Don't eat here very often even though it's in my home town. I guess it's not terrible but to me it's bland. There are better options in Lamar and Rocky Ford in the form of Mission Villenueva and Mission Deli respectively read more

Carmen's Restaurant - Blackhawk Colorado - Mexican Near Me - Las Animas, Colorado

We SoCal folks are spoiled when it comes to Mexican food... which is not to say that there isn't great Mexican food out there across the country-- it's just that the farther we have traveled from our home, the more likely it has been we've found some questionable Mexican restaurants. That was definitely NOT the case with Carmen's... about a block west of the main drag through town, we spotted the restaurant when we stopped to use the restroom at a local fast food joint. Everyone was hungry, the road was feeling longer than we'd planned, and the possibility of a cold drink and a hot plate saw us walking over to this little restaurant. Inside, we were seated and quickly enjoying chips and salsa. The kids ordered their usual bean burritos, Mrs. Picante ordered enchiladas, and I ordered the carnitas. Everything was very good, served with rice and beans... really tasty and fresh beans-- if these weren't made from scratch with a big scoop of Manteca, then they fooled me. Goodness knows when the road will take us back through Las Animas, but if we do find ourselves there again, we're heading here again for sure. read more

We've lived outside Las Animas for more than 10 years now. This is our favorite Mexican Restaurant in the Arkansas Valley. It's a family ran restaurant originally ran by Carmen herself. She has since retired and her daughter Blanca has taken over. The great thing is the food didn't change, there still using the same recipes. The pork plates and pork green chilie are my favorites. My wife loves the generous pours in the margaritas, and they have a decent selection of domestic and import beer. Service is always great. The staff is always happy to see you when you walk in the door. They quickly seat you and your order is brought out quickly. There is a cronic problem in the valley where not all the food is brought out at the same time at restaurants, not so at Carmen's. Your tables order hot and at the same time. No one waits while their food turns cold waiting on another plate to arrive. Prices are reasonable, and on average if we don't order adult beverages only a few more dollars than than DQ for my family to enjoy. Unfortunately, I've been put on a restricted diet to clean up some health problems. So now Carmen's has become a rare treat, I do miss our almost weekly visit. Since COVID the hours have been more limited, and there isn't a daily lunch buffet any more. They're closed Sunday for dinner and all day Monday. They close around 2 pm after lunch, and reopen at 5 pm for dinner Tuesday thru Saturday. This is due to staffing issues, but this has made sure their quality in food and service hasn't changed. If you enjoy authentic Mexican food, there is none better in Southeast Colorado than Carmen's. read more

So good I had to take a picture of my empty plate for the memories. One of the best queso ever.

There are currently two resteraunts in THE sleepy berg of Las Animas colorado. It is a well kept building with a small staff of hard working folks. As one would expect with a name Carmen's it is a family owned Mexican resteraunt. It has a full service bar and the menu is full of all the all time greats, from Huevos Rancheros to Tamales. The recipes are family prides, cooked and served with care. From the moment you walk in and are greeted with a warm smile, to paying your bill every moment is like being at home. Food is great, not institutional, but prepared for a family member with pride. The drinks from the bar are well prepared and everything is reasonable. I frequent Carmen's and will continue to. Worth a visit, but take your appetite, leave your schedule at home, enjoy the food, service and warm hospitality that Carmen's has been built on. read more

Quick, friendly service and delicious food. Great stop on our way home traveling through Colorado. All of our meals were cooked perfectly! The mango frozen margarita was the icing on the cake! read more

Carmen's Restaurant - a glass of orange juice - Mexican Near Me - Las Animas, Colorado

Carmen's is a good, friendly place to stop for a Mexican breakfast or a quick lunch. Try the green chile.

Well we didnt eat all day just to eat there drove 120 miles just to find out now their Closed on sundays what a waste not happy read more

Carmen's is a delightful restaurant. It is cheerful and the people who work there are friendly and efficient. The customers were greeted like family. Even though I was a complete stranger, I was made to feel welcome right away. I enjoyed the two meals I had (one each night I ate there). They were fresh and delicious. I'll go back whenever I'm in Las Animas! read more

We stopped her on the recommendation from someone at the Wild Animal Refuge. We came for a very late Sunday lunch, and although we were the only ones in the restaurant during our meal, we were welcomed and given great service. I asked for vegetarian rice and beans and they accommodated my request. The cheerful decor adds to the experience. We would come back here again. read more

I enjoyed every single bite! The carne Asada was great, the chicharrones were fresh and the salsa was excellent. This is my go to restaurant when in town read more

