The food and service were amazing! Matt helped us and couldn't have been more kind and positive. we had the tacos and all were 5/5!! read more

Matt was and awesome server that's a local resident. He was the best server at any restaurant we went to in Carlsbad over our vacation.

Matt was amazing! best server - made our experience the best night of our week vacation!

Food was great. Service was phenomenal. We sat outside and the ambiance was awesome. We will be back very soon. Matt is my GOAT read more

Loved the Caesar Salad paired with the octopus So filling no crazy carbs Leaves you with a wonderful after taste, no fatigue. My tummy is sorta picky and I appreciated it so much! Great place to have a sit down, downtown Carlsbad you can go walking and get ice cream after! read more

Fresco Cocina - Octopus - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Here's a balanced 3-star review that reflects your experience: We visited Fresco Cocina for the first time with our family and left with mixed feelings. The positives first: the restaurant is in a great location, the ambiance is beautiful, and the interiors are modern and inviting. The service was excellent as well. I had read several reviews praising Matt before visiting, and he absolutely lived up to the hype. That said, it wasn't just Matt--the entire staff was warm, attentive, and genuinely courteous, which made for a great dining experience. We started with the guacamole and chips. The guacamole was fresh and delicious, while the chips were standard but perfectly fine. The kids also had lemonade, which they really enjoyed. For the kids' meals, we ordered the taco and the burger. The taco was decent--not bad, but nothing particularly memorable. The burger tasted good, but it was very dry. It really needed some kind of sauce, as it was essentially just the bun, meat, and cheese. I ordered the Chicken Al Pastor. The chicken itself was cooked well, but the overall dish felt underwhelming. The base was mostly corn, pineapple, and other toppings, and while it wasn't bad, it just didn't have the bold, vibrant flavors I expect from a good Mexican restaurant. My wife ordered the vegan bowl, which was also just okay. Overall, the food was the biggest disappointment. Having eaten at many Mexican restaurants, we were expecting more depth of flavor and a little more punch in the dishes. Based on what we ordered, the food didn't quite match the quality of the service and atmosphere. That said, this review is only based on the items we tried. The restaurant has many other dishes that could be much better. read more

Great place! Slightly overpriced but a good experience. Not very celiac friendly, which is surprising for a mexican restaurant. Even the tortilla chips are cross contaminated in the fryer. They were good at noting it and made tortillas in a pan instead of the flattop. The enchilada suizas were yummy, but the sauce was slightly overpowering. read more

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Solid 4 stars, I say this because of the service and waiter that we're helping us. The food was great and I found the flavor combinations to be really tasty. I do wish the sugar salmon had more seasoning on it but the unique flavors of the corn and salsa tasted well. Interior is decorated well and I would say the lighting is just right. The chips and salsa was great but $15 for a serving of guacamole was a bit high for my preference. You are paying for vibe and food. I would come again for a special occasion but maybe minus the guacamole. read more

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We've been coming here for years! Docking it one star because I think it's pricey, but overall, the food, service and ambiance are top notch. We just recently came here with our 3 month old baby hoping to catch happy hour and the manager let us sit outside with our stroller and still partake (even tho HH is only at the bar). Really appreciated them being so accommodating. Our server was so sweet and helpful! We got an assortment of tacos (30% off tacos on Tuesday!) : fish, crispy pork belly and octopus! Plus guac and chips. Everything was so fresh and delicious! I will say the tacos are on the smaller side but order enough and you'll be full. Def recommend coming here for a date night or outing with friends! Oh and their mocktails and cocktails are delicious!! read more

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From the moment we walked in, the staff was warm, welcoming, and attentive. The atmosphere is stylish yet comfortable, making it a great spot for anything from a casual lunch to a special dinner, I like to sit on the patio and ppl watch too! The food was outstanding-fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Every dish we ordered was thoughtfully prepared with high-quality ingredients, and the cocktails were just as impressive. You must try the octopus too! Service was exceptional throughout the meal, with everyone, We'll definitely be back again and again! read more

Fresco Cocina - Citrus ceviche - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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What a disappointment! Had high hopes given such high ranking but I doubt they are real given our experience. Food - BAD- enchiladas (soggy mushy rice and tasteless chiken) and tacos were just splash of sauce with wtvr filling. Both with barely edible sour/super salty guacamole. Mediocre - Fajitas and ceviche Excellent - grilled octopus, truly excellent. Kids burger was really good, excellent quality and size! Atmosphere/service - bathroom was dirty with papertowels all over the floor. Couldn't find our waiter through out the dinner. Literally had to get up and look for one to get water refill during dinner. Couldn't find him at the end of the dinner either, ended up asking the hostess. read more

