Carnivale Restaurant Review

Very fun place to be in - great colorful decor. I tend to prefer very good quality food simply prepared, while every dish here felt overdone. 3 of 4 apps had very sweet sauces. Ceviche should be a fresh, citrus-pickled seafood. Theirs was a mayo seafood salad. Service was very attentive. Good wines by the glass, but server tried three times to push us to get a bottle.

Great food and excellent service. The waiter was polite and energetic. Food was well cooked. Drinks were a bit too strong but everything was fantastic none the less. You get what you pay for.

This place is so beautiful, the food & drinks are great and the staff are amazing! There's a live band on Fridays, Monthly Theme Brunches - earlier this month it was a pajama theme where you get a free mimosa by wearing PJs and other cool events!

I highly recommend this restaurant! Shout out to Rhayanna Luz for the warm hospitality, I'll definitely return!

Great food & drinks, great atmosphere. Awesome place.

My first time at this gorgeous restaurant was amazing. My waiter was friendly, kind and patient. The food was incredibly awesome If I can give this restaurant 10 'S I would. Il definitely be back.

We came here for NYE. When we booked on OpenTable on 11/4, they advertised as their normal menu with NO MENTION of any type of special menu (see pictures). We specifically chose this place because they weren't doing prix fixe. We get here and they've switched to one with ZERO NOTICE including when they called to confirm. Almost no options for vegetarians and pescatarians. Manager was extremely rude and unapologetic, refused to offer regular menu as they advertised or even let us order the a la carte at the regular prices (instead of the super high NYE ones). We only stayed because getting in somewhere else with 8 people was impossible.

This used to be one of my favorite places in Chicago. I will never come here again. Great food, but scammers manage this place. There are plenty of great options in Chicago. Go anywhere else but here.

love the vibe of this place. very detailed with art. food was great!!!

One of my all time favorite restaurants! Every time we visit the food is spectacular and the ambience is so fun. They change the menu often so it would be hard to say what to order. Everything is delicious. The waiters can help if you are undecided. The cocktail menu is fun and the cuban cigar for dessert is delicious. But..... don't forget their cotton candy. You can't leave without having some.

So i love the Ropa Viejo here whether for appetizer or main dish. Also the churrasco medium done was awesome. The yuca had to be dipped in sauce more and the waiters needed to be faster and remember peoples order. My aunt and uncle ordered it well done and it was medium. The mojito where great and the host was funny. The salmon and the periivian chicken tasted great. The music is in spanish and i loved that went perfect with the theme of the location. Decoration goes perfect with the location as well accept to many skinny women and for the theme of this location hispanic woman are not skinny and thin. The bathrooms were super clean and most of the staff is very friendly. There is valet for $11 during dinner but there is public parking if you find it. Its about $12 to $30 a plate. Most of the food is based of central america.

Had a paella, it's was so so. Octopus was chewy, rice was too wet and mushy

Very delicious food, small portions though. .. if you are sharing and want to do the appetizers to try different plates, I would recommend to start with the salad which is way tastier than you expect and comes in a very good size

One of the best latin fusion restaurants in the city! Cheap valet charge. Beautiful and modern dining room. Great arrachera entree!

Food has no seasoning at all. Extremely overpriced.

Really great great service great food great drinks great service

We went for Easter brunch and while the atmosphere and food were excellent, I ended up feeling ripped off when we left. The brunch was $45 a person, and there were 5 of us. We ordered a total of 7 alcoholic beverages. Our food bill was $225. Then our total bill came for $400. We were splitting the bill, so added tip and then as we were leaving I realized there must be a mistake. There is no way 7 drinks cost $175! $25 a drink??? I asked the waiter and he said its because the tip was added and he didnt correct us when we were mistakenly leaving an additional 20 %. I ended up feeling it was way too much money. Next year we will just go out to lunch some where. So....food and environment were great but it was too expensive.

We've been to this place quite a few times. It never disappoints. If you like color, and an upbeat stylish restaurant this is the place to be. The service is great, and it's very clean. The food is always fresh, and hot! Great for celebration's of any sort. Anniversary's, birthday's, or just to have a great time. This place fits all under one umbrella. A bit pricey, but to me it's worth it

Awesome experience. Great food and entertainment. Highly recommend.

An event in one of the many rooms was very lively. Good hors d'oeuvres and beverages. Always a festive time and atmosphere. Worth a visit in the Fulton Market District.

