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    Carlitos Diner

    4.4 (712 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Carlitos Diner Takeout or Delivery

    Carlitos Diner Photos

    Business Info

    CARLITOS DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Carlitos Diner

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    Crunchy taco
    Kim W.

    Food was good, service was great I went for a quick bite ~ great crunchy taco. Service was wick, food tasty!

    This used to be a wet burrito.  My hub ate the whole thing!!
    Julie N.

    I've been coming here regularly for a few months ever since I heard this place was struggling possibly due to an illness in the family. Not sure how true that story is, but my point here is... the lady at the counter is not as "friendly" as one would expect, especially if they are trying to keep their business alive. I thought she might be having a bad day, so I just wrote it off, but now that I've been here numerous times, I guess that's just how she is. Not a customer oriented friendly "front office" type. I referred this place to a friend who has also been a regular customer recently but, today, coincidentally, he mentioned he had a bad experience with the younger cashier. The food here is good and I don't mind continuing to support them, especially because it's convenient for me, but ... there are plenty of other small businesses to support, if I don't feel appreciated... After reading a few other reviews... it seems we're not the only ones who've noticed this "not exceptionally friendly" service... SMH

    Fish Taco
    Amanda C.

    Cute, mom-and-pop spot that instantly feels welcoming. The bright yellow walls give the place a cheerful vibe, making it a fun stop for a casual lunch. My husband and I are big fans of hardshell tacos, so naturally, we had to give theirs a try. Both the chicken and beef were very good. The chips and salsa they brought out were also solid, with just the right amount of kick. This place is perfect for a spur-of-the-moment lunch. The menu has plenty of options, but honestly, I think I'll definitely come back for the tacos.

    Cristine O.

    This restaurant has good food but they need to be more transparent with their customers. We've had two subpar experiences back to back. We went a few weeks back on May 29th because they put out a flyer saying that the FV location was going to have a buffet but the HB location would have their taco Tuesday specials all day. We went and tried getting the Taco Tuesday special and the lady who took our order said they weren't doing that. I was a bit surprised since the flyer stated they did and the last time they had the buffet at the other location, we had no issue ordering the special. If they didn't want to honor their special, it should not have been included on the flyer. The second time was tonight. We went in for a smash burger and made it a combo. Usually when you order a combo, it comes with fries and a drink. We were surprised when we saw the price and when we questioned why we were charged an additional $3.50 each, they said it was for the sodas. If the sodas are not included in the combo, this should be relayed to the customer so they aren't surprised when they pay. We like coming here for food but I unfortunately don't see us coming back here for all the surprise charges on the food.

    Taco Tuesday combo plate and two street tacos all for $11
    Beau A.

    This was some of the best Mexican food I have had in Orange County. I haven't found anything that reminds me of home in a hot minute. The staff were kind and it was cute to eat there. Their weekly deals are incredible. You will see me there every taco Tuesday

    Menudo con pata
    Anacleto E.

    Wifey and I ordered desserts next door and went to one of our favorite places to eat for a light snack but was greeted by a scowling, indifferent and attitude-filled server. We asked for specific menu items and were answered with an eye roll! So, we just ordered and left... I guess you should only come in for breakfast and lunch because the service goes out the window when the closing shift shows up.

    Chicken Fried Steak
    Michelle N.

    Who would have thought a small, rinky, hole in the wall Mexican diner would offer one of the best chicken fried steaks!! Being from the south, I grew up on hearty breakfasts. Everything loaded with gravy. Carlito's CFS did not disappoint!! Crispy chicken steak smothered, no, drowning in sausage gravy! For the price you really get a large portion too. It included 3 eggs made your way, I opted for hashbrowns and a side of toast. The diner itself is very tidy and clean. Excellent customer service. Upon entry, go to the counter to place your order then they will bring your food out.

    Inside + specials
    Bridgette E.

