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Ordered takeout and my husband said the whole experience went well. We ordered a few different tacos, but have a couple picky eaters, so they were able to separate the meats and toppings for us. We got carnitas, pastor, brisket, steak, and ground beef. (The pastor was my favorite! It came with pineapple. My husband's favorite was the carnitas.) Everything was hot and pretty tasty. The meal came with 4 sauces-- orange (spiciest), watery orange, watery green (my favorite), and the creamy green (least spicy.) After reading some reviews about slow service, I was a little apprehensive about ordering, but my husband went during lunch and said everything came out quickly, there was just a line to order. All in all, I'd definitely eat here again.
Came here after visiting Carlsbad Caverns and from fellow yelpers awesome reviews. I will admit i have mixed reviews on this. Being for the region and flavors of the area for Mexican food it is a good 4 stars. Although in comparison with Los Angeles flavors, this is very different and not what I'm used to and would give it a 3-stars for fellow SoCal peeps. Pro: - Place was clean and spacious - Employees were nice and patient with our long order - Food was still yummy especially their quesobirria! Con: - as another yelper did warn us, DO expect a long wait for your food! We also waited about a good 30-min like the other yelper shared that it took to get your food - Rice were mushy (overcooked or too much broth making it) - The Champurrado was meh. Watered down with way too much burned/scald pieces leftovers in it. - The red enchilada sauce was not as authentic to what i am accustomed to in SoCal. Consistency was not like heavy cream but a thick tomato sauce that resembled straight tomato paste. Taste just like plain tomato paste also and not the earthy with any dried chili flavors I'm used to. Perhaps its how they eat it here, so wont judge on that but giving yelpers a non bias thought of what i tasted, really. All in all, the queso birria was the highlight of the meal here and a must try in my opinion. Everything else, its ok.
We are visiting here from Dallas Tx for a few days and had a great lunch experience here. Once you order from the counter, they'll call your name to pick it up. Got my chili rellano burrito, smothered Christmas style. The green sauce was my favorite of the two. It was a little sour and had a great silky texture. The red sauce was good, however read more like an Italian gravy. Had a very mild red tomato flavor with what tasted like Italian spices. The texture was slightly chunky. The meal proportions were good, enough for leftovers. We enjoyed the chips and salsa. The rice wasn't my favorite. It was too mushy for my liking amd tasted like stovetop stuffing. I LOVE me some stovetop, just not in my mexican food.
Best Mexican food in Carlsbad. Very reasonably priced with huge portions. The chicken quesadilla could feed a family. The brisket burrito is a steal. You order at the counter and find your own seat. The place is packed every meal.
Stopped by El Charro for lunch while passing through Carlsbad. Being from Central California, where Mexican food is abundant and diverse, I've noticed regional differences in flavors as I travel. This was my first time here, and overall, the experience was okay but not particularly memorable. The food itself was decent but not as flavorful as I had hoped. I ordered a few tacos and a rice, bean, and cheese burrito--nothing complicated--but we still ended up waiting over 30 minutes. For a restaurant where you order at the counter and they bring the food to your table, that felt like an excessive wait time, especially considering how simple our order was. The restaurant seemed clean, which is always a plus, but the staff didn't greet us when we walked in, which made the experience feel a bit impersonal. Service wasn't bad, just not particularly welcoming. All in all, it wasn't a bad meal, just not one that stood out. Since I'm just visiting, I'll probably try a different spot next time to explore what else the area has to offer.
Casual dining experience. Tacos were great, beans great. The rice was okay. Loved the variety of self serve condiments. Bathrooms clean. Authentic Mexican tacos here. Extra parking in the back. They also have a drive through window for to go orders. I highly recommend and would go back if I was ever in the area. Order at the counter and they can your name to pick up, don't expect table side service. Tres leches cake was good too.
The food here is fire. The place is kept clean but they aren't actively cleaning it up. Of their meats, we'd go carnitas, brisket, al pastor, asada, chorizo in that order. The orange sauce is super hot. Like 2/3 habanero hot. The brown sauce is 1/2 jalapeno hot. The cream jalapeno is just that. Creamy and hot too hot. The horchata is nice, extremely cinnamon forward. Tacos better than Torta better than Lunch burrito. Their refried beans are actually kind of fire. The rice is great too. They've got like 10 people working here just pumping food out. Oh yeah, there's even a drive through! If you're in the area you owe it to yourself to stop by and eat here.
4 tacos for $13 is not too bad! It even comes with rice and beans. We ordered our food to go and it took a long time because I think they forgot to punch in our order :(
Came on a weekday day and it wasn't busy. Ordered 3 things First was the birria quesadilla and it was too dry. I dipped it inside the soup and it didn't help that much. The meat was just overcooked. I got a steak burrito that also had the same issue. Was too dry. The chicken tacos weren't as dry but it was just grilled chicken so nothing special.
