Always great ambiance and friendly staff! Can never turn down a table on the patio and a margarita here. :)

We went for a late lunch on a weekday afternoon. We were promptly greeted and seated. Chips and salsa along with drinks came right away. We ordered short rib tacos and chicken enchiladas both of which came with great tasting rice and beans. The chicken enchiladas were delicious and the serving was generous. I should have taken home half, but I couldn't help myself and it's all of it. Thanks for a great meal read more

SO GOOD!!!! absolutely loved my experience and the food I would recommend this spot if you are in Laguna and want a nice sit down dinner!! read more

Carmelita's - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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I ate street tacos all over Laguna Beach on my trip and the best I had was the grilled fish taco here. Great service. Must stop when in this town. read more

The family and I recently visited Carmelita's in LB. We haven't been to the LB location in about 8 years. We didn't have reservations but came on a Tuesday, so luckily they were able to seat us. It wasn't a hot day and was probably in the mid 60s by the time we sat down for dinner. We had a table at the window which was still letting in some daylight. At one point of our dining experience though, it got excessively hot and felt like no air was coming in. It was so uncomfortable for us that we rushed packing the leftovers so we could leave. The restaurant is still as cute as I remember it. Indoor seating is very limited, but I see they've added some outside since Covid. Our server was attentive and checked on us often. Our chips, bean dip and salsa, were always full as was our water. Service was good. FYI - they don't have a dedicated kids menu but will make quesadillas and tacos for them. What we ordered this time; 2 carnitas plates - unfortunately these was very salty and was difficult to eat. We still packed the leftovers so we could repurpose it as a burrito or omelet at home. 1 Chicken quesadilla for the kids. 2 Cesar side salads - the picture I attached doesn't look like a Cesar salad. I sent it back but it came back again, and were told it was in fact a Cesar. So I am not sure what to think. It has some white corn, tomatoes, what looked like Parmesan shavings and tortilla strips. It didn't taste like a Cesar dressing but either way, we ate it and I liked it. It wasn't anything special but good. This time around our food was 3/3.5 stars for us which is still considered good for a rating between 1-5. I would still return but I would likely not order the carnitas and stick to the steak fajitas or the seafood enchiladas and salads. That's what we usually order whenever we visit any of their other locations. read more

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Had a lovely late evening snack on the patio with the extended fam (the girls and 2 dogs...) So yes, the patio is pet friendly (there were at least 3 other groups with pooches). We just had apps, but all were good. The guac was a very large portion, the street corn was tasty, and the girls liked the ribs (as did the pups like the extra meat). I like that the chips & salsa also come with a bt of beans, something that I see occasionally, but I think it is a nice touch. Drinks were fine, perfectly good margaritas. We'll likely be back, especially since it is open late-ish. read more

Across from the beach in laguna beach, this place has some excellent Mexican food. Came in and was seated outside under an umbrella table. We had 5 people and the waiter brought out an extra chair for us. He was super attentive and helpful. As we were ordering, they brought out some fresh tortilla chips and fresh salsa/bean dip. Super crispy, warm and authentic tasting. I ordered the enchilada which was made just right. read more

Carmelita's - Enchilada - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Before work schedules changed this was our go to Mexican date night place. Chips and salsa are delicious, atmosphere is nice but the food every time has been delicious. Numerous times here and one day will be back! read more

Unbelievably great food! Seriously the best meal I've had in ages. Everything was so fresh and delicious. A little pricey but portions were large enough to share. Adorable interior. Lots of seating inside with tables and he bar. Seating out on the patio as well, with heaters when the cool ocean breeze comes along. Rodisela was our waitress and she was positively delightful and attentive. May be heading back tomorrow night! Highly recommend! read more

Carmelita's - Mahi Mahi tacos - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Good atmosphere, friendly, professional staff. Many choices from the menu and great food.

So good. Warm, free chips and a delicious bean dip and salsa when you sit down. The corn was fab and served piping hot off the grill. There was a generous amount of fish on the tacos. The best bartenders too. Go! read more

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This really is now one of my favorites by the beach. We had a nice table outside on a great evening. The waitress was really nice and I'll start with the chips. They were really those homemade kind that are nice and crispy and freshly made. Salsa was a great a complimentary flavor. My wife ordered the carnitas plate and I got the wet burrito. Both were worthy dishes that we would eat again and probably will one day. Great location right by the beach and close to some desserts, even though next time I'll probably try the deep fried ice cream I saw someone eat on the way out. read more

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Nice Mexican restaurant with a view of Laguna Beach. The outdoor area is dog friendly, with great service, but parking is a bit of a challenge. The mahi mahi fish tacos, which come with avocado, cabbage, rice, and beans are good, but two tacos for $28 is on the high side--as that's $14 per taco. I felt like for $28, the meal would have been more of a good value if it included at least three tacos. Other than that, they do have complementary chips and salsa--and the chips are freshly made. Ngl, even though the prices are on the high side, I would return if in the area again. But, if I ever do visit again, I'm getting the steak fajitas! read more

