disappointed that she couldn't add a protein to the salad. That would be our only recommendation if additions are made to the menu in the future. We failed to make a reservation but were quickly sat at the bar and all of the servers were super engaging and fun to talk to! We will definitely be returning!

Just loved our experience which was delicious and filling. They accommodated my vegan meal request with a pasta and vegetable dinner. The chef even sent out two different small bowls to complement my meal. The herbal mixture and red pepper sauce were not needed as my meal was very flavorful. I did try them and loved them. My boyfriend got spaghetti and a meatball dish. The dish was topped with lots of finely shredded cheese. He commented on the light red sauce as unique and he couldn't quite determine if he enjoyed it or not. Finally decided it was just different than what he's had before. We felt like the meal needed bread. We looked on the menu but it wasn't available to be ordered and none was offered. I highly recommend making it an option to order if not complimentary. Just needed it. Our server Kristen was very good and explained the menu to us. The atmosphere is lovely and it appeared to have been that way for quite sometime but in a conversation with one of the owners we knew that it was band new. Well done. Highly recommend and we will definitely return. Perhaps they will expand the menu and offer bread for order as an option. Thank you for a great meal.

This place is amazing! It's so hard to find really good Italian food and this is it. The inside is beautiful and the staff were so nice. They have amazing drinks and cocktails and everything we ate was delicious. The pasta was super fresh. We will be back!

Where to begin! This place was great from start to finish, we started with the appetizer, going in with no idea that it wasn't going to be mozzarella sticks caught me off guard in a good way!! The rosemary olive oil infused mozzarella was amazing. Followed by the Ceasar which was pretty good nothing out of the ordinary... unlike the lasagna, which was top 3 lasagnas i've ever had!! and it was vegetarian. It was creamy the sauce complemented the cheese so well. the mushroom pasta was delicious as well i cannot lie!! 10/10 experience.

Had a top tier dinner last night at Carmelo's. The vibes are top level. Someone has invested a large sum of money into this place. The restaurant is quite large, much bigger than I expected. Beautiful decor with good music playing over the system. service was attentive without being annoying. Had their take on a Negroni to drink and it was gin forward and bitter in a nice way. Started with the mozzarella and it was fantastic. The bread they serve with it takes it over the top. The garlic soup is unlike anything I've ever had and I don't know of anywhere else in Cincy that makes something like it. Great textures and the chili crisp on top is a great touch. Not spicy. The pastas were rich and delicious. I loved all the parm on top of everything. Can't wait to go back.

We made a reservation through Resy and went on a Tuesday evening. The restaurant is beautiful and really adds to the Italian experience. My absolute favorite was the cauliflower shareable. I can't wait to go back and order one just for myself. ;) The 101-layer lasagna didn't disappoint either. If that sounds like a lot of layers you should think of it more like a lasagna croissant of pasta. It wasn't heavy, but it is a LARGE portion. The Oxtail pasta was a welcome option to short ribs. A bottle of Cottanera Rosato is a must for your meal. Don't forget to top it all off with some Carabello's espresso(we opted for decaf) and another large portion, the tiramisu.

We had the best dinner at Carmelo's! From the food to the drinks to the service by Kristen, it was fabulous! Started the meal with a delicious red wine, and the mozzarella and cauliflower appetizers. The mozzarella was melt in your mouth good, and the cauliflower was packed with flavor and a nice crisp finish. I would have never ordered the cauliflower if it weren't for the suggestion of the server and table next to us but oh so good! Then we went with the Oxtail Ragu and Spaghetti and Meatball entrees. The gravy on the Spaghetti was so good! The Oxtail Ragu also delicious and a bit of a reminder of short rib flavor if you haven't had Oxtail before. We were full after all the food so we saved dessert for our next visit and had espresso martinis as a nice finish to our night!

I really wanted to love this place, as it's getting a lot of hype. Sadly, I just think there is better Italian food in the area. Our server was super friendly and the food came out quickly. I had the green salad, which was huge and very tasty, but at $13 it should be noted that it would have made two servings. I split the spicy shrimp pasta and the lasagna with a friend, both were fine but not really outstanding. When a dish has spicy in the name, I really expect to taste some spice, there was not any. The lasagna would be better with meat in it. I'm glad we tried ths spot, the space is lovely, but I'm not in a big hurry to go back.

