Food is great here, price is very reasonable. It is not a very fancy restaurant but it's great for the family or a casual meal. Service is quick and the margaritas are amazing, especially the cucumber margarita. read more

The location is stunningly gorgeous. Absolutely stunning and colorful art on walls take you away from here. We were wondering if they were open yet. It was after lunch. We were greeted by a waiter who took us to a table with menus. He took our drink orders. Dos XX's. Chips were great with the salsa and beer. Got 3 Shrimp Tacos with beans and rice. Wife got 2 Carne Asada tacos with rice and beans. Great tacos. We get cilantro and onions. Shrimp tacos came with sauce, slaw and avocado. Excellent. Lots of carne asada in tacos. Clean bathrooms and very clean overall. Well run ship. read more

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We had a great time here and food was good I do recommend this place and staff was great clean place also.

I had a delightful lunch meeting here on a weekday. As other Yelpers reported, the colorful, bright and festive decor is really nice and it hits you upon entry. It immediately feels like a fun, relaxed atmosphere while upbeat music plays overhead. We received our menus, water, chips and salsa almost immediately, upon being seated. And our order was taken very fast too. I would typically get a salad or something light, but I kept hearing how good the chimichangas are, so I ordered one with shrimp. I love that it isn't saturated in sauce so it arrived hot and crispy. I could only eat a third of my meal, as it was a generous and filling portion. The sides alone, could be a lunch portion itself. I love that the menu offers a variety of seafood or veggies options too. Our server, Edgar, was very polite and funny, and he checked back with us often. I look forward to returning after work so I can try a margarita and other menu items. read more

Carmina's Restaurant & Banquet - A generous side of beans, rice, and guacamole. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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My husband and I stopped by on a weekday for lunch. There was literally no one else there. Service was good and they were very attentive. Chips and salsa were also good. I enjoyed their green salsa. My husband ordered some sort of burrito I think. He enjoyed it. I ordered shrimp tacos and the shrimp came all chopped up and mushy. It was dripping with grease. The texture was off putting and I felt so incredibly sick to my stomach the rest of the day. I will not be back. read more

This place is never busy when I come. I came in for an early dinner. Was seated promptly. I got queso app. The queso wasn't the best I've ever had but the salsa was great! Chips were fresh. I got tacos and they were good. TVs on. Decorated for holidays. The server was very nice and polite. The parking lot is huge. The restaurant itself it big. They can host or accommodate large parties! read more

Attended a retirement celebration on Friday evening. The atmosphere and music were nice. The celebration was for approximately 30 guests and we were seated at one very long table and another table. I am not sure if this was the host of the celebrations choice, but it was difficult to socialize and talk to one another. Service was very slow and not prepared for a Friday crowd. Drinks took a long time. I ordered a strawberry margarita and ended up with a margarita after 15-20 minutes . The waitress never asked me for my order, so I ended up not ordering. I was able to munch on chips and salsa. I would probably go back to try again, since I have heard good things . read more

It is a fantastic spot for a fun evening out! The live music was a highlight--talented singers entertained the crowd, and even a few customers joined in. The friendly competition for the best singing with prizes added a unique and engaging touch to the experience. The food was delicious, meeting all expectations. the dishes we tried were satisfying and well-prepared. We also brought a birthday cake to celebrate, and the staff made it feel incredibly special. Wearing their quirky celebration hat was a fun touch that added to the joy of the moment. The ambiance was warm and inviting, with a lively yet relaxed environment. It was the perfect for snapping pictures and creating memories. Its a highly recommended! read more

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Went here for dinner Saturday. The parking lot was very full so we figured the food must be very good. After we went in, we noticed there were very few people inside and the cars were for an event in the banquet hall - a wedding I believe. My wife and I ordered steak burrito dinners. While we waited, we ate the chips and salsa. The chips were freshly made and still warm - very good. When the burritos came, they looked nicely toasted/grilled but they were only luke warm. The refried beans were luke warm and the rice was room temperature so basically cold. My wife reported the same. We were very hungry so we asked the waiter to just put our plates in the microwave and bring it back hot. He did, but it still wasn't very hot but we ate it anyways since we were hungry. Our daughter got tacos and claimed those were warm. Although I know not all items are made to order in a Mexican restaurant and many are made ahead of time and kept in food warming trays, there's no excuse for a burrito to be served luke warn. Plus, the quality of the taste just wasn't up to par based on many other burritos I have had at other restaurants and I've had a lot of burritos. I can't recommend this restaurant, at least not if you like food hot. I would probably have rated it a 1 but the chips and salsa were actually very good. There's too many other Mexican restaurants out there to eat here again. For a total bill of almost $80, it isn't unreasonable to expect hot food. read more

Wow the decor has been updated and looks so beautiful! You have to come here just to experience the artwork. The tables and walls have gorgeous purple light reactive airbrushed designs! When we were seated we received chips and Pico De Gallo. I asked for some green salsa because I cannot have tomatoes. Our waitress was very accommodating. We started off with the Nacho Supreme appetizer and when we finished them we were not hungry for dinner. Next time we will order dinners. This place is beautiful, they play music in the background and the waitress we had was so sweet and nice. I definitely recommend dining here if your in the area! read more

