Review Carmi Soul Food - Pittsburgh

We ordered their full thanksgiving meal. It was delicious. There was so much food I think we could have fed 10+ comfortably. Everything was prepared perfectly, all we had to do was cook the Turkey and heat the sides. The Turkey was so juicy and delicious all the sides were amazing seasoned perfectly and delicious. We had some trouble with finding the instructions but the owner who was so kind got them to me in no time. Everything was literally perfect. I highly recommend getting the full thanksgiving dinner, you won’t regret it.

This place has delicious comfort food! I had their fried Catfish, yams and mac &cheese. So good. I tried the banana pudding it was good, just a bit too much pudding for me. I will definitely be back!

Great experience and perfect atmosphere for my family of five . I highly recommend the chicken and waffles , it is cooked to perfection! The smothered wings were 3.5/5 , fried chicken 3.5/5 , mac and cheese 4/5 ( very creamy and good ) , chicken tenders 4.5/5 these were our favorite !! That waffle was made with love and extra butter , it was soft just like we like it definitely 5/5 ! Thank you Carmi for taking care of my family . Hope to see you in the future !

Delicious. Got smoked ribs and they were tender juicy and delicious. Love the BBQ sauce. Got mashed potatoes and gravy and Mac n cheese which was also delicious. Super friendly people too. Will definitely be back.

This was our first stop when we got to PA and the staff was friendly. We each got a different meal and everyone loved theirs. The portions are pretty big as well and worth the money.

Food was good except for the fried green tomatoes. You could tell they were frozen and then reheated. I sent them back. For the price of it all, you should get at least 2 pieces of catfish. The salmon was pretty good but could've been better with a little more flavor. The yams, greens and Mac and cheese were the best out of it all. The cornbread was like cake... perfect. I really enjoyed the artwork that was displayed throughout the restaurant. The employees... the 2 ladles were very helpful and customer service oriented.

Lovely atmosphere, very friendly hosts. Had a little higher expectation for the food, but it wasn't bad, just not as great as I thought it should be. I had the smothered pork chop, green beans and yams. Maybe it's just my palette, but the meat and green beans could have used a little more seasoning. The Jade Breeze drink was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I'll visit again for brunch 🙂 maybe it was just an of day for the chef.

We ordered so much food when we were here and we're obsessed. Every single thing you can get at this restaurant is so good. There is so much flavor in every dish and side. I can not wait to go back again! If you like spicy or cajun food do not sleep on this place it will blow your mind.

Visited on a Saturday evening so got to enjoy the DJ who enhanced & didn't overwhelm our dining experience. The salmon, chicken, greens, cheesy grits & candied yams were excellent. But, that cornbread. . . I'd go just for that! Best of all, we loved the friendly, talk to everyone, family like atmosphere. No food photos...I got too hungry!

Stopped in for brunch and was amazed. I don’t see why more people weren’t dining in. Tried the shrimp and grits, and it was some of the best I’ve had. Cheesy goodness and a huge portion. Mouth is watering just thinking about it. Mac and cheese and catfish looked amazing. The only complaint was it seems it took the food a while to come out, but it was so worth the wait.

Amazing food, some of the best fried chicken I have had ever hands down. Insanely large portions for the price, i've got lunch for tomorrow now too. BBQ wings are incredible too, this place is definitely worth checking out, great food, great staff, great atmosphere, what else do you need?

Carmi's Soul Food Restaurant is Amazing!!!! They have Great Customer Service and the food was delicious!!!! The restaurant is full of beautiful pieces of artwork as well!!! The menu has great options for everyone!!!! The Salmon was yummy....the Sweet Potato Pie hit the spot!!!! We took a quick jaunt to Canonsburg, Pa for the All-Clad Stainless Steel Cookware Factory Sale at the Washington County Fairgrounds!!!! We were craving some delicious food and decided upon Carmi's in Pittsburgh!!!! Great place for family and friends!!!!!!

Visited the South Side location with my mom and grandmother. Inviting atmosphere, good food, and our waitress was phenomenal! I visited their North Side location before a Pirates game a few years ago and the food was good, so I’m glad they are doing well at the South Side location too! I hope this business continues to thrive!