Fresco Cocina - Bathroom was dirty, not even a basket in the stall. - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

First time here. We had a reservation for 1030am. They open exactly at 1030am. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant, but also along the street. It wasn't very busy since they just opened. We were seated right away. They served chips and salsa fairly quick, and those were delicious! The food took awhile to get served though, but maybe because it was early morning for them and they make things fresh vs using old batches? Not sure... but the items came out all together. The guacamole came out last but the server said it was because it was freshly made. The calamari was just OK. The tacos a la carte order is 1 taco each. You can order as many as you like, but I don't think they are worth the price. We ordered a variety of tacos, and they weren't that great (very dry and small portions). The corn dish was OK (esquietes). The ribeye fries were dry. Was a bit underwhelmed by the food. Service was pretty good, and the interior fit the mood, however, it felt like a day club. Day club with good ambiance but costly mediocre food. Maybe their drinks are good? Didn't order any today. The best foods were the chips and salsa- they were actually delicious! Nothing to complain about the staff. They were all friendly and welcoming. read more

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Fresco Cocina has a nice, modern atmosphere with interesting decor, especially near the large windows by the bar. The staff was welcoming and attentive without hovering too much. The cocktails were delicious, and the birria enchiladas were definitely a highlight. The complimentary chips and salsa were also very good. I wasn't a fan of the birria sopes -- the texture and flavor were both a bit underwhelming for me. Prices were on the higher side -- our drinks were about $16 each and the sopes were $18 -- so while it was a nice experience, it's probably not somewhere I'd go back to often. read more

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I had been hesitant to try this place and I can't tell you why...I don't even know...but I can say I regret waiting. The service is amazing, very attentive, super nice, and the manager even came over to each table asking for feedback. The margarita was great, I got the house marg but made it a Cadillac. I was between the carnitas, shrimp and squash blossom tacos. I went shrimp and squash blossom. The shrimp was good but OMG, the squash blossom was phenomenal and I'm so glad that's what I decided to go with. It arrived and I was confused because it was on a weird tortilla and realized one bite in it was a pounded portobello mushroom. The coolest idea and absolutely phenomenal. I cannot recommend enough. My partner got the Al pastor chicken. Also good but I think we'll get something different next time. It's definitely a little lively but it's a fun, inviting atmosphere. Overall, definitely recommend, we'll be back! read more

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Staff is friendly, attentive, professional. Tasty drinks and tasty bites. Happy hour was recommended by a bartender there. Will be back for sure :) read more

Fresco Cocina - Cuatro de Dip - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Disclaimer: only came for drinks First round was very great, drinks were awesome super tasty. Sat at the bar and told our bartender that we just wanted drinks. Place was almost literally emptied out, the bar was completely empty. Fantastic carijillo, I got the one with tequila my spouse got the regular one both were prepared very well!! We finished then multiple staff members walked by and clearly noticed our empty glasses but no offers for second round. The first round was great we made it known we wanted another they were so good! Took about 30 minutes of empty glass to finally flag someone down, at that point just asked to get the check. Bartender finally came around to give us the check and made a slightly snarky comment about only getting one round and leaving. We wanted another they were good just didnt want sit around for another 30/40 plus minutes waiting :( Will definitely try again and get food next time! read more

I had their sugar spiced salmon with roasted corn which was so good and very filling. Not to mention most of their food for the quality, was at a good price point. I had a little bite of their smash burger, which was fantastic, along with their carne asada fries. Everything was so packed with flavor, it's a must try if you're ever in the Carlsbad area. read more

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Love coming back to this place! The food is always really good and the staff is super friendly. It's one of my go-to spots, and I'll definitely be back again. Highly recommend! read more

We decided to give Fresco's another try.... We were seated right away... no line... it was a Thursday evening... we asked to sit on the patio... and they accommodated us.... there was a nice breeze... they took our drink order right away ... then dinner... drinks were okay but our dinner's were fabulous... Waitress was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.... We walked so we didn't need to worry about parking... read more

