This was my first visit. Finally made it here. I live in Gilroy, however Carnitas Michoacan is well known in San Jose. There is seating right in the vicinity of the entrance. The seating was ok... I think they need a better seating arrangement to handle their business. We arrived a little after 5 p.m., As we were sitting, business picked up pretty quick. I ordered the Carnitas, my son ordered a carne asada burrito. The carnitas did not disappoint, tasty, succulent, and well seasoned. The sides were good, not the best or the worst. I have to say I was really disappointed that they didn't have a liquor license. I would have really enjoyed a Modelo or a Tecate with my meal. I would definitely go back read more

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Well, can't say enough to give this gem of an establishment it's propers. Service from the jump was OUTSTANDING! That made it all the easier to enjoy the rest of the experience. Because that's what this was, truly an experience. It's a place on my food bucket list and I finally got there. Ok, to the food. A++++++ Yup! Best carnitas ANYWHERE. I've tried them from multiple restaurants, taquerias and well established Mexican home cooks. These were by far the juiciest, flavorful and perfectly textured pork chunks. Easily melts on your palaat first bite. (Photos don't lie) From my wife and I to the two ladies who helped us out, thank you! Sorry we didn't get your names but we'll be back because you both made the experience a great one. Oh yeah, ALL the extras you see were FOC. Minus the Guac. That's extra EVERYWHERE you dine at. Don't be a sucka and pay for that. read more

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Carnitas Plate- the proportions are plenty it taste like my mom mothers cooking, great food and service read more

Carnitas Michoacan - Mexican Near Me - Gilroy, California

Food was good we got chilaquiles in salsa verde and roja they were delicious also the pozole was really good too. The service was nice the lady was friendly and the ambiance was really good too. read more

I can confidently say it's the best Mexican food I've ever had. The carnitas were perfectly tender and flavorful, the Mexican rice was cooked to perfection, and the beans were incredibly authentic. My favorite salsa is the green! If you're looking for an authentic mexican meal this place is a true gem read more

La comida esta bien pero el servicio no es tan bueno y el restaurante es muy pequeño. El servicio del segundo restaurante en San Jose es mucho mejor. read more

I occasionally pick up for when I'm having company. Always get a few lbs of carnitas, a chicken, rice, beans, rice, tortillas and salsas Always delicious. Usually generous with the meat. read more

Excellent food, great service, of going on the weekend expect a wait but anything this good is worth the wait!

The carnitas was very juicy and tender! The chile relleenjos the cashier was nice and courteous read more

Carnitas Michoacan - Chile rellenos was delicious! It was so flavorful! - Mexican Near Me - Gilroy, California

My co workers always recommend going to this place whenever I'm free and today was one of those days :) We drove to Gilroy from SJ on a Sunday weekend and was pleasantly surprised to find how easy it was to get there, order, and go home. The restaurant is nestled between local mom and pop shops with beautiful decor and graffitied art murals in every corner. It kind of feels like a bit of Southern California, Perris in a way. Cozy and home-ish. Parking was fairly easy to find and entering/exiting was done with ease. The 2 hour limit free parking was quite convenient! Prior to entering, there are signs that you can pay with card which is nice in case you are out of cash on hand. There are signs to notify patrons to order at the carnitas station and pay at the register as there is a long hallway of diners & tables for patrons to eat. We (fiance and I) made our way towards the register & meat station passing by the groups of diners feasting on the delicious meals they ordered. It helped whet the appetite seeing the gusto show on their faces as they shoved delicious juicy carnitas tacos topped with vibrant salsa verde and rojo on it. As we got closer to the meat station, I noticed cold bottles of cerveza and jarritos in one of the see through fridges as well as some desserts (flan/gelatin?) As well. The cashier was very nice and I noticed we made it at the right time as there was a long line that accumulated during the 10 minute wait for carnitas. For those who wanted to dine, they would have to order their plates and pay before hand while getting a # and finding the seats they want to sit at. Food is delivered to the patrons who want to dine in. As for us, we wanted just carnitas as the fiance was going to make home made tortillas for us to eat. They offer birria, Carnitas, Chile verde, and a nice variety of other items I cant remember on the top of my head. There are even rice & beans combinations if preferred. We ordered 4 lbs of carnitas- mix style as it contains the ribs, skin, buche, & other meats. You can ask for different cuts if you dont want a specific item mixed in. The butcher was very pleasant. Overall for 4 lbs of carnitas, it was around $52.00~ tax included. If we are talking price/lb its $12/lb. Which is very affordable considering some places will charge above that. The carnitas itself was quite moist & flavorful. Often times you get gamey flavors if not seasoned right but this was rich and fatty. Perfect salt as well! Overall would recommend this place as it's something I'd get if I'm ever in town. read more

Had worst custom service experience and food was not fresh. The chicharon was dried out (meat portion) and skin was rubbery. My to go order was missing half the items , tried to resolve in store and was mistreated. No customer service in mind, staff (cashier and phone service) were rude and did not try to resolve the issue. Very disappointing experience, been a customer since they first opened but will be driving out of town to get carnitas. Obviously they have no need for my business so don't care. Food qualify has gone done drastically over the years. Will not be recommending in the future. read more

