We were driving thru the area and wanted a hot breakfast instead of eating at the hotel! And so…read moreglad we found this hidden gem. We had the chorizo egg potato and cheese burrito. YUMMMM. Make sure to try both the red and the green sauce. Oh my. Spicy and delicious. The young man who cooked our burritos was there all by himself. But got us our dish so fast. So appreciate the fast service and the great taste. Only thing missing was coffee for morning breakfast. lol but that's okay. Oh and the burrito was HUGE AND FULL!! My husband and I ordered two. We split them and enjoyed one for breakfast and one for lunch!!! So good!!!

Very very good sazón. Enjoyed this authentic Mexican. They are from Durango Mexico so the seasoning…read moreis different than Tex Mex. But sooo good. Will def come back regularly. The carnitas tacos were soo juicy and tender. Asada was good. Just tried tacos this time. Menudo and birria on the weekend.

Delicious and plentiful. I had the chicken enchiladas with red sauce and it came with refried…read morebeans and Mexican rice. Chips and salsa was free. The hotel recommended this restaurant and they didn't miss.

Food was warm, fresh, and delicious. Service from all the gals was typical of Texan hospitality…read more Lastly, the prices were very reasonable. In all, I'd stop there again and again, and from the appearance, I was not the only one enjoying his food and the homely feel of good food and hospitality in Texas.

Carniceria San Juan de Los Lagos in Carlsbad, NM has to be some of the best Mexican food I've ever…read morehad! I usually have a rule when traveling that I don't visit the same restaurant more than once, but this place was the exception. I came back three times in two days. Yes, it was that good. Sadly, the third time I came back, they were closed. The food tasted very authentic and absolutely worth the visit. I noticed some reviews mentioned communication issues or that the staff may not speak much English. I had a little bit of that struggle too, but honestly, that's how you know you might be in the right place for truly authentic Mexican food. I also felt like it was partly my fault for not doing enough research before ordering. But we figured it out, and the food was more than worth it. One small suggestion: it would be helpful if the menu had a little more English explanation, pictures, or item numbers to make ordering easier for both customers and staff. Overall, this is the kind of true hidden gem you hope to find in a small town. I would definitely take a detour to come back here whenever I'm in the area again.

Carnicería San Juan de los Lagos - Worth the Detour, Even Years Later…read more Some places stay with you. So much so that five years later, on a completely different road trip, you find yourself checking the map and thinking... "we're kind of close." Back in 2021, while exploring nearby national parks, we stumbled across Carnicería San Juan de los Lagos and loved it. This time, on our way to White Sands National Park, we made a small detour to see if it still held up. First surprise... I barely recognized the area. What used to feel like the middle of nowhere has filled in. Suburban life has arrived. Growth happened. But the place? Still there. Still good. Inside, it keeps that same warm, easy charm. Cute wood, farm-style Mexican decor, nothing fancy, just welcoming. The space has grown too, now clearly divided into restaurant, carnicería, and panadería, which means more reasons to linger. And the smell when you walk in? That alone could convince you to stay. Service was just as we remembered, sweet, friendly, and genuine. The kind that makes you feel like a regular even if you've been gone for five years. We went with pozole and shrimp tacos, and both delivered. Flavorful, comforting, exactly what we were hoping for. It's always a bit of a gamble revisiting a place you loved years ago. This one paid off. Still a favorite. Still worth the stop.

I'm a Texan with a penchant for Tex-Mex (and Mex, New Mex and even Lou-Mex), and I enjoyed this…read morelittle joint. Was it the best ever? Hardly. But, in all fairness, I've eaten at no fewer than 200 different Tex-Mex restaurants in my lifetime. First, as one reviewer stated, this is very much a New Mexican-style restaurant, although they try to get there with the Tex-Mex. What does this mean? Quite simply, this place uses red sauce (vs. chili gravy) for enchiladas. It also offers stacked enchiladas with an egg placed on top, which is true New Mexican. Beyond that, the menu is quite varied. I'll start with my cheese enchiladas with red sauce. The sauce was spicy as hell, which was wonderful. The enchiladas themselves were a disappointment because they used two corn tortillas to roll them with the smallest pinch of cheese I've experienced in a while. -- I'm not sure about my dad's chile relleno and beef enchilada with green sauce, but he really enjoyed both. The rice and beans were pretty much par for the course. Not bad but nothing special. The salsa here is phenomenal. There's just enough onion and cilantro to make it memorable. It's served cold, which is a must for me, and it has some serious bite. Service here is really friendly and efficient. The atmosphere is old school: cheap paneling and trite "Mexican" decor. The men's bathroom is almost as dark as a movie theater. I don't get to this area often, but I would certainly eat here again any time I do.