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They are tricky when it comes to asking you for what type of water you want at the beginning of your meal when you just sit down , they will charge you if you don't accept the tap water. If they would've stated that before hand or on their menu I would've understood and not be surprised when I saw my bill. read more

Love that they offer HH on the weekends. The bar area is super cute with large open windows. Drinks are a great deal on HH. I enjoyed both the Hibiscus Mezcalita and the Guava Mojito. The food a little disappointing. The Birra pozole was very fatty and was mostly just broth. I was excited to try the fish taco since they use sea bass but overall it was very small and bland. The squash bloom tacos were 5/5 definitely recommend. HH guacamole is very small but you do get complimentary chips and salsa. Passion fruit crème brûlée was a little too sweet. Overall it was a great experience for drinks but food could be improved. Service was fine, attentive but you could tell they were busy. Small parking lot available otherwise street parking. read more

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The carne asada plate was delicious, and our server, Matt, was awesome. He was so invested in our evening, he made excellent recommendations, and we left feeling like family. Great vibe in the restaurant too with beautiful outdoor seating. read more

The food was amazing and their staff are very nice especially Mat It was a very nice experience and the environment was nice. Written by Mr. Mysterious. read more

Come see Matt! Amazing beach vibes and fantastic food! Margaritas are top notch! The chicken Al pastor was great!

Cool place with a nice atmosphere and great service, but unfortunately the food was mediocre and very overpriced. We ordered three tacos--the Squash Blossom, Beer-Battered Fish, and Pulpo. At about $9 per taco, we paid around $27 for just three tacos, and they were simply not worth the price. They were overrated and didn't deliver the flavor we expected. The biggest disappointment was the Birria Enchiladas ($26). They were unbelievably salty--after one bite, all I could taste was salt. It honestly made me wonder if the chef tastes the food before it's served. Even the complimentary chips were overly salty. We asked the host if we could have chips without salt, but he explained that they come that way and that no extra salt is added. Regardless of how they're prepared, they were still far too salty for our taste. The one dish we actually enjoyed was the California Burrito ($22). Although it was much smaller than a typical California burrito, it was flavorful and, thankfully, not overly salty. However, it still felt overpriced for the portion size. The Carne Asada ($25) was another disappointment--it was also too salty. Finally, the Brussels sprouts ($16) were heavily seasoned and, once again, excessively salty. Overall, this was a very disappointing dining experience. The atmosphere and service were excellent, but the food simply didn't justify the high prices. With so many great restaurants nearby, I believe you can find much better value and better-tasting food elsewhere. read more

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Happy Hour is silly the best! Highly recommend the Aquachiles: delicious fresh jumbo shrimp and not too spicy. Each drink I've tried is handcrafted with perfection and freshness. The salmon gets me everytime with the cilantro yogurt sauce, but their carnitas as insanely flavorful as well. They have a beautiful indoor space and a cozy outdoor space as well. read more

Fresco Cocina - Hibiscus Mezcalita - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Great location and they have a parking lot, so valuable. Interior is so pleasant and clean. Well done. We had the ribeye fries and carne asada steak with crispy potatoes and roasted carrots. Ribeye fries were loaded with fries, scant tiny overcooked pieces of ribeye, topped with guacamole & white sauce. Fries were limp & room temperature. The carne asada steak pieces looked great, veggies were tasty, the meat was a little tough. Bathroom was beautiful and clean. For after 2pm on Saturday so restaurant was near empty, oddly the service was very slow. read more

$8 valet parking. No validation and the lot was empty. The service and the food were very mediocre. The server was a bartender and really didn't know how to wait a table. The food was greasy and bland. We will not be returning. read more

We found this place on Yelp -- visiting from out of town. The food tasted amazing. So delicious. I did have an issue and the manager Andrea sorted it out for me. She went above and beyond. Great customer service. The ambiance of the restaurant is so cute and has a special style. I'd eat here again. read more

Phenomenal food. Carne Asada is the best I have ever had. Matt was phenomenal and very intentional and attentive. Friendly and very energetic. read more