This is one of my go to Mexican restaurants.. it's a great location corner spot in Laguna Beach right across the street from the beach. The menu is small, but all the dishes are delicious . My favorite go to dish is actually an appetizer, the shrimp taquitos. ( one jumbo shrimp packed into each bite-size taquito ) They serve warm black beans with salsa and chips. Bonus! The guacamole is delicious ... Parking is a bit of a challenge. We got lucky, found a spot literally right out front, meter parking. The folks are super nice. They've got a huge patio area that is very dog friendly... Just go... you'll dig it! read more

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I ordered a vodka with a "SPLASH" of soda, they charged me $14.00 for the vodka and $2.00 for a splash of soda. 2a la carte chicken tacos chips and salsa $17.00 ripe off tacos were soggy and drink was ridiculous. Have you ever order a cocktail vodka soda and they charge you for the soda??? read more

Food was amazing. Great customer service and atmosphere. Would definitely come back again and recommend. Thank you Rodi for providing great customer service and hospitality! read more

Carmelita's - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Phenomenal! Best food I had in a long time. I had trio meal and some good wine. Cozy place with great service.

Really good. The service food ambience and location are awesome. It's hard to go wrong here in Carmelita's. They have a nice menu and the staff is out to please. It's one of the best places to hang out in Laguna as well. Always friendly people there and very close to the beach. read more

Fantastic happy hour and great service. Large portion of nachos. Great ambiance right by the beach. Beautiful location 10/10 read more

Carmelita's - House chips - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

First time at this restaurant. Food is okay. Don't care for the rice. Not sure where their version comes from but it's not Spanish style rice. Large prices and small servings. It was three of us and no one order yet our food took a long time to be served. Nice location with view of the beach. Probably won't be back due to the prices. read more

Beautiful day in Laguna Beach could only get better having the Carnitas Tacos. Delicious as always and service was on point!

Well it's our last night here in California and we decided to go out for dinner. We came upon Carmelitas Laguna Beach Mexican restaurant and let me tell you, their black beans were delicious but the crispy chicken chimichanga was the best I've ever tried. My life got the chicken enchiladas and she loved it as well. The customer service and food were amazing. We made this our dinner place next time we are in town. read more

Carmelita's was a great experience. We got to sit outside on their patio on a beautiful sunny day to enjoy excellent food. Their chips, salsa, and black beans were the bomb. Then we had a round of margaritas. The margarita mix was excellent. Too often margaritas (in my opinion) are way too sweet. These were mellow and delicious. We then leaned into a fabulous brunch. Our server was happy, and observant and made our visit very comfortable. Top it all off with a wonderful environment on a nation in Laguna, about a half block from the beach and it was just what we wanted for a Sunday morning. read more

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Very good Mexican cuisine. A typical upscale menu with what you normally would see at a Mexican restaurant. The execution is what makes the difference. The slow cooked carnitas were perfectly prepared. Really delicious fish tacos and perhaps one of the top three guacamole appetizers I have experienced. Chips were served warm (a must). I took the chips and Guac back to the hotel and had it for breakfast. Service was excellent and a very nice helpful staff. We will be back to try menu offerings. Good price/value relationship read more

Good spot for after the beach. Me and my friends enjoyed the food outside. Service and food was good.

This our new favorite Mexican Restaurant in Southern California. They have the best table chips and salsa, and their entrees are incredible. They also have the best guacamole recipe of any restaurant in the United States, though it is not made tableside. read more

We sat down outside because we wanted to try out this place that is always busy, and we didn't get water until at least 20 minutes after we had finished ordering both drinks and food and started on the chip appetizers. Other customers were served water as soon as they entered the dining area, which honestly felt somewhat discriminatory. We were the only table without a water vase. We wanted to order off the brunch menu at about 1pm. I asked for the fig omelette. A few minutes later, the manager told me they didn't have any eggs, which was super disappointing. So I ended up getting the spinach enchiladas, which were somewhat lackluster. The dish was not very flavorful, and they could have done with more cheese. My mom had to wait incredibly long for her fish tacos. I was already 3/4 of the way through my meal before she even got hers. The waitress asked what happened to the dish, and I said nobody's come around to bring it by. It seemed like the kitchen and the wait staff were a bit of a mess. My mom asked for one corn and one flour tortilla and god two flours. I guess neither the waitress nor the kitchen wanted to listen to the customer. Idk not a super great experience, the food is somewhat expensive for the small portion size, and I wouldn't really want to go back. read more

Carmelita's - Spinach Enchiladas - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

We came here on a Thursday night and Rodi, our server was amazing!!!! Carmelita's in Laguna Beach specifically is the best! Thank you Rodi!!! read more

