A place that comes recommended and stays this busy sets a certain expectation. Not perfection, but at least a level of care that shows up on the plate. Walking in, it felt like that expectation might be met. The room was full, the space was well put together, and the staff was handling the pace without any issues. The food didn't land there. **FOOD** We had a mix across the table. One of my kids ordered a taco salad with ground beef. Another went with the nachos. I had the chicken chimichanga with rice and beans, and my wife ordered the birria quesatacos. The taco salad showed the first problem. The ground beef came out loose and wet, almost soupy, and it never recovered from that. It threw off the entire dish and made it hard to get through. The chimichanga followed the same pattern. It looked right, but there was no real flavor behind it. It ate heavy without any balance. The rice didn't add anything, and the beans stood out for the wrong reasons. Very dark, pasty, and carrying a harsh flavor that lingered. That's a basic side, and it shouldn't be that far off. The nachos came out already soft. Not slightly softened from toppings, but fully soggy. That's something that should never make it to the table that way. The birria quesatacos were the only thing that came close to landing. They were passable, but not something you'd come back for, and not close to the best version of that dish. Across the table, three out of four dishes missed, and the fourth didn't do enough to carry anything. Nothing felt deliberate. It all came across like it was rushed out without much attention to how it actually eats. **SERVICE** Service held steady, especially with how busy the restaurant was. The staff stayed attentive, drinks were handled quickly, and everything came out in a reasonable time. No issues there. **AMBIANCE** The space is well done. It's inviting, comfortable, and built to handle a full room without feeling chaotic. It gives the impression of a place that should be more dialed in than what showed up on the table. **CLOSING** This is a frustrating one. Everything around the food points in the right direction. The problem is the one thing that matters most doesn't follow through. When most of the table struggles to get through their food, that usually tells you everything you need to know. **RATINGS** Food: * Service: **** Ambiance: **** Overall: **/*** Personal Disclaimer: I value small, independent restaurants and want them to succeed. This review reflects a single visit and may not represent every experience. EVERY RESTAURANT IS WORTH TRYING FOR YOURSELF. Go, see what you get, and be honest in how you evaluate it. I've worked as an executive chef, restaurant manager, and owner. I tend to hold places to a higher standard. Execution matters. Freshness matters. Effort shows. Cutting corners usually does too. read more

Absolutely amazing! Recommended by a local and we loved it! Upon arriving we noticed the beautifully designed exterior and interior as well. This place is full of details. After being seated we began to look over the menu and immediately noticed that prices. Being from out of town we were surprised to see the food reasonably priced. We even made the joke that back at home the prices would be double. Waiter was kind and attentive to our table. We ordered and food didn't take long to arrive. Another surprising thing were the food portions! They definitely know how to serve a meal. Everything was delicious! We left satisfied and wish we lived closer to come more often, but we definitely will be back when in town again. If you're in the area I highly recommend you give this place a try! read more

We have consistently held La Carreta in high regard throughout my 12 years in this community. During this period, we have encountered only one less than satisfactory experience. Our recent order, placed several months ago, consisted of four crispy tacos, a side of rice and beans, and a combination plate featuring a chili relleno and cheese enchiladas. Unfortunately, the entire order was incorrect, and as it was a pickup order, I acknowledge my oversight in not verifying its accuracy before departing. Following this incident, we submitted a review, and a representative identifying as a manager responded, inviting us to contact the restaurant to resolve the matter and arrange for a replacement meal. A few days later, upon calling the restaurant and requesting to speak with the manager, a female host informed me that meal replacements were not being offered and that the manager was unavailable. After a brief discussion, I concluded the call. I have deliberated on whether to share this feedback, as I do not wish to convey a negative impression of La Carreta; their cuisine is consistently excellent. However, errors do occur, and due to a perceived lack of accountability, we have not returned since. I trust that other patrons have had more positive experiences, and we may consider revisiting in the future. This particular situation, however, has left a rather unfavorable impression. read more

