Food here was deeeeelicious! Started with fried calamari which is prob the best and shared the med salad also delicious! Our waiter Bill was super nice but he seemed a little service-challenged. Started out kinda slow but he improved later on. First off let me say that the host stand needs a lot of improvement. There were 3 ladies standing there and the blond one was taking care of a guy in front of me while the other two were glued to the screen. I mean, look up ladies and greet the guests!! The Indian gal was prob the worst of the 3 and the other one which was supposedly the manager couldn't crack a smile whatsoever. NOT A GOOD LOOK for the restaurant! Anyway back to the service, Bill our waiter took forever to get our drinks and not sure if it's his fault or the bartender but it wasn't that busy when we got there so who knows. Food-wise I have to say is what brings me back here. The spaghetti with meatballs were phenomenal! The chicken parm was ginormous and delicious too! The vibe in this place was fun and energetic but the hostesses were the downers here! Retrain them!! I'll def be back and hopefully they'll sort out the host situation. read more

We've been there 4 times now and everything we had was absolutely delicious! The new decor is nice but I miss the old joint. Also, what happened to the iconic sign. I've been waiting to see it and now believe it isn't gonna happen . Five out of Five because at the end of the day it's about the food!!! read more

(Kari's Rating 6/10) TLDR: -Large portion sizes -Attentive Staff -Decent Italian I've been to this place a few different times, and I've never been disappointed. If you're craving old-school Italian, this is basically the place. Since I'm not very big drinker, we didn't order drinks, but we had the wedge salad split into two portions. I actually didn't get a picture of the white salad because it was so delicious. I ate it all! We also ordered the chicken Parmesan to share. Which was hammered very thinly to make it extra crispy! We actually left with leftovers and we had a decent amount for lunch the next day. I think the Chicken Parmesan should've come with a little bit more pasta, but maybe I'm being a little bit picky because we both split it. They also seated us at a booth for about six people, so we felt a little bit uncomfortable as we were kind of staring at the other restaurant tables. Our server was very attentive, and our water was always refilled, which was nice. Again, since this is a chain, I don't think it's anything to write home about, but it's nice for large groups or corporate events. read more

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We came on a beautiful sunday summer evening and sat at the bar on the rooftop patio. The vibes are excellent here, as is the overall service and experience. I had a delicious glass of chianti with our meal. We got the ceasar salad, arrabbiata, and gnocchi. Everything was delicious and nice portions. Can't wait to be back and try more dishes! read more

Carmine's - Ceasar salad, arrabbiata, gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Old school Italian on a rainy cold night? Yes, please. Carmines on a week night is still busy but way less chaotic. I was seated promptly by a wonderful member of the wait staff. I wasn't too famished so the server recommended the papardelle ( which are made in house). This meal was just what I needed. Deliciously fresh pasta with zesty tomato sauce and warm bread! read more

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We've waited for months for them to open. They tore down the old building and built a new one. The decor and service are great especially our server Chersti. The food was just ok, not like we remembered . The veal piccata could have been more tender and the chicken Parmesan was huge but just ok and the lasagna hit the spot. The sizes are big so don't order too many appetizers! A hit with our group was the banana pie, which we cleaned the plate. read more

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Super last minute dinner with the parents and I got to see the Carmine remodel! Huge win!!! Turned my really bad work day around lol- I came here a lot when I was little and the remodel is great. It used to be very dark and stuffy, but now the upstairs is completely open, They have a huge patio and the vibe is just a lot more laid back. The food here is super reliable and great. It's one of those Italian places that give you huge servings, but it's actually really good. We got the chopped salad, which was excellent and diced perfectly. Service was quite slow tho- so they are working on that. We tried the brick chicken and the square noodles. Hot take but this chicken is getting on my list for favorite chicken dishes in Chicago- so flavorful and came with lovely broccolini! Again, really big servings so it makes it worth the price - and they still do free bread! I'll be back! read more