The food was DELICIOUS and completely exceeded my expectations. Rody did AMAZING and provided outstanding service. I am blown away by how amazing this was! Would 100% recommend. read more

The chicken fajitas are the best I have ever had! Their chips are so thin and crispy! The food has so much flavor! So-So good! read more

Carmelita's - Carmelita Chicken Fajitas, I could only eat half! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Our server, Rodi, was excellent...attentive and cheerful. The food was really good! I tend to order shrimp and, if available, other shellfish. Normally, a shrimp enchilada will have bits of shrimp mixed with a LOT of peppers, onions, tomatoes. Not at Carmelita's! The crab and shrimp stuffed relleno was exactly that. The shrimp taco was filled with shrimp. And the crab enchilada was filled with crab...terrific! The shredded beef chimichanga was also a huge hit! We will be back! read more

Hi you guys I know you've had no time to miss me because I've been steady on the reviews . Now that my boyfriend is in town we have been trying all kinds of places from our master list. Evidently, this wasn't one of them though I've come before. I remember this place being great but even better this time than the last. We ordered so many items you can see my pictures of them The order of corn is literally huge you could share it with all your friends and pals then the bean dip is one of the best features of this place AND If you've been following me for some time you know I LOVE beans heavy. just so simple but delicious and we found out from our nice lady it's a special recipe. Whatever Is in it this stuff rules As did everything here and you have to go 5/5 STARS read more

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The margaritas here are strong and super tasty! Feels like there was fresh squeezed juice in mine and I was obsessed! Carne asada was steamy hot in the best way possible. Appetizers and entrees came out in good timing. Great for our party of 3. read more

Got food poisoning from a burrito. Also I ordered a blackened chicken and got steak that was unpalatatable couldn't even chew it, and the tortilla wasn't cooked. Awful! read more

good takeout burrito . the server was chill; Bradley, I believe his name was. Thanks, dude . read more

Carmelita's - Yum guacamole, and only $8! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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We've dined here twice in the past few months to use our Resy credit and this time will be our last at this location. We arrived early and had reservations. It took a few minutes for someone to acknowledge us and we were told to pick any table available, since it wasn't busy at all. Service was off the entire time and our server checked in on us once. We noticed that all the servers were standing around the kitchen and not attentive. Our water glasses were never filled and I didn't get a refill on the iced tea. We didn't even bother flagging down our server since she was hardly around or taking orders from other tables. We all agreed the food was good, but service was pretty bad and we wouldn't want to come back again. read more

Excellent food, great service and relaxed environment! Portions were large and fortunately they have great takeout containers and a bag to carry it in. read more

We had a girls lunch at Carmalitas in Laguna Beach. We moved away from CA several yrs ago and had often ate at the Rancho Santa Margarita location. How I missed their food from the warm bean dip, salsa and chips to their many traditional and seafood entrees. The server at Laguna was wonderfully patient & attentive at accommodating our party of 5 for lunch and quickly refilled our chip, salsa and bean dip. I ordered the 3 carnitas tacos. They were a little larger than street tacos loaded with plenty of carnitas, guacamole, onions and served with beans and salsa. Very filling. My friend got the 3 tacos but instead opted for the carne asada. The beef texture was a bit tough and dry and they were disappointing. The other lady in our party enjoyed the crispy chicken taco plate served with cilantro lime rice and refried beans. Our meals were served promptly and it was a nice quiet midweek lunch in Laguna. Prices are a bit more than your average combo plate Mexican restaurant with a tex/mex flair. read more

Carmelita's - 3 Carnitas Tacos and Crispy Chicken taco plate - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Fish tacos: very dry, the seasoning was also odd. They come on a corn tortilla but it was hard to even find anyone at our table to finish them. 2/5 Seafood enchiladas: I felt like this used to be a dish of three seafood enchiladas. They were very good but they came out as two, the black bean refried beans are excellent as always. I'm not a huge fan of their rice but their salsa is delicious and they will give you a refill if you ask for it to accompany your meal. 4/5 This is a very hit or miss place. Drinks were awesome and typically high priced like everything in the area. The location is very convenient because it's close to the main beach, there's an outdoor and indoor seating area with an attractive big bar. Jalapeño margarita is excellent. Like most places, they are understaffed, so service is slow. You can expect some casual dining. I recommend having a drink order ready for when the waiter comes over to you the first time. read more

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Authentic Mexican Cuisine! The fish tacos are stacked, fresh and flavorful - by far my favorite lunch choice each year we come to Laguna Beach (Caramelita's is our first stop)! The generous guacamole is a must, and accompanied by fresh salsa and warm smokey black bean dip. Spacious interior dining area with patio (al fresco). The blackberry margarita with thyme hits the spot - very refreshing! Our daughter enjoyed the weekend brunch which she raced about the Tres Leches pancakes. Five star experience every time we come here. read more

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