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    Carnitas El Rey

    3.9 (29 reviews)

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    Fried Quesadillas w/ Carnitas
    RJ B.

    This was our first time at Carnitas El Rey and it did not disappoint. We ordered the fried quesadillas topped with carnitas and the chilaquiles with red sauce topped with surtida -- both were insanely good. Living in Vegas, finding solid carnitas is nearly impossible, so whenever we're in Orange County we're always on the hunt for a real fix. We came across this spot on TikTok and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Wait time was not long, I'd say 10 minutes but definitely worth every bit. It's also served on a board which is a nice touch, and they serve it to you at your table. Our total came out to $40.19 for all the food plus two water bottles, which felt super reasonable for how delicious everything was. The vibe is very "hole in the wall" in the best way possible -- usually a sign the food is going to slap. You can literally see the giant pot of carnitas bubbling away and all the different cuts of meat on display. Super authentic and super flavorful. Also a big plus: it's fairly close to Disneyland, so it's a perfect food stop before or after the parks. Highly recommend! Will definitely be back whenever we're in town.

    Chilaquiles with carnitas
    Armando L.

    I was looking forward to this place for a while and finally made the move. Unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations. The waitress was not attentive and I kept getting ignored. My chilaquiles plate came out fresh but didn't have a great taste in balance with all of the ingredients. Parking is limited since it's in a small shopping center and shares the parking lot with other busy businesses next door.

    Looks good, no flavor though.
    Anne K.

    My work ordered several items and everyone loved there's. My quesadilla had absolutely no flavor and the red and green sauces were too hot to use. It might be a preference thing, because everyone else said there's was good. All of our items were there with nothing missing. Thank you!

    The best place this side of the Mexican border for carnitas.
    Frank V.

    The first bite reminded me as a kid visiting my abuelita in Mexico. 30 plus years later and I finally found a place that had the same taste as her food. ... come in you will love it. I was not paid to submit this.

    Cueritos con carnitas
    Gabby G.

    Everyone is super nice and friendly. The place is super clean and the prices are great. El lugar está muy limpio y todos son muy amables. El chicharrón está muy bonito, o sea que no está quemado ni prieto jaja y el buche está delicioso

    The BEST Carnitas we've ever had! Me and my man have been waiting for this carnitas spot to open and it did not disappoint. We ordered the carnitas surtida with all three sides (guac, pico, & pickled carrots + jalapeños), torta ahogadas (carnitas), and jarritos preparados (pina). Everything was melt in your mouth delicious, you can tell they are passionate about their craft here. Our server Betzy was so sweet and attentive! She made our experience even better, she checked on us several times and made great recommendations. Kudos to your whole staff, we will be back for more!

    2 lbs carnitas surtida  Pico de gallo Guacamole  Chile en vinagre  2 dozen tortillas

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    19 days ago

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    6 months ago

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    15 days ago

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    9 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 months ago

    The guy prepared my guacamole fresh and it was very good ! he had great customer service came to our table to make sure food was ok

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    1 year ago

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    6 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Best carnitas in town!! I loved the menudo (only on wknds) as well as the chilaquiles. Not to mention the great service highly recommended

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    7 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was amazing! Carnitas were moist and not too greasy with great flavor. I'll be back for sure.

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Los chilaquiles delicious las salsas tienen muy buen sabor y las meseras son muy amables.

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Food was amazing, restaurant was clean! Not to many places you can find with good carnitas and great tasting buche that is all fresh!

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    11 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    11 months ago

    The carnitas were soft and not dry. Very flavorful. Handmade tortillas. Highly recommend!

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Puesto Anaheim

    Puesto Anaheim

    4.4
    (2.1k reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$
    Minority-owned & operated
    Large group friendly

    We love Puesto and always enjoy our food, but last night was one for the record books. Not just…read morebecause the food was delicious, as usual, but because we had the incredible fortune of having Scotty as our server. Scotty took what was already a great date night and made it truly memorable. Not only was he the best server we've had since we started dining at Puesto, but I'd go so far as to say he was one of the best servers I've ever had anywhere. Scotty had a calm, understated demeanor that was part of his charm. He was genuine, attentive, extraordinarily kind, and somehow managed to keep my Diet Coke with lime full the entire evening. He anticipated our needs before we even had to ask and was always there at just the right moment. Best of all, he laughed at my dad jokes. While the food was outstanding, Scotty made the experience even better. His service elevated an already great meal into an exceptional evening. We will absolutely be requesting Scotty's section every time we visit Puesto Anaheim.

