I came here for the avocado festival and it super busy! I heard about the avocado margaritas and it seemed like a good idea... they are really good! And the food is delicious too! read more

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I consider myself a patient person but this place made me lose my mind. Not to mention the food was a total disappointment. Ants on the wall, rude waiter, and dirty to go boxes. OH! And I wasn't served my complimentary chips. I ordered a bean and cheese (wet burrito) and it was served warm borderline cold. The beans and enchilada sauce were probably canned... at least that's what it tasted like. The tortilla was chewy (and not in a good way) . If you're not from carp and want Mexican food I suggest walk past this place. read more

Tortilla chips were light, and the salsa fresh but way too mild. Cheese enchiladas came in a bland sauce, with cheese barely melted, not hot. Black beans served with the enchilada were ok. The menu has a wide variety of choices including vegetarian, and service was pleasant, but the place doesn't register on my flavorful or spicy index. Nice people watching from sidewalk tables while drinking from their huge iced tea glasses read more

Oaxaca Fresh - Minimally cheesy enchilada, good black beans, good chips - Mexican Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Had an alright lunch here. The menu is pretty big, and they have outdoor seating if you have pets. It seems like they bought out two adjacent store spaces and they're next door to a different Mexican restaurant, so it's a little confusing figuring out which restaurant is which. Prices were reasonable, and food was alright. Service was, for some reason, extremely sloowwwwww even though the restaurant was mostly empty. Food was fine but pricey considering the quality (our nachos came out cold). Service ran at a snails pace and the staff seemed a little confused. Solidly middle of the ground place. read more

The absolute best Rajas con carnitas!! You will love them just as I do. Perfect crispy/ tender meat and beans and rice mmmmmmmm thank you guys! read more

Oaxaca was a pleasant surprise after the only review on Yelp! I wondered what I'd get but it was the only place open that looked good so there we were. I ordered the vegetarian tostado and my husband had a tri-tip burrito. They were both delicious and abundant. The chips and salsa that was served immediately and though we were not offered more, they were really good and crispy and warm! I did notice the dirty dished (as noted in another review), all stacked up on the way to the bathroom! It was very strange actually, but I was prepared so I overlooked it.... and it was AFTER I had eaten, thankfully. The waiter(s) were nice, spoke fluent spanish and english. It was a good experience. I would go back even though it wasn't the very very best Mexican food I'd had. It was more than acceptable. read more

Oaxaca Fresh - Mexican Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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I absolutely LOVE Oaxaca Fresh! I eat it for lunch at least once a week, sometimes twice. The chips and salsa are the best! I want to drink the salsa with a straw. The tamales are something special. The masa is perfect. Everything I have had I loved. The mole is soooo goood! Thankful for this precious find in Carpinteria! read more

Nice family owned place, combo plates could have been bigger. But they followed standard Covid procedures, and the customer service was great. read more

Great outdoor eatery Fresh Made food that you can add the desired heat you enjoy. The staff are so nice and hospitable.

I've always loved this place but it's been a while (we live in Goleta). The mole is the best in town and after one bite I was in heaven again. It's not surprising since Oaxaca, Mexico is known for its mole. This time I got the chicken mole ENCHILADAS - so good! Their chips and salsa are awesome. I love putting the red salsa on the rice. My husband got a burrito. I had a bite and it was delicious too. I'm not sure which one but I think everything is good - just get what you like. Our son LOVED his kid's burrito. Servings sizes are slightly smaller than places we go in goleta. The owner was friendly, professional and grateful for the business. The staff was laughing which was nice to see. Everyone wearing masks and the process felt very safe. Silverware was individually packaged. We took the food to the park and had a picnic. I am already planning what I'll have when I go back (one of the mole special entrees.) oh and we called our order in and he said 10 minutes (I think we were there at a less busy time) and it took exactly that. read more

Oaxaca Fresh - Chile relleno and chicken mole enchilada combo, beans, rice - Mexican Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Lunched at Oaxaca during the Avocado Festival. Unfortunately it was a very poor experience. The restaurant was not over crowded but the service was sub par at the best. I am not going to nit pick at everything but over all, Food was surprisingly bland and sparse. We were a table of 6 girlfriends having drinks and appetizers. Drinks came at all different times, between us we were served one basket of chips and one small salsa. Could never find the server so we each had to get up and as for waters, napkins, service wear, additional salsa and chips. Table was never clear of any used plates, etc. Bill was rather pricy for the overall. Upon leaving, the ladies bathroom was out of order so all had to use the mens which needed serious assistance. Over all a very poor rating. If the servers would have been kind and on occasion attentive it would have at least helped the end results. I am sorry to add a bad review to my group but yes, this was not good. read more

We love this place. Amazing atmosphere, family-owned, and carnitas I would sell my cousin for. Overall a 5-star facility that deserves much more attention. Miranda & Scott Parkin read more

Oaxaca Fresh - Mexican Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Server/service was great. Pleasant, attentive, answered questions throughly. Rice/beans are vegetarian friendly. No chicken stock in these which makes it desirable/safe for vegetarians. The food is bland. Something you don't hear much when talking about South of the U.S. border food. Table next to us, they were eating food with meat in it, said the same thing. Even their salsa had no "kick" to it. It was like eating tomato sauce with chunks. read more