Went here based of chow down reviews. Appetizers were good-we got cauliflower and mozzarella. Good but not excellent. Bread from the mozzarella app was very good-9.5/10. Entrees-got the oxtail based off the multiple recommendations off the chowdown group. Also got the sausage based off the recommendation from server (who was great.) The oxtail was so salty we both were unable to eat it-And we are not sensitive to salt or weird about that. Sausage was bland, but red sauce was good. Cocktail menu was hyped up and it was so lame imo. Love to support local, but def was overhyped.

The ambiance of Carmelo's is perfect for date night , several vegetarian options and full drinks list. Service was great throughout the nice, our waitress explained our vegetarian options and was attentive with filling up our water. The Appalachian sour was balanced nicely and not too sour. We started with the garlic soup which was potato based, creamy with punches of garlic, it was nice of them to split it for us. We enjoyed the 101 layer lasagna which was crispy and saucy however would have liked more flavor overall. We also ordered the eggplant parm which was served like long eggplant fries. While presented nicely I thought the dish was overly fried to where it was dry. It could use more sauce , I didn't taste the eggplant as much because there is a lot of fried breading. The tiramisu is out of this world yumm! Airy, creamy and so tasty. All in all may return for drinks and dessert or occasional special dinner to try out some of the other vegetarian options.

We were able to get a last minute reservation. Apparently, this is the new hot spot in Covington. The ambience is fantastic. What a beautiful restaurant. We were incredibly pleased with everything about our experience. The mozzarella appetizer seemed like it would be a boring option, but it was outstanding, but as good as it was the garlic soup we shared was even better (the chef's sister happened to be sitting next to us and recommended both). We got the lasagna and the sausage plate. Both were very good. The sausage was a very unique plate and I enjoyed that more than the lasagna. All-in-all this is a fantastic restaurant with great food, service, atmosphere.

Wanted to kick off the New Year with trying a new restaurant and my friends and I got a reservation at Carmelo's! We were running a bit behind due to the weather and they were great to accommodate us. The staff in general and our server especially was so friendly, he had great recommendations and a great sense of humor, and was super attentive. We loved everything we got- the mozzarella is to die for! The polenta was also really good. The entrees are a great size and you've GOT to end the night with some tiramisu. Can't wait to come back here! Great vibes. I would also say Carmelo's is reasonably priced compared to other spots in town! :)

Luckily snagged an early dinner reservation for a Saturday night at Carmelo's for a holiday dinner. First, the service was amazing. The server provided recommendations and coursed out all the food. We started with the potatoes and mozzarella to share. The potatoes were crispy on the outside, but so soft on the inside. I ordered the oxtail ragu for my entree and the portion was large enough to take home leftovers. Highly recommend ordering the tiramisu for dessert!

I've never been a meatball guy. Just a food guy. Will try most anything. On my first visit to Carmelo's, picked up an order of the meatball appetizer to go (along with a bunch of other stuff.) The cauli appetizer was delish, mozzarella fantastic. But the meatball. . . what dreams are made of. On our next trip, my wife's idea, I ordered spaghetti and meatball. Pretty sure the last time I ordered that, I was like 8 years old. Let me just say that I now dream of this dish. So simple, yet amazing. The meatball, firm, moist, hearty, just a big ball of delicious. Add to is the pasta, gravy and cheese. Wow. My mouth is watering just typing these words. When chef and owner Mitch stopped by our table I shared my love for these meatballs. So happy to have these in my life. I can say that I will judge all other meatballs against these. I'm sure there's other stuff worth eating, but only if I taste it on my wife's plate!

