I have to be honest, I was hesitant about Carbone. To me, it always seemed like that Italian restaurant chain everyone raves about on Instagram but that couldn’t possibly live up to the hype. It didn’t feel “exclusive” enough to make the cut for this blog. But with literally everyone going there, I finally gave in.

There are several Carbone locations, but we chose the one inside the ARIA in Las Vegas. As far as reservations go, it wasn’t impossible to get, but like many of our tougher spots, we had to be flexible. We grabbed an early Tuesday dinner slot and arrived before the doors even opened. It was already packed outside with people waiting to get in, but once the clock hit opening time, they seated us promptly.

Now, let’s talk about the food. I actually hate to admit it, but it was worth the hype. We asked our server for the most popular dishes and started with the Carpaccio Piemontese, which turned out to be the best I’ve ever had, tender, flavorful, and worth every penny. The oysters were also a standout.

Of course, we couldn’t skip the famous Spicy Rigatoni Vodka. When we ordered, our waiter said, “If you’re open to it, let us take care of you,” and we said yes, which ended up being a fantastic play. They brought everyone an appetizer portion of the rigatoni, and it was amazing. Creamy, perfectly spicy, and genuinely as good as everyone says.

For entrées, we shared the steak and the fish special, both cooked perfectly. But what set the experience apart was the service, impeccable from start to finish. We had three sommeliers help us choose wine, each more knowledgeable and friendly than the last. I’ve heard other Carbone locations can be hit or miss in that department, but the Vegas team nailed it.

We ended up spending almost three hours there and honestly didn’t want to leave. At one point, we asked about celebrity sightings, and our server smiled and said, “You name them, they’ve been here.”

So yes, I’ll admit it, Carbone Las Vegas deserves the buzz. It’s classic, glamorous, and surprisingly worth every bit of the hype.