Listen... everybody cannot get me outside in negative 35-degree Chicago weather at night But for my goddaughter's 18th birthday, I did it and let me tell you, it was WORTH IT. Every negative degree. Every layer of clothing. Every step outside Italian food is my absolute favorite, so I was excited to see that Carmine's Italian Restaurant is back open and just in time for Chicago Restaurant Week! The $60 Restaurant Week menu did not disappoint. For appetizers, you can choose between stuffed mushrooms or calamari. For salads, there's the caprese or Caesar salad. Quick note: the Caesar dressing does include anchovies, which gives it a strong, authentic Italian flavor so if you're sensitive to that or have allergies, just keep that in mind. For your main course, you can choose from a variety of pastas like cheese ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, and more or go for an entrée. I had the chicken parmesan, and baby... it was EVERYTHING And for dessert, you get to choose between tiramisu or cheesecake. The portion sizes? Let's just say they understood the assignment I was so hungry that I started eating before taking pictures, so I only snapped my entrée The staff was friendly, the vibe was intimate yet spacious, and the aesthetics were beautiful. Carmine's used to be one level, but now it's two levels, and the space feels warm, elevated, and welcoming. I'm honestly just happy that Carmine's is back open. And yes, I'll definitely be going back. If you're looking for a cozy Italian spot with great food and atmosphere, do yourself a favor and check out Carmine's. read more

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Welcome back, Carmine's! We had 4pm reservations and were STOKED to go there today, their 1st day of business! The new building is fabulous! Enter into a bar foyer area with a hostess at the end. We had reservations and were greeted promptly. We were told to take staircase or the elevator. We chose the stairs. It's a GORGEOUS winding stairway, but with wet boots it is a teensy bit slippery. So if you take the staircase be cautious if your shoes are wet. The structure is truly fabulous. The 2nd floor is beautiful. Gorgeous bar area with ginormous televisions screens. Definitely not overcrowded room, and the choice music is fabulous. We loved it. We sat at a table, not a booth. (I don't like booths so glad we got a table.) Our server was Bruno. Very nice guy and very attentive. First question was about food allergies, which is so refreshing as a gal who suffers from anaphylaxis-type. I only stated nuts and sesame. My mistake. I felt very comfortable eating here. My tablemate ordered the seafood salad and I got my favorite... chicken Vesuvio. Choice of chicken on bone or off? I chose on. I should have said chicken breast with the bones but ask them to remove the bone and cartilage of the breast after it's cooked. Makes it way easier to cut and eat. My Chicken Vesuvio was $38 and served in a beautiful lemon sauce (would have liked a bit more juice, cuz it was so delish) a breast, wing, leg and thigh. The only issue was my fault. It was covered in peas and I'm allergic. The kind of allergy where simple removal from the plate was all I needed. They offered twice to remake it but I insisted no! It was my fault and removing the peas was sufficient in this case. (I asked if the dish had capers, not peas! And yes, peas are listed on the menu, I just missed it.) My chicken was insanely delish. Perfection, actually! My tablemate ate part of the chicken breast and one of the potatoes. Said it was juicy and he might get that next time. But he had his own dish. Seafood salad ($32) with shrimp and lots of calamari! Lots! Served on a bed of lettuce with a dressing but I forgot to ask which kind. I think it might have been an Italian vinaigrette. He said he'd definitely order that seafood salad again. Having Carmine's reopen is a great start to 2026. It's one of my most favorite restaurants and we are super excited about the patio opening at some point. read more

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We returned to restaurant after being going for a few years. The overall setting changed with space and more space. The room is very large which allow sound to travel back and forth. The booth was very colorful popping and was very warm. The eggplant stack was on point. The stack and 6 layers the alternate with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, crispy egg plant layer, arugula, and the drizzle of balsamic vinegar. The olives flanked the stacks on each side. Slivers of Parmesan cheese on each stack. This is a must on our return. The chopped salad was very engaging and most enjoyable. The salad was separated with chopped elements in pyramid on base of lettuce. The ingredients were carrots, beets, celery, tomatoes, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, cumbersome, and olives surrounded to pyramid with side order of blacken shrimp. The dressing was serviced on the side. They should bottle the salad dressing, it was an Italian vinaigrette. The Chicken Milanese with arugula on the side was very thin, and lack flavor in the actual meat. We spoke with Steve the manage. He indicated that we would speak with chef. We ask for manager card. The card have not come yet. We will return placing chicken milanese on the side for another choice, the eggplant stack, and the chopped salad will be selected. Shalom read more

