In my search for the best birria I stumbled upon Carrera's…read more Fried corn tortilla, juicy but can't say my #1 Very beautiful space in small shopping center off Olive. Could be hard to locate. Best for a quiet date night

Carreta's is the closest thing I have to a "local"--the place where I go after my shift at the post…read moreoffice to drink watery, domestic beer and make slightly inappropriate remarks to the waitstaff. My parents eat there on the reg, though not so much the past couple of years, after they implemented their controversial policy of shrinking portion sizes and increasing prices at the same time. Uh, whose idea was that? I have an idea. Let's just say he's not very good at riding a bicycle. I've eaten there literally a million times since it opened up 10 or 15 years ago. Before that, we used to eat at the place in Olivette that was once a Ponderosa, El Paisano or whatever. I don't think they're related, but when that place closed, a handful of employees came over to Carreta's. That was years ago, and they're now long gone. Hopefully, they weren't shipped off to El Salvador. I hear it's not safe there. More recently, we've been eating at a place a bit further west on Olive that was once a Houlihan's. Noticing a trend? Carreta's must be feeling the effects, because they've remodeled and added a few new menu items, some of which will be familiar to Barrel House patrons. The remodel seems to mostly have been a matter of applying a fresh coat of paint and turning the dim switch up to its absolute brightest. It used to be dark in there, like at a fancy restaurant. Now it's like Kmart circa 1986. I didn't check to see if a blue light had been installed in the ceiling, nor did I make it back to near the restrooms to see if they've still got that influencer wall. The menu has been reprinted, and I'm sure they took advantage of the opportunity to jack up prices even further. Many of the old favorites remain, and I'm not sure what, if anything, they removed to make room for the small handful of new items. I saw that they still have the carnitas, my old go-to. It's the only pork item on the menu. If you're familiar with the area, you can probably do the math on that one. Most importantly, they've added Birria, only about 10 years after it became trendy. What's next, a smashburger? A pumpkin spice latte? I've had Birria at a number of places, here in the STL and elsewhere, and in a few different preparations, and it's never not been good. It kinda is the Mexican food equivalent of the smashburger, in that regard. An order of three will run you $16, and it doesn't come with anything other than the consommé and a ramekin of tomatillo salsa. Just the three tacos wasn't the most filling meal I've ever had, but it wasn't half bad, for there not being any sides or anything. They stuff those tacos full with mostly just meat (along with cheese, onions and cilantro), and I'd imagine it's roughly as caloric as eating half the produce aisle at the grocery store. It's so good. I figured it would be kinda mediocre but nevertheless enjoyable, because I thought I had this place pegged, but credit where credit is due. They've exceeded expectations. This was one of the best things I've ever had in a Mexican restaurant. If they don't let the quality slip or try to charge literally $1,000 for it, I could honestly see it becoming a huge hit. What do you know? This place might manage to stay in business just yet, despite the newer, fancier place down the street.

We still love this place! I'm not sure how many times we've been here over the past few years, but…read morewe've never had a negative experience here. My husband and I have been here a number of times, we've brought our (adult) daughters and their partners, out of town visitors, and we've recommended it to friends. Some of our friends went on our recommendation and enjoyed it. Again, I have to say that we love the vibe, the staff, and the food - probably equally! We sat out on the covered patio last night. It was pretty hot out, but the cover and the fans made it feel okay out there. We ran into neighbors as we were leaving. It's about 35 minutes from our house and we have never seen anyone we know there. They were enjoying it as well! The only negative I can think of is the restroom situation. There is one restroom with one toilet - plan ahead! There's usually a line. We'll definitely be back!