One of the better places we stopped on our way through Texas! The service was nice and friendly,…read morethey all carry Mexican Coke (in bottles). Nice serving of chips, don't miss the queso. It was a huge bowl that was nice and filling. Tacos and enchiladas were great, as were the beans and rice. We would come back through on another visit!

Stopped for dinner passing through on a cross country trip. Great tasting and fresh home style…read morefood, welcoming people:)

The owners were great folks. Great beans and rice. The red sauce smothered burrito was excellentread more

A super cute little restaurant that I'm pretty sure was originally a home on a street off the…read morehighway in Balmorhea. The name means "The Bear Den" and the inside is decorated with all kinds of bears and other beautiful decor from Mexico. Since it's a small place, you're definitely not getting "fast food," so expect to spend about an hour to have lunch, but it's worth the wait! We tried the green chile queso (awesome), fried pickles (good, the ranch they came with were awesome though), the chile relleno (solid), the chicken flautas (pretty good), and my daughter had their fried fish basket, which we definitely didn't expect to see on the menu but she liked! We were on a road trip and didn't have as much time to spend here as I'd hoped, but they helped us get in and out as fast as possible with our bellies full, which we really appreciated!

I was very disappointed with my meal. I ordered a taco salad when tasted like mush. When I…read morecompleted to the staff I was not given other options to replace my salad but instead was told I ordered it so I had to play for it . I would not recommend this restaurant.

Great service. We are from Dallas, so Tex-Mex runs in our veins. This food surpassed my…read moreexpectations for Jalisco style and for food in Carlsbad. Yum! The salsa was spicy and great. Really loved the cheese on my burrito and the taco meat was red colored and had a great flavor. The plate was oven hot, the server said so as she put it in front on me wearing oven mits, but I insisted on touching it and I wear this blister in memory of a wonderful meal!

I had the El Jimador Fajitas, which as steak, chicken, and shrimp. Simply delicious. The service…read morewas excellent as well.

Food, service, ambiance and all. One most fabulous place to eat. Chile rellenos and enchiladas…read morewere the best ever. We are deaf and use sign language. They could communicate with us. Everyone in the room looked happy. Fort Stockton is intriguing. The fort and the wonderful Bella Terrazza store. And the huge road runner sculpture. The people, the history the culture. We will want to return and stay longer.

We picked this place because of the number of cars out front. We just felt like Mexican food. The…read morefood was excellent. I'm not a refried bean lover but these were delicious. The plates were loaded and we needed a To go box. The service was good and everyone who came in was greeted warmly. I got the feeling the staff enjoyed their jobs, even if it was a holiday. The ambience is traditional, small dining rooms with large TVs showing college football. Prices were typical of what you'd expect. We will definitely go back next time we are going through Fort Stockton.

If you're looking for delicious and authentic tacos, this is the spot! Such amazing food and fast…read moregood service. I highly recommend giving it a try for a quick lunch break. Don't forget to get a Mexican Coke with your meal, the best drink with the tacos.

Love the chicken there must go to anytime you go to midland.One of my favorite places to goread more

Home away from home! Anything you order you'll be thinking of mom cooking her best…read more Quick and flavorful! They way you want to leave home full and loved Great service and the place is not a million dollar corporation but homie

Lots of choices. I had Miga with bacon and my husband had the lunch Chicken Burrito. Migas serving…read morewas plentiful and delicious. Enough for lunch the next day too. Potatoes were cooked perfectly. Hips came with a flavorful salsa. Wished I lived closer. Service was quick and friendly.