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I've been waiting for the new Carmine's and it did not disappoint. The space is beautiful, with an open kitchen. There is a nice big bar, with lots of light. The decor is very pretty, lots of wood and glass. Tables are close but not too close, and it was a little noisy, although table conversation was easy. There were four of us, and we shared the meatballs, plenty for each of us. They were delicious. We also shared the chopped salad, it came with all the veggies piled high, and it get tossed tableside. It was huge! Four of us, and we couldn't finish it. For entrees we had one chicken Parmesan and one Square Pappardelle noodles. The portions are huge! The food was delicious, but the four us couldn't finish the 2 entrees. But we had lunch for the next day. We were there in March, so the new outdoor balcony was closed, but looks like a great space as well. A Chicago classic read more

Mixed emotions on this one - the new decor is nice - three of us dined there this week, we started with the stuffed mushrooms and burrata - both were very good. For entrees we had Veal Milanese, the Chicken parm, and the sea bass special - the portion sizes were huge but the food was just "OK". Service was also just Ok - not that attentive This issue is the price point which topped $425 with with tip for 3 people and I just expect better food and service at that price point (I would rather have smaller portions with better food). We all rated it a B/B- and given how many great Italian restaurants there are in Chicago I doubt we will be back. Wish it were better as it is just a few blocks from us - but it not one I would recommend. read more

The food and the ambience was great great scenery looking out the balcony on Rush Street

Carmine's needs to enforce their "no hat policy" or get rid of it. I recently walked into the restaurant, very well-dressed wearing a high-end designer baseball cap. The hostess nicely informed me of Carmine's "no hat policy" and asked me to remove my hat. Slightly embarrassed, I respected Carmine's "no hat policy" and happily honored it. After being seated, with my hat in hand, I observed at least five diners wearing baseball hats throughout the dining room. On subsequent visits I have also seen diners wearing baseball caps in the dining room. The number one rule of having a "dress code" is to either strictly enforce the "dress code" or remove the "dress code" entirely. While the food is great... I do not enjoy being singled out to remove my hat - when others' are not asked to do the same. This ruins the entire dining experience for me. If Carmine's is going to force me to remove my hat and not make other patrons remove their hats... there are tons of great Italian restaurants in Chicago I can enjoy while wearing my hat. And I look forward to having my next Italian dinner at one of those restaurants. read more

I've always been a fan of Carmine's - good Italian food with big portions and decent price point. The veal parm was HUGE and nicely breaded and tender. The zuppa di pesce was full pf seafood and the spicy sauce a nice conpliment. Sevice was slower than expected, but we were a large party. read more

Carmine's - Veal Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just went for the first time since the reopening. The food is just as I remembered and so delicious. Every course was incredible! The server, Yuly, was honestly the best part! She knew her wines and the menu incredibly well. Her personality was perfect for the atmosphere and she took lovely care of us. Will as for her and her recommendations again. read more

Carmine's - Wine recommended by Yuly. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really do not like to leave negative reviews. I try to find something nice to say. Unfortunately I do not think I can do that with this review. Carmine's spent over two years remodeling. The room is very big and the acoustics make for a very noisy room. While we were able to carry on a conversation at the table, the amount of background noise caused a din that was unpleasant. The food did not live up to our expectations. The sausage and pepper appetizer was rather dry and laced peppers. The baked clams were just awful. There was a misunderstanding as the server told us about the specials and two people at our table ordered what they thought was Bronzino a piccata sauce. The fish came out dry and we were very confused. They were able to accommodate us by bringing a sauce to put on the fish, but it just wasn't the same. I ordered the veal Parmesan, which unfortunately was so salty. I could hardly eat it. We skipped dessert and called it a night. read more

Fancy dining, great service and food. The cheese ravioli was so yummy, FYI the portions here are BIG! I split a ceasar salad with my boyfriend and it was HUGE! we ended up sharing it with the whole table (4 total) for an app. They gave a sparkler & two free cannolis for my boyfriend's birthday which were so good! We also ordered the tiramisu which i'm not even a fan of but it was amazing. Don't forget to make a reservation because this place is PACKED! I will definitely return. read more

Carmine's - Linguine and Clams - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Veal is very good thin with flavor. I wish it was a bit crispy on bottom. It was tender and warm not hot in temperature. Group of 13. Sat upstairs neat the patio. No cable for the tv in that room. Side of pasta comes with it. $49. Group opinions of the service varied, Valet $20. read more

