Carmine's

Carmine's Crabhouse makes the Best Double Cut Gorgonzola Stuffed Veal Chop. Which is an 18 ounce Double cut... more

Carmine's Crabhouse makes the Best Double Cut Gorgonzola Stuffed Veal Chop. Which is an 18 ounce Double cut Veal Chop that only Carmine's can make ... more

We arrived on the train from Milwaukee, checked into our hotel and found ourselves with an hour to spare... more

We arrived on the train from Milwaukee, checked into our hotel and found ourselves with an hour to spare before our broadway show started. We grab... more

this place used to be awesome. the last time i was there it was a disaster. not sure what happened but the service was horrible, food was bland and my girl got a serious stomach ache later that night. :( more

Walked in-hosts didn't even LOOK at us. We were in jeans(nice jeans) and had walked over from the very upscale hotel nearby in which we were staying-thought we would pop in to see if a table was available. Manager came out finally after we were ignored by hosts for 2 minutes(they weren't on phones!), I asked if we were dressed appropriately, he said of course. Hosts still didn't even look or acknowledge us even while seating us. Note to hosts-just because we aren't in our 'couture' attire at the time, doesn't mean we aren't well off and ready to spend a mint in your restaurant for good food! This almost overshadowed the fantastic food and wait staff, attentive but not intrusive. Food was EXCELLENT, hubby had pork chops, I had the cavetelli arrabiata-very nice and spicy-loved it! Almost a perfect dining experience. Pros: Food was fantastic, very reasonably priced Cons: Host staff was very unwelcoming more

Had 1/2 Cesar and cheese ravioli. Got ill at 4AM. more

Every time I am back in Chicago, I love to go to Carmines for the great food and atmosphere. This past Saturday was really disappointing!!!! We made a reservation for 8 people at 8:00PM several weeks ago. We arrived 10 minutes early, and were told we would be seated in 10-15 minutes. That came and went & every time we checked status up front, the hostess was very rude & said either "5 -to-10 minutes more' or 'i will find you when you table is ready". About ten "5-to-10 minutes" later, we were finally seated for our 8PM reservation at 8:50PM!!!! Seems to be some extremely poor management going on there these days; there were several people in the same situation. I am quite disappointed b/c I really loved this place & my linguini & clams was no where near as good as it has been in the past. Unless they can turn things around, I will have to find a new place to go back to when visiting good old Chiicago!!! Cons: Not seating on time for your reservation; rude hostesses more

I loved every minute at this place - until they walked us into the overflow seating in the "tent". The time spent in the bar with the live music beforehand and the food itself made up for a very subpar dining atmosphere. If we'd been in the main restaurant, it would've been 5 stars and superb. Pros: atmosphere, music, drinks, food Cons: outdoor tent more

We were in town for a Romantic weekend and we were finishing up some shopping when we decided to stop. It was the middle of the dinner rush and we lucked out and got their last walk-in table. We were seated upstairs and it was much more quiet. The atmosphere seemed pretty the standard and our server wasn't the most gifted guy in the world but he was attentive and polite. The bread was served promptly but I was initially put off with the bowl of parmesan cheeese (seemed cheap and cheezy). The cocktails were nice and strong and our appetizer was wonderful, we had the calamari. It was very fresh and not overcooked (unlike most places). The tomato and onion salad was really nice and there was plenty for the two of us and some for later too! We had the linguini with white clam sauce, which was amazing and the Torteloni Carbonara which was very rich and very good, although the peas were of a strangely crunchy consistency. When all things were said and done, we were way too full to even look at the desert menu. Every one was very polite, even the bathroom attendant but the hostesses were dressed like cheap prostitutes. We loved the food and had a really nice time, we will be making this a regular stop for us when staying in Chicago. Pros: Wonderful Food Cons: New meaning to Door *hore more

I come to Chicago quite a bit on business, and decided to head to Carmine's on the advice of the concierge at my hotel. My friend and I arrived in that area and right away noticed we were sent to a tourist trap. That entire area is full of midwest tourists looking for a "night out" in Chicago. The service was absolutely laughable, the food was fair-to-poor, and the wine was old (and not in the good way). The men working there were all frat-boy dummies and the girls taking reservations looked like cheap HS cheerleaders. The waitstaff kept coming up to us, letting us know the bread was in the oven which was why we didn't get any when we sat down. When the bread finally did arrive, it was cold and hard. Very weird. The waitress, after taking our order said "Have a nice night!" and we never saw her again except to sprinkle cheap parm on my dish. I ate only a few bites but had to stop because the dish (Penne Bolognese) was just disgusting. The whole experience was rather commical to my friend and me - we just laughed it all off. Looking around, we were not surprised to see that the majority of people there looked like tourists. The restaurant tried to be "fancy" (I think?) but it was just an expensive, crappy tourist trap. If you have any taste, avoid this place. Pros: Good outdoor seating Cons: everything else more

