Cariño

Our group of 6 came in for the 10pm taco omakase, and it was AMAZING. Truly one of the best food experiences we’ve had. Sitting at the counter was a joy, because we got to chat with the chefs and watch them making every plate. Loved the combo of fantastic service but casual/fun energy. Every dish was excellent and truly innovative and exciting, plus beautifully presented. HIGHLY recommend, and we cannot wait to return! Thank you chef!

Short: worthy of all the hype. Food is better than it looks. Long review: I have spent years eating fine dining and frankly burned out on it. Mostly its been a very similar, almost formulaic experience. If you have been or even watched the bear, you know what I mean. You come all fancy, meet a pretentious chef, and the staff is exactly the same. The food is very good but more art than anything, experience is great, and it was a sure fire way for an incredible chef with a lot of money to get his way into the michelin guide. In 2024, this does not work especially in a scene as competitive as Chicago. Similarly, if you travel to France or Spain they offer incredible insights into their traditions and the land in which they get their foods. This is why many of those restaurants in my opinion, accurately, earn their 2 or 3 stars. I must admit I regret not going to Cariño sooner because of my burn out. I met the Chef Norman a couple years ago at another spot in Chicago and he quietly mentioned he was opening this place. Norman is from the Detroit area but has spent substantial time living in Mexico - his wife and kids live there! Every bit of food feels like an upgrade on Pujol. If you know, you know. Norman even mentioned how he was in Mexico this week with his family learning from locals. This restaurant is an authentic embodiment of his experience of some of the best food in the world. So do not expect to be in a pretentious upscale space with a serious experience. The food is fun, the entire staff which are almost all chef’s are fun, and it’s a very welcomed relief from the standard “fine dining” experience. It does not miss on nearly perfect plating, coursing, and experience. Frankly the food is better than any other fine dining I can think of. See you in July for Birthday Haikus!

We were in the mountains to hike Mt Leconte and had family visiting. We don't usually eat out in PF or Gatlinburg as it's so crowded and we're 'locals' (my family owns a cabin there) and typically cook instead of eat out. Well, after the 12 hours and 10 miles to the lodge and back, we were too tired to cook and thought Italian would help us recover. Great choice going to Johnny Carino's ! The food was great, the service outstanding and it was a good value also. I highly recommend if in the area. We will definitely return. The lasagna was outstanding!

We eat here whenever we’re in the area and have always been pleased. The food is well seasoned and made from scratch. No canned sauces! They accommodate vegetarians nicely with several options. It is first come first serve (no reservations) so I would suggest an early dinner. We arrived around 6 pm on a Friday night and had no wait.