The food came out so quick and the people there were so kind! I'm definitely gonna go there again soon

My husband and I decided to stop by this Mexican restaurant today, and I'm so glad we did. We went for lunch and, being vegan, weren't sure what to expect. The server was able to inform us that their beans are vegan, but the rice is made with chicken bouillon - so helpful, and we appreciated a server who could explain whether animal products were in the food. We ordered the veggie burritos without cheese and sour cream, and... they were fantastic! The tortillas were warm and ever so slightly crispy, the flavor was phenomenal, and the burrito was so filling that I only ate half (can't wait to eat the leftovers!). They have a selection of hot sauces at the front. Excellent service, lovely ambiance. We will be back. read more

Great location! plenty of parking space available. Cozy looking restaurant inside. They have a nice extensive menu plus self serve salsa bar. Food was good, served hot, and promptly. Only thing of my dislike is the anise flavor taste on the refried beans. Personally, I don't like anise. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Cafe de olla - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

The food came out fast, hot, and fresh! Everything was PERFECT and super delicious. We were a party of 6 and were seated immediately! The service was excellent and they started us out with chips drizzled with black beans and salad. Their hot salsa horchata was the best my Mexican mom ever had! Their hot salsa bar had mild, medium, spicy and extra spice and all of them were flavorful had brought good heat to the dishes. My family ordered enchiladas, chille relleno, birria plate and the vegetable burrito with fries instead of potatoes. YUMMM! Every l dish was a knock out -- super delicious. Even my finicky 10 year old niece loved her food. We finished with tres leches cake which was also super good. We ate so fast we forgot to take pics! read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Simple and spacious interior, plenty of seating and not loud. TVs were playing local Mexican soccer league - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Complimentary chips and salsa. Chips are thicker than what I'm use to (not good or bad, just different). Salsa tasted fresh. Not spicy Ordered carne asada fries. $17. Large portion but a little pricey Carne Asada plate. Guacamole was very fresh, no lime taste which was the best part. Chile Verde. Protein was moist and not dry. Beans were great. Verde sauce could use a little bit more flavor. The plates came out before the appetizer Michelada had good flavor and perfect taste. $80 for 2 people Just one server on a it has just opened. She was nice and pleasant. Place is nice and clean. Music isn't too loud. Great atmosphere read more

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Decided to give this new spot a try and we loved it! Friendly and attentive staff. Started with chips and fantastic salsa!! So yummy! The decor is fun and authentic. Or meals were both very good. I got three tacos, one birria, one potato, and one chicken. The chicken was my favorite! Super flavorful! Potatoes were cooked perfectly!! Birria was decent, not my favorite of the three but still very good. Hubs got a plate (we can't remember the name) but had layered tortillas, onion, thinly sliced beef, black beans, queso fresco, and over easy eggs. He really enjoyed it!!! read more

Cocina Del Carmen - TACO COMBO - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Finally made the mission out to Cocina Del Carmen...which, by the way, requires patience, strategy, and maybe a prayer if you show up during rush hour. Getting into that plaza is a sport... getting out is an extreme sport!! You've been warned!! But once you survive rush hour Olympics, the reward hits. I tried the Tlayuda Oaxacana... basically a giant corn tortilla living its best life, piled with black beans, fresh queso Oaxaca, avocado, tomatoes, and a generous heap of flank steak. First time having it and wow... where has this been all my life? And the salsa? Oh, it doesn't play games. It showed up, chose violence, and left my lips buzzing and my ears ringing like I just left a concert. Painful? Yes.!!! Worth it? Absolutely!!!! Would definitely go back and willingly burn my mouth again and e joy this delicious treat!! read more

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Discovering Cocina Del Carmen is like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The food is absolutely AUTHENTIC HOME COOKING. We're from San Francisco and we visit Temecula frequently. Our mission is to always find new restaurants and we did when we stumbled upon Cocina Del Carmen in April 2026. Thank you, yelp.com. My boyfriend was dying to return this trip to savor the chicken mole again. He swears it's the best he's ever had. I love fish tacos and I swear it's the best that I've had in Temecula. Ohhhhhhhh, you gotta try the guacamole with chips as an appetizer. It will open your palette to your main entree. I enjoyed my crunchy carnitas tostada. First time having 2 hard shells so that the tostada doesn't fall apart. We had a wonderful time speaking with Edith and her husband that run the quaint restaurant. They take great pride is their mother Carmen's recipes made with natural ingredients. So, if you're in the market for real authentic Mexican food, please checkout Cocina Del Carmen. You will not be disappointed. BTW, the complimentary salsa and chips is addictive! read more

I came here since I was craving chicken mole and saw that they had it on their menu. They specialize in Oaxacan food and they have a large menu selection. The wait time was not long for the chicken mole ($20). It arrived with chopped pieces of chicken with sides of beans and rice with soft flour tortilla. The mole was nicely balanced with a good amount of heat. The staff was nice and the place is clean. read more

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Wow. (I probably said that at least 5 times while eating it.) This place is incredible. It's been a LONG time I've tried somewhere new that blew me away. I've never seen a tortilla this big, crunchy and delicious. I got the Tlayuda Oaxaqueña which is a big tortilla from Oaxaca, Mexico, topped with blended black beans, quesillo (Oaxaca cheese), thinly sliced marinated grilled pork and beef, chopped cabbage, tomato, and avocado slices. It's not something I'd normally get, but I am so glad I took the server's advice. He's was incredibly kind and you could tell the family cooks with love. I can't wait to go back and try the torta and chilaquiles. read more

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Authentic Must Try Mexican Oaxacan food! Oaxacan food specializes in Mole (complex sauce using chilies, and chocolate) along with other traditional dishes. I'll be back to try out more items!! What makes it special: -delicious food (authentic) -They even import ingredients straight from Oaxaca, Mexico! I had: -Mole Enchiladas. (Cheese, chicken and beef) 5/5 DELICIOUS. It comes with rice and beans (I chose all beans) Service: -Amazing, friendly & accommodating. The manager took some time to talk to us about where they source their ingredients and their history Ambiance -Nice little set up l, feels cozy Must Try, and one of the best if not the best Mexican restaurants in Tencula/Murrieta area. If you've never had Mole TRY THIS-PLACE OUT! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED read more

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Not my New Nacho Joint! Opting to find a new option to satisfy my love for Nachos on Fridays I decided to give this local establishment that replaced another Mexican restaurant about a year ago. The reviews on Yelp were promising too. We were met by a friendly gentleman that was eager to assist us and even provided positive assurance that the nachos would meet our expectations. After what seemed like seconds he returned with a container in a bag and we were on our way. Once home we set the table, made a salad , got cold beers from the fridge, and queued up a series on Netflix to watch while dining. What a surprise Soggy thin, strips of tortillas, bland guacamole, tasteless carnitas! It was cold mess that resembled lasagna and a microwave could not revive it. Fished out the thin wet tortillas and replaced with crisp tortillas chips from the pantry added cheese and reheated. This improved the entree so we could move forward but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Very depressing . read more

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I HIGHLY recommend this family-owned gem! They have a location in Vista and have been here in Winchester for about a year now. The food is incredibly authentic, and the family staff is so welcoming and kind. The restaurant itself is spotless, too. A fantastic addition to the neighborhood definitely check them out! read more

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Worth eating here! We were looking for a different taco shop to eat at tonight when we stubbled across this place. In talking to the owners, they have been here for just over a year.The location could be difficult to get to at certain times of the day. We tried the three taco plate, and the enchilada plate. Not disappointed at all with our choice. Food was hot and fresh, full of great flavor. We are looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - CARNE ASADA TACO CARNITAS TACO BIRRIA TACO - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Great service, casual and tables with lots of space. Got the flautas and they were very filling and flavorful. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - FLAUTAS, ENCHILADAS PLATE - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Food was excellent, service was better than expected considering the size of the place. Nice little place. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - 3 chicken enchiladas with green sauce, black beans and rice on the side. - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Best combination of Mexican food and craft beer selection in Temecula. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.

Fajitas at Cocina del Carmen were amaze-balls! So delicious and unique with the Oaxaca flavors! Even the black bean spread chips and salsa were so flavorful we ended up taking 8 oz. that was more like 4 oz. home with us. I'd say the service was personal and super responsive. Went to the restroom and was surprised to see food preparation tools in there. Like for decor but still, tortilla presses and molcajetes and stuff like that. So I made a joke to the server that I hoped my food wasn't preparado en el baño. She was caught off guard but laughed when she saw I was laughing. Funny, but in my opinion, no one wants to see that any more than they want to see plates and forks. It is just in poor taste especially when I think of the folks that have young ones that enjoy smearing their poop on the walls! Ugh. Gross. Keep that out of there. You'll thank me later. All in all the place was clean, the food was reasonably priced and the flavors unlike any other. read more

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The staff is welcoming and attentive, and the food is fantastic! Everything is homemade using natural ingredients. It felt like being invited to someone's home for a meal as you could tell that a lot of love and care went into preparing the food. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Tostada - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Excellent fresh food, clean space, and great service! We will definitely be going back with our kids...

Amazing Birria slow Cooked to perfection until it's fall apart tender. Best part is that there is no gristle or globs of fat (which can be such a gross thing to bite into when enjoying a burrito or tacos ). Everything on the menu is delicious. We have eaten in the restaurant which has a inviting family friendly vibe. We've also gottten take out on multiple occasions and everything is always so neatly packed and presented in eco friendly packaging. We LOVE the salsas and always get a tub to take home. Incredible Oaxacan cuisine 10/10 read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

One of the best spots for mole! The service was awesome - very friendly, fast, and knowledgeable. It was quiet inside with plenty of space too. Def coming back!! read more

Cocina Del Carmen - CHICKEN MOLE PLATE, FLAUTAS - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Wanted to like this place, since Oaxacan style food and mole is a bit more uncommon to find. But the mole was extremely bitter to the point it wasn't enjoyable. Is this always the case here? Or was it an unusual batch? On top of it, the portions are awfully tiny for the price, which would be okay if it was extremely high quality - but it really didn't seem to match the ticket to entry. Maybe I got an unusual batch of mole because other reviews seem to say it's "balanced" and authentic. But it's hard to want to try it again because it really did not hit the spot! read more

This was a very pleasant find. Authentic beats texmex all day long. Small and intimate with a great menu. You have to try the molotes...so good. We went with the mole chicken enchiladas and chili Verde. Both were very good! We enjoyed a very nice dinner here. Family run and very good service. What ever you want they will customize your order. read more

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$6 fish and shrimp tacos that were absolutely delicious ! Fish was battered to perfection and was super fresh! Shrimp was nice and grilled and adding a squeeze of lime made it all around my favorite. Will 100% be back!! read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Shrimp and fish taco - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

Very sad circumstances how I pondered across this spot but nice to come to a place that was warm, welcoming friendly. I was actually out here attending a funeral and so old co-workers/friends of mind were looking for a place to grab some breakfast. This was less than a 10 min drive from the venue. Fairly close to the freeway and in a center. The only downfall about this place is it's located next to a nail shop which has a very strong odor of chemicals but once I got past that I enjoyed the ambience of being in that place. I give it a five star for it's kindness nature of the place and the food was good too. I really enjoyed my chilesquilas, almost finished my entire plate which I rarely do. If i'm ever out in that area, I would definitely come back to this place. Good coffee,good food good vibes. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Chilaquiles Verde with Asada - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Everything was so flavorful and decadent! My husband and I got the food delivered and it was still hot, and wrapped safe and tight! Only thing that I would say is the guacamole was more like plain avocado to me. read more

Thanks to Yelp I found this hidden gem. I'm glad I gave it a try. Ordered the Molcajete. Enough to feed two. A very generous amount loaded with flavor. Jose, thank you for your hospitality. Two new fans from Los Angeles will be back. Many blessings to you all. read more

It all started with the greeting as soon as you walk in the door wonderful customer service warm welcome. Food is amazing and every plate is a must try. Everyone there is very helpful and attentive. The entire restaurant is well kept clean including restrooms. read more

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Best Mexican food in Temecula without a doubt. Temecula has plenty of Mexican food options, but they all seem to miss the mark. Cocina Del Carmen is the exception. Their menu includes the classics, but also offers a refreshing take on Oaxacan cuisine. Flavor speaks for itself. You can tell the difference in the quality of their ingredients, and taste the care they put into each dish by how well it's seasoned. Jose and his staff do an amazing job offering an exceptional dining service and experience. Dine-in or take-out, you feel welcomed from the moment you walk in. read more

