Salvador was an excellent host at our first visit to Antojitos Carmen. He was hospitable and we made fast friends with him. Carmen, his wife, was an excellent cook and we are grateful to have found their little restaurant! The pork burrito was everyone's favorite. It was full of flavor. Their "dry salsa" was an item we read about on a yelp review and is off menu. When we asked Salvador about it, he brought us some to try. It's very unique and pretty spicy. We loved it! We will be back despite the hour and a half drive. read more

Authentic flavorful dishes. We have enjoyed every single meal for the many times we've been there.

Birria tacos are a must The beef was tender and juicy. The consomme was packed with rich flavors. Dipping the taco made it even better. Best birria in town read more

Great food!! We were greeted at the door. They really said "triko trii" Highly recommend if you're looking for authenticity. read more

Antojitos Carmen - Tostada de Camaron (shrimp), Tostada de Carne Asada and a Taco de Carne Asada. - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

This place consistently has the best AUTHENTIC Mexican I have had anywhere outside of Mexico! The owners are amazing and this is a small family owned business, with wife cooking and husband serving. Carmen is an AMAZING chef! Try the pescado, street tacos in every variety, guacamole and ask for dried salsa (it's epic!). read more

Excellent and very authentic Mexican food. Everything we had tasted homemade and very fresh.

Driving through town my yelp takes me here. The highest and most rated mexican restaurant in a town of only mexican restaurants. Yelp never lets me down. Very nice people with great food. I was in and out in about 20 minutes. I had the Chimichanga and was probably the best I've ever had. Thank you! read more

Antojitos Carmen - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

A Mexican restaurant that was established in LA and then moved to Iowa??? Yes it is true! Columbus Junction is a small community off route 92, I have never been before today and will have to go back for my new favorite Mexican restaurant. They have a few other Mexican restaurants around, I am glad that I picked this one for my first taste of the town. I had the asada, pollo, and pastor with chips for lunch. All were the best or close to best I've had. Each meat had great quality, amazing flavor, nice portions, and all the TLC you can put into making a taco. The tortillas they make are awesome as well. The green and red hot sauce were very good, top of the line stuff. This is a place worth driving out of the way for, if you love good LA Mexican food or love great Mexican food in general this place is worth the trip!! I know people who are from the west coast or have been know how great Cali Mexican is. The restaurant is run by an awesome family that is very friendly, stop in and you will get hooked too. read more

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The tiny little town of Columbus Junction (main street is only a block long) has several bustling little Mexican restaurants with accomplished abuelitas working hard to produce that great Mexican street food. Antojitos Carmen is run by a very nice couple, the walls hold pictures of their children and grandchildren. The tables and decor is not fancy but the kitchen is in full view and the food is good. I had the tacos with chopped steak pieces. You can have it with white onions on top but neither Hubs nor I like raw onions so we asked to leave those off. The little tacos each on two warm corn tortillas went great with my Mexican Coke. Hubs enjoyed his tacos -one steak like mine and one chicken - but he also ordered a sandwich which they called a torta. The torta comes with any meat filling requested. He chose pork. It was very big and very filling and very inexpensive. Overall, the entire meal was a bargain and worth the country drive. read more

Antojitos Carmen - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

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This is hands down one the best authentic mexican restaurants in the area!! There's a reason its on Iowas 99 Restaurants List!!! Louisa County Finest!! Highly recommended!! Everything on the menu is made fresh n hot to order! Shrimp fajitas to a steak torta or even a tongue quesadillas, it just doesn't matter what you order you will Be satisfied I guarantee it!! I've been here 45-50 times over the last several years and it still hits the spot everytime. the owners are so nice and polite, i feel as if I'm a part of the family at times, I've become quite the regular. read more

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OMG the best Mexican food I've had since I left California in 2018. Everything was so delicious the home made tortillas remained me of the way my grandmother used to make them!!! A must stop in if you in town!!!! read more

It's easy to believe these people move from LA or the Mexican food is very good because this food is some of the best, most authentic Mexican food I've had outside of LA and Mexico. It's not surprising considering the town seems to have a large Hispanic population. Shrmpi fajitas was wonderful, a generous serving also. My family also tried beef burrito and chicken tostada which were also very good. The restaurant is small but clean and friendly good service. Considering the location and the usual Mexican - American food you find in this area I have to give this a five star. read more

Antojitos Carmen - Inside - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

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You won't find better food then this place right here. It's authentic with full flavor. The salsa is incredible. Its a must try and soon you'll be a repeat customer! read more

Hurache is fantastic. Menudo hits the spot on a cold day. Former top taco truck in LA found its way to small town Iowa, the walls are covered in newspaper articles raving about Antojitos Carmen food truck in Los Angeles, and they were on to something. It lives up to the hype and more. If you're looking for great Mexican food at small town prices, this is the way to go. read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant. Authentic homemade food in a friendly, family-run business.

