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.

Came here because locals swore this place was "so good." Absolutely not…read more The outside gives you hope, but don't be fooled. They marched us straight to some random back room that looked filthy and forgotten. Dirty walls, dead flies sitting on the window sills, dusty air vents directly over our table, worn-out floors and furniture... the whole place felt grimy. On the way to our table we were also walked past a nasty smelling dishwashing area, which really set the tone for the experience. Now the food. The kids got chicken fettuccine Alfredo, and somehow it managed to be both lava hot and completely flavorless at the same time. The chicken tasted like it lost a fight with the microwave. The meatloaf? I genuinely have no idea what they served me. It looked like cafeteria mystery meat drowned in tomato puree. Honestly offensive. I ordered the green chile cheeseburger with fries thinking maybe they'd at least get that right. Nope. The green chile had zero spice, zero flavor, zero reason to exist. The burger itself was forgettable at best. And the best part? The bill was nearly $100. For dirty vents, dead flies, bland food, and mystery meat. Would I come back? Not even if someone else was paying.

Best burrito in town!!! Big Boss was amazing!! My hubby also ordered Big Boss and added chorizo,…read morehad great spicy flavor!

Neat little spot in Artesia. I got the Boss and it was really good! I do wish they would give…read moreextra salsa, but what they put in the burrito is hot, and it's really good!

Food is good, is hot the dinner area and the server mistake or order but other that it food 11/10read more

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.

Food was delicious. We had torta asado, burrito de chicken fajita and the carnitas plate. Food…read morewas hot, taste was great, home cooked flavor. Their salsa verse was best I've tasted. Would highly recommend.

Amazing food!! Loved the spice level. Service was great and the ambiance was nice. We had…read moreenchiladas, burgers, and tacos.

El Charro keeping it humble and absolutely delivering. Not fancy (nothing in this town really is )…read morebut daaaaauuum... that bean burrito was one of the best I've had in a long time. The burritos do run a little on the smaller side, but they're packed with flavor and definitely hit the spot. The salsa bar actually brings the heattttt spicy spicy, not just "I promise it's hot" spicy and the guac has legit flavor. Best part? You finish your meal and casually wander next door because it's connected to an ice cream and fruiteria situation. Dinner + dessert without even leaving the building. Say less.

I was recommended El Charro in Carlsbad, NM by some locals, and I'm so glad I listened…read more I'm a big fan of quesabirria and have been on a little quesabirria journey, and this has to be one of the top two best quesabirria tacos I've ever had. The taco was crispy and filled with delicious meat, and the consommé was rich and flavorful. If I hadn't been on the road, I probably would have ordered another one. The portion was generous, and the price was fair too. The service was quick, and the overall dining environment was bright and clean. Definitely a great local recommendation and a spot I'd happily come back to.

The food here is amazing! What a hidden gem!…read moreI had the French toast and bacon with an over easy egg. The egg was cooked perfectly! It was way too much food for me so I shared with my friend. He said the French toast was light and fluffy. He really enjoyed his burrito too! I liked the fact that it was family owned and run. One of the gals told us a little bit of the history of the restored building. It used to be part of an amusement park. There were plans to tear down the building but a group managed to have it saved and restored. It was located right off of the canal! Wha an amazing view!

Quick place to grab lunch or breakfast. I wish they didn't use throw away utensils and plates for…read moreeat, in meals. It is kind of hard to find if you don't know where it is. I have lots of options and my favorites include the brisket nachos, the BLT, the Philly cheesesteak, and the pulled pork sandwich. The fries are thin and crispy. The breakfast burritos are a little large for me I can't eat them all in one sitting. I'm not sure they did a whole lot to the interior of the building in way of decoration, but it gets the job done. Prices are reasonable. The staff is great.

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

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

True disappointment food was flavorless tacos were similar to those at Taco Bell. I would not…read morerecommend this place. The beans were just awful. They don't have any alcohol other than beer I would look for other places if you're looking for Mexican food in Carlsbad

I'm so disappointed in this campsite. I don't know how it's considered a KOA. Because KOA is our go…read moreto place.. The pool was green, literally The parking spot was just gravel The bathroom was so disgusting that we just chose not to take a shower here . In the middle of two towns, you're either 20 minutes from One or 20 minutes from the other, literally in the middle of nowhere if you need any supplies Also, they don't have supplies at their little store. Anything that would be usable. . I actually would like a refund for this place . You need a Camp host , Or somebody. But when pulling into our spot. We shouldn't have to be blocked by a maintenance person filling up a hole. From where sewer or something had spilled . Not a pleasant experience at all.

Update website photos. Everything dead and no grass areas. Dirt for sure. Terrible upkeep and sites…read morewith old broken items everywhere. Sure not the same koa from 8 yrs ago.

This is a cute little museum. I recommend visiting. The museum is free and they have a section for…read morefamous people from town, as well as art exhibits.

Great museum about there history of Carlsbad. If you have time you should stop by. Staff was super…read morenice.