Best burger that I've ever had! We found ourselves wandering around Carlsbad Village, in search of the smell of steak in the air beckoning to us. We landed at Fresco Cocina in the front dining area. Our server was extremely helpful. At first we were sad to see that Churrasco wasn't on the menu but after showing our server the picture and asking if there was something like that, we were told that is now called the carne asada. Perfect! It's what my husband ordered and enjoyed. I was tempted by the pictures of the burger. Normally when going out, that's not what I order. I could do that at home, right? Everything else on the menu looked great but I was in a burger mood. I don't regret it! Jalapeno, aioli, yuca fries just hit the spot on a cold winter's night. It just hit the spot. We split the bread pudding and it was amazing. It was more bready and not an oversaturated mess. Just perfectly balanced deliciousness. Perfect for splitting. The service was extra attentive and friendly. A good enough experience that this is going to turn into a regular date night location for us. I can't wait to go back and try more of their menu. read more

What a great experience I had eating dinner here on a Saturday evening. From the time I walked in service was great. The server went out of her way to accommodate my no spicy food only because of health issues. She was fantastic !!! Food was delicious. I will definitely be back when in town visiting. read more

Ambiance: Nicely decorated and furnished Food: 4/5 Enchiladas Trio (the shrimp one was delicious and my favorite) the other three were Birria and cheese Drinks: Peach Mojito, refreshing and the peach adds the flavor Overall a good spot to check out read more

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Drinks and appetizers were great. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. She offered to turn on the heaters when it got cold in outside seating. Our drinks were always full. read more

Fresco Cocina - Casa Margarita with Tajin rim & El Corazon Drink was so yummy! Cuatro de Dip. - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Beautiful place with an upstairs deck as well as lower deck seating. Plenty of dog friendly space. The bar is gorgeous with back wall that is tequila heaven. The food is fresh with so many options for everyone including vegetarian, gluten free. The squash blossom taco was unique almost too pretty to eat. We had Laura's shrimp cocktail with their chips. Super summer fresh. Delicious! The staff were attentive, very friendly and knowledgeable. All around we had such a great time! Music was a lot of fun to get the good vibes going. read more

We came during happy hour. Got the carne asada and shrimp tacos and Enchiladas de birria The ahi tostaditas and crispy brussels sprouts to share. The service was very good. The tacos were really good. The brussels sprouts had a nice char to them. Probably one of the best brussels sprouts In had. The ahi tostaditas in my opinion had too much sauce on them, but still good. Came here a few times and it is always cold inside. They have a parking lot and there is also street parking. Place got packed pretty fast after happy hour. read more

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We started with their Cadillac margarita straight up with an extra shot of tequila on the side. The margarita and tequila were very smooth. I usually get Patron Silver but this time we tried Cierto Blanco. Happy surprise. We nibbled on the chips and salsa as we enjoyed our drinks. Then we ordered the chicken Fajitas de la Casa with all rice and no beans. The guacamole was bright green. They cover the chicken fajitas with a crema. I assumed the crema was on the side. Their corn tortillas are amazing. I could eat them separately by themselves. There's no shredded cheese, just the crema which was different. I definitely prefer shredded cheese. Then there's the grilled bell peppers, onions and a couple tomatoes. Excellent flavors. Great service from our server. The restaurant has a fun upbeat vibe with positive energies. For me, the margarita was a 5, service a 5, corn tortillas, guacamole, grilled vegetables and rice were a 5. The crema on the grilled chicken was a 3.75. Suggestion: have the server inform the customer the crema usually is on top of the chicken and would they prefer it on the side. read more

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We stopped by last night for dinner. We asked to be seated outside and were promptly given a table out on the deck. The host appeared to be in a not very happy or pleasant mood. We were never given water. No one ever attended to our table. We waited 10 minutes and decided to leave since they were not interested in our business. We do not recommend this restaurant. read more

Wow wow wow by far the best modern Mexican place I've had with my family. Mexican parents and grandma approved! Located in he heart of Carlsbad village (with their own parking lot) Fresco Cocina offers such delicious food with a modern Mexican twist. I had the Carne asada (sorry for the half plate I forgot to take a picture -- that's how good it was) it came with onions and baby carrots. Yes, it's not traditional HOWEVER it is a fun and delightful twist! My grandma had the salmon plate, while my parents had the chicken fajitas. Keep in mind as a Mexican family, my grandma especially never truly enjoys modern Mexican-- but this as the first time she loved a place and requested to come back! The rice and beans looked and tasted so authentic, it was truly a great experience all around! Staff was super friendly and kind! Will be coming back for sure! read more

Fresco Cocina - Carne Asada - Tacos Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We came here for a 34th anniversary dinner and it was an excellent choice! It was our first time here! The atmosphere, waitstaff (Matt) and food were all superb! read more