Great food went well highly recommended Great quality of food Great customer service read more

I visited Carlitos for the first time after seeing several posts on social media. We were greeted promptly upon arrival, and I appreciated that the menu was small and straightforward. When we asked about the spice level, the staff clearly explained what to expect. The drink selection was a pleasant surprise, offering a variety of sodas including Jarritos and Jamaica. I ordered the chicken sandwich with jalapeños, mac and cheese, and a Jamaica, while my husband chose a sandwich with fries. The food exceeded our expectations. The chicken was extremely crispy and flavorful, and I was pleasantly surprised to receive an extra small chicken strip on the side. The house sauce was delicious, and the staff generously provided plenty of it along with honey and ranch without us needing to ask, an appreciated touch. The mac and cheese was creamy and felt like my mom's homemade one. The fries are more like cross cut fries and come extra crispy as well, which I like. Service was friendly and efficient, and the staff even shared the story behind how they decided to specialize in chicken sandwiches. While the restaurant itself appears a bit run down and parking was somewhat confusing for first time visitors, the quality of the food and the welcoming service more than made up for it. Overall, I would definitely return. In my opinion, these are the best chicken sandwiches in Salinas. read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Mac and cheese with bacon - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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Holy cow!! The sammich is as big as your face!! Taste wise it was also out of this world. I got the loaded fries and had to take them home because I was so full. I did try them and they were also off the chain! It's a hole in the wall but the staff is phenomenal and the food is too! read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

Absolutely delicious! The crispy chicken sandwich was fire. The portion was generous, and everything tasted fresh. read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Spicy Chicken sandwich (mild) - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

A great local joint to grab crispy fried chicken. We got the Papi Loaded Fries with Mac n Cheese. We were surprised with the amount on chicken it came with. It was enough to feed 2 of us. The menu is short and concise. It's 6 different combos and 2 family meals. It made it very easy to order. There's parking off to the side, although it's easy to miss as it's a dirt lot. There's also a decent amount of seats within the restaurant if you choose to eat there. However, I noticed most customers ordered to go. read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Papi Loaded Fries with Mac n Cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

Stopped in for lunch shortly after Carlitos opened, and they already had a few tables filled. Within minutes, the place was full, yet my food came out hot and perfectly crispy. What stood out most wasn't just how well everything was executed, but the value--especially the fried chicken fillet. It was massive, easily bigger than the bun, and I could barely finish half (not a complaint at all--I happily saved the rest). Honorable mentions go to the waffle fries: super crispy with a flavor that reminded me of curly fries, which I love. And the sauces deserve their own shoutout. I didn't even ask, but they included both ranch and a spicy aioli, and both were excellent with the fries and the sandwich. I'll definitely be back--hard to beat this kind of quality and value for the price. read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Chicken sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

Was craving a spicy chicken sando & this place never fails! We shared a 2 slider meal w waffle fries! read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Menu April 2026 - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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Been waiting months to try this place and have to say that it was fantastic!!! I see complaints of waiting but you can tell everything except the Mac and Cheese are made to order. The sandwich was perfectly spiced and chicken was nice and hot till the last bite. Cross-cut fries weee good, nothing special. The Mac and Cheese was my favorite, perfectly cheesy and the bacon topping on top made it just perfect.. The guy who took my order and waited on us was great, made me feel at home. Will try again soon read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - #1 with Mac and Cheese and Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

Angry who? Angry what? Eat here and you won't be angry anymore. Took the kids here for lunch and they loved it. My son had the chicken sandwich medium heat. He said it was the perfect heat and devoured it. As teenagers do. My daughter had the kids plate two tenders and mac n cheese. She ended up bringing one tender home to finish later. Do not sleep on the Mac n cheese it is awesome.! We shall return. read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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¡Están con madre! ¡Bien sabrosas! Juicy, crispy, and well seasoned chicken! Not greasy at all and paired with the perfect trimmings! Recommend 100 percent!! read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - #5 - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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Tasty and Perfect portions, Just a little pricey which im okay with. Service is Okay, nothing crazy.

