First time!! Great experience. Very busy, lively bar and seating areas. Food was great! Best beans I ever had. Salsa is always my bellwether... loved it! Mixed the hot and regular, perfect! Chips were thick instead of thin, my only complaint. Who cares though, the plates were huge! I had veggie fajitas and added steak. Perfect! He had carne esada and enjoyed it. Served whole. I also enjoyed the raspberry fruit margarita, frozen with sugar rum. I don't usually like tequila drinks, but that was so yummy I spilled it. Staff was friendly and super attentive. Thank you! We will come back again! read more

Update after 6 years: Our visit in 2019 was less than stellar. We revisited this Sunday afternoon. It was much better than we remember. The restaurant was clean and we had pretty good service at the bar. The chips were warm, thin, and crispy but needed salt. The salsa was cold and tasty. I had the steak fajitas. The portion was large. The onions and peppers needed more time in the flattop. The steak was tender but slightly under seasoned. The guacamole was not fresh. The beans were on point and tasty. My wife had the taco salad and she was OK with it but now wowed. All in all the value is there and nothing bad happened. There just wasn't anything to get excited about. A-OK is 3 stars. read more

Consistency is key and Carlos O'Briens is consistent! The ambiance is always welcoming and clean, all the servers are super nice and knowledgeable about the menu and the food is good. I wouldn't say it's authentic but it's good and you always know what you're going to get. I personally like the flautas but you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Btw the portions are pretty large read more

Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

First I want to start off by saying our server was very friendly and very attentive. However, I just can't get over the lack of good flavor on their food. We come every year to celebrate my Nana's birthday since it was her favorite restaurant(I never did understand why) and I e tried a few different dishes- pollo fundido, taco salad and more that I can't remember. Today, I got the pollo fundido and the flavor is just not good and the chicken is continuously dry. I will agree with previous reviews that the salsa also lacks flavor. I did like that out chips came out warm though! Also, their fries that come with the kids meal are pretty good. I'm chalking it up to I just haven't found a food item I like here yet. I feel like once I do though, I probably won't order anything else cause so far it's all strikes for the things I've had. read more

On Saturday, May 9th my wife and I decided to go to Carlos for an early dinner. We arrived about 4:25pm, approached the hostess station and asked to be seated in Tino's section. The young woman working at the hostess station told us that Tino had "too many tables". We were bummed because we have known Tino for over 20 years at 2 different restaurants and he always provides sterling service. We understood and the hostess proceeds to seat us in the main dining area. We passed many empty tables and ended up in the last 1/2 booth by the kitchen entrance and the service area at the back of the dining room. My wife asked me what I was thinking about the table. I told her I wanted to leave and she agreed. She felt like we were punished for asking for a server we know and trust. We got up, left the restaurant and went to Popo's at 59th Ave and Bell Road and had a wonderful meal. Management, I kindly suggest that you get a hostess with manners to great your customers. After all, the hostess is the first impression customers get of your restaurant. read more

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I don't know why this place doesn't have good reviews. It was so yummy! I use to go to this restaurant as a kid on northern rd and this location is also yummy. Our server was attentive and nice. Food came out fast and hot! Beans were creamy and cheesy, rice was flavorful, beef and cheese enchilada was packed and smothered with lots of sauce and more cheese, beef taco was crispy. Salsa was mild but perfect for me. They did have hot sauce you could spice it up if you like that. It was my daughter's bday and they came out and sang to her and gave her a free dessert. We definitely will be back! read more

The staff was on their game today for Sunday lunch. Adrian did a great job & was so attentive. Our glasses were never more than half empty and all the food came out quick and was cooked perfectly. read more

Me and my wife sat at the bar this evening for almost 20 minutes while we were completely ignored. The bartender decided to serve his friends while chatting them up and completely ignoring us. We didn't even have waters in front of us. We just finally walked out we felt so uncomfortable. We have been here several times and this experience was very off putting and we will not be back. read more

My family and I recently dined in for a quick lunch. The service and ambience of the restaurant was really nice and the waiter was quick to take our order. We enjoyed some spinach queso as an appetizer along with our salsa. I absolutely loved the queso, though it tasted more like a beer cheese dip for a pretzel than basily. Though you can't go wrong with cheese, we finished it quickly. My family also enjoyed the beef tacos, green corn tamale, and the Carne Asada. Overall pretty solid options. For my lunch, I enjoyed a side of refried beans and rice with a flour tortilla. Their tortilla was super fresh and hot, it was absolutely perfect to eat with my side of beans and rice. The proportions were also great as well. Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience. read more

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Very average. Food was cold and we were desperate from the airport for a quick bite on way to Sedona. Maybe the giveaway is the name. Is it Irish or Mexican. Chips snd salsa were ok. Food was cold. And we were only ones there at 2:45 so it served our purpose. Server was pleasant. read more

Came here for dinner . I ordered a beef chimichanga. It was a Saturday I thought it would be packed but not at all. It was clean.

