I've only visited for the happy hour so far, but I definitely need to come back soon for dinner and the live music on fridays! A relaxed, yet lively, atmosphere full of people just put from work in the west loop/Fulton Market. Great happy hour deals 4-630 including $5 mojitos/margaritas as well as half off apps and $1 oysters, which were quite tasty! My friend and I already have plans to return soon read more

Carnivale Chicago - Oysters and mojito! (Sorry for the blur) - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yelp tried to remove this review, because I was a guest of my cousin's wedding here not a host. Just because I didn't pay for the wedding, I still experienced it. This is valuable to those who care about what their guests think. I attended a wedding here in 2014 and it was a very bare wedding experience. A wedding without food is not the kind of wedding I'm used to. The food that was served was mediocre. First, wedding guests have to parade through the whole restaurant to get the wedding room. No separate entrance. The "cocktail" hour consisted of chips and guacamole served in thimbles. The passed apps were so infrequent and people swarmed the waiters like sharks. (Or like thirsty Yelpers at an elite event #shade). A kindly friend of the groom wrestled guests to get me half an empanada (the empanadas were served to guests cut in half). I actually had to take it from him bc I was going to pass out. On to the entrees which were crazy in a bad way. Choices were vegetarian, non-vegetarian or vegan. Pete and I opted for the allusive "non-vegetarian" which turned out to be hilarious. A plate with rice, beans, chicken AND steak. I felt like I was cleaning the leftovers out of my fridge before I went on vacation. The desserts were a stale joke - awful. I am not certain they were made on site, so I can't fault the place for them BUT AGAIN, Carnivale served them to us!!! Wtf are you thinking? If you are planning a wedding, I recommend anywhere but here. If you're a wedding guest here, bring a baggie of almonds. I'll end by saying something nice - the bartender service was good and I was niiiiiiccce and lit from drinking wine without being able to eat. read more

Carnivale is simply amazing. We had our wedding here last month and we couldn't have chosen a better location for our special day. The service and staff were all absolutely lovely and we couldnt have been happier with everything. Heather did an amazing job helping us to plan and taking care of us in general. Jorge did a great job making sure we were taken care of the night of. They both deserve significant raises for their AMAZING level of care and customer service. I can't recommend them enough and we can't wait to come back!! read more

I came here recently with a friend. The wait on a Saturday for a table in the dining room was 2 hours so we were able to sit in the lounge/bar area without waiting. I did think the wait time for a party of two would be that bad and I still saw open reservations for 2 the day before so I didnt bother making reservations. I dont want my life revolving around reservations...Anyway, got the Rojas vejos which we were told was their most popular appetizer. It was eh. I mostly tasted plantain...it was kind of overpowering. Half the appetizer was plantain, with a few thickly sliced. It looked nothing like what other yelpers posted pictures of...I was here a long time ago with a group and I remember the food tasting better. This recent visit was a let down for some reason. Parking around the neighborhood (free parking) is sparse which is another reason I havent returned to this place. read more

I can't understand why this place has the reviews that they have. I love the ambiance...but that was it. My salmon dish did not taste like anything Spanish that I've ever eaten. I actually am super disappointed and kinda upset my friend took us here for my birthday. I understand that he wanted to take me to a special Spanish restaurant, however, I would've been way more happy eating at a mom and pop shop that is authentic. My dinner plate was $30....for bland food I truly, honestly can cook up at home :( This makes me super sad that am paying for food that definitely is not worth what they price it at. Basically, you are just paying for the atmosphere. I can't speak for all the dishes, as I had only tried mine, and my sister had a bland salad with almost no dressing and no color given the "color" theme they are supposed to embody. I had salad at the Luxe last night and that was AMAZING. My friend had their steak... I tried his and same response..."Bleh"...not Spanish at all!!!! I can't even believe I'm writing this...I didn't want to try anything else and I absolutely love having dessert. I'll pass on that. I'll pass on this place forever. I'm a one and done experience for this Carnevale. Nice experience..disappointed that my friend took me here for my birthday. I'm dissatisfied. read more

I've driven past this place many times. It was absolutely not what I thought it was. This is a high scale restaurant with great food. We had a slight service issue when the busboy cleared an unfinished drink and scraped the table crumbs into it. That was addressed straight away. I had the pot pie and it was pretty good. They have dancing but not while we were there read more

Carnivale Chicago - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun atmosphere. Servers and staff all wearing masks and properly social distancing. Patio is open for dining. We had a great time. Tasty drinks and food. The paella with lobster was wonderful and had enough for lunch the next day. Margarita was perfect sweet and sour. Very fresh. Appetizers stole the show. Coconut Shrimp, guacamole and empanadas yummy. read more

Carnivale Chicago - Paella with lobster. Very tasty! With Mai Tai for delicious beverage. Flank steak in the background. - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for dinner on a Wednesday night - we had reservations for 7:15 that we made an hour before. We were 15 minutes late (I'm brown, it happens) but they seated us anyway. The dining area is absolutely beautiful. It's hard to get in pictures but the way this place is decorated is amazing. The bar area is also beautiful - I'd come just to sit at the bar and creepily people watch. Our service was really awesome, the server recommended some great vegetarian dishes. We got the empanada de verde and the yucca gnocchi. The empanada de verde was perfect - it come with an awesome sauce and there were so many mushrooms yum. The yucca gnocchi was also really good - it was an interesting blend of flavors with the yucca, vegetables, and the tomato sauce. I would highly recommend. We were too full for dessert which made me sad because everything on the dessert menu looked lit. I would come because it's a Chicago thing to do, but I probably wouldn't come again unless I had people visiting in town just because my bank account can't afford it womp read more

Carnivale Chicago - empanada de verde - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had a fantastic experience! This was my second time dining at Carnivale and it was even better than I had remembered. We had a 7 p.m. reservation and were seated right away. The branzino, flank steak and pork chop entrees were all phenomenal. The fourth entree in our group was the salmon which was just average. Shortly after we had finished eating they advised us that an aerialist and magician would be doing brief performances. What an exciting end to our evening! For visitors of Chicago I highly recommend Carnivale for a unique and fun dining experience. read more

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CARNIVAL Restaurant April 14, 2018 Music and food- food and Music combine with Roc, a wonderful early evening of dining. We started with the photo booth and then finding a table. From a wall for two, to a balcony for two, we are ready leave, and Roc point to a table on the main floor. Away we went. The appetizers were very good although the calamari was very good, not hot. The guacamole was very good GUACAMOLE Chunky avocados, cilantro, chilies, onion, garlic, lime, fresh corn chips also without the tomato cumin,and onion that graces our guacamole at home. The conversation with Maria was over the top. We talk about Red Light, Vivo(17 years) and Marché former restaurants on west Randolph. She worked at all of them. Then we speak Tim Griffin the general manager about the decor that reflected Red Light. The ceiling in the main area is 25-30 feet. The main course was a real dining with Baby kale, house-made caesar dressing, gochujang paint, sourdough croutons, shaved parmesan cheese kale Cesar salad Leonard had rack of lamb (Wood-grilled lamb rack, pastel de yucca, lamb ragout, butternut squash, Closed Loop Farm greens)..... Now to the end the meal was the key lime pie. To top off the night Brandon Ramsey knows my neighbor for high school ..... Brandon worked with use to find the table .. We will reruns with the posse ..... The music really move the event.... the music was high energy..... This was a wonderful, uplifting , and great time.. Woooooooow... Shalom read more

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I first experienced Carnivale when I came here for a friend's birthday party. I was so impressed that, for my next experience here, I took my family for dinner. It was flawless both times and all of the times after that! The decor is so unique and fun! The servers are very attentive. The food is outstanding! I could live off of their calamari and coconut shrimp apps. This restaurant really is the total package: perfect for the family, a special occasion, or just a night out on the town. Love it!! read more

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I wish I could write a book! They were amazing! Accommodated my party of 8 every step of the way! Valentino our waiter was so sweet to the two birthday girls we came to celebrate! They even received a cake delivery for us ahead of the reservation and brought it out with sparklers! We will be back!!! read more

Here for the Atmosphere - Carnivale did not disappoint as my boyfriend's birthday dinner choice. We were there on a Wednesday around 7:00 and it truly wasn't very busy at all. As soon as you walk in you are met with wild, bright, and vibrant colors and decor from floor to ceiling. There's so much to take in! The service was very attentive and friendly. I loved the cotton candy martini, which is actually a mixed concoction poured over cotton candy in your glass at the table. The Vieras a la Crema was to die for... smoked purple potatoes were delish! Overall so pleased with our experience! Would love to come back for their weekend evening entertainment. read more

Carnivale Chicago - Love the colorful atmosphere! (feat. cotton candy drink) - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The place has great ambience. Pretty sweet cocktail selection. The food options weren't all that great. I loved their empanadas and guacamole, not so much a fan of their entrees. Desserts were great! We tried 3 from the menu - the cigar box was my favorite, there was also a chocolate cake which was strictly OK. Giving it a 3 because two of my friends had an upset stomach post this meal. read more

We celebrated my son's birthday with a couple of his friends and we couldn't be more than pleased with the attention and service. The food was great as always, our waiter and staff very attentive. The chef even came out to our table. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Carnivale Chicago - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Carnivale has a fantastic atmosphere from the moment you walk into the time you leave. The carne asada is perfect, as well as the shrimp quesadillas and calamari. The staff is inviting and accommodating; the service is fast and pleasant. Definitely an enjoyable experience. Additionally, there are several parking options near the restaurant as well as valet. read more

Excellent food and service! I came here for a work lunch after I had been wanting to try this spot for months. The ambiance is super cool - the decorations are very funky and everything is bright and colorful. We started with the guacamole (must try!) and the fried calamari. The calamari was tossed in a sweet and sour type sauce. For my main, I ordered the Amazonian chopped salad with shrimp. It was excellent and very large. I would love to come back here for dinner when they have live entertainment. read more

I celebrated my 23rd birthday at Carnivale last night with my whole family. I made reservations a few days ahead of time for Saturday at 5:15 during restaurant week. The inside of the place is vivid and amazing. I felt like I was in some rustic Argentine/South American eatery. The faded pink, orange, yellow and other bright colors adorned the walls, the lamps, the high up ceiling and the décor. Exotic plants and colorful furniture added a lot of charm to the place. The atmosphere at Carnivale is worth coming for alone, I've never been anywhere like it. We ordered a few drinks at the bar before being seated since we were early and there was a slight delay between our reservation time and our seating time. I personally had a fantastic Caipirinha that wasn't overly sweet. My mom had a margarita and my dad had the sidecar, both of those were delicious too, fairly standard pricing for the city but not outlandish. We were seated in the big open colorful room at a round table. It was adequate and comfortable for 7 people. We perused the menu and started with guacamole, coconut shrimp and the ropa vieja. The guacamole was simple but delicious, it was served cold and honestly made an interesting difference. The coconut shrimp was flavorful, and we especially enjoyed the ropa vieja, which was beef brisket inside these little tacos. A couple of us got the restaurant week menu and had the beet salad as well as the ceviche. I thought the shrimp ceviche was outstanding, the tuna good, the salmon okay. For our dinners a few of us had the skirt steak, one senator's chicken, the short ribs and the wood grilled sirloin. Everyone really really liked their food. My steak was done perfectly medium rare, it was so tender and flavorful, it had a sweet potato puree with chimichurri sauce and wow this was such a unique taste. I really need to eat more south American food because the flavors are so rich and different. We all thought that by far the short ribs were the best dinner on the table though. They were melt in your mouth consistency, braised with flavorful chicha morada and served over grits; everything about this dish was amazing. Portion size was good on all the food, they are definitely not skimpy here. We did get dessert, my mom and I opted for the dessert trio. There was like a layer cake and a couple of ice creams, the layer cake was the best. They also gave me a complimentary cotton candy for my birthday which was cool! I haven't had the stuff in forever so it was a trip back in time. The service was good, I missed our server's name, he had a very thick accent (maybe Brazillian?) and was sometimes hard to understand, especially over the volume of the music in the big room. He was accommodating and explained everything very well, although towards the end he wasn't around as often. The only reason I subtracted a star was because my grandparents' skirt steaks were served over rice and they both said the rice was cold. I can't vouch for this claim, but the server brought us a fresh side of rice that was hot after we told him. Overall a very good experience at Carnivale. It is a really really unique place that I like a lot. All of our food was high quality, rich/flavorful and exceptionally put together. The restaurant week menu was a super deal. This experience has piqued my interest in this type of cuisine and I will certainly be looking for more places like Carnivale in the city. My birthday here was awesome and I highly recommend Carnivale! read more

Carnivale Chicago - Dessert tasting and cotton candy for my birthday! Thought the layer cake was the best. - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been to Carnivale twice for dinner and both times had an excellent experience. The most recent time I brought my sister and her boyfriend who were visiting from out of town. We walked in on a Saturday evening and waited about a half hour for a table for 4. We sat at the bar and enjoyed a few cocktails. The mojito and the flaming margarita were both delicious. It was fun to watch the bartenders make the drinks - it's definitely an art at this restaurant. We ordered a few dishes to share: sea bass ceviche, ropa vieja, arroz con mariscos (seafood dish with rice served in a cast iron skillet) and a half order of oysters. My favorite was the ropa vieja which was seasoned beef served on a plantain. Everything we tasted was delicious! It was my sister's birthday so our server brought her a very unique desert - cotton candy in a vase filled with caramel corn! Carnivale is a great place to bring a group. The restaurant itself is massive with many dining rooms with eclectic decor. We had excellent service in a fun atmosphere and the food has never disappointed. read more

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This is my second time coming to Carnival. We had Tuna Ceviche and Coconut Shrimp as appetizers. The Coconut Shrimp is to die for. Really. As an entree I had Arranchero and my friend had the Fish of the day. I tried both and can tell they were good, period. Nothing extraordinary (for the price they charge). For dessert we had the Cuban Cigar and was delicious but it is an "american style" dessert. Also, if they claim to be a Brazilian restaurant I can guarantee they are far from it (Im brazilian). The decoration itself dont remind me of Brazil at all. The food neither. I only saw 2 typical brazilian things on the whole menu : pão de queijo (didnt tried it) and caipirinha (had a sip from my friend's and was not a spectacular one). It was not a bad experience but for the price we pay we deserve waaaaay better. Ps: the service was 100% AA. read more

Carnivale Chicago - Cuban Cigar Delicious dessert with an excellent presentation - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This will be our last year throwing our huge annual fundraiser with Carnivale. Last year was our first and boy was working with the event/sales staff a mess!! The continual lack of any communication was consistent through out the process. I was informed email would be best means of communication, however emails would go unanswered weeks at a time and of course I would follow up with emails & phone calls to still have no response, however when the contract needed to be signed and paid there was such a quick turnaround in responses. The reason I was provided for the lack of communication by their staff was that there are other priority events.... guess our money wasn't enough as you had to pay a certain amount to be a priority Customer to get Customer Service. Additionally the day of..WHEW! I was left to fend for myself, the event planner decided to tell me when she was to arrive at 9am that day she would not be there until 4-5pm due to a flight being delayed, not to mention the staff they hired for setup had no communication of what the room was too look like thus causing major stress as I was only to decorate that day but spent the first 3hrs working with their hired staff and pulling up my emails that I sent to Carnivale showing agreed upon floor plan. After that event we had a lessons learned convo in efforts to streamline as our guests enjoyed the venue and we looked to have it again there this year. Welp here we are... Outside of the contract email, all emails are averaging 3-8 weeks for a response which of course is delaying the process. Again I was informed they are in high time of events, meaning our money is not good to get responses and I have told the org for 2025 we will seek other options due to this continued understanding we are not priority Customers. I guess my advice is, if you are throwing an event there make sure you pay LOTS OF MONEY as ours is not cheap (we rent out the entire restaurant), but as you can see, it has to be a certain event with a certain price tag for you to get Customer Service. Hopeful someone returns my email I sent on 8/8 simply asking if burning candles can be utilized as a centerpiece so I can start planning décor for the event. Some things should not be this difficult! read more

I love Carnivale! The first time I went here was for my 25th birthday last summer where I got a free cotton candy with caramel corn ($9) yum! I went here again this winter for Restaurant Week 2017 since my dad had never been here before and he wanted to try this place out. Ambience: it looks so fun and vibrant inside! I love that the ambience is so fun, it's like you're in Brazil celebrating Carnivale. The chairs and furniture are so colorful, it looks like Alice in Wonderland haha. Service: Service was excellent as our waiter was attentive and explained the menu. Both times that I've been here, I did not have to wait for a table which was a good thing. Our waters were filled and tables were cleaned when we were done eating. Food: The first time I went here, I ordered the ropa vieja ($11), which were cute little tacos with braised brisket. This was yummy and one of the popular items on the menu. The serving is small but you'll be full because the entrees are huge. Order the arroz con mariscos ($15)! It had saffron rice with mussels, shrimp, clams, and calamari. The rice was cooked perfectly and it felt like comfort food with the seafood. My dad loved his arrachera ($18) which is a skirt steak topped with chimichurri sauce and included rice and beans. It was flavorful and very tender. For restaurant week, I got the $22 lunch which included an appetizer, entree, and dessert. I ordered the Amazonian Salad (normally $11) which was huge, I couldn't even finish the salad. It had dates, queso fresco, hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, cashews, avocado, and champagne vinaigrette. It was so refreshing and light. For my entree, I got the arrachera sandwich (normally $12.50) which was pieces of skirt steak served in French bread, green papaya salad, chili aioli, cucumber, and cilantro. This reminded me of banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) and it was delicious! As for dessert, I got the Pan Dulce de Queso, which was a cake with guava marmalade topped with pistachio ice cream. This was so good and the flavors worked so well together! I ate the whole thing in like 10 seconds, it was heavenly! Verdict: I love Carnivale and it's such a great place to eat. Come bring your family, friends, or significant other to celebrate a birthday or anniversary! read more

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Came here for a friend's birthday and the atmosphere, venue, food and drinks were amazing! I appreciate that the bar area is a completely separate section from the main (very large) dining area. You can grab drinks prior to being seated or just hang out at the bar for the night. I had the Ropa Vieja which was so flavorful and delicious. The shells the tacos came in were hard, but soft at the same time. Great texture! I also had a margarita which was nice, but a little pricey. Overall: loved this place! Would definitely come back for another celebration or if a friend was in town and wanted to experience Carnivale. read more

We came here for dinner to celebrate my Dad's birthday while on vacation, and I SO wish I lived in Chicago to be able to come to Carnivale more frequently! Not only is the food outstanding, but I was blown away by the eclectic decor of the restaurant, and the size--the place is deceptively massive! Our service was impeccable and very attentive. We had drinks flowing, delicious food gracing the table, and we ordered a couple of desserts to top off the night. There are good vegetarian options, so I was very happy! Would highly recommend this for a fun date night or to celebrate a special occasion! read more

