Carnivale

nted - a fun atmosphere, good food, and private space that fit with our budget. Tiffany was great to work with and helped organize the wedding we wanted. On the day of the event, the staff were wonderful and very attentive to us and our guests. Our event was small, but the team at Carnivale was extremely accommodating. I cannot wait to celebrate our first anniversary here!

wedding they ever attended. It was perfect in every day.

to prepare for the evening.

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.

n 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!!!!

e, 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!

alities 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!

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.

ble 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.

l our friends and family enjoyed themselves!

cious and we couldn't have created a better ambiance. We had a great time and we highly recommend hosting a wedding here.

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 providing everything we needed and making the night unforgettable for our guests!!!

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!

n. 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..

nd 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.

nager, 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.

ding 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.

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!!

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!

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.

n, 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!

ning 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.

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!

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!

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!

y off so I could have another party there!

e. 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!

t 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.

ood 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.

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.

uple 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.

ed 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!

rought 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.

e 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!

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!!

s 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!

le!

o 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.

mmodated a few special requests (like adding raspberry & peach mojitos). The service was great!

d 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!

est 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.