Consistently good! Over the years have always enjoyed visiting this restaurant. Service is excellent! Recently had dental work done and was looking for a plate my teeth could handle. Was recommended by our waitress Marithza the PAPA LOCA. Basically all the usual grilled vegetables and grilled chicken over a bed of mashed potatoes. Wasn't expecting to eat this dish, but ended up being perfect! Highly recommend if you're having teeth issues. read more

Food was excellent - I had the chicken fajitas (the homemade flour tortillas are ) - as were the drinks. The atmosphere was legit and the wait staff were mostly friendly. We go least once a month. read more

This place is so good. I like every single location, but this one is very good. I like the decorations and layout of this location the best and the food is the same quality, I believe, everywhere. The servers are quick and nice. Always a staple. read more

We brought the parents here on their visit to Lynchburg. My husband loves this place for the value and portion sizes. I'm less impressed with the taste, but it is decent and consistent every time we visit. The free nachos in the table are the best part for me - warm with just the right thickness, not too thick, and crunch. I also always enjoy the refried beans and the rice. my father-in-law ordered chicken fajitas, and they brought them steak. He also ordered sweet tea and they brought unsweetened tea. I'm not sure they even have sweet tea, but something was definitely lost in translation. He enjoyed his food anyway and gave the tea to mom since he couldn't drink it. What matters is that they enjoyed their experience. And as before, we will be back. read more

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Good food, as close to finding good Mexican from home (San Antonio), service was good and attentive.

Absolutely delicious! This restaurant was absolutely delicious. I came with two friends last Sunday after church got out. We were seated immediately and they brought our drinks quickly. I love when service is fast. My friend speaks Spanish and often switches over to Spanish. Our waitress knew Spanish and helped my friend with the menu. She also brought out the food very quickly. The food was to die for! I got the chicken talavera (chicken with rice and queso). was so scrumptious and definitely a new favorite of mine. My friend got the chimichangas and really liked them. My other friend got the enchiladas and devoured the whole plate. They also served complimentary chips and salsa. 15/10 food! The ambiance of La Carreta could be casual but could also be a good date night/friends night restaurant. The decor is very Latin American and fits the restaurant and its food so well. I highly recommend this place to anyone in the area! read more

Great food, great service. Always a pleasure to go there. Waiters are very friendly and pay attention to you.

Food was great the last time I went. I ordered chicken street tacos, and my friends ordered the birria tacos We all enjoyed our food, and service was very quick and excellent! read more

I went to the bathroom and they thought I was done, so they took my food away. Service here needs more work and they don't have to assume I'm done. They also didn't give me a straw for my to go drinks read more

AMAZING! The clientele is awesome I love the food always hot and ready The decor it so cool really feels authentic Highly recommend! read more

You know it's good if I'm driving an hour from home just to eat here. Their fajitas texanas is the bomb . Hands down some of the best Mexican food in the area. A dinner for two with tip is around $40 but it is well worth every penny. The service is spot on as well they pay attention and keep your glass full and get you whatever you ask for. If you have a hanky for Mexican this is the place. read more

La Carreta - The online menu - Mexican Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

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La Carreta isn't the same. It's not the same 2013 La Carreta. Go to Mi Patrón. 100% better.

As a lad who skipped meals all day today, I found myself washed upon the doorsteps of the local La Carreta. Hungrily, my eyes almost ate off the menu, imagining which delicacy I was to consume. With unwavering intent, I went with the burrito grande stuffed with chicken and coated in an amazing queso blanco. Before I could get a picture of the burrito, I was halfway through, my mouth watering with each delicious bite. Rarely do I finish my plate, but today, La Carreta gave me a reason to. Great staff, clean location, and lightning fast time from order to food hitting the table. read more

La Carreta - Burrito Grande - Mexican Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

Food was terrible! The good la carreta is on wards rd. Somehow the steak in my burrito was burnt but cold. The meat in the tacos was also cold. Very nice building but food is trash. read more