This is the place to be if you're injected with silicon and want to have a little fun with the 40 - 50 something men (sugar daddies). My date and I had dinner (we're both mid-20s) and while I enjoyed my meal ( the stuffed mushrooms are wonderful) I had no idea that the menu was the exact same as Rosebud on Rush. The local scene and the fact that my "homey Italian food" wasn't original was kind of a turn off. Go elsewhere if you can, but if you're in the area, it's nice for a laugh and a decent meal. Pros: blondes with silicon flirting with 40 - 60 something men, nice outdoor setting, see and be seen crowd Cons: all of the above more

We were from out of town, from Nashville where we are used to going to many good upscale restaurants. We were seated quickly, but the downstairs was very crowded and noisy. I felt like the table next to us could hear our entire conversation. Our waiter was very prompt, but I felt like he was very disinterested in us and more interested in turning our table quickly. Our glasses were always full, the wine was great and the food was great, too. The only thing I felt was missing was the service piece. Our server was not bad, he just seeemed more concerned with getting us out quickly and upseling us on appetizers, wine, dessert, etc. The whole experience seemed very impersonal. But the food was very good and I enjoyed my meal very much. Just wish the servers could've been more personal and engaging. Pros: good food, good wine Cons: service was average, noisy in downstairs, tables were too close together more

i have always had a good time at this place. Large portions of great food. It has at great downtown atmosphere. more

My husband and I visited Chicago for our 7 year wedding anniversary. The concierge at our hotel suggested, and then made a reservation for us at Carmine's. From the moment we walked in, we were impressed. As soon as we sat down at the table, our server was there to help us, and offered great suggestions to us. The food was amazing! Be sure to try the Pasta Fagoli, the best I have ever had! We ordered a bottle of champagne, and our glasses was never empty, our server was always there to refill our glasses. It was the best service I have ever received at a restaurant (and since I am a server, this is a top compliment!). Next time we visit Chicago, we will definitely return to Carmine's! Pros: The food! The service! The whole experience! Cons: None more

I stopped by here late night with a friend when we were craving steamed mussels. They were so good, we went back the next night. But they were out! I was destroyed and asked for the manager. Donny called a sister company and was actually going to get tmussels for us, but we decided to have the clams instead and they were just as good. Food, wine, atmosphere, friendly staff - all an A+. Thanks Donny for making the effort. Pros: Friendly manager and wait staff, flexible menu Cons: Pretty busy during the weekend evenings - need a reservation more

Not able to rate the food as we never got that far. We had a reservation for 4 arrived ahead of reservation time...to an overly crowded reception area. The scene was out of control and the receptionists were harried. We were told to wait in the bar. 30 minutes past our reservation time we started asking 'how much longer" and were told a "little while", 45 minutes past our reservation time we were told that there were 3 other parties with 4people ahead of us and any walk in that had been waiting. At 60 minutes past our reservation we retrieved our coats and dined elsewhere. We will NEVER return! Our dollars will not be spent at an establishment that has such disregard for their customers. Pros: Easy walk from the Drake Hotel Cons: Total disregard for reservation time more

I have eaten here twice and had a great meal both times. The bar (and the entire restaurant) can be loud and busy, but has good live music. One of the best shrimp cocktails I have ever had and I highly recommend any of the veal dishes. more

Because of its bustling facade and even busier interior dining room, I expected to be very good, or at least decent at the very least. Instead I was very disappointed at my experience there, as I have tried most of the other Italian restaurants in the area, and this had one of the most popular names. I ordered the Parmesan Chicken entree which came with a side of pasta. It looked good, but it was very salty. In fact, it was so salty that I could not even taste the chicken. On the other hand, the pasta was so bland, I used it to offset the saltiness of my chicken, which I never finished. Hoping that maybe the dessert would make up for the dinner, we ordered cheesecake and tiramisu. It was good but nothing mind-blowing. It was a pretty disappointing experience. more

This past weekend was St. Patrick's Day and I found myself in Chicago with two friends. After a long day and many miles of walking we found ourselves seeking a satisfying meal before we soaked in a few libations. We happened upon Carmine's. The building was inviting and good Italian, despite the holiday, seemed to be just what we needed. I had the basics. Spaghetti and meatballs with an antipasto salad. How would I describe it? Let me see. Perfect. I grew up in an Italian community and have longed for the food my friends' families would grace us with growing up. If you could see the size of my midsection, you would know that I know a little bit about good food. This is great food. The noodles were al dente. The sauce was not too sweet, not too carlicy and just the right hint of spice. The meatballs, they were the star - big, beautifully seasoned and perfectly cooked. The warm atmosphere and friendly staff completed the experience. I can tell you this. Whenever I am in downtown Chicago, I will be searching for an excuse to get to Carmine's. You should too. Pros: Food, Ambience, Value Cons: Parking? It's on Rush Street. Walk or take the bus. more