The coveted 5 stars for a Mexican restaurant in Carlsbad NM?? Yes indeed. And not for the food, but for the ice-cream shop next door. They serve hand packed, fresh Italian ice cream that would rival the best ice-cream in Florence all for a few bucks a scoop. They don't speak a word of English, but they know what they have and they know that you want. No, correction need it! Have the Dolce Delcie in a waffle cone, it will change you life. read more
3 years ago
I wasn't expecting much since there aren't many great food options in Carlsbad (I stayed here a couple nights and got to try other places), but was pleasantly surprised by the Asado plate. HUGE portion...my to go plate felt like it weighed 2 lbs. It could be for 2-3 ppl to share. Flavor of the pork asado was on point, although it was pretty greasy. I have a sensitive stomach so hopefully the grease doesn't cause issues, but if it does, I won't even be upset haha. Rice is perfectly cooked and seasoned. Beans tastes fresh and homemade, not the canned crap a bunch of places serve. Hands down the best food I tried in this little town. read more
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I was so surprised that this business does not have their own yelp page! The people here are the best and they serve the best ice cream ever in different variations! I was basic and got the banana split but it was so good! Imagine all this food for just 6 dollars! The place itself was very cute and such a fun vibe! They also have a lot of grocerries with Mexican brands which I love as I love their snacks and it's all so accessible in one place! It is however, kind of connected to El charro bt is a separate entity! read more
Absolutely delicious especially after a long day of hiking. Place was very busy when we arrived. The menu hosts options from tacos, burritos to quesadillas. The quesabirria was filling and delicious! Highly recommend if you're looking for Mexican food in Carlsbad. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
My mom always told me she would judge a restaurant based off the beans and rice.. she would say, "If the bean and rice are fresh, then you know the rest of the food will be good!" Trust me, this is one of the few places I've finished my sides first! Not because I didn't like the entrée but because the beans and rice were so damn good! The Tacos are Fire!! ENOUGH SAID!! I promise you'll come back for a second and third time. There's plenty of room to dine-in or you can call ahead for carry out. Seems like a family run business which they take pride in, as they should! This place is very clean! if you haven't tried this place, you're missing out! read more
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We checked several sites before deciding on El Charro based on ratings. They did not disappoint!! When our food came out, we thought "No way are we going to be able to eat all of this food!" Yet, as you can see in the pic, we ate every single bite. And it was DIVINE! This is not a fine dining place, you order at the counter and pick up your food, but just try it once and you'll understand why there's a line to the counter! read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
First off I've gotta hand it to them, one of the very first Mexican places I've tried that's actually authentic and has flavor! I got the chicken enchiladas and two Barbacoa tacos and it was fresh and delicious! Recommended for sure Check them out ! read more
2 years ago
I'm hoping we just came on a bad day. There was a strong antiseptic smell throughout the seating area, which wasn't as noticeable as we moved past the salsa bar and the grill, but which got stronger the closer we moved to the grocery store area. It smelled badly enough that we decided to take our order to go instead of eating in the restaurant. The menu was hard to read, and most options didn't have prices listed until you get to the printed menu at the cash register. While the prices weren't exorbitant, I was disappointed to see on the receipt that they charged us $0.50 for the tap waters we ordered for our kids. I appreciated the open kitchen, but despite the obvious activity it took almost 30 minutes for our 3 meals (chicken and beef enchiladas, carne asada torta, and bean and cheese burrito) to be ready. I didn't realize that they had a drive-thru option, but the inside wasn't particularly busy so maybe they were prioritizing drive-thru orders. I sampled one of the salsas, and it was spicy but otherwise surprisingly bland. The torta was also dry and underseasoned. The bean and cheese burrito was good, and the enchiladas were very good, but they didn't make up for all of the other disappointments. I have to assume that my experience was out of the ordinary given how many good reviews this place has, but I wanted to post the review anyways in case it reflects a recent change in the quality of the restaurant. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Holy crap! I was mind blown at the portions and the authenticity of this Mexican spot. The food was amazing . The service and ambiance were nice, and to top it off they have a sister ice cream parlor so if you want dessert after. I got the horchata as a drink and it was amazing. The drink had a nice amount of cinnamon and while I got a medium there was still so much! For food I got the quesabirria tacos which were to DIE for. The meat was so tender and juicy and the cheese was nicely cooked, and they left a few crispy cheese parts which were a nice crunch in between. They also gave Mexican rice and pinto beans with cheese, and while I usually don't comment on these sides I have to now because the rice and beans were so decadent. The rice was well seasoned and soft. It was a perfect vessel for the cheesy and creamy beans. OVERALL would definitely come again and recommend to others. read more
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Delicious!! Haven't had anything we didn't like! And it's connected to a paleteria! Banana splits and agua frescas! Friendly staff...also check out Anomaly Deli House! Great sandwiches and salads (they also carry a variety of pan dulces!! (Pictured is the menu for breakfast burritos) read more
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While we did not enjoy our food, I still think this place is good if you are looking for some mexican food in Carlsbad. The dining room was full when we stoped by and the line nearly out the door. You can tell their food is high quality and that many people enjoy it, it was just not for us. The quesa birria tacos had a sweet flavor to them that we found off-putting. The rice that we got with the enchiladas tasted strange and the refried beans were unsalted. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Man! Some of the absolute best food I've had. Was in town for work for about ten days and ate here three times. Tried most everything I could. The asada torta was one of the best I've ever had. There will be a line, but it is well worth the wait! read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
This is the absolute best food I have ever had! Great vibe, amazing food, fantastic customer service! If you don't go eat at El Charro you're missing out! read more
5 years ago
More info about El Charro
1302 S Canal St
Carlsbad, NM 88220
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(575) 361-4724
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