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    Carlota's Authentic Mexican Cuisine

    3.7 (240 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Carlota's Authentic Mexican Cuisine Photos

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    CARLOTA'S AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Restaurant and bar.
    Wes K.

    Great food! Try the Mole! Loved the Margaritas! Great and friendly service! We'll be back!

    Handcrafted fresh fruit juices make for delicious Margaritas by Ricardo.
    Nick W.

    Great restaurant and Ricardo make the best Margaritas! Super friendly service. AAA+ Hospitality! Always a pleasure to dine here! Authentic Mexican music and ambiance.

    Margarita
    Amanda H.

    Both the food and the service is always amazing at Carlota's. They are great at remembering their customers and what they like to order. They've even added things to the menu based on customers' requests. The food is very tasty. I love the Carlota's salad for lunch; the chicken is so well seasoned, juicy, and tasty. The cinnamon tea and the margaritas are both great and I don't usually order margaritas. The ambiance is also very clean, nice and well put together. Overall this place is a gem in Catalina!

    Restaurant menu

    Carlotta's food is wonderful and we're glad to be back! Can't wait to take your wonderful Chile Rellanos to my father-in-law!

    Steam coming off Shrimp Fajitas. Look at the size of those peppers. And shrimp too.
    Craig W.

    Okay, this place is not in Tucson, unless the city jumped over Oro Valley and landed in Catalina, which is where this is located. Another place where it isn't easy to find. You head up on Oracle, then eventually you get to the paradise of Catalina. A magical place of, well..let's move on. Carlotta's is sort of behind a bank, so you need to turn left into McDonald's then drive around. Parking is limited, but they have some on the side. Key items to remember 1. If you are over 70, or understand what Sun City crowd means - they love to eat early, thus anyone younger, you want to eat later - dinner wise. The place is big enough, far more than the parking lot. 2. Be amazed how many of the old timers drink water as their beverage of choice. I was told of this and sure enough it's like a game you can have. Seems to be either margaritas (when they are cheap) or water. Hey its a savings of $3 to $4 bucks. 3. If you can't have corn, your options are very limited..either a burrito or Fajitas. I went with the Shrimp Fajitas. The shrimp are a good size, seasoned well. The peppers are fresh and really big. I love that they don't overdo the onions like so many other places. You will want a side of guacamole because what they give you will last one tortilla. There is enough food here for two people. I always ditch the sour cream and cheese. The Pico de gallio is good, but ask for salsa. For those who like mild and mild is being nice, go with that one, it's the one that comes out with the corn chips. OR go full tilt with the hot one, you have to ask for it. Oh, and when you leave with extras if you ask, they will add some salsa to a cup.

    Fancy back drop
    Kimberly T.

    This place is my new favorite Mexican place! I came here from a recommendation from a coworker. This place is so cute! The design of the restaurant is so pretty inside, they even have a picture of the day of dead near the bar. Ricardo was our waiter and he is just a joy. If you pay cash, you get a free dessert (fried ice cream) yum yum yum. I ordered the Carlota salad, the chicken was amazing (I think I tasted some lemon grass). Albondigas is to die for. My kids and husband ordered tacos and they were delicious. Our aunt had some smoking hot fajitas. All delicious and amazing portions. They were so kind to bring mild salsa for the kids and spicy for the adults! We are definitely making the drive back here for food next time! My aunt is Mexican and she is quite picky and she gave it a thumbs up!

    Chicken tacos wirice and beans (minus one taco)
    Jim A.

    This was my first time at their new location In Catalina. I had been to their old location across the road on several different occasions. When they were at their old location, the food was amazing. Full of flavor and fresh. The staff was excellent and attentive. Something happened between the old locationand the new location. Something bad. Decided to break my diet one time and was really craving Carlotta's tacos. I also wanted to see the new location since it looked fancy, and I believed that the food was going to be excellent as it had been on my past visits in the old location. Boy, was I wrong. To be polite, the food quality was similar to a bad fast food experience. I ordered the chicken tacos (which I have had on all of my previous visits) with the rice and beans. When the food arrived, they brought a small bowl of chips and hot and mild salsa. The chicken tacos were in a premade shell, similar to those you get in the grocery store, stale and tasted like the package they came in. Then thicken was like warm and had no flavor. The salsa tasted like it came from a jar (it probably did) and had no spice to it. The rice and beans were okay, but nothing that anyone would crave. They didn't taste like they did at their old location. The staff was inattentive. They never came by and offered me a refill on my soda. If the food was good, I wouldn't care so much about the service, but since everything tasted and looked like it came from a box, service kinda matters to me. So, to sum it up, if you liked the old location, don't expect the same quality of food. This place is pretty much fast food, and there are other plac s around with better quality of food. In the bright side though, the new location is fancy and well decorated. Maybe the table and chairs had more flavor than the food.

