*** outstanding tamales in Southeastern New Mexico ***…read more I popped into Fernando's Tamales in Carlsbad, NM hoping to take home at least two dozen in my cooler. Just before 11 AM I learned that they were completely out of red pork. I could have waited a half hour for a batch, but I didn't. I already had obligations to which I was en route. So I settled for a half dozen green chile cheese and a half dozen chicken with green chile ($26). They were delicious - even reheated! Make sure to get change if you pay cash. I handed a young lady $40 and she closed the drawer and started to walk off. Lol. RATING BREAKDOWN Food: 5 | Service: 3 | Ambiance: 4 | Price: 4

Nice spot for breakfast. Had horchata, hot chocolate and tamale. Come early because they run outread more

El Charro keeping it humble and absolutely delivering. Not fancy (nothing in this town really is )…read morebut daaaaauuum... that bean burrito was one of the best I've had in a long time. The burritos do run a little on the smaller side, but they're packed with flavor and definitely hit the spot. The salsa bar actually brings the heattttt spicy spicy, not just "I promise it's hot" spicy and the guac has legit flavor. Best part? You finish your meal and casually wander next door because it's connected to an ice cream and fruiteria situation. Dinner + dessert without even leaving the building. Say less.

I was recommended El Charro in Carlsbad, NM by some locals, and I'm so glad I listened…read more I'm a big fan of quesabirria and have been on a little quesabirria journey, and this has to be one of the top two best quesabirria tacos I've ever had. The taco was crispy and filled with delicious meat, and the consommé was rich and flavorful. If I hadn't been on the road, I probably would have ordered another one. The portion was generous, and the price was fair too. The service was quick, and the overall dining environment was bright and clean. Definitely a great local recommendation and a spot I'd happily come back to.

We came here on 4.22.24 after a long 12-mile hike ready to throw down. Our server was quick and…read morefriendly in taking care of us. Chips and salsa have to be ordered and you are charged for them - but trust me when I say you get ALOT of salsa and chips - and both are house made and delicious. There is also a very well-stocked salsa bar here with a diverse selection of salsas, taco toppings, and pickled jalapeños. You have got to try the jalapeños that taste like they were marinated in soy sauce. I had the cheese enchiladas dinner - I ordered them Xmas style with half and half red and green salsas. My very tired hiking partner restored her energy with a delicious dinner entree of flautas. We each really loved our meals and not just because we were operating on starvation mode! My enchiladas were stuffed full of Mexican cheese and were well covered with tasty red and green salsas. The refried beans were SO good and the rice tasted even better with a nice dose of pico de gallo. Pay cash if you want to avoid a CC fee. Come here for a great meal in a super clean establishment with quality service. You won't be disappointed.

OVERALL Not favorite Mexican restaurant in Carlsbad, New…read moreMexico, but Pancho's was good. RATING BREAKDOWN Food: 4 | Service: 4 | Ambiance: 4 | Price: 3 PARKING Limited spaces out front. LOCATION/AMBIANCE It's about a 25-minute drive from Carlsbad Caverns on the northwest side of town. THE GRUB + Modelo especial ($5.25) + chile relleno plate ($12.99) - this was enjoyable with the brighter green sauce from the salsa bar. Served with salad, beans, rice & your choice or 2 flour or corn tortillas. + gordita ($3.99) - my daughter liked this with asada. + guacamole ($4.99) - my 10-year-old ordered this with her gordita & there was plenty left over. Pretty good! + shrimp tacos ($13.99) - my 9-year-old devoured all three of them + Mexican Coke ($2.75) + small fountain drink in Styrofoam ($1.99) LITTLE YELPER'S CLUB There were some kids menu items, but nothing my kids liked. SERVICE It helps if you know a little Spanish. Our waitress was Spanish only speaker. She didn't tell me I had to go up front to pay so we sat there for a while until I figured that out. MY FAVORITE PART... The chile relleno. NOT SO FAVORITE PART... - Chips & salsa are not complimentary. - The soy-sauce drenched jalapeños at the salsa bar! Nope. Never again. TIP Beer is served. Cocktails are not.

We celebrated my Grandma's birthday weekend with brunch at La Juanita's. Carlsbad restaurants are…read moreoften very busy and La Juanita's accommodated our large group of 10. We were fortunate that Mariachis were playing when we arrived. They graciously sang Las Mananitas (traditional birthday song) to my Grandma, making a celebratory day all the more special! I had beef fajitas because I was opting for a healthier meal. It was a little greasy but very flavorful. If you're up for Mexican food, just go all out like my family did (see pics). The chips and salsa were good which is a key indicator for a Mexican joint. Oh and my grandma was treated to a complimentary ice cream treat which was very thoughtful!

