My son and I were able to go out yesterday for lunch at LA Carreras. My first thought when we walked in was, that it was really clean and the aroma was so inviting. The young lady that helped us was very nice, she gave us time to order and set us up with everything we needed for our upcoming meal. My son had a Super Steak Burrito he said it was very good. I had a chicken tostada, so delicious, the meat was tender and juicy I had them add some avacado and sour cream.. My two steak tacos also very good, the steak was flavorful and not fatty, I added avacado to them...I also enjoyed a Cantaloupe Fresca, I love it it's my favorite. Thankyou LA Carrera for a good lunch with fantastic service, and a clean restaurant..We Appreciste You! read more

See all

Everything is really good and good service good food and the tortillas are amazing 100% Recommended ! read more

La Carreta - Menudo !! Wow super good - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

Chips were stale, steak was dry and tough, and the shrimp were overcooked. service was slow, as most of the time they were screaming along to the blaring music that I normally wouldn't complain about however, the singing and loudness were just that bad. I completely understand why I was the only customer in the restaurant for the longer than necessary time I was there. This place certifiably sucks. read more

The shrimp dishes were delicious, and the service was outstanding; she was very attentive. We will definitely return and try all the other dishes. read more

Ordered a breakfast burrito and the bacon was basically raw fat. I had to spit out piece after piece because it wasn't cooked and was just pure grease and fat. Super disappointing and honestly gross. If you're charging for bacon, at least cook it properly. read more

La Carreta is hands down the best Mexican restaurant in all of Marin. The tacos are absolutely incredible fresh, flavorful, and unforgettable and the staff couldn't be kinder or more welcoming. Kevin is super generous and super hard working. Every visit feels special, and it's the kind of place you keep coming back to because everything, from the food to the service, is just that good. read more

The food and services was exceptional. Best tacos in Marin. Hands down would come be again.

I keep trying this place hoping it's going to be good, but it's just really not. Got a super grilled chicken and it's full of extremely salty, dry, and finely chopped chicken and rice and beans and that's about it. Very little guac, sour cream, pico. Like, almost none. Also, really hard to eat the way it's distributed. Stale chips, which happens every time. I thought since it's early they might be better. I was mistaken. $18 and just not good. read more

food is way to expensive for the quality, also any time I pay with Apple Pay it seems that they take money away from me without me knowing after I leave the restaurant. I always try to avoid going here because it is the worst Mexican food spot in Novato by a long shot. Go to Tommy salsas or mi pueblo instead read more

We've really come to depend on this nearby Mexican restaurant for our weekly cravings. My husband gets the wonderful shedded beef Nachos Grande, I change it up and try new things. My favorite is the taco salad. I also love the pickled veggies that come with the combo platters. My son loves the enchiladas. They do take out and you can get delivery. The food is ready really fast which is great for hungry tummies. read more

La Carreta - Large Nachos with Tender Shredded Beef - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

See all

We go here less and less because each time we go the prices get higher, the portions get smaller, and some of the staff (especially the lady with super long nails) get ruder and ruder. Done. read more

Great Mexican food restaurant. I love their California burritos with Carnitas. They also do great chips and guacamole. I highly recommend this place and I also support them because they are local to where I live. If you're in the area definitely check it out. read more

La Carreta - Come eat here! - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

The food is pretty good and I have not been disappointed. I mostly come here out of convenience as there are better Mexican restaurants in town. My biggest compliant is they continually get my order wrong. -It's frustrating when you get home only to realize something is missing or you have the wrong order. It's also the most expensive burrito in town at $17.99 for a burrito. I'd gladly pay it and come back except for issues with my order being taken. read more

Have had poor experiences here numerous times. We always have a long gap in between visits and think, "it will be better this time". Not the case. Food quality is poor and prices are high. Today's incident was a large 18 taco order with a "medium" side of rice and beans. (Basically a 12x12 tin, with half rice and half refried beans). Left in a hurry, then started thinking about the bill when I got home. Didn't get a receipt and couldn't think of how it added up to $130. Went back in for a receipt and found my rice and beans side cost $55. Just speechless...... Was not even worth arguing over. Completely my fault for not checking before paying and for thinking this trip would be different than all the rest. Do yourself a favor and just avoid the place. I need to stop being so delusional and thinking La Carreta is magically improving. read more