They're great we come here all the time really good food and complimentary chips just that they never used to charge for drinks on combos, but now they do. Now they're as expensive as everyone else out there. Still, good food and atmosphere. read more

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This place was surprisingly quiet for a Mexican pub but enjoyable. The food was good and reasonably priced. My daughter ordered beef enchilada and beef taco being the carnivore that she is (like me ) while o ordered the Baja fish tacos that I shared with my wife. The quantity of food is generous. My daughter's meal was fit for a big guy and she was just a petite girl, so big leftovers for her. The refried beans and cheese topping was quite delicious. The ambiences was ok. Had a feel of a typical American bar and grille. All in all, not bad for family meals. I'd go back. read more

Sat at the bar yesterday at the Norterra locaction and the bartende/server was the best. We've been going to COB since they were on 16th street and Bethany Home Rd. in the late 70's, early 80's. BEST SALSA, still!! We were however, disappointed in the green chili burritos. The chili literally had no flavor and definitely no spice. Just wondering if they changed their recipe over the years. And are there any original people that still work there!? Still same owner? read more

Just left here after making a special trip for my birthday. We live in Sun City West, and Sadly VERY DISAPPOINTED. This has been a favorite of ours for a while and now we will never go back. My husband ordered ground beef enchiladas and received chicken. They remade the plate but what they brought out was a huge mess. It appeared to be a half of An enchilada not a whole one and the rice and beans were all over the place. I requested pinto beans instead of refried and got refried. I ordered the queso fundido chicken chimichanga which is my favorite. The chimi which I KNOW is fried was so overcooked that it was almost glued to the plate. The sad thing is the server almost behaved as if we were an inconvenience. So sad that the best thing of this meal was the beer..... and how do you mess that up? read more

How have I not reviewed this place before? I've only been to this location a couple of times, but I use to be a huge fan of the one on Northern and 12th Street. I loved that old building and it's charm. I remember the host that worked there made sure that the customers had chips and salsa within 15 seconds of sitting down at the table. No lie, it was incredible. This place lacks the charm of the original location and the food has taken a bit of a dip in quality. The chips took a little longer than "the old days", but still quicker than most other places else. The salsa is as excellent as ever. This is more Americanized Mexican food, which is not a bad thing, just different. I've always loved their cheese crisps, but they are not as good as they used to be. Same thing with their enchilada sauce, as the cheese enchiladas were my normal "go to". I will probably go back, but it's now average rather than exceptional. 3 1/2/ stars read more

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We arrived mid afternoon and only 5 tables full, we stood at the lobby for 5 mins before being taken to the bar rather than dinning room. We asked to be sat in the donning room so she took to the back where there was a party of 30 having a Party. Flatware was dirty tortillas raw and the two enchilada plate was only "two in one tortilla. DON' WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY read more

We enjoyed another good meal at Carlos O'Brien's at Norterra. I had my usual Chili Relleno w refried beans. My wife had a Shredded beef Taco and Rice. We were both very satisfied with the food. read more

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Great food, great service, would for sure come back here again! Atmosphere was great and the waitress was wonderful. read more

Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant - Chips, salsa, queso dip, sampler platter - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The food was delicious! The service was excellent. We didn't have to wait too long to be seated or to get our food. I didn't give 5 stars because our experience was that the place wasn't very hygienic. Our table had old salsa sticking to the surface, my knife had dried food on it, and the child high hair was disgusting. We would come back if they upped their cleanliness. The food and staff were great. read more

First time there, and it won't be our last. Anna took care of us. First time ever having a Mexican pizza, we really enjoyed it and the margaritas weren't bad either. I WOULD RECOMMEND. read more

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For casual dining and good Mexican American food, this is a good place. I miss the Northern location but glad these folks are still in business, I'm not an authentic Mexican food person so this fits me well. read more

I have absolutely loved Carlos O'Brien's specifically the Scottsdale location which I went to frequently when I lived on that side of town and I wish they would come out to Surprise now anytime I'm over in Scottsdale near Mayo Drive and the 101 there chicken chimichangas are absolutely awesome. I get the gringo version with just sour cream no sauce and then I also use the sour cream with the rice and their baby chimichangas as an appetizer sometimes getting that as a meal is absolutely lawesome. and I'm hoping that the deer Valley location off of I 17 and deer Valley is still open. It used to be the old TGI Fridays. I will have to go check it out but they absolutely have the best chicken taco salad also with sour cream. read more