Delicious genuine home cooked Mexican food and friendly accommodating service. We came here after a cold afternoon of birding and had a filling meal of carnitas tacos, homemade salsas, huaraches and a large green salsa burrito. Yum yum...we left full and happy! read more

The food is fresh and good. You know they are pretty authentic when I call and I get passed to someone that speaks English. Oh yeah and you walk in and they are cleaning up a large tub of peppers for chili rellenos. The restaurant has a side area so it isn't as small as it initially seems when you step in. We both ordered margaritas, not on the menu so they do have them. I think the chips and salsa beat anyplace around here within a 100 mile radius. I got enchiladas and they were different than most just being folded tortillas with meat in them like a taco, but they were very flavorful. They put a pico and salad mix over it and drizzle it with Mexican sour cream. Yum. My Mom had shrimp fajitas. I am pretty sure she got a dozen shrimp and they were decent sized. The flour tortillas she got with them were homemade. When she couldn't eat the last two tortillas I had to eat them. Those things are like gold! Rice was good and moist - not dried out like a lot you get in restaurants. Beans were typical beans. They probably cook them for hours on end and are scoffing at me, but beans have to be pretty special for me to notice. I did eat everything. If you ask they also have a hot tomatillo salsa in a squeeze container. Just a note, if you have someone in a wheelchair you can park at the other end of the block and go all the way down to the restaurant on the sidewalk. There is a slight raise to the threshold but it only took a little bit of help to get in. These are the things you don't appreciate about places until your Mom is in a wheelchair. read more

Antojitos Carmen - Pork enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

The very best of the best Mexican food around! Thankful for this gem and all the kids' sports that take us close enough to stop!

I'm a regular with my entire family at Carmens. We have our favorite dishes (Chorizo Burrito, Chicken Fajitas, Beef Tacos..) but when we try other dishes we are still satisfied with the flavor and quality of the food. They always offer authentic cuisine. No Tex-Mex here. The beauty about Antojitos Carmen comes from the simplicity of the operation. You are walking into an extension of their home. It is their kitchen and dining room that you are being welcomed to. You eat their home made food, and even a repeat meal will taste slightly different each time you get it. The sauces, spices, and flavors dance on your palette. This restaurant and my neighbors who operate it are a treasure! Whether you dine in or carryout you will be welcomed with a smile, and once they know you, you may get double the beans or a sweet cake for dessert! Worth the drive, and inexpensive Antojitos Carmen is sure to please. In my opinion, they have the best burrito in Iowa. read more

Wow wow wow! Truly some of the best Mexican food I've EVER had in my life. The chips were crispy and hot. The salsas were homemade, vibrant and so authentic of Mexico City cuisine. I had Tacos al Pastor with a side of guacamole. The guacamole was made fresh and had hints of lime and sweet onion. My friend had the Camarones a la Diabla - a dish that I'd have to be adventurous to try even in Mexico as it can be either amazing or inedible. It was spot on - perfection. The flavors were layered and complex but they brought out the freshness and quality of the food without being overpowering. As a foodie, I will be a regular here even though it's a one hour drive (one way) from where I live. Gracias a Diós por Antojitos Carmen! La mejor comida de todo Iowa! read more

I'm retired Army and have ate all over the world. This place is a must if you like authentic, real, Mexican food. Very small town and it doesn't look like much. I found out that they moved there from Los Angeles California and they specialized in many authentic dishes. I found out that they were on the food channel for some amazing dishes. Lovely people and there prices were way to low. $8.00 for a huge plate of food. The have alcohol if you like. I'm definitely going back when I'm close to there place. read more

Driving from Chicago to Ottumwa Iowa the stomachs started grumbling and the choices started getting fewer and fewer. Google maps found the place to save us and the family loved it. Restaurant located in the downtown area just off 92 going through town. There were some other restaurants and shops in town and it was very ethnically diverse for the middle of Iowa! Greeted and seated by the owner with his wife behind the counter cooking this is exactly what we were looking for. Mom and Pop shop with recipes from home. They had the standard Mexican Fare on the menu. Tortas, Burritos, Tacos, tostadas, quesadillas etc. They had some steaks but I didnt read too closely. Looked like they had burgers and dogs on special for those not interested in their cuisine. The space is nothing fancy but the family that runs it makes up for it with their warmness. We sat down and they gave us chips and salsa which were both really good kids gobbled it up. Food came quickly. We had pork and chicken tacos they came with cilantro onion and lime and they were delicious. Kids split a chicken burrito filled with beans rice and cheese and they were barely able to finish it. I had the chicken enchilada dinner with rice and beans and I could tell it was all homemade. Re-fried beans can make or break a Mexican restaurant for me and these were spot on. Great portion of food I think it was $7.50. Side of guacamole was chunky and definitely homemade and tasty. They brought two bowls of hot sauce for the meal. Salsa Verde was very flavorful and the Habanero made my scalp sweat! Owner came by a few times with the waitress they were so friendly and chatted us up and made us feel welcome. The baseball game was on and they put the TV on for my kid and handed me the remote control. Owner came by with some tequilia and I had to order a shot it was great. I think they had beers too but we still had a ways to go so we were not drinking. I wish we had time to linger but if we ever head back out this way we will definitely make a point to stop there. When your choices on the backroads are Casey's Pizza or fast food this was a find! read more