Excellent ambiance, location and food! Great for a date or just a night out with friends.

From the moment I stepped into this place I was drawn. From the food to the atmosphere to the live entertainment, the whole trip was wonderful. No complaint at all, and I'm definitely coming back.

I love the Latin Fusion food they serve here! Their coconut shrimp is to die for! Definitely a place to go for a fun night out with your girlfriends, date night, or even family!

Food and service were great. Went before the opera, told them and they had us in time. We eat primarily vegetarian and they had tons of good options, unique dishes

Had a reservation on Valentine s Day. They over booked and the wait was hours. Pure scum. Went to Shake Shack instead - had a better time anyways.

Rounding up to 5 stars because we appreciated the overall experience and the place goes beyond just a restaurant. It s fun and worth it as far as overtly-themed restaurants go - an experience for sure!

Would recommend for a lively group dinner amongst you and your life of the party friends.

Space: Expansive, colorful, artsy, lots of seating but somewhat snug
Ambience: Upbeat with loud music and a great vibe amongst people, who were also loud and enjoying the setting
Demographic: A little bit of almost everything big families, fun dates, crazy groups, girls headed to the club, birthday parties, etc
Value: The full experience and the quality of food make the cost worth it just to be able to say you ve been to Carnivale (in Chicago)!

I liked this place with a good view overlooking the expressway. The menu has a decent variety. I had a roasted chicken dish that was good. The other guests enjoyed their food. The atmosphere is festive. I suggest accessing Carnivale's menu online to get more information on meal choices.

This was delightful. Fun ambiance. Ask the waiter for recommendations - they know what's best!

This place is beautiful! Very nicely organized and clean. The scenery is amazing. The food was absolutely delicious! The customer service is on point. Will be going there again for sure. Thank You Carnivale Restaurant, for a great night out!

Wonderful experience. The food was very good and the drinks were made perfectly. I had the pleasure of attending a dinner party there and the service was top notch. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Great food and atmosphere! The staff was courteous and attentive, and the restaurant was very colorful!

Bring an appetite because the steaks are tasty as the service is outstanding and the Cuban Cigar dessert is to die for... Seriously, save room for the Cuban Cigars dessert... The presentation is pretty cool and it tastes even better...

The food was okay. Not very kid-friendly as far as menu options. Parking is almost non-existent, but they do have a valet service. Customer Service was good. I'd be willing to give it another try without my kids next time.

Went here for a work event and was impressed by all the dishes

excellent place I recommend good food and first class service

Terrible restaurant and even worse venue for an event. I will never go back.

Food was amazing. Service was great and the whole place was so pretty.

the food is full of life. the meats are succulent, the veggies are crisp, and the sauces are rich. eating is an experience!

Beautiful space and really unique and delicious food! Loved celebrating my birthday here!

I love love the interior design but they took the lavish look away wit tht neon quote sign...so tacky

A bit overpriced wine & food. Food is good. Service is adequate.

Very unique restaurant and awesome location..but the food is absolutely delicious...

Came here for a private event, but I can't recommend them enough. Their bartenders knew their stuff, and the wait staff was excellent. The staff went above and beyond.

The food was fresh, the staff was friendly and courteous.

this is place is bursting with fun and flavor!! go on thursday nights in the summer for a pig roast and random nights for dance lessons! you'll instantly notice this place off 90/94...its a large building with huge bright stripes! the food is a brazilian twist fusion!

The event space upstairs is excellent. Easy bar access, great in house catering, lots of bathrooms.

What an amazing experience! The food is creative and fun. I had such a great time dining there and celebrating my daughter's 12th birthday. Josh was our server and he totally made the experience an unforgettable one! I loved the sea scallops and the coconut shrimp. Great flavors and wonderful cocktails as well!

Their food is excellent, cocktails are strong and the atmosphere is great for a date night or large group. Always have a fun time here.

As a photographer, I can say the Carnivale is truly a wedding dream! It's the perfect venue for any event! Not only is the venue absolutely stunning, but the staff excel in customer experience and taking care of their clients. They put so much care and time into the venue and every wedding or event that happens there. If you are searching for a venue with a unique colorful twist and amazing staff, Carnivale is for you!

Delicious steaks OMG!!! Highly recommended if visiting the city for the first time.