We tied Carmelo's for our anniversary dinner after hearing a lot of hype. Overall, the place is pretty good. We really enjoyed the appetizers. The meatballs, mozzarella, and eggplant are all tasty. We got the lasagna and the mushroom Marsala for dinner and they were solid. Tiramisu was similar. The ambience and service were excellent. Carmelo's is a quality addition to the Cincy restaurant scene. Overall a good, but probably a step below the top tier Italian in the city

The place is very neat inside with exposed bricks, unique lighting, and seemed to be buzzing with happy patrons. The food was expensive and the portions were adequate. We had garlic soup first and it was pretty tasty, we had calamari next, and it was like chewing on rubber bands, and the sauce was like tihick Campbells tomato soup. The entrees were the sausage, and the linguine Alfredo. Both were disappointing as well. The lamb sausage seemed to be old , and it was not hot. The linguine was ok, but the value was not there. Out server was reallly sweet, and on top of things, I can't remember her name, Iwe did feel rushed when she asked to "collect my autograph" with the signed credit card pickup before the plates were cleared. The staff was all really good, and that would be the only thing that would make me give it a. Second chance.

Went here for our double date night and I have to say I was dissappointed in the food. They are new and I have heard great things about them. The best part of my meal was the mozzarella, but they fell short on the 101 layer lasagna. I know that is one item them are known for, but I didn't think it was very flavorful or anything special. The service was also quite slow and I didn't feel like it was anything great. I wanted to like this place, but it really just didnt do it for us unfortunately.

Great to see a new restaurant opening in the COV. The menu is simple allowing the kitchen to focus on a good product. The food was above par for the area. The service was adequate but not entirely professional. The location and decor is good and at or slightly above expectations. May go back.

The moody atmosphere , with the efficient staff. You don't want to miss Carmelo's putting roots down in Covington. It's Italian fair , and they will not disappoint. I've been 2x in the last week. From the sea bass as big as my plate to the perfect aperol spritz. It's a little piece of Italy right in Kentucky that you have to try. Family night or date night count me in . Veni, vidi, vici! Iykyk.

Rustic industrial type feel. Staff was knowledgeable on menu and made good suggestions to pair with our meals. The food had a fusion vibe more than just Italian straight up. I had hear amazing things about the tiramisu and we were so excited to try it. It was good but I think it was soaked in chocolate? It wasn't our favorite but they gave us a budino (not pictured) also well and that was so good. Great experience and glad we tried it.

Had never been here before and stopped in last night. I lived in Chicago for 15 years and ate at nearly every Italian spot the city had to offer. I think this is as good as anything I've ever had. We had the calamari (pan fried perfectly), the mushroom masala (get this...no brainer) and the tomahawk pork chop. Service was great and my wife and I had to bust out the leftovers before bed to have one more bite. That good. Go to Carmelo's.

