I heard great things about the beef here at Carms, but I've had better. The beef seemed old and dry even though it was dipped. I would not recommend it, if you want good beef head over to JOHNNIES in Elmwood Park. A bit of a drive but so  incredibly worth it !! if you have to eat in the UIC area I would go across the street AMAZING SUBS ! (funny how they are both owned by the same family but one sucks more )
Review Source:I've been on a mission the past couple summers to find the best Italian Ice in Chicago. On Saturday I went to Carm's and tried their Pina Colada ice. It was creamy, sweet and not too heavy like other ices can be. I just need to try a couple more flavors but Carm's gives Johnnies, Mario's Gina's and Freddie's ices a run for their money. Plus there is usually not a line around the block like other establishments.
Review Source:I went there for italian ice... better than Mario's but not as good as Johnnie's Beef in Arlington Heights.
I can tell they used SOME fresh fruit juice but mostly artificial flavoring. At least its MUCH better than Mario's italian ice.
I also did not like that the guy behind the stand at first did not allow us to taste test flavors for us to decide on a flavor. Finally he agreed.
Carms is great! It is a great little family owned place right in the heart of Little Italy. The prices are reasonable and service is fast. Be sure to step up your ordering A-game though because these people don't mess around. Step up to the register, tell them what you want (minus the details) and there you go. Once you pay, (CASH ONLY!) step over to the right and then tell whoever starts making your food exactly how you want it, what you want on it, etc.
Review Source:Carms you have been my go to Italian ice spot since I can remember. Over the years owner Steve has become a buddy and makes you feel like family with his big greetings.
Top 5 reasons to go to Carms.
#1 Say hello to Steve
#2 Homemade Italian Ice...duh!
#3 Homemade Italian Beef
#4 The chicas like being treated to Italian ice.
#5 Prices so reasonable you will slap your mama!
If you think the Chicawwwgo accent doesn't exist anymore, then you haven't been to Carms. If you were born within a mile of this place they probably strap a sausage to your chin on your first birthday and proclaim you Ditka's next biggest fan. I stopped in after I drove to Fontano's across the street only to realize they are reopening this month due to a fire. Looking the other way, I see this place open. Carms? Why the hell not.
It's a bare bones setup which is really all a place like this needs. They serve classic Chicago favorites to classic Chicago folks who are working on their classic Chicago accent. I saw students, cops, and other service workers that have probably been regulars for 20 years. It's what I would call a "joint".
It's not fancy, it's not gourmet, but it's the type of food a Chicagoan needs now and then. And when I'm in the mood, I'll be back to Carms.
Italian Beef Crawl Stop #2: Carm's Beef
Carm's. Beef. Hungry, we all unwrapped our sandwiches to get the first crack at the inaugural beef. The first thing I noted was the lack of juice on this sandwich. I mean Italian Beef dipped is supposed to give you bread that's soaked up in juice melting in your mouth with the intoxicating beef. This sandwich was inferior beef lacking this defining quality of well-dipped beef and caused many heads to shake. Â The one redeeming quality of this beef was the spiciness of the peppers, they didn't have a great texture but the spice was undeniable. As for the rest of this beef, I will gladly deny eating any of it.
I have only been here to try out the Italian Ice. Â I had heard that Carm's Italian Ice was even better than Mario's. Â I decided to try it out. Â Carm's Italian Ice was the same price as Mario's, but it did not have the flavor or amount of fruit as Mario's Ice. Â Also, there is a limited number of flavors and less than half of them have actual fruit in them. Â I also was not the biggest fan of the consistency of the Ice... portions were chunky and flavorless.
Review Source:Haven't been back here in years. Â Stopped in for an ice and a walk down "Memory Lane". Â I remember coming here years ago and sitting outside with a lemon ice just watching the world go by. Â
This family run place has it all--great food-excellent ice (the chocolate is great just like a fudgesicle in a cup). Â They are really friendly and let us sample several before we decided which one we would take down to the park and watch the ball game.
There are a few tables outside where you can sit and enjoy a great summer evening. Â Though I am an Italian girl thru and thru and am a loyal Taylor Street fan--the comfort, quiet and friendliness of Polk Street will draw me back time and time again.
Yummy Italian Ice.
I picked up watermelon, She picked up "Blue".
The watermelon was refreshing and a small is the perfect size!
With little delicious chunks of watermelon on the inside I was craving more.
Blue was good. Full of sugar and exactly what you would think it tastes of.
Definitely give it a try in this very cute Italian neighborhood....with the older men sitting in a circle talking, children playing in the pumps and great all around vibe.
Yes, the Italian Ice is better than any (cantaloupe is my favorite), but that's not what prompted me to write.
This afternoon, I forgot to buy bread when I'd gone shopping, and I'd lent my car to someone, so I strolled over to Fontano's to get bread for a dish I was making for dinner. Â Alas, it was closed, so I popped into Carm's hoping they would sell me some of their supply. Â
He didn't want to sell me any bread because he was short-supplied and was open to 8 tonight. Â But when he noticed how keen I was to have the bread, and that I was on foot, and that I was willing to pay him 10 bucks for it (I really wanted that bread!) he relented. Â And in true small-neighborhood business fashion, he wouldn't accept my premium and only charged me $2.50. Â
Really, really decent of the place and of the man. Â Thanks Carm's!
Oh Carm's. Many, many afternoons during breaks between classes have we spent together. You were the highlight of my afternoons.
This fast food place located on Polk street near the UIC campus is a "university staple." Every kid who went to UIC had to have gone here and if they didn't then they should be ashamed for not being a true UIC student. I visited this place not too long ago, well actually last summer and that was the first time I've been there since I graduated in 2002. They've renovated the place and the prices have been adjusted slightly to accomodate the growing market. Rightfully so, but still nonetheless cheap enough for a college student to afford.
My favorite: the meatball sandwich. Three gigantic lumps of meatballs covered in marinara sauce on french bread. Holy sh*t, someone bring the defibrillator and place it right next to me. Eating this sandwich is worthy of your heart stopping more than once.
Thank you Carm's for being delicious and affordable for all these years. Pay a visit to this place, your stomach and your pockets will thank you.
PROLOGUE: Â Recently I was on Taylor Street for the first time and noticed the famous Al's Italian Beef across the street from Mario's Italian Lemonade, which had been in my bookmarks for several weeks. Â We did hit up Mario's that night, but I made a mental note to come back and treat myself to the uno-due punch of beef and ice Italian. Â Then, doing some research on the eve of my visit, I kept seeing review references to some place called Carm's a couple of blocks away, and apparently Carm's does both Italian beef AND Italian ice. Â Hmm. Â So my genius mind (or rather, my genius stomach, who is the real boss of the operation) came up with the idea to take a little mini culinary tour pitting the Taylor Street combo of Al's and Mario's against the double threat outfit on Polk Street, Carm's.
The contrast in atmosphere between Al's and Carm's is like night and day. Â Al's either is a madhouse (with tourbus) or merely does a brisk business (without tour bus). Â Carm's had several customers while I was there, but was peaceful by comparison. Â It's across the street from a small, handsome church and around the corner from a ball field with a bunch of Little-Leaguers. Â Now that's Americana. Â
Plus they have some seats inside and two nice tables outside. Â And if you sit outside you can hear your own thoughts, unlike down on Taylor Street.
Carm's beef: Â This was a bigger sandwich than Al's, and much wetter. Â In fact, the bottom of my bun disintegrated after the fourth bite. Â Their "peppers" is apparently a house-made gardiniera, but I'm sorry to say that it did not lend much flavor to the sandwich. Â The beef itself seems slightly better quality than Al's but is also blander. Â So all in all, it was an okay sandwich--B-.
Carm's ice: Â Phenomenal--at least the cantaloupe variety. Â How the eff do you pack so much sweet, fruity flavor into a product that is probably about 98% water? Â And only $1.50 for a small. Â I took this with me as I started to walk back towards the Loop; if I had eaten it "for here," I would definitely have ordered a second flavor after finishing. Â I need to come back and try some more.
I'm a UIC student and in my opinion, Mario's Italian Ice has nothing on Carm's italian ice! Carm's italian ice is so much better, too bad the chicago tourist bus doesn't show that part of UIC, they only pass by Mario's and Al's beef on Taylor. Oh well their loss because UIC students know where it's at plus it's cheaper and you get a BIGGER size! holla!
It's a chill place, the owner is very nice, there are pictures of them around the place and the owner gave me extra italian ice, i asked her what her fave was and she added it on top of mine, lemme tell you i like the original lemon italian ice, but no wonder cantaloupe is her fave, its soooo good!!
I have never tried chocolate it's always out =[ Â MUST BE GOOD!!
Hope this helps, enjoy and instead of going to Mario's you should check out Carm's it's a block/or 2 away walking distance and it's cheap, cheap food, cheap italian ice, and wonderful owners!
Perfect example of a "neighborhood" joint in Chicago. Â Kind of place you can chat with the owner, and watch the ballgame while enjoying a burger or beef sandwich. Â Kind of place that is kid friendly and I get the impression if someone got out of line or used some foul language in front of the kids they would have an earful from one of the owners.
Food is good but its the Italian Ice and friendly service that seal the deal. Â People hear Italian Ice in Chicago and immediately think they need to wait in some line at Marios on Taylor. Â They are all missing out on the best ice at Carms. Â Thankfully for all of them it makes my line shorter at Carms.
I went to school at UIC back in the '90's and places like Carms as well as Fontanos across the street are what make this neighborhood great and what drew me back here after starting a family.
Gotta give it a try if for no other reason than to get the ice.
Love their cantaloupe Italian Ice! This is my "reward" place after I've ridden the bike during the summer. Pretty cheap, but good food overall.
It's  a neighborhood joint, so there's usually a lot of kids around, but their service is pretty fast.
What can I say, this is better than Maxwell Street any day!
I've been to Carms a couple of times now. I love the atmosphere, the folks who work there are real Chicago people from the neighborhood, and the place is clean and comfortable (if you're comfortable sitting at a counter, which I am).
I've only had the beefs, fries and Italian ices so I can't say how their others foods are. The ices are everything an Italian ice should be, flavorful and delicious.
The fries are good, cooked perfectly and smokin' hot, although they are over salted for my taste.
The beefs are good, not great. Ironically I find the beef to be under seasoned. The meat is very bland, especially when matched with either the sweet peppers or the giardiniera. Both the sweet and hot peppers are so good I could eat them straight out of the serving vessel. On my first visit to Carms I ordered a plain beef and the guy convinced me to try the sweet peppers. They aren't sweet peppers in the way I've always thought of them, but rather are more of a non-spicy giardiniera: celery slices with seasonings in an olive oil and white wine vinegar juice. Since that first visit I've become a giardiniera fan and Carms' is perfect. The heat isn't overwhelming, but is just enough to let you know the heat is there. Compliments the beef well, but as I mentioned above I'd like a bit more flavor in the beef itself.
Parking is a challenge as every street nearby, except for around the Galileo school, is permit parking Zone 5. You can park around the school on weekends and at night. However, if you're in the neighborhood, stop in an check 'em out.
The food is so-so. But great for the price.
This place is very, very cheap. Great deals.
Burgers are so-so. Hot dogs are good. Pizza puff is great.
Fries are good, yet also addictive.
Prices-Amazing.
Great place for UIC students to stop in for a quick lunch. Can sometimes get crowded, but they also have outdoor seating which is a plus.
I go here when I don't have a whole lot of money and when I'm nearby and on the go.
Service is good, too. Some may take it as rude. They are just loud is all. I think some can get a bit too sensitive at times.
So. Â You read all the reviews and you think you want to check this place out. Â You would be wise to do so - but be forewarned and come prepared. Â Here at Carm's they don't take a liking to slow people who don't know what they want. Â And they will test you by having 3 people ask you the same questions over and over again. Â They are not crazy - I really think it is their entertainment. Â
As to the food, they are always running lunch specials so you can get a good deal for your $5. Â BUT...there is a secret. Â At the bottom of the menu is a prosciutto sandwich. Â The large is under $10 and will easily feed 2. Â And the secret...they cure their own prosciutto!!! Â Who else does this and puts it on a cheap and classic lunch sandwich?!?
When I think of where SNL was trying to get at with the Billygoat sketch, I think of Carms. Â (Yeah, I know the BIllygoat is still around, but it feels commercialized by its many incarnations.) Â I love you Carms and your salty prosciutto.
I wanted to love Carms. I know it's a neighborhood staple, and maybe since I'm not from the neighborhood I can't appreciate the quirks.
I had to repeat my order 5 times to 3 people, the burger tasted of NOTHING but grease, the bun was a little stale, the fries were not anywhere near crispy.
I will say it is a great value, and they treat their regulars right (staple old ladies of the neighborhood never pay more than $1). I will go back for an Italian ice, but if I want a dog or something I'll go to Al's.
Love Carms. I've been going for about 10 years and the food is just good fast, American classic. Â I've never actually had the beef, but the grilled chicken, meatball sandwich, and hot dogs are killer.
Recent remodeling should make this place more likable since it was pretty old and run down. I hope the food stays the same.
I love this place.
The first time i went in there i got a hot dog; it was decent. The next time i went i got the double cheese burger. I've never had anything else because every time I go in there i can't bring myself to order anything but. Best burger for the price and my personal favorite in town, just edging out Busy Burger. Last semester I had class at UIC 3 days a week and by the end of the year i was eating Carms 3 days a week.
Staff is hilarious too. Not mean but definitely no bull shit Italians; "What do you want!" An earlier review said the owner referred to a certain hour as the "Asian rush." First, this is true, roughly 2 or 3 to 4 o'clock the clientele is 90% asian. Also, its not a real chicago neighborhood joint unless the owners are vaguely racist, not to mention vaguely sexist. I've been called "brother" in all my favorite UIC area spots. Please take no offense.
Prices are on par with other hot dog joints.
A hot dog with everything doesn't really include everything, no relish. Â The sport peppers are kind of funky. Â Fries are average. Â There are better hot dog joints out there. Â
For a quick bite to eat, it does the trick. Â But I wouldn't seek it out.
The owner referred to the 5pm hour as the "Asian Rush", take it as you will.
After living a 90 second walk away for three months I'm upping this to five stars. Â $3.30 for a cheeseburger and fries. Â $6 for a ham and swiss italian sub that in reality is two sandwiches that I ate for two meals. Â The fact that my roommate went in right before closing, figured out that he was short a couple bucks on what he needed to pay a little bit too late, and they let him come in the next day to cover it. Â Â
Fucking love this place, even if they are Republican Cubs fans.
Greatest take out joint in the UIC area - period. Â The restaurant is a short walk from UIC's east campus, which makes it super popular for the student lunch run around noon. Â This is a genius alternative to campus food, which is pretty bad and gets really old after awhile. Â
The food is always absolutely delicious and wonderfully cheap. Â It's about $5 for an entire meal (hot dog + fries + drink) and the service is friendly and quick. Â There's a few small seating areas for dining in, which are great during the summer. Â Definitely a great place to go with friends between class or for early dinner. Â Best quick food around UIC.
6/22/08 Update:
Stopped by for a hot few seconds to grab a simple dog. Â Instead, once I saw "Polish dog" on the menu, I had to go for it. Â For $2.25, a plump, perfectly spicy, deliciously grilled dog comes in a bun with all sorts of condiments and two poppers of jalapeno (warning: they will burn your tongue - request at your own risk) AND freshly fried fries.
So delicious! Â
-------------------------------------------
[Note: This review is solely based on the one-time take-out of a bucket of fries]
Last night, I had the hormone-induced massive craving for greasy, salty food. Â Having just walked past Carms on my way home, I decided to slip back on the flips to travel 1/2 a block to get my French-Fry fix. Â
For $3 (plus 30 cents for tax), a bucket (a large plastic container with a lid) o' fries takes about 3 minutes of waiting to be ready. Â sure, it's a great deal, so my friend and I were jolly as hell as we received our bucket and scurried back to my apt. Â
When we opened the lid to start digging in, we noticed the fries were very soggy and wondered, "perhaps b/c of condensation?" Â So, they weren't as great and yummy as I (or my hormones) had fantasized. Â I am NOT Â a fan of limp, flimsy fries. Â I like 'em extra crispy, salty, and pipin' hot.
So, yes, I was disappointed. Â Nevertheless, the craving was satisfied. Â
Next time, I'd like to try the Polish Dog with fries ON THE SPOT. Â They do have some indoor as well as outdoor seating which should be conducive to enjoying the food immediately after receiving it over the counter.
My favorite place to eat back in college. Â Cannot go wrong with 2 hot dogs and 2 fries for $3. Â Italian Beef is excellent as well.
If you are not used to loud Italians, the service may come off as rude, but they are not. Â They just have strong personalities. Â Family has been in the neighborhood forever, and you can tell they plan on staying.
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