Who doesn't crave Mexican while driving through New Mexico? I was starving after Carlsbad Caverns…read moreand Yelped this placed. Despite the name 'Rojas Mexican Grill & Restaurant', the new name is 'La Juanita Mexican Cuisine & Grill.' Parking is easy. Plenty of spaces around the restaurant. I even saw some work trucks parked around. Do not be fooled by the appearance and go inside. You pretty much sit anywhere, and the waitress will come by with menus. Complimentary crisps chips and salsa were good. FOOD: Special Steak (Topped with bacon, mushroom, cheese, with Charro beans, chili toreado and grilled onions, 2/5): I am not sure why my friend ordered a steak here. It was tough. I only tried a bite of it with the beans. Beans didn't impress me either. Enchilada Plate (Three Red or Green Enchiladas served with re-fried beans and rice): You can also add meat for $1 extra. My friend devoured this! I didn't even try a bite but seemed like other enchilada plates. Pollo en Mole Plate (Served with re-fried beans and rice, 3/5): This was just OK. Mole was mildly lacking flavor and was more on the salty side. I have tried much better mole in other Mexican restaurants. Ask for a green sauce to eat this dish with because it makes it so much better than without it. Juanita Tacos (Beef, fresh onion, cilantro, avocado, cheese, grilled onions, and jalapeno, 5/5): 4 pieces of tacos. You can opt to make it come with rice and beans for extra. BUT IT IS SO GOOD. Authentic tacos, order this if you want them. The only bad thing is that they layer so much food on the top that the tortilla will gradually get soggy. Friends and I agreed this was the best dish so far. Fried Ice Cream (4/5): I cannot believe the waitress asked if our table wanted only one order before this dessert arrived. It is massive! Definitely shareable between 3-4 people. I wish there wasn't so much whip cream on top, for I literally scooped it right off three times to get to the ice cream. Definitely order if you want something cold. Rounded up for wonderful service! Drinks were filled in a timely manner. She would come by every now and ask if we needed anything. Afterwards, you walk to the cashier in the left of the restaurant to pay for your meal. Cash and card are accepted. I would definitely come back to try the other tacos they offer. Come try a real Mexican restaurant in Carlsbad!

I love Mexican food and there is rarely a pace I don't like but I just didn't care for this place…read more I feel like tacos are a good, defining entree to compare one place to the next. I ordered the taco plate with rice and beans. It came with four tacos, which is a lot. I ordered two ground beef and two chicken. Both types were pretty flavorless and bland. As were the rice and beans. I had to add salsa to at least add some flavor. The salsa was good.

Food was great! The service was fast and servers friendly. Restaurant is very well set up and had…read morelarge TVs for sporting events all around but the noise levels were not crazy as we had breakfast there. Will definitely return again.

This place isn't really mexicand it says that it is, but it's not. The waitress is really nice. The…read morefood wasn't that great chips were stale Their sauce saw was just haljapeno Salt in garlic The restaurant looked really clean, though. They really keep up on that part. I would not really recommend But overall I have to say is it was really nice and clean in there, and customer service was excellent.

Had lunch there yesterday and since the. My husband, baby and myself have had the worst case of…read morefood poisoning.. baby ate off my plate and my best guess is it was the pork. We have literally been in the bathroom Sick all night/day. The service was wonderful though, that's why I gave the 3 stars.

Located in the Plaza de San Jose parking lot, there stands their white food truck. What a steady…read moreflow of patrons ordering and also picking up their preordered plates. Wow, the brisket plate seemed to just get bigger and bigger the more I attacked it. The first glance fooled me, because there was a hefty serving of juicy and BBQ ringed brisket. Ample sides given and the pepper-onion-pickle relish was a welcomed large servings of spice and happiness. The tacos come in 3 and 4 count. Again, I got fooled as the taco contained a lot of shredded pork and I was getting full already Very generous servings. Tasty BBQ sauces. Interesting flavors in the bean side, too. A+!

OMG TACOS ARE AMAZING!!! I got here late but he rustled up some tacos (salsa spicy), brisket is…read moreamazing! fresh fried taco shells I was in heaven!

Food is good, is hot the dinner area and the server mistake or order but other that it food 11/10read more

Carniceria San Juan de Los Lagos in Carlsbad, NM has to be some of the best Mexican food I've ever…read morehad! I usually have a rule when traveling that I don't visit the same restaurant more than once, but this place was the exception. I came back three times in two days. Yes, it was that good. Sadly, the third time I came back, they were closed. The food tasted very authentic and absolutely worth the visit. I noticed some reviews mentioned communication issues or that the staff may not speak much English. I had a little bit of that struggle too, but honestly, that's how you know you might be in the right place for truly authentic Mexican food. I also felt like it was partly my fault for not doing enough research before ordering. But we figured it out, and the food was more than worth it. One small suggestion: it would be helpful if the menu had a little more English explanation, pictures, or item numbers to make ordering easier for both customers and staff. Overall, this is the kind of true hidden gem you hope to find in a small town. I would definitely take a detour to come back here whenever I'm in the area again.