We dined here shortly after Carmine's re-opened (after the few years of construction.). We had a great experience. food was wonderful, our server was great, we were seated on time with a well-planned reservation. We were excited to bring our friends from overseas to Carmine's on Rush. We made a reservation at least a month ahead of time, for 7:30pm. We all arrived early; about 7:10pm, and were told they would not be able to seat us early, but we'd be seated at our reservation time. Very acceptable, we were early. They suggested we go to their enclosed patio for a cocktail. We did. We were told to leave our phone on, to be notified. Our phone never vibed. Even after still remaining patient, and a third time later, to inquire when we'd be seated (45 minutes later); we waited. We were literally seated an hour after our reservation time. Acceptable?-No, it is not! Would they have seated us if we showed up an hour late of our reservation. NO- H-LL NO. We will not be returning. And it is likely they won't care. We had a solid reservation for a party of 4, at 7:30, and were finally seated at 8:30pm. It might be satisfactory to some, it was telling to us, we were not important enough to be treated as though our business mattered in the least. We'd highly suggest Mario's Table instead of Carmine's, if you are looking to have your reservation honored, want to enjoy delicious Italian food, and notice your patronage matters. Mario makes the rounds in his restaurant, and makes sure everyone is happy. If this wasn't enough--our waitress left a parmesan bowl at our table, and a tall, some what lean, sandy haired male waiter with attitude; shamed us about how the restaurant only has two of those and they are not meant to be left on tables???? He is certainly not an asset to an overbooked restaurant. Total Jerk. After all the time we waited for this, long ahead of time, pre-booked reservation at Carmine's---not a single staff member apologized for, or acknowledged the discourtesy of making us wait an hour longer than our reservation time, to be seated , nor was any sort of a dessert or simple apology offered. Dine at Mario's, enjoy Hugo's and Gibson's. Skip Carmine's until they figure our it extremely unprofessional to have patrons wait nearly an hour beyond a booked time; for a reservation time booked well, a month or s in advance. Shame on them for being unprofessional to their patrons and those that have made them what they are. read more

Went to Carmine's last night for my father's 75th birthday. My mother passed away a few years ago, so it's just been us celebrating big events since then. The hostess saw the reservation note and wished him a happy birthday as she seated us. The room was beautiful, but simply one, big open room adjacent to the bar. No separation with walls or dividers or elevated platforms, and tables were back to back. Ambient noise was LOUD, and you had to really raise your voice to be heard. Our waiter, Scott, had a pretty no-nonsense attitude - brusquely asked questions and never smiled. Ordered the fried calamari, Caesar salad, veal Milanese, and New York strip which were all, to be honest, average to above average. At the end of the meal, neither Scott or any other staff wished my dad a happy birthday or offered him anything (I'm not expecting a table-side song, but isn't a small dessert usually customary?). I had 3 $50 gift cards that I used to pay the bill and placed my credit card down the pay the difference. I handed the credit card folio to Scott flat so the cards wouldn't spill out and told him to be careful, there were gift cards in the there too. I proceed to see him tilt the folio as he carried it to the register to ring us up. By the time he came back he told me I had only given him 2 cards, and then accused me of thinking I had placed in more than I actually had. The gag is that a manager saw me crawling under the table with my light looking for the card and said "are you looking for this?" When I asked where he had found it, he played it off as if he didn't know - I think realizing that an incorrect answer could accuse the waiter - but eventually admitted to finding it on the ground away from our table. Scott did not apologize, he just walked away, rang up the additional card, and handed us the new bill. Management did not apologize or try to make it right. I will absolutely not be returning to any of these Rosebud/Carmines restaurants as there was just nothing about my experience that would be worth coming back for. I guess my Dad and I have a somewhat interesting birthday story to tell friends and family now. read more

Nice restaurant with great service. Bartenders were very helpful with menu recommendations. I have a very specific complaint though. This restaurant had the most amazing coconut cake I've ever had in my life, and I went Saturday and it was not the same at all. Cake was not as fresh or moist and the coconut flavor was just from the toasted coconut on the icing and not throughout like before. They also did not include fresh berries on the side. I am beyond disappointed. When you have something that delicious you don't mess with it. Just up the price instead of cheapening the product. read more

