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    Carnitas El Rey

    4.7 (544 reviews)
    ModerateTacos
    Closed 9:30 am - 6:00 pm

    Order Carnitas El Rey Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    CARNITAS EL REY ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Carnitas El Rey

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    Carnitas
    Ryan M.

    Carnitas El Rey never disappoints -- easily some of the best carnitas tacos around. The meat is fresh, juicy, and perfectly fatty with that deep, rich flavor you can only get from real-deal carnitas. Service is always fast and professional, and the space has a fun local vibe -- from the colorful wall art to the fully stocked salsa bar that brings just the right energy. I've been coming here for seven years, and it's still one of my go-to spots. When you find a place that nails it every time, you stick with it -- and Carnitas El Rey definitely does.

    Combo de 2 Tacos with toppings
    Alyssa S.

    The carnitas are flavorful! We ordered a combo de 2 tacos. I ordered just carnitas (5/5) and my husband ordered mescladas (5/5). The combo came with a side of rice and beans. The service was great. They took our ordered and prepped our food promptly. The ambiance is a little loud. The cooks are chopping the carnitas right in front of you. So you hear a constant sound of the knife and cutting board. There is a self serve salsa bar with a variety of salsas, indoor dining and parking in the back. Overall great carnitas!

    Leeza D.

    When the name of the shop translates to carnitas King, this place better serve the best carnitas ever and I can tell you.... It does serve amazing carnitas. I ordered an individual taco and it was huge. I had carnitas meat, braised pork skins and belly and it was so delightfully moist and flavorful. The tortilla didn't look the best, but it was very homemade and fluffy. The salsa and pico de gallo provided the right amount of acid. Amazing experience. Good service. Indoor seating. Casual. Please come and create your own experience.

    Dank G.

    Cartitas taco. All meat. $5.60 If there's 1 reason to come to Oxnard- this would be it. Large. Tender. Flavorful. Chips were also excellent- crispy and think. Salsas are fresh. Red has a kick. Order. Grab it. Pay. Sit. Every one was very nice. Very clean. This is there thing. They own it and rule their domain.

    Carnitas taco - pure joy!
    Nina R.

    6 years after we first tried this spot and 3 years after my first review of it, I'm still obsessed with this spot. The tacos are top notch, service is prompt and attentive, lines move quickly, tables are clean, and the food is a good value. You can't ask for anything more.

    Brandon L.

    I really liked the carnitas here!! They ran out of skin for the mixed carnitas, but the meat alone was surprisingly tender and still juicy. It's definitely better than any carnitas I've had in the Bay Area. They also LOAD the taco up with meat. I came in thinking that this was really pricey for two tacos, but these are way bigger than your average street taco. I can usually eat 12 street tacos, but 2 tacos here got me moderately full. Compared to Carnitas El Momo, it was slightly more bland. However, paired with the salsa, I didn't have much issues. I definitely suggest salting a bit more though. The staff was friendly. I'll definitely come back!

    Berta B.

    Best place to get carnitas! The service is always FANTASTIC!! Super friendly and family owned restaurants. I have only been to this location, but I'm super excited to see that they are opening a new location walking distance from my home!! The carnitas are always so flavorful, tender and fresh. Everything is so good! The tortillas are freshly made and huge! I love their green salsa, pico de gallo, rice and beans too. Their portions are very generous! My family have been coming to this location for years and we'll always be faithful customers. The restaurant is clean and the decor is cute! My mom is from Michoacán and I tell you that the food here is very authentic!

    Rosie S.

    After getting new tires at the pep boys down the street I needed food. As I sat in the lobby I came across Carnitas El Rey and I'm so happy I did. They've earned those stars and reviews. First off the burrito was huge they aren't stingy. The main attraction the Carnitas was supper tender with every bite, no pulling the meat out with every bite. The chili was a perfect amount of heat. The service was pretty fast and super easy. They have a pretty simple menu to choose from. The ambiance was chill for this hot day, great music playing, super clean and I appreciate the murals on the wall. All in all, now I'm craving their burrito after all this

    Melissa L.