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Unfortunately did not have a good experience here. We may give it another try but not sure. Food was mediocre. They seem like nice people but something was off. Hope for the future. read more

Decided to try Carmina's for the first time today,and we were quite pleased. This restaurant has a spacious dining area, nicely decorated with colorful murals, and festive lighting. The music added that extra special touch.The bartender was kind & made excellent drinks. Jessica our waitress was very sweet & cheerful and provided 5 star service to us. We ordered the enchilada dinner which we're presented beautifully on our plate.They we're fabulous and the best that we've had in years.Perfect portions and very filling.There is also plenty of parking and a banquet hall there.We will definitely be back soon. A must try. read more

Food was very bad for our whole family party! I ate chile Rellenos plate and it tasted really old I think they freeze it and re warm it up cause it tasted old .. **And the worst part is that the next day I got reallly bad runs!! Or food poisoning Some other of my family ordered other plates and that was bad too .. "Camarones al Diablo " And we tried letting the manager know and he said that all looked good and there was nothing he can do .. Also we were celebrating my granddaughters 13th birthday which that was nice they do come and sing with a Mexican sombrero !! to celebrate and bring you a dessert ! But food good luck maybe you will have better luck.. read more

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Went here with a group of 44 after a memorial service (we catered pork, enchiladas, beans, rice, toppings, etc.) The food tasted good, but the next day 30+ people from our group got sick, even after we confirmed it was from this restaurant. The owner refused to take any responsibility and did not offer any sympathy. Plenty of other places to go for Mexican food in the area...pick any of them over here. read more

The place is nice, and the servers were nice. Although they did for forget to bring out the utensils. And the food was mid, I kinda expected it to be good. I don't think I would be coming back here. read more

I haven't explored too much of the menu here. I will say the salsa is a pico de gallo style salsa, not blended at all, just tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and cilantro. The chips are great and will last u til the next day if you get them to go. The queso is also very yummy here. The margaritas are good for being from a mix of some sort. They are not grossly sweet or fake tasting. They have a lot of draft choices, American drafts too, not just Mexican beers. get a draft, the bottles are the same price. Lastly, Carmina's just remodeled. there is all sorts if neon lit paintings now throughout the restaurant. it gives you something fun to talk about over dinner. Check them out especially if you live in the area. read more

Great service, salsa, drinks and food. The lomo de res was excellent and the drink garnishes were fresh.

The food here is always amazing! If anyone should get tips it should always be the cooks who put effort not only in making sure the food tastes amazing but the presentation as well. The only problem I have is the service. It's always soooo slow. My husband and I always have to wait a while before a waitress even shows up to take our order. Also slow as hell to bring the bill at the end. We usually get tired of waiting at the table so we go to the front entrance and wait until he or she finally show up. I would never recommend this place for a gathering. If they take forever with just 2 people I can't imagine 6-10. And I've never been there with the place being full. It's usually pretty empty when I go. Like today Saturday was there around 3 pm. Pretty empty so why so long to come to the table. Not sure read more

Foods is really good, portions are large. They always play the music too loud though. Can't hear the conversation at your table.

That's a 10 star restaurant but I only could write five. The ambience, the food, our waiter Edgar 10 stars. We just really feel like we're in a first class place. He even gave me a cloth Frozen for my shoulder because I was in pain. What kind of restaurant like that? read more

It was more than expected will definitely come back . It's funny I live so close by . I always drive by and never once stopped in to check the place out. But today we decided to stop by because hubby was craving MEXICAN FOOD . I was ok let check the place out but let me tell you from the moment you walk in the host greets you and seats you right away . For a Saturday evening it was great ! The atmosphere the music was great! The food was amazing (the salsa verdad (green ) was delicious the guacamole and the chips the best . I would have post pictures of the food the we order . But I will tell you their fajitas are very popular. Hubby had their fajitas and he was satisfied. Every table was ordering their fajitas all you could hear was the sizzling from the meat lol . Will definitely go back . read more

Horrible service. Very rude waiter and host. The manager seemed okay about it, too. I will never give them my business again

Very extensive menu. Small place but you'll be surprised at how nice the people and food is.

Jasmine was the BEST!! We had such a good meal and drinks here. Karaoke on Friday is the best!!

Moved to Elgin from Chicago. On our way home, we always passed by Carminas restaurant, always a bit skeptical because it seems that it's always empty. Even during the summer, we always noticed that they weren't enough cars. Anyways, we finally decided and tried it... The food is good-decent, although I was in shocked to have payed $90 for 3 Suizos burritos,1 steak nachos and 2 plain tacos. This restaurant is way too exorbitant for just "Mexican food" I mean we are not in Europe. No wonder the place is always empty. I'd rather drive to Chicago for some amazing Mexican food for half the price I payed today. I know we're under an inflation worldwide, but $90 for Mexican food? Come on guys.... As much as it hurt what I payed today, we won't be back again! read more