We had lived right around the corner for 3 decades. Used to bring our family here often for dinner. The new restaurant was a big disappointment to us for a few reasons: 1. Higher prices across the board: couldn't believe that chicken parm is now $45. 2. Bread isn't warm or crispy. Tasted mealy and no olive oil. Just a tiny bit of butter. We could have skipped the bread completely it was so bad! 3. The elevator kept opening and closing and bringing in the freezing temps from outside so I ended up wearing my coat for dinner. 4. Lasagna was cold. Portion much smaller than previous lasagna. The inside was very cold and lacked sauce. 5. For the new higher prices no sides are included really. Disappointing. 6. Music was elevator music. 7. Bar doesn't make sense--too small and downstairs bar isn't really a bar. 8. Outdoor dining is now on the 2nd floor. Miss the patio downstairs. For these reason we will not be returning anytime soon. read more

Visited Carmines for the first time since it re-opened I was quite impressed with the food service and ambiance. Not a detail missed. I had the brick chicken it was so good easy to eat and full of flavor. My husband and son had the chicken parm (I've never seen anything like it so big definitely shareable) and short rib pasta Yum! The flavors were all there. I highly recommend the space. read more

Expensive, but best of the Rosebud Group and the old school Italian red sauce places. Good food, incluidng the baseball sized Shrip De Jonghe sent from heaven. Very efficient operation and great staffing, including noteworthy hospitality veterans like "Mike" on the floor and "Arturo" in the kitchen. Servers like "Haley" add further icing to the cake. Lost their street level presence & while the new decor looks like a lodge from the 50s, its too soon to evaluate the second floor outdoor cafe. read more

I went here for the third time tonight thinking "third time is the charm". Let me tell you I have never been so wrong in my life. To begin, I have been twice before and both times my table and I ordered basically the whole menu and everything that was recommended to us. Both times the service was fine and the food was something I hope to never remember. And then for some delusional reason I decided to go back tonight for a third time (really only because it was the only place that had an available table outside which should have been a red flag on the first nice day in Chicago). We walk in and get seated. All good right? No, wrong. We waited over 30 minutes to just get WATER. We finally get our water and then waited another lifetime to order drink. We got our drinks (super simple, a cosmo and martini). I've never had experienced the two simplest drinks in the world be made so incorrectly. After the drinks were served and we weren't ever checked in on, we decided oh maybe we are hungry like we are at a restaurant and maybe we should order some food. Let me tell you, according to the logic of the staff at carmines that is an incorrect opinion. When we asked to order a salad (after waiting an hour) we were informed that the table we are at isn't allowed to have food service... tf. Why would we have ever been seated at table without food service when we came at dinner time for dinner. Make that make sense. We were like oh okay I guess we will be skinny and decided we would just get drinks. Well a few sips in we saw every other table around us being served food.... tf. When we finally asked out server about it she said she wasn't allowed to serve food because that's what her manager told her (but shouldn't we have been told that before we were seated???? For dinner!!??). On top of that, she was so beyond flustered and offended that we even asked her to order food at a restaurant that she made it seem like it was our problem that we came to a restaurant wanting to get dinner. It took her over 30 minutes to "ask her manager if it was okay for her to serve us food." Once we finally were allowed to spend our money and order food it took her another 30 minutes to come and even ask us what we wanted to order. We started with just a simple order, a Caprese salad. It took 20 minutes for it to come out, and it was legit 4 pieces of tomato with a slice of mozzarella on top of each tomato. On top of that, it was basically just slammed in front of us when it was brought to our table. Then, not even half way through with our appetizer the busboys were trying to take it away from us (legit over half of the plate was still full and it was basically a fight for us to try to eat the food we ordered). Then we tried to order a bottle of wine. Didn't realize that was a stupid decision on our part because it took another 30 minutes. Once the bottle came it was fine, exactly what i expected, but the server just gave us the bottle and just set it down in front of us. No ice bucket and didn't even let us taste it. So basically at this point it's like my fault for wanting to eat and drink something. I've been here for over an hour and a half at this point, but I still wanted dinner so we decided to order dinner. My friend ordered steak medium well (gross ik but whatever), and it came out medium rare. I ordered soup... didn't get a spoon. We tried to wave anyone down to help us or get any service but legit was ignored. Once we finally ate and wanted to leave, it took another 30 minutes to get the servers attention to even get our check. Overall,y friend and I went for a casual meal with good vibes expecting it to be an hour and it ended up being 4+ hours with the worst food and worst service ever. There is so much lore that I could continue to talk about regarding how absolutely awful this place is beyond even my experience tonight. This is prime real estate in Gold Coast yet one of the worst restaurants ever. Please don't waste your money or time going here. read more