This place has the worse beans and rice. When I told the older man behind the counter about the tasteless beans and rice, his reply was " we made then here every Day, probably all it need it was salt the is why we put salt st every table" there was no salt at my table. The mole negro was ok, not great. Taco Bell has better beans than this place. read more

The owner or manager is a total jerk. I will never come back again. Two doors up the street on the other side of the ice cream place the food is 10 times better and the service 100 times better! I wish I could have given zero stars! read more

We sat ourselves outside in the patio & was ignored for like 10 minutes. We asked the table next to us if they ordered in front or if they come to you. The service was slow. The chips were bland & the salsa had no bite to it whatsoever! I ordered nachos & they were supposed to come w/guacamole but that consisted of 4 tiny slices of avocado on top of the nachos..the beans ontop were bland...the cheese was barely there! We ordered green salsa hoping it be hotter but nope. This is our first and last time here! read more

This is a friendly little Mexican place that has a nice flair to make their dishes tasty. I appreciated how they served each person their own salsa with chips. Our server was very nice and gave great recommendations. read more

Really enjoyed the food. Had the halibut and it was excellent. My daughter enjoyed the fish tacos. Service could be a little faster

Lets be real this isn't a place you'd want to take date but if your just in the mood to sit for a long time with a friend and talk this place is perfect. I've gone here over the years and for me this place has many good memories. Lots of heart felt conversations at this place. Is the food great--meh? It's defiantly not organic or out of this world, but it's do able. I think what I like about this place is the fact they don't make you feel like you hurry because they want someone else to have your table. Again, a lot of deep conversations have been had here.. It's no beverly hills restaurant but for a small town it's laid back style fits in with the calmness of the beach. If your in a rush or super I need to eat this second--I'd keep it moving. Want to sit down and converse over a beer and chips--grab a booth. Not for everyone but for those who are looking for a quiet place to talk this works out nicely. read more

Solid few and solid service. This place specializes in Oaxacan Mexican cuisine with different types of mole and a unique tamale wrapped in a banana leaf. Prices are reasonable, and service is good. We were camping at Carpinteria and traditionally, we don't cook Friday nights so we decided to try this place. I had a special and the food was delicious. Oaxacan style is not as spicy and the food was very tasty. Very homemade tasty. I would definitely recommend if you're in the area. read more

Nothing special about my visit here - the food was only ok, it seemed a bit over oily and not very fresh. I'm in no hurry to go back.. read more

Oaxaca Fresh - Obviously it was terrible ;) - Mexican Near Me - Carpinteria, California

In believing this is a "great" Mexican restaurant, your idea must mean you know as much about Mexican food as Taco Bell. One word: mediocre. No good taste or flavors, boring and very bland. Chips were as tasty as the ones you leave out in your kitchen from the night before, stale and no salt. Maybe they've run out of herbs and spices as they have many of their menu items. I attempted to order 2 different dishes before I actually ordered one they could make since they had run out of many other things maybe from the day prior. Spent over $50 on 3 people and we all had aching stomachs later that night. Needless to say, next time you see an empty restaurant it's probably for a reason. Customer service also mediocre, assuming and hoping it was the girls 1st day to excuse so many brain farts. Next time...I'm walking across the street to Beach Liquor! read more

Horrible. Food was bad, service was worse. The waiter was downright surly about bringing water to the table. Out of six people we managed to fight for two glasses of water and then another two glasses. We had to fight to get the bill. He gave us dirty looks anytime we asked for anything at all. Awful. Allegedly, they make their tortillas here. Maybe they did, last month. Old and not good. Everything tasted stale and old. The pork was the consistency of jerky, dry and flavorless. Parts were actually hard. I couldn't even finish one taco. Even the beans were bad. La Victoria refried beans from a can are WAY better, sadly. The only good thing? The medium spicy green salsa was decent. I felt like I was imposing by asking for anything. Really disappointing. read more

First time here, ordered the chile verde plate.. It was very flavorful and complimented with homemade tortillas totally topped it off! The chips and salsa were fresh and delicious! My uncle ordered the wet chile verde burrito which was comparable to a "Manny's Hollenbeck Mom's Burrito" at El Tepeyac in ELA... No complaints, and I was told it was absolutely delicioso!! We finished our meals with some delectable flan and fresh cafe that made for an amazing finish! read more

I hate giving one star reviews but if I can warn anyone away from here it will have been a public service. Service was slow as cold molasses and indifferent. Food was awful. Salsa tasted like tomato sauce and chips were fried in stale oil. There was a hair on my plate, under my taco, just to add insult to injury. Came in hungry, left sick to my stomach. Will never go back. read more

To date, the best Mexican food that I have ever had in a restaurant setting! Seriously, this place may not have a lot of atmosphere or ambiance, but it has fantastic food. I ordered the chili verde, which was delicious. The pork was exceeding lean and finely shredded; the green tomatillo sauce was spicy and savory; and the homemade corn tortillas tied the meal together perfectly. My wife had a Caesar salad that was beautifully presented on its themed lime-green platter. The romaine lettuce, the slices of avocado, and the generous portion of shredded parmesan cheese were all fresh. If you consider the price of food at other places in Carpinteria, Oaxaca is a fantastic value for wonderful food and we will expand our sampling of their food with our next visit to the Santa Barbara area. read more

