I've been here a couple times and the food never disappoints and it's good for the price. The only thing I have a small complaint about is the Horchata Italian ice; the texture is a little off because of the real rice pieces in it. I wish it was blended. But other then that, this place truly is awesome. The employees are always straightforward and have everything you expect from a small local restaurant. Be weary though, this place can get really packed sometimes. read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Italian Ice (lemon and horchata flavor) - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went across the street to get a sub and I wanted some French fries, and they had some nice freshly cut hot fries. It had a variety of food but I didn't get to taste anything. But the fries, but the fries were good. I will try the italian ice soon read more

Carbs has always been one of my favorite go to's for Italian Beef. Nestled on a street corner in the old neighborhood where my pips grew up it's been a staple for over 50 years at least. Its simple decor is true Chicago beef stand. No real fancy frills, they concentrate on the food. All neighborhood folks work there and hang there with a big afternoon lunch business crowd and UIC college crowd. They also have a nice sized front street side patio overlooking the neighborhood with tables and stools to enjoy the fresh air in the old Taylor Street neighborhood. Their beef is stand up and consistent. It's what you expect in a true Chicago Italian Beef. Dipped with street peppers or gardiniera or both on a roll that stands up to the heavy beef and juice. The bread is huge because getting a big dip in the juice is mandatory on any beef. I washed it fine with a good Italian Ice. Nothing like the Italian Ice at Carm's. Chocolate is a good go to flavor but yes there are several others to choose from. Carm's is an old staple and a definite must try. read more

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My partner and I came here for lunch on a late Tuesday afternoon and we were fortunate enough to come during the slow hours so there wasn't a long line. We ordered their Italian beef sandwich wet with all the fixings they recommended and we also got their fries. The sandwich was delicious and it was my first time having a "wet" sandwich. I'm surprised how well the bread stayed intact and kept everything inside the delectable buns lol. It was juicy and it wasn't salty at all!! I'm always nervous to eat at old school places like this because they can over salt their food sometimes, but that can also be every restaurant I visit. They also offered to cut it in half for us, that was thoughtful of them and I appreciate that so much! Anyways, I thought it was delicious! The fries were scrumptious as well! It was crispy and piping hot when it came out. It wasn't salty and it had a wonderful bite to it, fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, how a fry should be! I'd definitely come back again! read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - 3. Italian Beef with Fries - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came in here to try their Italian ice and it didn't disappointed! They let us know it'll be available until November. The texture is great and the flavors are tasty. It is cash only so definitely come prepared for that! read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Italian ice large - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good Italian ice and good standard flavors. They are close Sundays and they are dine in and include beef sandwiches and other Italian food. read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Takes credit card with 3% fee Homemade Italian beef $9.99- choose juicy or dry. Hot or mild peppers. I would get dry. The juicy, they drench in sauce. The bread soaks up sauce. The meat was shredded beef, lacked seasoning. Fries $3.49- excellent standard log cabin fries read more

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This is a tucked away little neighborhood spot with homey feel. Nothing fancy, but they were receiving consistent business both days. Loved the Chicago dog combo, it was a great value for my boyfriend and I. Items made fresh to order. Unfortunately, they were out of beef so we didn't get to try it. The highlight was the Italian ice. So freaking good, we went two days in a row. I got a passion fruit/mango mix, and it was a wonderful treat/value for a summer chi day. It had real pieces of fruit! The Italian ice is cash only, and you can taste the flavors before you commit. Can't wait to come back and try more menu items. read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow-- first time here and I was blown away by the eggplant sandwich. The thin, perfectly fried eggplant was layered like roast beef into the prefect roll. Got the meal combo that included fresh cut fries. Friendly, quasi wise guy service too. I didn't have room for Italian Ice this time but will be back! read more

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Italian ice is cash only - huge disappointment. Service is terrible- for a place that's empty at lunch the staff is more interested in chatting with eachother than taking orders. Would not recommend. read more

Very good Italian Lemonade been there a few times and never had a problem employees were welcoming made me and the family feel good we went there read more

I don't usually leave reviews, but this is trash. Service was bad over the phone. Then they got the complete order wrong after asking me three times what I wanted. Beef has little to no flavor even dipped. Terrible experience will not go again. read more