La Carreta - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

See all

Service with a smile. Food to go tonight. Ordered U.N. nachos , rice and beans and carnitas to to. Yum. read more

I was trying to decide whether or not to leave a review I decided that I should. I've visited La Carreta about one month ago. I had heard about quesabirria tacos and wanted to try. I noticed them on Doordash and that they sold them but every time I tried to order the restaurant was not available to order from. The tacos were $5.99 however Doordash is price is a little inflated most of the time. I decided to visit the restaurant and have dinner there with a friend. I did not see the tacos on the menu but ask if they have them in the server kindly told me that they did. When I asked how much they were she said she thought they were around $4+ I ordered four tacos and drinks and a enchilada plate to eat there and an additional six tacos to go for my husband and son. When they brought out the four tacos, they were not crispy at all. They were very soggy and required eating with a fork. There was also no consommé and they forgot to put cheese in them. I did not want to make a big deal out of it so I did tell them that the tacos they served would be OK but please make sure to put cheese in the to go order and to make them extra crispy. I was shocked when she brought the bill. It was over $100! I was charged $8 each for the tacos. ...that's $80 for ten tacos ala carte! The service was good, so I tipped her 20%, and decided that I would not return to that restaurant. As I walked out I turned around and came back in and asked her if the tacos were really $8 each. She tapped something into the register and then told me, "yes they are". I thought that seemed outrageous...even for North Bay prices...considering she told me she thought they were around $4. But I turned around and left determined that I would tell everyone I know not to eat there. I completely forgot about it until I logged into Uber eats today and saw their restaurant listed and selling the tacos for $5.99 each. read more

La Carreta - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

I love, love, love this place!! I forget about it because I'm so used to just going to the Mexican restaurants close to my home, but this place is great. The prices are HIGH, that much I have to agree with on other reviews, they seem much higher than "normal" sit down restaurants in Marin. The fact that you walk in, order from a menu board, are given a number then go find a seat is a little awkward if you've never been there, but once you are familiar with the menu and the process things go smoothly and the food is soooooooooooooo worth the wait. Staff here is friendly, service with a smile, and very patient as you read the extensive menu board. I usually just have water, and don't mind that it's room temp, if you want ice, just ask, and they'll get you some. I picked up an order to go on Thursday night of Chile Verde that was off the hook delicious. The pork was perfectly spiced up, just spicy enough to make me THINK about eating a tortilla and drinking some milk, the beans are so flavorful, and the rice is great too. Authentic, it reminds me of my trip to Mexico as a teenager. This place is immaculate from the front of store to the restrooms!!! read more

See all

This place unfortunately disappoints. I ordered the BTO vegetarian burrito. It was $12.30 for the single burrito before tip (remember- without meat!) I would've been fine with this price, especially in Marin, if the burrito was tasty. It wasn't, and I actually had to unwrap it to try and make it work. For example, first bite... all cheese (and only cheese). No guac, no pico or tomato or anything, and it wasn't distributed throughout the burrito. Truly gross if you don't mix it up. Just bites of only one of the ingredients. Also the two women working were unfriendly and seemed annoyed at my presence since I was the only one in there. It's a bummer, especially for the price. I'd even say chipotle is better.. read more

Actual rating: 2.5, but have rounded up since they get a lot of the little stuff right. Like the women running the place could not be nicer. Like they clearly make their own chips... and they're on the somewhat thicker side (which I love), and many of them are cut to be large, which makes them great for scooping (salsa, of course, but also taco leftovers on the plate). The problem is: the food itself was kinda forgettable. I had two tacos. The carne asada meat was nice and lean - not gristly or too fatty (again, doing the small things right) - but damn, it also had very little flavor. The Chile Verde was better, the verde sauce was quite good, and the pork chunks were large and lean... but they were also kinda dry. I left feeling like this was a sort of a bachelor restaurant :) The kind of a food a single guy would settle for making in his own kitchen when he wanted Mexican but didn't wanna go out for really good Mexican. Meaning: it scratches the itch, but you're essentially settling. Now, maybe I was there on an off day. And if I lived closer to this place, I would definitely go back and give them another chance - again, because of the well-done small things. But I'm not likely to be near this way... and it certainly doesn't warrant making a special trip out there. read more