Above and beyond- fantastic food, service, and atmosphere. Must return to explore more of the menu.

Excellent food and service. Nice ambiance, but tables too close, cold/drafty, and pricey.

We took some friends here, and they fell in love with this unusual and fabulous restaurant, The food is excellent with a ton of options from which to choose, (Leave room for the unusual desserts!). The service is also great - our server Ramon was very attentive, And the venue is unique and fun. This is a pricey restaurant, but it's worth it for a special occasion,

Awesome restaurant in the heart of the city! The atmosphere feels almost like your sitting in a high end restaurant in Las Vegas, full of life and color. The food is excuiste and the service cannot be beat. In my opinion this restaurant is one of the best Chicago has to offer. Love it and will go again!

Fun festive spot with vibrant decor and awesome tapas options. Fun drink options. Try the ceviche! Great for drinks or for a full meal. Make a reservation for peak hour dining if you don't want to wait.

We made the mistake of booking a table for New Years Eve. This was our first time and we didn't know what to expect. In the flyer they promised live entertainment and a NYE celebration.

PROs: looks pretty cool inside, very fun atmosphere, colorful and vibrant, but yet very modern.

CONs: service and event management. The lady who took us to our table told us right away that this is just a dining restaurant and there will be not party. The live entertainment turned out to be 2-3 jugglers and gymnasts walking around doing the same tricks again and again. First time was fun, but got very old very quickly. No dancing? No live music? Their lured us in with a NYE celebration and did absolutely not deliver. Additionally, there are several rooms in the restaurant and instead of being seated in the main fun area, we were placed in a corner of some remote room upstairs with nothing going on in there. Our waiter was impatient and kind of rude. He just dumped the dishes on our table and didn't explain anything. It probably wouldn't have been a problem, if the appetizers did not look very similar. So we played guessing games - I guess that was fun.

AVERAGE were the food and the cocktails. Some of the ceviche or seafood appetizers were ridiculous, like a prepped up oyster - just ONE, and literally nothing on the shell but some greens. I ordered truffle gnocchi. The black color of the gnocchi was alarming and it did not compensate for the lack of the truffle taste. In fact they tasted like softened bread rather than potato and truffles. Another person ordered risotto with scallops, and it was rather plain and dry. After dining out at Emilios Tapas a few days ago this was a big disappointment.

OVERALL: definitely worth checking it out. DON'T go for any events like New Years Eve. No live entertainment (music and dancing). Food is average tasting and rather overpriced. Go there for the atmosphere, not for good food!

Fun place! I have eaten here a couple of times. The drink menu is worth taking a look at. They have an amazing coconut Margherita. Additionally there is a drink with cotton candy that is quite delicious.

Went here for my birthday weekend and loved it. Great atmosphere! Everything is so vibrate. I ordered a cotton candy martini which was pretty great, as well as the salmon I ordered. Lovely place.

Always a fun place especially the night of Fat Tuesday.......Good food and great drinks. Lively decor.

We visited it for the birthday celebration and were stunned by the decorations, good food and service! Close to downtown Chicago - this is certainly one of it's jewels!

The food was fantastic, the atmosphere is amazing, and the wait staff was really, really great with suggestions and pairings. Shout out to Jorge for being super awesome. Will come again, highly recommended.

First time we celebrate New Years here are carnivale. I have to say it was lame! It really was just not a good place to celebrate New Years. Yes there was performers and they were awesome! But when it came close to the countdown, we were thinking that we were going to be able to dance and drink in area specific to have a good time. But instead they have a balloon drop over where people are still eating!!! What the heck! They should make that area for people to be able to dance and drink. Instead of squeezing yourself through tables where people are eating. It sucked!!!
Never again!!!! Ever!

First time here, not the last for sure. The restaurant it's very colorful, the server really nice, about food...amazing, dessert perfect. I give 4 stars because of reservations, you don't know when you make the reservations if you can stay in the big room to see the show. There were many free tables and they said they had nothing free, we stayed an hour and a half and they were not occupied at all.

Great decoration, excellent drinks, the ropa vieja was delicious. Family friendly. On weekends, make a reservation.

Fun atmosphere! Perfect for birthday or a fun celebration.

It has valet parking
Very good reception
The super attentive waiter
And the food ..... EXQUISITE

Very good. Cuban Cigar was great. I could have 2 of those. Very Happy with my meal. Would go back again.