Italian Village — Restaurant in Carbondale

Italian Village: A Solid Choice for Casual Dining

Italian Village in Carbondale remains a reliable spot, offering a decent experience, especially for a casual get-together like our recent small birthday celebration. It's a place that's definitely withstood the test of time, and you can see why it continues to draw in both new and returning customers.

Parking is never an issue here, with plenty of spaces available and easy in-and-out access, which is always a plus. Ordering is done at the counter, and they've updated to a beeper system to let you know when your food's ready for pickup.

This is where things got a little… interesting during our visit. We had four different pagers, and the first one that went off was for the wrong order, not ours. A bit of a mix-up, but eventually, all our pizzas and lasagna, along with our salad bar trips, made their way to our table, albeit a bit slowly. The food itself was good, though. The sauce is sweet and flavorful, and all the pizzas were tasty, as was the lasagna. The salad bar, while small, offered a good variety of selections.

The counter service was just okay – not bad, but nothing to write home about. A bit more personality and engagement from the staff would certainly elevate the experience.

However, there was a young man bussing tables in the dining area who was a real standout. He was pleasant, helpful, and kept our table clear of finished dishes, doing a great job.

The building itself holds a lot of history, and it's fun to see all the names and dates scrawled on various surfaces. It definitely adds a unique, nostalgic touch, especially if you're a returning customer. Even with new owners taking over a few years ago, it feels pretty much like the same Italian Village we've always known.

Overall, it was a good visit. While there were a few minor hiccups with the pacing of the order pickups and counter service, the food was enjoyable and the general atmosphere is welcoming. We'd certainly go back for another meal and would recommend it to anyone looking for a casual spot with good Italian food and a bit of...

I was here last night after my twins' graduation from a local school. There was a group of 4 families who decided to meet up here, we were the last to arrive at about 9:00.

The restaurant was almost empty but most of the tables were greasy, filthy looking and it smelled like bathroom air freshener with an underlying note of beer, even at the counter.

When we ordered the man behind the counter complained that we did not call ahead and warned us he had sent most of his staff home so he did not know if he could serve us. He must have seen we were taken aback because he raised his voice and said of course we are welcome but it is rude not to call ahead.

We ate outside in the "beer garden" because it was cleaner and smelled better, although nobody ordered alcohol (which earned us another grumble). The server was working hard and did her best but had to wait for plates, there were no clean utensils to bring us, etc. The place was almost empty except for us!

As for the food, we paid $28 plus tax and tip for one large pizza with one topping on half, plus four soft drinks. It arrived in about one hour. Even my teenage son waited for napkins (dispensers were on the table but empty) to soak up some of the grease before eating. It was floppy, undercooked and soaked in oil. No condiments available except, grudgingly, an almost empty bottle of hot sauce that took an additional 20 minutes to arrive and the bottle so greasy we had a hard time grasping it to get it open.

A smaller child got up from the table because she wanted to play with one of the empty beer bottles stacked in the corner.

Long story short, this is a dingy, dirty dive bar that serves subpar overpriced greasy food to people who are indulging, not a restaurant. It apparently does not welcome parties of more than 4 without reservations after an unspecified time. Probably good for college students with cash and time (and an iron stomach). Not a place...

Read before you go, so you know what we had to figure out (but still go!): The food was pretty good! I think a few things changed could help get higher ratings: as you walk inside, there is no clear understanding of what to do. Nobody greeted us, so after standing awkwardly for a minute or two, looking around, my eyes finally found the sign several feet to the right, that says to seat yourself (inside, outside, bar area, etc.) & that menus are on the table. Great! So we sat at the closest booth, reviewed the menu, and decided what to order. There were other patrons (locals, probably) already eating, so we hadn't seen the process... after 5 - 10 minutes of still no acknowledgement, I went to the bar where two young men were talking behind the counter. I wasn't noticed, so I moved around the side to be in their line of sight. Still nothing. So I politely interrupted and asked if someone would take my order. They pointed to a young woman who was on the phone taking a call-in order and said she would help me when she got off the phone. I went to her area (by the drive-thru window) and waited, ordered, and paid. She gave me my receipt and told me my number. I gently requested that she please tell me more - I've never been here, so what happens next? No one was rude or disrespectful, and the food was a good comfort food. The salad bar had a good selection, too. I would encourage the owners to have the "seat yourself" sign more visible, and include where to order. Also, an "order here" sign above that area, and a "pick up here" at that spot would also help. Gentle training of soft skills (greet customers, ask if they've been here before, etc.). Not a lot of big things, but a lot of little things that would make a...