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    McAlister's Deli

    2.4 (155 reviews)
    InexpensiveSalad, Delis, Sandwiches
    Closed 10:30 am - 9:00 pm

    McAlister's Deli Photos

    MCALISTER'S DELI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Turkey avocado
    Iman Z.

    Ordered a meal togo and the service was friendly and pretty quick for how busy it was. The sandwich was delicious and had a good amount of avocado and turkey although I wish the bread was toasted. It also came with a pickle spear. I got a side of fruit which was not very good. A couple pieces of cantaloupe and melon. Would recommend opting for another side.

    John P.

    I decided to try this restaurant in Carlsbad since I use to have good experiences with the one in Hobbs, but I should have looked at the reviews first. I got there before the crowd did so my order came our quickly. I was disappointed in the portion size. The soup cup was smaller than I previously recalled and it barely half full. The wrap was also not very filling. If they put it on a smaller plate, it might not appear as to be so little.

    Maira B.

    Service was good! Food was not what I expected paying $35 for both of these plates. Sandwiches were supposed to be toasted and everything was ICE COLD. Salad was ok... however overall, I'd never go back. Toooooo expensive!

    Menu
    Magda G.

    When in Carlsbad there is limited options for vegetarian/ vegan food; I think there are 3 options so McAlister Deli we went. Ordered the the veggie sandwich which came w lots of yummy veggies; side pickle & chips - omitted the herb mayo. The sandwich was fresh & delicious. The staff was fantastic & so sweet. They checked in on us twice & refilled our unsweetened ice tea twice. Excellent service all around. CC accepted.

    Chicken Caesar wrap
    Mark A.

    I stopped in here for something to eat. I got a wrap and ordered a croissant sandwich for my wife. I was happy with my wrap, but the croissant sandwich was squished and looked pretty sad. I also got a big cup of strawberry lemonade, which was good. They got my food pretty fast, and I was happy with the overall experience. I would get from here again.

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

    If zero was an option it would be it. The wait time is unbelievable. 30-45 minutes is crazy.

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Waited 20 minutes in the drive through for anyone to even open the window. Had to call them. The worst and slowest service ever.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I never seem to get an au ju with my French dip, and the wait times are always very slow.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was great service was good ordered to go girl at the window was friendly will be returning love there salads

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    2 years ago

    The customer service here sucks. Nine people working and not busy and not one of them could acknowledge me.

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    1 year ago

    good service really nice staff and delicious food were really fast with the orders even with the lunch rush

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - McAlister's Deli

    Review Highlights - McAlister's Deli

    Bobby (the manager) took it into his own hands and hooked us up with a decent meal on the house.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Carniceria San Juan De Los Lagos - Carnitas Tacos ($8)

    Carniceria San Juan De Los Lagos

    4.4(448 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Carniceria San Juan De Los Lagos - Inside, part meat market, bakery, and food spot

    Inside, part meat market, bakery, and food spot

    Carniceria San Juan De Los Lagos - Carne Asada Enchiladas

    Carne Asada Enchiladas

    Carniceria San Juan De Los Lagos - Chiles Toreados

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    Chiles Toreados

    Yellow Brix Restaurant - Berries and cream crepe

    Yellow Brix Restaurant

    3.8(830 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    While visiting Carlsbad Caverns we stayed in town for a couple days and had dinner here our first…read morenight. The waitress who served us was wonderful, friendly, attentive, and incredibly kind to our dog. Prices were very reasonable and the portions were generous. The only negative part of the evening had nothing to do with the restaurant. A man seated next to us spent much of dinner being rude and entitled, repeatedly questioning how the salmon was prepared, criticizing the wine list, and generally acting unpleasant toward the staff. The blonde waitress with glasses handled the situation with impressive patience and professionalism. Honestly, it took restraint not to say something myself. She did a fantastic job dealing with a very difficult customer and deserves recognition for it.