To start, the service was very mediocre, refills didn't come as fast as I'd like but the food came out quickly. They also didn't bring out any tortillas for my friend's mom, which kind of ruins the whole experience of getting fajitas. The chips themselves were a little stale in my opinion, we showed up at a busy time and you wouldn't expect a Mexican place to have stale chips during busy hours. The salsa tasted exactly like jarred salsa which disappointed me. The queso was alright, a little too thick for my liking and it lacked any spice, which I prefer. As for the burrito, it was actually really good. It was jam packed with all the different meats and was fairly priced for the amount of meat they packed in there. The queso helped add some flavor in each bite as well. As for the fried onion, it was really good. It added a nice pop of flavor with the burrito. I wish that it was in the burrito itself though because it made the flavor profile of each bite a little awkward. You get the delicious burrito in the first part of your bite and then you're slammed with onion flavor right after. I think mixing the onion inside the burrito would make it a better overall bite. The ambiance and vibe in the restaurant were one of your typical Mexican spot and it added some extra bonus points for having comfortable seating. The price was mediocre as well, some things were a little too pricey for my liking but I thought the burritos especially were a decent deal. I don't live in Lynchburg, but when I visit again, I wouldn't be upset if my friends wanted to come here again, but I might suggest trying somewheres else first before we decide! read more

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Best Mexican restaurant around. The service is quick and the food is amazing. It gets pretty crowded but they are efficient and manage well.

The steak has been REALLY overcooked here recently. so much so that it's hard and flavor less. I'm not sure if they got a new cook or what's going on. I used to love the food and have it a 9/10 but now I rate it a 3. read more

La Carreta - Mexican Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

They are always quick, have reasonable prices and get my order correct. The best location of the other chains in my opinion.

The food is always good and the service is always great. The tortillas make the visit worth wild.

Can't go wrong at Laca. We love this place. Service and food is always top notch. Leftovers are awesome too.

My friends wanted taco and we stopped into the restaurant. I am from west coast so I'm skeptical of tacos in Virginia. But it was nice inside. Menu was small but not bad. I had the Birria Prime Rib Tacos and was quite surprised. Very tasty having birria tacos with consome and soft tender prime rib for meat. Tacos are by themselves so if you want rice and beans you need to order separate. I wouldn't hesitate to try this place again. read more

Great service drink was kept full and burrito was very good. Will come again soon. I'm from Fort Worth and missed the Texas flavor

Everyone at Lacaretta has always welcomed me and my family into their restaurants as part of their own family. They are all very special to me and my family. My mom and I always loved our time enjoying a wonderful meal here. read more

Worst sit down Mexican restaurant in Lynchburg and its somehow a chain?! LOW QUALITY ingredients and nothing unique or authentic about La Carreta. Unfortunately I've been here more than once and my opinion never changes. The lettuce is gross, beans are flavorless. There are lots of other Mexican restaurant to try out in the area. Please go somewhere else. Only penny pinchers like this place and even then there are great daily deals elsewhere. read more

Wonderful place for an afternoon lunch. The atmosphere is warm and comfortable. This was my first time here so, there is much I have not tried. Still, the food was very good and plenty to fill me. I would like to have tried a dessert. However, I had no room left. I look forward to coming back and experiencing the evening here along with one of their amazing desserts I am most certain to have a hard time deciding on, just like the rest of their menu. Thank you La Carreta for a nice afternoon. I will be back. read more

La Carreta - Queso Fundito! - Mexican Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

Delicious. Told them I had AlphaGal and they prepared my chicken in a separate pan. Was able to enjoy a great chicken dinner... Arroz Con Pollo!!! read more

I consider myself a foodie, love to eat out (check my reviews), that being said, I have never, ever had this level of service AND been provided excellent food at the same place. Literally within 30 seconds of being seated, which took all of 30 seconds, we got our waters, chips and salsa, and menus. Drink order was maybe a minute later, and the food was on the table in 5-7 minutes, Our waiter (didn't get his name) was HIGHLY attentive and never forgot about us. This was on GAME DAY at Liberty University with 38,000 people in attendance (to be clear, this restaurant is in the same town as the stadium, not IN the stadium) Highly impressed, will go there again - and I went there at my son's behest as he has had great experiences there! read more