Great place and atmosphere. The food was delicious. I just wish they had given a little bit more in portions, but I'm greedy. The hostess was great, too. We went on a Friday night early... just keep in mind it is on East Carson Street, and parking may be an issue.

PASS.<br/>I used to have great experiences at Carmi before they moved from the North Shore.  Since they've moved, I've been there twice, and have been disappointed both times.  I don't know that I'll be going back.<br/><br/>I went today, and although my guest and I ordered different pork dishes, we were served the same dish.  They also don't seem to care to keep up with refilled glasses, despite only having 4 tables of guests when we dined.<br/><br/>To top it all off, they refused to honor our Groupon both times, giving unfair or nonsensical reasons - for instance, my order was not considered a "dinner" meal, even though it is only served during dinner, so they claimed that the Groupon didn't apply.

The food was amazing!! Fried chicken was crispy on the outside tender and juicy on the inside, potato salad creamy and so flavorful, mac & cheese perfect and the greens where out of this world!!! I will be back again and again!! Our service was great, very busy because of Mother's Day but extremely friendly and spot on!!!

Who doesn't like southern cooking?! I went to Carmis and ordered chicken,yams, mac and cheese and it was everythingggggg. I literally finished everything on my plate before leaving. The cornbread was so fresh it was like eating a fresh piece of cake! I would go back anytime!

Foods very good, service terrible. Placed order waited 30 min to find order never placed. Not acceptable. Wasted my time will never go back.

I don't believe I have written a restaurant review before but, I'm doing it now for several reasons. First, I was skeptical of the high approval marks Carmi's received. Wrongly thinking a lot of family and friends of the staff/owners submitted reviews. After all, how can a restaurant receive such a high approval rating? Which brings me to reason #2, which is, the marks are well deserved. I called late (8:15 pm) for a take out order. Despite closing in 45 minutes, the woman who took my order was pleasant and happily took my order for smothered chicken, mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, and macaroni and cheese. When I arrived at 8:45, the two women who I saw working, were obviously preparing the dining room for closing. Both were friendly and the one who retrieved my order actually came across as pleased I was there patronizing the restaurant. The food was fantastic. I can't fault any part of my meal. The chicken was moist, the Mac and cheese was creamy and flavorful, the potatoes were real, and the cornbread stuffing had a favorable sweetness. I only wish I remembered to ask for butter for the piece of cornbread however, it was good without. The takeout container was packed with wax paper to prevent the gravy from intermingling with the foods in adjacent compartments - I've never seen this done before and was impressed. I told my co-workers I'm giving Carmi's two thumbs up. My third reason for writing is the exterior of the restaurant. While they are in a great location, they have taken over a former bar. There are no windows a passerby can look in and get a feel for what's inside. The signage is small and easy to miss. The front of the building is bland and nondescript. I'm afraid the outside lacks the inviting warmth that the down home southern cooking offers inside. Don't hesitate to try Carmi's. I'm glad I finally tried it and I'm looking forward to trying their Friday catfish special and some of their breakfasts.

Terrible. We walked in at 11:30 on Sunday morning to hear they were not on breakfast menu only dinner. Ordered chicken and waffles told chicken takes 20 min. Coffee burnt and undrinkable. Then waited 30 min only to have the waitress tell us the printer in the kitchen isn't working so our order never went in. We left without eating.

Excellent experience! I was in Pittsburgh for a work Seminar...I was craving soul food before I left the city. I was an hour away from home...and never had any soul food in Pittsburgh. As soon as I walked in the door I was greeted by the friendly cashier's. The food is authentic soul food! I got the 3 wing chicken dinner with macaroni and cheese...greens...and an extra side of candied yams. Delicious! Even the corn bread was good. I definitely will be back...can't wait to try other dishes. Courteous staff and great food...keep up the great work!