    Yellow Brix was great! The outdoor seating is lovely, they do a nice job with the patio. Even with…read morethe location by a main road, it feels like someone's back yard, really pleasant. And the live music was a nice touch for a Friday night. Service was also excellent, so friendly and on top of their game. I had the shrimp pomodoro dish and really enjoyed it. The shrimp were seasoned so well, and the pasta was al dente. There was also a nice, mild kick from the black pepper, and the fresh parmesan melted into the dish to create cheesy goodness. Maybe a touch heavy on the oil but it was still an excellent meal overall.

    Photos
    Yellow Brix Restaurant
    Yellow Brix Restaurant - Avocado toast with eggs over easy paired with breakfast potatoes.

    Avocado toast with eggs over easy paired with breakfast potatoes.

    Yellow Brix Restaurant - Entrance

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    Entrance

    Guadalupe Mountain Brewery - Four Beer Flight ($8)

    Guadalupe Mountain Brewery

    4.1(161 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    My husband and I were staying next door at the Homes2Suites and decided to grab a couple pizzas to…read morego. One of the pizzas we ate at the hotel and one we ended up taking with us to Carlsbad Caverns the next day and eating as a picnic lunch which was so fun! Both fresh and as leftovers, the pizzas were very good. We also indulged in a couple of IPAs/ Pale Ales as we waited. All of which hit the spot. The place was PACKED! But the line went by quickly and waiting for food was easy enough. There seemed to be a bountiful amount of seating.

    DLDR: Food is decent, service takes forever, and the beers are delicious…read more First time to GMBC and I'm going to try to have an open mind. This brewery is an oasis in Southern New Mexico. I can honestly say I could drink their brews daily as there is a wide range of IPA to almost Pils which should satisfy most folks. Beer = damn good! Ambiance is nice but simple. I can see that there might be a vision for branding and a local guitarist setting the tone. I'm all for it! It's a good idea but needs more application. Here's the problem: The service and wait times are very bad. Not the worst I've had, but it will 100% take you 30+ minutes to get a pizza plus wait time in line. To me, that is absolutely unacceptable. I don't have a problem with queuing in line for food and drinks but the speed needs to increase just to adhere to the vibe GMBC is trying to create; a Guadalupe Mountain Brewery that focuses on food, family, and beer. About the pizza, promising an open mind here, it's ok. Again, an oasis in a Domino's wasteland. But Dominos fully cooks their pizzas. I am 100% a pizza snob. I give these pies 2.5/5. Far too many toppings and a pale crust. Less toppings, more heat, more experience from the BOH staff. The pies are not cooked long enough as the cheese is clumpy and uneven and the toppings (veggies mainly) are huge, undercooked and the pizza was served nearly cold! Great portions but poor bake as they prioritize "speed" over making a good pizza. If you have never had a delicious slice, this is a solid step in the right direction. If you are used to professionals creating quality food, you will be disappointed. Still, don't shy away from this brewery as you can have a good (quite long) time as the beers are fairly priced and food will satisfy you. Absolutely throwing shade to the queso which is just canned Queso brand with crappy chips. I might add that the queso came with a hair in it but was slowly rectified by a server that I had to flag down. Ultimately, why should I wait so long in line for food that is minimum standard and is amateurish? Because I'm in Carlsbad, NM and there isn't competition to incentivize this place to be better. I want them to be better because I plan on making this a solid pit stop in the future. Keep up the good work, but continue to improve.

    Photos
    Guadalupe Mountain Brewery - Four Beer Flight ($8)

    Four Beer Flight ($8)

    Guadalupe Mountain Brewery - New Mexico Green Chile Pizza ($15)

    New Mexico Green Chile Pizza ($15)

    Guadalupe Mountain Brewery - Green Chile Beer 6.7%ABV ($6/16oz [pint])

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    Green Chile Beer 6.7%ABV ($6/16oz [pint])

    McAlister's Deli - salad - Updated May 2026

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