    Food was so good! We basically tried everything. We had the salsa and guacamole flight. Loved their…read morechips too! We had the chicken taquitos, potato flautas, short rib enchilada, steak taco, fried fish taco, carnitas and the chicken tacos! The only thing that took away a star because we had to stand and wait for 15 minutes to be sat. We had a reservation that I made five days ago. They say other parties before us and we had to still stand and wait even with a reservation The restaurant itself is so beautiful! Great spot for dinner with the family!

    Photos
    Baja Fish, Verduras, and Filet Tacos
    Baja Fish, Verduras, and Filet Tacos
    The Main Dining Room set up for a Family-Style Event
    The Main Dining Room set up for a Family-Style Event
    Cucumber, Watermelon, and Mango Margarita

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    Cucumber, Watermelon, and Mango Margarita
    Lindo Michoacan

    Lindo Michoacan

    4.1
    (1.7k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    I come here for their chilaquiles chingones and they never disappoint! Highly recommend getting it…read morewith scrambled eggs and a side of their handmade tortillas. I usually have enough leftovers to take home and have for lunch the next day. Parking is a bit sparse, but there's residential spots available next door and within walking distance (as well as my favorite romance bookstore, Heartbound Bookshop). All their dishes are made to order, so please have some grace and be patient with their kitchen. As I always say, you can't rush perfection!

    I visited today because we were in the area and were craving menudo. The restaurant was busy, but…read morewe were seated right away, which was a plus. The agua de melón was delicious, and the side of beans was excellent. We also ordered a plain quesadilla, and it was surprisingly really good. The menudo itself was just okay--not bad, but nothing special. The reason I'm giving 2 stars isn't because the staff were rude, but they definitely weren't friendly or welcoming. My biggest concern, however, was what I witnessed with the condiments. When you order menudo, they bring a plate with limes, onions, and chili. I watched two employees clear tables, throw away some items, but keep the unused onions and uncut lime wedges from customers' plates and take them back into the kitchen to be served again. Even if I didn't use all of the onions or limes, that doesn't mean I didn't touch them. Reusing food that has already been on a customer's table is unsanitary and unacceptable. After seeing that, it made me wonder whether other items, like leftover chips, might also be reused. Whether or not that's the case, what I witnessed was enough to make me lose confidence in their food handling practices. Unfortunately, I won't be returning

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Pozole
    Pozole
    Outside the restaurant

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    Outside the restaurant
    URBANA Mexican Gastronomy

    URBANA Mexican Gastronomy

    3.8
    (880 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Vegetarian friendly

    Cool spot with some great margaritas and cocktails!…read more Love this little Mexican restaurant located on the bottom floor of the Packing House. Came in for a little date night on a Saturday evening. The whole staff was friendly and accommodating, always quick to refill drinks or clear empty plates. We started off with some delicious and spicy oysters which were topped with a shrimp! We also had to try the Chori-brussels which are flash fried Brussels sprouts with chorizo, balsamic reduction, and Oaxacan cheese. For drinks we got a Santo Dia, a whiskey based cocktail with watermelon, lime, and fizz served over ice. We also ordered the Spicy margarita which had watermelon habanero, lime, and hibiscus flavors. They were both delicious and refreshing, the spicy marg had a good kick to it. For dinner we got a caesar salad, the ribeye plate, and the Urbana burger. We both loved the dressing on the caesar, it's made in house and it shows. The ribeye was cooked perfectly with a delicious herb butter on top, a really good steak sauce on the side, and thick cut fries. The ribeye wasn't the highest quality but it tasted good, the fries were perfect. My fiancé got the burger which had chorizo, melted queso Oaxaca, and an egg on top. Not gonna lie it was absolutely delish! I want to come back just for the burger. All in all we had a great time and I would definitely come back for some other menu items, especially to try more of their margs and specialty cocktails. Thanks Urbana!

    Came for the indoor cool air and a ice cold aguachile michelada. Got gifted with a reposada shot,…read morecourtesy of the awesome bartender. Salud The gobernador taco was chef's kiss 10/10 Crispy, fried wild prawns, in a mild Cornmeal batter. Fresh Fresno chili, red onion, cabbage, melted queso and a house made blue corn tortillas, bring this taco together for a sweet and spicy perfect shrimp taco Amazing ambiance, impeccable service thanks to Kenon, my bartender, and food! Can't wait to come back

    Photos
    Arrachera Taco, Carnitas Taco & Baja Fish Taco
    Arrachera Taco, Carnitas Taco & Baja Fish Taco
    Carnitas Papas
    Carnitas Papas
    Jorge Negrete Cocktail:
 Mezcal, Cynar, Gran Classico

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    Jorge Negrete Cocktail: Mezcal, Cynar, Gran Classico

    Carnitas El Rey - mexican - Updated August 2026

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