I wouldn't go back here again. The food was ok, but we waited for a long time for our food. And when I did get my food, chile relleno and a chicken taco, it was cold. They didn't get our orders right and their price wasn't so good. I would skip this place. read more

Very slow service and lots of mistakes. Not much organization. They bring out the wrong food, two waiters keep asking us for drinks or for our order not knowing them at the other person just did. The food is so-so also. read more

Five stars because the Monte Alban with chicken is flipping amazing. It would be a mistake to order anything else. read more

Oaxaca Fresh - The Monte Alban w/ Chicken and extra sauce. One of the best meals in the universe. - Mexican Near Me - Carpinteria, California

This is a good restaurant - very yummy! If you are looking for an authentic Mexican menu, eat here. Delicious. Service is great - home-style and casual - won't disappoint. read more

Stopped here for lunch on a whim. Food was ok. I ordered a chicken tostada and my husband ordered a chili relleno and taco combo. My husband said his was very good.Mine was just kind of plain with not much flavor. I wish I would've ordered something different I think it may have been just bad ordering . Only a few customers at the time and service was a little slow. If I do make it back I'll definitely order differently . read more

Faced with a long wait at the The Palm next door, I decided to give Oaxaca Fresh a try. The woman running the cashier, and perhaps the restaurant itself, was especially friendly when I walked in the door to a dining room that was two-thirds full at dinner time. A departure from the run of the mill Mexican you typically find in Southern California, Oaxaca Fresh's menu featured a decent number of items featuring mole and seafood. I ordered the Oaxacan tamal--which had chicken and mole in masa prepared in banana leaf instead of the corn husk that most people are accustomed to--and a chile verde enchilada. This combination plate also came with a side of rice and beans. Shortly after I gave my order, the waiter returned with a huge basket of chips and a dish of salsa. The chips were okay--a bit on the thick side for my taste. A self-professed salsa fiend, I've tasted a decent share of restaurant salsas. Whether or not this place makes their salsa fresh, the salsa here had the taste and consistency of the pre-made stuff you might find at the supermarket...so, it was a little disappointing. The food looked good when it arrived, but both the chile verde enchilada and Oaxacan tamal were a bit on the dry side when I actually tried it. I felt that both needed either more sauce or less of the moisture cooked out of them. The side of rice and beans were okay, but nothing too special. Service was fine and responsive. Additional requests for salsa and the check were promptly attended to. The ambience was casual, a bit homespun with pictures slipped under the table glass, and a bit old-school with dated vinyl covered booths and a CRT television built into one of the walls. The television was off at the time. Overall, my experience at Oaxaca Fresh wasn't too bad, but it could have been much better. A weak three stars. read more

Terrible food and no air conditioning. The food was very bland. Ordered a carnitas burrito and a chicken fajita burrito.....had to ask for salsa which ended up being nothing but tomatoes with a little cilantro thrown in. No spice or flavor. We had to wait for refills and try to flag someone down for them. Never again will we go back here. read more

I forgot t rate the restaurant withy review and tips. See my two entries below on the feed read more

Oaxaca Fresh - Estofado de Pollo - Mexican Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Pit stop on our way back home and in the mood for some shredded beef tacos but very disappointed with the meat & flavor. I guess that's why they topped it with so much lettuce, guacamole & sour cream. Not what I expected for authentic Mexican food. The waitress that took our order was kind and friendly though. That's why they get two stars. read more

This is the 4th time I have eaten here and the food was good as always. The warm tortilla chips with 2 kinds of salsa are very tasty. Soft tacos are great, steak quesadilla was very good too. The service was the best. Our waitress was attentive and helpful. The guy who brought drinks and water kept our chip baskets and salsa bowls full, The friendly service and good food made it a very pleasurable meal. read more

We have been visiting this restaurant for the past 10 years. The food is ok, nothing to write home about. You always know what your are going to get, you just don't know when you are going to get it. Service is the pits, I would give one star for service. They are obviously understaffed, ask for more corn tortillas--you get flour, ask for another beverage, get your bill. Well you get the point. Come hungry and with patience--though the latter ever happens when you are hungry! read more

Poor service, food is low average, weather is amazing. Better to choose somewhere else if you can.

Overcooked Shrimp, Cold Rice, took forever to get our order taken and prepared. We were one of two parties in the restaurant at the time so it was not busy. Staff did not even ask if we liked the food, wanted more tea/water, etc.. They claim Oaxaca "fresh" .. they owe Oaxaca an apology. Booths are tiny and you are squeezed in (and I'm not fat). Next time we are going right past this place unless we can see that service and serving times have improved. read more

Great vibe, nice margarita, the service is ok. For Carpinteria mama's and papas restaurant deserves 5 stars. He have chille rellenos and fish tacos accompanied by 2 margaritas and complimentary chips and salsa. Yummy food, great experience read more

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