Went to the newly opened Carmines. Unfortunately, we just didn't enjoy it. You walk in on the first floor, where the front desk is located. If you don't have reservations, you will be nearly ignored and told that there may be seats at the bar upstairs. That's it. Now get away from the desk. You walk upstairs to be met by another desk at which to be ignored. There is a bar, you try to ask about finding seating and they tell you to look at the bar area. They don't tell you where the bar area is and where the dining area begins. Turns out there are dining tables in the front area around the bar that are first come first serve. It was really a task to get enough attention to get help figuring it out. As if you might be wasting their time. Got it. On to the service. The waitress seemed bothered that we did in fact sit at a table that was determined to be available. It seemed we were a bother asking about the menu. Either she didn't know or didn't want to be there. Ordered our food. Salads came and were fresh and well presented. The chopped salad at $23 was generous in size. Same for the $12 house salad The eggplant Parmesan clocked in at $33. While good, not anything special. A couple of us had the Linguine with Clams, one red sauce and one white. Both were $42, on the smaller side yet fresh and well prepared. We felt like it was a mad race to get us in and the table turned. Personally, that was our first and last visit. Felt like a tourist trap rather than a neighborhood place. Left feeling like we were at an express line where overpriced food and rude people were running the show. Chicago has many other Italian spots that appreciate your business and prepare fresh delicious food. read more

My usual go to for Italian food has been Maggianos Little Italy, but I decided to give this place a try after seeing ads on FB. I ate here for the first time last evening. I ordered the lollipop lamb chops and the eggplant parmesan. The food was good, but lacked salt. There were no salt and pepper shakers/mills on the table and I didn't ask for any because I prefer to have my food salted before cooking rather than adding at the table. Also, the temperature of the eggplant was warm, but not hot as if it had been freshly prepared. I like my food to come out hot. However, the service was excellent. I was greeted promptly and courteously and seated immediately and the wait staff provided excellent service. Will this take the place of Maggianos for me, probably not. read more

Food was excellent. Ordered garlic knots instead of bread, wasn't told they were $14 for an order. And $4 for a small side of Marinara. My bad for not asking price. Same exact items are available 6 blocks south at Rosebud on Rush, their sister restaurant. For an average of $9 less. Paying to be in Viagra Triangle. I live a block away, but I'll go to Rosebud next time to save about $30 for the same items read more

Food is good. Potions are huge. But when is it going to reopen??? Website says mid 2025. It's almost 2026... read more

Carmine's never disappoints! Delicious Italian food, and a fun, lively atmosphere. Perfect for sharing with friends or family. Highly recommend! read more

The renovation is beautiful. The service was amazing. And unbelievably great homestyle Italian food that you are accustomed to with Carmines. Strongly recommend coming back. Fantastic renovation, and amazing food. Large portions. read more

My wife and I had a table at the bar last night. I ordered bone in Chicken Vesuvio. As I asked questions about the preparation and time it took for the dish, it quickly became apparent that our server was clueless. When the food runner brought my "bone in Chicken Vesuvio" to the table, it was clear that either the server or the kitchen had messed up my order. What was delivered was a pounded, flat, chicken breast cutlet (probably Milanese) with Vesuvio potatoes and peas on a side plate. I questioned the server about whether it was bone in Chicken Vesuvio, and he tried to say the kitchen messed up the prep and he would take it back to the kitchen to fix it. Then the server came back with a boneless, flat, Milanese cutlet, with Vesuvio potatoes and peas poured over it, and tried to convince me that it was indeed "bone in Chicken Vesuvio", the kitchen may have messed up, but there were a "few bones" in the dish. The server flat out lied to me, was arrogant, condescending and insulted my intelligence. I explained that I was 71 years old, I knew what bone in Chicken Vesuvio looked like and that he did not get me what I ordered. He continued to lie, dodge, waffle and prance around the issue - which was that he served me something that I did not order. The manager came, looked at the dish, immediately said "that's not Chicken Vesuvio" and offered to make things right by either getting me what I ordered or comping me the meal that I did not order. I appreciate what the manager did. But, what the server did was inexcusable and it really still bugs me. Lying, being arrogant and condescending is no way to treat guests that order a $45 chicken dish. Chicago has plenty of places where the staff are nice, friendly, knowledgeable and truthful. I'm done with Carmines, thanks to our server T (I won't mention his name, he knows who he is). It's a shame. Mark Thomas read more