The food was really good. I really enjoyed my sandwich. I will definitely be back, my husband and kids also really liked it and my kids are so picky. The service was 10/10 they were so friendly and helpful! The restaurant needs some upgrades it's a little run down but other that that this place was wonderful, I'd definitely be back! read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - #1 mild chicken sandwich & Mac & - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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Carlitos brings the heat! Great, crispy, well seasoned chicken. Hot and fresh, worth the short wait to get fresh from the fryer and brought straight to the table. The staff was friendly and prompt, and provided ample condiments so you could season to your liking. Definitely worth the price, no more expensive than fast food at a far superior quality. I will be bringing any friends and family here when they come to town. Anyone local to the area, head to Carlitos, we need to make this place thrive to keep them around! read more

I have been craving a good spicy fried chicken sando and finally found it here in Salinas. Got the medium spicy and it's got a good kick to it. The chicken breast is huge. Mac n cheese just as good. We will be back read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Medium spicy fried chx breast and Mac n cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

Pretty delicious and very good would recommend getting the loaded fries with everything on it read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Chicken Sandwich, Waffle fries, sauce - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

First of all, I've lived in this neighborhood and have never been in this restaurant. I learned today that it's under new ownership and that they are selling Hot Chicken and was intrigued. I stopped in, staff was incredibly friendly, and food came out fast. The chicken is DY-NA-MITE.Hands down, excellent chicken and fries. My wife had the Mac and cheese which was also very good. The location is old - super outdated, but I get the feeling that as they grow in popularity, that will change. I only have a couple of comments for the owners: 1. ferment your own veggies, both the jalapeños and pickles. It is FAR less expensive in the long run and will set you apart from most other hot chicken spots. Fortunately there's only 1 here for now! 2. Renovate. New flooring, bar tops with stools in the windows, and get that amazing logo up on the wall. Keep the creepy Jesus and the heritage vibe - it stays true to the culture and the area. Other than that, no complaints! I look forward to your evolution and believe this is going to be really successful. Follow the white rabbit guys - we will definitely be back! read more

Great food, unfortunately service has not been the best lately. Seems to be randomly open and closing hours, called to check they were open, was confirmed they were open, drove over only to be told they are closing early all of a sudden. My third time trying to stop by/order from them, to find out they just arent open for the day, or time anymore. read more

Went to dinner tonight at Carlito's Hot Chicken on Market Street in Salinas! They never disappoint. The chicken sandwich was huge, the chicken was twice the size of the bun. The kids meal chicken strips came with two and I could only eat one and a half. Mild is just right for us, medium is pretty warm. I highly recommend going and checking them out, definitely worth it! No pics, we were hongry! read more

Quick service I was able to order in advance and grab and go. Overall DELICIOUS MEAL! Chicken sandwich was fuego! read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Carlitos Special - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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First time coming, wasn't aware they closed at 8 and came in at 8:02, they still took our order and let us eat inside. Service was awesome, good vibes, great food, and company and even though it was past closing we did not feel rushed to leave. Definitely recommend 10/10! read more

Okay it did not tasted good I got the chicken sandwich for 17$ it was not worth it I got it with cheese and tomato (they were out of lettuce) it was not worth it the special sauce taste like shit only the fries were good. This was not worth the hype at this point they payed the other people to give them five stars it is overrated never going again read more

We dropped in to try this spot after seeing a content creator post about it online. We really enjoy Angry Chicks but we're looking for a spot that did not require as much of a drive across town. Family friendly location, reasonable prices and the food was hot and fresh. Loved that they gave plenty of sauces, I will say it was spicier than I expected but still really good! read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Medium chicken spice level and waffle fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

I think I just found the best Chicken Sandwich in Salinas!!! The Chicken was soo juicy and the seasoning was perfect. I need to get a little higher spice level for myself next time but we ordered out from there with some coworkers and all of them agreed its amazing. Definitely also going to get the Mac and cheese next time I visit. Staff was very nice and courteous and even gave a discount for the extended wait which was worth it. Definitely going back again. read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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I recently ordered sat Carlitos and it is by far the Best chicken in Salinas! Amazing sandwiches and the fries are crunchy and tasty. read more

Tried this place today and I must say it's the best chicken Sammy I've had ! So moist and fresh ! Staff is super friendly I will definitely returning, next time with my son. read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Mac and cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

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Chicken sandwhich was very juicy and very crispy but the fries were terrible! The fries tasted exactly like if they were frozen store bought fries. service was not super good they took about an hour to give me my food although i did have a pretty big party. and they had very little seats. read more

What a fabulous hole in the wall hot chicken restaurant! Carlitos was recommended to us by some friends and we were eager to see what the hype was all about. We ordered a chicken sandwich meal and the chicken tenders meal both with mild spice. The chicken was flavorful and juicy and the waffle fries were a nice addition. We will definitely be eating here again. read more

Chicken portion was huge. Double the size of the bun and it came with lots of crinkle cut fries. The house. Made dipping sauce has a hint of spiciness. Horchata was my drink. Good service as it was delivered to my front door. read more

On Sunday I went here to eat I found them I wanted to try it out, honestly I order the Carlitos special hot when I bite on it was delicious. It was way better than raise & Cain and angry chicks together, so when go again instead of goin one of those places I will definitely go to Carlitos again. I gave them 10/10 read more

Have always placed to go orders. Had a family group at house & placed the large order of sliders with fries, mac'n cheese and was not disappointed. Sandwiches was crispy, juicy & delicious. Positive feedback from all. read more

Holy moly! My son had recommended this place to eat so we decided to give it a try. It is a hole in the wall and you can definitely pass by it if you're not looking for it. The chicken sandwiches are amazing and are definitely filling! I had gotten mine as mild, but it was very spicy so it was a little hard for me to eat all. read more

I wish we lived closer, my whole family agreed this is the best chicken sandos and tenders by far! Stop your search now and go to Carlitos!

I just recently heard about this place and I'm so glad I did! Forget about going to the other big name fried chicken places in town. THIS is the place to go! The sandwhich are delicious and the portions are great! Awesome customer service from the entire staff. My family's new favorite spot for fried chicken sandwiches! read more

Carlitos Crispn Chicken & Bar - Carlito's Special! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Salinas, California

One of the best chicken sandwich places in Monterey county. The place is a nice small hole in the wall and really a hidden gem. They have music playing in the background and panting all the walls which is kind of eh, but I come here for the food not the aesthetic. Workers here are always friendly and my only negative which isn't really one is that it takes awhile for your food to be made. Why I say it's not really a negative is because everything is cooked fresh to order. read more

The chicken sandwich is highly filling because what is advertised is what you get, a seriously overflowing chicken breast. The flavors of the spice and level was outstanding. This is a great spot especially if you're hungry and love chicken sandwiches. I didn't take a picture because I was too hungry and devoured my sandwich and I had the Mac n cheese with mine. It was also delicious. The cole slaw I wasn't too impressed by. It was lacking acidity and tasted flat. Maybe I like my cole slaw with a more of a vinager taste. Service was courteous and fast. Definitely a go to spit for me. read more

Best chicken sandwiches in Salina's hands down. The chicken size is more than enough. I had to do two separate sessions to finish my sandwich! The flavor is great. Def try the Mac and cheese amazing. read more

What used to be Carlito's Mexican Restaurant has now been completely reimagined and the transformation is impressive. This place is fully dedicated to hot chicken now, and they're doing it right. We ordered the sliders meal and the mild chicken sandwich, and both were absolutely delicious. The chicken was perfectly juicy, well seasoned, and had that satisfying crispy bite. The waffle fries were bomb, and the dipping sauce was addictive. This place feels like one of those hidden gems you almost don't want to tell people about because it's that good. But they deserve all the hype. Hands down better than Angry Chickz, no question. read more

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After seeing the reviews, we decided to give this place a go. It's located in an unexpected spot, restaurant area in the front with a few tables and chairs and a small "party room" in the back. A few people were waiting for their take-out orders. We dined in and got the chicken sandwich and chicken tenders with waffle fries. The chicken was flavored very good and was huge! Fries were flavored and crispy but some pieces tasted like dirt! Portions are great for the price! Our only complaint and warning is that the food took a long time (+30 min) to come out so I recommend calling your order in ahead of time. read more

Kind of unassuming place near a bunch of industrial businesses, I had to pass by it to find it but, once inside, it was a nice open room with a cheerful counter person who was very helpful making suggestions for what to order on the first visit. I chose the most popular combo and it was served promptly and hot. The chicken was wonderful; hot, crispy, moist inside, and a huge piece that did not fit in the bun. I ordered the least spicy, so that I could enjoy all of the flavors, and I'm glad I did. The sauce they provided was slightly hotter than I like, but was a good compliment to the chicken. I ordered the toppings on the side so that I could add where and when I wanted. The slaw was a great compliment, and the sauce on the waffle fries was good, too. My wife is not spicy friendly, so I am hoping that I can order her a plain sammie so she can enjoy the best made chicken sandwich in town, hands down. read more

First impressions were online via instagram. Looked appetizing and everything, we get to the restaurant and we're the first people there . We ordered one plate of sliders and Mac. Around 30min later our meal comes out after a family of 3 order when they ordered after us. Was not worth the wait; sliders were not medium heat, not crispy, no flavor even the jalapeños tasted like nothing. The fries were soggy not crispy either as for the Mac and cheese, where was the cheese? We only tasted pasta and bacon which was insane for the amount of time we waited. The service was great but the food was not outstanding nor on my top 10 chicken spots. read more