Went for the Italian Ice it's that time of the year. Wonderfully made delicious. It's a gem! read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Italian ice small - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Terrible service here. Sloppily prepared food. Always have gnats and bees flying around inside. Short lady with brown hair is one of the most unprofessional and rude service workers I've come across. Genuinely ruined the already mid food. Won't be coming back even though the location is convenient. Would recommend Jim's or perilous over there simply because the workers are seemingly miserable, and that also shows in the quality of their food. read more

The burger and fries were as delicious as I remembered! The ladies working were keeping everything very clean which was nice to see and they were very nice! read more

Had the Hotdog with fries and the Polish with fries, both dragged through the garden. Fries were nicely crispy and seasoned. The Polish had a nice snap and spiciness to it. Hotdog was pretty typical. Their version includes hot peppers, pickles, onions, mustard, but no tomatoes. The overall meal felt very acidic. Also had the Italian Beef hot and dipped here. I am not sure if their homemade Giardiniera was really oily or if the gravy had alot of fat, but the sandwich was drenched in fat. The bread actually held its structure really well and the beef was nice and tender (not shredded!) I had to add a little bit of salt to the beef to really bring the flavors out. Hot peppers were not hot, I think the peppers in my hotdogs were hotter. Definitely one of the messier Italian beefs I have had to eat. The place was popping during lunchtime, so it does take a little bit of a wait. The menu has a pretty wide range between the burgers, tacos, sandwiches, and italian ice. read more

Food was great and French fries were real homemade fries. Staff were friendly and they had Italian Ice

Great food & homemade fries A must have is the Italian ice Burgers with sport peppers are good also read more

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I'm a UIC person and have always loved the area as a kid so it's no surprise that I will always have a soft spot for Carms plus Steve is awesome I have had most of the hot side of the menu but loves me a good old fashion bacon cheeseburger with the fixings from Carms. It reminds me of a simpler time where all you had to choose from is the toppings and cheese or no cheese. I'll always have my burger place close to home which I'm hoping will never change And with his sisters attitude it's part of the old neighborhood charm if you know what I mean Came back during the summer for the horchata Italian ice and this is so good I'm going to have it as long as summer is around read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Horchata Italian ice - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Probably the best Italian ice of all time. A lot of places I go to sometimes add too much lemon to their Italian ices, but Carmen does it best! read more

Prices are out of control here. 1 meatball sandwich that doesn't come with fries or drink and I was charged almost $14. In fairness, the sandwich was delicious but come on...just a few years ago, this would have been 1/2 the price and come with fries. read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Meatball sandwich. - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have driven by this place a lot, living in the area, and I have to say it's a little underwhelming from the outside but holy moly was I underestimating it. I finally stopped by a sunny spring day when Mario's was closed still and I was craving Italian ice. The Italian ice was a bit pricey ($3 for smallest size) and not as mind blowing as Mario's but still QUITE good with fresh frozen chunks of fruit. The COOLER part was the wide variety of food they had - sandwiches and entrees and even tacos! The taco was SO crazy good, like the ones in Pilsen. The service was friendly and they've got little tables in an outdoor patio. Neighborhood gem. read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service was great and food was ready fairly quick. Their Italian beef and giardinera is a little different than what I'm used to, but still good. They add a bit of cardamom or other spice to it. Lots of options on the menu that I'll have to come back and try. They also had pumpkin favored Italian ice for the fall. read more

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food is good just misled by big Italian ice sign, it is only seasonal. Service is ok. Cute place and nice location.

A quick, cheap, simple place for your burger, hotdog, hot sandwiches, Italian ice needs. It's more about convenience than quality but quality is very acceptable. It's an ideal place to drop by on your way. Cheeseburger and steak sandwich are good! Italian ice tastes cheap but is cheap. read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

In from out of town, I'm wandering the streets of Little Italy, wondering "where, oh where, am I gonna get real Chicago food after that super long UIC campus tour?" I see a sign on the horizon, promising real Italian beef and hot dogs. And that's what I got, and i couldn't imagine a more authentic experience. First off, the value is great. Yeah, it's $15 for an Italian beef sandwich, but portions are heaping, and I was full for a long while afterwards. Definitely worth the dough. Plus, that lemonade? And the crispy, salty fries? They both made the experience that much better. And the beef was drenched in a perfectly made au jus, with peppers and condiments galore to accentuate the beef's already delectable natural taste. 5/5. read more