The restaurant was open and airy. The staff were nice. Service was good.( a little slow) Food was pretty good and arrived hot. One small critiques: the onions and jalapeños were rough chopped. I found chunks in my food that were nickel size and scallions that were 1/2 in long. I work in close proximity to people and the smell and aftertaste were overwhelming. I think a fine chop would solve this problem and stretch your onions and jalapeños to go further. You are not the only restaurant that does this. And i have posted to these others. I was told to specify while ordering. If i knew that's how it comes then ,ok. I would rather not cross you off of my restaurant choices because of this. read more

The food was mediocre. The waiter was unfriendly. Margaritas were very small and had to be sent back for salt. The floors were filthy and the whole place had an unclean look to it. read more

I would like everyone to know our bad experience we had with Carlos O' Brien's . We were all sick so what better idea to order DoorDash from one of our favorite go to places. When the order arrived we were missing one complete meal. We called the delivery driver and he said that he was given two bags of food and we would need to call the restaurant. After calling and speaking to them the girl on the phone confirmed the the driver was given two bags of food. At that point I asked to speak to the manager. I explained to him the issue and he said that he confirmed with the host that she gave the driver three bags of food. Sounds to me like she was trying to cover her ass with her manager because she told me there was only two bags. why would lie? The manager took her side and made no effort to make the mistake/lie right. I have been a Long time customer for 20 plus years and this has left a sour taste in my mouth and they may have lost me as a customer. If you're looking for good Mexican food with no hassle or lying I recommend you not go to Carlos O'Brien's and go Valle Luna. I dare them to make this right. read more

The service was really good. Server attentive. Food tasted great when it was scalding hot. Meh as it was cooling off . Rice was flavorless. Beans were OK but no melted cheese to speak of. Not sure it was worth the money. read more

Food was good and service too , the environment was just awful , no music- we can hear everything from the kitchen . Place look rundown , manager was present and smiling , good portions on the food and price for dinner was around 60.00 dollars . read more

It's been awhile since we've been to a Carlos O'Brien's. We used to go to the one on northern but it was torn down years ago. So we decided to see if this one was any good We were seated immediately. Our server was pretty good. He was very attentive and helpful. I knew things weren't going to be good when I tasted the salsa. Both the mild and hot were horrible. That's usually an indication on how good the food will be. Ordered the steak fajitas and a cheese quesadilla. The quesadilla was greasy but decent. Would have been better if there was good salsa. The steak was tasteless. The rice was tasteless. I was beginning to think I had Covid. Lol. But then I could taste the guacamole which was ok. Needless to say we won't be back. We all ordered different things and we all had the same opinion. "Not good". read more

Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant - Steak fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

It has been in neighborhood forever but we never tried it before. Decided to take parents here during their visit to Phoenix and I repent for the decision. Huge place with many seating capacity including a bar, food comes in huge quantity but the taste is where this place lacks. Below average Mexican cuisine taste and something that won't appeal you if you are taste freak like us who don't care about ambience or classy restaurant if the food taste good. I would not recommend this place to anyone. Rather Try food trucks somewhere. Staff is nice though and they honor your needs. Service was fast too. read more

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The bar area has lots of nice tables and the bar top has plenty of seating. The bar seats are cushy but there is no back so they can get uncomfortable after a bit of time sitting. Service was excellent. Friendly, attentive and fast. However, the food left a lot to be desired. I had a taco that was made with very fresh ingredients and came to the table nice and hot. Large serving sizes but my taco shell was completely broken in half, there wasn't much meat, it was mostly lettuce, and the meat lacked seasoning or any flavor. All our food was boring, bland, flavorless but made with very fresh ingredients. The margarita was pre-made. It was not the best or the worst I've ever had. The service is a definite 5 but the food wasn't good. read more

Stopped for lunch. Food was excellent from Salsa, Margaritas and food. Arnaldo, our waiter, was wonderful and attentive. We will definitely be back. read more

Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Popped into this location for a colleague's birthday lunch and it's the same tasty food as the other locations. Carlos O'Brien's is one of the few places in town that also does fajitas in a way that I really enjoy! Great deals on drinks. Ordered the cheese crisp on a recommendation and it was good enough to be a meal in and of itself. The shredded beef tacos were new to me and now a favorite. Will order again! The only drawback that I found with this location is that lunchtime gets busy. If you come for a weekday lunch, I would suggest ordering as soon as you sit down (yup, research the menu beforehand!). Since we were more relaxed for a birthday celebration, we didn't order immediately. That proved to be a mistake. After we got the initial drink order, we weren't given the opportunity to order our entrees for a good 20 minutes. We were then in the back of the queue when it came to getting our food. Not a super big deal but know if you are coming in for a "quick bite." Employees were friendly overall and forthcoming with refills and offering take-out boxes. They also refilled our chips and salsa (love the small spicy salsa they serve!). read more

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Had a nice dinner here on our way to Sedona. We were seated right away and ordered some drinks. They brought out a big plate of tortilla chips with dips. Tasted great and was nice as we were already really hungry. As entrees we had the quesadillas and the shrimp fajitas. Portion size was really generous and everything tasted great. The fajitas were nice with the veggies and the quesadillas came in a few different flavors and had plenty of cheese and fillings. I feel they were a bit overloaded. But definitely a nice restaurant I can recommend. Our server was really nice and got us everything we needed. read more

Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant - Shrimp Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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What an awesome Happy Hour! Everyday 3pm- 6:30pm! So, you 9am to 5pm's have time to get in there! I came in to have a bite to eat and check out the margaritas! Carlos was my bartender! He was nice, upbeat and helpful. I started with a house Cadillac Margarita! Delicious! Next came my mini Queso Fondidos! If you know this dish it comes in many forms depending on the restaurant! Here, it's a Chicken Chimi with a jalapeno cream cheese sauce on top! Genius! They were so good. Cooked nice and crispy with a flavorful sauce. Can't go wrong unless your vegan then I'm assuming not for you! The chips and salsa that are complimentary were spot on. A few different salsas to try but the traditional one is very tasty! My experience overall was great! I will for sure come back for more! Carlos buddy! Thank you so much! Your hospitality is A- ok with me! Keep up the great work! Kitchen staff I appreciate you too! For throwing down all those wonderful flavors! read more

Went in for the lunch specials and was underwhelmed by the prices for food. Good size but $15 for a meal is the same price for a dinner entree. Service was fine, nothing to write about. The kicker is I ordered a $5 draft beer advertised as a mug. I'm expecting a 20oz plus mug, what came was maybe a puny 12oz mug. Actually, I don't think a single 12oz can could fit in this mug. Deceptive not to get a heads up about how tiny the mugs are. See photo below. read more

Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant - Happy hour sized draft beer for $5 - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Our family ordered four different types of burritos. Picked them up and after we all started eating them, 1/4 of the normal amount of protein! Where's the beef? So frustrating after driving 30 minutes to bring this home after work. Called the "manager" and explained what we just experienced. He said "bring them back so I can see if this is true?!" What?! Well instead of him apologizing he kept being defensive. The little meat that was in the chimichanga was stale and dry! He replied "no it's not " With no resolution or apology, here's your review! Horrible customer service....$16 for garbage. read more

Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurant - Chimichanga Red Beef - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Great service! But that was the best part of our experience, everything else was average. Starting with the chips and salsa - decent chips, but despite the appearance of plenty of peppers, the salsa was bland. Margaritas were actually too strong and not enough salt on the rim. I ordered the taco combo, one chicken and one ground beef. The chicken was so dry, the beef was a little better. The taco shells were slightly crispy, but also soggy and falling apart. Plenty of cheese though! The girls liked the bean and cheese tacos. The restaurant was a little tired and could use a refresh for sure. read more

Grew up going to Carlos Obrians when on 16 St and Bethany Was so good back then Then 12st and Northern still good Went to this location yesterday and I was so disappointed. The food was terrible There were 3 of us One had fajitas, two of us had the funditos. I was so disappointed... how can this restaurant go from awesome to terrible ordered extra jalapeno cream and they charged 2.50. really after tip $77. waste of money will never be back.. so sad read more

Wasn't feeling good while I stayed in a hotel near by so I Ordered the Albondigas soup for pickup, which was $10. I thought hmmm, that's not a bad price But To my surprise the size of the soup was about 8-10oz with 2 meatballs so I ordered another. I just wish that I knew what to expect prior to picking up my order and I feel the sizing needs to be added to the website. I had also asked for onion, cilantro, and jalapeño to add to my soup so they proceeded to charge me an additional $2. I have never been charged for onions and cilantro at a Mexican restaurant so that threw me off. The soup was good and came with chips and salsa. They could have saved the chips and salsa and gave more soup or onion and cilantro for free. I will not come back to this place for that reason alone. I hate to be nickel and dimed read more