    I was told that this is the Carnitas spot of all Carnitas spots in the 805. I had been eager to try this place for awhile now and finally had the chance to come in for an early lunch on a weekday. The restaurant itself is small, unassuming, and a real local treat. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant which made it easy to get in and out. The restaurant itself isn't too big and we were really in awe of how crowded it gets here, even for an early lunch on a weekday. So definitely come early so you don't have to wait in line too long and so you can grab a table. The layout is simple enough, order at the counter, they chop up the carnitas servings fresh and build your plate. Once done ordering you pay at the register and grab a seat. Pricing is average, a two taco combo plate with rice, beans, and a drink ran me about $15+. The portions are a really good size though, they don't skimp on the meat. Staff were friendly and kept the line moving, no issues. The carnitas are solid but I personally found them to be a tad overhyped. I don't cook a lot well but I prefer my carnitas over theirs here (and that's shocking to say). I think while they give a good portion of pork and it was juicy, there lacked any real seasoning or flavor to the meat. I also prefer a bit more of a crunchy skin. For carnitas tacos they were definitely good but not a place I'd rush right back too. Another good bite was the rice. Traditional Mexican rice it was moist and flavorful. The beans were average, not bad but not my preferred style but that's more a preference thing. Lastly I was a bit disappointed that the Jamaica drink wasn't freshly made, comes out of box soda stream thing in the back. Bummer. All in all the service was friendly and the atmosphere felt very family like and inviting. Good classic neighborhood vibes which I can appreciate. And clearly their carnitas are good to the general public, I just like mine with a little more seasoning and crunch. It's nice to have a spot to go to for some good carnitas tacos when I'm not in the mood to cook them myself. If your in downtown Oxnard it's definitely a staple taco spot to try out at least once.

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    2 months ago

    superb carnitas. easy pick up. price is right. plentiful portions. highly recommend.

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    Ask the Community - Carnitas El Rey

    Do they have chicharrones?

    I mean... They have the pork to make them. Not sure if they have a fryer though. I haven't really asked.

    Do they serve burritos?

    No, but they sell large corn/four (contains both) tortillas on the side. Or you can get a taco by the piece. But no burritos in the sense of the word.

    View All 3 Questions

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    Birria Mi Rancho

    Birria Mi Rancho

    4.8(129 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    A place recommended by a contractor who fixed our windows in Oxnard California. The man claims this…read moreis the best Mexican birria he's ever had in his life. With that being said, I wanted to try it out. This was about 2 years ago prior to this visit I had today at this location. I jotted the note down after overhearing him talking about it while watching Netflix. When arriving, the environment outside is run down, old fashioned and in the scary graffiti, homeless surrounding. Parking is difficult to find, but we got lucky me and a colleague. The place is on a road side where parking it located a few streets between about 100 feet away. The surrounding had graffiti and loitering which was unpleasant and I would imagine it is worse at night, be careful here! Inside, a wonderful aroma excites you as you enter the restaurant. Booths all around and hard uncomfortable seats. A lot of people came here today on Sunday afternoon. Customer service was excellent, the guy at the front was very chill, polite and acted as if I was his homie, buddy or good friend. This is what I like. I ordered the birria of course, a meat drenched in a bunch of flavors for days to keep the meat juicy, tender and moist. The variations ordered were three tacos plate with birria, onions cilantro and a consome that was massive. This meal was $17. The other order was a four piece birria quesadilla that was absolutely delightful, succulent and had a delicious hunger craving aroma and flavor that any starving or hungry person would die for! This plate was $14. The tacos did come with beans and rice. Between the two dishes the birria quesadilla was my favorite however, the tacos tasted better. The tortilla of the tacos was fresh and made with love. The value was regular, something I expected compared to taco trucks and side vendors of Mexican food. This place is extraordinary. I felt guilty after consumption because it was fatty, juicy and everything you would want in a pleasurable meal, but it was heavy on the calories and filling. It was a messy meal, I added salsas, more seasoning from the condiments bar. There were so many different sauces and fillings like lemon etc. to balance the flavors of the birria. The console incuded was an added kick that I loved. Definitely one of the best if not the best birria I ever had and I highly recommend this place if you like Mexican cuisine at its finest. An absolute hidden treasure that you need to try! I'll come back after a month of consistent cardio and strength training to burn enough fat and make room for another appetite that soothes my brain cells.

    It was my first time trying this spot out but it won't be my last visit. Yes, parking was a little…read morechallenging but worth it. Place isn't too big inside and it was packed when we went on a Saturday afternoon. I was for sure going to get the nachos and tacos but wanted more. Jesus was kind enough to recommend the grilled cheese and burrito. Both were great recs and delish! I mean I thought about the grilled cheese and burrito days after. The horchata was creamy and you could tell it was made in house. This place is delish, no notes.

    Photos
    Birria Mi Rancho - Dining area

    Dining area

    Birria Mi Rancho - Quesarito (birria burrito with cheese)

    Quesarito (birria burrito with cheese)

    Birria Mi Rancho - Exterior outside

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    Exterior outside

    Carnitas El Rey - tacos - Updated May 2026

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