Red Rose
“Go for the rice balls so good and the veal dishes very tasty and the succulent lamb ribs were to die for !!”
“Santo made us feel at ease throughout the entire process and it is clear that he cares about the food that comes out of the kitchen.”
“I started with a traditional (Italian American-style with an f-ton of breadcrumbs) stuffed artichoke that was absolutely perfect.”
Red Rose
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
4 reviews
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I don't have a Noni*, but if I did I expect she'd make food like they do at Red Rose.
The first thing you should know is that the portions are huge. And the appetizers are tasty. Know that you're going to take home a doggy bag and it will make it a lot easier to look through the menu, which is both expansive and full of cheese-based items.
Red Rose is an old-school Brooklyn place, and the kind of place where if you've been twice they'll treat you as if you've been 100 times. First time? They're still really nice and the host (whose name I did not get, but should have) will treat you like extended family from the time you call for reservations to the time you walk in the door.
Things to get: the rice ball appetizer (get two) and the cheese stuffed pepper.
Things not to get (dinner variety): the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were huge, and there were four of them, but they were basically flavorless though quite filling.
During the winter, sit in the back as it's a little chilly up front but overall a great place effectively out of the way of the main drag in the area so it's not packed with a line out the door on a Friday night. This isn't where you go for a swagged out night of Italian debauchery, it's where you go on a Friday night when you just want some good food you'll most likely be eating for lunch on Saturday, too.
* – I had a Nana; Jews and Catholic Italians, always just about one letter off but basically the same thing.
You gotta love this place. Red Rose is an old school Brooklyn red sauce joint and I give them major points for keeping it so real. Actually it's nicer than a "joint" but it feels pretty joint-like, which is a good thing.
We came here right before Christmas and it was as decked out as one would expect (see my photo). It's modest, while at the same time there are little touches that make it more of a restaurant and less of a "joint." Don't get me wrong. There's no pretense here. You'll get good service. you'll get good food. And you'll leave happy.
So in a red sauce joint, naturally I'm going to want to order something that features it, preferable not plain old spaghetti. What better vehicle for red sauce than eggplant rollatini over angel hair, right? Verdict? I've had better rollatini (personal preference is thinly-sliced, whereas Red Rose's is thick), but I wasn't complaining. But the red sauce was just the way I like it– rich and zesty, *not* sweet, spiced with maybe the tiniest bit of fennel(?) The way it should be in a red sauce joint. I started with a traditional (Italian American-style with an f-ton of breadcrumbs) stuffed artichoke that was absolutely perfect. The thing is massive!
I cut my teeth on places like Red Rose, as Italian American food was a staple of my childhood, both at home and when we'd eat out. I think this place would have been one of my favorites to go to as a kid (when I would only eat one of two things: manicotti or ravioli). Nostalgia is not clouding my opinion, however as I call 'em like I see 'em and if you've been reading my reviews, you'd know this by now! Do check out Red Rose for some good Italian food.
My boyfriend has been trying to convince me to go here with him ever since we moved to the neighborhood but I resisted mostly because I was judging the outdated storefront and decor as a reflection of the food. The cheesy storefront reminds me of those strips of tourist trap restaurants in Europe that are overpriced, have terrible food and even worse service. To be fair, this restaurant has been around for decades and if the food is good and people keep coming back regardless, there is really no need to update the decor – the classic, traditional atmosphere should add to its old time charm. So finally I gave in and dined here last week for the first time. Overall, my initially negative biased impression based on its appearance was semi-correct – the food was okay, but I give it points for its real authenticity. Everyone who worked there had that old Italian/Brooklyn hybrid accent and the wines were imported from Italy and not bad either. The appetizers were better than the mains which I thought were a bit of a bust. We ordered the calamari, rice balls (one meat, one cheese stuffed), and baked stuffed artichoke. The calamari could have used more salt, the rice balls were pretty good, but the stuffed artichoke was probably the tastiest appetizer we ordered. For the mains we ordered the bow tie pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe, lobster ravioli, meat lasagna, and the crab, mussel and shrimp marinara linguine. The sausages in the bow tie pasta was pretty tasty but the sauce was really more of a broth and could have used some substance. The seafood linguine was good but nothing outstanding, and the lobster ravioli was terrible. The sauce was unappetizingly sweet and the filling had a strange texture similar to imitation crab or even a McDonald's chicken nugget (ew). I didn't try the lasagna but my boyfriend seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.
I wanted to like this place but will more than likely not return. It was affordable for Italian food at least so I don't feel so bad about trying it out just this once.
This is an understated establishment in the center of Carroll Gardens. I have been here about 4 times and the food has always been consistent, and consistently good. This place is very old school, in a good way.
The host, actually is a "host" (probably the owner); I can't remember the last time my napkin was folded for me, or chair pulled out for me unless I was at a formal affair like a wedding. The staff are young italian catholic school boys, very polite; I didn't think they made them like that anymore.
There is actually bread (a lot of it!) on the table, for free! The wine is actually affordable ($20-40 per bottle) and the menu is very manageable-just enough choices and there are usually a few nice specials. I love the lobster ravioli and recently had a great Sicilian eggplant special. I remember loving the rice ball but when I had it recently it felt a little too fried for my liking. I have had some fish dishes there, but these wouldn't be at the top of my list, although I do generally appreciate the sides that come with the entress, green veggies lightly sauteed in garlic and olive oil, choice of potato croqets, potato, or pasta (shape of your choice).
We had a blueberry tart made on the premises, which was delicious but tiny (I could have eaten three more of those).
All in all this is a good place to come if you want the real deal basic italian food, no frills just good stuff and filling portions. Oh, and of course the sauce is good, my main judge of an italian restaurant, coming from an italian family.