I have eaten at Carmen's with my mom and great nephew many times. It's a real restaurant with traditional Mexican dishes and a full bar. It's off route 50 about a block west of the big curve as you are driving east (or just after if you are going west), and a half block north of route 50. It has an outdoor patio in front that might be nice in good weather but in my opinion the weather in this part of the state is rarely good: runs to too hot, too cold, or mosquitos. Nevertheless the inside is well air conditioned and the food is good, not great. If you are picky about your water do not order water, iced tea or anything that is not in a bottle as the local water is horrible. I have not ordered anything here in several years that was bad. It's all fairly ordinary and predictable. read more

I stopped in for the buffet. However, a quick walk through showed me that nothing in the buffet looked as good as what the locals had ordered. I spent over an hour there and only saw one person get the buffet. I settled on the hard-to-find Indian Fry bread. These were seriously some of the best pinto beans I've ever had in my life. I don't know how they are prepared but Chipotle and every other fast casual chain should come take lessons from Carmen. The fry bread was perfect as well - hot, crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside. That being said, the lettuce, tomato, and cheese didn't hold up to the same level of quality. Being so near Colorado farm land, I feel like upping the quality of these ingredients could push this meal into a James Beard-level dish. Truly, the beans and fry bread are perfect. Cute place with a bunch of Mexican-American and Chicano-themed art pieces. It also has that insane, small-town environment where people finish their meal and walk over to talk with friends who are also eating there. It's more than a restaurant; it's clearly a community center. If you look at the wall behind the cash register, you'll see it verified in all the community awards, adorable family pictures, neighbor's memorial service bulletins, and community events. Carmen's is Las Animas. read more

Nice place, saw the Indian Bread recommended in an earlier review, and I agree, it's pretty good. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive, just the right balance between taking care of us and not hovering. Carmen herself served our meal, she's a sweetheart. Also, as mentioned, it's not just a restaurant, it's a community gathering point. read more

We ran across this on on summer travels. It was 3 in the afternoon and the service and food was amazing. We had the Indian fry bread entree and it was delicious. The other reviews about beans were spot on. I think they should serve pintos as an appetizer with the salsa!! Worth the trip. read more

I've eaten here now three times since I'm pretty new to the area, the first meal even my dog refused to eat it. The second time was mid afternoon and it was pretty good after I had to send my meal back to the kitchen, service was ok for a small town place. Third visit is what made me swear to NEVER GO BACK!!! We were seated told the server would be by in a minute or two. 45 minutes later I had to stop another employee clearing another table to request a glass of water for my mother and I 15 more minutes pass before our waitress appears with water and chips, we place our order and begin eating the chips, when our drinks, water and chips ran out we again had to wave down another employee, who explained that more chips would be charged to our bill. The chips weren't warm or even fresh! Both of our meals were horrible, I found a hair in my retried beans and it wasn't mine! From now on I'm driving to La Junta for a good Mexican meal with good service! Telling management did nothing to help read more

I go here whenever I'm in town. Service is Awesome.I walk in and Blanca has my drink and food ordered. It is always exactly as I want.

Best carnitas ever!!! Big, moist succulent pieces of pork. Green chile was great as well as the avocado salad. Will definitely be back and worth the 100 mile round trip drive read more

I haven't had a bad meal here. One of my favorites is the Mexican Hamburger. The carne asada or carnitas are great options for larger appetites! read more

The cheese dip is from a can and not very good. The guacamole was very good and the salsa was good. I had the chicken taco salad and it was just okay. read more

Friendly staff and decent food. The carnitas were 8/10 tender and flavorful, the rellanos were pretty good as well. We were the only table in there and the service was pretty slow, but as they are the only game in town they'll get to you when they're ready. The margarita was STOUT, which I like and the beer was cold. If you're hungry and you're in Las Animas, you go here or get pizza from the gas station. read more

Love this place it's got good staff food is awesome and the environment is great highly recommended anything on their menu is great

Great food and service with personal appeal with your server. Food is good with great daily specials and weekday lunch buffet that you can't pass up for the taste and price. I frequent this restaurant as they have a few family favorites on the menu. Even if you're in town for just a quick stop, a quick bite here wouldn't be out of the question. read more

My father-in-law discovered Carmen's as he was driving between Kansas and Colorado and told us about it. We've eaten there several times now, and have always had a good experience. However, we ALWAYS get the chicharones. They are the best of any I've had, and I try them wherever they're on the menu. Carmen's chicharones knock it out of the park. read more