A little challenging to find (it's on the riverside of the building the map will take you to) but…read morewas well worth it. I don't often get a chance to eat b'fast when in Carlsbad but will add this to the top of the list for when I am. Coffee was more than satisfactory as was the omelette.

I stopped here for lunch and just had their Cuban sandwich and an iced tea, with chips. The Cuban…read morewas quite good, though not authentic -- not a pressed sandwich, closer to a hoagie. Still, very good and filling for what it was, and I would order it again. Tea was fine, chips were a bit bland. I didn't have any trouble finding the place, Google took me straight to the parking lot, and I just needed to know that the entrance is on the lake side. Service was friendly, and the food came out quickly. I sat at a table in the rustic dining room, and it was not too busy at the time, calm and fairly quiet. I also grabbed a latte on my way out, which was okay. The lake side is a nice place for a stroll, and there is even a bridge which crosses the lake. Clear water, plus even a swimming area on the far side.

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.

Mackenzie was an awesome server. We came after a late night and Food was delicious and service was…read moregreat.

Gaby was an awesome waitress tonight ! I love going in here to catch up with my friend over a cheap…read morediner dinner. It's quiet enough in the evenings to hold a conversation and the food is decent.

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.

Hello y'all! I'm so excited to see this place in Carlsbad. I had an ube taro bubble tea and an oreo…read morebubble waffle. I can't wait to see how they redo the inside. And the cup! It's so cute. It's a bit on the pricy side and I wish they had taro without ube but in Carlsbad I'm happy to have this !! 10 outta 10 would recommend. Can't wait to go back and try more flavors!

The build your own bubble waffles are amazing. The atmosphere is clean and makes dining in fun.read more

It was great food and the staff was very courteous and helpful. The ambience was that of pure…read morecourtesy and great customer service.

Very cute little place, many more reviews on Google for some reason. They speak a little English,…read morebut I tried a frozen mango Chile slush thing which she ran under warm water then put in a cup with real lime juice and something else. It is not your typical American dessert by any means, it was delicious, a combo of sweet and savory while also spicy. Wife and in laws got ice cream, tried her cookies and cream which was good. 4 scoops of ice cream and my dessert for a little over $9?! Love it. Food is probably also delicious, they were well staffed and friendly. Get outside your comfort zone and try this place out!

Carlsbad, NM This is located inside the Stevens Inn. Small…read morearea but clean. Ordered off the menu instead of eating the basic buffet set up. Coffee cup was delivered with hands, on the lip of the cup, instead of by the handle. (Don't they teach that in the Food Handlers course?) Pet peeve for me. Also big thumb touching my food as she set it on the table! Other than those two things, the waitress was pleasant and I got a laugh out of her when she asked if "are you ready " and I replied, "ready for what?". Menu prices were reasonable. Don't know the buffet's cost. The parking lot could stand cleaning; flattened beer cans, coat hangers stood out on the walk into the lobby.

We ate at The Flume for Easter lunch. The service was great, but the buffet wasn't great. The…read moreturkey, ham, and roast beef were all dry even with gravy. The mashed potatoes were dense, and the gravy disappeared right after I added it because they were dry too. The restaurant was clean, and the staff were friendly.

$10 for a breakfast burrito and there's hair cooked into the eggs. Very disappointing.read more

This place is sooooo good! I have gone back enough times to try every item on the menu and 10/10…read moreeverything is great! I'm from a border town and these as real as it gets!