Been wanted to go to LaCarreta for a while, but have been out of town. Got back Monday, so my daughter and I went there today for lunch. There wasn't to many people there, but they took use all the way through the place and sat us next to the back door. Not a good seat. Then they brought us a cold basket of chips. I was ready to go then. It was loud back there and a lot of the help was hanging around and talking loudly. We ordered our food and got it. It was hot and good, but the portions are smaller and the cost is higher. We finished eating and had to ask for our check. I noticed they put a "operating fee and a credit card fee" on our bill. It raised it about $5. I'm sorry to say, but I think I'm done with LaCarreta. Had to quit going to Wards Rd. store because of made up charges on the bill and they were charging my credit card more than the bill was. Forest store had a higher price on your bill than the menu price was. read more

The food is very good, the staff is friendly and fast, family atmosphere , the restaurant is always full, sometimes you have to wait but not long. Recommended one hundred percent. read more

Food was fantastic along with the building made it really feel authentic. The service was good as well it was busy so it was a little slow but that is to be expected, super clean. read more

Atmosphere, Staff, Service and Outstanding food. 1st time and definitely won't be the last for us.

Food tasted fresh. Fajitas Texanas was delicious. Server was friendly and accommodating. Great atmosphere! Prices are very reasonable!! Highly recommend when in area! Great find! read more

I am visiting Lynchburg for the holiday and decided to try this restaurant. My initial thought was to have it delivered to my house but when it added $15 because of a delivery fee, service fee plus my tip I decided to drive the 8 minutes to get the food. Imagine my surprise when the prices online were so different from the restaurant prices so while I expected to save $15, I actually only saved about $5 minus the tip and was told that the restaurant doesn't deliver through the app GrubHub nor Doordash. Why was I the one confused and feeling taken for a ride?? Merry Christmas :-( read more

If you're looking for authentic Mexican cuisine I'd definitely not recommend La Carreta. The food is very plain. Price is a bit high for what you're getting. I will definitely not be returning. read more

Mexican I enjoy this La Carreta location for just about everything: Service, food and drinks. Very good bartenders and some interestingly large bar stools that you can get all cozy in, make for a good start. Good sized and super large margaritas are decent - but use margarita mix for the most part - so they can be a sugary nastiness after drinking more than one. The food is very good and always comes out piping hot. Meats tend to run on the salty side. Beans and rice are always done right. Tortillas are too think for my liking - would rather have corn tortillas, they bring out fluffy flour ones- will have to see if they have corn next time I am there. Tamales are good - one of my favorite things at a Mexican place actually. Free chips and salsa and some other creamy dip they bring out with the chips - that is crack whatever it is. Yummy. The place gets packed out so plan accordingly. Parking all around. read more

I've eaten here twice on two separate trips to Virginia. I enjoy it because it satisfies my need for Mexican food when I'm away from California. And something else that's cool about it is that this restaurant has been able to show me a thing or two that I was unfamiliar with, despite having eaten Mexican food pretty much since birth. The first time, I had a full meal. This was back in early 2009, so I can't remember exactly how my enchiladas tasted, but I remember being happy with them. The second time was just two weeks ago, on my first day visiting Virginia after a tiring overnight flight. My companions ordered food, including the "pollo loco" (part of which is pictured here: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/utsYRqSh8KwnpliK5z8psA?select=XBpVrTDe6gZfL_MAdex_vA). I wasn't hungry at all, so I opted for chips and a couple of Coronas. I appreciate that the beers only cost $2.50, because they'd be at least $3 (and usually more than that) anywhere in the SF bay area. The only thing I ate this time was the chips with their melted cheese sauce (queso fundido). That stuff is AWESOME and we don't really see it in Mexican restaurants in California, at least not in the creamy form in which they serve it at La Carreta. The service was really good when we were there on a Saturday afternoon, but it was also pretty empty. I remember it being decent the first time I was there in 2009, when it was substantially more crowded for dinner time. read more

La Carreta - Pollo loco - Mexican Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

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Awesome food every time. Come early. Always popular. Staff is friendly and make sure customers are satisfied. Chips and salsa are great. Good prices. read more

La Carreta - Mexican Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia