Summary: Express Mexican. There's a Taco Bell just down the street. PASS IT BY when Carlito's is open. There's no comparison between heating packaged ingredients and cooking fresh Mexican. I loved the packed street tacos loaded with cilantro. The mild sauce--perfect. The inside is comfortable and spacious for a fast food spot. Front or rear parking with doors in each side. read more

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WOW! This place is a hidden gem! For real, the food here is authentic and delicious. Everyone needs to try! We came in on a weeknight for dinner. This is a fast casual order at the counter type of place. The staff was very friendly. We were excited to see they had authentic Peruvian food on the menu. - Lomo saltado (5/5): this dish was amazing. Everything was perfectly seasoned. Steak was cooked well. Even the onions and tomatoes were perfect. My fiancé doesn't even like onions/tomatoes, and he still loved it! - Carnitas tacos (4/5): these were good but not amazing. It came with red salsa on top. Rice and beans were great. We will definitely recommend this place to everyone, because authentic Mexican/Peruvian food is hard to find around here! 5 stars because the lomo saltado was that good! read more

Carlito's Cabo - Carnitas taco plate - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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Always good Mexican-style food with a Peruvian personality. Friendly. Plenty of variety on the menu. Try the six-pack street tacos, with the hot sauce. Has a drive through and outdoor seating in the back. Support a local business, not Taco Bell. read more

Very average, nothing fancy. The staff was very nice and polite but the food was very bland, school cafeteria quesadilla. They don't even have queso.. I asked anyways and she said no just melted cheese.. okay I guess? I should've went to Taco Bell.. The restaurant itself was very clean and welcoming, which is why I expected good hole in the wall food but I was mistaken. read more

Carlitos is not a chain but is a mom and pop locally owned restaurant. Food is great! Service is great! The dining area is clean and inviting. I like the vegetarian burrito which is a generous serving. read more

Great food at a very reasonable price, served quickly with genuine hospitality in possibly the cleanest restaurant EVER TO EXSIST ANYWHERE. A true hidden gem. read more

Great food! Friendly Staff! Cleanest restaurant in town! My favorite are the pork carnitas read more

As someone who moved from the southwest, I am quite picky about my Mexican food. This is the best Mexican food in any of the surrounded area! The street tacos are exactly what you expect and the nachos are the best! The pinto beans are really good as well. The only bummer is the hours, but it's family run, so I am not gonna knock any starts for that The parking isn't great, but there are spots in the back. read more

We stopped for lunch on the way to St. Louis from KC. Everything was delicious. My Dad had the Peruvian Special and he couldn't quit eating it even though he was stuffed! My husband and I had chicken quesadillas, excellent! Thank you for a most enjoyable lunch! read more

My favorite Mexican food in town. The carnitas tacos and burritos are great. The salsa de fresca and chips is so good! They make it when you order, it doesn't just sit around all day like most places. I also tried their rolled tacos, also delicioso! I'm pretty sure anything you get will be good. We have been about 4 times and try something new each time. The place is really clean, including the bathroom! The people who work there are really nice and helpful if you have any questions! read more

Carlito's Cabo - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

Excited to have found another taco place with drive thru! Ordered: Beef tacos Carnita Tacos Quesadilla (no meat) Rice Beans I specifically mentioned the quesadilla with no meat because you can add meat for an extra cost. This was for the kids. Two small kids easily shared this portion. Rice and beans were a nice side. The beans were my favorite. They were refried beans with lots of flavor but didn't feel oily. Rice was a bit soft but still good. The tacos came with onion and cilantro and sauce on the side. Order the "hot" salsa. loved the tortillas! You have to have a great base if you're going to make a good taco. The meat itself wasn't as grilled as I'd like but it was still enjoyable. I ordered 3 tacos but I could have eaten 6! I want to go back and try the crunchy tacos. read more

Great tacos! Next to Don ponch these are the best! Nice little spot. Service was good and place was clean.

Came in to try some carnitas tacos but didn't end up trying. Instead, they had a Peruvian item on their menu that I was going to try. It is called lomo saltado. It has beef, red onions, tomato's, fries, cilantro on top of rice. The usual way is to have it in white rice. They instead had it on Mexican rice. I was skeptical but decided to give it a try. It was extremely flavorful and was paired well with that rice. To my surprise, they added a tiny bit of pickled jalapenos that gave it more of a Mexican touch to it. I was pretty satisfied with the meal. Paired it with a Pepsi and it came to $17. I would recommend anyone looking to try lomo saltado to try it out. The only thing that I didn't like was that they did not have anymore Peruvian items on the menu. I'll try the carnitas tacos the next time I'm there. Try it out folks. read more

Will definitely be coming back to Carlito's. Good food, friendly service, and so clean.

After years of seeing this tiny place and it's cheerful, green, metal cactus in the parking lot, my wife and I gave it a try. I ordered the Asada Plate and she got Lomo Saltado. Together with soft drinks, total came to around $24.00. Pros: 1. The place is spotless clean and you can see the entire kitchen, which is also spotless. 2. Plenty of parking front and back. 3. Very friendly guy at the counter. Cons: 1. The food was, "meh". Not great, not awful. Few distinct tastes. Little seasoning. 2. Food was served barely warm. 3. Meat in the lomo saltado was chewy, bordering on tough. 4. The lomo saltado was served on top of mushy french fries. Not a good look for any dish. 5. Corn tortillas with the asada plate were OK, but too oily. 6. Only sauce was a single, thimble sized container between the two of us. 7. Service was disorganized. Guacamole arrived 5 minutes after our plates came out and the grilled peppers arrived toward the end of the meal. We'll come back and give them a try again. It might have just been an off night. With all the great reviews, I have to believe they can do better. read more

Carlito's Cabo - Lomo Saltado - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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So incredibly fresh! My husband very much enjoyed his crunchy tacos, he said the shredded chicken was juicy and delicious. I thought the carne asada burrito was the most flavorful Mexican dish I've ever had! We cannot wait to go back and try some more items, this is by far our fav taco/burrito spot now! read more

Their #13 (fried tacos) is KILLER: crispy, deep fried hard tacos loaded with shredded beef or chicken! Side note: there freshly shredded cheese is amazing, and there signature taco sauce is perfect on your tacos! You can't get better than this if you're looking for some awesome tacos or burritos! You usually have to wait about 10-15 min for your order. But you can always call ahead and use the drive thru to pick up your order! read more

I came here based upon the Yelp reviews. I would have never noticed it otherwise. The front of the building is sort-of non-descript and it would be easy to miss. The back parking lot is large and there is a rear entrance. I was surprised when I entered because it is set up like a fast food place. You order and pay at the register. They take cash or credit cards. They will bring your meal to your table when it is ready and everything is prepared fresh. It took about 10 or 12 minutes to get our order. Like other reviews - this place was spotlessly clean! Wow! Our table was positioned such that we could look down the entire kitchen area. The dining area and kitchen area were equally spotless! The food was good. We got the 6 pack carnitas tacos and the cheese quesadilla. With 2 beverages, our bill came to $16.44 which seemed a little bit high, but we could not eat it all so, maybe not. The food also seemed to be more traditional Mexican (maybe further south of the border than Mexican???) than Tex-Mex. I like both so no matter to me. The hot sauce is pretty spicy and the mild sauce is mild. The sauces are more liquid than thick (again tradition Mexican overtones). I am looking forward o my next visit to this place so I can try some other menu items. read more

Carlito's Cabo - Carlito's from Business Loop 70. - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

I got a bean, rice & cheese burrito and a carnitas taco. The taco was so great. I ate it in probably two bites. Perfect corn tortillas, the juiciest carnitas, and they kept it simple with the traditional onion and cilantro. It reminded me of street tacos in Los Angeles. The burrito was pretty good too. I'm new to town, but it's the best I've had in Columbia so far. I have pretty high standards from my favorite place back home, but this held its own. The tortilla didn't taste homemade, but it was tasty. I think the rice was plain white rice, but it just mixed into everything else so it was fine. The beans were creamy and had great flavor, and they actually use real cheese which is more than I can say for the gross queso mess I've seen at other places around here. My biggest wish would be for the food to be served a bit warmer, but that's not a deal breaker since I just shove it in my face right when I get it. Also, ask for the hot salsa- it's really great. I'm super glad I found this place so early on. It's close to my work, there's a drive thru and they accept credit cards. This will probably be my go-to stop for a while when I get a hankering for a taste of home. read more

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I had the 3 carnitas tacos special and hubby had the lomo saltado special. Both dishes were flavorful and worth ordering again. Hubby wished his dish had included beans though. My only complaint is that they use plastic utensils and styrofoam boxes for their plates. Definitely not my favorite way to enjoy good food. Next time we are in Columbia, I'm hoping to return so we can try more menu choices. As other reviews have noted, this is a very clean and well cared for establishment. I thought it was a nice touch that they had a diaper changing station in the restroom and I'm sure it is very appreciated by their customers. read more

Best street carnita street tacos in town. Wish you could dine in again but worth the wait in the drive thru.