Haven't had anything else on the menu yet except their breakfast burritos. We got chorizo burritos for brunch and chowed them down. It was tasty and good and really should try other things on the menu next time. The potatoes were a little soggy & mushy so maybe I'll get a little rice in it instead. read more

La Carreta - Breakfast burrito-Chorizo, eggs, retried beans, cheese, & potatoes. I'll skip the potatoes next time. - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

I ordered the macho burrito and was disappointed. It was sloppy and didn't taste great. The burrito sauce was more like a soup and I had to pour it out. Very overpriced, not worth the 20$. read more

La Carreta - Macho Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

The Taste is ok but the dealbreaker is that they have been charging more but also skimping on more expensive ingredients. What ever happened to winning over customers with generous portions and good prices? read more

We've had takeouts from this place twice recently. I had to say we weren't expecting much, but we were pleasantly surprised. All items were fresh and flavorful. Much better than the other taqueria that we go to... We ordered two chile rellenos and split a big burrito in our most recent takeout. Both were excellent, but we particularly loved the rellenos. The crunchy sautéed cabbage on top was so good. My husband grew up in New Mexico, and it even pleased him. We now have our favorite taqueria so close by. Why didn't we give them a try sooner? read more

Nice Clean and they greet you as you come in,with a great smile! I sadly tried chicharrones en Salsa (pork crackling with spicy sauce) I love this dish But chicharrones were old I would say more than 4 days for them to taste like that. I was in a rush they messed up the order (understandable) this happens so not a big deal. If I ever pass again I would most likely give it another try. Probably they have not double check the food after long weekend Holliday. read more

I had hopes that this place would be as good as some folks said. It fell in the middle, not completely exciting and not exactly boring. The menu had enough options to choose from from the typical taqueria (a la carte plates, burritos, tacos...etc.). The staff was friendly, too, which made it feel welcoming. They also offered a self-serve salsa bar with well-labeled levels of heat. This place takes a bit of time so I would advise calling ahead if you want to get something to go like my intention was this day. Where the experience fell short was the quality of food. I had a carne asada burrito and the meat was chewy and the beans lacked flavor. They didn't label my burrito well so I had to have my husband checked out what one was his because he had a fish burrito. As I am highly allergic to fish, I felt it an error that should not be made. My husband was also not thrilled with the burrito. We both felt it lacked flavor. Even the salsas were bland. I like heat in my salsa and flavor to my food. However, some people like food without much spice or heat, so this might be the place for those folks. For me, this is a one time experience. read more

They never put guacamole in their burritos. I'm serious. I would love for that location to be successful as it's closest to us. But I recommend going to another Mexican restaurant. read more

Ordered the pastor regular burrito. The meat was ok, but the onions weren't cooked, and the flavor was pretty underwhelming. Wanted to support a local business, but it's going to be hard to come back when Chipotle down the street offers a better burrito at a more competitive price. Verde salsa was very good. read more

Too expensive!!! 2 Guys ordered, after riding Staford Bike Park - 6 tacos and 2 Horchata drinks and one flan... $42.00 . They forgot the flan in our to go order, not worth going back. Very disappointing. read more

The food here is fantastic. I had the taco and Chile relleno with rice and beans and so delicious. They are open early 9 am and have outside as well as inside seating. Located in a small shopping area deep in Novato it's worth the trip. Service was fast, you order at counter and they bring the food out to you. read more

We have ordered 6-7 times the last few months and it is the best Mexican food in Novato we have had We have lived here 30 + years and have tried many others which are also good, El Ray and La Hacienda For now going with La Carreta! read more

