Carnivale

Second time visiting. Came for the Cinco de Mayo celebration and although disappointed that there wasn't many celebratory specials (as advertised), we still had a delightful lunch experience.There was a show of multiple dancers and service was spot on. So spot on our waiter basically recited the entire menu to us. We started with guac and chips, the guac does have a tiny kick to it, and I ordered the beef empanadas and crispy potatoes. The empanadas were great, the potatoes I might have ate one and can do without in the future. The vibe was fun and exciting, but getting there at 2pm we expected more liveliness, but overall it was good.

While the food was satisfactory, the customer service left much to be desired. We were initially seated by the fireplace (during winter), which added a cozy touch to the ambiance. However, we soon found ourselves uncomfortably warm. Politely, we requested to be relocated to a cooler area of the restaurant. Regrettably, our request was met with significant attitude from our server, who seemed openly displeased by our simple inquiry.Thankfully, another server intervened and adjusted the fireplace to a lower setting, resolving the issue. When the initial server returned to reseat us, we informed him of the adjustment and our newfound comfort. Disappointingly, he responded with visible annoyance, rolling his eyes before walking away.As we were celebrating a special occasion, this interaction left a sour taste in our mouths. While the food was decent, the way in which guests are treated holds far more weight in my opinion. Ultimately, it's the customer service experience that shapes one's overall impression of an establishment.

As a Chicago Native, I always saw this place from the HW and this weekend I decided to give it a try.Is the environment nice? It's different. It has a very 90s vibe, outdated but still functional. Is the food great? No, but it's not horrible either. I came with a group of 6 and we all got different things. There wasn't one thing that blew me away. The Pernil was decent, the Paella was aight but was served with what looked like minute rice. A definite miss, skip this spot.

Good cocktails and good food. Server was very accommodating. The decor is fun and colorful. Lively music. Wish I could have seen some performances.

What an experience we've had at Carnivale! I haven't been back for years and never had dinner just drinks but let me tell you this place is such a vibe! A live show about every 20 minutes which makes the experience even better. The ambience is colorful and very inviting. To start order yourself a mojito, made with perfection that's sweet but not overpowering.Now let me get to the best part,the food ! For appetizers we had, ropa vieja which was like a braised beef that had pickled onions and this queso fresco with some aioli but let me tell you that was 10/10. Don't hesitate and order it. You will thank me later . We also had chicken empanadas and mushroom croquettes , the chicken empanadas weren't like the regular empanadas you get but overall I probably wouldn't order it again not saying they were bad just didn't wow me like the other two appetizers.However the mushroom croquettes I was loving it up! It does come with black truffle so to each its own taste buds but this was right up my alley . Dinner we had the Brazilian Churasco that comes with yuca fritas that's fries. The Oxtail Paella omg was so delish !!! I almost wanted to change my plates. Braised Oxtail had mushrooms carrots rice forgot what else but all the best combos . I wish I knew what my friends steak name was but it's the video where the waiters putting on my friends plate . She said she loved every single bite. After dinner we obviously had to order some desserts, we did the carnival cotton candy that comes with popcorn, the ice cream with 3 flavors, pistachio, passion fruit, and raspberry and the 19 layer cake. The cake was the winner . Great experience and would dine again when I'm in Chicago .

Colorful and vibrant atmosphere. This lively restaurant definitely brings out the fun for our large party. My friend held a private birthday party in one of their rooms and we couldn't ask for better service from the bartender to the sever. Food was exceptionally. We got the ceviche, calamari and Caesar salad for starters. I really enjoyed the ceviche which I didn't get a picture. The paella was pretty good. There was a good amount of seafood in the paella. They had a cotton candy Cosmo which was very sweet. I did enjoyed the old fashioned.

This review is on the food. Our waitress was great! I do not like to post one star ratings but if you deserve a one star rating, you're going to get a one star rating!! Disappointed and disgusting with our meal!!! It was very underwhelming and overpriced! We ordered the Seafood Paella and it was terrible!!! Everything was overcooked, rubbery, mushy and not fresh tasting. I have had Paella several times and this was not Paella!! We also ordered the plantains and again we were disappointed... They were greasy tasting and tasted like gas from the grill. Thursday night is supposed to be the entertainment (the reason we booked on a Thursday) and we saw one act of juggling!! We were out the door within 45 minutes and we are now taking a 7 minute walk to a burger joint!!!! Stay tuned. The review on the burger joint is coming soon!!!

What an experience we had at Carnivale! The colors and decorations set this place apart from anywhere else and you can feel the exciting Latin energy as soon as you walk in. There is a cocktail lounge, plenty of spots for pictures and a large main hall with two floors of seating. On Friday night, they have Samba Dancers which got all the guests clapping and dancing, making the experience even more enjoyable. As for the food, all of our dishes were delicious! They are large portion sizes so best to get a few entrees and split at the table so you can try many different dishes! We started with calamari and shrimp quesadillas, both of which were excellent. For our mains, we got the seafood paella which was rich and flavorful. We also ordered the braised short rib which was tender and served on a bed of warm grits. The Argentinian Parrillada was a large platter of different meats and potatoes, and they had no problem substituting the pork for more steak and chicken. All three entrees were excellent and the five of us left feeling very full. Carnivale is a great place to come for a celebration, you can't go wrong when the food and vibes are 10/10!

"You get what you paid for" doesn't apply to this restaurant. The food looks great on the plate and in pics for social media. However the spaghetti and mashed potato was so bland, due to the slow service, we were so hungry when all our orders came in. We paid more than $400 for all our appetizers , drinks and entrees, we were not satisfied. The gaucho steak had bitterness on the bark and even though I ordered medium, it was well done in 80% of the meat. The server kept saying the kitchen was so busy, though only 40% of the seats were taken. I had to ask 3 times for a refill of water, we also had to wait extra long for hot tea and light beer, surely even an understaffed kitchen is not an excuse for the delay? Kudos to the nice ambiance, but I will not come back for the food, we don't mind spending for a good meal /service, just glad to experience the place once.

What gets you first here is the atmosphere. My BFF was visiting from the East Coast and actually wanted to go here her first night in the city. Aparently she had done her homework and I clearly had not. I have been living here for 3 years and never set foot in Carnivale. I cannot believe I have been missing out on this great restaurant. Its over a decade in the making and still have not found words to completely describe. Just go... I have bewn back sincee above was intially writen and like whoa.Whi needs international travel when one city on a beer budget has so much to offee???