Nice lady, beans look like diarrhea, rice is good tacos good but greasy (see pic). Grey chicken I don't know why. Cool dude working with a big silver tooth. Silver tooth guy added extra stars. Kappa! read more

Carlito's Cabo - Number 25. - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

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Love love Carlitos! The food is amazing! I usually get the beef tacos. The seasoning on the beef is mouth watering. Everything on the menu is delicious. The establishment is very clean. The staff is always welcoming and recognize if you have been in more than once. You won't go wrong by going here. They have parking in the back as well as the front. read more

The only Peruvian dish in Midwest! Decently priced, clean and amazing customer service! read more

No.7 w/pork. Add grilled habeneroes....you'll be happy you did. Family run, by friendly folks. All of the food is small-batch cooking. All ingredients fresh and flavorful. Call or use the app to, order ahead (15-20 mins lead time), you'll be glad you did. #Supportlocal read more

O our drive from St. Louis to Kansas City, we made a quick stop for dinner. Outstanding, quick delicious food. The carnitas were perfect! And personable friendly service. Can't recommend it enough! read more

This place has been one of my favorite restaurants in all of Columbia since I moved here. Food is always excellent and service couldn't be better. Very friendly and they checked to see how we are doing a lot. read more

My son and I were in town for a music event and found this on yelp. Don't be fooled by the outside...it is on the end of a strip mall in what appears to be an older part of town. The restaurant is not fancy and is set up where you order and pay at the counter and seat yourself. My son got a chicken quesadilla with rice and soupy beans. Tortillas were thin and delicious! His plate was huge!! I had the daily special which was three carnitas street tacos with soupy beans and rice. The food was fresh and delicious. Only downside was chips and salsa did not come with the meal and would've added almost 5.00 to the meal so we passed on what is usually one of my favorite parts of a Mexican meal. Overall I would recommend for an authentic unique meal. read more

Most spotless restaurant we've ever seen. Talk about pride of ownership ... and pride in your food! When a place is so clean, you know the food will be well prepared, with care, too. Carlito's is a small neat-as-a-pin mostly Mexican place with excellent food, but with a twist: since it's owned by a young couple from Peru (he's getting a doctorate at the U) they occasionally add Peruvian dishes as specials to the otherwise pretty typical Mex menu. The day we were there we had a very tasty loma saltado, obviously good Peruvian home cookin'. Call ahead to learn about their Peruvian specialties served only on Sundays. But don't be confused -- this is a very respectable Mexican place, serving good tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas, etc. We also had a yummy carnitas taco, perfectly seasoned to our taste. The owners are engaging and genuinely interested in making your experience enjoyable. It's not a fancy place but very comfortable and cheery. We were delighted to have lunch here. read more

Omg. First time here and it won't b the last!!! I had the "Lomo Saltado". Excellent. Worth every penny. Half of the plate was Beef, onions, tomatoes, and cilanto over fries. Yes, I said fries. (I was skeptical at first...) The other half was this amazing rice. This dish had great flavor, spicy without being too spicy and just a tad of tartness.... maybe from some vinegar? The only negative I can say... they are not open on weekends! :( We were passing thru on our way to KC and I told my husband we might have to come back Monday instead of Sunday so I can try something else! Ps. The accept cards now! Debit and credit! read more

Carlito's Cabo - Lomo Saltado. - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

Carlito's is one of my favorite places in Columbia, and I go there at least once a week. As a Texan, I'm pretty picky when it comes to Mexican food, and I had resigned myself to the fact that I simply wasn't going to find good, authentic tacos here. But after going to Carlitos, my mind is completely changed, and I like it better than many of the tacos I've had in Texas. The staff is so friendly, which is always a huge consideration for me. The rice and beans here have phenomenal flavor, and you always get just enough. The stars here, however, are the pork carnitas tacos and the carne asada rico tacos. If you're not eating those you're doing Carlito's all wrong. However, if you're in the mood to try something new, I STRONGLY suggest the Lomo Saltado. It's sauteed beef with tomatoes, onions, and fries mixed in with rice. It's an amazing Peruvian dish that, if you're a Carlito's regular, you've got to try! They close at 7, which is a bummer for me as I like to eat dinner late sometimes, but it's the best lunch spot in town. If you live here, you can't afford to miss it. read more

6 pack of carne asada Street tacos for $8!? Can't beat this with a stick, great quality, fast and polite service. Will return. read more

Carlito's Cabo - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

I have eaten at Carlito's several times and it's always great. I usually get the Lomo Saltado and it's so worth the price. The steak Is plentiful and juicy, it's mixed with yellow spicy peppers and red onions. It is served over a bed of fries and comes with a side of rice. OMG, it's sooo good. I never would eat onions until I tried theirs. The owner was chatting with my friend and I about how they bought this place back in 2008 and had no idea what taco's or what anything on the menu was. They just knew that they hadn't tasted anything quite like it in other Mexican restaurants. So they had to learn what taco's etc. were. He said they don't have tortilla in Peru. I did ask about the sopapilla. He told me it was flour tortilla covered in honey and cinnamon and sugar. I was disappointed and told him I didn't want one after all as I was hoping for a "real" one. He said it is real? I told him no, not really. A real sopapilla is a little pocket of pillowy dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and a side of honey. He honestly had no idea that is what a real one was like and said he was going to research it. Now if they can start making those, I'd be there all the time. The place is spotless like everyone else has written. The staff is very friendly and wants to make your experience pleasant. The location is not ideal, but the food makes up for it. It's in a old strip mall on the Business Loop. They do have a drive-thru which is great and there is a parking lot in the back that you access via an alley. They do use foam take out boxes as your serving dish on the Lomo Saltado and I believe little cardboard containers for tacos. You get plastic forks to use but who cares! I personally don't care what it's served in as long as the food is good and you get a nice serving size. Nobody said it was going to be an upper class establishment. But that being said, it's good, don't hesitate to try it out. The hours are the only drawback, but that just makes you make and effort to get their when they are open, it's that good. read more

Absolutely delicious food in an unexpected place. I had the lomo saltado for lunch which told me that these guys are Peruvian not Mexican. Aji amarillo! The regular menu reads Mexican but watch for the specials and ask about special events like their monthly roast chicken night. read more

Carlito's Cabo - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

Visited here twice in two weeks. Carnitas tacos. I've had at least a dozen. Everything is assembled to order and can be tailored to your liking (i.e. add tomatoes) or spicy-ness level. Remember, this restaurant is Peruvian inspired Mexican. South American food is not spicy, as it is in Mexico. Place is nice, light and airy with the big windows. Also a rear entrance and behind the building parking. Be sure to check out their security cameras. read more

I was in town and traveling for work and came across this gem. I ordered the lomo saltado and it was amazing! I would definitely go back. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. read more

My daughter found this wonderful restaurant online as we were driving cross country. It was so nice to have good food while on the road. From the plain exterior, it was a surprise to walk into a clean, tasteful business. The food was wonderfully seasoned and plentiful at a very reasonable price! The staff was friendly and very helpful. Even helped us find a nice safe hotel for the night. This would become a well visited favorite of mine if it was anywhere near my home! Unfortunately it isn't, so the best I can do is to share this amazing find with others! You will not be disappointed eating here! read more

I am a huge fan of Carlito's. I live in Chicago but I came to MIZZOU for college and luckily my boyfriend stumbled upon this place. I absolutely love it. The tacos are as good as they get. Believe me I have tried lots of Taco places in Chicago and these are simply the best. When I am in Chicago I dream about the tacos, and when I visit Columbia this is my first stop. I really want to try the LOMO SALTADO but I just cant get myself to not order the tacos. The staff is very friendly, the food is great, I will come here for as long as I can. Take advantage of this place, It is Definitely a gem! read more

Most authentic place in town hands down! I am big fan of the carnitas tacos! Very low key atmosphere inside, and the people are incredibly nice! read more

Consistently the best Mexican and Peruvian food in the Midwest. It far outshines the famous Super Taquerias of the west coast and all the food is not smothered in "sauce" to give it flavour. Everything is prepared in the kitchen, with care and authenticity. Don't expect table side service as this is not that kind of restaurant. The open kitchen is consistently clean as are the seating areas and very importantly the bathrooms. If you are just passing through town or are a local, with a little time to spare, this is the best place for Burritos to Tacos. A must do for foodies or regular Joes. read more