Chicken and waffles was very tasty. Breading on chicken was well seasoned and crispy. <br/><br/>That aside...I will never go back. We were the only people in the restaurant and it took 40+ minutes to get our food. Only saw our waitress when she brought something to the table. And I don't meant a refill for our drinks, which we desperately needed. Probably 8 employees just sitting at a table in plain sight joking and eating. Perhaps their help was needed in the kitchen.

Food is great but the rest is god awful - never going there again. This was my fourth visit to Carmi's and I have to say after the horrible service, wait for our food, and attitude from our waitress I will never go back. Like others have posted here on Google reviews, on Facebook, and Yelp, the silverware, cups, and dishes are filthy. When we arrived there were two 2-seat booths filled and one table of two. We placed our order for the fried chicken and the other tables vacated but another 2-person booth was filled behind us and then a larger booth with 4 people both of which ordered them same meals as us. In fact, the 2-person booth behind us order EXACTLY the same as us and we laughed but that laughter stopped when their food came out immediately and they were out the door before our meals even arrived. Our waitress was downright rude to us as well. When our order finally came, only my cousin's chicken dinner arrived and the waitress who brought out our meals (not our original) looked at me like I had two heads when I asked where mine was. So then we had to wait for my meal to come out. We also order ONE dish to go and they gave us TWO of those without the accompanying side dish (we decided it wasn't worth fighting over it to get it taken off and knew that we would just each take our own home instead), anyhow, when I asked about the accompanying side to go with it, our original waitress shot me a dirty look, rolled her eyes and acted like I was inconveniencing HER! Never again. As I saw one reviewer state on a FB review - your customers ARE what will keep you in business but you won't have any if you treat them like they are not welcome.

Awesome food and large potions.. If Angie's List had a category for food, this place would be number 1!!<br/>The cornbread was moist and reminded me of a homemade poundcake. Greens were off the chart. not bitter or bland. You have GOT to try the Chicken and dumpling soup. No one opened a can of Campbells, that is for sure. Ribs and sauce were fantastic, but the best Mac and cheese I have EVER had in my life made my day. I even swiped half of my sister's portion. I have never written a restaurant review before but OMG this was the best meal I have had in a LOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG time. This was my first time there but I will be back.

Chix and Waffles!. I've only been to Carmi's once. Brought back some memories - It' housed in what used to be the famous Shamrock Inn. Carmi's does it's predecessor justice. <br/><br/>I had the chicken and waffles for breakfast and I will say it's one of the best chicken breasts I've had. Super juicy and flavorful. And the homemade waffle was WAY above par. I will definitely return. I totally endorse this place based on this single visit. I can see from the quality of this meal, the rest will be just as good. The staff and service was friendly and attentive. Give it a try.

Where to start - extremely friendly staff, the food was awesome and plentiful. Words don't do it justice.

Very good food! Extremely satisfied.

Delicious authentic food!. Having been recently introduced to southern food during a trip down south, I was on the lookout for an authentic place in Pittsburgh serving this style of food. Carmi provides this in spades, offering authentic, reasonably priced food. Even the large interior space reminds of a diner or neighborhood restaurant, with friendly staff and quick service. The food here speaks for itself and comes in generous portions. The details:<br/><br/>1. Chicken and waffles – I had never had this combination before and was a bit skeptical, but I instantly fell in love with the flavors. The combination makes sense, it really really does! The chicken is crispy on the outside and moist/juicy on the inside. The waffle tasted freshly made and perfectly balanced the salty/savory-ness of the chicken. Easily my favorite dish of the night, though there were plenty to choose from.<br/><br/>2. Ribs (with mac and cheese and mashed potatoes sides) – The ribs were cooked perfectly with a slightly sweet barbeque sauce. The mac and cheese was fantastic and the pepper on top added a nice kick to the dish.<br/><br/>3. Collard greens - these were a little too salty for my taste but still tasted pretty good<br/><br/>4. Banana pudding – Good, with the right ratio of nilla wafers/pudding/bananas though I think wherever you go, banana pudding tastes pretty similar<br/><br/>Overall, I highly recommend this place for authentic southern food, good prices and nice service.

Wow!. This place was a HUGE surprise! I read other reviews so I was hopeful that Carmi's would have excellent food but WOW I never expected it to be that good! I had the BBQ ribs, chicken and dumpling soup, sweet potato fries, corn bread and the mac & cheese (I know, right! A TON of food - with an entree purchase you get 2 sides, soup or salad and corn bread). My boyfriend had the fried chicken and waffles. The waffle was so good he didn't even put any syrup on it! Everything was delicious! We had dessert as well...a Reese's pie...I can't describe it well but you should definately try it...it was so good! I didn't see any desseerts on the menu but make sure you ask for it! We will definately be back and will be bringing new people with us! So good!

Delicious Food. My wife and I drove to Pittsburgh for the day from Buffalo, NY. Anytime we take a road trip, we always look for the small unassuming places to eat. We had read about Carmi on the drive up on Urban Spoon. They had great reviews so we figured that must be the place to eat. Upon our arrival we were greeted with a smile by a tall, well mannered young man who introduced himself as John. He explained that Carmi was his Aunt's place and that our server, Chelsea, would be right with us. The patrons in the place were all lively and seemed to be enjoying the food as well as the atmosphere. Chelsea (a very pleasant young lady) made us fell welcome like we were visiting a family member. She quickly took our order and rushed off. I ordered fried chicken and greens and my wife ordered the shrimp and grits. Neither of us were disappointed. It was a taste extravaganza. The seasonings were delightful and the corn bread that accompanied the meal was moist and delicious. We will absolutely return to this establishment on our next trip. Good food, good service, good prices!

BBQ is Fun. Really enjoyed Carmi. Super friendly service. Good ribs. Great Mac & Cheese.

Excellent food! mac and cheese is the bomb and the cornbread is sublime.Will be going back soon.Went back on another visit and all 3 us who went got violently sick

Excellent. Went to try soul food with a Groupn coupon. I am so excited about my new favorite restaurant. Nothing to look at from the outside but simple and clean inside. The food was delicious. Tried shrimp with grits ( double shrimp) 3.00 extra. Loved it, the greens were so well flavored, chicken and dumpling soup, sweet potato pie, oh my what can I say but great. Missed the ribs because they sell out. Next time

Great Food, Great People. Had breakfast/brunch at Carmi's prior to several Pitt games this year. Best shrimp n grits ever. Also friendly service - even paced, welcoming, attentive. Definitely recommend.

We went here for breakfast on a Sunday morning. It was AMAZING. I had the chicken and waffles, my husband had the king's breakfast. He walked away saying that it was the best breakfast he had ever had. The chicken was awesome. Seasoned deliciously. The waffle was so good and flavorful, I didn't even add syrup. We are tempted to return to try their lunch today ;) we are definitely going to return regularly, and definitely bringing friends!

Horrible service. I was looking forward to eating here ever since learning they opened in my neighborhood. I grew up in the south, and was dying for some real southern cooking. It was possibly the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant. <br/><br/>We arrived at 7:05 on a Saturday night, fully expecting there to be a wait. I don't mind waiting. This went beyond that. <br/><br/>7:10 Server asked us if we were eating in. We said yes. The dining room was only about 60% full. A lady came from the back to inform us that there was a half hour wait for a table. We were a little confused, since there were sooo many tables open, but said of course we could wait. She looked REALLY put out that we chose to wait, even though it was 2 hours before closing. The server sat us in a booth, and asked us if we would like some water. We asked if we could have a coke? She brought them to us.<br/><br/>7:35 Server took our order. One of our meals was supposed to come with a salad, which is usually served first.<br/><br/>8:05 Server asked to take our order. We told her we had already given it. Still no salad.<br/><br/>8:30 Lady who told us there was a wait asked to take our order. We told her we put it in an hour before and could we just get it to go? She actually grabbed a sign that was facing away from us and showed it to us; it said that it takes a half hour for food to be ready. Then she said, "and I told you it was a half hour wait to get a table." We were shocked. We had already been there nearly an hour and a half, and while definitely put out, we hadn't even complained. We wanted it to go so we could take it home because we had been there long enough and were tired. She said she would pack up our food to go, including salad and desert.<br/><br/>8:45 Our food was brought out. We paid and left.<br/><br/>I have to say it was a very degrading experience and we will never go there again. I understand that they may be understaffed, but how is it customer service to behave as we are being unreasonable because we have been waiting an hour and a half and want to take our food to go? The showing us the sign was a huge insult. I know how to tell time. I knew exactly how long we had been there. Good customer service is apologizing for the wait and giving a good excuse for it. The kitchen being a half hour backed up is no excuse for it being 1 hr 45 mins before our food arrived.<br/><br/>We never got the salad. It wasn't in the to-go food. I cannot recommend this restaurant. I'm sure they are very nice when they have under 10 customers, but they do not have the capability to handle a half full dining room on a Saturday night.<br/><br/>The food was ok. I'm sure it would have been delicious when fresh.