    Came across this taco place through research on Yelp. I ordered a crunchy taco plate with rice and beans and I enjoyed my dish. The salsa was also very delicious and I was given extra salsa when requested. So service here from placing the order to getting my order to leaving the restaurant was very good. Inside is very homey / mom - n - pop style vibes. It's comfortable and I can understand why they were busy inside at the time of visit. My mom order a shrimp dish with rice and she didn't like it because she said the shrimp wasn't cooked enough. I will definitely be back to get more crunchy tacos in the future.

    Nachos
    Kris P.

    Service is great.food is awesome.Taco Tuesday is a great value.Ive been coming since opening day! Love the vibe.Ambiance on point! Great family too

    Menudo

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    19 days ago

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    25 days ago

    Always great affordable meals. Good quality generous portions and wonderful service. Our go to for lunch hands down!

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    2 months ago

    Love the food here and if you pass by, turn around and go back! Three meals a day, so there is no excuse!

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    1 month ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

    Really felt like we were interrupting the cashier from more important tasks and the food was only fair. Will not be back.

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    11 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    I love this place the food is always very good, well priced, and servicee moves quickly. The mom is my favorite !

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    10 months ago

    This place is great with great service. I had the Carnitas helping was good and they were browned perfectly. Salsa taste great too.

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

    I went back and was happy with food but yelp would not let me take down negative review

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    Page 1 of 18

    Carlitos Diner Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Carlitos Diner

    Carlito s has very good food & the people are very nice.?

    Very nice staff. Carlito's met me at their front counter. He's a really nice guy and spoke to me for awhile. Their tinga was great! A little bit of onion and cilantro topped it off nicely.

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    This place is AWESOME!!…read more Food: My son got the chicken and waffles but they were so nice that they did chicken strips instead of what they usually do which is chicken breast. My husband also got the chicken and waffles but he got the chicken breasts. I got the pesto pasta and they were running a special where the pasta was half off and half the portion which was perfect for me. Our drinks were also delicious - we got nonalcoholic drinks. Service: Our waitress did an awesome job! She took great care of us! Ambiance: They had a live musician, he was great! They also had the games on and as soon as you walk in and on the way to your seats the host asked us which game we wanted to watch and we told her and she sat us where we had the perfect view of the game! Thank you, Mama's! We will definitely be back!!

    Came on a Thursday morning, and no wait. Plus, kids eat free on Thursdays!…read more Husband got the peanut butter Nutella pancakes which was yummy! Pancake was a big size and comes with 2 stacks. It went well as dessert after my dish. I got the breakfast sourdough melt which was also delicious, crunchy, and very filling! Definitely good enough to share as well! One could say it's an average American breakfast diner, but my daughter got a kids dish (not pictured) that included 1 pancake, scrambled eggs, and a sausage, and she practically finished it! Either she was really hungry, or she thought the food was good! (She never eats that much). Overall, great place for breakfast/brunch!

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    Jolie Restaurant & Rooftop

    4.4(625 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$$

    Came here for dinner Saturday night and it was PHENOMENAL! What a great experience we had. Our…read moreserver Josh gave us some pretty fire reccs and made sure the whole experience was delicious and fun. The views were also beautiful. We did the indoor seating but were sat where we could see the beach and sunset. We ordered: Spicy tuna crispy rice (4/5): super yummy and added extra thai chilis for a kick. Some parts of the rice were more hard than crispy. Black mussels (4/5): pretty good, mom loved them. The bread it came with soaked up the sauce wonderfully. Garlic fries (5/5): so flavorful and crispy and garlicky- dipped them in the mussel sauce and it was amazing. Shrimp and lobster linguine (4/5): could use more salt but overall really good! They're pretty generous with the shrimp and lobster (maybe like 5 large shrimp and 3 claws iirc). Pistachio crusted halibut (4.5/5): mom said this was her favorite because of the flavor, flakiness of the fish, and abundance of vegetables. Pro tip for spice lovers: they provide sides of chopped thai chilis if you ask! We went through 3 different bowls of chilis

    This place has a gorgeous view across from the pier…read more Parking is tough, but you can do the parking garages. Free before 90 mins. Good is good. Came out semi luke warm, had the salmon sandwich. Would like to come back and try other entrees.