Great roast beef sandwiches!! Beautiful outdoor space def will be back to try the tacos

My best friend/cousin and I stumbled upon this location, and I was so happy we did! I had read good online reviews about this place, so I wanted to try at the very least their Italian Ice. They were refreshingly unique compared to other Italian Ice places! I had the horchata flavored one, because I really like horchata! It was not overpoweringly sweet, and my cousin was happy with her selection too (e.g., lemon). I will update my review once I try their other food options! read more

On a hot summer day when other lines are too long, Carm's is a safe spot to check out in Little Italy for your Italian Ice fix. This little boutique is located in the neighborhoods attached to UIC and looks and feels like a local spot. They serve up burgers, fries, and sandwiches too, but my main focus was to try their Peach Italian Ice that a friend had recommended. While they are cash only when it comes to the desserts, the low price and large portion size all but makes up for the greenback usage. As far as the Italian Ice is concerned, I did enjoy this refreshing dessert. It isn't quite like the competition that uses fresh fruit and mixes it into a lemonade. The ones at Carm's is a more traditional take on Italian Ice that can be a lot at once given it's smallest size is rather large. For $3, it's worth a trip to expand your dessert palette around the area. They also seem to offer some pretty stiff lunch deals too so perhaps one day I'll swing by to try more of these options! read more

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Enjoyed the delicious Italian ice here with the fresh fruit in it on their nice outdoor seating. Did not try any of the food though as we had just enjoyed lunch elsewhere. Great neighborhood spot for those who don't need to find a place to park as most local parking is by permit only. read more

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Friendly people nice neighborhood restaurant to come bring the family quick bite to eat and grab some delicious Italian ice

Really solid family-owned Italian spot along with Fontano's across the street. They're known for their Italian beef (get it juiced if you're not afraid of the mess), meatball subs, burgers, and hot dogs. I want to try the tacos next. Super nice service, and good hygiene that makes things feel safe. My one whiny complaint is that I would prefer crispier fries :) read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - Meatball sub - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

On our journey to try the best Italian beef that Chicago has to offer, Carm's has been on our list for a while. We ordered a Chicago style hot dog, Italian beef, and moz sticks. The hot dog was one of better ones 8/10. Italian beef was flavorful and juicy 9/10. The moz sticks were amazing 12/10. Italian ice 8/10 read more

I remember going to this place when I was a kid. The food & the Italian ice has always been great. Me & the mrs. stop thru every now and then to get a Italian Ice. read more

Carm's Beef & Italian Ice - "Lemon Italian Ice" - Burgers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Staff was nice and courteous to me and my kids. Real neighborhood feel and the food was good.

Because I took the road less traveled today on the way home from work, I passed through the Italian Village neighborhood right near UIC, and I came across Carm's! I met the owner today, Stevie, a super cool guy. The restaurant has been in business for 80 years! You can tell why from the wide variety of customers there at dinner time, and the customer service from not only the owner but all of the employees. Today I had a mix of lemon and lime Italian ice, homemade, not too sugary, not too hard, perfect! I'll go back this week for dinner and will try to update here. read more

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I'm came for a visit since I hadn't been since I was a kid. The food is still good. Also. the food was ready pretty fast and the person taking the order was pleasant. read more

Went there just for Italian Ice since Marios is closed for the season. Absolutely no competition to Marios. Marios by far is the best Italian Ice hands down. Carms Italian Ice is barely sweet and has tiny bits of fruit unlike Marios has sweet perfect flavor with ton of fruit in it. Carms is a step above store bought Italian Ice. For me its not worth the drive for average blah drink. Tried their Horchata and it taste like cinnamon oatmeal with sprinkled nuts. Not my cup of tea. read more

We recently moved into the neighborhood and were told that we had to go to Carm's... they were right!! Absolutely delicious food, friendly staff, so many options, and just a great neighborhood stop. We will definitely be back! read more

Italian Beef was bland no flavor whatsoever , the mild peppers were also flavorless... good fries but I went there for the beef..