I actually really enjoyed this place. I was a bit dubious because of some of the Yelp reviews. But, we went anyway cause it was close by. Based on the Yelp reviews, these people wouldn't know an actual Mexican restaurant if it dropped tacos on their heads. What they want is a perfectly Americanized mexican experience. That definitely isn't this place. Yes, the people running the restaurant don't speak perfect English. But the restaurant was filled with a lot of Hispanic people. To me, that's one of the best indicators of the quality of food is if people of the culture eat there. If you order water, you fill it out of a dispenser. It's cool. But ice is only if you ask for it... Like most of the rest of the world. The service wasn't fast, but it wasn't slow either. Just about average, but we didn't wait long. The food was hot and extremely tasty. I got the two steak taco platter and my companion got the chilaquiles with steak. Super tasty with good portions. I ordered cheese and sour cream for my tacos cause it wasn't included. But generous portions of rice, beans, and salad. To be honest, the prices are a little steep. But this is California and food is generally more expensive. The food uses excellent quality ingredients, and that shows in the authentic flavors prepared by cooks very familiar with the cuisine. We will definitely be back! read more

So i have no idea why this place only has 3 stars, y'all Karen's trippin! Service was fantastic, the young man was great and attentive. Food was bomb, i got the alambre, man!!! So bomb! Too bad i don't live close by however, i'll be back cuz it's that good and the service was great! Y'all missing out, go go go! read more

First time here their tacos of carbon are bomb also there fajitas plate has a lot of flavor. Friendly staff who kept on making sure we had what we needed. Definitely coming back read more

La Carreta - Mexican Near Me - Novato, California

I have now completed our family's Tour d' Mexican Restaurants in Novato, and this one is the clear winner food-wise. It's funny to hear people rave about the other Novato spots, which are all about as Mexican as Chevy's, afaict. Too bad La Carreta is stuck in this weird strip mall location instead of a proper restaurant -- if only enough people would try it, maybe it could take over one of the not-really-very-Mexican places. read more

Generally love this place. Our second fave after Mi Pueblo. During SiP however we have been put off by their lack of following some of the rules designed to keep patrons safe. Examples: counter staff at least once had no mask on while taking and handing out orders. Another time the table out front was occupied with a group of guys getting plowed on beers, no masks, and shouting obscenities at each other while blocking the door. I have heard of but not seen them serving some guests at the indoor tables. We will be back when things are safer and their cavalier approach to customer safety isn't such an issue for us. read more

I wanted today around noon I'm on lunch break to get food and I decided to go on their healthy style menu , I regret getting that off their menu because the vegetables were very soaked in water , very soggy and chewy . I felt like the vegetables were froze it because some of them were really cold in the middle of them, there was no flavor to them not even salt or pepper or some seasoning on them very plain, and I paid $14 for some steamed vegetables I was very terrible. read more

Ordered takeout to support the restaurant during the SIP. Unfortunately the food was awful. Chicken was dry and lacked any flavor. Not the usual cooks in the kitchen and you could tell. Will give the restaurant another chance AFTER the SIP. read more

I have been trying to keep thi s place on my list of spots for a long time, several years, and it continually dissappoints. I have had my orders messed up multiple times, and now I saw that they raised the prices again and are now charging $12+ for a super burrito. No value here, need to learn my lesson and take them off my list. read more

Stumbled in this place trying to get a burger next door. It was such a good surprise! I had a carne assada taco salad and my husband had a burrito. Everything was delicious, and they were even able to give us some avocado for my baby son to eat. The place was very clean, food was good, and the green salsa (mild) was the bomb! Definitely stopping by again when we drive home from Sea Ranch! read more

Sadly underwhelming food. Great service. Asked for a California burrito and they had never heard of it. Bad start. I lived in baja Mexico and I know what I'm talking about. The beans in the burrito were undercooked and hard, the Pico de Gallo was bland, the dark salsa was overly seasoned with seafood (maybe clam sauce), and the price was way too high. Unfortunate because it so close to home and I love quality Mexican. read more