    Fried ice cream

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    2 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Food very mediocre and overpriced. Very few customers at 1:00 in the afternoon. Will not be returning again.

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    3 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Really great authentic food, and impeccable service. This is a favorite of ours when we visit my parents!

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    1 year ago

    All I can say is best Mexican cuisine I've had ever. Drinks exceptional. Food best ever. Service above average

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    1 year ago

    Food was okay, margaritas were too sweet. Not terrible but not sure I would go again.

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    El Charro Cafe

    El Charro Cafe

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    What an incredible experience at, El Charro Café! From the moment we walked in, everything was…read moreoutstanding. The service was friendly, attentive, and on point from start to finish. Everyone made us feel welcome and ensured we had everything we needed. The food was absolutely phenomenal. I ordered the carne asada chimichanga enchilada style, and I can honestly say it was on another level. The flavors were incredible, the carne asada was perfectly cooked, and the enchilada sauce took the entire dish to a whole new world. Every bite was better than the last! This was my first visit, and it's an experience I'll never forget. If you're in Tucson and looking for authentic Mexican food with exceptional service, El Charro Café is a must-visit. I can't wait to come back and try more of the menu. Highly recommend!

    We were in Tucson over the weekend and wanted to try some authentic Mexican food. El Charro kept…read morepopping up in our search, and since we love exploring historic places with a story, it seemed like the perfect choice. Located in downtown Tucson, this iconic restaurant is full of character and beautifully decorated. We visited on a Saturday around 1 PM without a reservation and were told there would be a wait since the place was packed. They only have air conditioning in the indoor dining areas and basement, not on the outdoor patio. Luckily, we were seated in the basement, which turned out to be perfect. The service was commendable truly some of the sweetest and most attentive service we've experienced in a long time. We started with freshly made chips and salsa, which were an instant hit. For drinks, we ordered the El Tamarindo, Mangopeno, and Monica's Cafetini. For food, we chose the Vegan Jackfruit Taquitos Trio and the Fresh Corn Tamale Platter, which came with a side of squash. The drinks were excellent, with the Mangopeno being my favorite. But the real star of the meal was the tamale platter. Oh my goodness it was absolutely delicious! Everyone at the table kept digging in and couldn't get enough. Even the squash side was so flavorful that we ordered an extra serving. The vegan jackfruit taquitos were a bit too deep-fried for our liking and didn't quite compare to the incredible tamales. To finish, we shared a caramel flan, which was the perfect sweet ending to the meal. The pricing was very reasonable, the service was exceptional, and the food was memorable. We will definitely be back again if only for those amazing tamales!

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    Steak burro
    Beautiful setting of Mexican Folk Art
    Beautiful setting of Mexican Folk Art
    Charro Street Tacos

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    Amelias Mexican Kitchen

    Amelias Mexican Kitchen

    4.4
    (673 reviews)
    12.8 mi
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    We had an amazing first visit to Amelia's Mexican Kitchen on Oracle Rd. Alexa took such wonderful…read morecare of us. She was warm, attentive, and genuinely kind, and she made our whole experience feel welcoming from start to finish. The hosts were kind too. There was plenty of seating, a dedicated bar, TVs, and nice lighting. The patio has misters, which is perfect for this time of year. They offer booth and table seating, and the tables aren't packed too close together. With party members who have different mobility challenges, the spacing was great and made everything comfortable. The food was delicious. The complimentary bottomless chips and salsa were fresh and generous. If you order the horchata, it comes with free refills too, which is such a nice touch. My husband ordered 2 birria tacos with caldo and loved them. My father in law ordered 2 ground beef enchiladas with red sauce, and my mother in law ordered 2 plain ground beef tacos. I shared the ceviche with my dad, which was fresh and flavorful, and we each ordered one Quesabirria. It was so good! Dessert was perfect. We tried the flan and the chocolate flan. The chocolate flan was a moist Bundt-style chocolate cake with flan on top. Both were creamy, delicious, and enjoyed by all of us. Great service, great food, and Alexa truly made our first visit special. We'll definitely be back!

    2 breakfast items at 12.99 and two juice drinks at 4 dollars each came to 49 dollars? No itemized…read morebill .. just the magic tip screen in your face. They give you chips and salsa without asking which is 6 dollars. No idea how I spent 59 dollars with the tip. We waited and asked several times for water. Very disappointed. Nothing special about the breakfast items. I do not get the positive reviews.

    Photos
    Breakfast burritos at lunch time
    Breakfast burritos at lunch time
    2 QUESABIRRIAS W/RICE & BEANS, CALDO (Juice meat)
    2 QUESABIRRIAS W/RICE & BEANS, CALDO (Juice meat)
    Beef Tamales con Juevos with black beans

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    Beef Tamales con Juevos with black beans
    La Indita

    La Indita

    4.4
    (219 reviews)
    18.3 mi
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    It had literally been decades since the last time I went to Indita, and that was at their old…read morelocation on 4th. I absolutely love their new digs! Spacious patio area, with cool lights, umbrellas, and many tables. If you have a choice and it isn't too hot, sit outside. The food is stellar! I got their ranch style flat enchilada, which is more or less a thick masa topped with enchilada flavors and spices. So yummy. (And it's vegetarian too!) The rest of the table (3 more) ordered the green chicken enchiladas. They didn't need to rave about it: their plates were completely clean at the end of the meal! We ordered Tamarindo and Horchata drinks between us, and frankly, the Tamarindo is some of the best I've ever had anywhere. Service can be a little slow, especially if they're busy. But we didn't really mind. It was a nice experience.

    La Indita was a mixed experience for me. While the food was incredible, the wait time, the service,…read moreand the lack of communication was not great. The restaurant was packed and it was the holidays so it was understandable. We were told to wait at the back of the restaurant which we did. We waited for over an hour and then were told our table was ready, so we got up and followed. Then someone else came up and they both started whispering and then told us that we would not be seated after all. We asked what had happened (was the kitchen too busy?) but were not told anything other than "she told us not to seat you". The secretive whispering made it a very confusing situation. We sat back down and waited some more. Eventually we got seated, but then the food took another hour to come after we ordered. We asked a few times for water refills but eventually gave up when it didn't come. The plus side - the FOOD. The mole sauce was really good, best I've had! The chicken mole was my favorite dish but the beef with chile was also spectacular. Both corn and flour tortillas were so good here. It was really delicious and I would come back for the food, but not for the service.

    Photos
    Finally got to eat here!
    Finally got to eat here!
    Chips
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    Our table looking pretty

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    Our table looking pretty
    La Yaquesita Mexican Cuisine

    La Yaquesita Mexican Cuisine

    4.6
    (107 reviews)
    18.5 mi
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    Delicious food with a very relaxed and inviting atmosphere. The service was excellent. Highly…read morerecommend the Jarritos Paloma, it's delicious! I stopped in for lunch and the food and drinks really hit the spot. I also love all the plants on the patio. It feels like eating at Abuelita's house.

    Overall, the service was good and the food tasted good, but the pricing didn't quite match the…read moreculinary experience for me. Honestly, I wish I could give Yaquesita a little more, maybe half a star more, because this place definitely has potential. Their flavors are good, but compared to similar restaurants the menu feels a bit overpriced. For a party of three we ended up paying around $100, which felt like a bit much for what we got. The restaurant itself is pretty small with only about 3-4 tables inside, but the patio is a decent size and has a cute vibe. It's actually a nice option on cooler days if you don't mind sitting outside. Some items were better than others. The wet-style burrito was delicious and definitely a highlight. The quesabirrias were good, however the birria felt more like fancier shredded beef. It was missing that rich, spicy, slightly acidic, earthy flavor that usually sets birria apart from barbacoa or traditional shredded beef dishes. The bowl was just okay and had lots of lettuce. It felt more like a salad with a bit of meat, rice, and beans. Honestly, Chipotle does bowls better, and that says a lot considering the price. The nachos were good, but I've had better. Seis Kitchen has amazing nachos to share. That said, it's definitely a place I'd come back to mainly out of convenience, not because one particular item on the menu won my heart. I really do hope they continue refining the menu because the flavors are there and this place could easily become a standout spot. Personally I just think at the total price of my ticket other restaurants should not even have room in my mind during my meal. If you're in the area and looking for a safe bet where everyone will probably find something they like, it's worth giving them a try.

    Photos
    A glimpse of the decor
    A glimpse of the decor
    Sonora Hot Dogs and fries
    Sonora Hot Dogs and fries
    2 Piece Quesabirrias IG: ea_yelpelite

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    2 Piece Quesabirrias IG: ea_yelpelite

    Carlota's Authentic Mexican Cuisine - mexican - Updated June 2026

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