This is a hard review because in my party of 4, my meal was horrible but everyone else had a…read moretasty-gratifying meal. To start, we ordered the guac. It's not authentic guac with chunks of guac, instead it was creamy and didn't have a clumps of avocado or flavor. It was more of a blended consistency with just a smashed avocado flavor. The chips were awesome! I ordered the mahi-mahi tacos. The first one that was brought to the table was fried so well done the fish inside was rubbery and dry, and the outer coating was black. My waiter apologized, visually confirmed that the dish was not right, took the dish and 5-10 minutes later brought out the same dish, assuming this one would be better. It wasn't. The fish was overwhelmingly fishy smelling, dry and overall, I felt like I would've had a better meal at McDonalds ordering their Filet o' fish. Ugh! The waiter took the one bite eaten from the taco dish and removed it from the ticket. He asked if he could bring me something else, but so much time had passed between the last 2 mix-ups that for me to order anything to replace the meal, my party would've left me at the table so I just had chips for dinner. Where I see an issue, is one would think a manager would've come over apologizing, or something. Yet, I felt like the bad guy sent to her room with no dinner. When the bill came, the waiter, what I feel like intentionally put the bill directly in front of another person from our party rather than in the center of the table. Probably because that person loved his meal... A person in my party got the 3 taco dinner- only ate one taco. Packaged up the other two tacos. I paid, tipped 20% assuming it wasn't the waiter's fault. And we walked out. We got to the front door, the person in my party that had boxed up the 2 tacos realized she left her box at the table, turned around 1-2 minutes after leaving, went back to the table and our waiter said he threw away the box! It wasn't busy ... I understand wanting to clean a table, but there should be some protocol of if this happens, maybe the bussers have x number of minutes before they throw away a meal that someone intentionally boxed up to take home. So -2 stars- I won't go back but if you try this place you might get something delish. My hope is you fall on the positive side of these reviews.

Food was delicious! My husband and I both loved it. Will definitely be back to try more!read more

This has to be the most authentic Mexican restaurant I've ever been to in Missouri! All their local…read morespecialties are amazing and has been consistently a favorite between me and my partner. Very clean and friendly and definitely a lil hole in the wall but I love that! Have not had a single bad thing on the menu! Must try!

Wonderful good, atmosphere, waiters, and pricing!…read more Wait till you try their chips and salsa

First visit, wow!!! how did I not know about this place. Incredible food, incredible atmosphere and…read moreincredible service. We made reservations since it was Father's Day. Seated upon arrival. Finally, a restaurant that doesn't try to shove 5 people at a table for 4, they put 2 tables together. We so appreciated that. Waited on immediately. Love the atmosphere of this restaurant, beautiful, quiet, and very colourful design style. The food is another level. Chips warm and tasty, 2 salsas both flavourful and with a kick! Everyone ordered something different. 3 of us took food home the portions are so large. Every plate was beautiful in preparation and as we sampled each other's we discovered amazing and unique flavours. I can't wait to return here, this is an absolute dining pleasure.

From the inside and out, every inch of this place was covered in vibrant, bold, colors. The mexican…read morePapel Picado decorations and designs created such a festive, lively, celebratory feel. The music in the background and terracotta designs highlighted the threads of Mexican culture but made the Homer statue appear to be a little out of place! Definitely a fun dining experience. The outdoor seating felt super spacious. It was a beautiful day and temperate weather to be able eat outside. It did have numerous umbrellas and a covered portion which kept most of the seating shaded. The service was friendly and attentive. The food was good. I was a little disappointed with the bread used for the Torta. I was expecting a bolillo type bread where it the outside is a crisp crust but the inside is airy, chewy and sweet. Instead it was a Telera Bread that was like a very crumbly messy french roll. The pieces of chicken were very thin and cut into strips instead of one patty. It was very dry and not much flavor. The fries were potato-y but not seasoned or salty. Very bland. The aroma of all the food was phenomenal. But tasting the flavors and eating the dishes didn't quite live up to the hype of my super smeller.

I came here for a late dinner after a play and I was happy their hrs kept them open late on a…read moreSunday evening. Parking garage available . Upon walking in, well lit , spacious and plenty of colors . Very cosmic theme and alot of conversation pieces . I really enjoyed browsing around and taking in the designs. Kudos to my friend for recommending this hidden gem . Seating was plentiful. Staff were friendly and service was speedy and hot. I ordered a banana /papaya margarita on the rocks. Strong and delicious! I ordered the arroz con with shrimp. My mom ordered the parilada and my sister a steak fajita. All dishes were hot , plentiful and fulfilling. Prices were reasonable.

I like this place a lot! I hope it finds success here. We were sat very quickly, they have indoor…read moreand outdoor seating. The staff was very kind and attentive. The menu was vast and they had a large drink menu and full bar. We got a margarita pitcher, peach flavored, which was very good. We got tacos, a chicken quesadilla, and fajitas. All were excellent, we will definitely be coming back!