TL;DR The food is very good, I won't be coming back. I really wanted to like Carmelo's, but our experience was a circus. One of the weirdest instances of dining out I've ever had. Part of me wants to chalk it up to Carmelo's being brand new, but the other part of me thinks that there is no excuse. You have to be great. I made a reservation on Resy, specifying that it is our wedding anniversary. We live in Cincinnati, so we are driving by at least 4 top tier Italian options to get here. We check in. Wait a couple moments. Our table is now ready. We are led to ... a high top-ish table in the bar area. Right by the front door. There is so much traffic with wait staff. People waiting to be seated. The bar is packed and if I reach out my right arm, I am touching a patron seated at the bar. Not exactly romantic. Our waitress comes, and I very politely ask if we could be relocated to the dining room as we are here celebrating our anniversary. A reasonable request in my opinion. She goes to check. She comes back and states that those tables are reserved for folks with a reservation. ?? I tell her ... we have a reservation. She leaves and comes back again, saying there's nothing available and "well .. this is it." I get up and look into the dining room to see for myself. There are at least 4 open tables I can see. I decide to kind of just suck it up and try to enjoy my evening regardless. I order a drink. A few moments later, a manager (I presume) stops by and apologizes for the mishap and says that he has "a VERY special table for us." He asks if I'd like to come check it out prior to moving. I say that I trust him and we gather our things. He leads us to a private dining room, directly off the main dining room. If you've ever been to Boca, think of the secluded booth in the corner. However, this is more like a conference room shrouded by curtains. So there we are, in a dead quiet room. At an 8 person table that looks like it was purchased at an office furnishings outlet. Talk about atmosphere! (Sarcasm). We legitimately felt like we were in a closet. You could hear a pin drop in there. At a massive table. Just so, so strange. I now think that this "special table" was presented to us, almost in a mocking manner. I could be misreading that, but it certainly felt that way after being seated. Still haven't received my drink. At this point I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone. I think of the notable restaurants in town that Carmelo's is attempting to compete with. If I had secured a reservation there, denoting that it was my anniversary, 0% chance they stick me at a high top in the bar area. I kindly inform the waitress that we will be paying for our drinks and heading out, as I had already secured a different reservation at one of the aforementioned 4 and notable restaurants that I had to drive by to get to Carmelo's. At this point, a new manager comes to our table and very politely requests that we stay. He mentions that there is a 4 top in the main dining area and if we would be so gracious as to relocate, once again, they would be sure to take care of us. I realize, hey, it's a new restaurant. Things happen. I'm here. I want to try the food. I'm starving. Let's do it. Finally seated. I cancel my other reservation. From there the dining experience was above average. The food was very good as I mentioned before. Our waitress was a touch slow, but again, new restaurant, figuring things out. The dining room just felt like an empty room. With tables strewn about. Not the best description I realize but it didn't have that captivating ambiance like a Pepp or a Sotto. Perhaps a different flooring option, maybe a big chandelier? I don't know, hard to put my finger on it. During our meal, I see the first manager retelling the story of our musical dining tables to what appears to be another patron. There were some eye rolls and laughs. I'm watching him the entire time. At the conclusion of his story, he makes eye contact with me, and he quickly looks away. It was then I knew I would never come back. I won't go into all the food details because you're probably bored of this review. Similar to how I felt after finally getting to a decent table. I wanted to kind of just eat and get out of there. Oh and as far as the second manager's assurance to "being taken care of," we were comped a side of Polenta. Not that I was expecting a discount, or a free dessert, but you know what I mean. Our experience was unforgettable, yet forgettable at the same time. While the food was extremely solid, you only get one chance at a first impression. If you want to compete with the big dogs, and draw clientele from across the river, you have to be on your A game, from the start. There is simply no reason for me to return. If you live in the Covington area, I'm sure this is a new, great option for you. If you live in Cincinnati, it's not really worth your time in my opinion. You will go once and that will be it.

The first time we went (months ago) everything was great! The food was delicious! However this last visit was completely different. COMPLETELY! The salad was pure cheese and soggy. The Alfredo was so mushy and gross, I couldn't even eat it. So disappointing.

So damn good! Polenta 10/10 Mozzarella 6/10 Caesar salad 10/10 Garlic soup 15/10 Shrimp pasta 10/10 Alfredo 15/10 Potato side 15/10 Green beans 8/10 Tiramisu (I'm a traditionalist so the chocolate vs true lady fingers threw me off, but other in the group loved it)

Simply put - outstanding. Party of four and we each tried different dishes. We started with the Mozzarella appetizer with cocktails. Dishes included the lasagna (may be my new favorite meal out), the oxtail ragu, the spicy shrimp and the chicken. All were incredibly well prepared and presented. We also enjoyed the tiramisu to cap off the meal. The restaurant itself is in a classic storefront in Covington, giving an old world vibe that complimented the meal nicely. I should also compliment the service - waitstaff were helpful without being intrusive and everything was delivered promptly. We'll definitely be back and bring others to enjoy as well.

The polenta hits and the oxtail ragu is money. Also credit to the staff, I watched them deal with some very difficult customers with a lot of grace and patience. They were great.

Great food meets great vibe! Service was very good! The lasagna lowkey was my favorite thing! Scale your evening down as a date or scale it up with friends!

I decided to try this restaurant because of all the hype, and we chose it for our anniversary date. The staff was wonderful--friendly, knowledgeable, and very attentive. The restaurant had a very intimate feel, which I really appreciated. Unfortunately, we were seated near a loud table, which was a bit frustrating for someone soft-spoken like me, especially since the rest of the restaurant felt much more peaceful and there was a lot of empty tables. As for the food, I was excited to try the pasta. I ordered the lasagna, and while it was good, I was a bit disappointed to find that it didn't have any meat--maybe I misread the menu. The flavors were nice at first, but after a while, it felt a bit repetitive. My fiancé ordered the oxtail pasta, and we ended up swapping dishes, which worked out well because I really enjoyed it! We also had the meatballs as an appetizer, which were delicious. For dessert, I tried the tiramisu, which had great reviews, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me. The portion was generous, but the flavor was much more bitter than I expected. I've had many tiramisus before, and none tasted quite like this. I did take it home and ate it little by little--it wasn't bad, just not my preference. One thing I really appreciated was that the owner personally made rounds to check in on guests, which was a nice touch. Overall, while this visit wasn't perfect for me, I'd be open to giving it another shot and trying a different dish next time!