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    3.8(193 reviews)
    4.3 mi
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    Had such a great dining experience at Lōrea inside Pasea Hotel & Spa!…read moreLet me start by saying the food was SO delicious overall. Now, for full honesty, the starters weren't the star of the show for me. We ordered the pork belly wraps and spicy pork gyoza. Both were cooked well, but in my opinion, they were missing that extra "something" maybe a dipping sauce or a bit more flavor to really elevate them. Next time, I'd probably skip those and try different appetizers. The service was great from start to finish attentive, friendly, and everything came out smoothly. The restaurant itself is super cute, and I loved both the indoor and outdoor seating options. We sat outside under the heaters, which made for such a cozy, perfect vibe. BUT the mains and sides? That's where they absolutely delivered. I had the Korean BBQ salmon and WOW flavor on flavor on flavor. Easily one of my favorites of the night. For the table, we shared lobster mac and cheese, asparagus, and whipped potatoes, and let me tell you... those sides were everything. The portions are generous (perfect for sharing with 4-6 people), the mac and cheese was rich and creamy, the asparagus was cooked perfectly, and the whipped potatoes? Smooth, fluffy, and packed with flavor, definitely a standout. We were originally hoping for the tomahawk steak, but they had run out (sad moment ). However, they made it right by offering a prime New York steak for two and honestly, no regrets because that steak was FIRE. Super flavorful, juicy, and absolutely mouthwatering. We also tried the Wagyu and sea bass, which were both delicious, but the real highlights for me were the steak and salmon. Drinks were also on point! We had an Old Fashioned, Moscow Mule, and a few lemon drops including blackberry, passionfruit, and watermelon. The blackberry lemon drop was hands down my favorite, so good! To top it all off, they brought out the cutest birthday macaroons! One tasted like Fruity Pebbles (so fun!) and the other was paired with whipped cream and raspberries such a sweet touch. Overall, while the appetizers didn't quite hit for me, the mains and sides absolutely carried the experience and are 100% the reason I'll be back. I'll definitely be returning for more steak and that Korean BBQ salmon!

    I spent over a week researching and trying to find a special place to have a birthday lunch. Based…read moreon the menu, I picked this restaurant. It was very underwhelming, unfortunately. I called ahead of time and made a reservation and they knew it was for a special birthday. We did get a seat right against the glass overlooking the beach, which was very pretty and the restaurant is very pretty. But I guess it wouldn't have been that hard to get a table against the glass because there was only maybe three or four other table tables sat in the whole restaurant anyways. Our waitress came up to us and seemed nice and asked us if we wanted a drink but we literally hadn't even looked at the menu yet so I said I just need a minute to look and then she proceeded to not come back for about 15 to 20 minutes to take our drink order, which was disappointing. We waited so long before she came back that we went ahead and ordered the food and drinks at the same time because I didn't know when she would come back again. It took a long time to get the drinks. The drinks came about the same time that the food came. They only had a few specialty cocktail items available on the menu. I picked one. I did not like it, but that's not their fault. The food unfortunately was really bad. It all sounded really good, but I did not like it. The only thing that I liked was the salmon appetizer smoked salmon on a flatbread bread. The avocado toast had horrible bread, and the avocado on top tasted like spoiled avocado. And the fig and Barada, unfortunately was on the same bread that was absolutely horrible bread, and had no flavor on top. The rosemary french fries were good. I think the worst part of it though was the fact that the waitress that was waiting on us pretty much never showed up again. She wasn't even the one that brought us our food. And I had to wait probably 20 minutes for her to come back around when we were done eating and by that time I had just sent my card at the end of the table because I didn't want to wait for the check and then have to wait another 20 minutes for her to come back with that. It was odd to me because she couldn't have been that busy when she only had. What like two tables? Like what was she doing back there lol anyways it was not the best.

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    Carlitos Diner - diners - Updated May 2026

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