Carnivale

If you want a fantastic wedding, book Carnivale. The setting, food, and service were all outstanding. Tiffany provided great advice and suggestions. Guests said it was the best wedding they ever attended. It was perfect in every day.

Carnivale was easy to deal with and executed almost everything to perfection. We love their food, and the venue is already so well-decorated that it left little extra burden on us to prepare for the evening.

Everything was beautiful for our NYE wedding! The food and signature drinks are delicious! Erica was a great wedding coordinator.

We hosted both our ceremony and reception in the Samba Room at Carnivale and were absolutely thrilled with the experience. Erica was our primary contact - she met with us multiple times and was extremely flexible, even as we made some last-minute changes. Further, she went above and beyond to make sure that everything ran smoothly throughout the night and to ensure that my wife and I were comfortable and happy. Everything else, you already know: the space is gorgeous, the food and drink packages are reasonable, and the people were all very friendly and helpful. Fantastic experience overall.

We had our rehearsal dinner at Carnivale and we had the absolute best time. Serena and the team were a dream to work with. Everyone kept talking about how it was one of the most fun rehearsals they've been to, and the food was amazing! We got an extra treat as we had the rehearsal in the Tango Room on a Friday in August, which meant our guests could watch the live performances from the catwalk after we finished dinner. If you're looking for the best way to kick off your wedding weekend, choose Carnivale!!!!

Carnivale completely exceed our expectations for our wedding venue on Labor Day 2019. From our initial outreach, Molly, our primary contact, was incredibly informative, approachable, and detailed. We were looking for a location that was a bit non-traditional, but could accommodate our 200+ attendees and streamline the planning process by handling a lot of the smaller details (i.e. linens, place setting, menu design, tables and chairs, etc.). We had multiple meetings with Molly prior to our wedding and she always had an answer for every one of our questions. Nothing was ever a “big deal” and she always had a solution. Three days before our wedding, a big hurricane prevented 15 of our guests from attending. Molly was able to adjust our menu and reallocate funds towards other components of the night. The moment we walked into the space on our wedding day, we knew it would be an incredible night. The space is the perfect venue for a fun and unique party. We had both our ceremony and reception at Carnivale. The ceremony set-up was perfect to accommodate all of our guests. We had our cocktail hour in the main bar and the outdoor space was a great addition to this part of the evening. The Carnivale staff flipped the room at record speed for the reception. We got so many compliments from our guests on the passed appetizers, and also the dinner. Everyone said how great it was to have non-traditional wedding food and such great service. We had a dedicated person to our table throughout the night, which helped whenever we had a minute to eat. We did the family style menu, which was a perfect way for everyone to try all of the amazing food at Carnivale. After dinner, it was also such a fun space to continue our dance party. We had our after-party at Jefferson Tap, which was within walking distance and an easy way to continue the party. Overall, we would highly recommend Carnivale for a wedding venue. We can’t say enough wonderful things about Molly. She made everyone feel at ease and was always 10 steps ahead of us the entire time. If we could do it all over again, we would absolutely choose Carnivale time and time again!

When first looking at venues, Carnivale was my dream location and it did not disappoint! The interior alone is breathtaking and the fun colors and set-up really matched our personalities and vision for the day. We worked with Tiffany who was great at answering all of our questions. It was apparent that she knew what she was doing and would be a good resource for us. During the cocktail hour we did a receiving line and they had servers waiting for guests so that they all had a drink before they even went down the line into the room. Everyone loved that and it really helped with crowd control at the bar. The food - holy cow!! A big reason we chose Carnivale was for the food and it was phenomenal!!! We did family style and were able to have a very different food selection for both dinner and cocktail hour than your standard wedding. I only wish I had taken more time to really enjoy the meal. Highly recommend if you are looking for something a little different. I want to do the whole day again!

As soon as we stepped in to Carnivale, still searching for venues, my husband said this is the place for our wedding and reception. I’m so glad he did. Carnivale is beautiful and the look is so unique compared to other venues. Also, everything you need for your wedding, they can provide or you refer you to their list of preferred vendors. And, the food is amazing, so good and so many choices! Wait until you have your tasting there! Finally, brides feel free to have your bridzilla moment on your big day (like me). Tiffany (our Carnivale event manager) will be there to save the day.

Chicago brides-this is the place for you. Working with Tiffany Junta made planning our wedding so easy. She is responsive and goes out of her way to make sure that you are comfortable through the entire process. She is great at answering questions, working with outside vendors, and calming anxious brides. Be sure to ask for her by name. The food and drinks at Carnivale are still being raved about by our guests. The space is beautifully decorated and is easy to compliment with simple flowers and decorations. This is not your cookie cutter banquet hall. The eclectic artwork and colors of the main dining hall are carried up through the Samba room creating a truly unique wedding experience. This is complimented further by the amazing staff, food, drinks, and Tiffany. Do yourself a favor and host your wedding here. You won’t regret it.

I can’t express enough how fantastic working with the wedding planner at Carnivale was! He was very thorough, professional, and exceptional! We had the wedding of our dreams and all our friends and family enjoyed themselves!

I had my daughter's bridal shower here! Everyone loved it and the food was incredible and the staff was awesome. LOVED IT!

The staff at Carnivale were very professional and helpful in every way. The staff was always on hand. They checked in with us multiple times throughout the night. The food was delicious and we couldn't have created a better ambiance. We had a great time and we highly recommend hosting a wedding here.

We got married at Carnivale on October 20, 2018, and had the most perfect wedding. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that we selected Carnivale as our venue. The space is beautiful, fun and lively. I don't like to decorate and Carnivale is already decorated, so adding decor to the space is really not even necessary. The food was delicious and the service was top-notch. Throughout the planning process, we worked with Serena, who was wonderful, delightful and extremely competent! She promptly answered my questions and emails, helped us make important decisions and went above and beyond to take the lead on the bridal party & ceremony logistics during the rehearsal and on the day of the wedding. She accommodated our unique requests and was attentive to detail. Serena remembered my husband's favorite drink (Pisco Sour from Peru--not an easy cocktail to make) and handed it to him as soon as the ceremony ended. During the reception, Serena and Luis, the banquet manager, made sure everything ran smoothly. Luis and his staff were attentive to all the guests. Carnivale had a chuppah that someone had left behind from a previous wedding and kindly stored the big structure in their office for months so that we could use it at our wedding. Serena measured it for me and even had it assembled prior to the ceremony. We had guests from Chicago, all over the United States and Peru; everyone had a blast and can't stop talking about it, saying that it was the best wedding and venue (with the best food & drinks). This is a huge compliment coming from people who have been to weddings at the most high-end places. We wouldn't have changed a thing.

For them moment we first walked I to the Tango room we new it was the right venue for us! Our event coordinator, Molly, helped us plan every detail. We are so grateful to the staff for providing everything we needed and making the night unforgettable for our guests!!!

Carnivale was the most amazing venue to hold our wedding. Doug was so helpful throughout the entire wedding process, taking the time to answer our MANY questions, providing his own expertise and ideas, and working to adapt the venue to our ideas and requests. The space itself is amazing- so colorful and exciting without even having to worry about bringing our own decorations. Our guests could not stop raving about the colorful atmosphere and of course the amazing food. Although our wedding is over, we will definitely be back at Carnivale soon!

We hosted our daughter and new son-in-laws wedding ceremony and reception at Carnivale. Doug was amazing to work with from the planning stage to the final moments of our celebration. He went above and beyond to make our event a dream come true. He thought of every detail and maximized our budget to include everything we needed. Doug is so creative and his team at Carnivale is extremely talented. The restaurant is beautiful and so colorful, the food is delicious, and the staff so well trained. We can't say enough good things about Doug and his team. Thank You Carnivale for making Stephanie & Tyler's wedding a modern day Fairy Tale..

WHAT A DREAM! Doug and the entire team at Carnivale were amazing. From start to finish, Doug was not only quick to respond and very accommodating, but also exicted to share ideas and help me get creative with planning. He worked very hard to help us maximize our budget so no money was wasted. The food is AMAZING, and the staff very professional. Carnivale was also able to provide a lot of decor, including table numbers, guest favors, a wedding program, menus, and more. Little things like this add up when planning. It’s so nice to cut the number of venders you have to organize, and with Carnivale, they take care of almost everything.. even our cake! I could go on and on. Thank you so much Doug and everyone at Carnivale for making my wedding dreams a reality.

Tiffany Junta and her team at Carnivale made my reception the talk of my guests for days afterward, nothing but compliments from everyone that attended. Tiffany is the Catering manager, and together with my wedding planner, ensured that the reception flowed and that our guests were entertained and comfortable, I let them handle it, and had not one thing to worry about the entire afternoon! Tiffany even suggested a photographer that she had worked with to me for the wedding, and he was outstanding!! Tiffany is upbeat, orgainized, and so much fun to work with. And it showed during the reception, she was there every step of the way making sure that all our planning was executed, the tables were beautiful with our flowers and Mexican tile coasters that we used as table favors. Tiffany even helped bustle my dress before the reception started, with my wedding planner and my Mom working on it too, sometimes it takes a village! She even dropped off our cake and cake topper on her way home, we were staying nearby for the wedding night and forgot to grab it before we left. Tiffany made sure that every guest with any need or dietary restriction was accommodated, and the food at Carnivale is WONDERFUL!! Flavorful, and delicious , as well as presented beautifully on the plate, my guests loved it!! Carnivale is a fun, trendy place with just a bit of quirky thrown in. Tiffany is a consumate professional, and whole lot like me in personality, we had an absolute blast working together, right down to getting me the invoices in an effcient and timely manner, which I really appreciated!. Tiffany also suggested another venue for a last minute pre-wedding cocktail party for our guests, which we retained, and thoroughly enjoyed after the rehearsal dinner. If you want a fun, Latin influenced vibe for your reception, look no further than Carnivale, and of course Tiffany Junta in Chicago, IL.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about Carnivale, and specifically, the event coordinator, Doug. My husband and I ended up having a change of plans and had to plan our wedding with only about 6 weeks notice. We were very stressed out about this and worried about finding a venue. Form the very beginning Doug and the Carnivale staff made the process so much. They were able to be so flexible with what we wanted to do and the budget we were working with, and basically said they could make everything we wanted happen on short notice and within budget. Doug was such a dream to work with and made what was a stressful process so much fun. He took care of literally everything. We stayed within budget, Doug thought of literally everything that we needed. The venue was amazing and beautiful and the food was unbelievable. Almost every guest said it was by far the best wedding food they had ever had. We had so much fun on our wedding night and it was honestly better than I could have ever expected even if I had a year to plan (and we only used 4 of the 6 weeks to plan this one!). I would highly recommend this venue to anyone in Chicago. I wouldn't have changed a thing and am so grateful to Doug and his staff for making our wedding the best day ever.

My husband and I got married on 4/7/18, and we could not have been happier with our wedding at Carnivale! We worked with Doug as our wedding coordinator and cannot say enough good things about him! He was extremely helpful and always responded quickly and answered all of my questions (and trust me, there were a lot!) thoroughly. He was a dream to work with, and made my life as a bride that much easier. He took care of setting up all of our decorations on the day of the wedding, and he did a fantastic job! Everything looked beautiful and exactly the way I wanted it. Doug was attentive to detail and came through on all of my requests. Our wedding was held in the Samba room for around 160 guests. It was a unique, fun, and gorgeous space! It made for the perfect environment for a party! The food was excellent! We did a family style meal, which allowed us to give our guests a taste of everything. We had so many options, and we really loved everything! Our tasting was great, and they made it very hard to pick what to serve for the wedding since everything was so delicious!! We've heard from many guests about how great the food was! The signature drinks (sangria, margaritas, and mojitos) were the perfect addition to our bar package. It was fun to give guests a different option to kick off the cocktail hour. My one, and only, complaint was that the servers removed the floral centerpieces when dinner was served to make space for all of the family style dishes that were served. Which that is totally fine and I completely understand the need for table space for the meal. However, the centerpieces were never returned to the tables after dinner. We spent a significant amount of money on the flowers for the reception, only to have them all moved to the gift/card table for the majority of the night. Overall, our wedding experience with Carnivale was absolutely wonderful! From the moment we first looked at the venue to the end of our reception, Carnivale was amazing!!

Carnivale was an absolute joy to work with. Tiffany made everything seamless and the day went so well. Whenever we needed anything, the entire staff at Carnivale was responsive and did an excellent job. The venue was perfect for our wedding of ~160 and the food was absolutely incredible. Guests could not stop raving about how unique the venue was and how fantastic the food was. Multiple people have told us it was the best wedding food they had ever had. We were so pleased with how everything went and how attentive and responsive everyone was at Carnivale. We are absolutely thrilled and cannot recommend it enough. If you are looking for a break from the chicken/beef/hotel weddings you have been to multiple times, book your wedding here. You will not regret it. Thank you again, Tiffany and team!

We couldn't have been happier with the experience of hosting our wedding reception at Carnivale in April of 2017. We knew we wanted our reception to be unique, with excellent food, a positive experience for our guests, easy to plan, and at the right price point for us. Carnivale fit the bill on every level. We hosted our reception for 150 people in the Samba Room. On the day of the wedding we and our guests were impressed with the high quality of the service, the delicious food, and the incredible ambiance. While there were moments in the planning process when I felt that the planners were not as responsive as I would have liked, everything came together flawlessly. The day of the event everything was set up in the way we asked. The catering manager was clearly keeping a careful eye on things all night, assuring things ran seamlessly (and he made sure the bride had all the ceviche she wanted!). Details like passed signature drinks, valet service, and coat check all went smoothly. And since it was pouring rain the day of our wedding, we were thrilled to have Carnivale as a backdrop for our photos. Our guests continue to talk about what a wonderful experience they had at our wedding.

Working with Doug at Carnivale has been a dream from start to finish. He is so attentive and detailed oriented! My husband and I planned our entire wedding, ceremony and reception, in the large private room on the second floor. We chose Carnivale because we knew the food was great, they have great service and we didn't have to fuss with decor/lighting/linnens as they were already there and the space is so vibrant! Doug helped us with every detail and even completed some of our items for us. When I arrived at the venue for the ceremony, I didn't have to make any decisions or change a thing. Everything was set up perfectly, in exactly the way we specified. The night was PERFECT. The food was wonderful, service was timely and our guests had a great time! It's been almost two weeks and we are still hearing from our guests about the fabulous time they had at Carnivale! Book this for your wedding NOW!

My wife and I were married at Carnivale in July last year and we could not have found a more perfect venue to meet our needs and desires. We were living in Egypt when we began planning for the wedding and needed a space which looked beautiful without the need for extra decorations, had a professional event planner who could provide suggestions and communicate effectively with clients who were overseas, and had great food. With Carnivale we hit the jackpot. Our event planner, Tiffany Junta, was able to connect us with professional vendors for the two things we needed to outsource, our cake, and an amazing DJ (from Toast and Jam) who kept everyone on the dancefloor for the whole evening. Tiffany was in communication right up to and through the wedding to ensure every minor detail was looked after. Thanks to her efforts, everything was smooth, stress free and perfect on the day. We have now visited Carnivale on three occasions: the tasting, our wedding and for our one year anniversary. Each time the staff have made us feel like royalty. The South American themed menu is delicious and provides a wide range of options for all dietary needs. The bar was exceptionally well stocked, the signature cocktails were outstanding, and the bar staff worked hard to ensure the bride’s glass was always full. Many of our guests still tell us that this was the best wedding they have ever been too.

We had our rehearsal dinner for about 120 people at Carnivale on June 16th, 2017. It was fantastic working with Doug from beginning to end. He was very accommodating in making sure our menu was exactly what we wanted, even when some items were not originally listed on the family style menu (we took some items from the regular menu and subbed them in). We constantly communicated via email, and he always responded in a timely manner. The food at the rehearsal dinner was absolutely delicious, and our guests really enjoyed the family-style menu, which encouraged conversation between guests and gave it an overall very fun vibe. We were able to add personal touches to the evening...they have a TV where you can enter a USB with pictures, and it will play a slideshow for you throughout the evening. We played a slideshow, and additionally, we made our own playlist for the evening, and they just plugged in our phone and put our music through the speaker system. The only negative thing I have to say is that tasting times are inconvenient, since they are only on week nights in the late afternoon when most people are working. Doug told us to book a table on a weekend, and they would throw in a couple dishes on the house for us to try. There must have been a small miscommunication, because we did not have any items comped, but we let Doug know. Due to this minor error, he took an upcharge from our menu for our event and comped it (we added a white fish, which was extra originally, which was then taken off of our invoice! awesome.). He also comped our use of their speaker/microphone for the speeches. The whole evening was great, from the atmosphere to the drinks to the food! If you have a large event, I highly recommend going with Carnivale!

We could not have chosen a better venue than Carnivale to host our wedding and reception! Doug is hands down the best wedding coordinator of all time and you can tell he genuinely loves what he does. He made sure everything went off without a hitch and checked in with us regularly. The prices were way better than what I thought they would be and every single one of our guests said it was the best wedding they've ever been to! The food, the decor, the service, all impeccable. My heart is swelling with gratitude <3 thank you guys soooo much!

AMAZING!! From our first contact with Carnivale till the end of our reception, we had exceptional service. Danny helped us coordinate and plan everything and we couldn't have asked for a better person! He answered our MANY questions and never made us feel stupid. He had great ideas and advice and was available by phone and email. We really had no idea what we were doing when it came to planning a wedding and Danny helped us through the whole thing! We could relax on the day-of knowing that were in good hands. The venue is absolutely beautiful with no decorations needed (though you can decorate if you want). We had our ceremony in the main dining room and the reception in the large room upstairs. Everything flowed smoothly and all the staff at Carnivale were great at managing everyone/thing so we could just enjoy our wedding. THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS!! It was very important to us that we have lots of delicious food and Carnivale definitely came through on that one. Three weeks later and we're still hearing people rave about the food at our reception! I only wish I could've eaten more! We served our dinner family style and there was more than enough for everyone to have their fill. The staff was also able to easily accommodate all the food allergies and kid's meals for the kids. Seriously, everything was delicious! We didn't have a wedding cake, but instead had a wedding cotton candy machine! This was a HUGE hit with everyone and was a lot of fun :) Because Carnivale is a restaurant, we also didn't have to worry about renting tables and chairs, linens, glasses and place settings. They also provided votives for each table and personalized menus for each place setting. They also have extra furniture if needed. We had a cozy little lounge area set-up to get people mingling :) Carnivale helped us create a wedding that was totally us and we couldn't be happier!

Best, best, best place to have a party! The ambiance was great, the food was amazing and Doug was so organized and helped keep everyone from losing it! Wish I had more kids to marry off so I could have another party there!

We had our reception at Carnivale this past September, and from our initial meeting at the restaurant with our coordinator, we knew we couldn't imagine getting married anywhere else. We wanted a totally unique and fun venue, and Carnivale fit the bill perfectly. We worked with Tiffany, and every interaction that we had with her was a dream - I can't say enough good things! She patiently answered all of our questions throughout the entire year-long process, coordinated flawlessly with out vendors, and went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable with all aspects of the day. We used the entire second floor, and due to the size of our party, we had dinner in one room and dancing in the second; although I was a bit worried at first about splitting up the action, Tiffany ensured that it flowed perfectly. It turned out many of our guests really appreciated being able to sit and chat in the dinner room when they wanted to take a break from dancing, and they stayed later than they would have otherwise. The entire staff was incredibly helpful on the day of the event, and it seemed like someone was always coming out of nowhere to anticipate our needs, including making sure we always had fresh drinks, plenty of water, and appetizers set aside. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention probably the best part of the night - oh my god, the FOOD. We did family-style dinner because we didn't want people to have to choose between all of the amazing choices (4 starters, 4 entrees, and 2 sides, plus an awesome set of mini-desserts) and ALL of our guests told us it was the best wedding food they'd ever had. I still dream about it. Can't recommend highly enough - thank you Carnivale for the perfect day!

Working with Doug at Carnivale was a total dream - he seemed genuinely interested in making sure our wedding was exactly how we wanted it! The night was a blast, and everything went off without a hitch! Doug worked with all of our vendors beforehand so we were sure everything would be perfect the day of, and he and his team went the extra mile to add some personal touches they knew we would appreciate to the night.

I was lucky enough to have the wedding of a lifetime at Carnivale summer of 2015. It was a unique experience and unlike any wedding my guests have ever attended. Not only was the food top notch, but the service was impeccable as well. Carnivale has always been my families go to restaurant for special occasions. We came here for dinner after my college graduation from Columbia College, many Valentine's Days have been spent in the funky dining room, and birthday martinis drank in celebration at the bar. Having my wedding reception here was a no brainer. After drinking our signature cocktail all night and eating the fabulous food we danced the night away! Best day of my life! Thanks Carnivale for helping make the best memories.

This is an excellent place to organize a wedding. Whether if it's a small one or a large one. Ours was a small wedding and the assistance/guidance that the Event Sales Manager had with us since the beginning, the excellent food/large menu choices, and the special service that we received during our celebration was the best. Thanks Carnivale for such a beautiful experience and thanks to the Event Manager : Melissa Calabrese for assisting us until the end.

We had our wedding rehearsal dinner at Carnivale and couldn't be happier. We worked with Melissa and she really made an effort to work with us on meeting our budget. They have a couple of rooms to choose from and it's a fun space with eclectic decor. We chose the smaller room that fit 50 very comfortably with room to dance as well as it's own bar. The food tasted great and the presentation was wonderful.

We had our rehearsal dinner here for an August 20th, 2016 wedding. Melissa was SUPER accommodating and incredibly helpful. Responded quickly and helped us find a budget that worked well for us. We were in the private room downstairs and absolutely couldn't expect any more. The event was perfect, and everyone LOVED the food. It's not often that the first thing you hear about on a wedding week event is the food, but everyone raved about it. I would absolutely recommend Carnivale for anyone looking for an event location!

Our family and friends had an amazing time at Carnivale for our rehearsal dinner! The staff went above and beyond for us- even though our meal was family-style, they unexpectedly brought out special individual meals for our toddler nephew and a vegetarian family member. I don't think I had time to set my drink down after I had finished it before one of the servers had another one ready to hand to me! The food was delicious and there was more than enough for everyone. Doug was very accommodating and great to work with while setting everything up.

Our wedding reception at Carnivale was flawless. As a publicist attention to detail, communication and creativity is super important to me when working events and all three of these attributes shine at Carnivale. We worked with Doug Leuthold who is amazing. He responded in a timely manner to all my inquiries and if I suggested something that was not executable on Carnivale's end he came up with a solution that was just as perfect (if not better) than my original idea. Doug and his team at the reception kept the timeline of events on schedule, made sure the guests always had a drink in their hands and are arguably one of the best event teams in Chicago. And the food! I can't tell you how many times I have heard from our friends and family how delicious the food was. I could not have asked for a better venue, team and lead event planner to work with. I now know why people renew their vows because I want to do this all over again at Carnivale!

When searching for the perfect venue, we had struggled between finding a cheaper banquet hall (while decorating more to compensate for the lack décor) and finding a more expensive venue (that needs less decorations). With its very colorful and unique décor, Carnivale had fit perfectly in the middle. We personally had worked with Doug for the entire planning process. His attention to detail and incredible work ethic is reason enough to book Carnivale on the spot. In addition to his professionalism, he is completely down to earth and relatable to make the entire planning process very pleasant. Doug basically treats your wedding as if it was his own. He’ll provide plenty of ideas to fit under your budget while making sure that everything still looks fantastic. Since he also works as the day of coordinator, he’ll make sure that everything goes smoothly to add icing to the cake. In addition to the wonderful venue, Doug, the food is amazing good. Before deciding on booking the venue, we had tried a few entrees to try the food. Even though the dishes are slightly different for the reception entrees, we sold on how good the food was. Between the dishes that we had tried and the tasting, the hardest part was to decide what to include on our menu. With all of the delicious dishes, we had used the family style menu to provide the guests with a variety of food. Between their deliciousness and portion sizes, family style only made the guests wish that they had larger stomachs! With such amazing food, great service, and incredible staff, we highly recommend booking your wedding at Carnivale!!

Carnivale is an amazing place to have a wedding! It really captured our personalities. A side from the wonderful event planning and banquet staff, the venue is perfect because it is a one-stop-shop; food, beverage, linens, chairs... All in one location. I cannot say enough about the amazing staff, without them, I would not have been so stress-free before and on my wedding day. I would highly recommend Carnivale for any event, including a wedding!

If you want the perfect night for your wedding, contact DOUG!

The staff at Carnivale took care of everything for our wedding reception and couldn't have been more accommodating! It was an amazing evening and the food and drinks were incredible!

We chose Carnivale for our son's Rehearsal Dinner and it was great! It's very colorful and requires minimum decoration. You really need to see it at night, with all the lights, to appreciate the atmosphere. And the large windows look out onto the city. Their soundtrack created a party vibe. We got raves all night about the food, which included appetizers, taco bar (great!), paella station, and sweet table. Working with Molly Nienhaus was a pleasure. She was very easy to contact and would provide suggestions, if asked. She was able to give us a very accurate guide as to how many appetizers to serve, etc. On the night of the dinner, traffic was horrible and we knew that the bus with the entire bridal party would miss most of the appetizers. One phone call to Molly solved our problem. She immediately contacted the chef to slow everything down. The catering manager was available throughout the entire night to make sure all was going well and according to our wishes. I highly recommend Carnivale and believe it would also be a wonderful, fun venue for a wedding.

The venue is so unique, and everything was amazing. We wanted something special & different, and this was the place. The food and drinks were out of this world, and the even accommodated a few special requests (like adding raspberry & peach mojitos). The service was great!

We had an excellent experience at Carnivale! The food was incredible and with such a unique menu it really left our guests with an experience to remember! The drink package included a great selection plus the signature drinks (margaritas, sangria, and mojitos). You cannot find signature drinks like this at other venues! The atmosphere made for such a fun party and we kept decorations to a limit because the venue had so much to offer. The staff was wonderful to work with too and really catered to our needs. Ali was a pleasure to coordinate and work with. Our guests continue to rave about how much fun they had and how delicious the food was. We received so much for the price and will continue to return to celebrate our wedding day!! This venue blew us away and really made for a perfect day!

We had our wedding at Carnivale on a Sunday in June - it was absolutely perfect. Nothing to complain about. Even our guests had nothing to complain about! They said it was the best and most fun wedding they had ever been to. We worked closely with Ali, who was so patient with us - she's truly wonderful. She made sure every detail was perfect for us. We wouldn't change a thing and would recommend Carnivale to anyone who wants to have a unique, out of the ordinary, and memorable wedding.

Without exaggeration, picking Carnivale for our wedding (May 31) was one of the best decisions we ever made. For starters: the venue is beautiful. You can see how colorful it is in pictures, but unless you go there in person, you can’t get an appreciation for how vibrant the inside of the restaurant looks. It’s really stunning. I bought small centerpieces for each table, but other than that I didn’t have to worry about decorating anything at all. Already taken care of. Second: the food. The food is amazing. Multiple people told us that it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had, and I agree with them. Portions are huge. No one will leave hungry. Great drinks, too (I believe that all of the drink packages come with sangria, mojitos and margaritas – really fun and festive drink options in addition to all of the “normal” stuff). Lastly: the service. We worked with Ali and she took care of everything. She was on top of all the logistics, and there was never a moment when I worried that something would slip through the cracks. A lot of people get stressed out over wedding planning, but our planning process was a breeze and Ali was a huge reason why. The bartenders and wait staff were wonderful, too. During the cocktail reception, one of my guests asks the server if any of the appetizers contained dairy (she has a dairy allergy). The server brought my guest her own plate of non-dairy appetizers so she would have enough to eat (which means, unfortunately, that the server was more attentive to my guests’ needs than I was!!). I can’t recommend Carnivale highly enough. We couldn’t be happier with our choice.

Amazing service, food and attention to detail. Ali Polzin serves as a wedding coordinator and day of point person. No additional room fee. All was perfect.

We had our ceremony and reception at Carnivale in June 2013. It was AMAZING!!!! I cannot say enough good things about the venue and their staff. My wife and I are extremely critical, very demanding, type A personalities. We had high expectations for the evening, and we were blown away. First, the staff. I have never seen a staff work so hard to set up and execute an event. The professionalism and work ethic of every member of the staff was unparalleled to anything I have ever seen. Most of the venues we explored automatically added gratuity of anywhere between 18-22%. It was worth every penny at Carnivale. The food was served with military precision. It was maybe 5 minutes from the first plate going down to the last. Can’t say enough good things about the service. Second, the food and drinks are unbelievably delicious at Carnivale. The short ribs and pork shoulder were fall apart tender, and the flavors… wow. Everything was hot and fresh. The drinks are addicting, so watch out. I love their mojitos and my wife loves their margaritas. Third, the venue. We lived in Chicago for a few years and wanted an urban feel to our wedding. We wanted a fun, bright, relatively casual, unique atmosphere where people could have a good time and relax. Carnivale is that venue. This is definitely not a blank canvas banquet hall. All the bright colors and decorations throughout the restaurant made for amazing wedding photos. We also elected to have our ceremony there so people didn’t have to travel to another place while we were taking pictures (and avoid Chicago traffic!). The venue is perfect for wedding ceremonies. They set up pastel chairs in the main dining area with the wedding party standing in front of this huge mural. Very cool. And if you want the bride to have a truly dramatic entrance, have her walk out from the top of the stairs. Gives me chills every time I think about it. Fourth, the wedding coordinator (Alison). Alison is amazing!!!!!! Did you notice all the exclamation marks? Yes… amazing. The only negative to the whole planning process was that our first two coordinators left (which worked out in the end). Alison was the third person to be assigned to our wedding, and we were, not surprisingly, a bit frustrated at first. However, she handled it wonderfully and with professionalism. She understood the process, costs, and had great suggestions to make sure everything went smoothly. Any time I called or emailed her, she got back to me within the day. She also helped coordinate everyone the day of. She queued the music guy, signaled us for when we were supposed to walk out, where to stand, etc… Everything went off without a hitch. To sum it all up, Carnivale was the perfect wedding venue, and we had a blast. People were coming up to us all night and saying how amazing everything was (food, service, decorations, etc…) and how they had never been to anything like that. In fact, I have had a few family members call me after attending other weddings and say ‘it was nice, but it was no Carnivale’. We are so glad we chose Carnivale for our wedding. It would have been an amazing day regardless of where we had it scheduled, but having it at such a wonderful venue made it all the more special and memorable. If for nothing else, go there and get a drink to see a very unique space.

Carnivale was amazing! We hosted our reception here and used both rooms on the second floor. We had a little hiccup in the beginning stages of planning. We weren't sure who our contact person was, so it was a little frustrating but once that got straightened out it was smooth sailing! Ali was great to work with and answered all the questions I kept coming up with. All our guests had a great time and really enjoyed the atmosphere and food! They keep telling us how different the venue was since it is not your typical wedding venue and that is what we loved about this place! I would definitely recommend Carnivale as a wedding venue.

As soon as my fiance and I stepped foot inside, we knew we were interested in holding our reception at this venue - it seemed like one big party already! Once we met with the event staff we were hooked. The staff changed hands twice during our planning period, so we were a bit worried about how all our conversations with three different people would effect our event, but the staff was so professional that nothing was missed. The food was excellant, service that night and leading up to the event was above and beyond attentive, and the atmosphere was "muy caliente!" Would recommend for a couple looking to host a formal yet fun night for guests who will get into the Latin vibe!

Carnivale was my dream place to get married and everything from the food to the decor was perfect. Service was great and I had a fun time planning.

We loved this as our venue for our 130 guests. I wouldn't have many more than than in the Samba Room. The food is awesome and they were accommodating to most of our requests. The alcohol is a bit expensive though.

I loved everything about this place. The staff here were great and so helpful. Everything went so smooth, I didn't have to worry about anything. Great place to have to have a wedding. My guest had a blast and the food was amazing.

Had my wedding at Carnivale a few weeks ago. It was absolutely amazing! The food was obviously great, the room was gorgeous and the staff couldn't be better. I have received so many compliments on my wedding so far- with everyone mentioning how great of a place Carnivale is!

I had my wedding there and it was fabulous. I'm a huge fan of the space, the foos was delicious, everything was great!

Carnivale did an amazing job. Everything was beautiful and the food was great!

I thought this place was beautiful but a little on the pricey side.

Fun atmosphere and pleasant to work with. Ask for Meghan.

The food is so good, perfect size for a gathering of any size. It was more than plenty to accomodate my party!

we decided to do it ALL at Carnivale. We had a Sunday wedding to keep the cost of renting the entire space down. (worth every penny) We had our ceremony, cocktail hour, reception and "after-hour" piano bar ALL at Carnivale. It was a great way to give our guests a good time with little effort and the place is so huge that the guests didn't feel like they are cramped in the same space for 8 hours! They had impeccable service to us and our guests (we loved our personal waiter that was JUST for us all night!) and they know how to do food (understatement) and do it well- so everyone enjoyed the meal (except a few Italian Great Aunt's who thought it was too spicy!) All we heard about for weeks after the event was about the guacamole and chips AND the DRINKS- so nice to be able to offer something other than wine and beer! Between the ambiance, the amazing food and cocktail and the ease of working and planning the event with them, I would HIGHLY recommend this venue. I worked with Alyssa and she was so amazing and helpful- she was always accessible and extremely helpful. I planned my wedding from afar (in NYC) and it could have been difficult, but with her organization, it was simple. This is also coming from a very detail oriented and picky person!

The Food, the Food, the Food Carnivale created a night where everyone felt VIP. Our families have been to enough of standard weddings & standard wedding food. Carnivale brought hot and cold stations with great flavor and passion. The food is an experience. People who had never had Ceviches or Seafood Paella were going up multiple times. Each Ceviche was amazing, and the attendant was happy to explain a bit about each. Our vegetarian friends were so happy. Our meat loving friends were equally wowed by the food. The food exceeded everyone?s expectations except ours, because we had gotten to try everything at the tasting! The Service, the Service, the Service We are in customer service, and with great food we wanted great service. The atmosphere of Carnivale is breathtaking, but I believe the service also lives up to this grand space. Servers were eager to serve mojitos, sangria, and margaritas as guests entered the resturant. Servers were experts about drink and food choices, and had a joy that they served with. We loved how our guests and servers interacted. Guests walked through the main dining room, up the stairs, and they were greeted by the many servers with drinks and hors d?oeuvres. This set the mood for a lively and fun celebration. Guests told us how they got new drinks when the ice started to melt, and how servers catered to special requests by individual guests. Most of our guests were from other cities. Probably ? were first time visitors to Chicago. Carnivale was