Warning: this place will induce the dreaded TACOMA, A food coma initiated by delicious lengua tacos. This is easily my most favorite restaurant. Period. The food is always incredible, try the tortas, and the Mojarra is exceptional. I always enjoy eating here. read more

I stopped here with a couple of coworkers on our way to Moline and we were very pleasantly surprised. The chips and salsa provided were probably the best I've ever had. The salsa tasted fresh and had a very nice flavor. The chips also had the perfect level of saltiness and were a great pairing. I had to Pastor pork burrito and it was pretty good. Although the green and red sauces they brought to the table for the burritos were wonderful! If I'm ever in Columbus Junction again, I'll be coming here again. read more

Best Mexican this gringo has ever had! Take a break from the generic Mexican menu and enjoy Antojitos for its many unique and delicious items. the vegetarian offerings are much more interesting than the standard beans and cheese combo. The Quesadilla shell is homemade and absolutely delicious! Plus, the owners are very warm and friendly. I'll come here again! read more

Antojitos Carmen - Vegetarian Quesadilla with squash blossom - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

Great Mexican food best I've had the torta was well balanced with beans meat lettuce avocado and salsa verde !! It had so much flavors going on and the chips and salsa were awesome read more

Food is amazing, the best in town. Service is good and the employees have a great sense of humor. Also the only restaurant that remembers my order :) read more

I'm a local, and I will be honest probably a little biased at this point. My neighbors, yes they live on my street. are beautiful people and when we go to their restaurant we feel welcome, like coming to their home. I love the chorizo burrito with a homemade habenero sauce, and each time I get this burrito it is made a little different each time, and that is the beauty of small town restaurants. My wife loves the taco salad (chorizo and steak) or the fajitas. Our children love the tacos and/or burritos depending on their mood. We have fed the whole family for less than $40 here. The food is fresh, the kindness is genuine, and the ambiance is homey. I love finding gems like Carmen's all over the country. These gems make dining out fun. We are lucky, we only have to go down the street to eat at this wonderful establishment. Go! Eat! Enjoy! read more

Fantastic restaurant! I recommend either the Pambazos or Alambra. This is my second time here and I will be back again. Really exceptional and authentic Mexican food. read more

Antojitos Carmen - Another satisfied customer, albeit with a weird expression on her face. - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

A short jaunt down the road from Iowa city, lives another one of the most amazing Mexican restaurants since time started. It seems that every time we drive just a little further, we run into another spot that makes us want to keep searching for more incredible tacos. Everything here is made as authentic as if your mama making was making it. The enchiladas, tacos and well, everything are magnificent. A must try for anyone in the area! read more

The owner is so wonderfully helpful. He makes amazing margaritas on the rocks, the food is both delicious and incredibly reasonable priced, and the service makes you feel like you are the most important customer on the planet. read more

Simply the best authentic Mexican food in Iowa and beyond. A small & clean family establishment serving flavorful food. You can taste the joy & love apparent in its preparation. read more

Antojitos Carmen - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

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When I go to Los Angeles I read Jonathan Gold recommendations on restaurants. Who would know that his Mexican Restaurant recommendation moved to Columbus Junction. Their loss, our gain. Delicious, friendly service. Borrego and barbacoa are my favorites JZ read more

Worst place Ive ever ate!! Started with chips and salsa. Salsa was very salty in taste. Ordered a combination with a Chile Reno, taco, tostado and a quesadilla. Everything was salty as all get out! Ordered a Mt dew to drink came in a 12 ounce can and never was offered another. You need at least six of them to wash that salty garbage down for sure. Stay as far away from this place as possible. In fact just buy yourself a 50lb salt lick and you'll be set for awhile Lol. read more

spicy and fresh. The owner was super polite and the food is great. Stop her it's worth it read more

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Best enchiladas ever made, end of story. I've been eating Mexican food in Columbus junction for decades and this could be the best I've ever eaten. If you ever been to CJ you know that's a lot of Mexican restaurants! read more

Antojitos Carmen - The steak enchiladas are simply unbeatable! - Mexican Near Me - Columbus Junction, Iowa

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A real gem in the middle of Iowa, we stopped here during a road trip and could not have predicted how delicious the food would be. Authentic, delicious Mexican food at ridiculously affordable prices. The owner is an incredibly nice man who chatted with us while we dined his restaurant's incredible dishes. This restaurant knocks so many Mexican restaurants and taquerias out of the water in my home city of Chicago. read more

Thanks to Yelp, we stopped by Antojitos Carmen after gawking at all the bikes traveling through Columbus Junction on Ragbrai. This family business was a great late lunch stop for our family. The food was really quite delicious, but the best part was our server. She was so friendly and helpful, I would like to be her friend in real life. It took a bit of time to get our food but forgivable because of the extra Ragbrai traffic (probably 2:30 pm on a Saturday afternoon is not usually a time for a packed house in Columbus Junction). We will be coming back to this place. read more

Mexican food in the middle on Iowa. This place is awesome, it serves real authentic Mexican food, it's not texmex !!!

I'll be shooting this restaurant tomorrow morning for Streetview|Trusted Google Maps. This way people will be able to SeeInside! We just fell in love with Salvador, the owner, and his marvelous food. read more