Carm's Beef and Italian Ice

One of the best italian beefs in the City. They pack a lot of meat in this sandwich and super flavorful. It has nice peppery taste which compliments their hot giardeneria. Across the street ffom Fontanas, you can stop into 2 of Little Italy’s fine establishments in one trip.

Staying in the area for a few days and came across Carms. We went in and had a few different. Items and everything was good. The homemade italian ices was a nice finish. Personally I had the dipped italian beef sandwich with (very) spicy peppers. Thought it was full of flavor.

We had Italian beef sandwiches. They looked very impressive and the portions are extremely generous and affordable. That said, I was surprised by the blandness of the sandwich. The juiciness was appropriate, but the jus wasn't anything special. The toppings were tasty. The staff is very friendly and fun!

Very nice Italian beef sandwich and Italian Ice! The restaurant is not big but food is great, price is reasonable. Service is good too.

Stopped by Carm’s for a quick bite and it was alright. Ordered the homemade Italian beef with fries and a soda plus a small Italian ice, so I spent about $15. Beef had that classic dip vibe, but the bread got soggy fast and the juice was kinda weak. The ice was solid, though. Staff friendly and joints got history, but nothing blew me away. Decent spot, just not a home run.

Outstanding Chicago Dog, double cheeseburger, and fries. The Italian Ice was old school and delicious. Great staff and full of friendly customers. Established in Little Italy in 1929!

I swung by for lunch and grabbed their Italian Beef combo meal, which came with fries and a soda. The beef was tender and juicy, piled high on fresh bread, and the fries were crispy perfection. Couldn't resist finishing off with a small lemon Italian ice—super refreshing. Total came to around $20, and it was worth every penny. If you're craving authentic Chicago eats, Carm's is the spot.​

Traveled to Chicago for the purpose of trying an Italian beef.... Disappointed. No flavor at all to the beef. The only flavor was the peppers. Oh well. Oh... And no restrooms.

Moved out of Chicago some years ago sure do miss your food. I go all the way back to where Carmi started on Cicero Avenue next to Magic kiss carpet company been a long time, but you guys always had the best beef in the whole city. God bless anybody that can remember when Carmen was on Cicero Avenue if it's still the same company, if I get into Chicago area, I will try to find Your shop Five star

Went there just for Italian Ice since Marios is closed for the season. Absolutely no competition to Marios. Marios by far is the best Italian Ice hands down. Carms Italian Ice is barely sweet and has tiny bits of fruit unlike Marios has sweet perfect flavor with ton of fruit in it. Carms is a step above store bought Italian Ice. For me its not worth the drive for average blah drink. Tried their Horchata and it taste like cinnamon oatmeal with sprinkled nuts. Not my cup of tea.

Had the Hotdog with fries and the Polish with fries, both dragged through the garden. Fries were nicely crispy and seasoned. The Polish had a nice snap and spiciness to it. Hotdog was pretty typical. Their version includes hot peppers, pickles, onions, mustard, but no tomatoes. The overall meal felt very acidic. Also had the Italian Beef hot and dipped here. I am not sure if their homemade Giardiniera was really oily or if the gravy had alot of fat, but the sandwich was drenched in fat. The bread actually held its structure really well and the beef was nice and tender (not shredded!) I had to add a little bit of salt to the beef to really bring the flavors out. Hot peppers were not hot, I think the peppers in my hotdogs were hotter. Definitely one of the messier Italian beefs I have had to eat. The place was popping during lunchtime, so it does take a little bit of a wait. The menu has a pretty wide range between the burgers, tacos, sandwiches, and italian ice.

Great food & homemade fries A must have is the Italian ice Burgers with sport peppers are good also

I'm a UIC person and have always loved the area as a kid so it's no surprise that I will always have a soft spot for Carms plus Steve is awesome I have had most of the hot side of the menu but loves me a good old fashion bacon cheeseburger with the fixings from Carms. It reminds me of a simpler time where all you had to choose from is the toppings and cheese or no cheese. I'll always have my burger place close to home which I'm hoping will never change And with his sisters attitude it's part of the old neighborhood charm if you know what I mean Came back during the summer for the horchata Italian ice and this is so good I'm going to have it as long as summer is around

Prices are out of control here. 1 meatball sandwich that doesn't come with fries or drink and I was charged almost $14. In fairness, the sandwich was delicious but come on...just a few years ago, this would have been 1/2 the price and come with fries.

Service was great and food was ready fairly quick. Their Italian beef and giardinera is a little different than what I'm used to, but still good. They add a bit of cardamom or other spice to it. Lots of options on the menu that I'll have to come back and try. They also had pumpkin favored Italian ice for the fall.

I have driven by this place a lot, living in the area, and I have to say it's a little underwhelming from the outside but holy moly was I underestimating it. I finally stopped by a sunny spring day when Mario's was closed still and I was craving Italian ice. The Italian ice was a bit pricey ($3 for smallest size) and not as mind blowing as Mario's but still QUITE good with fresh frozen chunks of fruit. The COOLER part was the wide variety of food they had - sandwiches and entrees and even tacos! The taco was SO crazy good, like the ones in Pilsen. The service was friendly and they've got little tables in an outdoor patio. Neighborhood gem.

In from out of town, I'm wandering the streets of Little Italy, wondering "where, oh where, am I gonna get real Chicago food after that super long UIC campus tour?" I see a sign on the horizon, promising real Italian beef and hot dogs. And that's what I got, and i couldn't imagine a more authentic experience. First off, the value is great. Yeah, it's $15 for an Italian beef sandwich, but portions are heaping, and I was full for a long while afterwards. Definitely worth the dough. Plus, that lemonade? And the crispy, salty fries? They both made the experience that much better. And the beef was drenched in a perfectly made au jus, with peppers and condiments galore to accentuate the beef's already delectable natural taste. 5/5.

My best friend/cousin and I stumbled upon this location, and I was so happy we did! I had read good online reviews about this place, so I wanted to try at the very least their Italian Ice. They were refreshingly unique compared to other Italian Ice places! I had the horchata flavored one, because I really like horchata! It was not overpoweringly sweet, and my cousin was happy with her selection too (e.g., lemon). I will update my review once I try their other food options!

Staff was nice and courteous to me and my kids. Real neighborhood feel and the food was good.

For 10 years this has been one of my go-to spots for an Italian beef. I took 20 of my students the other day though, and I felt bad; after raving about this place, every kid who got an Italian beef thought it was disgusting. I got one as well (as always) and they were right. It was so awful!!! That had never happened at Carm's before. The kid who got a cheeseburger loved it though. I'll go back but I may get the burger for once before giving up on an old favorite.

I'm came for a visit since I hadn't been since I was a kid. The food is still good. Also. the food was ready pretty fast and the person taking the order was pleasant.

Italian Beef was bland no flavor whatsoever , the mild peppers were also flavorless... good fries but I went there for the beef..

Enjoyed the delicious Italian ice here with the fresh fruit in it on their nice outdoor seating. Did not try any of the food though as we had just enjoyed lunch elsewhere. Great neighborhood spot for those who don't need to find a place to park as most local parking is by permit only.

A quick, cheap, simple place for your burger, hotdog, hot sandwiches, Italian ice needs. It's more about convenience than quality but quality is very acceptable. It's an ideal place to drop by on your way. Cheeseburger and steak sandwich are good! Italian ice tastes cheap but is cheap.

On our journey to try the best Italian beef that Chicago has to offer, Carm's has been on our list for a while. We ordered a Chicago style hot dog, Italian beef, and moz sticks. The hot dog was one of better ones 8/10. Italian beef was flavorful and juicy 9/10. The moz sticks were amazing 12/10. Italian ice 8/10

Customer service was great! However I got the veggie burger and it's the frozen veggie burger from Aldi which sucked. I could have made that at home...But I have been feeling super nauseous and down right sick since eating there- even minutes after. I think they made the burger on the same area as the do their regular burgers. I noticed there was a bit of cheese on my burger- I am not vegan so it wasn't too big of a deal. But I'm now worried that I ate meat because of cross contamination. I'm not vegetarian by choice, it is because I physically cannot eat meat without getting sick. I have been like that most of my life. So now I am dealing with this. Sucks too, since my friends like going there.

On a hot summer day when other lines are too long, Carm's is a safe spot to check out in Little Italy for your Italian Ice fix. This little boutique is located in the neighborhoods attached to UIC and looks and feels like a local spot. They serve up burgers, fries, and sandwiches too, but my main focus was to try their Peach Italian Ice that a friend had recommended. While they are cash only when it comes to the desserts, the low price and large portion size all but makes up for the greenback usage. As far as the Italian Ice is concerned, I did enjoy this refreshing dessert. It isn't quite like the competition that uses fresh fruit and mixes it into a lemonade. The ones at Carm's is a more traditional take on Italian Ice that can be a lot at once given it's smallest size is rather large. For $3, it's worth a trip to expand your dessert palette around the area. They also seem to offer some pretty stiff lunch deals too so perhaps one day I'll swing by to try more of these options!

Carm's is located right by UIC, and seems to be a very nice, family owned Italian sandwich spot. The interior is what you'd expect from such a place, fairly simple, and seating around the windows. You go in and order at the counter. I've been here a number of times, and I usually get the eggplant sandwich, which comes along with a side fries for a total of about $7-8. Hot peppers and cheese cost extra, which is puzzling. The portions in terms of the eggplant sandwich are huge. It's basically a fried eggplant patty in a sandwich, loaded with marinara sauce. Very basic but still tasty. When you're really in the mood for something satisfying and greasy go for this! It's pretty solid, but a bit pricey for what it is when you consider that cheese costs extra. Also, if you order the sandwich to go, be careful as the whole thing can get a big soggy and tough. If you're feeling some type of way definitely stop by here to satisfy your cravings, and I'll probably be back some time soon!

Really solid family-owned Italian spot along with Fontano's across the street. They're known for their Italian beef (get it juiced if you're not afraid of the mess), meatball subs, burgers, and hot dogs. I want to try the tacos next. Super nice service, and good hygiene that makes things feel safe. My one whiny complaint is that I would prefer crispier fries :)

We recently moved into the neighborhood and were told that we had to go to Carm's... they were right!! Absolutely delicious food, friendly staff, so many options, and just a great neighborhood stop. We will definitely be back!

Classic Chicago Italian beefs. Serving thousands of UICC students for decades. A must try, but parking is tight.

I remember going to this place when I was a kid. The food & the Italian ice has always been great. Me & the mrs. stop thru every now and then to get a Italian Ice.

Best Italian Meatball I've ever had and fresh, hot, and crispy fries straight from the fryer.

Because I took the road less traveled today on the way home from work, I passed through the Italian Village neighborhood right near UIC, and I came across Carm's! I met the owner today, Stevie, a super cool guy. The restaurant has been in business for 80 years! You can tell why from the wide variety of customers there at dinner time, and the customer service from not only the owner but all of the employees. Today I had a mix of lemon and lime Italian ice, homemade, not too sugary, not too hard, perfect! I'll go back this week for dinner and will try to update here.

still the best italian beef in chicago. hands down. the cantaloupe & watermelon Italian ices are made with fresh melon and they're also the best in town. and the fresh strawberry ice?? wooohoo! new favorite flavor. of course, you could always do lemon...

Very disappointing Italian beef sandwich. Moved back to Chicago and knew and loved Carm's Beef...first time back in years. This is NOT Carm's Beef of old! If you want the best Italian Beef in Chicago, ya gotta go to Johnnie's Beef on North Ave in Elmwood Park. Will never order a beef sandwich at Carm's again!!!

Neighborhood corner joint that's been in biz since 1926... they said. Not the easiest place to find but maybe that's a good thing! Great Italian Beef... Fresh cut Gonnella Bread/ Quality Beef dipped/ Really good Giardiniera with Jalapeños. Packs some HEAT! A little pricey as a sandwich with peppers will set you back $9.30 but well worth it if you ask me. They have a bunch of other items as well as homemade meatball sandwiches & their famed Italian Ice! Good spot/ talk later

I went yesterday for a quick bite and I am never returning again. First I sent my son in to order his meal (so that I wouldn't have to take my infant in/out of the car). My son ordered a taco meal which comes with 3 tacos, rice and beans. They allowed him to substitute 2 tacos in exchange for a Chicago hot dog, and substitute the rice and beans for French fries with a side of cheese. Cool. I go in after and ask for the taco meal and if I could sub one of the three steak tacos for a chicken taco, they rudely tell me no substitutes. They had no idea I had just paid for my son's food or that I knew they allowed substitutes but I decided not to cause a big scene. I had just left the doctor and my energy was drained as it was. I ended up ordering the tacos ala carte. Two different tacos, two different requests of toppings. Should've been wrapped individually but no. They sloppily put both tacos in the same wrapper and when I tried to pick up a taco to bite into it, it fell all over my lap, as the tortillas were extremely soggy. No wonder there wasn't a crowd in the restaurant.

Italian beef sandiwch spot #2. This place is old school. Thick Chicago accents and that Italian vibe made for a cool experience. Ordered the Italian combo - beef and italian sausage all in one dipped with hot peppers. The beef was a little on the dry side. Held up pretty well and didn't melt away like Al's a few blocks away. Solid sandwich for less than $10. It's right next door to UIC, so there was a bunch of college kids.

Not a big fan of Carms beef. I order their beef of course dipped with hot peppers and didn't taste good at all. It had a weird distinct taste to the beef and never really liked this type of giardiniera. Not enough heat or crunch. The bread did hold up but every time from the beef to the juice, just seemed off. The beef was also dry as well. Probably wouldn't come back for beef, possibly their Italian ice.

Great service food taste delicious and employees are friendly and respectful and they all wear face mask

I ordered a double cheeseburger with bacon. Easy enough right? WRONG! My burger patties seemed to have been frozen and thrown on a grill. My bacon was entirely too fatty thus I did not eat it. I would have been better off getting a burger from McDonalds and I don't haven't been there in years. I will go back to try the Italian Ice but the burger disappointed me very much.

First time trying it for lunch today during my internship and the food was amazing. I had a bacon cheeseburger meal and it was delicious. I'm definitely making this place one of my favorite places to eat when I'm doing my internship now. I will definitely be back.

Amazing service; owner was super friendly. Kitchen was sparkling clean. It's spacious inside. Ordered the double dog with chili; comes with fries automatically. Fries are hot and fresh, not soggy. Dog was excellent. Love this place!

Stopped by Carms while waiting to pick up my niece from school around the corner and decided to grab a chicken sandwich and fries to fill my belly. I originally wanted a chicken taco but they only had steak at the moment. Service was great but the food was disappointing - the chicken sandwich was okay but the fries weren't even cooked all. I bit into a couple and they were rubbery and had the consistency where you could tell they should've been left in the oil to cook for a few minutes longer.

the italian beef and italian sausage are both very good! also loved the homemade hot pepper! they also have italian ice here, pretty good, no crazy line up like Mario's

Great place to eat around campus. The staff is really nice, and the service is quick. They're very friendly and the food tastes great. They have the BEST tacos. I love the al pastor ones with the hot sauce. They're my favorite place to get tacos! Definitely would recommend.

I love this place. Totally old-school Little Italy. One of my best friends used to live down the street from this spot, and the owners were always super cool with us. The food is excellent- bread is soft and fresh, meats and cheeses (esp. provolone) are stellar. What's even more amazing is their Italian Ice- which has become a bit of a staple in the neighborhood. Small restaurant with a little bit of outdoor seating available. Great spot for lunch if you find yourself in the neighborhood.

I came to this place solely for the Italian ice. The place looked fairly clean and presentable. The service was ok... The guy was nice and very helpful when I asked him to recommend flavors. He let me try all the flavors I wanted before ordering. The quality of the Italian ice was a solid 2/5 as it tasted simply like a snow cone that was flavored with artificial syrup.

I wanted to come here simply because one of my favorite Chicago authors had raved about it and has been going since she was young. We took a Lyft over and were warmly greeted. The Italian Ice was simple, delicious, inexpensive, and definitely welcome after a day of walking around on a somewhat humid day. I kept it classic and went for lemon, my boyfriend chose blueberry. Both were perfection. If it's good enough for Sandra Cisneros, it's good enough for me!

I've been going to this place for about three years & it's by far my number one place whenever it comes to burgers, hot dogs, or Italian beef. The people are always very friendly & the food is just great.

Jose makes the best pastor tacos in town! Everyone in Carms is polite and the owner makes conversation, which is awesome!

First time coming in today and everyone was very friendly and funny. Watermelon&Lemon Watermelon&Pineapple Italian ice

This is the best Italian ice spot in Chicago. It is also the best meatball sandwich you will ever have - generations handing down the family recipe and marinara... amazing!

Carm's is good a very quick bite. If your looking for quality, this isn't your place. You can definitely come here from class in BSB, grab a hot dog and fries, and get to your next class in SES right on time. Plus they serve Italian ice for the 60 degree November days.

Note: they now accept credit (except for Italian ice) After reading the other Yelp reviews, it seems like only regulars like the place while those who went out of their way to come here didn't. Honestly, I too wouldn't drive here from the suburbs just for their food, but if you're on the UIC campus and you want food quickly without walking far, then Carm's it is. The owner is mostly at the register (old lady) and she always recognizes me even though I don't come as often anymore. There were a couple times I didn't have cash, and she gave me the food and said pay her later. Now, I always get the Fish sandwich (with giardiniera) and it tastes really good! I love it. I don't get anything else besides that, but my UIC buddies never complained about their other food. However, I gave a minus one star because the fries aren't that great. They don't taste horrible, but you have to dip it in ketchup to eat it (like I can eat McDonalds fries without Ketchup but not these). Also, I don't think this place is really made for others besides UIC students, you can't park outside the restaurant because it's all zone parking (you need a residential sticker). So you would have to park on Taylor street and walk here. Also, this place is surrounded by Apartments, so it stands alone (I guess they were trying to be as close as possible to UIC). There aren't tables and chairs inside, they have those high rise wall tables with stools. They do have some tables and chairs outside though.

There's nothing quite like a solid, family-owned neighborhood spot. This place is exactly that. Easy 5 stars, thanks to its great owners, familiar staff, and good food. But what really caught me off-guard were their tacos! Seriously, it surprised me, too. I ordered an al pastor taco with my order just to try it out. If you're a fan of simple, traditional street tacos, the al pastor taco will not disappoint. Two corn tortillas, marinated pork (with a lil char here and there), onions, and cilantro. Oh, and the green salsa -- that stuff is bomb! Overall, this place is great. If you wanna try it out try it out!