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I went here for dinner on a Friday night with a group of 3. We had reservations and were immediately taken to our table upon checking in. The decor in this place is amazing. What's even better is the food. My friends and I enjoyed everything we tried. The service was amazing. I had the arrachara which was flavored really well but slightly on the chewy side. Overall a really cute place for dinner. I can't wait to go back! There is plenty of paid street parking around which is also a plus. read more

Carnivale Chicago - Arrachera - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

While visiting Chicago, we asked for some gay friend referrals, as myself and my girlfriend were looking for a nice date night spot. Someone suggested this gem of a place, and it did not disappoint. This place has a lot going on, but that is what's so charming about it. Upon arrival you see it's the most colorful building on the block, and it's even more colorful inside. This place is HUGE, several floors and bars as you walk in, just before you go to the main dining hall. The decor is opulent and colorful, and the music festive. You see everyone from large groups, intimate dates, folks dressed looking like they are on their way to a ball and others just for a night on the town. It was very cute and sexy! The food and drinks were amazing as well! Both of the mixed drinks we ordered were tasty and boozy, and as a pescatarian, I found several options. I had the coconut shrimp, one of my all-time favorite dishes, and must say it was some of the best I've ever tasted. For main course I opted for the vegetarian meal (I don't remember what is was) And my date opted for the salmon. Both of us cleaned our plates! The highlight of our night was dessert, a Cuban cigar shaped dessert with ice cream! It's was so unique and the presentation was great. The service was great and everyone was extremely friendly. Check this place out! read more

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Hostess was lost when we was trying to sit us. I requested main floor on my reservation for my wife's birthday, but when we got there they tried to sit us in the way back. Yeah that started the night off in the wrong way. After talking to a manager, we was put on the main floor as we requested. Friday's are supposed to have a show which is the main reason why we did our date on Friday. There was two acts about an hour apart from each other that only lasted all of one song each. Very disappointed for a place that is above average on price. I'll give them one more try but not fully satisfied of how the staff were in abundance but were still slow and not attentive to its customers. read more

Carnivale Chicago - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had dinner for my daughters birthday and we had an excellent time. Our waiter was so nice and eager to answer all our questions. And the best part of it was that Chef Carlos came to our table to wish Happy birthday and bring awesome desserts for my daughter. Food and drinks were delicious. Definitely a great place in Chicago. Love the ambience and decoration. read more

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Excellent restaurant and service. Friends took me here after they had visited a few years back. They were leery as that original experience was probably as two star affair. This time it was at least a 7 star. Ramon was our server and his jubilant mood set the tone. The place looks like a cross between a Caribbean market, Moulin Rouge, and Cicque du Soliel. Food is all chef prepared and amazing. Cocktails were our first stop with the caipirinha coming right out of Brazil. The smoky old fashion topped all. We had too many appetizers, too many entrees, and too many desserts because we could not decide which to have -- so ate them all. The charred octopus was my star, while coconut shrimp was the other star. The special was an amazing red snapper with great sauces and plantain crostini. Paella was loaded with seafoods (the Socarrat could have been a bit more crispy... but was fine). The lamb shank -- too wonderful. Had a few desserts, but the dessertismo, we saw served at many tables was the homemade cotton candy... yes the thing of childhoods, but what a treat. Go. read more

If I could give zero stars I would !! This was the worst New Years Eve experience of my life !! We had a reservation at 11pm and they never sat us, we had no table to ring in the new year. Not only that, there were literally no servers to order anything from when we were in the bar area. The host was super rude. Carnivale, get your shit together or don't open up for New Years Eve. You guys suck!! read more