Good was wonderful, the mozzarella appetizer was my favorite! Give this place a try while you're in the Cincinnati metro!

What a gem for Covington! The atmosphere is a warm Italian feel. Our server was so enthusiastic about the place. She spoke about them using local Covington restaurants such as North South Bakery and Golden Gelato on their menu. If you love garlic be sure to order the Garlic Soup and their Crispy Garlic Alfredo!! Amazing!!! Tip: ask for them to split your meal to share so you can try multiple items.

Great new Italian spot in Covington in a beautiful location. Exposed brick throughout and nice ambient lighting provided a great atmosphere and the food was even better. The garlic soup is a must order! Lasagna was very good as entree and was a sizable portion. Definitely will be back to try some other stuff on the menu.

We ordered: meatball app, mozzarella app with focaccia, Caesar salad, simple green salad, 101 layer lasagna and Alfredo pasta Meatballs were excellent! Also ordered an amaretto sour to drink which was good too. The pastas were a bit salty for us, music was super loud inside too. Would recommend the apps for sure! Tiramisu cake for dessert was nicely creamy, bitter and not overly sweet. Server was Grace and she super nice and attentive!

Fantastic food and service. I loved the lasagna. The music and the lighting were so lovely. I'm so impressed!

We came here for my birthday dinner, requested by me. I've seen lots of hype about this place so I was excited to check it out. The service was great, our server Grace was so nice and very helpful with the menu. Loved her!! We started with the Caesar salad and split garlic soup. The soup was tasty but I felt like it wasn't out of this world. I felt like it was heavy cream with garlic and croutons. Needed something more to it. The salad was delicious. Fresh greens and loads of Parmesan, just the right amount of dressing. Loved it. Following this, we had the calamari. My boyfriend loved it and said he would order again. I only ate the little peppers and olives (fried, so good!) as I don't eat calamari. For our entree we had Alfredo and added a meatball. We also had the 100 layer lasagna. I felt like both meals were heavy pasta and cheese. The meatball was so small! I was expecting an oversized meatball for the large portion of pasta, but no. The meatball was fine, not much to note. Not great not bad. The Alfredo was fine but again, not much to describe it with besides that it was a lot of pasta and cheese. The lasagna was a huge let down. There was no meat in it, barely any cheese, and the noodles were thick and bland. After 4 bites I was over it. We finished with tiramisu. Overall, I really hope this place can expand the menu as there are not many options. I would like to see more protein used in the meals. I loved the ambiance in there. Very classy, moody, and elegant. Hopefully with some tweaking this place can really soar!

Our party of 6 waited a couple months for this Wednesday evening reservation and looked forward to trying Carmelos for the 1st time. As a group we were disappointed. The service was not good. It was 10 min before the server touched our table, another 10 min before cocktails arrived, we had to ask the server several times for additional drinks, the soups and appetizers were delivered to the table at the same time instead of in courses and we had to ask them to clear the drink, soup and appetizer dishes as they were placing entrees on the table so we had sufficient room to eat. As for the food, the garlic soup was delicious but it could have been hotter. The pulled mozzarella appetizer also was good but they only gave you 3 small pieces of bread and, of course, the server was no where to be seen to ask for more. The $25 lasagna was bland and not all that is was hyped to be. It may have had 100 layers but they were not visible to me. For the price, a salad and a little bread would have been appropriate. We enjoyed the pasta dishes, chicken and pork, but a serrated knife would have been nice to cut the pork. We opted to do elsewhere for dessert and after dinner drinks because the acoustics were soooo badddd we could not hold a conversation among us. I would not rush back here, the hype of a novel Italian restaurant in Covington did not live up to the reality of our experience.