It is the bomb..no but really the food was really good..so good that I ate there four times in a week each time I came with a new friend they loved everything as well please try amazing

Oprah needs to try Carmi's mac and cheese!. While the food and the decor are nothing fancy, Carmi's does basic, straightforward Southern cooking so well that they elevate it to something really special, and the staff is very welcoming and attentive. With entree prices between $11.99-$15.99, the amount and quality of food you get are an excellent value, as all dinner entrees include soup or salad (try the fish stew, it's great!), 2 sides, and a hunk of moist and sweet cornbread. <br/><br/>The star of the side dishes was the excellent mac & cheese, which was gooey and creamy, with plenty of flavor. One friend said it's as good as, or maybe even better than, his sister's mac & cheese (don't worry Andrew, we won't tell her you said that!). It was definitely MUCH better than the overhyped/overpriced/bland mac & cheese I had in Philly at Delilah's, which Oprah had proclaimed the best in the country (makes me wonder how terrible Oprah's taste in food is, as she's probably sampled plenty of mac & cheese over the years!). Maybe Oprah should try Carmi's, to see what truly good Southern style food tastes like. <br/><br/>For entrees, one friend and I got the blackened salmon, which was moist and perfectly seasoned. The others ordered pork chops and New York strip steak, and both enjoyed their choices. We finished our meal by sharing a banana pudding and a slice of sweet potato pie. We all left happy and full, and will definitely be returning to Carmi's!

Way too Slow. My boyfriend and I tried it about 2-3 weeks ago and it took almost 2 hours ago to get served. Unless it is a 5 course meal or we're in Europe no dinner should take 2 hours. They tell you in advance that everything is home cooked and it could take up to 30 mn for the food to come out. That is fine I appreciate the heads up and understand. However, waiting an hour to get any type of food after your soup is complete and utter nonsense. You also have to beg for a drink refill or anyone to come check on you. There also was no apology for the food taking that long. We were not the only ones unhappy the two tables near us were also angry about it taking so long. The friend chicken and gravy was very good. The mashed potatoes were too lumpy and did not taste good. The chicken dumpling soup was very good. I would highly recommend it. The sweet potato pie was amazing. I never had it before and loved it. The food overall was very good, but they need to work on their customer service and getting the food out faster or at least apologizing when it takes that long. In this economy, no one has to go anywhere more than once let alone go somewhere, be ignored and made to wait 2 hours.

Best meal weve eaten in a while...staff friendly. Fried chicken best ive ever had. Fiancée loved the tilapia and mac n cheese!

Great food at Carmi's. Best corn bread Ever! Cat fish and Mac and chees. Delicious food and great people too.

This is some of the best soul food I have EVER eaten. The staff is fantastic and very cordial as well. If you want to eat good, please go to this restaurant!!!!