Stopped in on a whim while yray from So. Cal to Mendocino - absolutely wonderful - great vibes and exceptional food - I had the quesabirras and my wife had the Chilaquillas - both were the best ever - so much, I just had the leftovers for dinner and realized I needed to post so others will drop in and have a memorable meal read more

The truth is... you're not here for the salad. Good thing because the salad will only rate 1*. The carnitas, however are THE BEST IN California! If are on your way to or from the Bay Area you will want to plan accordingly to stop here for a great meal... Yes, even in styrofoam. read more

Carnitas Michoacan - Mexican Near Me - Gilroy, California

Slow service, rude server. The food did not taste good. Not worth going. It took a while to even order and didn't know where to order, never got a number for the food. A lot of people who ordered after got their food before. read more

This place never disappoints. One of our go to spots! We recently tried the berria. Delicious!

Our favorite is the super burrito with birria! Absolutely best and amazing birria burrito! It's huge so it's enough to share and or have leftovers. read more

Great Food! Best quick dinner meal. Easy to order. Nice customer service. Love the salsas too!

Been coming to this place since my daughter who is now 24 was a newborn.. been having some not so good experiences the last couple rounds .. keep giving them 2nd chances ... but this was my last straw. You used to come in and the guy in the back had some serious knife skills, customer service, and personality! He always gave a little sample of what you were about to embark on! Sweet .. fresh .. juicy .. delicious pork! That's over .. Now it's some youngin' who doesn't look you in the eye, doesn't listen .. serves skimpy portions and to top things off meat has a burnt taste and greasy porky feel. I am beyond sad that this place has gone down hill and relies on the history and nostalgia of past patrons that still believe this to be the best place to get carnitas period. I'm tired of giving them the benefit of the doubt for what they "used to be", because they are not. Save your $$$ go elsewhere not worth the drive .. $$$ or time waiting in that hot rear corner with carpet from the 70's for leftover, burnt, poor quality pork! read more

Hands down the best carnitas around. I live coming in and getting a few pounds of carnitas with plenty of skin, a few salsas and a few dozen tortillas. Simple and amazing. This is almost a weekly spot for me. The line might get long but it's definitely worth the wait, and if you are lucky and. you get to the front of the line they might give you a little sample for you being patient read more

Amazing food ! I did some catering for an office lunch and the food was perfect and it was ready by when I ask for .

Carnitas are always bomb! The salsa beans and rice are all bomb too! The prices are reasonable too.

I didn't know what to expect when I first walked in with my table group. I had two people with adventurous pallets while I had one that was a little more meat and potatoes only. I was thankful that we had such a patient waiter. He was quick to take our order and answering that Chef bell to deliver food timely to every diner's table. I decided to try the enchiladas (la carte) . Its four enchiladas, your choice of red or green sauce, your choice of meat, queso frescas (served as a crumble not melted). I chose to have... dos enchiladas con carnitas y dos con pollo lol. Hopefully, it reads two carnitas enchiladas and two chicken enchiladas. The red sauce was delicious with a good helping of spice without burning the tongue. It was more of a soothing heat. The queso paired very well. If you can, go ahead and get some rice to pair with it because it goes AMAZING with the red sauce and the enchiladas... but pairing it with the red sauce alone was great. If you love mexican food, you should definitely go visit. Don't look for alcoholic beverages.... because they do not serve it lol. But they give really delicious food and ask for the bottle Pepsi. read more

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So good! A-little odd ordering at the counter and everything being served in take out containers but the food is delicious! Repainting brightened it up inside. read more

A really decent little Mexican restaurant in downtown Gilroy. Discovered this place on a recent trip through the area - we were looking for food late one evening and stumbed upon Carnitas Michoacan. A Very plain and simple setup with nothing fancy. Located in old shotgun layout type of building in downtown - with a very modest interior and basic set up. An interesting seat yourself place with wait service - of sorts - we had three different people waiting on us, one who took our order, then another who brought our food and a third waitress who came by at the end to check on us and cash us out. Basic good carnitas and just down right good food at a fair price and decent sized portions The super burritos are huge burritos, the chili Verde was excellent - the super was enough for two though. A Regular burrito would have been plenty and I was hungry so I ordered the super, it was beyond more than enough - required a to go box for leftovers. Good Spicy salsa. No Beer or Wine. Soft drinks only. A true old school Carnitas restaurant - nothing fancy - just really good food at a fair price. 00159 read more

Carnitas Michoacan - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Gilroy, California

This place is such a scam. The lady taking orders was in a rush, wouldn't let me think. And she didn't even tell me there was gonna be an additional charge if I used card. She charged me 50$ for for ONE Taco, TWO quesadillas, a medium rice, and THREE soda cans. To top it off she didn't even tell me that the quesadillas came with rice and beans. It was very bad service!!!! They need more than person in there. read more

I called in my order during lunch, easy and fast. Super burrito carne asada with everything (rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, onion & cilantro)... when able to eat in usually came with a side salad and some lime (miss that). I also ordered chips and the green sauce is a must! $13.$$ Support local businesses. I'm gonna crave them for a while and have withdrawals I'm sure. Cheers read more