I called in my order for a tamale plate which should include beans and rice. When I arrived at the establishment, I was greeted by staff and my order was on its way to the bar area. I noticed there was no chips. I was given chips and made my way home. When I arrived at home, I opened my plate only to find two tamales with no rice and bean. $18 for two tamales with no rice and beans. I just asked for a refund at this point. I can purchase a dozen homemade tamales for $12. read more

Well well well, what can I say about this place. It's no Del Barrio or Bien Trucha but it's 1.5 blocks from my house. So why have I not visited this place and I moved here 5 years ago? Well reviews are everything to me. And I heard the food was crap. But then the pandemic hit and I used Grubhub to get Sammy to send me the goods. Well that's all over now. So after 18 months on lock down, I decided to let Carmina make things all better. They didn't. The drinks are good. I bought a round for my wing of the bar. But the food was terrible. And I told the bartender as such. They can't get any local sports games. I was able to cast my AT&T account to their TV's and watch the game. But the bartender was being a total bizzo and I shut it down. Brought $200, left withh $120. I can walk there, get drunk and walk home. But I'd rather Uber to somewhere, anywhere, else. Do with that what you may. read more

Carminas is so pretty inside and clean! The food is authentic Mexican food and the margaritas are so refreshing. The service is top notch, everyone is so attentive and nice! read more

Carminas is a great place to have a great time. The service is wonderful and very quick. The servers are always very attentive and will quickly fix the order if its the wrong order. I would definitely come to this place and order a mango margarita! :) read more

My SO and I came in later on a weeknight to try this Mexican restaurant. From the outside it looks cute and spacious, which is normally our cup of tea. We were greeted and sat quickly. The booths were comfortable and spacious. The restaurant was divided into a few different rooms, a front room with outdoor windows, a bar area, and a big main dining area towards the back. This particular night they were offering some type of special karaoke, not sure if it is a normal tradition for them, but, luckily we sat in the front dining area which was much quieter. We were brought complimentary chips and salsa right away while we looked over the menu. I thought the chips were awesome, but for me, the salsa was a bit spicy, and it was their most mild offering. They offer some drink specials during the week, and it happened to be Long Island Iced Tea night, so, that's what I went with and it was good. I would definitely say that the food here is on the more authentic side of Mexican than the TexMex side. But, the food was good and for authentic Mexican food seekers, this is your place. I had a 3 enchilada platter, trying the various meats in each one, and they were all good. My SO had a fajita burrito, which was also good. I think there recipes could maybe use a little tweak here and there to enhance the flavor, but, overall good for authentic Mexican. Server was nice and did a good job working a lot of tables himself. We would go again to try a few more things on their menu. read more

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Ricky was our waiter. He was awesome! Food was delicious. We definitely will be back.

I'm here with a friend from Tucson AZ. the service was the best. The food is comparison to Sonoran Mexico food. The prices are good. Very good selection of tequila And beer. Very much recommended Carminas Restaurant read more

I want to thank all the staff for the great job they did helping me host my daughters wedding shower. The food was great and our guests loved the margaritas. I received only positive feedback. If you get a chance, check out the newly renovated banquet hall. It is big and beautiful. Again, thank you! read more

We had a wonderful dinner. It was girlfriends going out night and it couldn't be more enjoyable.. Our waiter who we called Archie was there with suggestion and very helpful with dinner selections.. They had a special lent menu for those who needed it since it was a Friday night. I had steak fajitas which was done perfect.. I can't wait to go again and go down the menu and try it all! read more

We have been here a total of four times. The first two times we had the worst service you can imagine at a restaurant so we were never going to come back. The next time we came we came for a private dinner for my friend's reception, and the food was outstanding! We decided to give it another chance. On the fourth occasion we had awesome service, the food was great and we definitely would come back. Today, on the other hand... We sat and waited... And waited... And waited... About 20 minutes after that and saw other tables were being served around us we decided to leave. We will now call this the last time. I'm not paying a small fortune for bad service. Can't say I didn't try. Off to Coronado's where we always get great service & amazing food! read more

First time and went for lunch and what a great experience! Delicious food, great service definitely will be going back! So glad to have tried it. read more

Been coming to this restaurant since I was a young kid & all the experiences I've had were always just perfect. Their burrito Suizo is the best with only rice on the side. Love their pico styled salsa & chips. Waitstaff is very swift & always got attentive & great people there. read more

I'll be honest .... every time we've driven past this place, there aren't many cars and I've always wondered how they've continued to stay in business. When some friends have mentioned their food and that it's good, I finally decided to drag my family here for dinner. Glad we did .... we had excellent service, and the food was very tasty. Came out quickly, super hot & fresh. We'll be back. read more

I loooooove this place. The atmosphere is real chilled. The waitresses are beautiful. The food is delicious. And the DRINKS....... to die for..... the food is so favor full. The drinks. If you find yourself out there in Elgin for whatever reason... make sure you stop there and get a bite to eat. You won't regret it. Peace out my taco peeps read more

If you want good Mexican don't stop here. Food was bland, no spice, lack of balance and acid-- which was weird for a Mexican place. The soda was even flat! Salsa was more pico made with un ripened tomatoes. Epic fail in general! read more