by Ok Knoff on this place is terrible. i went a few times when i was too young to get in other places. i returned recently at the urging of some friends as a kind of, remember when we were too young to go anywhere else joke, and I HAD MY ID CONFISCATED. my real id. the bouncer was extremely rude to me, told me that i could either give him my real id, walk away, or call the police. obviously i called the police. in the mean time my friends and i had to wait in the rain for about an hour for them to show up so that i could get my id back. from the experiences i had when i actually went in: the different floors offer some variety of music, but none of it is very good. i also encountered a number of unattractive men in their 40s and 50s preying on younger girls. if you are 21 or older and are not a desperate, older gentleman who would like the company of other such men, don't bother.
by Jack F. on Carman's is one of those places I just can't wrap my finger around. I want to be in love with the place, and I was until my second visit, but something just doesn't sit right. With a whiteboard and an ever-changing menu, I'd expected to be in heaven. Getting a 5-star gluten-free brunch is a hell of an ordeal. Hearing rave reviews of mango, apricot, & mascarpone French toast or chocolate-peanut butter-banana Belgian waffles is torture. Living a stone's throw from the arsenal of aromas that march out of Isgro's every morning ain't exactly heaven, either. But I love brunch, and am determined to find the best damn brunch spot in the city. Especially for those of us condemned to only be able to eat half the menu. My first visit was with siblings and cousins. I'd heard of the place and was excited to try it out. I had an omelet where Carman somehow managed to marry Brussel sprouts, tomato, fresh mozzarella and orange wedges into some sort of flavor carnival. Was not expecting that to taste nearly as good as it did. Second trip - Striped bass with eggs over easy and home fries. My cousin got the same. Let down. Not bad, just not fantastic, which is what I'd hyped Carman's up to be over the year since I'd been there. Tasted like fried white fish. Bummer. But like they say, third time's the charm. Seared scallops over cheesy shrimp grits. With over easy eggs and potatoes. Wow. I don't like grits. I always had to eat them growing up because I couldn't eat other breakfast starches and I've resented them over the years. Damn. Those were some good grits. Pink, as though she'd pureed the shrimp into the grits, but then added some chunks for good measure. And the scallops came out a perfect med. rare, light caramelizing on the edges. Raised the bar again, Carman. Can't wait to see what you have in store next time.
by Daphine Caraballo on I came here for a friend's show on a Monday night, so perhaps the vibe was a little different to usual - but nonetheless, I loved the scene and will definitely go back. I did drop a name at the door so had no trouble getting in - I'm not sure if that is normally an issue. With no cash on me, I put my credit card down and I was told up front that there was a $60 minimum (plus tip). With work the next day, I wasn't intending on drinking that much but the champagne was pretty pricey so spent it pretty quickly with a few friends. So that aspect sucked but it wasn't going to stop me from having a good night. I found out later that my friends had a few tables, with free vodka, etc so that was great, but I had already spent quite a bit. I thought the crowd was an attractive, hip bunch of people. As per usual, there were the try-hards amongst them, but most people were genuinely cool. I loved the decor, didn't really care that it is "green" - I just liked the feel of the space - would be great for private parties. The layout is slightly odd though. Most places, I feel you can walk in and immediately work out where everything is - here you kinda have to do a 360, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The live performances were slightly average, but the DJ's set was a good eclectic mix of rock, electro and indie. My friend hated it, but I loved it. All in all - take cash, great crowd, good music and awesome space.