My New Favorite Place!. I had initially planned on taking a couple photos when I ordered take-out from Carmi but the smell in my car was so amazing that I could not stop thinking about getting home to rip the bag open and devour what was inside. When I got home, there was no time for photos! I was drooling for this meal! I tore into the box and immediately my eyes were drawn to the Mac n' Cheese! OHHHHH the Mac n' Cheese!! Cheesy, ooey, gooey, buttery, milky, glorious Mac n' Cheese! It was so fantastic! Then onto the Mixed Greens which were another knock-out! Chunky chopped greens dripping in vinegary, smoky, hammy juices. The main highlight of the meal being the crispy, juicy Southern Fried Chicken; It had a crispy, peppery coating on the outside and the chicken was moist and delicious. When I stuck my fork into the chicken, it juiced on my arm! This sucker was juicy! <br/><br/>I absolutely plan on returning to Carmi on a regular basis. Oh and the service was extremely friendly. It was only take-out but the women at the register were all smiles and very personable. They offered condiments and silverware and wished me a wonderful weekend.

This place rocks. Stopped in for breakfast with my fiancee to check this place out. I had the shrimp and grits and she had the chicken and waffles. Both were EXECELLENT, the shrimp were perfectly cooked, well seasoned, and spicy. This is not you regular bland fried chicken either, definitely made to order and had a nice kick to it. We will definitely be back and so will anyone else that eats here. The service was very friendly as well. You GOTTA try this place.

Delicious!. We had a delicious lunch here today. Our group had fried chicken, shrimp and grits ( the favorite) and tilapia. The sides were wonderful...rice and beans, mixed greens, Mac and cheese...I can't wait to go back. The service was friendly and just lovely. I even ran into an old acquaintance which brightened my day. Nice addition to the Northside.

I LOVE YOU. Food and Service so great I hugged the waitreess and asked the Cook to Marry me Yup Go here

Delicious Southern-style comfort food on the Northside!. I tried Carmi's very shortly after it opened last spring, and I have been a regular ever since. The food is delicious (perfectly seasoned in my opinion), and the owners and their staff are very friendly and welcoming. There are so many choices to like on the menu, but among my favorites are the shrimp and grits, cooked mixed greens, meat loaf and lumpy mashed potatoes, southern fish stew, chicken and dumpling soup, and the Carmi omelet.

Get here quick before I eat everything! Started with chicken an dumpling soup, very well seasoned and on the peppery side like o enjoy it, just maybe a few more dimplinhs would have made it better. I Had the shrimp & grits, wife had the chicken and waffles, kids devoured the cheesiest mac & cheese I've ever seen. I cannot wait to get back!

Great Follow Up. Just wanted to ammend my prior review.<br/>In the couple of hours since my other review the owner tracked down my buddy who had placed the order, agreed about the portion size and said they would replace the sandwiches. <br/>Great Service, way to go above and beyond!!<br/><br/><br/>-----15 Dec, 2011-----<br/><br/>Good food, disappointing portions. Did takeout for a second time. Was a little surprised of the prices. ($6.99 for Blackened Chicken Sandwich no sides and 3.99 for an 8oz. container of mac and cheese seemed a little steep.) But figured, what the heck. Until i got back to work and looked under the bun only to find less than half the bun covered with chicken.<br/>When I called, the owner was very friendly and apologetic, but what can really be done at this point.<br/>The food itself was tasty, and probably would have been delicious ifIi wasn't so busy thinking how overpriced it was.

Good food. Good service. Good prices. A hidden gem on the north side

Great Shrimp and Grits. The shrimp and grits are very good. But they don't come with bread, it's $1 extra. Chicken and waffles aren't on the breakfast menu.

Excellent food and great atmosphere. Reasonale price and a true gem in the heart of northside. You will not be disappointed!

Love it!. What a gem that is now in the Shamrock location in the Northside! I went for lunch with a coworker on the hottest day of the year. The air conditioned interior hasn't changed, but the food is wonderful! My friend had the waffle with chicken. She was given the option of fried chicken breast or 3 wings. She chose the wings which she said were good, but she said the waffle was delicious. I had shrimp and grits. They were so good that I will have a hard time ordering anything else when I go back. The shrimp were perfectly spiced and the grits were creamy good, all served in a large ramekin with a side of cornbread. The server was friendly and very nice. I will definitely return to Carmi's!

consider myself a meatloaf aficionado (meat in loaf form is just spectacular, no?), and Carmi's perfectly seasoned meatloaf ranks among the best. Right behind grandma and mom