A very attractive restaurant that needs to up its game in order to match it's prior status. The waiter barely knew what was on the menu & had to go back 3 times to answer our questions. Menu selection is narrow in scope. We were charged for items we did not order and overcharged for items shown on the menu at a lower price. We called back the next day & some adjustments wee made. Management needs to more carefully train the staff if they want local customers to return. read more

The food at Carmines has always been meh, but I never actually went for the food--I actually really like the atmosphere. The new buildout is pretty but it wasn't worth the wait even a little read more

Food was good, huge portions, service was excellent! Dining room nice. I like to go to the bar for a pre dinner beverage.. especially at 6:30pm .. not an option here... bar at "full capacity" all night... so no before or after option to visit the bar area. That seemed odd and was disappointing. Not sure if bar can be reserved before/ after dining but didn't seem to be an option. Only option was to leave and go to one of the many nice restaurant bars in the area before/after. Bar downstairs tiny and standing room only. I frequent the area a lot... hopefully they will make the upstairs bar more assessable to all and improve the overall dining experience. read more

Remodel looks amazing! Food was great, and our server Matt made the experience extremely enjoyable!

We were fortunate enough to have made it in before they announced they would be closing for over a year for remodeling. I really hope they keep that Classic old school Italian look. We made reservations for a Saturday night. And despite it being packed, we received great service. We started off with their Bruschetta. Here you get three gigantic pieces of toasted bread with fresh diced tomatoes, coated in olive oil, and then topped off with fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and olives. I forget that they put olives in their bruschetta, otherwise I would have ordered it without. But overall a very delicious bruschetta and a perfect way to start off the night. My wife ordered their Spaghetti Primavera. I honestly did not care for this dish. Perhaps it's too healthy for my taste. It was just spaghetti with a bunch of mixed vegetables. I ordered Cavatelli Cacio e Pepe. Tasted similar to Gnocchi, but these are handmade ricotta dumplings, served with pecorino Romano cheese and fresh black pepper. Although this dish looks small, it's actually a very hearty and filling dish. The Cavatelli was cooked perfectly and very flavorful. I've been to Rosebud a few times and have always wanted to try some of their other restaurants. Carmines on Rush is in a great location. I'm glad I was finally able to come in, but Rosebud will forever remain my go to. read more

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Came here for our Anniversary dinner. My husband made reservations for 2 at 7 pm for a Friday night. We were quickly greeted, seated and acknowledged right away without a wait. We opted to start off with 2 signature cocktails. Citizen Kane Martini and the Man O' War as well as the Sausage & Peppers antipasto. Citizen Kane Martini: Don't let the name fool you, this is not a gin inspired drink. The combination of Grey Goose Vodka, St. Germaine, Lemon, and Pineapple make this drink a refreshing delight. Originally I had ordered a Crown and Sprite, my waitress suggested I tried the Man O' War, I'm glad I did. Bulleit Whiskey, Cointreau, Sweet Vermouth, with a Lemon Twist, packed a punch but if you are a whiskey drinker this is a must to add to your cocktail choices. Sausage & Peppers: traditional classic Italian-American dish here. The fact that it's served whole and not sliced up is my favorite part. I find that it maintains the juiciness. The sweet bell peppers and garlic compliment this dish and elevates the flavors of the sausage. Tortellini Carbonara: I asked for mine with extra sauce because they tend to come a little dry. Al dente Tortellini and peas made this dish perfect and not a mushy mess which is a common mistake at other places with similar dishes. My husband ordered Veal Calabrese from the Italian Specialties and although I didn't catch a picture I did take a taste. The Veal was tender and soft, well seasoned and almost melted on your mouth. A perfect velvety texture that you would expect to have from a good veal cutlet. Godiva Chocolate Mousse Cake: Talk about RICH! So good and even better paired with a tall glass of Cold Iced Milk..lol. Our waitress had great suggestions, the busers were great at refilling our waters, the cooks obviously know what they are doing and management was well present and involved in helping the crew out. read more

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Stopped for brunch. I loved the fact I could get pasta, and my husband could get eggs!! The rigatoni with vodka sauce was amazing. I added side of meatballs, also delicious!! Outdoor seating - great for people watching. read more

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