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.

Hidden gem! Food and service is always 10/10. At times it…read moregets really busy but they bring out the food without much waiting.

We went out of our way to drive to this location based on a few other reviews I read on Yelp…read more Big mistake! I want to start by saying that the restaurant is not in a very nice area. And after our experience, I wish I had recommended we stopped by another restaurant in a more central part of town. We arrived at approximately 12:40 PM. The restaurant was at less than half capacity. We ordered chips with queso. I should have realized that if a restaurant can't get that and salsa right its a HUGE red flag. The chips were incredibly salty and the queso was dried out overly salty. It did anything but fill our stomach while we waited 40 mins for a chicken quesadilla, the "foot long burrito " see pictures and, beef enchiladas. The quesadilla was average and contained what tasted like boiled chicken. The "burrito" was nothing near a burrito. It was the width of an enchilada. I paid an extra $3.00 for queso on my burrito which was the saving grace. However, that made it barely edible. The beef enchilada plate had one flavor, chili powder. Service was sadly not any better than the

Very tasty food and great ambience…read more.. Great place to stop in for a meal.... Friendly staff and a pleasant place to sit and eat....

Nice to see a place that offers happy hour with half price select apps and drinks…read more You can tell a lot about a Mexican restaurant by the chips and salsa. This place was just ok. The salsa tastes homemade but had an off taste like it was missing something. Co worker ordered the chicken fajitas and I got the kids flautas. The food came out hot. My kids flautas came with a side of beans and rice. My rice was a bit hard and over cooked and minimal flavor. The beans also did not have very good flavor. This place felt more like a chain restaurant than just a local place.

Great food! Fast, friendly service! Ordered the Seniors Enchiladas…read more$10.99 containing Two enchiladas served with rice and beans! 11 pops2 reviews

Not a fan. The food to me was average. Staff was excellent…read moreand inside was clean and well run. We just thought the salsa was too mild and overall food was just average. Stopped there because we stayed overnight next door but would try another place next time.

Unbelievable $2 tacos!!!!! This is my new stop for bean and cheese tacos on my way to Ruidoso. They…read morewere very quick, and the place was very colorful. The young lady at the register was super nice . There is lots of tables so I'd assume it's great for a corporate event or family dinner.

We stopped in on a recent road trip for lunch. The staff is very friendly and make sure you have…read moreeverything you need. The chips and salsa were good. I ordered the combo plate with a taco, relleno, and enchilada. The taco was decent and the enchilada had a dark rich flavor. I didn't care for the batter around the relleno, but the pepper itself was really good. The green chili that smothered the relleno was a thick sauce. It was really flavorful. Hubby had the beef flautas. I wish I had read the reviews first, because everyone said they were dry, and that was spot on. The tortilla was crispy, but I think you loose a lot of the beef tenderness when you fry them when the meat is already well done. The beans and rice were good.

Everything went great! From the chips and spicy delicious salsa to the birria tacos to my friends 3…read moreenchiladas and even the refried beans were exceptional! Would definitely go back! Friendly and pleasant staff and comfortable booths for many great spot close to RV park.

Food: The chips and salsa are very good. Salsa has a good kick, but it's addicting…read more The chicken tacos weren't bad, meat was a bit bland, but it did come with a lot of meat Crispy taco had an interesting taste. Couldn't tell if it was the meat, or the shell Service: not bad. Friendly staff, just a busy night, & didn't get to see her much Ambiance: a bit loud. Crowded, & music was up a bit, making people talk louder haha Prices are a bit high, but for the portion sizes, it's not bad. About $15 and up per plate

I like the mini flour tortilla tacos Good service and taste…read moreis great They have live music on Saturday

Menudo was delicious. My husband loved it. He wished that…read morethe Pata fell off the bone . Shrimp fajita was tasty. The green chili was yummy. . CONS: Went to the bathroom, flushed the toilet and it's almost like a gasket exploded .WATER everywhere. Plugged in my iPhone at the table and Sparks came out . Corn tortillas were broken would've been better homemade. Uneditable. When traveling through here again, I would definitely stop and give it another try. BUT THE FOOD was good.

Wow! Such an unexpected pleasure! I believe this used to be hagerman tacos as that's what the gps…read morehad plugged in when we arrived here. We flew into Roswell and were hangry and came across such an unassuming gem. The chips are home cooked to order, the tacos were incredible and the green chili with refried beans and rice was outstanding.

Rancho Grande - as Yelp currently has it titled - is actually called Jimenez Rancho Grande…read more This Mexican restaurant is not on the main roads going into Lovington, NM, so folks unfamiliar with this area will sorely miss out if they don't already know about it. I'll get to my CONS out of the way: - limited hours on Saturdays & Sundays (6:00 AM - 2:00 PM) - credit card fee of 3.5% and I did NOT see this posted at the register - No buffet on Saturdays - chips and salsa are NOT complimentary ($6.99) My daughters and I came here for lunch for a girls day out before Mother's Day 2026 since we were spending time with family on Sunday. My dish: Tacos a la Parilla ($14.99 for 3 soft tacos with grilled brisket, guacamole, jalapenos, onions, tomatoes) served with rice and beans. Absolutely delicious. I would get this again. My oldest daughter also had a brisket taco plate ($14.99) but the crispy variety without jalapeno or pico de gallo. My youngest daughter opted for a cheeseburger ($13.89) with fries ($2.00). If those weren't fresh hand-cut fries I would be surprised. They were yummy. Slightly crisp. Not too oily. The burger I would have eaten all by myself with its buttery fluffy buns. This is a close first place for burgers in Lovington with Lazy 6 being its competition. Their horchata was divine ($4.25 × 2). My youngest was happy with her sweet tea ($3.75). Loved the vibes inside. The ceilings and lighting fixtures were very interesting. Not overly decorated. Good Mexican music playing at a good decibel. All of the staff members we interacted with were friendly. Restrooms and parking were good. I'll be a repeat offender.

Food was good. Ordered veggie omelette and it was stuffed…read morefull of green peppers and onions. A little too much. A little pricey