My college friends and I have been getting together for a group dinner at Christmas for the last ten years. It's one of my favorite holiday traditions that was totally ruined this year by us choosing to have it at Carnivale. Utterly dismal service combined with not enough food made for a pretty shitty evening. Thank god we were seated in the back upstairs, directly next to (connected to) the bar. At least the bar tender was able to serve us our drinks directly. He could see that we were getting zero service. The upstairs back bartender and the overall beautiful atmosphere are the only reasons this is a 2 star review as opposed to a 1. Our server, Jasher, was beyond incompetent. Worst service we have ever received at a group dinner ever. He does not belong in such a high-volume, upscale establishment. Our dinner (which was booked a month in advance and had an established menu) took over 3 hours from start to finish. So they were expecting us and we all got the same thing, yet it took a ridiculously long time. Made even more painful by the fact that our server couldn't be bothered to check on us ever. Water glasses sat empty for 5-10 minutes at a time, until we could finally flag down the occasionally bus boy that would make his way all the way up and back to where we were sitting. Basically, our server came once in the beginning, once as soon as our food was dropped, and once right before he dropped the check to "make sure everything was ok". No, idiot, everything was NOT ok. In addition to the total lack of service, we didn't get enough food. We only got two servings of each item in our menu for the table. This for sure should have been three. Especially since we had each course for 30 minutes. There were 10 of us. Nobody should leave a multi-course $80/person dinner hungry and pissed off, yet all of us did. What made the obscene wait times even more frustrating was at the end of the night, after we had been served our desserts, which we were all still currently eating. The bar closed down and a busboy came over and started cleaning the bar, using an extremely harsh chemical smelling cleaner. That was the last straw. On what planet is it acceptable to disrupt a 10 person dinner party with toxic fumes?!?! I immediately went on a search to find our server and express our complete displeasure for the evening. His response? "You didn't say anything when I asked how everything was". I am aware. You asked after the food was dropped. Before we had to wait over 40 minutes for the desserts and before your staff started filling our seating area with toxic fumes. There was no way in hell our group was allowing this lazy pathetic piece of garbage to get the included 20% on our giant tab. And it shouldn't have taken 2 of us having to talk with management and wait yet another 30 minutes to finally get it bumped down to a 15% tip. And to top it all off, they lost one of my girlfriend's credit cards. There were 6 used to pay the bill and she forgot to grab hers when they returned them. She noticed this not even 15 minutes after we left and immediately returned to get it. And it was nowhere to be found. And it still hasn't been returned 5 days later. So, 3+ hours for not enough food, served to us at an obnoxiously slow pace by an obnoxiously missing server, a dessert completely ruined by the cleaning crew and a lost credit card. WTF Carinvale? You should be ashamed of yourselves. read more

Came here on a Friday night to celebrate Mexican Mothers Day with the wife and mom. Had reservations for 6:45pm and arrived at 6:30pm and was seated almost immediately. Our server was Melissa, and she was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The wife and mom ordered the carne asada and arrachera respectively along with sides of plantains and street corn while I went with the oxtail paella. I understand the arrachera was a bit on the tough side, while the carne asada was quite good, and I must say that the oxtail paella was outstanding, and I would highly recommend giving it a try. One of the main reasons I enjoy coming to Carnivale besides the food, is the atmosphere and the service. I expressed my concern over my mom's dish being somewhat on the tough side and Melissa was very attentive and understanding and offered to replace the order with something more suitable, however mom declined. At the end of our meal, Melissa brought some complimentary desserts to our table as a good gesture and to apologize for the inconvenience. She also stated that she made an appropriate adjustment to our bill, which was greatly appreciated. See, even when there is an issue they go out of their way to make it right. I will continue dining at Carnivale on special occasions because of their excellent service as well as their delicious menu items. I would like to really thank Melissa for making our night out special and memorable. read more

This place is awesome. Food is off the charts! I recommend this place to anyone I know

The first thing I noticed about Carnivale was the AMAZING decor. We went on a Sunday at 1 pm, and the restaurant was practically empty. We were seated immediately at a cute table for two with really nice chairs (see pictures). The food and drinks were equally as amazing. We started with the bacon wrapped dates. That was my first experience eating dates, and I will say if it isn't bacon-wrapped, I don't want it! I also enjoyed a mimosa with the dates. I saw many options I wanted to try for the entrée but ended up committing to my favorite brunch meal, the chicken and waffle. The chicken was well seasoned, and the sauce (chipotle maple) added to the deliciousness. I followed that with the brunch punch. It's a must try! The service was terrific but almost overbearing. We had two servers because there was a server in training. Most of the meal we were interrupted with questions about whether our drinks were good, if we'd like more or if the food was excellent. We commenced our visit with a self-guided tour of the place. Would recommend Carnivale for brunch! read more

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Verdict: Great all around meal, from the drinks to the desert. We were definitely pleasantly surprised as we expected a touristy place to not be so good. Loses one star cause it's a bit loud. Atmosphere: Really fun vibe going on. It's bright and colorful inside (like the outside), with fun music playing. Just a bit loud for our taste. Drinks: The sangria was delicious (all of us agreed), and my girlfriend loved the cotton candy martini. Entrées/appetizers: We all got separate meals, but ended up sharing everything anyway, so I'll just list it all. We had guacamole and ceviche for appetizers and the shrimp quesadillas and churrasco for dinner. One of the best guacamoles we've had in Chicago (from Texas, so take that how you will). The shrimp quesadillas were AMAZING! The churrasco was well seasoned and cooked, with these great green garlic mashed potatoes on the side. We also got a side of plantains which were so sweet with a delicious caramelized crust. All around great dinner. Desert: The coconut tres leches was delicious, just not as moist as I want my tres leches to be. The pineapple and mascarpone brought it all together really well though. read more

I wanted to visit this place because I thought it was so vibrant and colorful.. come to find out.. the food is DELICIOUS! Oh my gosh I can't wait to go back. I highly suggest the octopus and paella read more

The Ropa Vieja, coconut shrimp and cotton Candy martinis are my fave! Always nice ambience. The staff is very professional as well as friendly. Had even one of my fav spots for years. I definitely recommend read more

I'll be honest, I'm being a little generous with my 4-stars here. The main reason is because I still think that this is a pretty fun place to at least get drinks, if not dinner. I'd never been to the restaurant before, so it was decided that we go here for a belated birthday dinner, sort of to see what all the hype was about. When first walking in, the whole scene hits you. It's very busy on a Saturday night, so it's a good idea to make a reservation. And it's extremely colorful that's for sure. Because it was so busy, at times it was a bit difficult to get the attention of our waiter, so keep that in mind when you go on a hectic night. Dinner was decent, but not profound. For dessert we got the Cuban cigar which was okay. But the smokey-ness of the chocolate cigar wasn't exactly to our liking. If you order this when you're there, you'll know what I'm talking about. Unfortunately there was also a slight mix-up with our bill. But it was good we found the fault before it was too late, otherwise we would have been over-charged. All in all, it was an okay night, mainly because the company and conversation was good. But if I were to go back, it would likely just be for drinks. read more

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Carnivale has been our list for a while now and finally could make it for lunch with family a month ago. For me it was a "happy place". Colorful, fun & tastefully done interiors. Our server was friendly, explained the menu and helped us order. Since we were 4, we ordered an entree each and guacamole and chips as appetizer. The Guac was refreshing and flavorful. I had 'Arroz con Mariscos' which was rice with shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari & tomato sofrito. Yummy! I also had a portion of Crispy Chicken sandwich. It was very good. Since we were celebrating a family member's Birthday, we got Organic cotton candy on the House (instead of cake) : D Would highly recommend this place for those looking to dine out with family & friends. Tasty food at reasonable price. read more

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Food was great service was great! Our waiter Angel was awesome, he covered the menu with us so well! Highly recommend. read more

Carnivale Chicago - The photo ops in here were amazing! - Latin American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois