Carlos & Carlos

Food not so good. Service very slow.
Nice sitting outside and there is a great band playing. But that’s about it.

I knew it wasn’t right but someone recommended this restaurant. So I tried…
Waste of my money. Anyway nothing good restaurant in downtown Arlington heights anyway. There is only good atmosphere.
But waiters were nice so I gave them good tip and 2 stars. Otherwise 1.

We had a wonderful meal at Carlos and Carlos restaurant in Arlington Heights. The beet salad was very unique and delicious. the pasta dish and the chicken dish we had were both very flavorful and different from other restaurants. the service was exceptional and the entire experience was outstanding. We highly recommend and plan to return soon.

Amazing Salmon! Food is really good here and the staff is friendly.

I went to there with my boyfriend.
Friendly! Delicious! I am gonna go to there again.

If Olive Garden is your go to Italian food, don’t come here then. I feel like the bad reviews were from those type of people.
We love this place so much! The service is great! The food is out of this world!
We are big on reading Unilocal reviews. What got us in here in the first place was someone who left a BAD review saying «the food was too flavorful». TOO FLAVORFUL? Are you kidding? That’s a bad thing?
I read Unilocal reviews and feel like it’s appropriate I leave them myself. I’ve reviewed this place twice because it’s that wonderful!

Great food and service we just moved to Arlington heights and went down town to eat saw Carlos and Carlos so we ate there and fell in love with it we will tell all our friends about it

My sister and I came on a Friday night just before it got too busy and we were seated right away. Our meal began with our hosts pushing in our seats for us and pouring our water. Warm bread with some kind of olive/​garlic tapanade as well as garlic butter quickly followed, so we were already off to a good start.
The two of us split «La Bella» salad, featuring arugula, pears, figs, goat cheese and cranberries in a citrus vinaigrette dressing. It was every bit as good as it sounds! We then split the mussels and clams appetizer for our entrée. They brought each of these dishes to our table already split into two plates for us, which was greatly appreciated. Between the salad, seafood, and never-​ending bread, by the end of the meal we were full and satisfied. Everything was excellent; the only criticism I can offer is that the angel hair spaghetti with the seafood seemed overcooked, and I feel like any legit Italian place should be able to get that al dente texture right. So I can’t vouch for the pasta, but otherwise we were thrilled with our main dishes.
I’m confused by some of the reviews below because the service was SUPER personable and friendly. You could tell that the owners remembered their regulars and it constantly seemed like a reunion of old friends anytime patrons entered the doorway. And even though I had never been here before, I had no sense of neglect. Everyone was super friendly! Moreover, every single member of the staff was attentive and buzzing about, serving or cleaning or otherwise just providing a great experience for guests.
Thank you for the great food as well as the great service. :)

My boyfriend and I do not understand the hype of this restaurant… We wanted great italian dinning experience in the suburbs, and ended up here. So disappointing.
We walk in around 8 – 8:30 on a Saturday, the place is crowded; we think its a good sign. We get seated in the little nook, service was just okay. The waiter seemed uninterested in us and making small talk, just did his minimal duties — which is fine, I get it. Not every night can be your star performance. We felt like the menu was very limited in selection.
The pre-​dinner bread and butter garlic was a cool start. But I wish the bread was warmed up or toasted or something– but alas I will survive.
We also had unexpected guests dinning with us… ANTS, ants were crawling all over the wall next to us– disgusting.
The food was greasy, bland and terrible. I ordered the chicken, and my boyfriend ordered a pasta dish. We both did not finish our food due to how bad it was, this says alot, because we never leave food behind! The side potatoes were discolored and just drenched in oil– unappetizing.
Overall a ver disappointing night, I never wish to return. Sorry.

I am not sure how this place has gotten so many good ratings. We came in at 6pm on a Sunday and the place was empty so that should have been my first clue but I came in opened minded. The service was good but the food was some of worst we have ever had.
It started off with bread that was extremely hard, almost like it had been sitting out. We then were given salads «on the house» that had dressing that tasted like caesar gone wrong. Almost all you could taste was anchovies.
Finally, the meals came and things got worse. We ordered spinach raviolI that was very undercooked and super salty. The spaghetti and meatballs tasted like they were frozen and the pasta was not fresh. Also both entrees were very greasy.
Overall, I would recommend Maggianos in Schaumburg or Giacomos in Des Planes if you want good Italian food.

Just finished early Mother’s Day dinner… our experience was outstanding. We had a reservation & were seated promptly (which doesn’t happen a lot on a busy holiday at most restaurants). The grilled calamari was so delicious, I’m glad I read other reviews. We also had the black pasta, lasagna and penne amatriciana — each dish was so delicious. For dessert we shared the espresso crème brûlée & chocolate lava cake… worth every calorie!
Service is superior… def a place not to miss when u r in the area

I am sure the food is excellent. But the service is so bad we could only stare at the food going by. We did wait a full 45 minutes past our reservation before just giving up on it.
We were not the only ones. Really, a hostess would be a good first start. Too bad… lost opportunity.

For the longest time we avoided this place after stopping in for a drink and not being impressed with the manager’s attitude. Plus we thought, by the name, it was Mexican. And because there are two very good Mexican restaurants on either side of it we never bothered going back. Fast forward about 7 years. We’re talking to a coworker who mentioned how good this place’s ITALIAN food is, and we decided to give it another try. Well I’ve been there twice and I still can’t get past ordering the spaghetti and meat balls. It they weren’t so good, I’d try something else. :-) The first time we went we ordered dessert and they brought around complementary after dinner drinks like brandy, burbon and many others. This time we skipped dessert and getting the free drink. Even though I had spaghetti and meatballs, the two other people I was with ordered filets and it looked so good I just had to try it. I’m a big filet guy and I have to say I’d put that filet up against ANY filet I’ve eaten, including ones at Ruth’s Chris, Mortons, and Gibsons. With 2 filets, 2 glasses of wine, 2 beers and spaghetti the bill came to around $ 45 per person without tip.

I’ve passed by Carlos and Carlos numerous times, and never ate there. Well finally the day came!
The atmosphere is very quaint. There is one TV by the bar (they had soccer on when we came in). There are a few platters on the wall honoring VIP/​long-​time loyal customers. You can also see one of the chefs making the ravioli/​pasta by hand. It looks so yummy!
When you first sit down, you will be greeted with fresh, warm bread with garlic herb butter and an olive tapenade. Eat it. All of it. It’s so good! I had to stop myself because I didn’t want to ruin my appetite. The menu features a variety of pastas, chicken, veal, and fish. I had the penne farcita and was not disappointed! My friend had the chicken parmesan and it was huge! Probably the biggest chicken parm I have ever seen. So, it’s worth the money.
We left very full, so we did not get dessert. However, they all looked amazing, and if I were to go back I would order the espresso brulee. Or the tiramisu, because you can’t go wrong with that.
They have a nice wine list as well. They have a house wine in almost every traditional variety for $ 8.50 that is actually very good.
Also, they had free butter cookies to eat on your way out! I wish every place gave me a cookie just for coming in. Awesome!

Another great experience which means I need to finally give them a review.
Our reservations were 100% successful on a busy Saturday night. Our table was ready and waiting despite a packed house. Our open table didn’t go to a walk in.
Service was exceptional. Not too much; not too little. We had all the water, bread, etc. that we wanted. Our wine glasses were topped up. When we gals said no more wine (designated drivers), the waiter remembered and only the guys got vino. We were able to take our time ordering throughout. No rush to push us out the door after.
The food was delicious as always. Of special note was a filet mignon and veal meatball spaghetti topped with exceptional bolognese sauce. It was on the specials menu and it blew one of our guests away. The other guest had the mushroom and sausage risotto topped with goat cheese. She said the layers of flavors and textures were amazing.
We all loved the bread that came out with house made green olive tapenade and herbed butter. Yummy!!!
The only thing that gets me is the wine list is all lower range wines. $ 10 wine for $ 40. No midrange or better wines.

First, the food is great. The atmosphere is great. The environment is great and the bar is great. That’s four greats. Then there is the men’s bathroom. Oh yeah. It’s great too!!!
I had the calamari, veal, and beans. Delicious. Then the after dinner sip and cannoli were divine.

Good food in a great location! Came here on the suggestion of a colleague and it did not disappoint. Greeted as we walked in with a friendly smile and sat right down. Waiters were attentive and friendly.
The bread was fresh warm and crispy. We had the grilled calmari appetizer with tomatos and capers and it was really tasty. I ordered the veal milanese which came with roast potatos and cauliflower. It was really good. My wife had the pasta with langostino in a crème sauce which she loved.
The wine was ok but a little overpriced. All in all a terrific experience.

I’ve visted here twice now and although my 2^nd visit wasn’t as magical as my first, I love this place! I don’t usually crave Italian food but this place has me hooked. The 2 times I’ve been here wasn’t too busy and staff was super friendly! I made a reservation online and I got a personal email back saying they couldn’t wait to have us which I thought was so cool! and strange haha
Appetizer: fried calamari. I don’t know what it’s in here but I can’t stop thinking about it. The fried calamari comes on a bed of salad. The flavoring of the salad is so good. I could probably eat this dish as my entrée but the menu is too delicious to just eat appetizer
Entrée: I’ve had the black pasta and gnocchi di casa. The sauce for the black pasta is SO GOOD. I didn’t really like their gnocchi dish bc the sauce tasted greasy and fatty but I loved the gnocchi. On my 2^nd visit, I requested the gnocchi but with the black pasta sauce and they were more than willing to accommodate.
My friends had the spaghetti and meatball which i thought was also really good. I also tried their penna farcita and did not enjoy that dish at all. :(
Knocking off a star bc on my 2^nd visit here everything tasted SUPER salty and my salad was SUPER greasy. Guess the chefs were different. I’ll just assume it was an off day bc I still want to go back some time again. Just request them to go easy on the salt and grease.
Overall, I would be back bc this place has me constantly thinking of italian food now. Carb overload…

I’ve been waiting to nab dinner at Carlos & Carlos for a very long time. I even tried to pop in for lunch one day and that was a major fail (they only offer dinner service!). My expectations were met with solid service, an inviting atmosphere and, most importantly, pretty delicious Italian eats.
Let me preface my review experience by stating that hubs and I made my birthday reservation here on the night of a very important Blackhawks game. We’re not huge Hawks fans, but I knew the (from what I’ve heard) intimate setting of this restaurant would likely be altered significantly because of said game. And while it certainly wasn’t a sports bar feel, I imagine it was brighter, louder, and hosted much more TV attention than the typical Saturday night.
All that being said, Carlos & Carlos is adorably quaint. We sat practically smack dab in the middle of the restaurant and started by launching ourselves into the delicious fresh (warm) bread and garlicky whipped butter. Please and thank you.
Our server was swift but friendly, offering his take on a variety of their Italian classics as well as some specials of the evening. We went with the scallop appetizer and since I couldn’t quite make up my mind he offered to let me order halfsies on the two pastas I was mulling over. Here’s a quick rundown of the dishes I tried…
Scallops Pistachio: ⁴⁄₅: Three small scallops nicely seared with an awesome mango roasted pepper sauce. I wasn’t a fan of the cold cauliflower «hill» in the middle but the main attraction (scallops) were great.
Risotto Gamberi: 3.5÷5: Arborio served w/​prawns, shaved garlic, fresh tomatoes, spinach, and touch of terragon. A solid risotto dish but I felt it could have used a kick — red pepper, heat, something.
Gnocchi Di Casa: ⁵⁄₅: Pillowy homemade gnocchi served with small chunks of fillet mignon, broccoli, shaved garlic, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms in a olive oil sauce. Fantastico.
Veal chop: ⁵⁄₅: Hubs ordered this as a special and it was pounded thin, and lightly fried to crispy but tender perfection.
Chocolate cake: ⁵⁄₅: Decadent mousse-​like chocolate cake with a heavy hand (appreciated) of fresh whipped cream on top and a drizzle of raspberry.
Apple turnover/​pastry/​pie: ⁵⁄₅: So much cinnamon, so much apple, so much sugar. Plus ice cream. You cannot go wrong.
I definitely want to come back to Carlos & Carlos during a non-​Chicago sporting event night to get the full experience… and imbibe from their famous drink cart!

Came here for a family dinner and ordered appetizers, entrees, dessert, and drinks.
Appetizers included the grilled calamari (good but saucy, and I wish it was fried) and the caprese salad.
Entrees were linguine pescatore (too salty), black pasta (the best dish we ordered), risotto with shrimp, and beet salad.
We ordered the chocolate lava cake (delicious and served a la mode with Neapolitan ice cream), peach cobbler (also excellent and served a la mode), and crime brûlée (coffee flavored? But good as well).
Complimentary warm bread with olive tempanade and tasty butter combination spread.
The wine selection is fairly large with a refreshing Sauvignon blanc that we really enjoyed. Overall good experience with friendly wait staff, food was not as exquisite but still good.