Carnitas Michoacan - Super Burrito Carne Asada side of Chips and Green salsa! - Mexican Near Me - Gilroy, California

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I love this place. The carnitas and greed sauce is the best here. The wait can be a bit long but worth it. read more

Service was awful, witness them searching a customers purchase after they were asking for their missing item. As if they were lying. The fact that they would go to that extra extent for a side item! Especially when they had 4 bags full of food. Food is good but the customer service has to be a lot better! read more

It's called Carnitas. Get the darn Carnitas!! Carnitas were juicy, flavorful and refreshing with lime/radish/and cilantro. How you peice it together is up to your carnivoric spirit! The chicken burrito is also great. Beans, chicken, rice and Man Vs. Food'd all that goodness in one seating. Thank you Carnitas Michoacan. Horchata - OK . Menudo - My dad loves it and others seem to be ordering it too. I'm not a fan of it in general but that would be his two cents. They usually have so many people coming in and out of the restaurant while you eat to take party sized platters of carnitas and other dishes. It's like a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that's med-small sized, but, I love the stickiness that grows on you! Slow service but fast if you have the right waiters. Let them know that you're in a rush in advance. read more

Carnitas Michoacan - Ensalada regular - Mexican Near Me - Gilroy, California

The best carnitas in the South Bay. This place offers great authentic Mexican food for a reasonable price. The carnitas plate is loaded with meat and comes with tortillas, rice, beans, and a small salad. The quesadilla is also wonderful you can get it with your choice of meat. I would recommend the barbacoa quesadilla if your already eating carnitas. The yellow orange salsa here is on point and I usually cover everything with it. If your in Gilroy stop by if your craving carnitas! read more

Carnitas Michoacan - Carnitas plate - Mexican Near Me - Gilroy, California

Best place in town. Best true Mexican food I've ever had and it's always busy which is a good sign. They do take out meat too which is amazing! They are also so friendly and nice in person and on the phone, which I can't say about the other places in town. read more

Did not disappoint! Thank you yelpers! We had the carnitas special at $13 something. It came with jalapeños,10 tortillas, and other stuff. We did have to order rice and beans, it did not come with it. No biggie! It was still a good deal. This serving could of fed a family of 4. Just add large sides. Flavor on these carnitas. Priceless! read more

We were sat quickly, at a dirty table, they were not full. I had to ask to have the table cleaned as you could see it was sticky with cup rings and finger prints or smears. The service was slow. It took 15 minutes for a waitress to come to take our order. They served a green salsa (not bad) with store bought chips. Like the stone ground kind. It took longer for our food to come. 4 tacos carne asada and carnitas. They were out of the birra. Also ordered the chicken flautas and the Chile relenos (not sure of the spelling for that) BBB Husband liked the Chile R plate. Their beans and rice were fine. The chicken flautas were ok. They were served with Very little guacamole and sour cream. More garnish than to dip into. The guacamole was mostly tomatoes and onions with some avocado holding it together. The taco were huge. Double tortilla, warmed not fried or crisped a bit. The carne asada was tasty. The carnitas was soft and kind of saucy for carnitas. When we were done eating the husband said "well we've tried that, and won't be going back..." I agreed with him. I know they just opened. So I'm sure some of it is due to their newness. Like I said the carne asada was tasty. read more

My review will be short. The carnitas are good and I will always recommend but the take out only sucks. Its unorganized. They have spots on the floor taped to distance customers but it didnt seem to work. Its the liberal county of Santa Clara still forcing restaurants to close there indoor dining. I'm glad Bakersfield is on a different page and allowing indoor dining. Having said that, still support your local restaurants. read more

This is the only place my bf's family goes to when getting carnitas. They will take the drive down to gilroy just for this good stuff! I do not eat carnitas often, but I like how moist it is compared to other places. The prices are great and the meat is mostly lean which is great. Def one of the best carnitas i've had compared to home cooked carnitas. read more

Waited more than 5 mnts at register to get help, and nobody was present! Pictures posted on reviews looks delicious hopefully next time we get a better experience when we come around this area of Gilroy read more

Had lunch here. Excellent, and somewhat spicy, take on salsa verde. A negative, it seemed the tortilla chips were out of a bag. My tostada was really flavorful. My chili relleno was very tasty despite the red sauce being cold. The staff was super friendly. I would visit this place again if I was in the area but I would not go out of my way to eat here. read more

Always taste the same every time ... salsa tortillas meat rice BOMBBBBB !!! Get for next family's bbq, bday, just cuz !!! DELICIOUS

Passed by Gilroy on the way to San Francisco. This place is a small gem. Great to feed big size families! They have a deal where you get a few pounds of carnitas, beans, rice, tortillas, and salsa for about 30 bucks! It fed about 6 people. Due to covid we got the order to go but I have been before and the inside is pretty big. They definitely did not skimp out on their portions. Bomb carnitas! The staff is also super friendly! read more

Walked in to get some carnitas to go. Very pleased with the customer service, carnitas, and price. Definitely will go again. Thank you, for opening a location in San Jose. read more