What a gem! We tried the carne asada plate, chicken, pork, and carne asada tacos, plus the Oaxacan torta, every single bite was bursting with amazing flavor. Next time, we're definitely coming back for the mole. The staff is absolutely wonderful, and everyone made us feel so welcomed. Edith was a true gem, sharing beautiful stories about the origins of the dishes and the restaurant's history. The interior is also really cute and unique! The drinks were just as memorable, the horchata was creamy, perfectly spiced, and not overly sweet, while the jicama agua fresca was crisp, lightly sweet, and so refreshing, like sipping sunshine in a glass. We sat back, enjoyed every bite and sip, and left already planning our next visit. Cocina Del Carmen is a place that fills both your heart and your stomach! read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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The food was delicious!! Our family ordered the chicken flautas, carne asada tacos, and the kids chicken taco. The chicken in the taco was FULL of flavor! The beans and rice tasted homemade. The chips and salsa were set apart from other Mexican restaurants with a little bit of black beans drizzled on top which I LOVED! Totally would come again! read more

Cocina Del Carmen - All done! - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

By far the best Mexican food spot in southwest Riverside; their Oaxacan is amazing. Please support this amazing restaurant. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - TLAYUDA OAXAQUEA - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

I get my nails done right next to this restaurant I remember when they were doing construction on it. I recently dined at this Mexican restaurant and had such a satisfying experience, especially as someone who prefers pescatarian or vegetarian options. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere felt warm and inviting, with vibrant décor and the comforting aroma of freshly prepared food. I ordered veggie enchiladas along with a side of rice and beans, and everything was seasoned perfectly. The enchiladas were packed with fresh sautéed vegetables, potatoes and cheese topped with a rich, savory red sauce, and finished with just the right amount of melted cheese and a drizzle of sour cream . Every bite was comforting and full of flavor. The service was good we ordered to go and it was made fresh but fast. I definitely plan to return to try the potato taquitos and their other veggie as well as seafood dishes. read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Veggie enchiladas with red sauce with a side of rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

the asada fries are amazing we also had the torta oaxaqueña 100% recommend it will be back again read more

Cocina Del Carmen - CARNE ASADA FRIES - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

We tried Cocina Del Carmen for the first time and I'm so glad we did! Came here for the mole but found so much more. Owner and staff are so friendly plus the quality food and service outstanding. My family can't wait to come back! Here are some pics of our meals. Everything was tasty! (chile relleno plate with tortillas, chicken enchiladas plate with mole sauce, molotes oaxaca, torta oaxaquena) read more

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If you enjoy Oaxacan cuisine, please visit Cocina Del Carmen. I of course overindulged, couldn't stop eating it was so good. I had a Tylayuda, ordered it with half beans, half mole... the very best!! Oh and service, our waitress was so sweet and friendly. We will return here for sure read more

Cocina Del Carmen - Tlayudas. Mole - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Conveniently located just off I-15 and 79 near a Starbucks, Cocina Del Carmen is a great new spot specializing in Oaxacan cuisine. The space is open and welcoming, with tasteful decor and a striking art piece that gives it a unique vibe. I had the Torta Oaxaqueña with marinated chicken, beef, black beans, Oaxacan cheese, avocado, and more--it was rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, especially with their two house salsas (one mild, one with a kick). Service was outstanding--genuinely friendly and attentive. Definitely worth a stop! read more

Cocina Del Carmen - TORTA OAXAQUENA - Mexican Near Me - Temecula, California

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Don't sleep on this fresh, delicious, and authentic food in Temecula. There is no better mole in the area. The service was stellar. Staff are helpful with the menu and friendly. The ambiance is nice with Oaxaca art work and cozy tables. They have big windows and it's nice to watch the busy world go by and be in a place with culture and care. I say care because you can tell when food is made with pride and this absolutely was thoughtfully prepared. The tortillas were clearly made fresh and the sauces had a depth of flavor that can only be cultivated with time. Again, get over there and try it. You will not be disappointed. read more

AMAZING FOOD!!!!! I met my friend from Seattle in Temecula and both of us wanted Mexican food so we looked up Mexican food in the area. I had my dog with me and so we called to see if they had an outdoor pet friendly area and Jose said they could put a table outside to accommodate us so we headed over. The service was fantastic, the place was clean, the prices were great and the food!!!! I LOVE THE FOOD!!!!! Cocina del Carmen has the best food!!!!! Love this place and I will definitely make the drive from LA to visit again. THANK YOU for such a great experience!!!! Can you consider opening a place in LA? Please :-) read more