I have been here twice but this is about my most recent visit (08/2026). I am not the margarita…read moreimbibing guy I used to be, so I'm not the best authority on that part. My friend and I stopped here for a last minute drinks and dinner. We each had the house special, I think it was called the Cadillac margarita with salted rim, iced not frozen, and we got the jumbo. OMG I couldn't even finish the jumbo. It was very strong and big, had to take it home to try and finish it. A wait staff dropped off chips and salsa and the chips were just not that good. I asked my friend what she thought and she said the same thing I did. The salsa did help but if I opened my own Mexican place I would serve the best chips I could find. I know they're free but many places offer some kind of free snack (Helen's has popcorn, some places still offer salted peanuts...) and I think it should make one think the chips are good the food will be better. As I was drinking I wanted some food and we got two chicken burritos, they were large and very good!! They were 2 for $14 if that gives an idea on cost. While I live just a few minutes from here, I haven't seen enough in 2 visits to say I'll keep coming here for Mexican, there are many other places in South St Louis to try. Oh and I swear the bar "stools" are big enough for two people. I probably look comical on one as my friend and I may have been able to fit into one stool.

The tacos look fresh and full of flavor! I love places that offer creative dishes with a casual and…read morewelcoming atmosphere. This looks like a fun spot to try.

Place rocks. Great selection of tacos, good margaritas, quick and friendly service. Recommend the…read moreBiloxi taco. Will continue to return until the day I die.

Wow!!! Do not hesitate - go here!…read more So happy to have a new neighborhood staple. What can I say besides excellent food, wonderful people. The margaritas are potentially Huge so be warned. Such incredible bang for buck with the lovely grocery store right next door. The operation here is tight, the service is wicked fast, and everyone here is obviously a pro. Excellent for large or small parties. Dogtown/Maplewood is so very lucky to have this spot!

Was looking to try a New Mexican place and found this one via Yelp reviews. The service was ok,…read morewent at 3PM on a Saturday so it was not busy. My main issue was the dish I ordered was quite different than described by the menu. It didn't taste bad per se, but I would have ordered something else if it was described accurately. When I asked the waiter if I received the correct dish because it didn't seem like what the menu described they said it was correct. Felt a little bit like I was being gas lit, so just won't be back. I wish I had taken a picture of the dish, but here is the menu description and then I'll describe what I was served. Pollo El Potro Menu description: Two grilled chicken breasts topped with cheese dip sauce and served with salad, rice and tortillas Actual dish: One grilled chicken breast topped with cheese dip sauce served on a bed of tortilla chips, grilled onions, and grilled peppers. Served with a small pico de gallo salad, guacamole, rice, beans, and tortillas. The one chicken breast I got was very dry, even with the cheese sauce and the onions/peppers/tortilla chips made it super awkward to eat. The flavor was ok, but more than anything my issue is that it was way different than what was described on the menu and when specifically asked about it I was told it is what I ordered. Overall, a disappointing experience.

I went with a party of four on a Friday afternoon. We were able to sit down immediately. However,…read moreshortly after the early dinner rush was flowing. I would recommended getting here early or later due to a high traffic destination. The food on the other hand was made quickly and delivered excellent. My Quesabirria tacos were great. The sauce was everything I wanted. Their queso is also great. Lastly, we ordered a pitcher of Cadillac margs and it was well worth it. Nothing crazy but hit the spot. Great location for a patio night as well!

This is a friendly and busy neighborhood Mexican restaurant. I was there on a Tuesday night on the…read moreearly side. We were greeted warmly as we entered We got chips and salsa immediately. The chips were thin and crispy, and the salsa was very good. The table got a cheese and a chorizo dip. All the dips were promptly inhaled! When everyone got their entrees, they looked delicious. I enjoyed my spinach enchiladas, and our tables drinks were promptly refilled. Our server was kind and quick. La Catrina is a great neighborhood place!

The food was good. The margarita was very good. Customer service was on point and the dining room…read morewas clean. I'll visit again!

Great food, large portions, nice service, and food comes out super quick. Be careful, the large…read moremargarita is the size of a fish tank.